Saskatchewan News Briefs - October

Métis regions target economic development
The Métis Nation-Saskatchewan announced on Oct. 1, they signed an agreement with Cameco and Areva to create a working group focussed on workforce and community development, community engagement and investment, and regulatory and government relations.
Specific areas included in the agreement are the Northern Regions I, II, and III, and the Eastern Region I, located within the boundaries of the Northern Administrative District.

“Our Goal is to work towards ensuring that Métis Northerners are part of the Northern Economy, along with establishing a positive working relationship with Cameco and Areva,” stated regional director or the Northern Region III, Louise Gardiner in a release.

The agreement’s mandate is to assist the Métis regions to become more involved in economic development opportunities, develop the young Métis workforce, and support Métis community initiatives.

First Nations chiefs oppose tobacco tax

Media were invited to the Muskoday Store and Gas Bar south of Prince Albert on Oct. 7, to witness around 40 First Nations leaders demonstrating their opposition to the one carton limit tax exemption legislation passed by the province on July 1.

Muskoday First Nation Chief Austin Bear, was the first to purchase four cartons of cigarettes—he got one tax-free while the other three he paid a deposit on tax.  Also at the store making the symbolic purchase was Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nation Vice Chief Morley Watson.

“It’s a violation of our treaty rights to tax exemption,” Chief Watson told media. “We tried our hardest to make them do what good governments do, and that’s talk about things, so we could negotiate and do something that is mutually beneficial, but unfortunately they chose not to do that.”

The province reasoned the tax limit was imposed because they are concerned about the health of First Nations and those who abuse the system.

“These changes are part of the government’s overall tobacco strategy to help reduce tobacco usage in Saskatchewan,” stated Finance Minister Rod Gantefoer in a June 2010 news release.

Lawyer Ron Cherkewich, who will represent chiefs, was at the meeting speaking to media. He said not one persecution was found of anyone abusing the system and concerns about health did not make sense with no data to support this claim.

To show they were denied tax exemption, the First Nations leaders signed individual affidavits, which they will use in a court case against the province.

Resource revenues need to shared, chiefs say

During a treaty conference in Regina hosted by the Ochapowace First Nation from Oct. 12-15, First Nations leaders announced they are planning to take the province to court for refusing to share profits from potash resources with First Nations.

Two court cases are an option: one would look at the way the province shares resource revenues generally and the other would focus on Saskatchewan’s potash revenues specifically. The latter would entail filing an injunction application to stop Billiton in its $38.5 billion US bid for Potash Corp.

Energy and Resources Minister Bill Boyd told CANWEST news that the government “is happy to work with First Nations, but potash and other natural resources are under the exclusive control of the provincial government.” Furthermore, he stated, the “Natural Resources Transfer Agreement of 1930 provides exclusive jurisdiction to the province in this area.”

First Nations leaders argue that “land and resource revenue sharing aspects of treaties signed between the Crown and First Nations have been misinterpreted” and those who signed them only “offered to share the land ‘to the depth of a plow’”.

The proposed lawsuits would be filed on behalf of the 27 bands that are signatories to Treaty 4.

The ‘6th Annual National Treaties 1-11 Gathering’ was held to discuss treaty rights and develop strategies to advance, promote, and exercise treaty.