By Nigel Maxwell

Decision reserved in $40M lawsuit

Sep 23, 2014 | 11:59 AM

A hearing was held in Saskatoon last week involving 13 Saskatchewan First Nations.

The bands are looking to recoup annuity money lost during the Northwest Rebellion of 1885. Bands labelled as disloyal by the government had their annuity money withheld.

The lawyer representing the bands, says every man, woman and child were punished for their alleged role in the rebellion. “And without any due process, without anything resembling a legal justification for the withholding of annuities,” said Ron Maurice with the Maurice Law Group.

“Basically, what we would view as unlawful confiscation of property.”

The tribunal, which must decide whether the government should be liable to pay compensation, has reserved its decision.

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“From there the hope and expectation would be that the Crown would sit down with the First Nations in good faith and negotiate an actual amount.

In 1885, bands labelled as disloyal by the government had their annuity money withheld. At the time, it was five dollars a person.

Maurice said he expects a decision from the tribunal to take up to six months.

nmaxwell@panow.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell