THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND, THIS LAND IS MY LAND: INDIAN LAND CLAIMS

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide a basic understanding of the history and process of Indian land claims in the eastern states.  When necessary, a brief history of the parties or the question in issue will be presented.  While this paper concentrates on claims in the United States, the issue of Indian land claims is not so limited.  For example, “The Mississaugas of the New Credit, a band of 1,500, are seeking retroactive compensation from Ottawa for Toronto Purchase, a quarter million acres covering the whole of Toronto and into the suburbs . . . . The Indian Claims Commission, a federal agency, says it is handling 480 land claims cases.  There are dozens more in the courts.”  The government of Canada has agreed to payments of $5 billion (Can) to fund various claims but after the recent shift from the Liberal to Conservative the payments appear to be cut back to about $450 million.