Three First Nations seek to protect treaty forest land and may take a logging company and the province to court.
The Pine Creek, Wuskwi Sipihk, and Sapotaweyak Cree nations allege that the logging company Louisiana-Pacific did not have an approved forest management plan in place during their activity on Treaty 4 territory.
These actions could violate the Manitoba Forest Act if the allegations prove correct.
Chief Derek Nepinak of Pine Creek noted in a press release that "In 2012 Manitoba agreed to consider other logging practices to protect moose habitat, More than 12 years later Manitoba is still without a viable plan".
Ag Minister Ron Kostyshyn was available for comment, and hopes for an open dialogue moving forward.
"The ongoing discussions are going on between the two parties and I just want to say that preserving jobs and advancing economic reconciliation are our top priorities for our government. we're working hard to arrive at a resolution in response to the needs and concerns of all parties."
The application for court proceedings also alleges the province has failed its duty to consult with the First Nations, and breached both the honor of the crown and the treaty obligations after renewing the logging agreement at the end of March.
