Although most government business has been suspended since the election call Tuesday, the ongoing Rainy River First Nations land claim negotiations are still on track, band officials said.
Albert Hunter, the point man for the band’s negotiating team, said yesterday that matters are proceeding as planned and the current election campaign will not further disrupt a process that’s been underway for nine years.
“Negotiations are continuing,” Hunter said from the band office.
“We have information the government is moving forward and, conceivably, there could be some developments shortly.”^The land claim concerns eight parcels of land and a sum of money that is to be given to the Rainy River First Nations as compensation for lands that were improperly appropriated from it in 1912.
Negotiations with district municipalities, within which some of the land in question sits, as well as the federal government have been concluded.
A settlement with the provincial government is all that remains to bring this long-standing matter to a conclusion.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
