Beaver Lake Cree Nation Chief Gary Lameman is aware of a lawsuit filed by a southern Alberta first nation against the federal government over the long-standing disbursement of annual Treaty Days five dollar cash payouts.
Since Treaties were signed with Indigenous leaders – most dating back 150 years – annual disbursements of five-dollars have been made to first nation members by federal officials. While the payments may have been a resource for food and shelter needs 100 years ago, in recent decades the five-dollar payments have been seen as token reminders of the treaty agreements.
The Bearspaw First Nation on Treaty 7 territory recently announced a $1 billion lawsuit disputing the unchanging payout.
Lameman is in support of the sentiment behind the lawsuit, saying the annual five-dollar payout has virtually no benefit to his people. He agrees that the annuity payments should have been adjusted over the years to reflect changing times and changing generations.
“That’s something that should have always been in place where our annuities would go up with inflation…cost of living, that kind of thing, Lameman told Lakeland This Week. “That never changed, and that’s just another example of the government saying, ‘Oh, they don’t know about it, so we’re not going to say anything.”
The chief made the comments on Friday, Nov. 29 during the Treaty 6 territory flag-raising ceremony at the Portage College’s Lac La Biche Campus recognizing the treaty, which was signed 148 years ago.
Alberta consists of four treaty areas, including Treaty 4, Treaty 6, Treaty 8 and Treaty 10. Treaty 4 was signed in 1874, Treaty 6 was signed in 1876, Treaty 8 in 1899 and Treaty 10 was signed in 1906. All four treaties were signed by government officials and Indian commissioners. Each treaty holds provisions for restricted land use by treaty members as well as some compensation and assistance for farming. The treaties also allow hunting and fishing rights on ceded land.
Regarding whether Beaver Lake Cree Nation has any plans to join the Treaty 7 lawsuit, Lameman said he had "no comment."
