Bloodvein standing firm, won’t move blockade

Indigenous leaders are accusing the province of violating treaty rights for asking a First Nations community to move its checkstop that was set up to keep drugs and alcohol out.

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Kyra Wilson and Bloodvein River First Nation Chief Lisa Young say the province isn’t upholding its responsibilities under treaties signed between First Nations and the province, during a livestreamed press conference Wednesday.

“It’s really up to the discretion of the nations in which territory (hunters) are in, and the province needs to understand that as well,” Wilson said.

The province has said it sent a cease and desist letter to Bloodvein, located about 235 kilometres north of Winnipeg, about the checkstop, which has been in place since May 2025 to keep illicit substances out. The province is concerned it would restrict licensed hunters from legally hunting on the territory.

Moose hunting season opened on Sept. 21, and because discussions with the province were lacking at the time, the checkstop turned away two groups of hunters, according to Young.

Another hunter came in several days later and was permitted through because “he respected what I had to say,” Young said.

She said other hunters continue to try and bring booze through the checkstop.

Young detailed several meetings she had with Justice Minister Matt Wiebe in recent weeks and made it clear she was standing firm on keeping the checkstop in place.

“I told Minister Wiebe that we wouldn’t be moving our checkstop,” Young said, adding she asked Wiebe to meet with neighbouring First Nations chiefs to discuss the matter, which she said the minister did not do.

Young said the province has been keeping her in the dark about how many hunting tags have been issued in the designated hunting area near Bloodvein, and cited the province’s duty to consult with First Nations under treaty agreements.

The Manitoba Wildlife Federation took the First Nation to court over the blockade last year after several groups of hunters were turned away. The Court of King’s Bench ultimately sided with Bloodvein, saying hunters would be inconvenienced by the checkstop but not wholly turned away, as long as they were not taking drugs or alcohol with them.

Ovide Mercredi, former Assembly of First Nations national chief and senior advisor to the AMC, said the province is the problem, not the community.

“They should read the (Natural Resources Transfer Agreements) and not accommodate the Wildlife Federation,” Mercredi said.

The Natural Resources Transfer Agreements was a negotiation between the federal government and Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta signed in 1930 to give them control over Crown land and resources. The AFN has called on the federal government to review the agreement, claiming it violates the rights of First Nations and prohibits their ability to use land for traditional purposes without provincial interference.

The demand to remove the blockade sets a “bad precedent” by Premier Wab Kinew, Mercredi said.

“Our people have to be on alert now, because obviously we can’t depend on the province to respect their own laws and that obligation to uphold treaties will remain with us as First Nation people,” he said.

Last week during an unrelated press conference Kinew said the responsibilities under treaties works both ways.

“Treaties are about sharing the land. I know that folks in Bloodvein are passionate about the moose population, so is our minister, so is the Wildlife Federation, so are hunters generally. Nobody wants to hunt the moose to extinction,” he said.

An aerial survey of game hunting area 17B, a 7,034 square-kilometre area encompassing Bloodvein River First Nation, Poplar River First Nation and Berens River First Nation done in March 2026 showed the estimated moose population was 271, down from an estimated 387 moose in 2019.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Wiebe said Young had “the right approach” when it comes to prioritizing safety in Bloodvein, but there needs to be another way to make everyone happy.

“We’ve been clear that the checkstop needs to move, but what we’re suggesting is that there is another path forward that focuses on that public safety issue and make sure that we’re focusing on community safety,” he said.

Wiebe said he offered to design a community safety plan for Bloodvein with Young that addresses the needs of the community.

A provincial spokesperson said Wednesday the province had shared moose survey numbers with Bloodvein leadership, but hunting zone 17B does not have a set number of tags handed out yearly. Once someone gets their licence, they apply for tags that apply to a number of regions, the spokesperson said.

The province is looking at changing the process so a set number of tags is doled out for the specific hunting area encompassing Bloodvein.

nicole.buffie@winnipegfreepress.com