The Meadow Lake Tribal Council and the Metis Nation are complaining that the Provincial Government’s security checkpoints in the north have gone too far. The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations agrees in a statement released on the situation. The Northern Chiefs have even sent a letter of complaint to Chief Medical Health Officer Doctor Saquib Shahab, claiming unfair and disrespectful treatment by security officers.

Canoe Lake Cree First Nation Chief Francis Iron says he was denied access through the check point while trying to drive to Flying Dust First Nation. Canoe Lake’s primary cheque signatory lives in Flying Dust and Iron says, “Our families on social assistance and the First Nation payroll depend on these cheques, and we need to pay our bills.”

English River First Nation Chief Jerry Bernard says, “My community members are being threatened to be charged by officers if on their essential trip, they try to bring groceries back through security check points.”