Letter to the Editor: Official Response from Garden River First Nation and Atikameksheng Anishnawbek
Garden River First Nation and Atikameksheng Anishnawbek wish to provide another perspective to the article, “Justice Myers finds $510 million payout ‘was not the deal’” by Professor Catherine Murton Stoehr, published in Anishinabek News on November 6, 2025, and reaffirm the purpose and principles that guided our actions in seeking judicial review of the Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund (RHTLF)’s legal fees.
Our decision to challenge the $510 million legal fee was not a challenge to ceremony, culture, or the lawyers who represented us. It was a stand for accountability and fairness, the principles that lie at the heart of both Anishinaabe and Canadian law and the two worlds we live in.
We acted to protect the funds owed to the beneficiaries. This settlement represents the reclamation of generational loss of resource-sharing wealth. It also moved the topic of legal fees to be reviewed. Justice Fred Myers agreed that excessive fees weaken the integrity of both the legal process and the trust our people place in those who were elected. His ruling did not dismiss Anishinaabe law; it hyphenated it by emphasizing balance, honesty, and responsibility.
Garden River First Nation and Atikameksheng Anishnawbek brought this issue forward to safeguard the interests of all 21 Robinson-Huron Treaty Nations and their beneficiaries. This court case was about protection, not punishment. The court found the $510 million fee – nearly 88 times the value of the lawyer’s time – is unreasonable and disproportionate. The ruling returns $487 million to the Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund, keeping those resources where they belong, which is with our communities.
This decision solidifies the original spirit of the Robinson-Huron Treaty. The Treaty settlement will provide vital resources to strengthen key items like language, housing, health, education, and the overall well-being of generations to come.
Our teachings remind us that sharing means taking only what we need. Our challenge honoured those teachings. It ensured that no one profits at the expense of the collective.
The court did not override Anishinaabe law; it upheld it. The 2011 agreement between the Legal Team and the RHTLF was written under both Anishinaabe and Canadian principles, and it explicitly allowed for judicial review. Seeking fairness through that process was part of our responsibility as leaders.
We applaud and commend the Legal Team’s dedication to achieving a historic $10 billion settlement. Their work brought generational compensation to our people. But true justice also means accountability. No one, no matter how skilled or respected, stands above transparency.
This challenge was never about division. It was about integrity. Self-determination means having the strength to question our own systems when needed. This is not colonial, it is leadership. Everything we have undertaken has been guided by a sincere commitment to do what is right for the beneficiaries. We firmly believe that the 21 First Nations should not bear the financial burden of an effort that successfully returned half a billion dollars to the RHTLF. We are therefore requesting that the RHTLF reimburse the 21 First Nations and their beneficiaries for the legal fees and disbursements incurred.
We call on all 21 Robinson-Huron Treaty Nations to move forward together, united by respect, accountability, and care for the next generations. The success of this settlement will be measured not only by its size, but by the fairness with which it is shared and protected.
Chief Karen Bell
Garden River First Nation
Chief Craig Nootchtai
Atikameksheng Anishinabek