ICC's Policy on Disclosure of Information

ICC Policy on Disclosure of Information on Claims Within Inquiry Process and Claims Currently in Mediation/Facilitation

The Indian Claims Commission was established in 1991. Its mandate is: to inquire, at the request of a First Nation, into specific claims that have been rejected by the federal government, or accepted claims where the First Nation disputes the compensation criteria being considered; and to provide mediation services on consent of the parties at any stage of the claims process. This mandate was modified by Order in Council in November 2007, to conclude the Commission’s work.

Inquiries:
The Commission's policy about information on inquiries is that the record of an inquiry is confidential until completion of the inquiry, but its status (stage in the process) is public, and reported annually. The Commission lists each claim currently within its inquiry process in the Claimsmap section. A brief summary of the status of each current and completed inquiry is available in the most current annual report. At the end of each inquiry, the Commission issues a final inquiry report, available in the Publications section.

Mediation:
The negotiation and issues of claims within the Commission's mediation process are confidential to the negotiating parties. The Commission lists each claim for which it is providing mediation/facilitation services in the Claimsmap section. A brief summary of the status of each current and completed mediation is available in the most current annual report. At the end of the negotiations, while respecting the confidentiality of all the parties involved, the Commission will release a brief report on the mediation process and result of the negotiations, available in the Publications section.

The Commission has information on only those specific claims that are or have been in its process, and no information on comprehensive claims. The Commission also has no land registry from which precise bounds of claims can be determined. Users may wish to contact the Claims and Indian Government Sector at Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, as it is the main repository of information on land claims.