Feds, northern Alberta First Nations mark $814-million ‘cows and plows’ settlement

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An event held at River Cree Casino Friday recognized almost a billion dollars for a handful of Alberta First Nations who have been shorted on long-promised wherewithal to transition to agriculture.

Ploughs, seeds for key food crops, cows, bulls, and other livestock — all part of the Crown’s empty promises In treaties 4, 5, 6, and 10.

Those agricultural benefits were originally meant to support transition to farming and food production, but they represent much more to Chief Greg Desjarlais of the Frog Lake First Nation.

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Like his fellow chiefs, he was dressed in magnificent beaded ceremonial garb.

“We’re here to work in a good way, we’re here to work with you to make the wrongs right.

“I don’t think we should have to wait 20 years to get agreements ratified and settled,” Desjarlais said, adding he’s heard people say Canada’s Indigenous people should “get over it.”

“We need to look at the NRTA, the transfer of resources,” Desjarlais said.

Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree said he’s had a whirlwind tour of the territories of treaties 4, 5, 6, and 10, with 30 hours of driving in a few days — Birch Narrows First Nation, Buffalo River Dene Nation, Cumberland House Cree Nation, English River First Nation, Enoch Cree Nation, Heart Lake First Nation, Kehewin Cree Nation, Sturgeon Lake First Nation and Sunchild First Nation — all to acknowledge the settlements of their agricultural benefits-specific claims, otherwise known as cows and plows claims.

Taken together, the settlements announced this week represent $1.4 billion dollars in combined compensation paid to these First Nations who settled using the Expedited Resolution Strategy for agricultural benefit claims.

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Federal Jobs Minister Randy Boissonnault (Edmonton Centre) announced local recipients included Enoch Cree First Nation, $142 million; Frog Lake First Nation, $188 million; Kehewin First Nation, $120 million; Sturgeon Lake First Nation, $152 million, and Lac La Ronge First Nation, $601.5 million.

Canada has provided a total of $1,937,805,226 to First Nations across the country since May 2023.

“Over the past several years, since 2015, becoming government, forming government, we have been working towards a path to reconciliation, and part of that path requires us to acknowledge our failures, especially in treaties, and to ensure that we can move forward as on a nation-to-nation basis,” Anandasangaree said.

“Of course, the settlements that we have concluded will not bring back the past, will not undo the harms that were caused, will not undo the displacement, as well as the potential losses, both in terms of food security, but also farming in general,” he said.

“However, it is a very strong position of the government that this is a beginning. This will enable us to move forward, acknowledging our past failures, but to recommit to a future where we can be together, nation to nation, and support the work of all of you that are here today.”

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Treaty 6 is an 1876 agreement between the Crown and the Plains and Woods Cree, Assiniboine, and other band governments at Fort Carlton and Fort Pitt, representing most of the central area of the current provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Treaty 10 was established on Aug. 19, 1906, between King Edward VII and various First Nation band governments in current northern Saskatchewan and a portion of current eastern Alberta, covering nearly 220,000 square kilometres.

Chief Trevor John of Kehewin First Nation said it’s important to reaffirm treaty rights.

First Nations are in talks in other areas of litigation, and close to settling, he said.

“Our ancestors have been stewards of the land since time immemorial … long before entering into treaty relationships with newcomers,” John said.

The First Nations will honour their commitment to the land for future generations, he said, and continue to hold the Canadian government to account.

“That doesn’t mean the work stops here, there’s plenty of work to do,” John said.

Cody Thomas, Grand Chief of Confederacy of Treaty Six and chief of Enoch Cree Nation, used the moment to invite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to his traditional territory — an olive branch, he said.

More amendments and more dialogue with indigenous peoples are called for, he said.

“Canada looks at us as liabilities, as indigenous peoples,” he said.

“Historically, we weren’t allowed to engage in industry, or to leave our nations,” he said.

Will there be more settlements?

“Absolutely, it’s about honouring treaties, about doing what’s right. I’ve never seen a bill of sale for our lands,” Thomas said.

The meeting concluded with an exchange of gifts.

The First Nations will be able to use the funds to support their communities.

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