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First Nations to gain autonomy over lands

By: Alexandra Paul

Posted: 01/24/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

TWO Manitoba First Nations are on the road to getting the same autonomy as municipalities to develop their own lands, Ottawa announced Monday.

The Indian Act restricts land-management responsibilities, forcing First Nations to win federal approval to build gas stations, shopping malls and sidewalks or pave streets.

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Ultimately, the aboriginal affairs minister must sign off on all land development, a process that adds years to projects.

With more than half the 633 Canadian First Nations located near the border with the United States, that's a lot of valuable real estate open for development, argue supporters of the federal First Nations Lands Management Act.

"What this means is we'd have full control of our land and full management of our land. We'd be out of the Indian Act," Long Plain First Nation Chief David Meeches declared Monday from Ottawa on the eve of the Crown-First Nations summit.

Ottawa announced Monday the two Manitoba First Nations -- Long Plain and Buffalo Point -- will begin the process to opt out of the 34 land-related sections of the Indian Act and assume greater control over their reserve land and resources.

They are among 18 First Nations across the country added to the First Nations Land Management agreement, which was first announced in the 2011 budget. Some 34 other First Nations in Canada already have land deals.

To qualify, First Nations have to draft detailed land-use plans, including procedures for how lands are to be designated. Then, communities vote on the land code in a referendum and Ottawa signs off on it.

At Long Plain, located near Portage la Prairie, Monday's announcement signalled the start of that three-year process.

"I received a call over the weekend that we'd have an opportunity to look at land management and I'm very grateful," Meeches said.

For Long Plain, the immediate impact will be felt on economic decisions for urban lands in Portage la Prairie and Winnipeg the First Nation owns, Meeches said.

Last week, Long Plain's Winnipeg property, a city block at Madison Street off Silver Avenue, won federal approval in principle to become reserve land.

At Buffalo Point, Chief John Thunder welcomed the announcement.

But he said it's only a small step towards self-government for the First Nation of 500 people on the American border near Lake of the Woods.

"Instead of holding a referendum every time we want to build a gas station, we'll just have this one referendum to get universal approval for our land code," Thunder said.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 24, 2012 A3

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