The Manitoba Wildlife Federation (MWF) welcomes Premier Wab Kinew’s public response to the ongoing Bloodvein checkstop dispute and thanks him for recognizing the concerns of licensed hunters being denied access to public Crown lands.
At yesterday’s press conference, the Premier confirmed that the province had issued a cease-and-desist letter to Bloodvein First Nation and subsequently provided it to the RCMP:
Watch Wab Kinews public response to the Bloodvein checkstop here.
MWF appreciates the Premier’s intervention and his government’s efforts to restore public access.
The issue has also reached Parliament Hill. Yesterday, MP Blaine Calkins raised the Bloodvein checkstop dispute in the House of Commons, bringing national attention to the ongoing concerns surrounding public access and enforcement.
Watch Blaine Calkins raise the issue in the House of Commons
MWF has spent more than a year attempting to resolve this dispute through dialogue. Despite our repeated efforts, two proposed meetings with Bloodvein leadership were declined. MWF subsequently sent a registered letter requesting that meetings be rescheduled but has received no response. We have also received a petition from Bloodvein community members calling for the checkstop’s removal.
During last year’s Court of King’s Bench proceedings, Chief Lisa Young, through her legal counsel, committed to Justice Theodore Bock that licensed hunters would be allowed through the checkstop, provided they complied with the community’s restrictions on drugs and alcohol. Despite that commitment, hunters are once again reporting that they are being denied access.
MWF supports Bloodvein’s efforts to prevent drugs and alcohol from entering the community and continues to propose relocating the checkstop onto reserve lands, where these efforts can continue without restricting public access to and travel on Provincial Road 304.
With the province’s position now clear, MWF is calling on the RCMP to take appropriate action.
In its September 23rd response to MWF, the RCMP indicated it was awaiting further information and direction from the provincial government. With the province having now publicly confirmed its position, MWF expects the RCMP to clarify what steps it will take to address the continued obstruction of Provincial Road 304.
MWF remains committed to a resolution that respects Indigenous and treaty rights while protecting lawful public access for all Manitobans.
We thank the Premier for his response and look forward to seeing concrete steps taken to immediately resolve this ongoing dispute and restore access to our public spaces.
