Sipekne’katik and the Millbrook First Nation

A historic agreement has been concluded for the settlement of the Halifax County 1919 Invalid Surrender Specific Claim with Sipekne’katik and the Millbrook First Nation. The parties agreed upon a compensation amount of $49,204,071 to settle the specific claim.

This specific claim addresses the issue of Canada breaching its duties with respect to the surrender and sale of three reserves of the Halifax County Band, which subsequently divided into what is today Sipekne’katik and the Millbrook First Nation. The reserves, IR#15 at Sambro, IR#16 at Ingram River, and IR#18 at Ship Harbour, were set aside in 1784, 1820, and 1848 respectively. Canada accepted this claim for negotiation in 2008 on the basis that Canada failed to conduct a surrender meeting and surrender vote in accordance with the Indian Act.