B.C. to buy private island to protect First Nations burial ground
The B.C. government has reached a tentative deal to buy Grace Islet, where a private home was being constructed atop an ancient aboriginal cemetery.
It is the 12th time since the 1970s that the province has purchased land to resolve a conflict over what the law deems to be of archeological value – sites that are regarded by First Nations as sacred burial grounds.
Grace Islet was purchased by Edmonton resident Barry Slawsky in 1990, and at that time the site was known to have archeological importance. But when ancient human remains were found, archeologists investigated and found 16 burial rock cairns that would trace back at least 500 years.
Under the province’s Heritage Conservation Act, it is illegal to damage, desecrate or alter a burial place that has historical or archeological value. But Mr. Slawsky was granted a provisional permit to build his retirement home after agreeing to construct it around and above the rock cairns. Read more.
