Cows & Ploughs Claim
This claim relates to promises made to One Arrow First Nation (“One Arrow”) in Treaty No. 6, which states the Crown will provide cattle, tools, seeds and other benefits intended to help One Arrow adopt agriculture. One Arrow has claimed that the Crown failed to keep these Treaty promises, and that Canada must now provide compensation to One Arrow. This claim is often called the “Cows & Ploughs Claim” or the “Agricultural Benefits Claim”.
One Arrow submitted its Cows & Ploughs Claim on March 13, 2022. On September 2, 2022, Canada sent a letter to One Arrow stating Canada would further consider One Arrow’s Cows & Ploughs Claim. Right now, Canada is continuing its review of One Arrow’s Cows & Ploughs Claim. Canada’s policy is to take up to three years to complete reviews like this one, so it may take a while before Canada provides a formal response to One Arrow’s Cows & Ploughs Claim.
However, we are aware that Canada is making a strong effort to settle Cows & Ploughs Claims in Treaty No. 4 and Treaty No. 6 territory. Canada has been working with two other First Nations to come up with a formula that would help settlements go faster. Although we cannot know for sure if or when Canada will offer to settle One Arrow’s Cows & Ploughs Claim, Canada’s actions so far have been encouraging. We are hopeful that the work Canada is already doing on Cows & Ploughs Claims with other Treaty No. 6 Nations means Canada will aim to address One Arrow’s claim faster than it usually would.
Western Boundary Claim
This claim relates to the Crown’s unlawful taking of land from the western boundary of One Arrow’s reserve in the early 1880’s. At that time, the Crown was trying to manage problems it was having with the Métis around the area of One Arrow’s reserve. The Métis were claiming river lots that overlapped with the western boundary of One Arrow’s reserve, and Canada allowed the Métis to take the river lots in hopes it would help Canada’s relationship with the Métis. In exchange, Canada gave One Arrow new land and added it to the southern boundary of One Arrow’s reserve. However, the historical record seems to show Canada did not get One Arrow’s permission to make this land exchange, which may make the land exchange illegal. This claim seeks compensation from Canada to make up for the losses One Arrow may have experienced because of this land exchange. This claim is called the “Western Boundary Claim”.
Canada has previously rejected One Arrow’s request to negotiate a settlement to the Western Boundary Claim. Instead, Canada currently wants to argue this claim in a special court called the Specific Claims Tribunal. We are currently in process of preparing to argue this claim. Over the past few months, the focus of this work has been finalizing historical reports. One Arrow’s historian completed work on an initial historical report in September of 2022. Canada’s historian completed its initial historical report in December of 2022. Right now, the historians are in the process of preparing short response reports to one another. We expect One Arrow’s next report to be complete in spring or summer of 2023.
Based on the historical research we currently have; it appears we will be able argue that the Crown illegally took land from the western boundary of One Arrow’s reserve. This is good news, but there is still a lot of research and legal work required before we will know if One Arrow will be able to get compensation from Canada for this claim.
Soldier Settlement Claim
This claim relates to Canada’s inappropriate use of One Arrow’s reserve lands, trust moneys and other assets. Specifically, Canada may have illegally used parts of One Arrow’s reserve land, trust moneys and assets to provide benefits to veterans returning from World War I, World War II and the Korean conflict. Although Canada’s goal of providing benefits to veterans may have been positive, Canada sometimes provided benefits to veterans by taking land, money and assets from First Nations communities. First Nations can claim compensation from Canada in these situations. These claims are often called “Soldier Settlement Claims”.
One Arrow’s Soldier Settlement Claim is in the very early stages. We have had an initial conversation with a historian who will do research to learn more about whether One Arrow has a strong Soldier Settlement Claim that could result in compensation. In January 2023, we applied to Canada for funding to support historical research. We are currently waiting for Canada to respond to that funding request, but we expect to receive funding which will then be used to start the historical research for this Claim.
Chief & Headmen Salaries Claim
This claim relates to promises made to One Arrow First Nation (“One Arrow”) in Treaty No. 6, which states the Crown will provide a salary of $25 to each Chief, and a $15 salary to each Headman, of each First Nation. These salaries were to be paid in addition to the $5 annuities that all members are entitled to. This claim for Chief and Headmen salaries is called the “Salaries Claim”.
One Arrow submitted its salaries claim on December 20, 2017. Canada accepted One Arrow’s Salaries Claim for negotiation on December 23, 2020. After that, negotiations took place until Canada offered to settle the Salaries Claim and pay One Arrow compensation. The total amount of compensation offered was $2,209,281. We presented the settlement to One Arrow at a band meeting held on reserve on February 25, 2022.
In June of 2022, Chief and Council signed a settlement agreement on behalf of One Arrow to settle the Salaries Claim, and so One Arrow could receive the compensation Canada offered. In August of 2022, the Minister signed the settlement agreement on behalf of Canada, and the settlement agreement became final.
Canada paid the compensation to One Arrow in August of 2022, and the Salaries Claim is now resolved.