Thank you, Mr. Zimmer, for that important question.
Let me, at the outset, just acknowledge that this particular legislation does not include any discussion on title. This is primarily for the purpose of recognizing the Haida Nation as a government.
Having said that, I was at the provincial legislature when this legislation was introduced by Minister Rankin. The way I interpret this legislation, and the way title could coexist, is very similar to what Crown title is right now. If you look at any jurisdiction in Canada, you see there's an underlying Crown title that has been bestowed to the Crown since Confederation. In the case of provinces, it was transferred to them at some point when the provinces were established. The underlying Crown title is what is in question right now. That Crown title will be replaced at some point by title of the Haida Nation, which essentially means that they can coexist in exclusive purview. It's the underlying title we're talking about, which is Crown title, and on top of it is where private property interest, or fee simple, is bestowed. This is where the right to encumber, the right to put on a mortgage, a right to put liens and so on, or the actual certainty of ownership will be established.
Essentially speaking, this is very much a provincial promise, an undertaking of British Columbia. It is to replace what's called the underlying Crown title with the title of the Haida Nation. Of course, there's a lot more work to do, as the president rightfully said, to ensure there is certainty. However, my legal analysis—and I have a fair bit of understanding of property law—is that it's the underlying title that will be replaced from the Crown to Haida.