Each band member who applied will receive a $10,000 advance starting on Thursday. (File photo/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

compensation

Full cows and plows payments coming within six weeks

Dec 11, 2024 | 5:00 PM

Full disbursement of cows and plows payments will likely be coming within the next six weeks.

That’s according to Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) Chief Tammy Cook-Searson, who explained Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Gary Anandasangaree has signed off on the band’s settlement agreement. Earlier this year, the First Nation settled a historic $601.5 million Treaty 6 Agricultural Benefits Claim with the federal government.

In the meantime, the LLRIB has taken out a loan to begin distributing a partial amount to members. Starting Thursday, members who applied will see $10,000 from the $35,000 promised for each person deposited into their bank account. On Tuesday, the band began a test run of depositing 10 cents into more than 3,400 bank accounts.

“The staff have been working hard getting everything ready and making sure we have all the members’ information correct,” Cook-Searson said.

“We were waiting for the minister to sign off on our settlement agreement, which he has. It could take anywhere from two weeks to 45 days maximum to get our cheque. Once we have the $601.5 million from the federal government, then we will be able to issue the remaining per capita distribution that was agreed to.”

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Cows and plows refers to a commitment under Treaty 6 negotiated with Queen Victoria in 1876. It is a commitment to assist First Nations in transitioning from a hunting-centric lifestyle to one more aligned with Euro-Canadian agriculture or livestock raising.

On October 2018, the LLRIB completed historical research and submitted its claim to the federal government. In 2021, they received partial validation for the claim, but as the federal government only agreed to negotiate part of it, the band escalated the matter to the federal court.

In-person negotiation meetings were held with the feds in December 2022 and, at that time, it was indicated they were ready to begin substantive negotiations which would resolve the band’s outstanding claim. A settlement offer was received by the LLRIB in April 2024.

A community vote was held from Aug. 19 to 22, which was followed by in-person voting on Aug. 23, and saw a record turnout of 5,068 ballots cast out of 8,462 eligible voters, resulting in a 60 per cent voter turnout—the highest voter turnout in its history. Of that 60 per cent, 95 per cent of voters, or 4,835 band members over 18, voted in favour, while 181 voted against and 52 ballots were spoiled.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com