Chiefs want to be consulted in potash development

Several chiefs of First Nations in southern Saskatchewan are calling on the province and BHP Billiton Ltd. to consult and accommodate when it comes to potash development on traditional territory.

“There’s been a lot of resources taken from our lands and we’ve received nothing,” said Chief Glenn Pratt of George Gordon First Nation.

 At a July press conference in Saskatoon, a group of chiefs including Pratt voiced their concerns that potash development occurring near their reserve lands gives them no benefits and affects their hunting, gathering and fishing rights.

Pratt said they want their rights recognized and are looking at challenging the Natural Resources Transfer Agreement. The NRTA was signed between the federal and provincial governments in the 1930s without First Nations input, giving the province legal jurisdiction over resources.

“We’ve had meetings and it gets frustrating.  It’s not working… It almost feels like industry is in bed with government and First Nations are on the outside,” Pratt said.

“There’s no negotiation when it comes to treaty, the courts have to define treaty now. And to me that’s an unfair process because how could you take a Canadian court to court, to their own court?”

Pratt said First Nations have seen no benefits in jobs, compensation, community sponsorships, or respect for their rights to use traditional territory.

“This is about a future for our children,” Pratt said. “It’s about a better relationship between First Nations and this government and industry.”

Training programs and opportunity are needed for First Nations to benefit from potash development, he said.
Chiefs are calling on the provincial government and BHP Billiton Ltd. to meet with First Nations  in the near future for agreements on the environment, jobs, procurement, and operations and to hold a potash summit for consultation.

Dutch Lerat, vice chief for the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, said FSIN supports the position of First Nations chiefs.

“For 50 years we’ve been left out,” Lerat said. “We support the First Nations efforts in calling for the province to honour its obligations to consult and accommodate in a proper form. First Nations want in on potash development.”

Kawacatoose First Nation Chief Darin Poorman said his community was not consulted when the Jansen Lake Mine Project was built just 55 kilometers away. As a result, part of the potash mine was developed over a burial site.

The potash mine also affected the ability of band members to hunt, trap and gather on their traditional territory.

 “It’s all under traditional territory that was signed in 1874. And we still exercise our rights here in regards to hunting, used to be fishing. But there’s no court case that came forward to state that the private land was an issue or has been settled in the court,” Poorman said.
Pratt said non-First Nations do not understand treaties and the rights that come with them.

“The only way the government will acknowledge and give respect to our treaty rights is if we beat them in their own court,” said Pratt.

Upon hearing of chiefs’ concerns, Chris Ryder, vice president of external affairs for BHP Billiton, told News Talk Radio that the company is willing to meet with First Nations leaders.

Ryder expressed interest in dialoguing with the leadership of Kawacatoose First Nation to hear their concerns and ensure economic benefits go to the First Nation and other First Nations in the region.

Photo caption: At a July press conference in Saskatoon, chiefs of several First Nations surrounding Saskatoon called for the provincial government and BHP Billiton Ltd. to honour its “duty to consult” obligation and hold a potash summit for consultation sometime in the near future.

Photo: Christine Fiddler