Tsartlips claim to ‘sacred’ Tod Inlet

By Bill Smith

Times Colonist (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) · Tue, Nov 30, 1993

The Tsartlip Band has plans to lay claim to Tod Inlet.

The band is working on a site-specific land claim for the inlet and portions of surrounding land.

And while the land is already targeted for major development by Fama Holdings, band chief Daniel Sam said the area is “legally ours.”

“There is no bill of sale to say it was bought from the Tsartlip people,” Sam said Monday.

Band elders have given descriptions of Tsartlip boundaries from Mount Douglas Park to Willis Point that are being used for the claim.

“We’re talking about what we’re entitled to,” Sam said, adding that the area is sacred to native Indians.

Vancouver-based Fama Holdings is planning a residential development on the 488 hectares it owns in Central Saanich, Langford and Saanich.

Tsartlip Band lawyer Louise Mandell said in an interview from Vancouver that research on the land claim is finished.

“We’re in the process of preparing the document for the band and the federal government,” said Mandell.

“The claim will cover land and