Province Sued By Band For Denying TLE Application

Province Sued By Band For Denying TLE Application

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 12:55

 

 

The Muskoday First Nation has filed a lawsuit against the provincial government.

 

The band is seeking punitive damages for Saskatchewan’s refusal to accept a Treaty Land Entitlement request at Fort a’la Corne.

 

The region is home to a large diamond exploration project.

 

However, the band says the land is well within its traditional territory.

 

According to the lawsuit, the TLE application was filed on or around February 20th, 2007.

 

The province denied the request on March 28th of the following year.

 

One of the reasons given for the refusal was that the lands requested by the band included all or part of the province’s known kimberlite deposits.

 

A lawyer with the province, James Fyfe, says that although the lawsuit was filed in court on December 31st, the government was only served with it recently.

 

Muskoday Chief Austin Bear has said he doesn’t want to comment on the lawsuit while it’s still before the courts.