Doug Cuthand: Federal policies hold First Nations people back

Monday, August 13, 2012  

"When it comes to the federal government and the First Nations we have a case of two solitudes. The federal government has an agenda that suits its right-wing plan and the First Nations agenda is far more realistic and visionary.

This fall the federal government will unveil legislation to allow private ownership of land on reserves.

What this means remains to be seen, but if it means the privatization and sale of First Nations land then it is a non-starter. First Nations have a strong connection to the land and in the past we have seen more than half the reserve land in Saskatchewan disappear through sale and neglect on the part of the federal government.

In addition many First Nations never received their allotment of land under the treaties in the first place."

Get the Story:
Doug Cuthand: Natives want resource revenue, not private land (The Saskatoon StarPhoenix 8/10)