The Crown abandons any consideration of Aboriginal land title in the mainland and grants Douglas full authority over land policy. For lack of financial willingness by the Colonial Office and Douglas’ own belief in assimilation, Douglas avoids the issue of Aboriginal title and treaty-making over the next six years. Instead, Douglas pursues a policy of reserve allocation to facilitate the assimilation of Indigenous people into colonial society.

Harris, R. Cole. Making Native Space: Colonialism, Resistance, and Reserves in British Columbia. (Vancouver: UBC Press, 2002), 30-33.