Treaty Land Entitlement Committee of Manitoba Inc. NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WEDNESDAY MAY 27, 2015 Treaty Land Entitlement Committee urges Canada to fast- track “Indian Reserve” creation process in Manitoba WINNIPEG, MB ~ On the eve of the 18" year anniversary of the signing of the Manitoba Framework Agreement (MFA) on Treaty Land Entitlement (TLE), the Treaty Land Entitlement Committee (LEC) of Manitoba is urging Canada to utilize existing federal legislation to fast-track the TLE land conversion process in Manitoba. On May 29, 1997, the MFA was signed by the TLEC, on behalf of 21 Entitlement First Nations (EFNs), Canada and Manitoba, at the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Manitoba, which pledged to provide a total of 1.1 million acres of land to TLEC’s 21 EFNs. The intent of the MFA is to address and remedy the outstanding land entitlement owed to the Treaty First Nations represented by the TLEC. During the past two fiscal years (2013-2014 and 2014-2015), only 1 TLE acquired parcel of land (.136 acres) was set aside as Reserve by Canada under the MFA’s implementation. Asa result of this dismal record, TLEC’s President, Chief Nelson Genaille of the Sapotaweyak Cree Nation, recently wrote to Canada’s Minister of Aboriginal Affairs urging him to expedite his ministerial authority to convert TLE lands to Reserve under the Manitoba Claim Settlements Implementation Act (*See attached letter, dated April 15, 2015). This act, which became law in 2000, enables the Minister to convert TLE lands to Reserve through Ministerial Order, rather than an Order-in-Couneil (OIC) which involves federal cabinet approval. Currently, 6,500 acres of TLE lands across Manitoba are awaiting Reserve conversion through Ministerial Order. This acreage represents 6 TLE Crown Land Selections and § TLE Land Acquisitions (private lands). Page 1 of 2 HEAD OFFICE: Room | - Unit 3, 4820 Portage Avenue - SWAN LAKE FIRST NATION - HEADINGLEY, MB R4H 1C8- PH: 204) 889-5192 WINNIPEG OFFICE: 200 - 1765 Sargent Avenue - WINNIPEG, MB R3H 0C6 - PH: (204) 943-TLEC (8832) FX: (204) 942-0248Q) For reasons unknown, the Minister has not provided the Ministerial Order for these parcels. 18 years into the MFA’s signing, Canada has set aside a total of 462,727.45 acres of land as Reserve for 14 of the15 EFNs that have signed their individual TLE agreements. This acreage represents: © 459,602 Acres of Crown Land (123 TLE Selections) for 14 of the 15 EFNs; and, © 3,125.45 Acres of Other Land for 3 of the 6 Schedule “B” EFNs (24 TLE Acquisitions) Given the fact that there remains over 500,000 acres of TLE Land Selections and Acquisitions remaining to be converted to Reserve for these 15 EFNs, and in light of the time it took to convert the current acreages to date, Canada must do more. In 2005, and again in 2009 in a follow-up report, Canada’s Auditor General criticized Canada for its lack of progress in meeting and satisfying its obligations under all TLE agreements in Manitoba, including the slow rate of converting lands to Reserve. In November 2012, the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples released their study on Canada’s Additions to Reserve policy, entitled “Additions fo Reserve: Expediting the Process, and urged Canada to develop an action plan to expedite its land conversion process, -30- FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Chris Henderson, TLEC Executive Director, Yel: (204) 943-8532 or Cell: (204) 795-5864, E-mail: chrishenderson@mymts.net