FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron (The Canadian Press)

By paNOW Staff

DUTY TO CONSULT

Sask. NDP, FSIN decry government’s rejection of Duty to Consult Bill

Apr 21, 2023 | 8:00 AM

Members of the Opposition and First Nations leaders are not happy a bill to make consulting Indigenous people’s law was rejected.

In a release, the Sask. NDP said they introduced Bill 610 back in November, which would have codified the government’s Duty to Consult obligations into law, meaning Indigenous communities potentially impacted by the sale or use of Crown Land would, by law, have a say in how consultation occurs and with whom it would occur with enforceable mechanisms.

The government voted against the bill at the second reading.

“We’ve known for ages that this government has no interest in true Reconciliation. With this vote, they are saying the quiet part out loud,” said Betty Nippi-Albright, Official Opposition Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations. “This is a massive blow to Reconciliation and a slap in the face to Indigenous communities across Saskatchewan.

Another voice that was not pleased to hear that news was Chief Bobby Cameron of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN).

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“I’m not satisfied with the lack of support to make this mandatory that there should be and must be a duty to consult in all areas,” he said. “Why can’t there be, why shouldn’t there be.”

Cameron said he was not surprised the government turned the Bill down, pointing to the frustrations over the Saskatchewan First Act.

The FSIN has been fighting over land and resource rights and treaty rights for years, and believes the province has been misleading foreign industry leaders about who really owns the resources in Saskatchewan.

The Federation has spoken against the Sask. First Act and even plans to challenge the legislation in court.

He said at the end of the day, regardless of what fight they are battling, Treaty rights trump provincial law.

“We’re going to maintain our position that our Treaties are of international law,” Cameron added. “There was no agreement when it came to decisions such as natural resources, anything underground. Inherent Treaty rights have been here way long before the province of Saskatchewan was formed.”

Cameron also took time to comment on a statement made by Natural Resources Minister Bronwyn Eyre saying that the Sask. Party government has never shut out the voices of Indigenous people. Cameron disagreed saying legislation like the Sask. First Act greatly impacts First Nations.

He put out another call to political leaders to visit these communities and see firsthand why they’re fighting hard for things like natural resources.

“We invite Premier Moe, Justin Trudeau, to come out to our traditional lands and come and get a sense of what it is to be out on the land, the sacredness of the land and the importance of why we have to protect all the land and its contents.”

–With files from 650 CKOM

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panews@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @princealbertnow