Team Woodland Cree Has Its Detractors

Team Woodland Cree Has Its Detractors

Thursday, July 19, 2007 at 13:38

The man who spearheaded the creation of a new Woodland Cree team for next week’s Saskatchewan First Nations Summer Games in Red Pheasant says he’s heard plenty of negative feedback about it.

Montreal Lake recreation director Roger Bird says the critics are more concerned with how the Prince Albert Grand Council fares in the overall team competition, and are overlooking the positive impact this will have.

Bird acknowledges the PAGC has developed a healthy rivalry with the Meadow Lake Tribal Council teams at these events.

But he says now that the Montreal Lake, Lac La Ronge and Peter Ballantyne bands are fielding a separate team, it means twice as many athletes from the PAGC can take part.

The PAGC team this year will be made up of athletes from the grand council’s nine other First Nations.