Teslin Tlingit Council Wins Court Ruling Around Financial Transfer Agreement

Wednesday, 16 January 2019 16:30

Chief Justice Veale says the Canadian Government failed Teslin Tlingit Council and other Yukon First Nations by basing their funding solely on Indian status, rather than citizenship.

Teslin Tlingit Council has won a key Yukon Supreme Court ruling around the Canadian Government's failure to respect terms of agreements regarding the renewal of their Financial Transfer Agreement.

In December of 2017, Teslin Tlingit Council filed a petition against the Federal Government around the failed renewal negotiations.

Yukon Chief Justice Veale ruled yesterday that the Federal Government didn't negotiate honourbly in the agreement and that government's failure was also based on their presumption to fund First Nations organizations based soley on their Indian Status, rather than citizenship.

The ruling means the Federal Government has to address the demographic issue and complete a new Financial Transfer negotiation before March 31st of this year.

The renewed negotiations are aiming to address the shortfalls that the Teslin Tlingit Council has been dealing with since their agreement was signed in 1993, including fostering better reconciliation efforts with First Nations in a fiscal manner.

Commenting on the win, Teslin Tlingit Council Chief Richard Sidney will help to give more clarity around negotiations for Federal Transfer Agreements, including the clarity of how also future agreements are implemented.

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