Office of Chief and Council
Government of Siksika
P.O. Box 1100 Siksika, AB T0J 3W0 (403) 734-5109 Ι Toll Free 1-800-551-5724 www.siksikanation.com
August 13, 2021
Community Release
Siksika Nation and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada negotiators have come to a tentative agreement today regarding a negotiated settlement to resolve the 1910 Wrongful Surrender claim. This is a historic moment and represents more than sixty years of efforts by Siksika Nation to seek redress from the Crown.
The next stage of the process is to finalize the technical details of the negotiated settlement and prepare the terms of the arrangement for release to the Siksika Nation community. The terms of the negotiated settlement remain confidential. At the appropriate time, the terms of the settlement will be presented for community engagement and ratification by the Siksika Nation members.
This builds on the Memorandum of Understanding signed last week to explore new ways to advance Siksika Nation’s vision for greater self-determination for the benefit of their community and promote the economic, cultural and social well-being of their children, families and communities.
Quote:
Chief Ouray Crowfoot,
“Siksika Nation has been involved with this claim for over sixty years. There have been many Chiefs & Councils who have made great strides with Canada on this case. Our Council team has worked tirelessly with Canada to secure the best benefit for Siksika Nation. We feel the settlement agreement will provide benefits for Siksika Nation members immediately and for generations to come. We acknowledge those who made sacrifices before us and we called on those ancestors for strength and guidance every time we met with Canada regarding this important work.”
The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, M.D., P.C., M.P.
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
“We recognize the perseverance and dedication of the Siksika Nation and the hard work of negotiators for both parties, in coming to an understanding today to resolve the 1910 surrender claim. While there is still more work ahead to finalize the agreement and provide the opportunity for community members to have the final say on the agreement, this is an important step forward. We look forward to our ongoing work with Siksika Nation towards meaningful reconciliation.”
