FSIN suggests use of PFRA land

The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations is suggesting that PFRA pasture patrons work collaboratively with the Treaty Land Entitlement First Nations to discuss options on how First Nations can acquire the PFRA lands. “In early days of Treaty Land Entitlement negotiations, both the federal and provincial governments offered the First Nations the PFRA pastures lands as compensation of their outstanding land claims. That is the reason why the TLE First Nations have a strong interest on acquiring these lands,” said FSIN Second Vice Chief Bobby Cameron. FSIN suggests the TLE First Nations would purchase the PFRA lands and maintain the pastures and their ecological values while leasing to local cattle grazers, similar to how the PFRA lands are currently managed. However, instead of the revenue returning to the Crown, it would allow the First Nations to benefit from lands that they historically occupied. The Métis Nation-Saskatchewan has also expressed interest in this land which they say contains old Métis settlements, cemeteries and Red River cart trails. The land is presently being used by Métis to grow crop.