Whitefish Lake First Nation [Agricultural benefits pursuant to Treaty 8: compensation criteria]

A specific claim by the Whitefish Lake First Nation to agricultural benefits under Treaty 8 was accepted by Canada as a claim to contemporary benefits. The First Nation requested the Commission to conduct an inquiry regarding compensation criteria. This request was accepted in September of 2003.

Negotiations were subsequently suspended by Canada in February of 2004 to permit additional research to be conducted on the subject of agricultural benefits. In March 2004, the Commission accepted an inquiry into a claim of the First Nation for benefits from the time of its adhesion to Treaty 8. The inquiry into compensation criteria for the contemporary claim was deferred.

In March 2005, Canada resumed negotiations with the First Nation on the contemporary claim. The inquiry remains deferred.