What's really going on with the Musqueam Agreement?
As most Canadians now know, the federal government and the Musqueam Indian Band signed three agreements on 20 February 2026 on the Musqueam reserve in Vancouver with BC Premier David Eby in attendance.
Secret agreements
The agreements were negotiated in secret, and after the signing ceremony the federal government and the Musqueam continued to keep the text of the agreements secret. A news release quietly posted on the Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) website on 20 February 2026 merely provided one-sentence summaries:
šxʷq̓ʷal̕təl̕tən A Rights Recognition Agreement – Recognizes that Musqueam has Aboriginal rights including title within their traditional territory and establishes a framework for incremental implementation of rights and nation-to-nation relations with Canada.
xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Stewardship & Marine Management Agreement – Establishes bilateral collaborative working groups so that Musqueam knowledge and stewardship practices will guide shared decision-making in this incremental implementation agreement to protect and manage the waters and resources within Musqueam territory.
xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Fisheries Agreement – Supports Musqueam’s and Canada’s shared decision-making role in collaborative fisheries management within Musqueam territory, and provides implementation funding as well as funding for access, vessels and gear through this incremental implementation agreement.
The Stewardship & Marine Management Agreement and the Fisheries Agreement will have a major impact on British Columbians, and likely on all Canadians, but to this date neither the federal government nor the Musqueam have released copies.
Much more detail in the cited link...
