The Saskatchewan government has greenlit the transfer of additional Crown mineral rights to the federal government on behalf of Pasqua First Nation, Flying Dust First Nation, and Mistawasis Nêhiyawak.
The move supported the First Nations’ Treaty Land Entitlement agreements and is the first Crown mineral rights transfer under the Mistawasis Nêhiyawak Treaty Land Entitlement Settlement Agreement. The Mistawasis Nêhiyawak transfer involves approximately 333.5 hectares of Crown mineral rights.
The provincial government approved the transfer of approximately 17.1 hectares of Crown mineral rights for Flying Dust First Nation, bringing the total Crown mineral rights approved for transfer under the Saskatchewan Treaty Land Entitlement Framework Agreement for Flying Dust First Nation to about 5,640 hectares. The province greenlit the transfer of approximately 64.4 hectares of Crown mineral rights for Pasqua First Nation, bringing the total Crown mineral rights approved for transfer under the Pasqua Band Treaty Land Entitlement Settlement Agreement to roughly 1,590 hectares.
“Treaty Land Entitlement is an important part of our shared responsibility to honour Treaty commitments in reserve land allocations. Each transfer helps create long-term opportunities for economic growth that benefit First Nations and communities across Saskatchewan,” said Eric Schmalz, minister responsible for First Nations, Métis and Northern Affairs, in a statement.
Per the Saskatchewan government, the government relations ministry coordinates with Entitlement First Nations and the federal government to implement the reserve creation process in line with Treaty land entitlement agreements. The federal government inked Treaties 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 with First Nations in the area currently considered Saskatchewan over 1871-1906.
The Saskatchewan and federal governments formally acknowledged that 36 Saskatchewan First Nations were not granted the land promised to them in the Treaties. The governments signed the Saskatchewan Treaty Land Entitlement Framework Agreement with 25 First Nations in 1992 to establish a framework addressing outstanding land entitlement obligations.
Since then, eight other such agreements have been inked with individual First Nations.