Canada pays $431M to Indigenous tribes over broken agriculture treaties

Three Indigenous First Nations in Saskatchewan are receiving a combined CAD$431 million (US$313 million) in compensation from the Canadian government, marking one of the largest settlements to date over historic breaches of treaty commitments.

The Big River First Nation will receive CAD$208 million, One Arrow First Nation will receive CAD$124 million, and Muscowpetung First Nation will receive CAD$99 million. Tribal leaders began distributing funds on Friday.

The payment settles claims that Ottawa failed to honour agriculture-related promises under treaties signed around 150 years ago — widely known as the “cows and plows” agreements — which had pledged farm tools, livestock, and other support to help Indigenous communities transition to agriculture.

“We are actually working on the distribution today,” said Muscowpetung Chief Melissa Tavita. She called the moment “bittersweet.”

Big River Chief Jonathan Bear said the agreement opens a "new and promising" chapter for future generations and reaffirms First Nations' Treaty rights in a Nation-to-Nation relationship with Canada.

Ottawa has acknowledged failing to uphold many of these historical commitments. It has now paid more than CAD$9 billion (US$6.5 billion) under similar agricultural treaty settlements across the country.

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