Fort William First Nation...

Fort William First Nation has settled a land claim with the federal and provincial governments that will see the transfer of Pie Island and Flatland Island to the community. Chief Peter Collins said the islands will be used for economic development, though the community has yet to decide what kind of development that will be. Fort William First Nation hopes to have a strategic plan for the islands sometime this year. The community will also receive about $170 million in compensation in a deal that was struck a year ago. Kenora MP Greg Rickform, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of Aboriginal Affairs, and David Zimmer, parliamentary assistant to Ontario’s Aboriginal Affairs represented Canada and the province respectively at the settlement signing. The land claim has been outstanding for 160 years. “Fort William First Nation, Canada and Ontario worked hard to bring this claim home,” said Collins. “Now we have the land and resources that our First Nation needs to create businesses, employment and other opportunities which will benefit our members and the entire Thunder Bay area. The promises in the Treaty of 1850 about our reserve have finally been fulfilled.”