(Government of Saskatchewan/Northern Saskatchewan Administration District)

By Nicole Reis

NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL

FSIN says recreational travel in North is unfair while others still face public health order

May 26, 2020 | 5:26 PM

Indigenous groups are calling on Government Relations Minister Lori Carr to address recreational travel while there are northern restrictions in place to curb the spread of COVID-19. They’re claiming the rules unfairly help visitors while hurting primary residents, but the government insists everyone travelling for non-essential purposes is being denied access.

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), along with Canoe Lake Cree First Nation (CLCFN) and Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) issued a letter to minister Carr requesting consultation and outlining several concerns.

On May 1, the provincial government issued a public health order – with strict measures – restricting travel across the entire Northern Saskatchewan Administration District (NSAD) due to the COVID-19 outbreak in La Loche. The restrictions were eased May 12 to only cover the province’s northwest region. Premier Scott Moe said the decision to relax those restrictions came after consultation with community leaders.

In a press release, FSIN allege a double standard exists as residents from the South can potentially travel freely into the North for recreational purposes, while northern residents are restricted to travel into the South only for essential services.

“The province is practising a double standard when it comes to allowing recreational visitors into the North, while still unfairly targeting and questioning northerners trying to travel South for essential services and groceries,” Canoe Lake Cree First Nation Chief Francis Iron said in the release.

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He said there has been an emphasis on northerners having to justify their travel and their essential needs.

“This treatment has triggered some severe trauma for a number of our community members that are Residential School survivors,” Iron said. “We also have serious issues with the continued lack of consultation by the provincial government.”

“We have seen an influx in vacationers coming up North to use their recreational cabins. A number of our traditional land users and fishermen have also been seeing a lot of non-essential visitors fishing on the lakes,” MLTC Tribal Chief Richard Ben said in the release. “We agree that there is a need to limit travel in the North due to COVID-19, but why isn’t that same need for travel restrictions not being enforced upon southern vacationers coming into the North and possibly transmitting this virus across the province? This double standard must stop.”

“Opening our traditional territory to please recreational users and cabin owners from southern Saskatchewan is not an essential service or need right now and it is placing their lives and the lives of First Nations people in the area at risk” FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said. “We are calling for open dialogue with the provincial government to work on a joint collaborative effort to end this pandemic together.”

Minister Lori Carr told meadowlakeNOW anyone coming from the North going into the South, whether for a medical appointment, for work or for specialized groceries to provide for their family which isn’t immediately available in the north, are absolutely allowed past checkpoints and are not turned around. If an individual arrives at a checkpoint and it is determined that no real essentials are needed, then they will be asked to stay in the area.

“With people coming up from the South and going to the North, it’s the same type of procedure except if you don’t have a primary residence in the NSAD, or if you’re not up delivering essential goods or have a reason to be working for essential reasons in the north, you’re not let through either,” minister Carr said. “People are not let through when the health order is in place to go to their cabin. When they go through our check stops, they are screened and people are turned away accordingly.”

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722