Today, Chief Delbert Wapass of Thunderchild First Nation and the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, announced the settlement agreement for the Agricultural Benefits, and the First Nation will be receiving $155,400,000 in compensation.
“Thunderchild First Nation is pleased that Canada has reached a financial settlement to redress the breach of our Treaty 6 Agricultural Benefits entitlements, acknowledging that the Nation continues to work with Canada to restore our relationship. Today we are very proud of our farming and ranching operations as a vital testament to our Indigenous perseverance,” said Chief Delbert Wapass of Thunderchild First Nation.
Under Treaty 6, the government of Canada promised ploughs, seeds for important crops, livestock such as cows and bulls, and other farming necessities. These agricultural benefits were meant to facilitate the transition to an agricultural economy, and, as a result of Canada’s failure to fulfill Treaty promises, these First Nations did not have the equipment needed to support their members.
“Resolving specific claims is a key part of the Government of Canada’s reconciliation with First Nations. Working in partnership with First Nations, Canada has resolved over 720 specific claims since 1973. Today, this settlement with Thunderchild First Nation represents Canada’s commitment to acknowledging and addressing historical wrongs for past, current, and future generations,” explained the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.
The socio-economic gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples in Canada are the result of decades of colonial policies, which often led to the denial and dispossession of land and resources.
The Government of Canada has legal obligations. They are working at compensating Indigenous People for what was unlawfully taken or withheld from them. It is fundamental to advancing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in order to rebuild trust with Indigenous communities.