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First Nations Group in Canada to Sue Government for Billions
A First Nations group in Canada is taking legal action to demand billions in compensation, accusing the government of failing to engage in proper negotiations over money owed under a treaty signed 175 years ago.
Wilfred King, chief of the Gull Bay First Nation, stated that the government’s unwillingness to address its treaty commitments has extended “175 years of broken promises, lies, and neglect.” King emphasized their push for compensation that is “fair, generous, and honorable.”
The case, which could lead to billions being awarded to the 12 nations involved, focuses on a treaty from 1850 between the British Crown and several Anishinaabe nations located around Lakes Huron and Superior.
These agreements, known as the Robinson treaties, covered 35,700 square miles (92,400 square kilometres) and included a unique clause. This clause promised increased payments over time as the land became more profitable, provided it didn’t result in a loss for the Crown.
Over nearly two centuries, the lands covered by the treaty generated enormous profits for private businesses and significant revenue for Ontario’s government. But by 1874, the annuities were frozen at just $4 per person and have not been adjusted since.
In July, Canada’s Supreme Court issued a scathing decision, sharply criticizing both the federal and Ontario governments for their “dishonorable” handling of the treaty.
The court highlighted how First Nations communities were left in poverty while others benefited from the natural resources on their land. The court called the $4 payments given to treaty beneficiaries a “mockery” of the Crown’s promise, describing the figure as “shocking” and a betrayal of the treaty’s intent.
Twenty-one signatories of the Robinson Huron Treaty, a separate agreement also signed in 1850, reached a settlement for C$10 billion. However, the Superior group continued its legal fight to determine the full amount owed by the federal and provincial governments.
In July, the Supreme Court directed Canada and Ontario to conclude negotiations with the Anishinaabe nations within six months, setting a deadline of January 26 for an offer.
According to the First Nations Group, the government’s proposal of C$3.6 billion fails to account for the vast wealth generated from their land. Chief King argued this offer disregards economic evidence, saying, “Our communities were left in poverty while others reaped enormous benefits from our lands. This doesn’t begin to address what’s been taken from us.”
Nobel-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, who testified during the case, estimated the owed amount could be as high as C$126 billion. “If someone owes you money for 170 years, it adds up,” he told the court in early 2023.
The treaty signatories plan to ask Justice Patricia Hennessy of Ontario’s Superior Court to determine the appropriate compensation they are entitled to receive.
