The Saskatoon Wildlife Federation (SWF) and Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) look forward to working together in a mutually beneficial partnership.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed Thursday to make progression in education, conservation and preservation by creating programs for Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth.
Youth from all seven nations part of STC will be able to use SWF facilities and receive training.
“Hunting, fishing and trapping has been a significant piece of our livelihood,” Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand said.
“I remember when I was a kid growing up, you never had the training, going out doing all that stuff. Now this really supports the education piece to our communities and show them we are supporting the treaty rights to hunting, fishing and trapping.”
It is also a chance for STC members to learn from Indigenous communities.
“We need that input, we need that feedback, we need to know what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong,” former STC president Robert Freberg said.
“We also need to have a better understanding of Indigenous hunting.”
Both Arcand and Freberg said it’s one of the first partnerships of this kind across the country and it’s a step towards reconciliation.