Tuesday, October 23, 2012


Land Claims:
 Before the Europeans arrived to the shores of North America, First Nations were able to use the land freely; they lived where they wanted and followed their rules and traditions. When the Europeans arrived, they decided that sharing land is not an option for them, which resulted in many FNMI communities to lose their land; because of this, the Federal Government now allows Aboriginal communities to fist for their land.  Land Claims are statements made by FNMI communities in order to regain control over lost land.  When Six Nations blocked the former housing development, the first course of action was to remove them with force but Minister Michael Bryant stated, “’It's just a blind alley - it will not lead us anywhere.’ ‘It may have some temporary logic, but it doesn't really help us in the here and now and it certainly doesn't help us for tomorrow.’” (Puxley)Land claims help avoid unnecessary violence toward the First Nations. History has taught everyone this, it’s best to state a want peacefully than battle with weapons, “The lessons of Ipperwash and the legacy of Dudley George demand that Ontario resolve the ongoing aboriginal occupation in Caledonia with diplomacy, not force.” (Puxley) This shows that violence clouds one judgement on doing the right thing in different situations.
Even though land claims are an important solution to the many problems Native communities face, some FNMI communities are not that familiar with them. The Yukon government, after completing a statistic report, states that, “Aboriginal people (56%) were slightly more likely than non-aboriginal people (53%) to say they felt knowledgeable about the subject,” (Yukon Executive Council Office). Being only three percent more knowledgeable than the white communities should worry the FNMI communities because the issue of land claims concerns the FNMI communities; it’s their land that is lost. In choosing to act like the rest of Canada’s population, more land will be lost.
Land claims are a great way to solve many land issues only if the Federal government agrees to them. Throughout Canadian history, many land issues resulted in violence because the government did not want to give up land that had plenty of resources. The most recent example is the Alberta Oil Sands. Allan Adam talks about the negative land use in Alberta in Tipping Point, they state that, “ We live by the lakeshore of Lake Athabaska… it’s our turn now to say enough is enough.”(“The Tipping Point: Age of the Oil Sands.”) The land that the government is using is impacting the First Nations, and in order for it to stop the FNMI communities of that region have to put the matter in to their own hands, since trying to claim the land back from the government does not work. This shows even though land claims are less violent way to gain property, it all depends on the land resource availability. 


Timeline:


Statistics:

1. To date, the following final settlement agreements have been signed and implemented:
  • Assabaska (2000)
  • Big Grassy (2000)
  • Brunswick House Settlement Agreement (1995)
  • Garden River Settlement Agreement, Phases I and II (1994)
  • Lake Nipigon Ojibway (2005)
  • Mississauga #8 Northern Boundary Settlement Agreement (1994)
  • Nipissing Specific Agreement (1995)
  • Thessalon Settlement Agreement (2000)
  • Whitefish River, Phase I (1998)
  • Wikwemikong Settlement Agreement (Point Grondine) (1995)
    2. The following final settlement agreements have been signed and are in the process of being implemented
  • Anishinabe of Wauzhushk Onigum (Rat Portage) (2009)
  • Fort William (2011)
  • Manitoulin Settlement Agreement (1990)
  • Michipicoten (2008)
  • Missanabie Cree Land Transfer (2010)
  • Rainy River (2005)
  • Sand Point (2006)
  • Tyendinaga (Turton Penn) (2005)
  • Wahta Mohawks (2004)
  • Wabigoon (2012)
   3. To date, the following land-related agreements have been reached:
  • Cat Lake (2000)
  • Eabamatoong (Fort Hope) Specific Agreement (1995)
  • English and Wabigoon River Systems Mercury Contamination Settlement Agreement (1985)
  • Grand River Notification Agreement (1996); Renewals (1998 and 2003)
  • Hunter's Point (2007)
  • Ontario-Islington Band Agreement (1983)
  • Sarnia Specific Agreement (1994)
  • Shoal Lake Watershed Agreement (1994)
  • Six NAN Bands Agreement (1991)
4.   Since 2003, Ontario has signed seven agreements to settle land claims and land-related issues:
  • Hunter's Point
  • Lake Nipigon Ojibway
  • Michipicoten
  • Rainy River
  • Sand Point
  • Tyendinaga (Turton Penn)
  • Wahta Mohawks
5.  Thirteen comprehensive claims have been settled since the federal government began to negotiate claims in 1973:
  • James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (1975);
  • Northeastern Quebec Agreement (1978);
  • Inuvialuit Final Agreement, western Arctic (1984);
  • Gwich’in Agreement, northwestern portion of the Northwest Territories and 1,554 square kilometres of land in the Yukon (1992);
  • Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, Inuit of the eastern Arctic (1993);
  • Seven Yukon First Nation Final Agreements, based on the Council for Yukon Indians Umbrella Final Agreement (1993); and
  • Sahtu Dene and Metis Agreement, Mackenzie Valley, Northwest Territories (1994). 
 6.  As of March 31, 2006, over 460 specific claims have been concluded to date across the country.  This includes 273 claims settled through negotiations. About half of these claims related to land and roughly one third of these settlements involved the provincial governments.

