Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN) holds Ratification vote
According to a letter to the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) Band members are asked to ensure any children born before Aug. 23, 2024, for Agricultural Benefits (Cows and Plows) are registered.
Children, born after Aug. 23, the Ratification date, must be registered “if you want your child or children to be included in the Agricultural Benefits (Cows and Plows).”
The cut-off date for registering children who were born before Aug. 23, 2024 is Feb. 23, 2025.
Members are encouraged to contact the Membership Office in La Ronge at 306-425-2183 or Stanley Mission at 306-635-2115
“The Membership Offices can assist you in completing the applications to register hour child,” quoted from the news release.
PBCN announced they would hold their Electronic voting January 19, 2025 at 9 a.m. to January 22, 2025 at 8 pm.
In-Person voting was held January 24 between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. with polling stations in Denare Beach, Deschambault Lake, Pelican Narrows, Prince Albert, Sandy Bay, Saskatoon, Southend and Sturgeon Landing.
The vote _ Do you approve the Agricultural Benefits Settlement Agreement Trust Agreement and Finance Code: and Do you authorize PBCN Council to sign all necessary documents to implement the Agreement?
Members were given the guidelines in advance to prepare for the vote, including information on voter eligibility, told to ensure their addressed were updated with PBCN.
They could contact the Ratification Officer to upgrade their mailing/email addresses before Jan. 24.
This is an important decision for PBC. Your voice matters – make sure to say informed, participate and cast your vote, was the message to members.
The results of the PBCN vote had not been released as the Northern Advocate went to press.
Montreal Lake Cree Nation has done all the background work to be ready “when Canada invites us to negotiate,” quoted from a letter from Chief and Couoncil dated Nov. 14, 2024,
The letter detailed the steps taken by the Band and what members need to do to be ready for the completing steps in the process, which began with the completion of research in October 2022
It was noted in the letter that once they “receive notice that the claim is considered valid: they anticipate the negotiations will be accelerated to “all the Nation to settle the claim much faster than anticipated (by the end of 2025, rather than by the end of 2027),” reads the letter signed by Chief Joyce McLeod.
The letter contained a reminder of what the claim involved, which is “an allegation that the Crown failed to provide certain agricultural benefit owed to us under the terms of Treaty No. 6. Including tools, seed, livestock, farming equipment, etc. that was supposed to be supplied to help facilitate a transition to and agricultural way of life, or at the very least, enhance an agricultural way of life,” quoted from the letter.
Each First Nation negotiates with Canada independently, which means they have their own process, and each claim is unique and confidential.
