Completed Inquiries – Reports Released

01/03/1998

Sturgeon Lake First Nation [Red Deer Holdings agricultural lease claim] - March 1998

In August 1996, the First Nation requested that the Commission conduct an inquiry into this claim on the grounds of irregularities regarding the surrender vote of 1913. At issue is whether a majority of eligible voters participated in a surrender vote in 1913 and whether they habitually resided on the reserve at the time of the vote. In September 1996, the First Nation submitted additional research to the Commission in support of its claim. In December 1996, the government began supplementary confirming research, and the inquiry was placed in abeyance. In May 1998, the government advised the First Nation that no lawful obligation arises out of the 1913 surrender. In June 1998, the First Nation asked the Commission to resume the inquiry. However, in April 1999, the First Nation advised the Commission that it was conducting interviews with the elders of the First Nation in relation to the claim and subsequently asked the Commission to put the inquiry in abeyance.

In November 2002, the First Nation asked the Commission to resume the inquiry. After a series of conference calls and one planning conference in 2003, a community session has tentatively been scheduled for the fall of 2004.