tansi ninôtemik,
On March 2, the Canadian government and the Mississaugas Credit First Nation resolved their negotiations regarding land claims dating back to 1820.[1] The claims initially were put forward in 1820 when the Canadian government prioritized their benefit above the security of the First Nation in the sale and surrender of nearly 11,000 acres of reserve land within Treaty 22 and 23.[2] As a means of reconciling this harm, the government has decided to provide an advance payment of $30 million to the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.[3] This advance payment is a moment for celebration in the journey towards reconciliation for Indigenous peoples, but it also calls to question whether financial measures are enough when addressing centuries of systemic harms and land dispossession.
A $30 million advance is significant, and its benefits cannot be understated as they represent a real and tangible acknowledgment by the federal government of historical and ongoing impacts of colonial violence. However, it is the recognition of harms caused to the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation on a national scale that truly paves the way for healing as it validates the federal government’s improper actions.
When we take a moment to pause and reflect on settlements such as this one, we must analyze reconciliation efforts through a critical lens. As discussed by Kathleen Mahoney, attempts to address mass violations against Indigenous peoples without changing legal processes to accommodate Indigenous legal traditions, reparations often fall short.[4] Reparations must be properly done to build trust and restore dignity, which involves prioritizing full and meaningful participation of members in the community.[5]
If actions made towards healing past traumas end simply with financial compensation, is the deeper hurt reconciled? How do these settlements fit within the greater framework of systemic reforms, and are additional steps being taken to ensure this settlement goes beyond performative reconciliation?
These questions are not rhetorical, they are crucial to discuss when envisioning what the relationship between Indigenous peoples and colonial structures looks like moving forward. As we celebrate this monumental settlement, let us also examine how this can be part of a bigger conversation about moving from symbolic measures to transformative action in the future.
Ekosi and until next time,
The ReconciliACTION Team
Citations
[1] Government of Canada, “Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation receives advance payment for specific claim regarding Treaty 22 and 23 land surrenders” (2 March 2025), online: <canada.ca> [perma.cc/ET86-WBV7].
[2] Ibid; Aliyah Marko & Ilyas Hussein, “Canadian government agrees to $30-million advance payment for Mississaugas of Credit First Nation land claim” (2 March 2025), online: <thestar.com> [perma.cc/6L9Y-XJPV]; Sarah Petz, “Canada agrees to $30-million advance payment of Mississaugas of Credit First Nation land claim” (2 March 2025), online: <cbc.ca> [perma.cc/7Z9U-BL2S].
[3] Ibid.
[4] Kathleen Mahoney, “The Untold Story: How Indigenous Legal Principles Informed the Largest Settlement in Canadian Legal History” (2018) 69 UNBLJ 198 at 231.
[5] Ibid.
[Image] Kyle Sault, R. Stacey Laforme & Shelda Martin, “Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Logo” (Accessed 6 March 2025), online: <mncfn.ca> [perma.cc/ZZJ3-2JMK]
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