The Peepeekisis First Nation has told Ottawa it won’t sign onto the government’s contribution funding agreement.
According to a headman with the First Nation, the band is unhappy with the way the deal was struck.
In an interview, Allan Bird says Peepeekisis hasn’t been consulted over the terms of the deal, but has been essentially been told it must agree to support government legislation — both present and future.
As a result, he says the band will do without the money until it gets a new deal or can meet with the minister.
He adds they have been told they will be put under third-party management if they do not sign the agreement:
“We have funding in place. We don’t have any extra businesses on the outside. But we’ll make our stand. And if they threaten us with a third party, it will be kind of tough on our community — especially when financially we’re good . . . . and we have a hard time seeing a third party coming in here and doing that.”
Bird says the band already had district and regional meetings with officials and that’s why they want to meet with someone in authority.
The Onion Lake Cree Nation also recently sparred with Ottawa over its contribution funding agreement.