The newly elected chief of Aamjiwnaang First Nation has a long list of things he'd like to tackle over the next two years.
Chris Plain was re-elected in July after taking the last two years off. He previously served as chief for six, two-year terms.
At the top of his priority list is coming to an agreement with Kettle and Stony Point First Nation on a $28 million land claim settlement.
The two First Nations were awarded the money by the federal government in 2016 for the misappropriation of funds from the surrender of reserve lands in the 1850s by a federal official at the time.
Ottawa agreed that Indian Department Agent Joseph B. Clench misappropriated the money from the sale of 196 acres of land in what is now downtown Sarnia and the aboriginals never received a penny. Chief Plain says they now have to make a decision on the division of the funds because the land in question belonged to the Chippewas of Chenail Ecarte and St. Clair until 1919, when the First Nation was split into two separate bands.
"We'll have to see where we are because I haven't actually talked to Kettle Point yet," said Chief Plain. "That is probably the number one ranked priority for the community going into this term."
The chief said he would also like to concentrate on cultural improvements.
"Whether we develop a cultural facility or something to do with picking up the culture for our members as we haven't done something or paid attention to that area in the last little while so it's well overdue," said Plain
Chris Plain says the community has indicated they'd like to have a long-term care facility built for community elders and staff is working on a strategic plan for that.
Chief Plain says there's also a need for more housing on the reserve.
"A subdivision we built a few years ago met some short-term needs but as the population grows, so does our need for housing," said Plain. "A lot of people would like to relocate back to the community."
There are currently about 850 members living on-reserve and another 2,400 living off-reserve.
