The Thunderchild First Nation was in a Saskatoon courtroom this morning challenging the federal government’s decision to put the band under third party management.
The Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development has made the decision as the result of Thunderchild refusing to sign its contribution funding agreement.
The band says it is refusing to sign because the government continues to makes changes to the agreement without proper consultation.
There were a number of spectators on hand at the hearing including Onion Lake Cree Nation Chief Wallace Fox.
Onion Lake has also refused to sign its CFA, but as of yet has not been put been under third party management.
Fox says the federal government has no basis for putting the Thunderchild band under the management of an outside group.
He argues a band is placed under third party management only if there are financial difficulties or irregularities — adding that Thunderchild is not in that situation.
Assembly of First Nations leadership candidate Ghislain Picard was also in attendance.