Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈 Elder J.C. Catholique said it was a SA国际影视传媒渟cary momentSA国际影视传媒� when Environment and Natural Resources officers raided a Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈 First Nation cultural camp at Timber Bay, on Artillery Lake, last September, searching for illegally harvested caribou meat in a mobile no-hunting zone.
ItSA国际影视传媒檚 clear the impact of the territorial governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 actions will not soon be forgotten.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was nothing like I would ever expect to see, something I have never been a part of before,SA国际影视传媒� said Catholique. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e always had that freedom to go where I wanted to go, and have a good time SA国际影视传媒� you know, in my part of the country. So, you know, to have authorities come in and make you feel powerless, you know? You canSA国际影视传媒檛 do anything on your homelandSA国际影视传媒� so it was a tense moment.
SA国际影视传媒淭hey came in and pretty well demanded that they search the camp.
SA国际影视传媒淎nd as far as I was concerned, you know, we didnSA国际影视传媒檛 hunt the (caribou) in that no-hunting zone. Because, at a community level, we had a public meeting before and we developed a caribou stewardship plan and the whole community agreed that we wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 hunt in that no-hunting zone. Because itSA国际影视传媒檚 our way of showing that we will do whatever it takes to bring back that caribou herd,SA国际影视传媒� Catholique added.
In December, News/North reported that at a recent Dene Nation Leadership meeting SA国际影视传媒渢he delegates unanimously voted to seek an apology, a full investigation into the incident and the resignations of the GNWT staff who participated in the authorization of the search.SA国际影视传媒�
Archie Catholique spoke strongly about next steps, saying, SA国际影视传媒淪omeone at that level SA国际影视传媒� the minister Shane Thompson SA国际影视传媒� should do the right thing and apologize to the people of Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈. And if he doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 do that, then this whole thing looks like itSA国际影视传媒檚 based on discrimination, on racism. You know, our people have a treaty, right? SA国际影视传媒ut there was no land or anything that was discussed at that time. It was just between the two governments to set up SA国际影视传媒� it was for peace and friendship, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what it was, so we could live together. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 still never happened to this day.
SA国际影视传媒淚f that Wildlife Act wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 pushed down the throat of Indigenous people, you would never see that today, what happened in Timber Bay. That has never had the input of Indigenous people. Legislation they write, and then they bring (Indigenous peoples) in after the fact, and weSA国际影视传媒檙e told there is no room for improvement. It might be the same thing down the road.
SA国际影视传媒淲hat the GNWT may have forgotten,SA国际影视传媒� Archie adds with a hushed seriousness, SA国际影视传媒渋s that they do not represent the Crown. We have a treaty. The prime minister is talking about reconciliation. What does that mean? In my mind, here, it is always to implement the treaty SA国际影视传媒� the treaty of 1900, right? But there is always a hush about sovereignty SA国际影视传媒� they donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to talk about that.
SA国际影视传媒淏ut theySA国际影视传媒檒l have to deal with that sometime. They will have to deal with it down the road. It will have to be discussed.SA国际影视传媒�
According to the ENR website, Thompson is quoted saying, SA国际影视传媒淥ur government is listening. We are working with Indigenous governments and organizations. We are taking action as partners so future generations will be able to harvest. We have increased the enforcement presence along the winter road by truck, snow machine, and helicopter. We are looking out for illegal meat sales online and in our communities. We are asking people to follow the law and laying charges against those who do not.SA国际影视传媒�
