The Lac La Ronge Indian Band says it is anxious to get back to the bargaining table with the federal government as part of seeking compensation for unfulfilled commitments under Treaty 6.
Chief Tammy Cook-Searson said the First Nation is specifically looking to address unfulfilled agricultural benefits that were supposed to be delivered by the government as part of the treaty.
“That we would receive farming equipment, farming supplies, in order to for us to farm,” she said. “In our area there’s not much farming going on and hasn’t been since our treaty was signed. So, it is something that was part of our treaty and that wasn’t fulfilled. It’s an unfulfilled treaty promise.”
The La Ronge band filed a claim for agricultural benefits in 2018 but that claim has still not been validated by the federal government.
Cook-Searson said it can take as long as three years to negotiate an agreement once a claim is validated so this is just another reason why time is of the essence.
The Black Lake and Fond du Lac Dene Nations settled their outstanding claims regarding agricultural benefits with the Trudeau government in 2017.
Both First Nations are signatories to Treaty 8.