First Nations in Canada Seek Billions in Treaty Compensation from Government

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A coalition of First Nations in northern Ontario is launching a court case seeking billions in compensation, accusing the Canadian government of failing to honor a 175-year-old treaty. The group, which includes the Gull Bay First Nation, asserts that the government has not engaged in "meaningful negotiations" regarding financial obligations stemming from the Robinson treaties signed in 1850, which covered 35,700 square miles around Lakes Huron and Superior.

Under the agreements, an augmentation clause was included to increase annual payments as land wealth grew. However, the Crown capped annuities at C$4 ($3) per person in 1874, a figure that has not risen despite substantial revenues generated from the land by private companies and the province of Ontario. In a recent unanimous ruling, Canada's Supreme Court criticized the federal and provincial governments for their "dishonourable" treatment of treaty obligations, which have perpetuated poverty among First Nations communities. The coalition aims for a federal court to determine the actual amount owed, potentially reaching up to C$126 billion ($94 billion), according to economist Joseph Stiglitz.

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