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Delgamuukw And The Protection Of Aboriginal Land Interests, Gordon Christie

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To determine the extent to which Aboriginal title-holders enjoy control over Aboriginal title lands, it is necessary to explore fiduciary doctrine, for the application of this doctrine to the question of legislative infringement determines the limits within which Aboriginal title-holders can expect to see their interests respected. In Delgamuukw the Supreme Court of Canada adopted and applied an understanding of the Crown-Aboriginal fiduciary relationship it developed in Gladstone. In so doing the Supreme Court set out the power of Canadian governments to control the uses to which Aboriginal title lands can be put. Ironically, since Aboriginal title is characterized by …