UPDATE:
The trustees of the Treaty 8 Agriculture Benefit Settlement for the Fond-du-Lac First Nation are clarifying that they are proceeding with per capita payouts to their members and will seek to obtain proper insurance to ensure these payments are made.
An August 20 letter obtained by MBC stated the payments could not be processed due to a number of negative comments on social media, causing the trustees difficulty in obtaining insurance coverage.
A northern First Nation says it cannot move ahead with a promised treaty settlement membership payout because of “negative comments, false allegations and threats of litigation” on social media.
Members of the Fond du Lac Dene Nation were supposed to receive a one-time $15,000 payout in early August from a multimillion-dollar Treaty 8 settlement fund.
However, this never happened.
MBC Radio has now obtained a copy of a letter dated Aug. 20 and sent from the interim board of trustees to the membership.
The letter claims the payout cannot proceed because the negative commentary of a “few individuals” is preventing the trustees, chief and council from obtaining the necessary insurance to proceed.
The letter goes on to state, “…we cannot process any per capita distribution payments until these issues are resolved and proper insurance coverage is obtained.”
Members of the board of trustees could not be immediately reached for comment.
The Fond du Lac and Black Lake Dene Nations received $177 million from the federal government in January as part of a Treaty 8 agricultural settlement.
The Fond du Lac band says members voted in favour to move ahead with the payout in a July 20 referendum.
In order to receive the payout, members were also asked to approve expenditures of treaty money be used for band investments in housing, economic development, health and education.
Black Lake also put forward a virtually identical referendum to its membership on June 26 which it says also passed.
However, in a Facebook post, Black Lake Chief Coreen Sayazie says a new vote will now be held on Aug. 24 because of an appeal.
(PHOTO: Treaty 8 logo. Photo courtesy of treaty8.ca)