A new sign declaring “no trespassing, no hunting, and no fishing” for non-Indigenous visitors by the Sagkeeng First Nation has ignited controversy and debate over access to hunting grounds.
The signage comes amid controversy over recent B.C. land title rulings and park access bans that some say restrict property and mobility rights for non-Indigenous Canadians.
The Manitoba Wildlife Federation made a statement on Facebook noting they were “made aware that the Sagkeeng First Nation erected signage at the intersection of highways 313 & 315” and that the MWF would further advise “if this will have any repercussions for anglers/hunters/property owners.”
“We strongly believe we need shared management, we’ve been asking for this for over a decade now, from different governments of all stripes — we need everybody at the table making informed decisions,” federation senior policy adviser Chris Heald told the Winnipeg Free Press.
“We recognize the Indigenous have first right to the resource, but it’s not exclusive.”
Another individual took to Instagram calling the situation “tense,” and reporting additional “blockades and highway roadblocks” to prevent non-Indigenous licensed hunters from accessing Sagkeeng First Nations territory.
The Misipawistik Cree Nation filed a lawsuit Wednesday in the Court of King’s Bench, asking the court to cancel licences issued for three game hunting areas on its traditional land northwest of Lake Winnipeg and surrounding areas.
The suit alleges the harvesting by licensed hunters infringes on the community’s right to hunt moose for food amid dwindling populations.
“What we’re trying to do is force the province into a better moose management system. And our treaty rights that are constitutionally protected need to have the top priority after conservation before any licences can be issued,” Chief Heidi Cook said Thursday.