Kathy Hodgson-Smith is co-counsel in the harvesting rights case.
There’s still a ways to go for a harvesting rights case out of Meadow Lake.
An entire week was set aside to hear community testimony relating to Metis men who were hunting and fishing without licenses. The case of Warren Boyer, Oliver Poitras and Billy Myette will see even more people testify next month.
These three men face a similar charge, from similar areas around Meadow Lake – hunting and fishing without a license.
Between 25 and 30 Metis community members cycled through Meadow Lake’s provincial court last week.
People from as far as Fort MacMurray spoke about the cultural background of Metis people.
The right to hunt and fish is a part of Metis people’s constitutional rights – something that’s been upheld by the Supreme Court.
The issue here is that these men were considered to be out of their Metis territory.
People from Cochen, Chitek, and northwest Saskatchewan have spoken to local community history.
Poitras, Myette, and Boyer – the defendants – also took the stand last week.
There are about 15 to 20 more cultural witnesses that the defense lawyers want to bring in during further court dates on Jan. 18 and 19.
Those people will act as cultural witnesses to show what Metis consider their homeland.
Co-counsel Kathy Hodgson-Smith says her and fellow defense lawyers will be going through transcripts of testimony to make sure no local history of the Metis people is left uncovered.
As well, experts will testify in June in the case.