Ottawa blowing deadlines on First Nations historical claims, says report

CANADA
CBC News

November 26, 2018

By Jorge Barrera

Estimates place Ottawa’s liabilities related to historical claims to be in the billions of dollars

Ottawa is consistently missing its legislated deadline for responding to historical claims filed by First Nations, according to a recently released report.

The report, compiled by the B.C. Specific Claims Working Group, says Ottawa had blown its three-year deadline on 65 per cent of all historical claims — known as specific claims — filed between Jan. 1, 2014 and Nov. 10, 2015.

Specific claims are monetary damage claims made by a First Nation against the Crown and generally deal with lost lands and mishandled funds.

Under the Specific Claims Tribunal Act, Ottawa is required to respond within three years after a First Nation files a specific claim as to whether it would negotiate a settlement.

“We are seeing a lot of rhetoric, a lot of promises, and they are very hollow,” said Neskonlith Chief Judy Wilson, whose community is in B.C.

“They don’t seem to be filtering down to the grassroots level for the systemic changes we need.”

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