Canada is paying over a billion dollars to honour old promises that were not kept. This new settlement is between the Canadian government and fourteen First Nations in Saskatchewan. First Nations are Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples also include Inuit and Métis.
The settlement has been made to recognize that were signed about 150 years ago. It was announced in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on February 21. The announcement was made by Gary Anandasangaree. He is Canada’s Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs. In total, Canada will pay out $1.72 billion dollars to the various First Nations.
“We have an opportunity today as a country and as a people to make sure that we reset the relationship for the next generation,” said Anandasangaree. He said that resolving these claims were a key part of Canada’s with Indigenous Peoples.
The chiefs from the fourteen First Nations were also in attendance. One of them was Pelican Lake First Nation Chief Peter Bill.
“This settlement will empower us to cooperatively work with Saskatchewan and Canada to begin the healing,” said Bill. “It is important that we all recognize that this healing process will take to achieve, as we are attempting to recover from generations of suffering.”
The original treaties were signed in the 1870s. They were known as “cows-and-plows” agreements. These agreements were supposed to provide these First Nations with the things they needed to to a settler-style of farming. These things included tools and heavy farming equipment such as plows. They also included livestock such as cattle, seeds for planting crops, and more. But most of these promises were never fulfilled.
As a result, the people in these Nations endured generations of suffering. These people were also cut off from the rest of Canadian society.
“We weren’t allowed to leave the reserves unless we had a permit or a pass,” said Chief Robert Head of Peter Chapman Band. “We weren’t allowed to sell the produce that we grew on our reserves.”
The different Nations each have their own plans on how to use the new money. Tanya Aguilar-Antiman is the Chief of Mosquito-Grizzly Bear's Head-Lean Man First Nation. This Nation will receive $114 million. She told CBC that the money will be put into a for the Nation’s children. This will give them a positive head start as they become adults.
James Smith Cree Nation Chief Kirby Constant said that settling these claims was “a step toward justice.”
“Canada must address past wrongs,” said Anandasangaree. “It’s the right thing to do.”
By John Crossingham
Updated March 3, 2025, 5:00 P.M. (ET)
