The Mistawasis First Nation has signed onto the First Nations Land Management Regime.
The move gives the community more say over how its land is managed and allows it to eventually implement its own land code.
Mistawasis Chief Daryl Watson says it also frees his band from having to check with Ottawa whenever it wants to make a decision about the land:
“Under the current system of the Indian Act, we have to basically get permission like a child does from a parent — like if you want to go somewhere, you have to ask permission and ‘what time are you going to be back’ mentality. It gets out of that walking down the path with big brother holding our hand.”
Other bands that have signed the deal have said it also allows them to recoup money from development projects, instead of having to send it to Ottawa first:
“It gives us more control over how we develop out lands, because under the current system, there’s a defined process and it’s very restrictive on what we can do.”
The move gives the band the ability to opt out of 34 land-related sections of the Indian Act.
Watson adds he has a lot of young people on his First Nation, and he doesn’t want to tie them down with systems that are reliant on the federal government.