1. Treaties Today

2.  The Majority of treaties with the government and First Nations were signed by 1923.  Between 1927 & 1951 is was illegal for a First Nation to even hire a lawyer to negotiate with the government on their behalf.  The gov’t felt treaties set the First Nations apart from mainstream Canada.  Today Canada follows a different treaty making policy.

3.  First Nation groups who never signed treaties in the past may file a Comprehensive Claim.  Comprehensive Claim is a claim available to First Nation groups who have never signed treaties in the past that deal with issues including land ownership, self-government, resource ownership or control, hunting/fishing/trapping rights & financial compensation.  Between 1973-2003, 15 of these claims were settled; however > 40 remain unsettled.

4.  When First Nations feel that one or more terms of their original comprehensive treaty are unfair, or haven’t been met, they may make a Specific Claim.  These types of claims often involve land already occupied by many Canadians. The Claim may be for a sum of money instead of a claim for the land itself. Specific claims have been made for lands in and around Vancouver, Montreal, & Toronto.