After suppressing the Métis at Batoche, the Government of Canada came down hard on anyone they thought associated with the Resistance and instituted several measures to control and punish 14 First Nations labelled as “rebel bands”. One of those measures was to withhold Treaty annuities from every man, woman and child in the band from 1885 to 1889 even though, in some cases, only a few or perhaps none, of those band members may have actually participated in Riel Resistance activities.

Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) Chief Perry Bellegarde and Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation Chief Rick Gamble commented today on the opening of the Specific Claims Tribunal that will hear final arguments in the Beardy’s & Okemasis claim regarding the wrongful withholding of annuities by the federal government.

In 2000, Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation filed Specific Claims with the Government of Canada alleging that Canada breached its lawful obligations by withholding Treating annuities without the legal authority to do so. In 2008, the Specific Claims Tribunal, composed of Superior Court judges, was formed with the power to make binding decisions on Specific Claims which cannot be settled through negotiations.

“Finally, after 14 years of waiting since we first filed our claim, our position that the Government of Canada was clearly in breach of its duties by punishing selected First Nations through the withholding of funds owed will be heard by the Tribunal,” said Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation Chief Rick Gamble. “We are very confident of our position on this issue and we are of the view that the decision on the Beardy’s & Okemasis claim will impact the claims of the other thirteen First Nations who also had annuities withheld.”

The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations is also in support of the Beardy’s & Okemasis claim. “We are very proud and completely supportive of the actions that have been taken by the Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation, alongside thirteen other First Nations in Saskatchewan, to bring this issue to a resolution,” added Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Chief Perry Bellegarde. “I would add, however, that it’s once again sad commentary that it has now been almost 130 years, since the days of the Riel Rebellion, since this punitive action against these First Nations was taken, and only now will it be resolved.”

The Tribunal hearings take place at Wanuskewin all week.