December 1, 2008
Province Introduces New Legislation That Would Allow For Planning, Protection Of Traditional Lands On East Side Of Lake Winnipeg
– – –Legislation Would Support Progress Toward UNESCO Designation, Provide Better Protection and Management for Unique East Side Boreal Forest: Struthers
First Nations on the east side of Lake Winnipeg would play a major role to ensure better protection, management and development of traditional lands under the East Side Traditional Lands Planning and Special Protected Areas Act introduced today, Conservation Minister Stan Struthers has announced.
The first of its kind in Canada, the legislation would enable First Nations to develop land-use plans to provide interim and permanent legal protection of traditional lands on the east side of Lake Winnipeg. It would ensure any new development in a traditional land-use area be conducted in collaboration with First Nations and be consistent with the land-use plan. The legislation would also provide a new legal tool to designate land on the east side of Lake Winnipeg as a special protected area.
“This new legislation would fulfil the commitment we made to east side First Nations in the Promises to Keep report by creating the legal tool needed to protect lands that have significant cultural and environmental value and by ensuring that protection and development activities are consistent with land-use plans developed by First Nations such as Poplar River,” said Struthers.
Currently traditional lands can only be protected though the Provincial Parks Act. The minister noted some First Nations have made it clear this mode of protection does not meet their unique needs. Important components of First Nations land-use plans, such as winter roads, management of trap lines, timber cutting and harvesting of wild rice and medicines, need to be managed under a First Nation-led planning process, Struthers said.
“On behalf of Poplar River First Nation, we believe this legislation is a great step forward and shows the province respects First Nations’ traditional territories. This legal tool is important for us at Poplar River as we finalize our land-use plan and it will ensure that east side First Nations are involved
100 per cent in land-use planning within their territories,” said Chief Russell Lambert of the Poplar River First Nation.
100 per cent in land-use planning within their territories,” said Chief Russell Lambert of the Poplar River First Nation.
By supporting east side First Nations to create and implement their own land-use plans for their traditional areas, the legislation would also support the effort to establish a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a designation that would be based on both the cultural and ecological significance of the area. This legislation is therefore also an important part of the province’s plan to better protect and manage the unique boreal forest on the east side of Lake Winnipeg, the minister said.
“When it comes to the world heritage site nomination, this legislation and the land-use plans that will come out of it will give the people who are judging our world heritage site nomination a greater sense of how the land will be used and managed in the future. Showing that this land is considered important enough to have this kind of legislation developed goes a long way to proving to UNESCO that it is worthy of their designation along with great sites like the pyramids in Egypt and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia,” said Sophia Rabliauskas, spokesperson for Pimachiowin Aki, the non-profit corporation heading up the bid to have a portion of the boreal forest straddling the Manitoba-Ontario border designated a world heritage site.
Struthers said First Nations themselves will determine if they want to take advantage of using the East Side Traditional Lands Planning and Special Protected Areas Act and noted no First Nation will be required to use the act.
Since 2004, the province has completed or acted on 92 per cent of the recommendations of the Promises to Keep report.
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For more information:
Pimachiowin Aki - www.pimachiowinaki.org
UNESCO - www.unesco.org
Backgrounder
East Side Of Lake Winnipeg Planning Area - https://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/newslinks/2008/2008dec./EastSideLegislation.C.doc