The Offical Opposition is calling on the Sask. Party government to overhaul the Duty to Consult process instead of making amendments.
Duty to Consult is when the Government must consult with First Nation and Metis communities to fulfilling its legal obligation to consult and accommodate First Nation and Métis communities in advance of decisions or actions that affect treaty and aboriginal rights and traditional uses of land and resources.
Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations Betty Nippi-Albright was joined by a delegation of Indigenous leadership from Onion Lake Cree Nation, and Fishing Lake First Nation critiqued the province’s recently announced consultations which aim to amend an existing policy.
“The province announced a month ago it was going to refresh its broken duty to consult policy framework through consultations. Instead of making meaningful changes that would enshrine consultation into law, they are only tweaking this outdated and archaic policy that will allow them to continue the status quo, resulting in no real action on meaningful Duty to Consult in this province,” said Nippi-Albright. “We don’t need more ineffective policies when it comes to Duty to Consult; we need legislation. Policy is not enforceable — legislation is.”
Under the current framework, the Government can decide whether or not a project triggers the duty to consult with no input from the impacted First Nation community.
Numerous Indigenous leaders across Saskatchewan have spoken out against the Sask. The Government’s rushed consultation relied on emails and online surveys rather than community consultations.
Chief Henry Lewis of Onion Lake Cree Nation said treaties were entered before the province was even created.
“Our Treaties are the laws of the land,” he said. “The Treaty must be at the centre of any laws, regulations and policies that impact our peoples and Nations. Our Treaties are international, and therefore we expect the Government to come meet with us on any policies that affect our Treaties.”
