First Nations have new weapon in traditional land disputes with Sask. government — maps – CBC
Jul 27, 2023
For the first time, Sask. First Nations can see extent of Crown land privatization in their territory
Saskatchewan First Nations say the provincial government is keeping them in the dark as it privatizes land within their traditional territories.
“They started these land sales without our knowledge,” said Onion Lake Cree Nation’s Okimaw (Chief) Henry Lewis.
Lewis and others had heard about individual plots of public or “Crown” land being sold or leased, but they didn’t know the full extent.
That’s all changing. They have new weapons in this fight — a comprehensive series of maps created by the Saskatchewan First Nations Natural Resources Centre of Excellence.
It’s the result of hundreds of hours of data collection and analysis at the centre’s office outside Saskatoon.
The maps show the exact location and sizes of Crown land sales, and the centre is sharing them with every First Nation in the province.
