Lac Seul gets new offer on forestry claim

Lac Seul has now been offered $27 million to settle its century-old timber claim.
"We are very pleased with the addition of $2 million to the offer which makes it more attractive for the community members," said Lac Seul Chief Clifford Bull. "I'm very optimistic it will go through on the first round. I want to congratulate our legal (group) for asking for a little more from Canada."
The Treaty 3 community was originally offered $25 million by the Canadian government to settle the claim, which involves the harvesting of burnt and dead timber on reserve lands in 1907 and the surrender of the reserve's timber in 1919 to Canada.
Bull said he learned about the new offer on Aug. 20 after meeting with community members in Thunder Bay to discuss the previous offer and upcoming Sept. 9 vote on the offer.
"Right now we are just informing the people of the history of the claim, how it evolved, and what happened during the past eight years and what got us to this point and how the offer was made," Bull said during the Aug. 19 information session in Thunder Bay.
About 100 band members from the Thunder Bay area gathered to hear the presentation on the history of the claim.
Band members also gathered in Lac Seul Aug. 16, Sioux Lookout Aug. 17, Red Lake Aug. 18 and Winnipeg Aug. 21 to learn more about the offer and possible ways to use the settlement if it is accepted by the membership.
"We had a good turnout in all locations," Bull said.
Lac Seul won a court case on the claim against Canada in 2009 after a two-month trial, when the trial judge made a ruling in favour of the band. Instead of imposing a settlement, the judge asked Canada and Lac Seul to negotiate.
Canada made the original $25 million offer in early July after a year of negotiations. Lac Seul had been seeking $29 million. The offer includes a condition that 25 per cent of eligible voters must approve the offer.
"It is premature to say how the money will be spent but there is a lot of expression for payout at this time," Bull said.
The offer does not apply to the ongoing flood claim with the federal government, which the community has been seeking for more than 20 years.
Related story: Lac Seul members to decide fate of government offer