Ref. #2-3640
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, MANITOBA (March 19, 2012) — The Government of Canada and the Long Plain First Nation announced today the final settlement of an outstanding specific claim.
“This settlement not only honours our past commitments to the Long Plain First Nation, but will go a long way in creating new investment and employment opportunities for the First Nation and the surrounding communities,” said the honourable John Duncan, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. “This agreement shows that with determination and a willingness to work together, we can arrive at solutions that resolve longstanding issues.”
“Today we honour our sacred covenant, our treaty with the Crown,” said David Meeches, Chief of the Long Plain First Nation. “It is important we honour our ancestors by conducting today’s signing ceremony as they did in 1871, by way of a pipe ceremony, sealing it with the Creator. This settlement will assist in preparing for our future.”
“Claim settlements honour legal obligations and right past wrongs. They are about justice, respect and reconciliation,” said Candice Hoeppner, Member of Parliament for Portage—Lisgar. “I offer my congratulations to all parties on the settlement of this claim and the benefits it will bring to the members of the community.”
Under the settlement, Canada will provide the First Nation with $21.3 million to resolve the claim. The settlement is for financial compensation only and does not have a land component. Research was conducted during the negotiations to assist in assessing how much compensation would be fair to resolve the claim. Ultimately, this settlement is the result successful of negotiations between the parties.
This claim has a unique history as it is connected to an earlier settlement concluded with the First Nation in 1994. While the 1994 settlement resolved the First Nation’s Treaty Land Entitlement claim, it also set out a process that the First Nation could follow to pursue a separate “loss of use” claim.
The Long Plain First Nation is located approximately 20 kilometres from Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, and has approximately 4,000 members.
Backgrounder - Long Plain First Nation Loss of Use Claim
Minister's Office
Jan O'Driscoll
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable John Duncan
819-997-0002
Media Relations
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
819-953-1160
Long Plain First Nation Tribal
Tim Daniels
Special Projects Officer
204-252-3066
