Chief Henry Lewis of Onion Lake Cree Nation and Betty Nippi-Albright of the Saskatchewan NDP. (Submitted Photo/Saskatchewan NDP)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

DUTY TO CONSULT

First Nations leaders decry Sask. Party’s neglect of Duty to Consult framework

Apr 17, 2024 | 5:00 PM

Several Saskatchewan First Nations are calling out the Sask. Party for ignoring the Duty to Consult process.

On Wednesday morning NDP Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations Betty Nippi-Albright, was joined by First Nations leaders and the residential school support team from Yorkton Tribal Council to draw attention to the issue.

Those who attended included leaders from Nekaneet First Nation, Yellow Quill First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Carry The Kettle First Nation, and Key First Nation.

“Indigenous peoples in this province are done with the trinkets and beads,” said Nippi-Albright. “They’re done with being ignored. They’re done with the empty platitudes and lip service. It’s time that they are engaged as true partners. It’s time for a meaningful Duty to Consult process.”

Last year, the Sask. Party introduced a new Duty to Consult framework without engaging First Nations and Métis communities. Only 31 per cent of First Nations and 38 per cent of Métis locals were reportedly consulted on the framework.

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Chief of Onion Lake Cree Nation Henry Lewis spoke during the press conference at the Legislature, saying First Nations and their members have not had reciprocal dialogue with the province when it comes to any projects that could impact their traditional lands.

“The impact that projects have on culturally important areas within our traditional territory has our nation’s members concerned regarding the exercise of their treaty rights to hunt and fish together and other cultural pursuits on the lands,” he said.

“First Nations traditional land users find it increasingly difficult to find prestige and quiet areas to hunt, fish, trap, harvest and perform ceremonies. We would like to continue to live on your lands the way we have always done and practice our way of life in accordance with our own laws, legal orders, governance structures, the province has yet to respect accommodation requests made by those nations and their members.”

Lewis and other Indigenous leaders expressed their concerns that the government’s consultation was not a meaningful two-way conversation but relied on email or online surveys rather than properly consulting with Inherent and Treaty Rights Holders in their communities.

Nippi-Albright has twice attempted to bring Duty to Consult obligations into law with private member’s bills but were voted down by the Sask. Party government.

She worries that a Duty to Consult will bleed into other departments.

“It has now gone into other ministries where there is a lack of consultation, whether it’s in forestry, whether it’s environment, it’s across all ministries,” she said. “Indigenous people are done being ignored by this Sask. Party government.”

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com