ʔAkisq̓nuk First Nation, British Columbia - Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Today, the ʔAkisq̓nuk Chief and Council and the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, announced a settlement agreement regarding the ʔAkisq̓nuk First Nation's Elkhorn Ranch Specific Claim.
This specific grievance stems from one of the earliest Crown actions against the ʔAkisq̓nuk Band of Kootenay people's way of life with the establishment of reserves.
This specific claim concerns 320 acres of land (known as Elkhorn Ranch), which were occupied by a member of the First Nation. According to the laws of the time, this land should have been reserved for the First Nation, but was wrongfully granted to a settler in 1883.
For over 140 years, the First Nation was not only without the use of this land, but missed out on the land's economic benefits, including agriculture and the potential for residential development. Under this historic settlement, Canada will provide $28 million in compensation for these losses to the First Nation.
The successful resolution of this settlement, due to ʔAkisq̓nuk First Nation, is an important step to create a better future for generations to come. The significant socio-economic gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous People in Canada are the direct result of decades of colonial policies, which often led to the denial and dispossession of land. Ownership of land in Canada is closely linked to ownership of resources and economic benefit; for hundreds of years, settlers in Canada have benefited from the land to the detriment of Indigenous Peoples, who have suffered, both culturally and economically.
Honouring Canada's legal obligations and properly compensating Indigenous Peoples for what was unjustly taken and withheld from them is fundamental to advancing reconciliation in Canada and rebuilding trust with Indigenous communities.
