Community gathers for Robinson Huron Treaty event

An annual gathering to mark the ongoing battle of First Nations in the 1850 Robinson Huron Treaty annuities case wrapped up on Nipissing First Nation on Friday.

The province wants to challenge a ruling that found the Crown violated the terms of the 1850 treaty with the Anishinaabe of the Northern Shores of Lake Huron and Superior.

According to court documents from the case, despite promises of regular increases, annual payments were raised to $4 per person in 1875 and have not risen since.

"The significance of this gathering is to re-educate our community on the treaty that was signed which was the basis of our relationship, and take that knowledge back to the government to start to reshape our relationship back to the original intent of that relationship," said Chief Scott McLeod of Nipissing First Nation.

"We definitely have progress and I can say that the message is getting out there," said Duke Peltier, who's part of the Huron Robinson Treaty litigation.

"I know through discussions with MPPs that they've been approached by our citizens asking them to take some movements to resolve the litigation and also to renew the treaty relationship."

There's no word on when the case will be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada.