Members of the Tobique First Nation will soon be voting on whether or not they want $39 million in exchange for 10,000 acres – 4,046 hectares — of their land.

Chief Ross Perley said the proposal is for 80 per cent of the money to go to band members, with the remainder to go into an independently monitored trust "for acquisition of lands, and investments in economic and community development" by the First Nation.

Under the proposal, each member of Tobique First Nation would receive at least $13,500. The amount will only be finalized when the exact number of band members, on and off reserve, is confirmed.

There's excitement, there's fear, there's a lot of different views on how to look at this. - Ross Perley, Tobique First Nation chief

Members who are 18 and younger will have their share put in a trust fund that they can access when they turn 19 years old.

Amber Bear will vote yes to accepting the land claim settlement, for her daughter Lyric's future. (CBC) Members will vote on the proposal in about three months.

"We have mixed emotions," said Perley."There's excitement, there's fear, there's a lot of different views on how to look at this.

"A lot of people in the community don't think it's a good deal," he said.

But on the other hand, Perley said, "A lot of people in the community have been waiting all their lives and they've been talking about it all their lives, for a land claim to come and now it's here, we're … months away from it."

Amber Bear said her five-year-old daughter Lyric is the reason she is leaning toward voting yes.

"Her financial future, that $15,000, will be like university for her when she's 18," said Bear.

"She won't have to worry about rent, she won't have to worry about bills, she won't have to worry about not getting funded. She'll have the money to go, and she'll have the money to do what she wanted. And that's sort of swaying me to the yes side."

Jaime Idol believes the land should still belong to Tobique First Nation.

"We weren't allowed to harvest any resources off of there, or gather, so, we believe that we should be compensated for that use," said Idol.

Jaime Idol will encourage fellow Tobique residents to vote no. (CBC)

"But we should not have to surrender that land away. That was part of the original land grant given to Tobique, so I will vote no, and I encourage other people in our community to vote no.

In Perley's office is a copy of an Indian Affairs survey map from 1882 that shows the land set out as the Tobique Indian Reserve. The band has been negotiating a settlement for this land claim since the 1970s.

T.J. Burke is the lawyer representing Tobique First Nation in its land claim and is also a member of the band. (CBC) ​ "The land was originally granted under provincial patent before Confederation by the province prior to the illegal taking in 1892 by the federal government," said T.J. Burke, the band's lawyer who is also a member of Tobique First Nation.

If the members do vote to accept the land claim settlement, Perley admitted he is worried about what some people will do with that much money in their hands at once.

"Lot of concerns. Lots of concerns. You know, we're forecasting a lot of social issues because of it," he said.

"We're hoping to set up some sort of assistance. We want to make sure everyone has a bank account, make sure that there isn't 'gougers' waiting at the end of the reserve, trying to sell people four-wheelers, or those kinds of things.

"I know most people in the community have their land claim already spent, but for me, I have no plans yet."

Although the band has been in debt and under third party management for more than 10 years, Perley said none of the money will go to the debt because it is money that ' needs to go to the people.'

He said the band now has a system for monthly payments that will see third party management lifted in the spring.