Latest news with #CrownIndigenousRelations
Associated Press
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation and Canada reach agricultural benefits agreement
MUSCOWPETUNG SAULTEAUX NATION, TREATY 4 TERRITORY, SK, July 30, 2025 /CNW/ - Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern and Arctic Affairs Canada and Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation Today, Chief Melissa Tavita of Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation and the Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, announced a settlement agreement resolving the Nation's Agricultural Benefits claim, also known as a Cows and Plows settlement. Canada will pay nearly $99 million in compensation to the First Nation for failing to fulfill its Treaty 4 obligations to provide farming tools, crop seeds, and livestock. These agricultural benefits were meant to facilitate Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation's transition to a strong, self-sustaining community through farming. However, as a result of Canada's failure to meet its Treaty obligations, the Nation did not have the equipment it needed to support its members. The settlement will be strategically allocated to uplift the Nation and support long-term prosperity. Key investments include: Settling specific claims is an important part of Canada's ongoing efforts to advance reconciliation by rebuilding trust and strengthening its relationships with First Nations. By providing fair compensation in recognition of unkept promises, Canada is taking responsibility and working toward a better future. This work is guided by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Quotes 'This settlement comes not just as a financial resolution, but as a meaningful acknowledgment of broken promises. While farming tools may no longer carry the same value they once would have for our people, this compensation allows us to invest in the tools of today—housing, infrastructure, water, youth, and our Nation's long-term financial sovereignty. We thank the Government of Canada for finally acknowledging this longstanding injustice. We also give thanks to our ancestors and to the people of Muscowpetung who stood strong over the generations. On this 150th year of Treaty 4, we honour Chief Cheekuk's vision by investing in a future that uplifts every member of our Nation.' Chief Melissa Tavita Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation 'The resolution of this claim is an important step in Canada's relationship with the Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation. Canada failed to uphold the Cows and Plows promise under Treaty 4, and acted without considering the economic and historical implications. This settlement is about taking responsibility and making things right.' The Honourable Rebecca Alty Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations 'The settlement with Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation under Treaty 4 is a step forward in our ongoing efforts to renew the Government of Canada's relationship with the Nation and reflects our commitment to working in partnership.' The Honourable Buckley Belanger Secretary of State (Rural Development) Quick facts Associated links Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation Specific Claims Stay connected Join the conversation about Indigenous Peoples in Canada: X: @GCIndigenousGovCan – North Facebook: @GCIndigenousGovCan – North Instagram: @gcindigenousGovCan North You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit SOURCE Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
CTV News
05-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Brokenhead Ojibway Nation creates new reserve land in East St. Paul
Sign for the economic development zone of Brokenhead Ojibway Nation is shown. (Scott Anderson/CTV News Winnipeg) More than 60 acres of land in East St. Paul has officially become reserve land for Brokenhead Ojibway Nation (BON). On Friday, July 4, 2025, BON announced the creation of a new reserve on 60.76 acres east of Highway 59 and south of the Perimeter Highway, near the boundary of Winnipeg. BON said it is exploring a range of potential uses for the land, including residential and commercial development, recreation and wellness facilities. 'This site has incredible potential to create jobs, expand services, and support our ongoing work to build a stronger economic future for our Nation,' said Chief Gord Bluesky in a news release. 'It reflects our Nation's commitment to growth, self-reliance, and working in true partnership with our neighbours.' The reserve designation follows 20 years of negotiations with the federal government. BON said the land acquisition will help unlock new economic development opportunities. 'Through the expansion of Brokenhead Ojibway Nation's land base, we are not only advancing reconciliation and fulfilling past obligations under the Treaty Land Entitlement process, we're also creating new opportunities for growth and development,' said Rebecca Alty, federal minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.
CBC
25-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Canada says lawsuit by group claiming to represent B.C. Métis should be dismissed
Social Sharing The Government of Canada says a lawsuit filed by an organization claiming to represent Métis in B.C. should be dismissed as there is insufficient evidence of Métis rights-holding communities in the province, according to documents filled in B.C. Supreme Court. The B.C. Métis Federation (BCMF) sued the federal government in July 2024 for its refusal to recognize the organization as a representative of Métis people in the province. The lawsuit was filed by the BCMF and three of its members who claim to have ancestral ties to B.C. First Nations or what it claims as historic Métis settlements within the province. BCMF says it has 6,000 members "who trace their genealogy back to a historic Métis community in British Columbia or to a Métis community elsewhere in Canada." The lawsuit refers to these B.C. communities as "Pacific Northwest Métis." The lawsuit says BCMF previously received funding from federal organizations such as Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard, Natural Resources Canada, and the Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians Contribution Program. The documents list nine examples where BCMF applied for programs or funding and was refused for not holding section 35 rights, or because the Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) is the recognized service delivery organization for Métis in the province. Powley criteria A spokesperson for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada said the department cannot comment on the case because it is before the court. Canada's response to the lawsuit, filed in court May 16, says the courts have not recognized a Section 35 rights-bearing Métis community in B.C., and that BCMF represents people with and without Métis ancestry. The Supreme Court of Canada's 2003 Powley decision laid out criteria for rights recognition of Métis communities. In court documents, Canada says the Powley definition says "Métis" means more than individuals with mixed Indigenous and European heritage, and "'refers to a distinctive people who, in addition to their mixed ancestry, developed their own customs, way of life, and recognizable group identity' separate from their Indigenous and European ancestors prior to the time of effective European control." In Canada's response, it says the courts have not recognized any Métis rights-holding communities in B.C. because there is "insufficient evidence of an historic Métis community in British Columbia at the time of effective