Indigenous communities potentially impacted by the sale of Crown Land would shape how consultation occurs in some first of its kind legislation in Canada that was introduced at the Legislature.
Last October when the provincial government posted 8,392 acres of Crown land for public auction without meaningfully consulting Indigenous rights holders, Nippi-Albright was moved along with Indigenous leaders to action. This legislation is the result.
“It would ensure Indigenous communities potentially impacted by the sale or use of Crown Land would shape how consultation occurs and with whom it would occur,” said Nippi-Albright in a media release. “This is legislation driven by Indigenous Peoples, for the meaningful consultation of Indigenous Peoples. We all deserve a seat at the table.”
Chief Evan Taypotat of the Kahkewistahaw First Nation supports Nippi-Albright’s bill.
“Potash companies throw us a trinket and a bead,” said Taypotat at a media conference Wednesday. “All the nice jobs go to non-Indigenous folks and we’re the ones left here on our First Nation. We’re the original people on this land. Why are we treated the worst?”
Taypotat said they would like greater involvement in the procurement process.
“Not just shovel in the ground jobs, we want management jobs. We want leadership jobs,” he said. “If you go to our post-secondary schools now, they are filled with Indigenous students.”
Taypotat pointed out that 50 kilometres from Kahkewistahaw is the town of Esterhazy, with “million dollar homes, opportunity aplenty, nice stores” while at Kahkewistahaw, they’re still battling effects from residential schools and have third world living conditions.
“When these potash companies come into our territory, we want to sit at the table with them,” he said. “First and foremost we want to protect the environment. We’re environment protectors (and) water protectors. We’re kinda there but we’re not there.”
He said currently they are having to beg for input into the nearby potash industry and related fields.
“When I started university in 2000… the fact in Saskatchewan was Indians are over there, white guys are here at the table, lets make them millionaires,” he said. “That’s what it was. Now we refer to them as First Nations and we’re sitting at the tables. But we’re still… getting really just trinkets and beads from the big companies.”
Taypotat said they don’t want handouts but want to work and produce product. he said that in Fort St. John, industry asks First Nations for consultations.
“In Saskatchewan, we have a long way to go.”
The legislation would bring Saskatchewan in line with the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
“Moving forward on land deals without Indigenous People while Treaty Land Entitlement obligations go unfulfilled is not meaningful consultation, and it certainly isn’t reconciliation,” Nippi-Albright said in the media release. “Indigenous Peoples have been ignored by the provincial government for far too long and it gives me great pride to call on their behalf for meaningful consultation.”