Dancers from the Constable Robin Cameron Educational Complex. Photo by Joel Willick.
On September 22, 1992, the Government of Saskatchewan, Government of Canada and 25 First Nations signed the first ever Treaty Land Entitlement agreement.
The purpose of these agreements was to address long outstanding claims on treaty land. Since they were first signed, over 860,000 acres of reserve land have been created.
At an event in Saskatoon on Thursday, stakeholders came together to celebrate the legacy of the historic agreement and discuss how the process can be improved moving forward.
Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Chief, Bobby Cameron, was in high school when the agreements were first signed.
“I look back now over twenty years later, and I can see it has provided some really good opportunity,” said Cameron. “Look at 2017, SIGA casinos are all on First Nations land, giving them the ability to contribute and be a part of the economy.”
Chief Cameron admits, the agreements aren’t without their issues, but he says the FSIN is working to improve the process.
“It took close to 20 years to transfer nearly 1,000,000 acres to become First Nation status,” he said. “Let’s speed that up, it shouldn’t take that long, and our people can’t wait.”
Larry Doke, the Provincial Minister for First Nation, Metis and Northern Affairs, says the TLE has opened the door for economic development opportunities on First Nations.
“The Government of Saskatchewan remains committed to this process and to ongoing cooperation with our partners as we travel this road together,” he said.
Since 1992, eight other First Nations have signed similar agreements and negotiations with several other First Nations communities are ongoing.