Beauval Hosting Northern Duty To Consult Dialogue

Beauval Hosting Northern Duty To Consult Dialogue

Friday, August 08, 2008 at 15:02

A northern mayor says his community is hosting a dialogue on the duty to consult issue tomorrow to accommodate the leaders that were turned away from a major conference in May.

Beauval Mayor Alex Maurice was present at the province’s duty to consult roundtable in Saskatoon — and says he witnessed several First Nations and Metis leaders and elders being told they couldn’t take part, because they didn’t have an invite.

Maurice says that’s not going to happen tomorrow.

He says the issues raised in tomorrow’s session will be forward to the province as it prepares a duty to consult protocol.

Maurice adds if those concerns are ignored — northern leaders will know the government was only paying them “lip service” at the May gathering.

According to Maurice, he didn’t invite government or industry to tomorrow’s gathering because he wanted the event to be community-driven — but he says they’re welcome to attend.

Cree, Dene and Michif translators will be present to assist any elders that don’t speak English.