Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations announced the settlements in Saskatoon on Feb 21, 2025, and said each nation will decide on how to use the funds. (Government of Canada/Submitted)

By Daniel Reech - CKOM News

First Nations

Government of Canada announces settlement of failed treaty promises in Sask.

Feb 22, 2025 | 11:21 AM

The Government of Canada announced several settlement agreements made with First Nations in Saskatchewan on Friday.

The federal government said it was compensating 14 different First Nations to the tune of $1.72 billion for longstanding claims.

The settlements are intended to address failed treaty promises which would have provided First Nations with ploughs, seeds, livestock and other farming tools needed for economic development.

The main community of Piapot First Nation is located approximately 45 kilometres northeast of Regina. (Piapot First Nation website)

Piapot First Nation is one of the communities receiving a settlement.

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Chief Mark Fox of Piapot said the benefits would help in many ways — socially, economically and environmentally.

“We’re going to be able to grow in the industrial area, we’re going to reduce some of the dependency in our nation through employment.

“Some of the social benefits we’re going to be working on is food security, poverty reduction, cultural preservation of our traditional ways and our traditional methods and maintaining our cultural heritage in our nation,” he said.

“(We’re going) to continue to teach our young kids and to bring our language back in our nation. A lot of our people don’t speak the Cree language because of the residential school system.”

Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, said the federal government put together an expedited process to resolve specific claims.

“Each First Nation decides how to use these funds,” Anandsangaree said in Saskatoon.

“On this trip, I’ve heard many who have priorities like infrastructure, education, housing, and of course language and culture. To that end, our government remains committed to working nation to nation, supporting First Nations priorities and visions of the future.

“This is, I believe, a major shift in the way we have built our relationship. This is a way to rebuild the trust that was broken many decades ago, but we can’t stop there. We need to work on this relationship each and every day.”

The full list of First Nations receiving compensation is.

• Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation
• James Smith Cree Nation #370
• Little Black Bear First Nation
• Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation
• Moosomin First Nation
• Mosquito, Grizzly Bear’s Head, Lean Man First Nation
• Pasqua First Nation
• Piapot First Nation
• Pelican Lake First Nation
• Poundmaker Cree Nation
• Saulteaux First Nation
• Sweetgrass First Nation
• Waterhen Lake First Nation and
• Witchekan Lake First Nation

The federal government said its goal was to comply with the United Nation’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples — specifically the clause involving Indigenous people’s right to self-determination.

Cumberland House Cree Nation is situated on an island right next to the Village of Cumberland House which is on Crown land approximately 100 km from the Manitoba border. (Cumberland House Cree Nation Facebook)

Cumberland House Cree Nation settlement

Anandasangaree also announced a $570 million land claim settlement reached between the Canadian government and Cumberland House Cree Nation for the IR100A Specific Claim dating back to 1876.

According to a federal news release, it goes back to when the province assigned land in Treaty 5 territory for Cumberland House but the nation argued the land in question was of poor agricultural quality and asked for a different reserve.

“Canada set aside IR100A immediately south and east of James Smith Cree Nation. In 1902, Canada sold the southern half of IR100A and transferred the remainder of the land and its people to James Smith Cree Nation,” the release read.

“Cumberland House Cree Nation was not properly consulted on any of these changes and was not compensated for the loss of the land.”

The agreement will help Cumberland House Cree Nation add about 27,000 acres to reserve under the Additions to Reserve Policy.

Chief Rene Chaboyer said the money will go into trusts and ensure that generations to come will be in a position to get out of poverty.

“We the Cree Nation are working to be sovereign. We’re working towards self-determination, nation-to-nation with the Canadian government,” Chaboyer said.

He added that it would also enable the nation to regain control of its resources and improve the quality of life of its people.