An environmentalist group from northern Saskatchewan is asking what it takes to get an audience with the federal government.
The comments come in reaction to meetings in Ottawa last week between Cameco, northern leaders, and federal officials.
Candyce Paul from the Committee for Future Generations says the government needs to listen to the concerns of all First Nations.
“The government needs to step up and be responsible,” said Paul. “The outcry from Indigenous people from across this country has been huge and they are only listening to First Nations who have a lobbyist.”
She says First Nations should be able to meet with the government without industry support.
“(They) have an agreement with us and it’s called a treaty.”
In a statement, the office of the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs says Minister Bernard Valcourt regularly meets with First Nations leaders. It also says, in the past three months, Valcourt has been in Saskatchewan twice — and on those occasions, met with several Saskatchewan First Nations leaders.
A Cameco spokesperson says the point of the trip was to demonstrate the partnership growing between Cameco and these northern communities.
“There was no reason why the First Nations and Metis communities couldn’t go alone, but I think we could accomplish a lot more in partnership,” said Gord Struthers.
“We as a company have as much to gain as the leaders who joined us on that trip,” Struthers added. “The support of First Nation and Metis communities is a competitive advantage for our company and we are proud of that.”
The leaders held several meetings in Ottawa presenting on their two biggest concerns of education and infrastructure.