“Since 2015, the federal government has paid nearly $18 billion settling an increasing number of ‘Specific Claims’ by ‘First Nations’, including more than $7 billion last year alone, finds a new study released by the Fraser Institute…
“Specific claims are for past Treaty breaches, and as such, their number should be finite. But instead of declining over time, the number of claims keeps growing as lucrative settlements are reached, which in turn prompts even more claims”,
said Tom Flanagan, Fraser Institute senior fellow, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Calgary and author of “Specific Claims—an Out-of-Control Program”.
“The study reveals details about “specific claims” {See below}, which began in 1974 and are filed by ‘First Nations’ {Indian tribes/communities} who claim that Canadian governments—past or present—violated the ‘Indian Act’ or historic treaty agreements, such as when governments purchased reserve land for railway lines or hydro projects. Most “specific claims” date back 100 years or more.
“Specific Claims are contrasted with ‘Comprehensive Claims’, which arise from the absence of a Treaty.
“Crucially, the number of specific claims and the value of the settlement paid out have increased dramatically since 2015.
“In 2015/16, 11 ‘specific claims’ were filed with the federal government, and the total value of the settlements was $27 million (in 2024 dollars, to adjust for inflation). The number of claims increased virtually every year since so that by 2024/25, 69 ‘specific claims’ were filed, and the value of the settlements in 2024/25 was $7.061 billion.
“All told, from 2015/16 to 2024/25, the value of all ‘specific claims’ settlements was $17.9 billion (inflation adjusted).
“‘First Nations’ have had 50 years to study their history, looking for violations of treaty and legislation. That is more than enough time for the discovery of legitimate grievances”,
Flanagan said.
“Ottawa should set a deadline for filing specific claims so that the government and ‘First Nations’ leaders can focus instead on programs that would do more to improve the living standards and prosperity for both current and future ‘Indigenous’ {sic} peoples.”
–‘Ottawa has spent nearly $18 billion settling Indigenous ‘specific claims’ since 2015’,
Fraser Institute, June 19, 2025
‘Specific Claims: An Out-of-Control Program’
“Specific claims are based on the government’s alleged failure to abide by provisions of the Indian Act or a treaty.
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The federal government began to entertain such claims in 1974. The number and value of claims increased gradually until 2017, when both started to rise at an extraordinary rate.
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In fiscal year 2024/25, the government settled 69 claims for an astonishing total of $7.1 billion dollars.
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The evidence suggests at least two causes for this sudden acceleration. One was the new approach of Justin Trudeau’s ‘Liberal’ {Party} government toward settling ‘Indigenous’ claims, an approach adopted in 2015 and formalized by Minister of Justice Jodi Wilson-Raybould’s 2019 practice directive. Under the new policy, the Department of Justice was instructed to negotiate rather than litigate claims.
{“Her last act was to issue a directive instructing government lawyers to no longer oppose aboriginal court cases {and defend the interests of the rest of Canadians}, but to cooperate with aboriginal activists in undermining Canada’s sovereignty.”
https://endracebasedlaw.com/2019/05/08/jody-wilson-raybould-and-the-betrayal-of-canada/ }
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Another factor was the recognition, beginning around 2017, of “cows and plows” claims based on the allegation that agricultural assistance promised in early treaties—seed grain, cattle, agricultural implements—never arrived or was of poor quality.
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The specific-claims process should be terminated. Fifty years is long enough to discover legitimate grievances.
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The government should announce a short but reasonable period, say three years, for new claims to be submitted. Claims that have already been submitted should be processed, but with more rigorous instructions to the Department of Justice for legal scrutiny.
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The government should also require more transparency about what happens to these settlements. At present, much of the revenue paid out disappears into ‘First Nations’ “settlement trusts”, for which there is no public disclosure.”
–‘Ottawa has spent nearly $18 billion settling Indigenous ‘specific claims’ since 2015’,
Tom Flanagan, Fraser Institute, June 19, 2025
https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/specific-claims-out-control-program
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“Specific claims deal with past wrongs against ‘First Nations’ {Aboriginal Tribes/Communities}. These claims (made by ‘First Nations’ against the Government of Canada) relate to the administration of land and other ‘First Nation’ assets and to the fulfilment of historic treaties and other agreements. For example, a specific claim could involve the failure to provide enough reserve land as promised in a treaty or the improper handling of ‘First Nation’ money by the federal government in the past.
“Specific claims are separate and distinct from comprehensive land claims or modern treaties.”
–‘Specific Claims’
https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100030291/1539617582343
‘Reporting Centre on Specific Claims’
https://services.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/scbri_e/main/reportingcentre/external/externalreporting.aspx
‘Interactive Map on Specific Claim Settlements’
https://geo.sac-isc.gc.ca/cirrp-scsim/index-eng.html
See also:
‘Race Based Law Costing More…and More’ (2025 Budget) {July 28, 2025}:
“This is only part of the Canadian federal government’s Segregated fiscal ‘obligations’ where ‘Aboriginal Peoples’ are concerned…and does not include the enormous network of Provincial and Municipal-government Aboriginal-only programs – programs that are in almost every Ministry and department:
“The federal government’s 2024-25 budget sets aside nearly $32 billion for ‘Indigenous’ {sic} Services Canada (‘I’SC) and Crown-‘Indigenous’ Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (C‘I’RNAC). That’s more than what Ottawa is spending on National Defence ($29.9 billion).”
https://endracebasedlaw.com/2025/07/28/race-based-law-costing-more-and-more/
‘Race Based Law Costing Billions…and Billions’ {Oct.12, 2024}:
“In this year’s Main Estimates, appropriations worth $48.6 billion were approved for Indian Affairs’ two successor departments, ‘Indigenous’ Services and Crown-‘Indigenous’ Relations.
“Defence got $24.8 billion.
“Expenditure on ‘Indigenous’ Services has increased at twice the speed of the rest of government, which has itself galloped along at an impressive rate.”
https://endracebasedlaw.ca/2024/10/12/race-based-law-costing-billions-and-billions/
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