Tobique First Nation accepts $39M land claim settlement from Ottawa

Tobique First Nation in western New Brunswick has approved a nearly $40-million land claim that's been under negotiation for more than 40 years.

Membersvoted 865 in favour and 186 against on Wednesday night, said Chief Ross Perley.There were three spoiled ballots, he said.

The $39.2-million settlementfrom the federal governmentis compensationfor10,000acres of land near the reserve or morethan 4,000 hectares that was taken overby Ottawa acentury ago.

• Tobique First Nation votes on $39M land claim settlement

Under the deal, each member will receiveat least$13,500, which could drastically change their lives.

It will not affect fishing or hunting rights, according to Perley.

Eightyper cent of the money will go to the more than 2,000 bandmembers, including children, whose share will be held in trust untilthey're 18 years old.

The band council isplanning to spend the other 20 per cent on community development, including anew piece of land.

"Itcan have a positive impact ifwe make the right investments strategically," saidPerley.

KchmuwinPerley worriesthe land will end up being far from the reserveand not enough people in the community would have licences to make it accessible.

He votedagainst the land claim."Iwas thinking of my kids, I got four kids and thinkingeventually grandkids. All of us can't live here on the point."

He believes once the communitygrows, itwill run out of space on the reserve.

The chiefsaid the council willuse part of the money for on-reserve housing, road repairs and possibly even a new recreation park.

As for what individual band members will use the money for, Aubrey Perley said he's putting his portion toward starting a new sports hunting business on the reserve.

"We're kind of backed into a corner where we have no choice [but] tovote 'yes,' because we need the money to survive," he said.

Although Darlin Perley voted against the land claim, he is looking forward to paying off some bills.

But he believes the federal government didn't leave band members much of a choice.

"More likeputting a gun to your heads and say, 'Either you take it orleave it,'" he said.

The council expects to sign off on the land claim next week, at which point theagreement willneed final approval from the federal government. The chief expects the process to take up to a few months.

Ross Perley said he's relieved the people have spoken after so many years of the claim being under negotiation.

But now his focus will befiling paperwork onfour other potential land claims, including the villageof Perth-Andover.