Peigan meeting over $2.5 million settlement

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The Peigan Nation will go to the polls again for the fourth time on April 21 to determine whether the $2.5 million settlement reached in 1981 over a 1909 land claim be distributed among band members.

Albert Yellow Horn Sr., Peigan band councillor and well-known land claims researcher, said the Band Cuoncil is recommending to its membership that they accept the out of court settlement rather than pursuing the matter in federal court.

The land claim issue dates back to 1909 when the Department of Indian Affairs exporiated more than 10,000 acres of Peigan land to the federal government. There was no referendum held to see if the membership at the time wanted to cede their land.

The issue has always been a concern for tribal Elders and Yellow Horn has researched the claim for more than 22 years without pay. The issue came to a head in 1979 when the Peigan Nation blockaded the water head gates access which was being used by the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District (LNID) on the Old Man River.

The Peigan Nation demanded financial compensation of the land now used by the LNID and a yearly fee system for each acre of land. The Peigans, by blockading the water gates, cut off water supply to more than 700 farmers and seven communities near the Peigan Reserve.

After months of conflict between the Peigan Nation, LNID and the provincial government, reached an agreement in February 1981. The government committed $2.5 million and an additional $970,000 to pay for legal costs and also compensate Yellow Horn for his years of research on the 1909 land claim.

However, some band members rejected the government's offer and wanted the Peigan Nation band council to get the 10,000 acres of land returned and also financial compensation.

"We're not satisfied with the agreement but it would cost about $10 million to fight the issue in court," said Yellow Horn. "We just don't have $10 million."

The Peigan membership voted overwhelmingly to reject the federal government's offer on the first referendum and a small majority voted in favor the second time. However, last month the Peigan voted again on the issue but were short of 68 people to get the settlement distributed. According to the Indian Act, at least 50% of the total population is needed to pass a referendum.

Yellow Horn expects that the Peigan Nation will vote in favor of the referendum on April 21.

All Peigan Nation members over the age of 18 are entitled to vote.

The Peigan Reserve has a population of over 2,600 people.