Cheques issued at Curve Lake
First distribution of Williams Treaties settlement money
Members of Curve Lake First Nation received their first cheques from a settlement of government money last week — and if the chief and band council honoured their plan to distribute 100 per cent of the settlement evenly among members, everyone got $19,000.
They can each expect a further $28,700 — for a total of $47,700 — in spring, if council carries out its plan to distribute all the money equally among all.
No band members were available on Monday to comment on how much money they received in that first cheque.
Curve Lake First Nation was one of seven area first nations to share in a settlement of $1.1 billion from the Ontario and federal governments.
Members of the Curve Lake, Hiawatha, Alderville, Mississaugas of Scugog Island, Chippewas of Georgina Island, Chippewas of Rama and Beausoleil First Nations all accepted the proposed settlement.
The deal was meant to end decades of court litigation and negotiations over the controversial Williams Treaties from 1923.
Curve Lake First Nation voted to receive $164.4 million in settlement money: $65,784,000 from the Ontario government, plus $98,676,000 from the federal government.
The settlement from the Ontario government has already been paid to Curve Lake, states a letter to band members from chief and council dated Nov. 6.
But that same letter states that chief and council planned to keep 30 per cent of the settlement money, even after the community had voted to have 100 per cent of the money disbursed evenly among everyone.
Band members protested outside the band council offices on the morning of Nov. 8 in objection of band council keeping any of the money, saying the community vote was supposed to be binding.
That same evening, council convened an emergency meeting where they promised to hand out 100 per cent of the settlement money after all.
The letter from Nov. 6 also states that the first cheque would be for $12,590.63 per person ($65,784,000 from the Ontario government, minus 30 per cent retained by the band, and then divided by 3,435 people).
Although there are only 2,360 Curve Lake members currently, the letter states that council is expecting 1,075 new members soon and they must have a share of the settlement available for them too.
The surge of new members is expected due to forthcoming changes to legislation that will allow more people to apply for Indian status.
The Examiner asked the chiefs recently from all the other six First Nations involved whether they will distribute all their settlement money evenly among members.
Three chiefs responded, all by email:
• Chief Rodney Noganosh of Chippewas of Rama First Nation wrote that the decision-making was confidential.
• Chief Jim Bob Marsden of Alderville First Nation wrote that council “has informed the community that it has a fiduciary duty for the future generations.”
• Chief Kelly LaRocca of Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation wrote that council and community has held the first of a series of consultation meetings about how to use the settlement money.