top of page
MAWG basic income P1 23may24.JPG

     The Modernized Annuity Working Group, in partnership with the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg and the Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg, is evaluating increasing individual historic annuity payments as a form of guaranteed income and a means of sharing the prosperity of the land.

    MAWG is proposing increasing historic annuities from the current $5 per year ($4 in Ontario) based on three models:

  • Historic livelihood support model: $1,870 - $6,500

  • Federal income support model: $7,500

  • Land-based GDP model: $7,025 - $8,810

  MAWG co-chairs Wayne Helgason and Sheilla Jones presented the First Nations Modern Annuity: A Guaranteed Income for FN People as part of the Indigenous Perspectives on Governance and Basic Income, The BIG Forum, University of Ottawa, May 25, 2024.

By Sheilla Jones, Wayne Helgason and Gregory Mason

Winnipeg Free Press, December 29, 2021

​

   The November Ontario Court of Appeal ruling that the Crown violated Robinson Treaty terms by failing to increase annuity payments highlights the necessity of understanding the link between annuities and the land as a step toward reconciliation. Because without reconciliation, Canada risks losing its soul.

    However, to achieve meaningful reconciliation, we must have the courage to talk about the land — beginning with addressing the deliberately deceptive means by which Canada’s government violated First Nations land agreements in aid of colonization...

​

​

News and features

Interview: Moment of Truth, ELMNT FM

Host: David Moses, with guests Rosanna Deerchild host of Unreserved. Plus Sheilla Jones author "Let the People Speak: Oppression in at Time of Reconciliation" along with Sheila North. Also, Caroline O'Neill interviews Paul Manly. Aired February 25, 2020

Sheila North and Sheilla Jones book launch

Sheila North (left) and Sheilla Jones (right) sign copies of Let the People Speak: Oppression in a time of reconciliation

​

REVIEW: Winnipeg Free Press, February 15, 2020

Let the People Speak by Sheilla Jones
Tribute
Dougald Lamont MB Leg 15oct21.PNG

Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont pays tribute in the MB Legislature to former MLA and Indigenous activist Jean Allard, October 15, 2021.

​

Jean Allard
1930-2020
Jean Allard 2018.jpg

Our MAWG team was saddened by the passing of Jean Allard on December 2, 2020 at the age of 90. Jean was an honorary member of MAWG, and worked for decades to advance the idea of modernizing Treaty annuities.

​

Read our tribute: A legacy for Jean Allard

​

Let's Talk Treaty

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

MAWG Co-Chair Wayne Helgason talks about modernizing Treaty annuities with host Jim Compton in Episode 89 of "Let's Talk Treaty" a bi-weekly radio series produced by the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba.

Aired January 19 and 22, 2022.

Wayne Helgason 2018.JPG

By Sheilla Jones and Sheila North

Toronto Star, December 23, 2019

​

The origin of a potentially ground-breaking step toward meaningful reconciliation between Canada's first people and settlers can be laid at the feet of Métis leader Louis Riel. Literally.

​

​

 

LPS S S on APTN sept6.19.jpg

APTN National News on Facebook

With Sheilla Jones, Sheila North, and APTN host Melissa Ridgen.

September 6, 2019

Earlier Posts

​

  • Replay: Let the People Speak, short doc 18:20

​

​

​

​

​

​

Kate feather red 2.75x10 trans.png

first facts

Quick facts about annuities to get you started:

  • What is an annuity?

  • Why is it still $5?

  • What does the Indian Act say about annuities?

bottom of page