MWF continues to sound the alarm at the escalation of claims by First Nations seeking to claim ownership of public land, heightening fears of excluding public access to these public spaces. The latest example, reported in the Winnipeg Free Press this week, is a land claim being advanced by Canupawakpa, a Dakota First Nation in western Manitoba. Canupawakpa is asserting exclusive ownership and control of the Turtle Mountain Provincial Park in southwest Manitoba and all its inhabitants, including the lands, waters, natural resources, and air space (essentially everything contained in or around the land).
This latest claim follows on the heels of similar demands:
- Bloodvein First Nation threats to exclude non-Indigenous hunters from their traditional area.
- Efforts by a consortium of First nations to gain control over the vast Seal River watershed.
- A proposed Fisher River Conservation Initiative in the Interlake.
- Lawsuits by Mathias Colomb and Tataskweyak (Split Lake) First Nations seeking exclusive control of their territories.
- Lawsuits by Dakota Tipi and Canupawakpa First Nation claiming the Forks in Winnipeg.
MWF understands the desires of First Nations to have greater say and to benefit directly from resource development in their regions. However, these issues need to be managed openly and fairly with all Manitobans having a say in the outcome because all resources in Manitoba are owned collectively by all of us. The MWF continues to make known it’s concerns to the federal and provincial governments about the concerning trend of shrinking access to public lands in Manitoba.
