Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund

Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund
Type	Organization
Founded	2012

Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund is a representative body for 21 First Nations.

In Anishinabek News

• December 2017: The fund has organized the hearing schedule and encouraged citizens to attend court sessions in Sudbury to show unity. The organization is chaired by Mike Restoule.
• May 2021: The fund is pursuing the Restoule litigation against Ontario and Canada regarding a failure to live up to treaty promises. The organisation is chaired by Mike Restoule and its legal team is led by David C. Nahwegahbow.
• May 2022: The organization encouraged the Prince of Wales to support meaningful reconciliation actions by Canada and Ontario. It called on the Governor General of Canada and the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario to share a petition with the royal visitors in May 2022. The group has spent over a decade calling for the Crown to act honourably regarding treaty obligations.
• May 2022: In May 2022, the group called on Ontario political candidates to support a negotiated settlement for the Robinson Huron Treaty annuities case. The organization sent letters to major provincial parties urging them to fulfill treaty responsibilities.
• June 2022: The Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund urged Doug Ford to honour election promises by negotiating a settlement for the Robinson Treaties annuity case. The organisation requested that Ontario put its legal appeal into abeyance to allow for negotiations outside of the courtroom.
• September 2022: This fund was created in 2010 to pursue legal action against the federal and provincial governments regarding unpaid treaty annuities. The organization argues that the Crown has failed to respect the principles of reciprocity and responsibility since 1874. A hearing regarding this litigation is expected at the Supreme Court of Canada by June 23, 2023.
• June 2023: The fund represents 21 First Nations that initiated legal action against Canada and Ontario in 2014 regarding treaty annuities. Leadership from the fund announced a proposed $10 billion out-of-court settlement in June 2023. The organization has been engaged in collaborative negotiations to resolve the litigation since April 2022.
• September 2023: The fund partnered with Robinson Huron Waawiindamaagewin to host a treaty gathering from September 7-9, 2023. Leadership from the fund announced a proposed out-of-court settlement with Canada and Ontario on June 17, 2023. The organization works with a legal team to address losses regarding past and future treaty annuity payments.
• September 2023: The fund's leadership participated in the 2023 Robinson Huron Treaty Gathering alongside government ministers. Representatives from the fund announced a proposed settlement of $10 billion in June 2023 to resolve claims for past annuities.
• November 2023: The fund's legal team argues that the Ontario Court of Appeal was correct in upholding the interpretation of the augmentation promise. Representatives from the fund announced a proposed settlement of $10 billion with the federal and provincial governments in 2023.
• November 2023: The organization announced a proposed $10 billion settlement with the governments of Canada and Ontario on June 17, 2023. In November 2023, the fund argued before the Supreme Court of Canada that the province has a legal obligation to increase annuity payments. The fund maintains that the Ontario Court of Appeal correctly interpreted the augmentation promise within the Robinson Huron Treaty.
• November 2023: The fund reached a proposed settlement with the federal and provincial governments for $10 billion in June 2023.
• December 2023: A phishing scam targeted elders by falsely claiming that payments from this fund were being processed as of December 2023. The settlement requires approval from the federal and provincial governments before any funds are released to the Robinson Huron Trust.
• September 2024: The organization initiated litigation in 2012 against the Crown in right of Canada and Ontario for violating the Augmentation Promise in the Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850. As of September 2024, the fund oversaw the distribution of a $10 billion settlement to 21 First Nations. The leadership held a commemorative ceremony on September 9, 2024, at the Anderson Farm Museum to celebrate legal successes and the treaty anniversary.
• October 2024: The fund is chaired by Mike Restoule, who praised the professional achievements of David C. Nahwegahbow. Duke Peltier serves as a spokesperson for the organization.
• October 2025: The organization's legal team and leadership met with band members during the summer of 2025 to discuss the annuity augmentation process. The group works to ensure that the promises made in the Robinson Huron Treaty are honoured for future generations.
• November 2025: The fund was ordered to treat a $255 million gift from its legal team as regular settlement proceeds. Trustees of the fund believed they were honour bound by a Pipe Ceremony to maintain their partnership with Nahwegahbow Corbiere. The fund represents approximately 40,000 members from 21 different First Nations.
• November 2025: The fund was at the center of a judicial review regarding a $510 million legal fee that was found to be unreasonable and disproportionate. A court ruling returned $487 million to the fund after determining the original fee was nearly 88 times the value of the lawyers' time. The fund manages the resources from a historic $10 billion settlement related to the Robinson-Huron Treaty.