The ruling of the Daniels case set things in motion for a community of Métis and First Nations who have been divided for so long.

Chief Lorne Stewart of Cumberland House Cree Nation and the Cumberland House Métis Local President Gerald Favel signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two Nations.

Favel said that both sides would usually go to the table individually but this time the two governments will be united.   

 “This is the first time this ever happened, and I thought it was a great idea just to be one voice instead of two voices, on an island,” said Favel.

The two governments live on one island and they have usually negotiated separately when it came to advocating for developments and initiatives within their overlapping territories.

Chief Lorne Stewart said in a press release that their communities have been divided by government jurisdictions for decades even as they lived side by side and the MOU was their way of presenting a united front.

“We are aware there are some projects planned for our territories and we wanted to speak with one voice,” said Chief Stewart.

The Community of Cumberland House will soon be going into negotiations with SaskPower who owns the E.B Campbell Hydroelectric Station. 

The community is in the third largest delta in the world and Favel said the dam is 90 Kilometres away from their community and the water levels they set affects their delta.

Denise McKenzie, a prenatal outreach worker who sits on the board of Métis local, said that everything happened very fast in light of the Daniels case and there are a lot of questions that still need to be cleared up about the MOU.

“This is very sudden, we have to talk to our people first and our elders, to go forward, to work hand in hand, and have mutual respect for each other,” said McKenzie.

She said the Métis local in in Cumberland had been inactive for many years, now things are starting to happen and everything is still being processed.

“When we had the meeting, the consultants were there, they gave us a better understanding and it does sound like a good plan. It could work,” said McKenzie.

She said that it is still unclear where they sit in the Federal jurisdiction and there needs to be more guidance. 

The First Nation and Métis Local will continue to govern separately but will negotiate as one in upcoming projects and developments.