Land claims can be pursued either through the courts or through the Specific Claims Tribunal, a joint arbitration initiative between the Government of Canada and the Assembly of First Nations.

Each path offers pros and cons.

Pros: 

  • Potentially much larger settlements
  • Can take into account cultural and spiritual losses
  • Can award punitive damages and non-financial compensation

Cons: 

  • Can take years, even decades
  • Very few land claims have been successfully resolved through the courts or negotiation

Pros:

  • Fast-tracked settlement
  • Decisions are final, with limited avenues for appeal (can also be a con)

Cons:

  • Settlements limited to $150 million
  • Cannot make punitive damages or consider cultural or spiritual aspects
  • SNGA would have to withdraw all claims filed before 2008 and resubmit them with new evidence

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Updates:

The Six Nations Wildlife Management Office manages SNGR’s environmental stewardship and wildlife policy. We work through communication, coordination and cooperation with a wide range of other environmental management agencies and research institutions. We also carry out SNGR’s responsibilities under the Grand River Notification Agreement with surrounding communities.wildlife trail mapping, traditional knowledge studies, and encouraging the protection of endangered species;

The guiding principles of SNGR’s environmental stewardship, as detailed in the 2019 Community Plan, include

  • Improving water quality, soil health, tree canopy and biodiversity indicators.
  • Increasing forested area of the territory.
  • Ensuring that the community can safely eat food and use medicines from forests and rivers
  • Ensuring that plant and wildlife species are returned or strengthened in the forests and rivers
  • The operational goals of the Wildlife Management Office include:
  • To provide effective communication within the Grand River Watershed, Haldimand Tract and Traditional Territory, creating an atmosphere of trust among Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures;
  • To offer educational opportunities and experiences for our schools and our neighbours
  • To assist in responding to over 700 permits per year through the Grand River Notification Agreement.
  • To review various environmental assessments, impact statements, official plans, archaeological reports and the federal and provincial environmental registries.
  • To participate in project affecting the Grand River Watershed or the community such as wetland studies, wildlife trail mapping, traditional knowledge studies, and encouraging the protection of endangered species;
  • To provide the non-Indigenous population with information and education on the many aspects of Haudenosaunee environmental concepts and to seek common ground.
  • To actively participate in and encourage co-operative management regimes within the Grand River Watershed.