Thursday the Chief of Muskeg Lake Cree Nation and the federal government’s Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations announced that an agreement for compensation has been reached in connection to the repercussions of the 1919 Soldier Settlement Act. Under the Act, each returning veteran from World War I was entitled to receive land after he returned from war. Over 72,000 acres of reserve land was taken from First Nations communities to do so. In Muskeg Lake, nearly 9,000 acres was taken.

A news release from the federal government says the compensation for Muskeg Lake is $127.9-million, and the agreement also provides the option to acquire almost 9,000 acres of land and have it added to their reserve. Chief Kelly Wolfe says, “While the initial decision of Canada to expropriate lands created hardship for our community, we survived. We view this settlement as an investment in our future.” The money will be used for the betterment of the community, ensuring their children have a bright future.

Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Marc Miller, says the agreement represents a shared understanding to address a historical wrong, both for the current members of the Cree Nation and for the generations to come. He adds, “This is something that should never have happened and it took over a hundred years to fix – something that took a few months to cause the damage that it did, and the legacy that it’s had ever since.”

The Muskeg Lake Cree Nation is just over 100 kilometres north of Saskatoon, bordered by the towns of Marcelin, Leask and Blaine Lake.