Completed Inquiries – Reports Released

01/03/2006

Blueberry River First Nation and Doig River First Nation [Highway right of way IR 172] – March 2006

In February 1995, the Treaty 8 Tribal Association submitted a specific claim to Canada on behalf of the Blueberry River and Doig River First Nations, on the "fast track" process, alleging that the federal government had expropriated land from the Fort St John Indian Reserve (IR 172) for a provincial highway, but had not notified the Fort St John Band or compensated it for the loss of the land. In 1977, the Fort St John Band split and became the Doig River and Blueberry River bands. By September 2003, Canada had not informed the First Nations whether it had accepted or rejected the claim. The Tribal Association asked the Commission to conduct an inquiry and the Commission accepted the claim as having been constructively rejected.

Following the Commission’s decision to conduct an inquiry, Commission staff began the process of assembling the documentary record. In September 2004, Canada accepted the claim for negotiation. The Commission declared its inquiry closed in May 2005, and published its inquiry report in March 2006.

Response: In September 2004, government accepted claim for negotiation while inquiry underway.

To download the news release

To download the report - PDF