One of the constants of Canadian political and cultural life has been the at times acrimonious relationship between the Indians and the Euro-Canadians. One of the most difficult points to negotiate in this relationship has been the settling of claims made by Indians against the Canadian government. The First Nations body has long lobbied for the continued independence of their Tribunal system of settling “specific” claims argued as treaty violations or treaty claims. These claims are now, and have always been legitimate and legal. The problem, however, is that the current system, and that established in The Specific Claims Resolution Act put the responsibility for determining the legality or legitimacy of these specific claims in the hands of those who wrote and subsequently broke treaties with the native peoples of Canada. Currently, the aboriginal organizations throughout Canada are in direct opposition to this Act on the very legitimate argument that those who broke the treaties cannot legitimately be in a decision making body regarding them. Rather, the body should be an independent one free to determine settlements of specific claims without federal oversight. The members of First Nations and other aboriginal organizations have requested that this Act be reconsidered and removed to be replaced by a bill which truly represents the legal needs for protection and support of the claimants.
