Regional Planning Forum: Whitecap Dakota First Nation

Chief Darcy Bear

·         Whitecap and Saskatoon (John Lake) long standing alliance

·         Responsible Governance

     ·         Governance

     ·         Accountability

     ·         Transparency

     ·         Community consultation

     ·         Advisory committees

     ·         Council compensation commission

Chief Darcy Bear. June 10, 2015

·         Challenges

     ·         Indian Act

     ·         Residential School – Assimilation Policy

     ·         Land Tenure System

     ·         Infrastructure – long term financing

·         The Path Forward – Self Governance

     ·         2012 – Framework Agreement –sets agenda for negotiations

     ·         2015 – Governance Agreement in Principle

·         Whitecap Dakota First Nation Government

     ·         Laws will be recognized in court

·         Maximum fine on aboriginal land is $1,000; no laws protecting the environment on reserve lands

·         New first nations land management act – now equipped to do business at the speed of business

·         49 year commercial lease by Council

·         99 year lease for residential by Council

·         Council needs corporation to set up a process to own a home on their own lands

·         Lots are legally registered and SAMA does assessments

·         Taxation (sharing)

·         Real property tax

·         Band should not be subsidizing businesses

·         Whitecap Community Improvement Fee (WCIF)

·         There is the Whitecap GST

·         Whitecap Liquor Consumption Fee (WLCF)

·         Provincial Fuel and Tobacco Tax Agreement

·         Commercial and Community Water Treatment Plants

·         Whitecap Water Utility (a profit centre)

·         Reverse osmosis system

·         Certified operators

·         Water and sewer billing

·         Partnerships on infrastructure highway upgrade and tourism corridor designation as ‘Chief Whitecap’

·         Multiple municipalities approached province with success on the highway

·         Improved housing

·         Partnership with Sask Housing Corporation

·         Private home ownership through 99 year residential lease

·         Multi-unit housing available

·         Education

·         MOU signed in September 2014 now part of Saskatoon Board of Ed

·         Same curriculum

·         School renovations

·         Joint committees

·         School additions

·         Early learning centre (22 day care spots)

·         Stonebridge School

·         WDFN is a regional employer with more than 600 employees in area

·         Trade and skills partnership with Mount Royal Collegiate and ED Feehan School

·         Working on new partnership with SIIT/Sask Polytechnic Industrial Trades Training Centre

·         By 2030 FN will represent 30% of SK population

·         SIIT/SK Poly will be resource extraction

·         Health

·         Clinic formerly funded by Health Canada

·         Primary Health Alliance with Saskatoon

·         Direct agreement with Health Canada rather than Tribal Council

·         Focus on breaking down segregation

·         Community Policing

·         3 RCMP officers live in Whitecap

·         Low crime rate with 1.4 million tourists

·         RCMP satellite office

·         Looking at building a detachment – community safety

·         Fire

·         Partnership with Saskatoon

·         Provides training to non-career professionals

·         Dakota Dunes Golf Link

·         Partnered with other aboriginal businesses who understood business and economic development

·         Dakota Dunes Casino

·         25% to local charities

·         25% to province

·         Focus to hire professional with capacity

·         Business Park

·         40 acre business park

·         Hotel project is on hold

·         Economic Impact

·         Unemployment 67% in 1993 and 2014 it is 5%

·         Invest in their people for school

·         Used to have a surplus for post-secondary education, not anymore