RM Opposes Muskoday Land Purchase Near Peter Pond

 

RM Opposes Muskoday Land Purchase Near Peter Pond

Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 13:41

 

 

A petition has been launched opposing a potential land purchase by the Muskoday First Nation.

 

The land in question is near the Peter Pond area, just northwest of Prince Albert.

 

Back in 2007, Muskoday was given a Treaty Land Entitlement (TLE) settlement of $10-million from the federal government.

 

That gives them entitlement to a minimum of 6,100 acres and a maximum of 38,000 acres.

 

However, the band’s proposed land acquisition is being met with resistance.

 

Wes Stubbs, reeve for the rural municipality (RM) of Buckland, says the RM has no problem with the band, but they weren’t consulted about the move.

 

Stubbs also says the RM wants to keep the Peter Pond area free of any more development.

 

“We’ve never been directly approached by the Aboriginal agency that looks after the TLE’s…. I understand that a staff member at Highways noticed a letter in his office, and noticed that there was a possibility of a treaty land claim in that Peter Pond area west of the city,” he says.

 

Officials with Muskoday weren’t available for comment.

 

However, a worker at the band office says the band knows this will be a lengthy process, and a response like this isn’t unexpected.