B.C. First Nations settle land claims with federal government, province

Five First Nations in British Columbia are set to receive almost 115,000 acres of Crown land, along with $800 million to settle land claims that date back over 100 years.

In the announcement Saturday, Premier David Eby was joined by the chiefs of the Blueberry River First Nations, Doig River First Nation, Halfway River First Nation, Saulteau First Nations, and West Moberly First Nations.

Treaty 8 was signed in 1899. The treaty promised 128 acres of land per person for individual nations. But the federal government undercounted the members and shortchanged the nations thousands of acres.

Through the settlement, the federal government is providing $800 million in total to compensate for the “losses and costs relating to the claims.”

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Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller said the government won’t disclose the exact breakdown of the funds because it can result in stigma toward individual nations.

“This isn’t a windfall. It’s not free money. It’s a bill that’s gone unpaid for over 100 years by the Government of Canada. So if there’s any stigma or prejudice to be levelled on anyone, it’s on the Government of Canada and not on our treaty partners whose obligations we’ve disrespected a hundred years.”

Part of #Reconciliation is owning up to past historic wrongs and working together with #FirstNations in BC to right those wrongs. Today, five Nations will receive compensation and over 46,000 hectares of land returned to them. https://t.co/HFeeO84qZd #DRIPA #UNDRIP #BCPoli pic.twitter.com/mb8pmW3OwL

— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) April 15, 2023

Meanwhile, the B.C. government is giving 115,000 acres of Crown land back to the nations.

“This is a monumental day for the Blueberry River First Nations community, our elders and the ancestors who came before us. This settlement is part of an ongoing process of recognition and healing from Blueberry’s long and difficult history of displacement and marginalization within our traditional territory,” Chief Judy Desjarlais said.

“We still have a long way to go; but, in the spirit of truth, transparency and reconciliation, we are setting a path for the next seven generations to be able to continue our traditional and cultural way of life on the land our ancestors were from, which they called: ‘Su Nachii K’chige’ – the place where happiness dwells.”

“True reconciliation is taking that first step together,” she added.

The resolution has been a long time coming, as chiefs and communities have been working toward reaching a settlement for nearly 20 years.

“A truth that cannot be ignored is that, for far too long, promises, trust and relationships with Indigenous Peoples were broken because Canada did not live up to its obligations as a Treaty partner. Now, we must work together to address that legacy, and to renew our relationships to last generations,” Chief Roland Willson

Eby adds that the settlement is a “historic step towards reconciliation in the Peace River area.”

“Honouring Treaty 8 will bring benefits to everyone who lives in the northeast.”

With files from Cole Schisler