Casino plans shared with province

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A band in southeast Saskatchewan agreed last week to finally talk with provincial officials about their plans to set up a casino on their reserve.

Chief Bernard Shepherd of the White Bear band met with Saskatchewan Justice Minister Bob Mitchell Feb. 22. The meeting marks the end of nearly a week of stalling during which time Shepherd refused to discuss the fate of the Bear Claw Casino.

The band announced plans Feb. 16 to open the gambling facility in a golf course clubhouse on the reserve 200 kilometres southeast of Regina.

The unlicensed facilities would operate in direct violation of provincial gaming regulations to allow the band to exercise "self-government and self-determination," Shepherd said.

The dozen video lottery terminals and card tables arrived too late for the original opening scheduled for Feb. 19, so the event was postponed for one week, a band spokesman said.

Although details of their 90-minute meeting at the provincial legislature were not available, Shepherd and Mitchell both said the central issue is one of jurisdiction.

Native leaders all over Saskatchewan are concerned that the province is organizing to keep Indian bands from opening their own casinos.

Roland Crowe, chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, said the province was headed for a confrontation with Natives by ruling out a Native gaming commission and refusing to allow Native-run casinos.

"Before we know it, there will be First Nations setting up casinos," he said. "There will be protests and marches."

The province released a report Feb. 19 suggesting Native-run casinos in the province were not out of the question.

But Saskatchewan Minister of Finance and minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Gaming Commission, Janice MacKinnon, said any such development

would be strictly limited.

MacKinnon said the report found a limited casino market in the province. Projects must involve the participation of government, Native groups and exhibition associations.

And any casino developments would have to be consistent with the size of the community involved. This way, the government could maintain regulatory control of gaming while permitting Natives to share in casino revenues, she said.

But the province is wrong in suggesting there is no demand for more casinos, said Crowe. Scores of Saskatchewan residents travel to the U.S. every week and the province is missing the boat.

And chief Larry Lafond of the Muskeg Lake band said Natives are not about to allow the province to claim control over activities on reserves.

"It's a fundamental question," he said. "We will not give up jurisdiction - we never will. The province does not have authority on our land."

While Crowe does not necessarily agree with the White Bear band's confrontational approach, he said he supports the principles involved - self-government and control over reserve land.