Mistawasis Nêhiyawak has officially settled their Treaty Land Entitlement Agreement with Ottawa and the province.
The First Nation will receive a total of $31.6 million from both levels of government and will see government support in acquiring up to 29,000 more acres of land.
Ottawa has agreed to pay $22.5 million in the settlement with the province picking up the remaining $9.1 million.
The settlement was made available because of what was seen as a miscalculation of the reserve’s population during the signing of Treaty 6.
Under treaty, 128 acres of land was set aside for the First Nation for each member. The population was counted as 385, but should have been counted as 419 leaving the reserve with a shortfall of 4,352 acres.
“Based on Treaty 6, the Government of Canada has fulfilled a long outstanding Treaty obligation owed to Mistawasis Nêhiyawak by signing the TLE Settlement Agreement,” said Chief Daryl Watson
in a media release. “Righting this historical wrong will enable the Nation to realize the benefits owed to them for generations to come.”
“This important settlement is key to our commitment to address the wrongs of the past and the harm caused to Mistawasis Nêhiyawak,” added Mark Miller Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.
In additional to the financial settlement, the government will assist Mistawasis in acquiring an additional 29,000 acres of reserve land. The province and Ottawa have also set aside an additional $4.9 million dollars to compensate any rural municipality or school division for land set aside for the reserve.