European control." It acknowledges there are people in the province who are members of historic Métis communities in other provinces. Keith Henry, president of BCMF, called the response from the Attorney General of Canada "disappointing." "I was actually quite surprised by the tone and the sort of condescending views of the attorney general," said Henry. Canada says MNBC is representative for B.C. Métis In its filing, Canada says MNBC is the representative organization for Métis people in B.C. who are members of historic Métis communities in other provinces. This is partly because Canada entered the Canada-Métis Nation Accord in 2017, in which the Métis National Council (MNC) and its provincial governing members would be the authorized representatives of the Métis Nation to the federal government. MNBC has since left the MNC in November, but was part of the MNC at the time of the agreement. BCMF called the government's agreement with MNBC prejudice because its members can't access MNBC services because they are not members, and said MNBC's definition of Métis requires an ancestral connection to the Red River Métis. In its filing, Canada says it does not control eligibility criteria by MNBC for its membership, and thus is not liable if BCMF members can't meet the requirements. Further, the document says Canada is also not liable if BCMF members who meet the criteria choose not to apply for MNBC membership. Henry said if the only way to be recognized as a Métis person in B.C. is through MNBC, "that would eliminate thousands of Métis people that freely choose not to want MNBC to represent them." Colette Trudeau, chief executive officer of MNBC, said the organization applauds the attorney general's response to the lawsuit as it upholds the "National Definition" of Métis created by the MNC general assembly in 2002 to define its citizenship criteria. "Those who seek to redefine who we are or create another version of our story, only diminish us all," said Trudeau. A statement from MNBC said it does not impede its citizens from registering with other organizations and they will still maintain MNBC membership if they choose to do so. MNBC said some of its members are also registered with BCMF.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MNC President Victoria Pruden Welcomes Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla to Canada
OTTAWA, ON, May 26, 2025 /CNW/ - The Métis National Council (MNC) proudly joins in welcoming Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla as they arrive in Canada. His Majesty will deliver the Speech from the Throne to formally open the First Session of the 45th Parliament of Canada tomorrow. President Victoria Pruden, alongside her son Kwennis, was honoured to be present at the airport to greet Their Majesties. "It was a privilege to welcome Their Majesties and extend a warm welcome on behalf of the Métis Nation in this historic moment," said President Pruden. "The presence of my son, Kwennis, was especially meaningful as we look to future generations of Métis leadership and continue our journey of truth, reconciliation, and Nation-to-Nation relationships." This visit offers an important opportunity to reflect on the shared history between the Crown and Indigenous Peoples in Canada. The MNC looks forward to ongoing dialogue and collaboration with the Crown and all levels of government to advance the rights and well-being of Métis in Canada. ''My priority as President of the Métis National Council is to work with all levels of Government and partners to enhance the lives of all Métis, but especially our most vulnerable," said President Pruden. SOURCE Métis National Council View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CBC
23-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
N.W.T. MP Rebecca Alty on her cabinet appointment, and how she'll work to advance land claims in riding
As the new federal cabinet minister responsible for Crown-Indigenous Relations, the N.W.T.'s MP Rebecca Alty will be navigating key issues within her riding. That includes both land claim and self-government negotiations, which Alty said she plans to advance with all available resources. This is the first time in nearly 20 years that the N.W.T. has a representative sitting in cabinet. The last was former MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew, who served as a minister until 2006. Alty spoke to CBC News on Thursday for the first time since she was appointed minister, about her role and how she will balance her position in cabinet with representing her constituents. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. I'm curious, did you push for this ministerial role? No. I was, you know, elected as an MP and that was a big honour — and a big thanks to residents across the Northwest Territories. And then the prime minister's office reached out and asked if I'd consider cabinet. The prime minister called to offer me Crown-Indigenous Relations, which I'm really happy. It's a huge file, but so relevant in our home territory, and so I'm looking forward to the work ahead. How do you think that your background and past experience on Yellowknife city council and as mayor equips you for this role? Yeah, I think those are the relevant skills, and as well as my time at Diavik and being the manager of community and Indigenous relations. As mayor, it was working with eight colleagues to advance issues. So now it's at that bigger scale in Parliament. And then it is continuing to work with Indigenous partners, and now it's not just in the Yellowknife region or the Northwest Territories, but now across Canada. So I do think my background on council as well as at Diavik will be helpful in this portfolio. As minister now responsible for overseeing the land claims negotiations, how are you going to work to progress them here in the territory? I had great discussions with the [Dehcho First Nations] Grand Chief [Herb] Norwegian during the campaign, as well as with his team after the campaign but before I was minister. So I do look forward to, now that I am minister, being able to engage with the leadership. And you know, it sounds super promising with the Grand Chief [Norwegian] looking to finalize an agreement by the end of the year. Now it is working with my department to find the resources to see how possible that is. Because again, there's so many different negotiations happening across the territory, across the country, and so how do we balance that? But it is definitely one of the things that I'm looking most forward to in this role, is land claims and self-government agreements. I'm curious to hear a little more about what your strategy will be. How will you work to push them forward? So at the department level, it is about, you know, finding out our resources available and strategies on how to maximize those resources. It is working with the department as well as partners to see how we can expedite these processes. How will you balance being a minister and serving your constituents? I think it's one and the same. So having that seat at the cabinet table, I am able to to bring that northern perspective and being able to to champion the issues, week in, week out. And as the minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, a lot of the important work in the Northwest Territories is resolving the land claims and self-government agreements, continuing to honour and implement treaty, expanding capacity for modern treaty holders. So I think it is one and the same. It will be a challenge to make it into the Northwest Territories as much as when I was mayor. I was living there every week, and so I was able to go to more and more community events. So I think that will be the one challenge.
