Regina Saskatchewan - The Pasqua First Nation is on board with the Canadian Pacific Railway's newest project in the province.
 
On Thursday, leaders and members of Pasqua and representatives from CP met in Regina to provide an update on the work completed and what is next.
 
Chief Todd Peigan said the K&S Potash mine near Bethune requires a railway for the transportation of the potash, two sites were looked at and it was decided a line through Belle Plaine would be the ideal route.
 
"We intervened because they were going through a lot of natural prairie and it was also a migration route for our First Nation people from the Last Mountain Lake area," he said.
 
"We engaged CP. Although CP hired non-First Nation archeologists, we came in and identified sacred sites significant to First Nations people."
 
Members of Pasqua First Nation were hired as site inspectors and the individuals went ahead of the railway construction to identify areas of cultural and spiritual significance.
 
"Once those sites were identified, we worked with CP to identify a relocation area," said Peigan.
 
"CP has agreed to have them fenced off and monumented. What we did with each one of the sites that we identified, was we GPSed them so we could put the rocks in their proper form once we replaced them into the place of designation."
 
Peigan is pleased with what the partnership was able to accomplish and hopes it opens the door for other industries to work directly with First Nations.
 
"Construction was happening and if he didn't get involved in identifying the find, then things would have been lost," he said.
 
"There are also significant sites of interest that CP agreed to move their right-of-way so those very places of significance would stay in their natural spot."
 
Lindsay Cyr, Pasqua council member, wished the partnership was developed much sooner because sacred site monitors had to work fast to get the work done.
 
"If we didn't get involved, the work would have proceeded," he said.
 
"That train would have left the station if we were on board or not."
 
Cyr is happy with what was accomplished through the partnership.
 
To give an example, in one area out of 27 digs 17 turned up First Nations artifacts.
 
"The spiritual sites, I don't think we would have got them acknowledged if we had not been there," said Cyr.
 
On Friday, ceremonies are planned as part of the sacred sites project.
 
Mike Lovecchio, director of government of affairs for CP, said the partnership proved to be mutually beneficial for both parties.
 
"It's been a remarkable journey for the company," he said.
 
"I think we have learned a lot about each other and we have a very good outcome as a result of this."
 
Lovecchio said Saskatchewan has what the world wants and through collaboration with the First Nation, CP is able to provide that access in a way that respects the cultural heritage and cultural resources.
 
"We've learned a tremendous amount on how to work with First Nations about the communication that is necessary and the end result is a very good result for everyone involved."
 
The mine will be in service in approximately 15 months and the 30 kilometres of track needs to be in place before that happens.
 
Lovecchio said the extra work involved in ensuring sacred sites were preserved in the process was worth it.

Kerry Benjoe.

       

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