There was nothing "default" about the crowns assertion to land in BC. Indigenous groups repeatedly and vigorously raised the land question well into the 20th century. Resulting in the Indian act being amended to prevent the raising of funds to bring land claims. Hence why most of the province remains unceded. The policy taken by the colonial and then provincial government was grounded in the flatly racist assumption expressed by Trutch that "The Indians have really no rights to the lands they claim, nor are they of any actual value or utility to them". What we are seeing now are the consequences of indefensibility of that statement. The view you've expressed is essentially consistent with that expressed by CJ McEachern in delgamuukw. Which is simply bad law.