Fisher River Cree Nation, Treaty 5 Territory – Manitoba First Nations protest Bill 57 “Protection of Critical Infrastructure Act” — also called the anti-protest bill. Fisher River Cree Nation, Treaty 5 Territory – The Treaty 5 Nations in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario will resist all permits, licenses or other land dispositions issued by the governments unless approvals are obtained by First Nations in accordance with the Declaration on Natural Resources on Treaty 5 Territory. Treaty 5 covers most of central and northern Manitoba and extends into the Saskatchewan and Ontario borders. The Declaration on Natural Resources on Treaty 5 Territory was adopted at the Summit of Treaty 5 Sovereign Nations on January 27 & 28, 2021. Chief Sheldon Kent, Black River First Nation stated, “I believe the work permits issued by the governments must cease until the baseline and standards are met according to our expectations and approvals. Land allocation disparities and compensation for loss of use are an ongoing concern especially the lack of access of our own resources. New legislative restrictions put in place by Manitoba exasperates this concern.”

Chief David Crate, Fisher River Cree Nation stated: “There is now a paradigm shift on how we deal with natural resource extractions in our territories and its time we deal with this in the spirit of Treaty Justice, Truth and Reconciliation, and United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. As a mover of the declaration, I am fully aware of the challenges ahead to fulfil our Treaty rights. The government has mitigated on the duty to consult doctrine’s intent and purpose to adequately accommodate the First Nations. Proponents such as Berger, Sunterra Horticulture (Canada) Inc. and Sun Gro Horticulture acquire permits to extract peat moss in our territory but have not met our standards and concerns of the wildlife”.