Tsawwassen First Nation and Canada reach land claim settlement agreement that started in 2013.
TSAWWASSEN FIRST NATION, B.C.-In late April, Chief Ken Baird and the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, announced that the Tsawwassen First Nation and the Government of Canada have reached a settlement agreement of the English Bluff Specific Claim. As part of the settlement, the Tsawwassen First Nation will receive $7.7 million in total compensation.
"We at Tsawwassen First Nation are pleased to bring closure to this long-standing issue," said Chief swәnnәset Ken Baird of the Tsawwassen First Nation.
"Addressing the historical harms done to our people is key to reconciliation and we hold our hands up to all the leaders and staff who worked over the years to settle this claim."
The Tsawwassen First Nation, a Coast Salish Nation, is located in the Greater Vancouver area of the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, adjacent to the South Arm of the Fraser River.
Submitted by Tsawwassen First Nation in July of 2013, this specific claim concerns a breach of Canada's obligations when it failed to obtain full and fair compensation for the sale of reserve lands in the 1950s and for Canada's failure to protect the First Nation from entering into an exploitative agreement. After a ratification vote, Tsawwassen First Nation signed the English Bluff Specific Claim settlement on November 9, 2021, and Canada signed on January 18, 2022.
This agreement between Tsawwassen First Nation and Canada represents a mutual understanding and addresses a historical wrong to the community. The successful resolution of this settlement is a key part of Canada's commitment to reconciliation – one that shows our commitment to build trust, acknowledges and respects the Treaty relationship, and helps build a better future for all Canadians.
"Today's announcement is an important milestone in Canada's relationship with Tsawwassen First Nation," said The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations. "This negotiated settlement was made possible through the efforts of the community's leadership and their commitment to work with Canada to address its failure to protect the First Nation's interests. We are looking forward to building on our continued partnership and the future of our nation-to-nation relationship."
Canada has a longstanding policy and process in place to resolve these claims by negotiating settlements with First Nations. Since January 1, 2016, the country has settled more than 183 specific claims with First Nation partners, totaling $8.9 billion in compensation
In fiscal year 2020-2021, 56 claims were filed, 46 claims were assessed and 36 claims were resolved through negotiations. Working in partnership with First Nations, Canada has settled over 592 specific claims through negotiated settlements since 1973.
