The Tuesday meetings between AFN National Chief Perrry Bellegarde and First Nations leadership. Photo courtesy Twitter
The current situation in a northern Saskatchewan community is expected to be a topic of discussion at a national meeting in Vancouver this week.
On Wednesday and Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is meeting with Indigenous leaders and Canada’s premiers to discuss Canada’s role in climate change.
Community leaders from Wollaston Lake and Hatchet Lake First Nation say climate change has negatively affected access into their community.
They recently unveiled their own proposal for an all-season road to replace the current ice road into their community.
Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) Chief Bobby Cameron says the ice road situation in Hatchet Lake may be a hot topic of discussion during these meetings.
“It’s dangerous because the lake has not frozen to its full potential because of a warmer winter and that is due in part to climate change,” says Chief Cameron. “It is coming to a real grave and dire situation.”
In addition to the situation in Hatchet Lake, the FSIN Chief says Indigenous leaders will continue to stand up for inherent and treaty rights during the meetings.