When it comes to casual conversation amongst non-Indigenous members of the public when hearing of the (often multi-million dollar) settlements being signed between the various levels of the Crown and Indigenous communities, a common sentiment is heard鈥斺漣t鈥檚 coming out of our tax dollars.鈥 But nothing could be further from the truth.
Certainly, much of the funds being handed over from levels of government in recent years is coming from the money being collected by the Crown in the form of taxation. But the payments themselves reflect the promises made by the Crown, at both federal and provincial levels, to the First Nations in return for very tangible assets they have agreed through treaty to share with the rest of the nation.
Those funds include shares of the revenue from natural resources (stumpage fees on trees harvested, mining leases, fishing licences, both commercial and individual, and rights of way for highways, etc), it also includes revenue from the sale of the rights to use properties (the Crown retains actual 鈥榦wnership鈥 of the land鈥攁lbeit that is a point of contention with many Indigenous governments and individuals).
The recent settlement and apology signed by five Island First Nations and the Crown in Audeck Omni Kaning is a recognition of the failure of our nation鈥檚 governments to live up to the binding contracts signed with the original inhabitants of this land we call Canada.
In the words of Violet McGregor baa of Birch Island (Whitefish River First Nation) following the residential school apology, 鈥渋t鈥檚 just words.鈥 For reconciliation to have any real meaning鈥攍ike any other apology鈥攖here must be at least some attempt at remediation of the offence.
If there is something in which we, as Canadians, can all take pride in, it is that our nation is at the forefront of meaningful restitution to those upon whom our country鈥檚 wealth has been built. Make no mistake鈥攄espite the challenges being faced by those below the .01 percent in this country鈥攚e are still incredibly wealthy by any measure.
The $447.9 million settlement that was signed this past August between the federal government and Aundeck Omni Kaning, M鈥機higeeng, Sheguiandah, Sheshegwaning and Zhiibaahaasing First Nations is not a generous stipend gleaned from the pockets of the taxpayer鈥攊t is a settling of accounts for grievous wrongs perpetrated by successive governments of all stripes over more than the past 150 years, including the sale of most of 91性息港鈥檚 real estate following the 1862 treaty where the proceeds from these sales was supposed to direcetly benefit the Island鈥檚 Indigenous communities.
You don鈥檛 have to take The Expositor鈥檚 word for that. The courts, over and over again, have made it clear that these are monies owed.
In truth, the willingness of the First Nations leadership to negotiate a settlement rather than follow the arduous path of litigation has saved the taxpayer an enormous amount of money in legal fees, court costs and economic losses from protests blocking highways and rail lines that are the lifeblood of our commerce. For that we should all offer up a heartfelt chi-miigwetch鈥攖hank you very much.
Settlements such as that of the 91性息港 Project, and the Robinson Huron Annuities Case that preceded it, can never adequately compensate Indigenous peoples for the untold pain, suffering and loss engendered by our nation鈥檚 leaders鈥 actions or inactions鈥攁nd by extension ourselves鈥攆or not living up to our legal obligations in the past.
We can only hope, most fervently, that these actions will be the beginning of a true reconciliation between the original peoples of this land and those who have come after.
As entertainer Susan Aglukark recently noted during her performance at the 91性息港 Hotel and Conference Centre celebration of Mnaamodzawin鈥檚 25th anniversary gala, 鈥渞econciliation cannot happen if there is only one at the table.鈥
There is often talk about the 鈥渉onour of the Crown鈥 in these discussion and negotiations鈥攂ut it is important to understand that the Crown鈥檚 honour is our honour.
We all benefit from the bounty of these lands鈥攊t is long overdue that we pay our share.
