Long Plain First Nation settles century-old land claim with feds

A Manitoba First Nation has finally settled a land dispute with the federal government that has gone on for more than a century.

Long Plain First Nation has announced that the federal government has agreed to pay them approximately $32 million in compensation, stemming from a deal agreed upon way back in 1916.

The agreement will also see the Ojibway and Dakota community that sits near the city of Portage la Prairie be given the option to acquire up to 708 hectares of land.

The community first submitted a claim in 1999 arguing the federal government had, in 1916, failed to administer land sales according to the terms of a surrender deal, but the claim was not accepted for negotiations until September of 2011, more than 10 years after it was filed.

The compensation agreement was recently both ratified and formally completed by Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller.

Long Plain First Nation Chief Dennis Meeches held the role of Chief in 1999 when the claim was first filed and said he has been fighting for the settlement ever since.

“It took us more than 20 years to finally get this settlement,” Meeches said while speaking to the Winnipeg Sun on Thursday. “So this is a long time coming, but we are happy and we are relieved to finally get this done.”

Meeches added he is happy to see compensation after what he said was decades of the federal government in Canada taking land from First Nations people.

“This was just another example of the treaties being signed and then the federal government just continuously coming after our lands,” he said.

Meeches said the compensation will have positive impacts on the community and its members.

“The settlement will ensure that our children will enjoy a bright and prosperous future.”

In a statement released by Minister Miller, he said he believes the agreement will work to right some of the wrongs the federal government has inflicted on Long Plain First Nation over many decades.

“This achievement marks a significant step toward addressing the wrongs done to the community and rebuilding Canada’s relationship with Long Plain First Nation,” Miller said.

“Through mutual collaboration and the community’s engagement, this agreement between Long Plain First Nation and Canada represents a mutual understanding to rectify the error in our history for the members of the community and for the generations to come.”

Miller also applauded Meeches for the work he has been doing for more than 20 years to seek compensation for the community.

“Congratulations to Chief Meeches and Long Plain First Nation on the successful completion of this historic settlement,” Miller said. “We recognize the harm caused to Long Plain First Nation by Canada’s failure to administer the land sales according to the terms of the surrender.”

According to the federal government Long Plain First Nation community members will now benefit from a trust annuity, something normally used in estate planning to minimize taxes on large financial transactions.

The feds said that individuals will also receive a share of annual distribution money.

— Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

Dave Baxter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun