FIRST NATIONS SAY GOVERNMENTS ARE MISLEADING FOREIGN INDUSTRY LEADERS
- Apr 11, 2023
- 2 min read
Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatoon SK – The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) says international companies and foreign investors are being misled about the political and economic climate and they should not come to Saskatchewan to extract natural resources.
“We aren’t going to accept companies coming into our backyards to extract the riches from the ground without including First Nations. The province is promoting that our critical minerals are up for grabs and international companies are welcome to set-up shop to extract them. Scott Moe, cabinet ministers and experts recently went to India to promote trade, while excluding First Nations from resource revenue sharing. We do not have a seat at the table to discuss business for First Nations and with First Nations people,” said FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron.
FSIN Executive leadership wants to send a message to industry, that First Nations are the owners of the resources beneath the ground. First Nations Inherent and Treaty rights to those resources are enshrined in international law. Saskatchewan has nine international trade offices.
“We won’t accept crumbs from the side of the table. Only a couple of bands have agreements for employment with companies and some right-to-access compensation. Those agreements are hard-fought and only with a few bands when there are over 70 First Nations in the province who should also benefit. There is no resource royalty revenue from the province flowing to First Nations from oil, gas, potash, gold, helium, rare earth, and critical minerals. The Government of Saskatchewan is not being truthful with companies about who owns the province’s natural resources as they continue to bulldoze First Nations Inherent and Treaty rights enshrined in international rights,” said Chief Cameron.
FSIN is mobilizing to make foreign interests aware that natural resource extraction is not as simple as governments claim.
About FSIN
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan. The Federation is committed to honouring the spirit and intent of the Treaties, as well as the promotion, protection and implementation of the Treaty promises that were made more than a century ago.
For more information or an interview, please contact:
Lisa Risom
Director of Communications
Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations
10 - 134 Kahkewistahaw Crescent
Treaty Six Territory
Saskatoon, SK S7R 0M9
Cell: 306-987-0505 | FSIN Office: 306-665-1215
Email: communications@fsin.com
