The Northwest Angle #33 First Nation has been involved in flooding negotiations since 2009, when Canada admitted responsibility for the flooding of the Lake of Woods Watershed in 1892, including, certain tracts of Northwest Angle #33 reserve lands. We were recently informed at a meeting held in Kenora, Ontario, on Friday, November 6th, 2015, that, we are getting close to a flooding claims settlement agreement with Canada and Ontario.

We, the Northwest Angle #33 First Nation voting members have identified several concerns in regards to this flawed process. Some of the problems we have identified with this flawed flooding negotiations process are as follows:

1. Despite our first nation receiving advance negotiation funds, no efforts have been made to locate and contact off reserve voting members, therefore, a clear majority of Northwest Angle #33 First Nation members have not been consulted at all.

2. Many of the remaining band members have not received adequate consultation, as is legally required under case law.

3. A majority of band members have not received any type of information packages from the chief and council.

4. Northwest Angle #33 First Nation members do not agree that the current chief and council should conduct an uninformed ratification vote for band members on any settlement agreement. 

5. There is no current trained flooding claims settlement fund trust committee in place.

Resolutions to these problematic issues on the current flawed and illegal consultation and accommodation process are as follows;

1. No flooding claims settlement ratification process is not to take place until 80% of Northwest Angle #33 First Nations voters have been properly consulted and accommodated.

2. No flooding ratification vote will take place until after the next Northwest Angle #33 General Band Election on July of 2016.

3. Northwest Angle #33 First Nation members support a 75% payout on any flooding claim settlement. 

4. The balance of 25% will be managed by a trained independent flooding claims committee consisting of headsperson representatives from each large family group (over 50). Representatives will be selected by their own family groups and they will determine their mandate and terms of reference. 

5. The balance of the 25% flooding claims funds will be used for economic development and infrustructure within the two communities.

As a voting member of the Northwest Angle #33 First Nation, I do hereby agree with the information contained in this petition and I fully support the resolutions from 1 to 5, by providing my online signature, accompanied with my status card number. I wish to be better informed on this flooding negotiation process, as it is my right and I would like a vote to take place to decide on the amount of our flooding settlement payout at 75% to all band members, as well as, the creation of a trained settlement fund committee represented by a member from each large family group (50 family members) who will manage our trust funds. If current chief and council will not respect and honor our wishes, then, the ratification process for the Northwest Angle #33 Flooding Claims Settlement should not take place until after August 24, 2016.