The Interlake Reserves Tribal Council (IRTC) has responded to a decision made by Chief Justice Glenn Joyal of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Manitoba regarding tree-clearing undertaken by the province to prepare for the Lake Manitoba/Lake St. Martin channels project.
Karl Zadnik, chief executive officer of the IRTC, is very pleased with the decision.
"I have to credit Judge Joyal... He's a judge and he's a judge for a reason... That being said, I respect him. I respect his decision. I'm very happy with the results, of course," Zadnik said.
In his decision, Justice Joyal said that the Province of Manitoba did not provide adequate notice, nor did it engage in meaningful consultation with the IRTC or its member First Nations before going ahead with the tree-clearing of what the IRTC describes as largely untouched public land that First Nations rely on to exercise their Treaty rights.
Joyal also said that the absence of any such notification and consultation, in his view, constitutes a breach of Manitoba’s obligation and is not in accordance with the honour of the Crown.
More information can be found on the IRTC website.
