THUNDER BAY — The First Nations of the Robinson Superior Treaty said they are rejecting a $3.6-billion compensation offer and will be challenging it in court.
The Supreme Court of Canada gave the provincial and federal governments six months to negotiate a settlement with the First Nations.
Those negotiations have failed, Gull Bay First Nation Chief Wilfred King told Newswatch.
"Well, it's very disappointing," said King. "The First Nations really thought that the Supreme Court rendered a decision that would assist us in terms of seeking justice through the courts and through a negotiated process. And many of our First Nations, they're very disappointed with what the end result was after six months of hard negotiations on our part, and yet we feel the other parties did not come to the table with open hearts and did not act in a just and honourable way."
"We recognize the need to address these past wrongs and are committed to repairing our treaty relationship with the Robinson Superior Treaty First Nations," the Ministry of Crown-Indigenous Relations said in a written statement. "Building on previous discussions, we worked closely, in good faith with the First Nations and Ontario over the past six months to try to reach a negotiated settlement. Unfortunately, the parties could not find the common ground to achieve this goal in the six-month timeline provided by the Supreme Court of Canada."
The settlement was intended to compensate the First Nations for at least 150 years of underpayment as treaty annuities had not been increased since 1875 when they were set to $4 a person per year.
"The amount of wealth that's been taken from our territory should have reflected in the offer," said King.
"We feel that had the number been much higher, there would have been, you know, more of us buying into the process."
The First Nations have estimated the value of the resources extracted from their lands at approximately $135 billion said King.
The Supreme Court ruling laid responsibility on the Crown to augment treaty payments liberally and justly "sharing the wealth of the land."
King wouldn't say what a number the First Nations would have accepted as they are headed back to the courts on the matter. He said they are now calling on the courts to impose a resolution.
The matter could go to a first hearing as early as June, said King.
In the meantime, the governments must still pay out the $3.6 billion.
According to the Supreme Court ruling, the matter has already been delayed too long.
For six of the 12 First Nations, including Gull Bay, this means their share of the compensation money will be transferred as quickly as possible and distributed as the individual First Nations see fit, explained King. The other six First Nations have outstanding land title claims, which will delay the payments to those communities.
The $3.6 billion in compensation will be paid in equal proportion by Canada and Ontario, said King.
The province has not yet responded to requests for comment.
