May 14 2026
TREATY 8 ANNUITIES CLAIM:
COMMUNITY UPDATE REGARDING THE ANNUITIES CLAIM PROCESS
Dene Tha’ Chief and Council would like to share an update about the annuities claim process and address some rumours that have been shared online.
The Compensation Agreement and related documents have already been sent to Canada for final approval and signature. We are now waiting for the Minister to sign so the funds can be released to the Compensation Trust Account.
There have been comments saying that the process was delayed because one Councillor did not sign the documents. While it is true that one Councillor did not sign due to health reasons, this did not impact the process. Dene Tha’ had the quorum needed to approve and submit the package of documents to Canada.
There were also comments about a senior official in Ottawa being away on vacation. While one of Canada’s lawyers did take a holiday, this did not delay the process, as other lawyers and staff have continued to work on the file.
At this point, Dene Tha’ has completed the steps required on our end and the process is now with Canada for final approval and signature.
Canada now needs to obtain approval to release the funds from Treasury Board then have the Minister sign the Compensation Agreement. While the negotiating team has been pressuring Canada to complete the process as soon as possible, the timing of these final steps is outside of Dene Tha’s control and it is often a lengthy process.
As a reminder, once Canada signs the Compensation Agreement, they have 45 days to deposit the compensation money into the Compensation Trust Account.
Chief and Council understand that community members are eager for updates and want accurate information shared. We will continue to keep the community updated as information becomes available and advocate for Canada to sign as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience.
