Mineral Rights Part Of Green Lake Land Dispute

Mineral Rights Part Of Green Lake Land Dispute

Wednesday, June 20, 2007 at 14:33

 

 

An Aboriginal leader in Green Lake says he thinks minerals might be contributing to a struggle over proposed development in the area.

 

Rodney Laliberte is chief of the Kenomotay First Nation — a band that’s still waiting to be officially recognized by Ottawa.

 

Laliberte and Metis representatives recently had a meeting with Green Lake’s village council over some proposed lot developments on the lake.

 

Both Aboriginal groups say they want to be consulted by the provincial government before any development occurs.

 

Laliberte believes the government isn’t keen to do that because it knows the area has potentially very valuable mineral deposits.

 

The president of the Keyano Metis Local says he thinks some type of compromise is attainable.

 

Ric Richardson notes another meeting on the issue is set for next month.

 

He says all that his people want is a chance to be heard in land-use planning discussions.

 

Richardson has communicated his concerns in a letter to Premier Lorne Calvert.