This week, Huu-ay-aht First Nations announced how the $14,285,000 IR No. 1 Specific Claims Tribunal Award would be used to work toward self-reliance for all citizens and the Nation.
The award is the result of a claim Huu-ay-aht filed with the Tribunal in 2011 about logging that took place on former Numukamis IR1 between 1948 and 1969. Huu-ay-aht chiefs petitioned Canada at the time of the logging operations, asserting that the licence should be cancelled, to no avail. In 2014, the Tribunal found that Canada had breached its fiduciary obligations in relation to the way the timber was sold. The Tribunal found that Canada had not acted in Huu-ay-aht’s best interests, had entered into an unlawful arrangement, and that Huu-ay-aht had received far less compensation than it ought to have for its timber. The compensation for these breaches of duty committed by Canada were set by the Tribunal in 2016 and this matter came to a conclusion earlier this year when Canada dropped its appeal of the Tribunal’s decision.
The allocation made is as follows:
Invested Wealth Fund – 44%
Self-Reliance Investment Fund – 22%
Citizen Dividend – 34%
This allocation will help to ensure that funds are available to fill the yearly funding gap that will occur beginning in 2021/2022 because of the completion of treaty payments from the Federal government.
More details on this allocation are currently being shared with citizens at the November Community Engagement Sessions. Citizens will also receive a letter outlining the details on the citizen dividend, the steps that must be taken to receive it, and who qualifies for the funds. The dividend will be $6,000 to each Citizen that is enrolled in the Citizenship Register as of November 6, 2017. This is a one-time payment. Executive Council is hopeful that this dividend payment will help to contribute to Huu-ay-aht citizens of all ages achieving self-reliance.
To read more details in the letter to citizens, click on this link: Letter to Citizens re: Specific Claims Tribunal Award
The Government will be fielding calls, but we ask that you wait until November 13, 2017 to contact the Port Alberni Government Office with your inquiries.