Wasauksing approves Land Code – community will now govern its own reserve land and resources
WASAUKSING FIRST NATION – March 3, 2017 – On February 25, 2017, Citizens of Wasauksing First Nation cast their ballots in favour of the Wasauksing First Nation Land Code and Individual Agreement with Canada. With a strong 76% of Wasauksing voters in support of the Land Code, Wasauksing First Nation can now begin managing their Reserve Lands and Resources in accordance with their own customs, traditions and practices, rather than under the land management provisions of the Indian Act. Wasauksing First Nation is the 70th First Nation in Canada to pass a Land Code.
This has been a long process for Wasauksing, which began in 2002 with their first Band Council Resolution confirming Wasauksing’s desire to enter into the process to manage their own lands. Since then, five other Band Council Resolutions have been issued by Wasauksing First Nation’s elected Councils, reinforcing the First Nation’s desire to pursue land management under the Framework Agreement and the First Nations Land Management Act. On December 12, 2013, Wasauksing became a signatory to the Framework Agreement and has been working with their community since then to develop a customized land management law, the Wasauksing First Nation Land Code.
Through the Individual Agreement with Canada, control over Wasauksing First Nation land and resources will be transferred from Canada under the Indian Act to Wasauksing First Nation under their Land Code. The Wasauksing First Nation Land Code was drafted by the Citizenship at a grassroots level and includes a description of reserve lands to be managed under the Land Code, a mechanism for new lands to be added, general rules and procedures for the use and occupation of these lands, financial accountability, the making and publishing of land laws, stringent conflict of interest rules, a process to develop rules and procedures applicable to land on the breakdown of a marriage, a dispute resolution process, and other matters respecting the use and management of Wasauksing First Nation Reserve Land.
Our Elders refer to the Anishinabek as part of the land and environment. They acknowledge ownership over Turtle Island. “Kii maah gii donn kinagago. Kii paag don kii zha wiigaazne. Kii maah gii donn kinagago.” (They took it all from us, they gave us leftovers. They took it all from us.). ‘Kinaagago’means our land, our language, our children, our food: animals, our way of life, our culture. The Nation (We) refer to these lands as the leftovers. What is known today as Reserve Lands. We must take care of the land (the leftovers) to sustain the Anishinabek way of life.
– Chief Warren Tabobondung
For more information please visit: www.wfnlandcode.com or contact
Chief Warren Tabobondung, Wasauksing First Nation, (705) 746-2531.