For Immediate Release
February 13, 2017
Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation, Treaty 6 – Council released the following statement today on their plan to protect the next 7 generations:
“From 1885 until 1888, men, women, and children were denied their Treaty right to an annual $5 payment; for 4 years, our ancestors endured hardship at the hands of a government that lacked compassion and whose true motive was to control and subjugate our people.
On May 6, 2015, Justice Harry Slade of the Specific Claims Tribunal ruled that “the Crown breached its lawful obligation to pay treaty annuities to the Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation”. On January 23, 2017, the Specific Claims Tribunal awarded the Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation $4.5 million.
On February 15, 2017 our Nation will receive the settlement funds.
We have heard from so many in our community on how to best utilize the settlement. Many have remarked “the money should be distributed” while many more have said “we need to think about our future”. As fiduciaries, Council has a legal obligation to act in the best interests of the Nation. We feel that distributing the total sum of the settlement would not be a responsible course of action. We do however recognize the current, immediate needs of our people. With these 2 critical factors in mind, we have developed a plan that strikes an appropriate balance of protecting our Nation’s future, while meeting some of the immediate needs of our people.
Here is our plan:
1. The Legacy Trust: On February 6, 2017, Council established The Legacy Trust – a fund to guarantee a prosperous and sustainable future for the next 7 generations.
View our list of Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
2. Per Capita Distribution: Our Nation will make a one-time, $250 payment to every registered member (and those who ought to be registered) of the Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation.
Details:
– The Per Capita Distribution will occur at the Rec Centre beginning at 10:00am each day, Thursday, March 2, 2017 till Friday, March 3, 2017.
– An information session will be conducted on Thursday, March 2nd at the Rec Centre beginning at 10:00am
– Children and youth under the age of 18 will have their Per Capita Distribution (PCD) payment provided to the primary care giver of the household. If there are unique family circumstances, Band Members must contact the Band Office immediately for additional information.
View our list of Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
3. We will leverage the borrowing power of the Legacy Trust to re-finance an existing consolidation loan with First Nations Bank of Canada to the amount of approximately $2.3 million to get a lower interest rate.
4. We will leverage the borrowing power of the Legacy Trust to acquire a business loan with First Nations Bank of Canada to the amount of $3.5 million to finance the site re-development of Blackhawks Esso.
This is an important moment in the history of our Nation. Our ancestors endured hardship so that we might have a prosperous future. We will honour that legacy and work to ensure the rights of our people remain protected “for as long as the sun shines, the grass grows, and the rivers flow.”
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For more information, please contact:
Chief & Council Communications
306-467-4523 | communications@beardysband.com
