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The federal government and James Smith Cree Nation reached a $713.8-million settlement agreement meant to resolve a package of long-standing land grievances that leaders said had weighed on their people for generations.
“This settlement has been a long time coming,” Chakastaypasin Chief Calvin Sanderson said in a statement, crediting past and present leadership for getting the deal across the finish line.
He said the agreement marks a major milestone, while adding that there is still work to be done to restore the Chakastaypasin Band as an independent band recognized by Canada.
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The settlement was announced Dec. 19 by Sanderson, James Smith Chief Kirby Constant, Peter Chapman Chief Robert Head and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty.
James Smith Cree Nation comprises of three First Nations: Chakastaypasin, James Smith and Peter Chapman, and the agreement addressed several separate claims related to historic treaty obligations and reserve administration.
Canada said the compensation was intended to address past wrongs, including the invalid surrender and sale of the Chakastaypasin IR98 reserve, a treaty land entitlement shortfall of 2,944 acres owed to James Smith under the terms of Treaty 6, and the Peter Chapman share of an invalid surrender claim for IR100A.
A portion of the settlement also acknowledged the impacts of what the release described as wrongful amalgamation dating back to 1902, which affected the three First Nations.
Constant called the deal “a historic step forward,” saying the settlement recognized broken agreements and the long-term impacts of forced amalgamation. He said the agreement was not the end of the Nation’s journey, but provided a foundation for investing in renewal and strengthening self-determination for future generations.
Head said the settlement was an acknowledgement of the “tremendous injustices” endured by ancestors and said it supported the re-establishment of sovereignty and long-term security.
Alty said Canada’s “broken promises and wrongful actions” created challenges these communities carried for generations, and framed the settlement as part of the federal government’s work to rebuild trust and renew relationships.
The release described specific claims as an alternative dispute resolution process for resolving historic wrongs related to land, assets, and the fulfillment of treaties or other agreements. It said 229 claims were resolved for nearly $15.1 billion in compensation between April 1, 2020 and May 31, 2025.
Buckley Belanger, secretary of state for rural development, said the settlement opened the door to healing and renewal after communities carried the cost of broken promises while others benefited from their lands.
Leaders said they planned to invest the funds for members’ benefit, with Sanderson saying the goal was to help ensure grandchildren could experience prosperity denied to past generations.
