The partnership is one of many that the Métis Nation – Saskatchewan is building with First Nations and non-Indigenous peoples in the area, said President Glen McCallum.
In a way, the road has been long but a lot has been done in the last five years since the Liberals were first elected to Parliament, he explained.
“It’s been very aggressive conversations around the land and the government has been very cooperative and accommodating,” McCallum said. “That’s why it took us so fast. Five years isn’t a long time.”
The talks have been comfortable and done with accountability and transparency, he said, and that’s how they managed to proceed so quickly.
McCallum said, as before, Parks Canada will maintain and care for the land in partnership with the Métis.
“We always need each other to build a solid foundation, to be able to look ahead and cooperate with each other in terms of how we plan. We will work together,” he said.
The Métis Nation already has plans for a youth center on the site, and McCallum would one day like to see a legislative building there.
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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com
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