Serpent River First Nation to vote on distribution of treaty settlement

Serpent River First Nation is holding an online vote this week to determine how the community’s portion of the $10-billion Robinson Huron Treaty settlement for past compensation will be divided between a collective trust and a per-capita distribution for more than 1,600 members.  

Voting for members 18 years of age and older will be held over the course of four days beginning Aug. 22, according to the official Facebook page for the First Nation.  

In a letter posted to social media earlier this week, Serpent River First Nation Ogimaa Wilma-Lee Johnston informed members that council decided upon three ballot options for the distribution of $378 million during an emergency meeting held Monday:   

• 53-47 per cent split: $198 million held in trust, with $180 million for per-capita distribution ($100,000 per member)
• 50-50 per cent split: $189 million held in trust, with $189 million for per capita distribution ($105,000 per member)
• 60-40 per cent split: $225 million for per-capita distribution ($125,000 per member), with $153 million held in trust 

Johnston used the letter to reiterate leadership's position that the settlement for past compensation is a "collective settlement" intended for community use, referencing a July 26 decision by the Supreme Court of Canada which Johnston said affirmed the collective nature of treaty annuities.    

"In discussion council reflected on our fiduciary duty and obligations to the people living now and those coming in the next seven generations," Johnston said in the letter. 

Although a volunteer working group for the community suggested that one of the ballot options should include 70 per cent of the settlement proceeds going to band members as a per-capita distribution, according to Johnston's letter, the option of a 70-30 split was struck down by council.     

The online platform for the vote in Serpent River is provided by OneFeather Mobile Technologies Ltd., an Indigenous tech company based in British Columbia that offers a number of digital solutions to First Nations across Canada.   

Voting on the per-capita distribution concludes Aug. 25 at 11:59 p.m.