Land Claim Settlement In Keeseekoose Band Coffers

Land Claim Settlement In Keeseekoose Band Coffers

Thursday, October 30, 2008 at 12:58

 

 

The Keeseekoose First Nation now has access to over $23 million from a settlement with Ottawa.

 

The federal government recently released Keeseekoose’s share of the $78 million Pelly Hay Lands land claim.

 

According to Chief Philip Quewezance, $5 million is going to be used for capital development.

 

Another $1 million is already being used to build a new water treatment plant that will see treated water distributed to all reserve houses.

 

An additional $15 million is locked away for the next 80 years in a “future development account”.

 

The only money from that account that the chief and council can withdraw is interest on that sum.

 

Quewezance notes band members voted to implement a bylaw governing how the money is spent.

 

He says band officials can be charged if the money is used for other purposes.

 

The remaining $3.4 million will be distributed amongst the members of Keeseekoose, beginning next Tuesday.

 

Each adult band member will be receiving $1,700, as will children born before September 30th, 2005.

 

Payments for children will be kept in a trust account under their name until they turn 18 years of age.

 

The Cote First Nation received $27.9 million and the Key First Nation got $21.7 million under the same land claim.