Province and FSIN sign agreement over entry on Sask. First Nations

Saskatchewan's environment minister and the chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations have signed an agreement that formalizes the process for conservation officers entering reserves to conduct law enforcement duties.

FSINChief Bobby Cameron said the guidelines recognize and respect treaty rights.

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"It's absolutely critical that we show the rest of Saskatchewan and the rest of Canada that First Nations and non-First Nations governments are working together," he said.

Cameron said it's the same protocol agreement theFSINsigned withRCMPin 2012 that was renewed last year.

First Nations will have the final say in access to First Nations land and can deny access, Cameron said. However, if the conservation officer had a reason for being there, such as someone on the land being in contravention of the law, they would not be denied access, he explained.

What the guidelines say

This past May,FSINchiefsendorsed guidelines for conservation officers to enter First Nations reserves.

The officers must contact a designated person on that First Nation if they are entering. If that person is not available and the matter must be dealt with, the officers will let their contact know why the decision was made as soon as they can.

This is about access on First Nations' property and respecting the treaty rights that are present here.- Scott Moe, minister of environment

This contact can also act as a liaison with the people of the community who may want to know why a conservation officer is present in the community, said Scott Moe, Saskatchewan's minister of environment.

"It's about clarity.It's about communication and it, I think, speaks to the collaboration to date between the government of Saskatchewan and our First Nations communities and the collaboration that needs to continue as we move forward," he said.

"This is about access on First Nations' property and respecting the treaty rights that are present here," Moe added.

"This is not about conducting ongoing investigations and how that's done."