A $5 Treaty annuity payment is handed out to Lac La Ronge Indian Band members every year. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

spirit and intent

Treaty annuity settlement, if reached, could be ‘significant’

Sep 9, 2025 | 3:14 PM

If the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) is able to come to a settlement with the federal government regarding its Treaty 6 Annuities Claim, Chief Tammy Cook-Searson believes the back pay potentially owed could be significant.

“I’m not sure what the amount will be, but it will be a significant amount,” she explained.

“With Treaty 8, I know some of the First Nations in the Far North have been able to receive their annuities payment, so it all depends. Our lawyer said some First Nations paid out to the members individuals depending on how old they are and then some of the nations in Treaty 8 have been paying the lump sum amount, like the same amount to everyone. So it all depends on what we negotiate and it depends on what the membership votes on it at the end of the day because … it will have to go to a ratification vote.”

On Monday, the LLRIB released a statement to its members which noted the First Nation’s submission met the minimum requirement to move ahead with a specific claim. The claim relates to Canada’s alleged failure to increase the annuity payments of $25 for the chief, $10 for councillors, and $5 for every other member. The amounts have never been adjusted to account for the rise in inflation.

Canada now has three years to assess the claim and decided whether to accept the claim as valid, reject the claim or take no action. While it is possible the federal government will assess the claim before three years, the notice adds the band is preparing for all possible outcomes, including entering into potential negotiations or proceeding to the Specific Claims Tribunal if necessary.

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“It is pretty much the same process that we did with the Agricultural Benefits Claim (Cows and Plows),” Cook-Searson remarked.

“You submit your claim, you have all your historical documents and it’s based on the membership. From this claim here with Treaty 6, we’re told it goes right back until the Treaties were signed. The Treaty annuities includes all the band members right from the day the Treaty was signed to modern day.”

Treaty annuity payments are being issued to multiple LLRIB communities this week such as Sucker River and Grandmother’s Bay on Tuesday, Stanley Mission on Wednesday, and La Ronge on Thursday and Friday. Members living at Little Red already received their payments in July.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com