Saskatchewan's First Nations To Sue Over Potash Riches

"A battle is brewing between the Saskatchewan government and First Nations over the province's potash riches.

The province's Energy and Resources Minister Bill Boyd says the government's position is clear -- it is happy to work with First Nations, but potash and other natural resources are under the exclusive control of the provincial government.

A group of First Nations preparing to launch legal action on the matter says the issue is not so black and white. Led by former Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations chief Perry Bellegarde, they say First Nations never surrendered any resources below the "depth of a plow" in the treaties.

With the province's potash industry under the microscope due to an attempted $38.6-billion US takeover of Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. by BHP Billiton, a growing number of experts agree it's time for the government to start negotiating a resource revenue-sharing deal with First Nations."

Regina Leader-Post

... editorial cartoon by Brian Gable courtesy Globe & Mail ...