Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Fort Smith (June 24/02) - Saturday was an historic and happy day for the Salt River First Nation.

A ceremonial signing ceremony took place to celebrate a treaty land entitlement agreement between the Fort Smith band and the federal and territorial governments.

Salt River First Nation Chief Jim Schaefer holds an initialled copy of the treaty land entitlement agreement reached last year with the federal and territorial governments. A ceremonial signing was held Saturday. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

"It's a significant achievement," Chief Jim Schaefer says of the agreement.

And he adds it is a good deal.

"I'm very proud of it," he says. "It's going to give us a chance to see how good we really are in making it work, because now it's up to us."

The agreement was reached in 2001 after many years of negotiations.

It was ratified just before Christmas. Band members voted overwhelming -- 89.4 per cent -- to approve it.

Terms of the agreement, based on the provisions of 1899's Treaty 8, include setting aside reserve land in Fort Smith, other areas in the NWT outside the town and in Wood Buffalo National Park; more than $83 million to be paid to the SRFN over five years; and the preservation of existing treaty rights, such as the right to hunt and fish.

Band members have already received the first benefits of the settlement. In late April, they each received a payment of $3,000.

On hand for Saturday's ceremony was Indian Affairs and Northern Development Minister Robert Nault, NWT Premier Steve Kakfwi, NWT Aboriginal Affairs Minister Jim Antoine, Thebacha MLA and Health and Social Services Minister Michael Miltenberger, Western Arctic MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew, and NWT Senator Nick Sibbeston.

The signing had originally been scheduled for June 21, National Aboriginal Day, but was moved to Saturday to allow Nault to attend.

The SRFN held a number of special events to celebrate the signing.