Clients of The Lighthouse Serving the Battlefords will have some fresh food for the Christmas season thanks to the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations.
FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron and a number of others, including Chief Crystal Okemow of Lucky Man Cree Nation and Chief Kenny Moccasin of Saulteaux First Nation, were at the Lighthouse Tuesday to drop off their donation of wild meat.
The meat includes such items as elk and wild boar, and it was obtained during recent hunts by Indigenous hunters in Saskatchewan as well as Alberta. Different treaty hunters were involved, including ones from Saulteaux and Lucky Man, among others.
According to Chief Cameron, this traditional Indigenous food will help Lighthouse clients, the majority of whom are Indigenous people. As well, this initiative is in keeping with First Nations’ treaty rights.
“We’re exercising our treaty right to hunt, and our treaty people are going to enjoy a traditional meal,” said Cameron.
“Some of us are more than happy to do it. I’ve been doing this all my life, just now I’m able to do it on a provincial scale, now.”
Close to 500 lbs of food were donated to the Lighthouse, Cameron estimated.
He called this initiative their “way of giving back” this holiday season.
This is an annual initiative by FSIN dating back to 2014. In addition to The Lighthouse in North Battleford, FSIN has made other donations of wild meat this Christmas season.
Earlier in the day the group had dropped off food for Prince Albert Food Bank, and on Wednesday they were due to drop off food at the SIIT campus and The Lighthouse in Saskatoon.
“Our cooks will be happy as will many of the residents with this donation,” said Kerry Reimer, general manager of The Lighthouse in North Battleford. The plan is to portion out the meat to their clients so that there is enough throughout the holiday season.
