Dozens of elders gathered in Fort Qu’Appelle on Tuesday for this year’s Treaty Four Elders Gathering.
Most of the discussion revolved around the importance of respecting treaties made more than 140 years ago.
Treaty Four makes up most of southern Saskatchewan and parts of Alberta and Manitoba.
Elder Northern Whitebear from Duck Bay, Man., called for Indigenous leaders to think outside the box when it comes to the treaties.
“We are sovereign citizens, living in our land,” Whitebear said. “If we want to protect sovereignty, you have to stand up for your treaties first and foremost.”
He said Treaty Four should be looked at as an international human rights instrument and indigenous people should not be working with the Canadian government, but directly with the Crown.
Whitebear pointed to the effects of resource extraction.
“We signed treaties with the Crown, not with corporations, not with provinces,” he said. “They have no jurisdiction on our territory to be discussing the future of our people.”
Elder Olive McArthur from Pheasant Rump Nakoda Nation said Indigenous people need to find a happy medium between protecting the treaties and still relying on the resources.
“We have to be green yet be amidst all this oil and gas, the petroleum industry,” McArthur said. “We still have to look for a solution in there.”
Organizers will take what is said at this event and present it to local chiefs. It will then go to the federal government’s recommendations for self-government and self-determination.
Future meetings are expected to continue throughout the year.
Based on reporting from CTV’s Creeson Agecoutay
