Update on Our Treaty 5 Agricultural Benefits (Cows and Plows) Specific Claim

Update on Our Treaty 5 Agricultural Benefits (Cows and Plows) Specific Claim
July 31, 2026
From the Director of Operations, Lorne Cochrane

To Fisher River Cree Nation Citizens:

We want to share an important update on the Nation’s Treaty 5 Agricultural Benefits (Cows and Plows) specific claim to make sure every member knows where things stand. We have heard that some of you are concerned this claim may be moving forward without the community being kept in the loop. We want to speak to that directly. This claim is being pursued on behalf of all of us. It is not being resolved behind closed doors. Nothing is being settled without our people knowing.

Current Situation

The Nation filed the Treaty 5 Agricultural Benefits specific claim with Canada on October 20, 2025. The claim is now being reviewed by Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) through its Expedited Resolution Strategy, which is a process meant to move eligible claims along faster than the usual timeline.

On July 15, 2026, Chief David Crate received a letter from Stefan Matiation, Director General of the Specific Claims Branch, confirming that the review of our claim is continuing and remains on the expedited track. That letter is posted together with this update so you can read it for yourself.

Our claim has been filed, accepted onto the expedited track, and is now under active review by Canada.

Has the Nation received the settlement money?

No. Filing the claim was the necessary first step to get Canada to review the Nation’s rights under Treaty 5. Right now, Canada is doing its review, and we are waiting for their response. Council and our legal counsel at Fox LLP are monitoring the claim closely. We will bring any meaningful development back to the membership. If and when the claim reaches a stage where decisions need to be made, such as a response or an offer from Canada, that will involve the community.

Two terms you may see on the letter

“Without Prejudice” – a standard legal label used during a claims process. It simply means the letter is part of the ongoing discussion and cannot be used against either side later. It does not signal anything negative about our claim.

“Expedited Resolution Strategy” – Canada’s faster-track process for reviewing certain specific claims. Our claim being handled this way is a positive sign for timing.

You can check the status yourself, anytime

Canada keeps a public Reporting Centre on Specific Claims where anyone can look up the status of our claim. To find ours:

1. Go to the Reporting Centre: services.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca
2. Under “Select a Report,” choose Status Report on Specific Claims and click Select.
3. Under Province, add Manitoba.
4. Under Band(s) Involved, add Fisher River (Band – 264).
5. Click Execute Report and open the PDF or Excel version to see the current status and key dates.

We will keep you informed

Please know that this claim matters deeply to our leadership. We are committed to keeping the membership informed at every meaningful step. As soon as we hear back from Canada, we will let the community know. In the meantime, we thank you for your patience and your continued support as we pursue what our Nation is owed under Treaty 5.

Respectfully,

Lorne Cochrane
Director of Operations
Fisher River Cree Nation