What Are Specific Claims?
“Many Aboriginal people have a deep and abiding distrust of Canada’s political and legal systems because of the damage they have caused. They often see Canada’s legal system as being an arm of a Canadian governing structure that has been diametrically opposed to their interests. ”
SPECIFIC CLAIMS ARISE FROM HISTORICAL LOSSES
The specific claims process is the federal government’s approach to dealing with historical wrongs related to illegal alienations of Indigenous lands, mismanagement of Indigenous assets held “in trust” by government, and the non-fulfillment of treaties.
Here are videos of community experts describing the losses that their Nations have faced as a result of damaging federal policies related to Nations’ lands and assets.
“We are the People of the Lake and we don’t have access”
William Alexander, Tsal’alh (Seton Lake First Nation, St’at’imc) talks about how the people from Seton were originally known as the People of the Lake, but when the railroad right of way was forced through their community, the building of the railway blocked all access to the lake.
“Thirty percent is huge”
Sherry McIntyre, Skuppah Indian Band, Nlaka’pamux Nation, gives examples of how the use of her Nation’s reserve lands are disrupted through different uses of the right of way.
“Loss of people from the land.”
Angie Bain and Aaron Sumexheltza of Lower Nicola Indian Band, Nlaka’pamux Nation, talk about the cost of a failure to reserve a communal fishing spot and the effects of this loss on the Nation’s culture, community knowledge, access to vital resources, and ability to take care of the land.
“Failing to honour women’s resource use and relationships with the land.”
Mariel Belanger, Syilx (Okanagan Nation) talks about the fact that Syilx women’s relationship with the land, and responsibilities toward it, were denied when reserves were created.