New First Nation part of largest Alberta claim settlement

Membership has ratified the creation of the 45th First Nation in Alberta.

“It feels good, a little overwhelming,” said James Alook, newly elected chief for the Peerless Trout First Nation, in the northeastern part of the province. Alook beat out six other contenders for the position in a vote held June 30. Seven people vied for four positions on council. Forming the first council are Sharon Laboucan, Emile Houle, William Houle and Gary Noskiye. Council terms vary, with Laboucan and William Houle serving four years and the other two councilors serving two years. Alook’s term is four years.

The negotiations that formed Peerless Trout First Nation is a result of the Bigstone Cree land claim settlement, said Glenn Luff, spokesman for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Alberta regional office.

Between February 22 and March 5, Bigstone Cree Nation and the communities of Calling Lake, Chipewyan Lake, Peerless Lake and Trout Lake held ratification votes, approving the offer tabled by the federal and provincial governments to settle Bigstone’s treaty land entitlement and ancillary benefits claims under Treaty 8.

“We’ve been waiting a long time for this,” said Alook.

It’s been over 100 years since the addition to Treaty 8 was signed by Bigstone Cree. When the first lands for the reserve were surveyed in 1913, the size of the reserve was calculated at 128 acres per person based on membership. However, membership north of Bigstone Cree Nation was not counted and although this was discovered, no new reserve lands were added to compensate for the increased numbers.

It wasn’t until 1998 that Bigstone Cree’s shortfall claim was allowed to proceed under Canada’s Historic Treaty Land Entitlement Policy and its Specific Claims Policy. The Ancillary Treaty Benefits claims were accepted for negotiation by Canada in 2006 and 2007.

“It seemed like a long time when things didn’t move,” said Alook, whose wife Dorothy Alook was part of the negotiation team. “There were times when things didn’t seem to go the way they should.”

Alook credits Bigstone chief and council for coming through.

“They played a big role in our negotiating. They pushed hard for us,” he said.

This is the largest claim settlement in Alberta and one of the largest in Canada. It includes $249.4 million and 140,000 acres. A reserve will be created for Peerless and Trout Lakes with 63,000 acres set aside for the Peerless Trout First Nation. As well, 77,000 acres will be set aside for new reserves around the Bigstone communities of Wabasca, Calling Lake, and Chipewyan Lake.

“All of the current membership is normally resident in the Peerless Trout First Nation communities as this was a stipulation for the Founding Members from the Band’s Membership Code,” said Luff.

The approximately 750 members never lived on  Bigstone Cree First Nation reserves.

There’s a lot of work ahead for the new band council, Alook said, and while work continues on the community development plan and infrastructure planning, the Municipal District of  Opportunity (Wabasca-Desmarais) will continue to provide services. A band office will be built the next year in Peerless Lake, but for now business is being undertaken out of an existing building in Peerless Lake.

When capital dollars begin to be spent, housing will be the priority, said Alook. Social development is also high on the list.

Alook wants to see Peerless Trout move toward being a self-sustained First Nation, pulling on the natural resources of the area (oil, gas and forestry) as well as tourism.

“We won’t depend on handouts. I don’t see myself as that in the future. There are lots of opportunities in this area,” said Alook.

Luff anticipated a signing ceremony will be held in late August or early September.