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Mistawasis First Nation has reached an agreement with the federal government that will see $16.3 million in compensation going to the band.
The agreement, announced Sept. 28, settles a grievance dating back to the early 1900s, when the First Nation lost 18,000 acres of reserve land in what it claimed was an invalid surrender.
Mistawasis First Nation, which is located 68 kilometeres west of Prince Albert, submitted a claim to Indian Affairs in 1992, and the claim was accepted for negotiation in 1996 on the basis that the surrenders of the land, which occurred in 1911, 1917 and 1919, didn't meet the requirements for surrender of land under the 1906 Indian Act.
In addition to the $16.3 million in compensation, Canada will also pay the First Nation an additional $1.5 million to cover the band's expenses related to researching and negotiating the settlement.
Mistawasis First Nation can use the money to purchase land on a willing-seller/willing buyer basis to return its reserve to its pre-surrender size.
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