The ongoing controversy over the Cowichan Nation court case is chipping away at broader public support for First Nations reconciliation, according to a new poll from Angus Reid.

A new survey Thursday indicated the B.C. government is facing rising discontent on Indigenous issues, as part of the fallout over the debate sparked by the Cowichan ruling on private property rights.

The BC Supreme Court in August awarded Cowichan Aboriginal title on more than 800 acres in Richmond, while also declaring Aboriginal title a superior title to private property rights. That has sparked widespread concern about the impact to private land ownership, which played out this week at a fiery town hall organized by the City of Richmond, where at least one resident said they’d had difficulty getting a mortgage renewed due to concerns by a financial lender.

The Angus Reid poll found 60 per cent of people surveyed considered the Cowichan Nation case likely to harm their opinion about ongoing reconciliation efforts with First Nations.

In addition, 61 per cent of people said they support the B.C. government’s decision to appeal, and a further 67 per cent said they view the court ruling as a serious risk to their private property rights.

Indigenous Relations Minister Spencer Chandra-Herbert said the poll indicates government has more work to do on explaining how private property and Indigenous title can exist under negotiated terms.

“Nothing is more important to somebody than home security and knowing their home will be there and that’s not at risk, so that doesn’t surprise me,” Chandra-Herbert said of the numbers.

“It speaks to me why we have to do a better job to ensure people understand their private property is protected and will be, regardless of what happens.”

The Angus Reid survey found 44 per cent of people believe Premier David Eby’s government is now too focused on reconciliation, compared to other priorities.

Opposition Indigenous Relations critic Scott McInnis said the way government has hid some of the First Nations agreements, and underplayed their impact on private property, has not inspired public confidence.

“I think what the government is doing is putting too much emphasis on the secrecy of their reconciliation agenda,” he said. “Time and time again we see a lack of information being shared with the public on what is a British Columbia issue that is faced in front of us.

“This government owes it to the residents of British Columbia to bring them along with the reconciliation agenda, and unfortunately they’ve chosen to keep them in the dark and that is unacceptable for us as opposition members.”

The shift in public sentiment caused by the Cowichan Nation ruling one of the reasons the B.C. government appears to be taking a harder line in its public comments about the case, this week declaring that Indigenous title and private title cannot co-exist on property, and that private property rights should suspend Indigenous rights where there is a conflict.

That argument may not find a friendly reception next week when the NDP government faces Indigenous leaders at the annual First Nations Leadership Council conference in Vancouver.