PM signs $1.3-billion land claim settlement
Siksika Nation receives compensation for `egregious wrong,' Trudeau says
A $1.3-billion historic land claim settlement signed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Siksika chief and council on Thursday represents hope and a chance to look forward, say members of the First Nation.
Trudeau, along with Crown-indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller, officially signed the agreement alongside Chief Ouray Crowfoot. Under the settlement, the Siksika Nation will receive $1.3 billion in compensation for wrongful land surrender and over time will be able to acquire 46,500 hectares of land from surrounding areas.
The two parties met in Treaty Plains where the original Treaty 7 was signed between members of the Crown and several First Nations in 1877.
“I understand that we still have a lot of work to do on the path of reconciliation,” said Trudeau.
“But today, without forgetting about the past, we have an opportunity to look toward the future and how warmly we've been welcomed today. For over 60 years, with relentless advocacy and leadership, your community has fought to right an egregious wrong to get the outcome you deserve.”
The land claim was first filed in court in 1960 by the Siksika Nation. The settlement addresses long-standing claims relating to the Bow River Irrigation District, the Canadian Pacific Railway Claim and other historical grievances. Trudeau said that during 1910 and in the following years the government took land from the nation through deceitful and dishonourable means.
Chief Crowfoot said that full reconciliation will never be possible and past wrongs can never be made whole once again, but he said the signing of the agreement will allow for both sides to move forward and provides an opportunity for Siksika to invest in their future.
“This land claim, yes, $1.3 billion that's a lot of money,” said Crowfoot. “You will never make it whole of what it was before, but you've got to move forward. What the $1.3 billion can do is provide opportunities, opportunities we didn't have before, some of those economic opportunities that were mentioned before by the prime minister.”
Crowfoot said the settlement is a piece of a puzzle that will help the nation.
The two sides began exploratory talks to settle the claim outside of court. Last December, 77 per cent of the nation's membership who voted said Yes to the terms of the deal, opening the way for both sides to sign the agreement.
Lucille Wright said she voted No to the settlement because she disagreed that it was a global settlement dealing with multiple claims, and she said the original 1910 Surrender Claim alone is worth $8 billion.
However, she said regardless of how she voted, she still viewed Thursday as a sign of hope for the future.
“I hope that our people, you know, going forward we think about investments, invest in our future,” said Wright. “We have a prominent leader. He didn't give up on us, but he did adapt to the changes that happened.”
Mona Royal said she voted Yes to the settlement and she did so thinking about her children and grandchildren. She said she hopes the money the nation receives is invested in the community.
“It's not enough 100 per cent, but it is something that both parties agreed on,” said Royal. “I want people to invest into real problems of the nation. I want people to invest into a detox centre, a dialysis machine, community centres; there's lots that this money can do to actually help our people.”
Speaking after the ceremony, Crowfoot said the $1.3 billion is a bargain for the land and resources that were taken from Siksika. He said work to invest in that money will begin as soon as possible and he wants it to be used to ensure members of the nation have the same access to services that others in Alberta have.
Crowfoot said he wants Siksika to have its own policing and for the nation to support residential school survivors and improve mental health services. He also wants to assist individuals with disabilities.
“It's those kinds of inequities we're looking to rectify. We're not looking for anything other than equitable treatment, that any other Albertan, any other Canadian would receive elsewhere,” said Crowfoot.
He said he believes the money will also go to help surrounding communities and in turn, would help the rest of the province and the rest of the country.