Photo Credit: Tina Pelletier Indigenous Creature Communications

The first dedicated Indigenous-focused first ministers’ meeting in over two decades took place in Ottawa on Monday.

Chiefs from across Saskatchewan joined the congregation, drawing awareness to topics such as a profound need for First Nations policing, the Natural Resources Transfer Agreement, new infrastructure requirements, and the Cumberland House Saskatchewan River Delta.

Chief Johnathan Pasap of White Bear First Nation was one of many Canadian chiefs in Ottawa.

He says it is the first meeting to focus solely on Indigenous issues in quite some time.

“One commitment we need is to have this first nations first ministers meeting to be ongoing. That’s what we need…It’s been over 20 years since having this, so it’s been an amazing accomplishment for our national chief to get this done. Getting that commitment for yearly meetings like this would be very important.”

Cumberland House Cree Nation Chief Rene Chaboyer says the delta is dying and help from the government is needed.

“The Delta is so powerful when to comes to sinking carbon and storing it in the ground and keeping the earth from further speeding up the process of global warming. We’re trying to save what’s left of it.”

The Saskatchewan River Delta is the largest freshwater inland river delta in North America, covering roughly 9,700 to 10,000 square kilometers across the border of east-central Saskatchewan and west-central Manitoba.

James Smith Cree Nation Chief Kirby Constant spoke to media as well, stating that police with a background on Indigenous culture are the key to keeping people out of jail.

“First Nation policing is big on our agenda in Saskatchewan, because without the First Nation policing, we feel the RCMP is not fulfilling their requirements to keep our community safe. The public safety aspect is really big on our forefront.”

PAGC Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte adds, “We want, of course, action from the federal government. They asked for solutions. The chiefs provided those solutions.” He calls for concrete follow-through.