Political & Economic Organizations Information

Many Aboriginal communities believed that the federal government has failed to provide them with the land that they are rightfully entitled to.  In these cases, they launch a land claim that demands tile to territories legitimately belonging to Aboriginal groups based on historical use and occupancy.

A comprehensive claim is essentially a modern-day treaty.  These come about when a group of aboriginal peoples has been deprived of its traditional territory without ever having signed a treaty. For example, until recently, most First Nations in BC had never signed treaties, and the province did not recognize First Nations title to land.  Now the federal and provincial governments are negotiating land claims together with these nations.

A specific claim deals with issues rising from treaties.  They only affect First Nations, because only First Nations signed treaties. If a First Nation  feels that it never received the land it was entitled to according to treaty, of that the government has unfairly taken away some of its land, it files a specific claim.