Had the acquisition of the Lheidli T'enneh land at Fort George been on the up-and-up, we would expect the band to have received fair market value.
We can estimate this pretty accurately because the Grand Trunk Railway sold most of the land only a year later for $1 million.
The land was improved only by the survey of lots. No utilities were installed or roads paved. $1 million is therefore a reasonable minimum estimate of the fair market value of the entire reserve. The Lheidli T'enneh were paid $100,000, one tenth of the value of the land.
That is not what an honest transaction looks like.
Bill Poser
Prince George
