Northern SK leaders confident Ottawa politicians heard their

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Northern SK leaders confident Ottawa politicians heard their agenda

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Written by Joel Willick Wednesday, 08 June 2016 09:51 - Last Updated Thursday, 09 June 2016 10:57

Several northern Saskatchewan leaders feel that the right people in Ottawa have heard their message.

Northern chiefs, mayors and representatives from several far north communities were in the nation's capital this week to meet with nearly twenty federal ministers on the topics of education and infrastructure in the north.

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The Mayor of Pinehouse, Mike Natomagan, says he was using the meetings as an opportunity to build upon industry collaboration agreements. Pinehouse’s agreements with industry have been working for his community for many years, Natomagan said, and now is the time to get the federal government more involved.

“They want to work with Aboriginal people as we have heard from the Prime Minister, so if we start bringing ideas and solutions they are going to be easy to work with,” he said.

Hatchet Lake Chief Bart Tsannie was using this trip to Ottawa to lobby for an all-weather road to his community, which he feels is an infrastructure need for his reserve. They have talked with all levels of government about the phased approach they would take if the infrastructure proposal was approved.

The Hatchet Lake Chief says during many of the meetings he attended over the past few days he brought up the all-season road, because Hatchet Lake needs a partnership between industry and all levels of government for the project to take-off.

“We have the industries on board, so we have to build our relationship with the province and the feds and with everyone working together we have to push this road to Hatchet Lake,” said Chief Tsannie.

The Parliamentary Secretary to Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada was one of the many federal leaders on hand for the meetings.

Newfoundland/Labrador MP Yvonne Jones says these leaders are bringing the northern agenda to the right people.

“They are being heard and you are only ever heard if there is someone listening and this government is listening,” said Jones.

The historic trip was sponsored by Cameco as a way to showcase the positives of a good corporate partnership.

Sean Willy, Cameco's Director of Corporate Responsibility, says these local communities are vital to the uranium company’s success.

“I think there has been a power in partnerships that has been created between Cameco and these communities here in Ottawa and the next component is to make sure the federal and provincial governments are a part of this partnership.”

Willy also said Cameco plans on holding the same type of meetings for provincial leaders at a later date.