(Libby Giesbrecht/650 CKOM)

By CKOM News

Métis Nation-Saskatchewan bringing bison back to Batoche

Nov 18, 2022 | 2:45 PM

Bison will soon return to Batoche thanks to an agreement between the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan and Parks Canada.

The decision follows a land agreement this summer which transferred 690 hectares of land at Batoche from Parks Canada to the Métis Nation. A new agreement signed Friday will see bison transferred from Grasslands National Park to Batoche.

The first phase of the agreement will see 24 bison returned to the Back to Batoche festival grounds, and the second phase will place the “growing herd” on the land belonging to Métis citizens.

Michelle LeClair, vice-president of the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, said the agreement is huge for the Métis people, who have traditionally had a close relationship with the animals.

“Bison represent a deep cultural connection to the Métis and represents our values of living in harmony, perseverance, and coexistence,” LeClair said in a news release.

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“As stewards of the land, returning a keystone species to the homeland of the Métis will assist the MN-S in its mandate of restoring healthy and natural ecosystems. These first steps will lay the groundwork for a comprehensive bison strategy where the Métis and bison once again coexist.”

According to the Métis Nation, returning bison to Batoche will have “immeasurable” opportunities for education, offering opportunities for young people to connect with Métis roots and traditions.