throughout Canada". He noted that there is a heightened level of mistrust distrust "among aboriginal peoples toward government at both the federal and provincial levels." In 1992, the Snuneymuxw First Nation filed the Thlap’qwum Specific Claim related to the loss of their 32-hectare reserve in downtown Nanaimo, saying that it was illegally taken by the crown in the 1880s. The claim was accepted by the Crown as valid in 2003. After negotiations, the two sides agreed to a settlement offer worth $49,148,121. In November 2016, the First Nation ratified a settlement agreement for the land. The nearly $50 million payment is the largest specific claim negotiated by a British Columbia first nation by a factor of 5. As part of the agreement, the nation can negotiate for an additional 32-hectare of land to be added to their reserve. Social and economic development Water and Sewage Infrastructure In 1992 groundwater contamination was found and the wells were closed on the Snuneymuxw First Nation Indian Reserve No. 2. For twenty years the community was forced to subsist using water trucks. In 2010 the city of Nanaimo announced plans for a new water treatment facility but had difficulty acquiring Crown land needed for the project. John Ruttan, Nanaimo Mayor acknowledged that without the assistance of Snuneymuxw First Nation Chief Doug White III in acquiring some Crown land, "it’s questionable whether we would have been able to achieve what we’ve done." The City of Nanaimo agreed to provide the water to Reserve 2 as part of "the overall agreement." The Snuneymuxw First Nation are paying $500,000 cost of the project. The new water infrastructure project will connect Reserve No. 2 to Nanaimo’s water supply lines at 1125 Cedar Road to provide potable water. The city and First Nation established an innovative mentoring program to expand the benefits of the new water system. In November 2012 SFN workers began job shadowing City of Nanaimo CUPE Local 401 water crews members to learn foundational skills in maintaining quality water systems. CUPE's long-term goal is to expand this pilot project to First Nations communities across Vancouver Island. According to Blaine Gurrie, CUPE Local 401 President and member of the Vancouver Island Water Watch Coalition, CUPE is working to assist SFN employees in the following ways: Justice system Like other First Nations, the Snuneymuxw had a community system to regulate behavior based on restorative justice. They think it