Sturgeon Lake Signs $10.3 Million TLE Deal

Sturgeon Lake Signs $10.3 Million TLE Deal

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 at 14:18

The Sturgeon Lake First Nation has signed a Treaty Land Entitlement settlement agreement with the federal and provincial governments.

The deal gives the band $10.4 million for an outstanding TLE shortfall, as well as the entitlement to purchase up to 38,971 acres of land on a willing buyer/willing seller basis to convert to reserve status.

In a ratification vote held this past January, 92 per cent of the band’s membership voted in favour of the agreement.

The agreement comes after three years of talks — although it was 1996 when the band first submitted its TLE claim. It alleged that the First Nation did not receive the amount of reserve land to which it was entitled when it entered into Treaty 6 in 1876.

Chief Wesley Daniels calls today’s signing a historic occasion for his people.

Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice was present for this afternoon’s ceremony.