Three Northern Sask. Chiefs are not happy with the federal government after they say Crown Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett reneged on a commitment to initial a traditional territory land claims agreement.
The northern leaders say without warning they were informed by Bennett last week that the signing was off and “that Canada would not initial the agreements until consultations were concluded to ‘her satisfaction,’” and that all future meetings were on hold.
“It is shameful that your government would use consultations as an excuse to justify such an act of bad faith,” the letter stated.
The Chiefs were in Ottawa this week to protest.
Fond Du Lac First Nations Chief Louis Mercredi called on Bennett to reverse her decision and initial the agreement, adding it was strange that leaders today had to negotiate for land that their ancestors used for thousands of years.
Mercredi was flanked by leaders from Black Lake and Hatchet Lake.
It appears the agreement stems from 20 years of negotiations for a trans-boundary agreement between Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
“Consultations with Indigenous groups in the Northwest Territories started in 2016 and accommodations have been made. Understandings were reached with the Government of Canada that consultations could continue after initialing and further accommodations could be made,” stated the letter.
“This action has set back negotiations and is the opposite of reconciliation. What happened to the most important relationship that you spoke of or were those just empty words?”
(Photo: Northern First Nations protesting in Ottawa. Courtesy of Athabasca Denesuline Final Agreement – North of 60 Facebook)