The Chatham Islands are a group of islands off the east coast of

Oak Bay, British Columbia Oak Bay is a municipality incorporated in 1906 that is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is one of thirteen member municipalities of the Capital Regional District, and is bordered ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. All the islands (except the Alpha Islets ecological reserve) are in Chatham Islands

Indian Reserve In Canada, an Indian reserve (french: réserve indienne) is specified by the '' Indian Act'' as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." Ind ...

No. 4, under the control of the

Songhees First Nation The Songhees First Nation is a First Nations government that represents the Songhees, or Lekwungen people. They are located around Victoria, British Columbia on southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. See also * Coast Salish peoples ...

. The island foreshore, defined as the land between low tide and the beginning of land-based vegetation, is provincial

Crown land Crown land (sometimes spelled crownland), also known as royal domain, is a territorial area belonging to the monarch, who personifies the Crown. It is the equivalent of an entailed estate and passes with the monarchy, being inseparable from it. ...

. The Songhees First Nation did not forfeit its rights to the foreshore and aquatic lands to the Crown. Starting in 1701, in its North American colonies, the British Crown entered into treaties with indigenous groups to support peaceful economic and military relations; the islands are treaty lands. Between the early 18th century and the end of the 19th century, the Crown signed treaties that defined the respective rights of indigenous peoples and European newcomers to use the North American lands that indigenous peoples historically occupied. The treaties signed after 1763 transferred Aboriginal title to the Crown in exchange for reserve lands and other benefits. However, the Songhees never forfeited their rights to IR 3 & IR 4 foreshore, currently protected by the Songhees due to archaeological significance. The Chatham Islands were given their current name in 1846 by surveyors in honor of HMS ''Chatham'', the escort ship of HMS ''Discovery'', which carried 18th century British explorer Captain

George Vancouver Captain George Vancouver (22 June 1757 – 10 May 1798) was a British Royal Navy officer best known for his 1791–1795 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of what a ...

on his voyage to chart the coastline of

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

between 1792 and 1794 (the

Vancouver Expedition The Vancouver Expedition (1791–1795) was a four-and-a-half-year voyage of exploration and diplomacy, commanded by Captain George Vancouver of the Royal Navy. The British expedition circumnavigated the globe and made contact with five continen ...

). The adjacent Discovery Island was named after the ''Discovery''. Around 2012, a coastal

grey wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly ...

(''Canis lupus'') from a specialized population commonly calle
"coastal wolves"
travelled through or near

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, and swam to the Chatham Islands. Named

Takaya Sharp Takaya Electronics Industry Co. Ltd. is a computer equipment manufacturer mostly owned by Sharp Corporation. Description Some products have been sold directly to original equipment manufacturer An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) ...

, he lived on the small island group for eight years until he left on his own accord and headed back to the mainland, later being shot by a hunter near Shawinigan Lake.

References

External links

BC Geographical Names entry "Chatham Islands 4"
{{GulfIslands Islands of the Gulf Islands Greater Victoria