7. The Nunavik Land Claim Agreement Act received Royal Assent on February 14, 2008. Under the Agreement, the Nunavik Inuit will receive some $86 million, spread over nine years, and gain full title to 80 per cent of the islands offshore of Quebec and Labrador with an area of a little over 5,000 km2.

8. Canada has addressed a total of 59 specific claims in the province. This includes 19 specific claims resolved through negotiated settlements. The Government of Canada's contribution to these settlements totalled approximately $31.6 million.

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Works Cited: 
  • Photo: Pelot-Syron, Elain. Aboriginal Land Right Protest. N.d. n.p. Web. 23 Oct 2012. <http://www.alc.org.au/media/357/land-rights.jpg>.
  • Timeline: Skeoch, Alan Edward. Your Home on Native Land: The History of Land Claims in Canada. Orangeville: JackFruit Press Ltd., 2008. Print.
  • Video: Ovide , Mercredi. Interview by Hana Gartner . "Aboriginal rights: How do we resolve land claims?." CBC: The National Magazine . 11 1995. 11 1995. TV. http://www.cbc.ca/archives/categories/society/native-issues/the-battle-for-aboriginal-treaty-rights/how-do-we-resolve-land-claims.html.
  • Statistics:
    • Yukon. Yukon Executive Council Office. 2011 Land Claims and Self- Government Household Survey Report. 2011. Web. <http://www.eco.gov.yk.ca/fr/pdf/2011_Land_Claims_Self_Government_Survey_Report.pdf>
    • Ontario. Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs. Settlements and Agreements. Ontario: , Web. <http://www.aboriginalaffairs.gov.on.ca/english/negotiate/aboutclaims/settlement.asp>.
    • Canada. Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. Land Claims. Web. <http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100028568/1100100028572>.
    • Hurley, Mary , and Jill Wherrett. Canada. Library of Parliament. Setting Land Claims :Land Claim Settlements and Legislative Considerations. 1999. Web. <http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/LOP/ResearchPublications/prb9917-e.htm
    • Canada. Office of the Auditor General of Canada. Exhibit 14.1—Selected Features of Settled Comprehensive Land Claims. 1998. Print. <http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/att_9814xe01_e_9104.html>.
    • Canada. Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. Then and Now: A statistical snapshot. Web. <http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1339507365950/1339507443870>.
  • Paragraph:
    •  Puxley, Chinta. "Ipperwash lessons apply in Caledonia: Bryant." Globe & Mail[Toronto, Canada] 27 Nov. 2007: A20. Gale Canada In Context. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/cic/NewsDetailsPage/NewsDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=CIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=News&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&source=&sortBy=&displayGroups=&search_within_results=&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CA171807341&userGroupName=ko_pl_portal&jsid=02beba8353d9b60890ff0d724550dff7
    • Yukon. Yukon Executive Council Office. 2011 Land Claims and Self- Government Household Survey Report. 2011. Web. <http://www.eco.gov.yk.ca/fr/pdf/2011_Land_Claims_Self_Government_Survey_Report.pdf>
    • "Aboriginal land claims in Canada since the '90 Oka crisis." Record [Kitchener, Ontario] 10 July 2010: A3. Gale Canada In Context. Web. 23 Oct. 2012.http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/cic/NewsDetailsPage/NewsDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=CIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=News&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&source=&sortBy=&displayGroups=&search_within_results=&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CA231076311&userGroupName=ko_pl_portal&jsid=cbbfb2b2ed0dc86131ea34778788e64b
    • Radford, Tom, dir. "The Tipping Point: The Age of the Oil Sands." Dir Niobe Thompson. The Nature of Things. CBC: 01/2011. Television. 
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