Dealing with Sask. First Act one of treaty commissioner's top priorities for 2023
CBC
Last year, Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan Mary Culbertson was critical of the proposed Saskatchewan First Act and now, in 2023, she is questioning the basis, accuracy and respect of treaty rights of the bill.
The provincial government introduced the Saskatchewan First Act last November, stating the act would assert exclusive provincial jurisdiction over natural resources in Saskatchewan.
Indigenous advocates have said the act threatens inherent and treaty rights of Indigenous people. The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, which represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan, has called for blockades while it organizes legal action against the provincial government.
Culbertson said she believes the Saskatchewan First Act does offend inherent and treaty rights.
"Just because a government says it doesn't infringe on rights, doesn't necessarily mean that's the facts or truth," she said.
"Who do they have stating it's not going to infringe on [treaty] rights? Do they have policy advisors and experts who actively exercise treaty and inherent rights to know what an offence to those rights are?"
In a statement announcing the bill, the provincial government stated: "The Act amends the Constitution of Saskatchewan to clearly confirm Saskatchewan's sovereign autonomy and asserts Saskatchewan's exclusive legislative jurisdiction under the Constitution of Canada over a number of areas."
Culbertson said the "Constitution of Saskatchewan" does not exist.
Joyce Green, a professor emerita at the University of Regina in political science, said, "Really there isn't such a thing as an independent constitution; the provinces and federal governments are created and defined by the British North America Act of 1867, now renamed the Constitution Act of 1876."
The preamble of the Saskatchewan First Act states Saskatchewan attained full status and autonomy over Crown lands and natural resources through the Natural Resources Transfer Act (NRTA) of 1930, between the federal government and the Prairie provinces.
Culbertson said the NRTA has been at odds with treaty rights since its inception.
"That's my opinion as a treaty commissioner into what the treaties were supposed to be, the intent of them, the spirit and intent of them, and negotiations around the treaties," she said,
"The NRTA is something that should not have happened."
Green said the NRTA "certainly" conflicts with treaty rights.
After several delays to the mission that will take four astronauts around the moon, NASA held a press conference today announcing that Artemis II is on track to launch as early as April 1.
Snuneymuxw First Nation is calling for a temporary closure and environmental investigation of a hazardous waste services company following a January oil spill on Duke Point near Nanaimo, B.C.
In February, five people were killed in separate avalanches across B.C. and Alberta. That same month, more than a dozen people were killed in California and Utah, including a particularly deadly avalanche that claimed the lives of nine. In Europe, from Andorra to Slovakia, the season has recorded 125 deaths from avalanches so far.
Getting a proper vehicle to transport people for urgent medical care is an ongoing challenge in fly-in First Nations in northwestern Ontario.
A new supergroup of musicians from Six Nations of the Grand River and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation have collaborated on a Robbie Robertson-inspired song they will perform at the Junos Honouring Ceremony later this month in Hamilton.
People as young as 45 should be invited to provincial and territorial programs to screen for colorectal cancer, the Canadian Cancer Society urged on Wednesday.
The Métis Nation-Saskatchewan (MN-S) has opened an office and retail space in Ottawa to create a stronger presence in the capital since removing itself from the Métis National Council in 2024.
Toronto resident Winhan Wong's lung cancer journey began in 2016, with a nagging cough that just wouldn't go away.
Last month, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak pointed out on social media that history was made this year because there are a record 164 female chiefs serving across the country.
Most of humanity has a great propensity to think in the short-term, but generally, long-term considerations — air pollution, deforestation and emissions, for example — just aren't our thing.
As the COVID-19 pandemic began to unfold in early April 2020, Kolter Bouchard was just weeks into fatherhood when he noticed a lump on his neck.
Advocates and health care providers say they remain concerned about First Nations kids seeking services under Jordan's Principle even after the Canadian government’s recent promise of $1.55 billion in funding.
Contrary to science fiction, black holes are not portals to other dimensions or cosmic vacuum cleaners that swallow up everything around them.