Sask. First Nation issues notice of obligation to consult to all industry stakeholders

The Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation (SBDFB) is notifying all industry entities that they have a duty to consult the Framework for all current and future projects.

The announcement comes a week after the Canadian government issued a formal statement and apology to SBDFB over its mistreatment of the nation dating back more than a century.

Sovereignty for the nation and control over their land are now major concerns.

“We let them know that we never gave up our airspace, our land, our water and our resources,” SBDFB Chief Roger Redman told CTV News.

“That’s what we’re saying and now we’re in a positive position to aggressively defend that lawsuit.”

The duty to consult is the Crown’s legal obligation to consult and, where appropriate, accommodate Indigenous peoples before making decisions that may infringe on Aboriginal and treaty rights.

On July 15, the Dakota Dunes Casino just south of Saskatoon hosted the historic apology. Hundreds of tribal members and supporters gathered to witness the event.

Mervin Phillips, a lawyer working with SNDFB, says the Nation has been discriminated against in the past. However, the Nation and its members are willing to build a future with others based on reconciliation.

“They don’t want to be considered second-class citizens in any way. They want to take their rightful place in the Canadian constitutional framework and the Canadian business community,” Phillips said.

According to Redman, the apologies and emphasis on the duty to advise make this a great time to be part of the nation.

He further said that no other countries have yet contacted the SBDFN, but he wants to let them know that they will work with others to pursue the sovereignty of indigenous peoples.