OTTAWA - The Supreme Court of Canada has agreed to wade into a long-running dispute between two Alberta aboriginal groups and the federal government over millions in oil and gas revenues.
In a decision released without comment, the court granted applications by the Samson Cree and the Ermineskin band to appeal lower-court decisions that went against them.
The two bands have been in court for years arguing that federal authorities mismanaged oil and gas royalties the government held in trust for them.
Ottawa finally agreed last year to transfer $350 million to an independent trust fund to be controlled by the Samson Cree Nation.
But separate claims for more than $650 million in damages were rejected by both the trial and appeal divisions of Federal Court.
The decision by the Supreme Court to hear the case is a victory for the native groups, although no date has been set for a hearing and a final judgment is still far off.
