Treaty Land Entitlement Claims in the Whiteshell

Notwithstanding that the TLE Agrreement specifically disallows land selections in most Provincial Parks, this has been an ongoing issue almost since the signing of that document.  In 2002 the WCA was involved in a coalition that stopped the provincial government from contravening the terms of this agreement by transfering a portion of Clearwater Lake Provincial Park to the Opaskwayak Cree Nation in response to such a claim.

At that time we discovered that similar TLE claims had been made by other First Nations in the Whiteshell Provincial Park.  Recently these claims have resurfaced with the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation threatening to blockade the Park.  The WCA has expressed it's concerns to the provincial government with respect to how this isssue is resolved.  We have been assured that the government shares our understanding of the terms of the Agreement and that we will be consulted before any agreements affecting the Whiteshell Provincial Park are entered into.

Of further interest is that the provincial government has removed 12.1 hectares of land from Atikaki Provincial Park in order to allow for construction of a bridge across the Bloodvein River as part of its East Side Road Project.  In compensation, land is being added to the Park elsewhere.  The most recent proposal to add 12 hectares to the Park states that "These lands would remain available for Treaty Land Entitlement selection.".

Per Part 2, Section 6 of the Framework Agreement Treaty Land Entitlement, the Whiteshell Cottagers Association Inc. disagrees that lands added to a provincial park created prior to the date of execution of said Agreement will “remain available for TLE selection.”  On the contrary, such lands become unavailable for TLE selection.  The comment period for this proposal closed June 20, 2011.

September 2010 WCA Letter to Minister Blaikie and Premier Selinger

Treaty Land Entitlement Framework Agreement       

Manitoba Aboriginal and Northern Affairs

Coalition Press Release re: Clearwater

August 24, 2010 Winnipeg Free Press Article            WFP online version

August 25, 2010 Winnipeg Free Press Article            WFP online version