George M. Abbott
January 07th, 2026
George M. Abbott brings both historical depth and policy experience to Unceded: Understanding British Columbia’s Colonial Past and Why It Matters Now (UBC Press $29.95), a clear-eyed examination of how colonial decision-making continues to shape the province today. Drawing on extensive archival research and his experience as a former BC Liberal MLA and cabinet minister, Abbott traces more than 150 years of BC–Indigenous relations, from the refusal to negotiate treaties to the confinement of First Nations on small reserves while settlers gained access to land and resources. Now serving as a BC treaty commissioner, he situates modern reconciliation efforts—including court decisions, treaty negotiations, and legislative change—within their historical context, showing why “unceded territory” remains a lived political reality rather than a symbolic phrase. 9780774881159
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