WHITE BEAR FIRST NATION -- Casinos remain closed across the province, but the chief of a Saskatchewan First Nation is hoping he can strike a deal with the provincial government that will change the way casinos on Indigenous lands are managed when they reopen.
White Bear First Nation Chief Nathan Pasap has written to the provincial government with the hope of setting up a meeting to discuss the return plan for casinos and the framework that governs them.
“We need to open our casinos, we need to get our employees back to work, we need to start generating a profit for all 74 nations throughout the province,” Pasap said.
Pasap said restaurants and bars are open with access to VLTs, so he doesn’t see why casinos can’t do the same. He said the province has not indicated when they may open again.
With public health protocols already in place from when they were closed in December, Pasap said the casinos could likely be ready to open within days, even if it the capacity is limited.
“From their side there has been zero communication, zero consultation. I can’t force somebody to come to the table, but I can raise awareness,” he said.
According to Pasap, with all seven Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) locations currently closed, over 1,500 employees are out of work.
"Under the current public health order in effect until April 19, casinos will remain closed. As the vaccine rollout progresses, and the number of cases continue to trend in a positive direction, we are optimistic more activities will re-open,” the Government of Saskatchewan said in a statement.
GAMING FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT
Pasap also wants to discuss a section in the Gaming Framework Agreement that talks about developing proposals to allow First Nations full jurisdiction in relation to all forms of gaming on reserves. It’s something Pasap said has never been worked on since the agreement was signed in 2002.
“These are federal lands, so provincial jurisdiction doesn’t extend onto the reserve,” Pasap said. “The province hasn’t put in a cent into any of these casinos. They haven’t invested one penny into any of our casinos, we have done that as First Nations.”
Pasap said through the agreement, the casino’s share 25 per cent of profits with a community development corporation, for projects in nearby towns. Another 25 per cent goes directly to the province, and 50 per cent is shared among Saskatchewan’s 74 First Nations communities. In return, SIGA gets 25 per cent of the profits from Casino’s Regina and Moose Jaw.
Pasap said SIGA casinos could start operating without permission from the province, but they’re not doing that out of respect for a hopeful meeting with the Saskatchewan government.
