News — 15 September 2010
Members of the Lac Seul First Nation voted to approve a $27 million settlement with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) over a timber claim dating back to 1919.
The First Nation completed their referendum with voter turnout of approximately 30 per cent, Sept. 9.
Just 25 of the 710 votes cast voted against the settlement.
Lac Seul First Nation (LSFN) entered a timber claim in the federal court in September 2009, with judgment in all counts awarded to LSFN.
Heard by Justice John A. O’Keefe in Winnipeg, LSFN was instructed to decide settlement terms with INAC, instead of the court awarding the dollar amount.
Lac Seul proposed a settlement of $29 million, with INAC countering at $25 million. After some consideration, INAC agreed to settle at $27 million with a minimum of 25 per cent of the eligible Lac Seul membership being in agreement.
Information received back in 2000 pushed LSFN to do a historical study of logging in the area, and ended with the band pursuing the court settlement.
“In 1919, we surrendered our timber rights to INAC to manage,” says Bull. “The purpose of that was because there were a lot of people coming to the area, and looking at our wood which was very extensive, high quality timber on our reserve. There was some extraction going on already, and we decided before we lose our wood, lets get the government to manage it.”
Bull claims that INAC failed in their duty to provide protection and enforce the timber regulations, which were very good at that time.
Although the current council has many ideas on how to use the claim money, it was insisted by the membership that the new council in place after the October elections would be the ones to decide how the money would be used and dispersed.
There are conversations of payout to the band members, as well as the need for an arena, a healing centre and infrastructure upgrades. Also, band members want to ensure the future of the youth, including a possible trust fund and educational funding.
“We could start tackling the social issues also, which is very prevalent in all our communities,” says Bull. “We want to be able to make the money work for us in the future and be very shrewd with it, making sure it’s not squandered and there are dollars there for future generations.”
Bull will be running against three others for term of Chief in the coming election.
By Ally Dunham
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