Williams Lake First Nation, British Columbia - Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Today, Chief Willie Sellars of the Williams Lake First Nation and the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, gathered in Williams Lake, where the Minister delivered an apology on behalf of Canada to the First Nation for the harms suffered as a result of the unlawful and wrongful actions that separated the First Nation from their village lands.
Following the apology, they announced that the First Nation and the Government of Canada have reached a settlement agreement to resolve the Williams Lake First Nation Village Site Specific Claim.
The century-old claim concerned Canada's failure to prevent the First Nation's traditional settlement lands from being made available for acquisition by settlers in the late 1800s. As a result, the Williams Lake First Nation was deprived of the opportunity to select their village site lands as reserve lands. The dispossession and forced separation of the Williams Lake First Nation from the village lands also impacted their sacred connection to their homelands which always sustained them; damaging their culture; desecration of grave sites; damaging their histories, traditions and identity inextricably connected to the Village Lands; and affected their ability to continue to live sustainably relying on the village lands.
Under the settlement, Canada provided the Williams Lake First Nation with $135 million in total compensation. As part of this agreement, the Williams Lake First Nation has the option to acquire and seek to add up to 1400 acres to their reserve. Land will be acquired based on the willing participation of both the First Nation and the property owner in the property sale. This acquisition may create new opportunities for community economic development that benefit the First Nation and the regional economy for generations to come.
The successful resolution of specific claims is a key step in advancing reconciliation with First Nations by acknowledging and addressing the wrongs of the past, and helping to build a better future. The Government of Canada will continue to work alongside the Williams Lake First Nation to rebuild and renew this important nation-to-nation relationship, for the benefit of all Canadians.
