Lac La Ronge chief announces $600M 'cows and plows' settlement for failed treaty promises

The Lac La Ronge Indian Band announced it approved a whopping $601.5 million settlement with the federal government to address the "cows and plows" clause of Treaty 6.

Under treaties 4,5,6 and 10, the Crown promised agricultural benefits livestock and farming equipment to the First Nations that signed. That promise went unfulfilled for Lac La Ronge Indian Band and many other First Nations that are negotiating settlements for compensation.

A release from the band says this settlement is one of the largest of its kind in Canadian history.

Chief Tammy Cook-Searson said this settlement is a long time coming for the community.

"It's overwhelming because of the support that we received from the band membership because at the end of the day, it was up to the band membership whether they accepted the settlement agreement or not."

The band says it had a record voter turnout for the settlement, with 5,068 of 8,462 eligible voters casting their ballots.

Lac La Ronge is in north-central Saskatchewan and is the second-largest First Nation in Saskatchewan with a population of 12,395.

The vote was held on Aug. 19-22 and 4,835 voted in favour to accept the settlement, 181 voted against to reject it and 52 ballots were spoiled.

WATCH | What is 'cows and plows'?

What is cows and plows?

9 months ago

Duration 1:35

CBC Indigenous reporter Jennifer Francis simplifies what you need to know about this settlement. Plus, she debunks the myth that cows and plows eliminates your treaty rights.

Cook-Searson says the claim has been in the works now for eight years, but the broken promise stretches back further than that, all the way back to 1889 when the original treaty was signedon the North End of Montreal Lake.

"When our Chief James Roberts and the council negotiated treaty, they had a provision in there that we would get help at that time to become farmers with instruction to be able to have a livelihood from the agricultural industry, so that part of the treaty was not fulfilled."

"So this is fulfilling part the promise of the treaty at that time."

Cook-Searson said there wereextensive community consultations, including months of meetings, information sessions and discussions for band members to learn about the settlement.

Voting and polling was a big undertaking, with nine polling stations and people voting remotely all the way from places like Spain for some members according Cook-Searson.

"It was a big process and we hired a ratification officer and then he hired deputy officers to help him runthe ratification vote, making sure that, you know, that we gave every opportunity to all band members to vote regardless of where they were."

She said there's been lots of work from their settlement planning committee and community input for how the money will be dispersed.

It involves each band member getting an initial per capita distribution, with those 18 and over getting a larger amount. Then each year every man, woman and child will get a certain amount, plus money will go into a trust for those 18 and under.

Another amount will be set aside for "community benefit."

The band still has to finalize the settlement before the chequecomes in, and Cook-Searson says she expects it to take up to seven months for finalization.

Cook-Searson said the band is looking forward to the finalization of the settlement and will celebrate when that happens.