Chiefs gather to plan for government-to-government implementation of treaties

Photo: Enoch Cree Nation Chief Billy Morin (left) and Cold Lake First Nations Chief Bernice Martial (far right) provided opening remarks at the Treaties 1-11 Gathering.
(Photo: Shari Narine)

January 20, 2016

Chiefs, their delegates and Elders gathered behind closed doors Wednesday to discuss how to move forward with the federal government in treaty implementation.

“We, as treaty people, are developing our strategies to implement our jurisdictions over our lands and resources. We owe this to our future generations and those yet unborn to come,” said Cold Lake First Nations Chief Bernice Martial. The two-day event, which brings together Chiefs and delegates from Treaties 1-11, is taking place at the River Cree Resort, on Enoch Cree Nation.

Attendance was hampered by cold weather and blowing snow. Martial noted that Cold Lake First Nations had decided to host the meeting at the Enoch Cree Nation, understanding that travelling north to Cold Lake would be difficult in winter.

But a poor turnout only delayed the start of the meeting.

“(We) are here to discuss further our common goals and vision on treaty rights,” said Martial in her opening remarks. “Our Elders always reminded us that we are a treaty people. For as long as the sun shines, the grass grows and the rivers flow…. There is still much work to do but we are committed to the long term goals set before us.”

Enoch Cree Nation Chief Billy Morin called the push to implement treaty rights a “grassroots movement.”

“As a young leader I still take (this) as a learning opportunity to learn about treaty and how that is essential to the foundation of our people and how this is such a grassroots movement and how chiefs have committed to this not being part of the government’s agenda but as part of our agenda as to move forward,” he said.

Morin also held that with the change in the federal government, decades of discussion could have favourable results.

“There are so many opportunities that you get to make a move … and I think now we’re living in a moment of history that it’s time to make that move. And I think that the Chiefs that are leading this today, with a new government and with a new way of looking at things, is really a tipping point if we really put our best foot forward together as First Nations Chiefs, treaties 1-11 as people,” he said.

Martial said there is still much work to be done but Chiefs were committed to that work.

“Our nations have survived in our territories for thousands of years. We know how to survive. Now we need to put these skills to work and go beyond survival (to) implement our government-to-government vision with commitment for the next seven generations,” she said.