Members of the Mississaugas of the New Credit have overwhelmingly approved acceptance of a $145-million land claims settlement with Canada involving Burlington and Toronto.
The band council notified the Conservative government of the results and, providing there is no appeal by tomorrow, New Credit Chief Bryan LaForme believes it could be formally signed off between the band and Canada later in June.
The 904-band members who voted on the offer May 29 approved it by 95 per cent -- 856 voted in favour, 41 opposed.
New credit members will get $20,000 each and $1,500 annually to cover living expenses. Money for band members under 18 will be placed in trust and will be given to them, plus interest, when they come of age.
Money is being put aside for life insurance, post-secondary education and the remainder ($92 million) will be placed in trust. Annual interest (about $4 million) will go toward economic development projects or community facilities.
"It's going to change people's lives," said LaForme, who "felt very positive" about the vote results. "It's going to change the way they do business. It's going to make their lives a little bit easier."
The band council held four community meetings to discuss the settlement, which came after seven years of negotiations. LaForme says the band could receive the money within weeks and hold "a cash distribution" in the fall, but a spokesperson for Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl could not give a timeline. Gen Guibert said once "there are no more obstacles, there shouldn't be a problem."
The settlement resolves grievances from the Mississaugas that the British Crown did not pay them enough, or pay them at all, for land that today makes up Burlington and Toronto.
The Burlington claim dates from 1797 when the Crown bought 1,400 hectares from the band for Captain Joseph Brant, famed leader of the Six Nations.
It stretches from Burlington Beach to Hwy. 5 and contains downtown Burlington, Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital, subdivisions and busy parts of the QEW, Hwy. 403 and Hwy. 407. It was filed with Ottawa in 1988.
The Toronto settlement involves 101,500 hectares. In 1787, the Crown first dealt with the Mississaugas for a large piece of present day Toronto. In 1805, the Crown tried to clear up irregularities with the purchase and took more land than in the 1787 deal. The land stretches from near Ashbridge's Bay in the east to Etobicoke Creek in the west, from the Toronto Islands in the south to near Hwy. 9 and Newmarket in the north. It was filed with Ottawa in 1986.