The intent of bringing a Treaty Land Sharing Network to the Peace Region is to build relationships between local First Nations and landholders.
BY JORDAN PRENTICE ● FEATURED ● JUNE 6, 2023
Source: Energetic City
FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The intent of bringing a Treaty Land Sharing Network to the Peace Region is to build relationships between local First Nations and landholders who participate in the voluntary process.
In January, Scion Strategies Ltd.’s Dale Bumstead, and Urban Systems’ Edward Staford, presented the concept of Treaty Land Sharing at an Electoral Area Directors Committee and Rural Budgets Administration Committee meeting.
During the presentation, Bumstead explained Treaty Land Sharing Networks have found success with Treaty 4 and Treaty 6 in Saskatchewan by giving Treaty people the ability to access land for cultural and ceremonial practices, and hunting.
Treaty Land Sharing launched in Saskatchewan in 2021 and has 36 locations spreading across 16,000 acres.
The purpose of Treaty Land Sharing is to honour the intent of the original Treaties by sharing the land for mutual benefit while connecting farmers and ranchers with Indigenous people by providing safe and respectful access to their land.
Over the past few weeks, misinformation has been spread across local social media platforms, insinuating the purpose of Treaty Land Sharing is to give local First Nation members access to private land without the permission of landholders. Energeticcity.ca spoke with Bumstead in order to confirm the true intention of the concept.
According to Bumstead, Treaty Land Sharing is a voluntary process, and both landholders and members of local First Nations “need to be all in for it to work.” Bumstead added the concept of Treaty Land Sharing has absolutely no connection to Treaty Land Entitlement (TLE) whatsoever.
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