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Siksika First Nation [1910 surrender]

This claim involves alleged irregularities in the surrender vote; the reservation of coal, oil and gas rights from the 1910 land surrender; and the reduction and subsequent discontinuance of perpetual rations from the proceeds of the sale of surrendered lands. The claim was first submitted to the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development in 1985. The First Nation and the government conducted a series of cooperative research studies, and the claim was submitted to the Department of Justice in 1995 for its review.

In January 2002, the Commission agreed to conduct an inquiry into the claim. In March 2002, a planning conference was held at which the parties agreed to begin the initial stages of the inquiry process (that is, document compilation) while Canada finalized its legal review. By agreement of the parties, the inquiry was placed into abeyance in May 2002 while the Commission facilitated Canada’s review of the claim. Further legal submissions were made by the First Nation in 2003. A conference call was held in June 2004, and Canada submitted a further research report in February 2005. We understand that the review is continuing.