No ban on ceremonies despite COVID-19
OTTAWA • Canada’s Indigenous services minister says banning sacred ceremonies is a “dark stain” on the country's history and they will be allowed to continue despite restrictions put
in place due to COVID-19.
“Even in the face of a his
toric pandemic, Canada must
not and will not prohibit these important practices,” Marc Miller said Thursday.
Concern that ceremonies would again be pushed underground surfaced after
RCMP were dispatched to a
Saskatchewan First Nation where people were holding a sun-dance ceremony last weekend. A federal ban on
Indigenous ceremonies and
potlatches came into place in 1884 and lasted until the 1950s. Prime Minister Jus
tin Trudeau said Indigenous
community leaders know what needs to be done to keep people safe.
“We should be able to work with them to develop ways of continuing with important customs and practices for them in a way that abides by health recommendations,” he said.
Saskatchewan RCMP said
they received two reports of a large public gathering on the Beardy's and Okemasis
Cree Nation, about 90 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon, on Sunday.
There were 35 people taking part in the ceremony, but attendees said they were following precautions set by the chief and council, including social distancing and having temperatures taken.
A public-health order in Saskatchewan limits gatherings to 10 people. Premier Scott Moe indicated Wednesday that there would be no exceptions.
“The virus doesn’t care. It
simply doesn't,” he said.
The Federation of Sover
eign Indigenous Nations,
which represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan, has said provincial public-health orders do not supersede First Nations laws and treaties.
Indigenous Services Canada did not clarify who has jurisdiction to enforce provincial public-health orders on First Nations. Spokesperson Leslie Michelson said in an email that First Nations leaders are encouraged to consider public-health guidelines and the department respects measures put in place by chiefs and councils.
Miller said First Nations leadership will ultimately decide whether to go ahead with ceremonies.
There were 185 positive
cases of COVID-19 on First
Nations reserves as of Wednesday, 43 of them in Saskatchewan.
THE VIRUS DOESN’T CARE. IT SIMPLY DOESN’T.