The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs issued a statement on March 30, 2026, announcing its full support for the Treaty Land Entitlement Committee as it resumes legal action against the federal government. The legal fight concerns ongoing failures to uphold the 1997 Manitoba Framework Agreement, a pact meant to provide land to First Nations across the province.
Under the 1997 agreement, the federal and provincial governments committed to providing 1.1 million acres of reserve land to 21 First Nations. Nearly three decades later, only about half of that land has been set aside. While the Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation, located on the western shore of Lake Manitoba, reports that it does not have outstanding treaty land entitlements, the regional push for land rights remains a significant issue for many other communities.
The decision to return to court follows the collapse of a proposed $3.5 billion settlement in 2024. In March 2025, the federal government had provided a $210 million advance payment to 14 First Nations as partial compensation for losses related to the long-standing dispute. However, frustrations remain high due to continued delays and broken commitments.
An arbitration decision in 2018, which was later upheld by the Federal Court in 2021, previously ruled that the federal government breached the original agreement by changing the process for reserving lands without consent. Chief Nelson Genaille of the Sapotaweyak Cree Nation, who serves as president of the committee, stated that First Nations are being forced to defend agreements that were already settled years ago.
Grand Chief Kyra Wilson of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs noted that the federal government cannot expect to advance major projects, such as those involving economic corridors or critical minerals, while failing to fulfill these foundational treaty obligations. She added that the lack of progress on these commitments raises serious questions about the government’s approach to reconciliation.
