Municipalities, Beardy’s sign friendship agreement

Chief Roy Petit of the Beardy’s and Okemasis’ Cree Nation says a friendship agreement signed between his community and several municipalities will help address a disconnect that exists between Saskatchewan’s Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

The agreement, signed Saturday by the Towns of Rosthern, Hague, Hepburn, and Duck Lake, the Village of Laird, and the RM of Rosthern No. 403, marked the first step in a First Nations-Municipal Community Infrastructure Partnership Project through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).

The partnership was originally formed out of a desire to work together on a solid waste management site for the area, but Petit said the significance goes beyond a shared infrastructure projects and economic benefit.

He said the agreement will also help address racism and help dispel misinformation about Indigenous communities.

“Just to break down those barriers or those misunderstandings, it’s important to come together and just try to educate each other,” he said, as the communities shared information about their history, background and governance structure as part of the agreement.

Petit also wanted to stress that the idea to form the friendship agreement didn’t come from the Beardy’s and Okemasis’ Cree Nation alone, as all municipalities who signed the agreement voted to partner with the First Nation around their own council tables.

He hopes by partnering with municipalities in Saskatchewan, more people can be educated about the importance of treaties signed between Canada’s sovereign Indigenous nations and the British Crown.

“It goes back to the intent of what the Treaty was,” he said. “To work together and share this land and that it would benefit everybody.”

A press release from the Beardy’s and Okemasis’ Cree Nation explained the agreement aims to “foster positive working relationships and cooperation between communities” based on mutual respect and common interest as the communities plan for the future.