The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations says its partners in Manitoba should have talked to them before the recent media blow-up about hunting rights.
On Tuesday, FSIN officials met with Premier Brad Wall, Environment Minister Herb Cox, and others to talk about pressing issues – including the Manitoba hunting rights dispute.
Earlier this month, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs’ (AMC) Grand Chief, Derek Nepinak, said our province has stifled hunting and gathering by his people.
Premier Brad Wall fired back that treaty rights don’t trump the rules of hunting on private property.
FSIN has largely stayed silent on the issue, but did provide support to the AMC by calling for a meeting between leadership with the FSIN, AMC, and Saskatchewan and Manitoba’s premiers.
However, the way AMC initially approached the issue – with an early January media conference about the specific case of two Pine Creek hunters whose homes were raided, and their moose meat confiscated – left something to be desired for FSIN Vice-Chief Bob Merasty.
This is because the AMC didn’t consult them on the issue before going to media, Merasty said.
“We’re very respectful of our brothers, our fellow hunters from the Manitoba First Nations but they’ve also got to be respectful of us in Saskatchewan.”
Merasty said if the Manitoba assembly had talked to them earlier, its leaders would know that Saskatchewan and FSIN are already working on a framework on hunting rights.
In the past few months, between 10 aboriginal hunters in Saskatchewan have made complaints about conservation officers, he said.
At the Tuesday meeting, FSIN was assured that treaty rights will not be infringed on, Merasty said.
FSIN and the province seem to agree on a possible interim solution for the divide between conservation officers and indigenous hunters, Merasty said.
“Conservation officers would need to request permission or authority to enter onto first Nations land and if there’s an infringement or violation of any conservation act, so that’s the first and foremost measure we want to introduce,” he said.
He’s promoting a cooperative approach between FSIN and the province in regards to the inherent treaty right to hunt.
“We’ve got a Saskatchewan solution that’s brewing, we’re working on it. It’s sitting down and talking about these tough issues and working something out to make sure all interests are represented,” he said.
In the long run, Merasty says there will be a working relationship with the province. It might involve conservation officers taking training to understand the livelihood of hunters and trappers, and an emphasis on indigenous hunters acting in a respectful way.
“We are sitting down with Saskatchewan officials and we’re working out a solution for our people. And that’s the recommendation we made to them (the AMC) is that they make a similar request to the government of Manitoba.”
Merasty isn’t taking sides on the recent seizure of meat, although he admits taking food from someone’s family looks bad. He said we need to let the investigation take its course.
“It’s under investigation and we will not step in and interfere with that investigation. Due process needs to take place here. We don’t have all the facts, we don’t know all the facts,” Merasty said.
A meeting for FSIN, AMC, and the premiers to talk about hunting protocols will be set soon.