Bull responds to concerns over lawyer agreement

Dear members of Lac Seul First Nation,
As chief of Lac Seul First Nation, I wish to respond in writing to the recent open letter addressed to me in a couple of newspapers.
I think it is safe to say that we all can agree the offer from Canada to the First Nation of $27 million is very good. After careful thought, consideration, and completion of the information sessions to the membership, I am convinced the 75 per cent / 25 per cent contingency arrangements we have with our legal team is fair. It is a win/win situation.
When chief and council asked our law firm in 2002 to take on the case, options were discussed including the Nation paying legal fees based on an hourly rate and for our First Nation to pay as required the Reports of Experts. We did not have funds back then and chose the contingency option. The risk undertaken by our legal team to carry the file for eight years was enormous. If we lost the case, then the law firm would have had no way of recovering the amounts they paid out over the last eight years, and Lac Seul would have beared no costs. We were told by others that 30-45 per cent was a common contingency arrangement and our’s was 25 per cent.
There was a team of three lawyers who worked on the file. They incurred a huge debt over the eight years as they had to pay out other lawyers and experts who advised on specific areas of the case, including consultants, reports and studies completed, staff students as well as money to pay for band members and Elders when they assisted with the preparation for the trial.
There is no Long Lac precedent as their claim was negotiated in an out of court settlement in Canada’s Specific Claims process. The details of that case are confidential and have no relevance to our case.
Unlike the treaties, Lac Seul leadership will honour our contingency arrangement we have with our legal team.
I have talked with members and we have concluded Information Sessions in our communities of Lac Seul (Kejick Bay, Whitefish Bay, and Frenchman’s Head). As well, we had Information Sessions in Sioux Lookout, Red Lake, Thunder Bay and Winnipeg.
These sessions were very well attended and excellent questions were asked and recorded.
Leadership did not hear a resounding ‘no’ to Canada’s offer, or the 25 per cent contingency fee for our lawyers. On the contrary, the members congratulated and applauded the leadership and our legal team for doing a good job in fighting for Justice.
In Kejick Bay, an Elder stood up and said we should not fight over the money and everyone agreed that those were very wise words of wisdom. I just want to remind members that WE do not have the money in yet and this will depend on how the people vote in the referendum in September.
Canada has given the First Nation only until October 21 for the offer to remain on the table.
After that, if not successful, the judge will decide the matter and it will go back to court.
Just like other communities, Lac Seul has had its share of grief and pain. We the people that live on the reserve experience this on a daily basis. We choose to live in our community because we are proud of being Anishnawbe and our accomplishments so far to make this a better community to live in. We will be a healthy and rich community again but it will take time to heal from all the pain and suffering. We have to pray to the Creator for help and guidance. We have to believe in our youth and support them as best we can so they can become the next best leaders for our community.
During our crisis last spring, we appreciated the outpouring of support from people from all over who came to Lac Seul in our moment of darkness. Your love and support gave us strength and courage to get us back on our feet and to stand proud again. Thank you, to each and every one of you.
I encourage everyone to come out and vote in September on Canada’s offer. I have my questions, as we all do, and if I ignored yours please forgive me.
I am only trying to do my best for you in this demanding position as chief.
May God’s Peace and Love be with you all.
Chief Clifford Bull
Lac Seul First Nation