A dispute over clear cutting of traditional First Nations land has drawn the intervention of the Council of Canadians.
The organization has made public a letter to Scott Moe, the newly-appointed provincial environment minister, to voice opposition to the clear cutting of lands about 30 kilometres north of Leoville.
The letter is in relation to a protest by Sylvia McAdam, one of the Idle No More co-founders, taking place on the land. The land is part of Treaty 6 territory.
According to the letter, she was present on the land trying to protect it from being clear cut. According to the council letter, the traditional hunting lands belong to the McAdam family.
The letter, signed by Jim Elliott, chairperson of the Council of Canadians’ Regina chapter, accuses the government of allowing Sakaw Askiy Management Inc. of clear cutting traditional treaty land.
The council formally asked Moe to intervene and stop the clear cutting. Portions of the correspondence read as follows:
“Dear Minister,
“It has come to our attention through Ms. Sylvia MacAdam that your government has allowed Sakaw Askiy Management Inc. to clear cut traditional treaty land and that Sylvia McAdam is currently trying to protect her family's hunting lands from their clear cut by being present on the land.
“It is our belief as well as by others that by your complicity in the letting of the Forest Management Area permits, you are violating the treaty terms and promises by allowing this logging company to clear cut any hunting lands without the consent of Treaty peoples. In this case, the traditional hunting lands are held by the McAdam family.
“The four chapters, Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Quill Plains, with others, are asking you as minister to intervene on this urgent matter because the province is complicit with the logging company.
“We are also asking through this letter the general manager of Sakaw Askiy Management Inc., Ian MacIver, to stop violating the treaties of this country.
“… We ask that you make this your highest priority at this time and have the logging company stop so that the traditional hunting lands of Sylvia McAdam's family can be protected from clear cutting.
“We look forward to your quick response on this matter.”
Since then, there has been some progress reported.
On Sept. 1 on her Facebook page, McAdam posted a couple of videos in which she said there was some “good news,” there would not be clear cutting happening for about two kilometres around her shelter or close to the hunting lands. The trees would stay at this point, she said.
She called it a small victory, but added there’s still “a lot of clear cutting happening.” McAdam also thanked the Council of Canadians for sending their letter to the government.
