Current Problems

Treaties and Land Claims

Saugeen First Nation Treaty 72 signed 1854

July 29, 2021

Saugeen Ojibwat Nation – Ontario Superior Court ruled on SON’s claims: an Aboriginal title claim to parts of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay and a claim that the Crown breached its promise to protect forever parts of the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula for SON. The claim to “waters” was denied based on a lack of evidence about exclusive and sufficient use at the time that the British Crown asserted sovereignty in 1763. The court agreed with SON that there was a treaty promise to protect the Peninsula for SON, and found that the Crown breached that treaty promise. She said that the Crown could have and should have done more to protect SON’s lands on the Peninsula. Because it didn’t, she found that the Crown breached its honour. The “remedy” phase is still to occur once any appeals have been heard.