Urban Indian Reserves; Forging a New Relationship in Saskatchewan

A new relationship is being forged between First Nations and municipal governments in Saskatchewan. In part this is due to the Treaty Land Entitlement Framework Agreement, under which First Nations have received funds to acquire land in fulfillment of treaty promises. In many instances the land acquired has been in urban areas. This collection of essays examines the creation of four such urban reserves, two of which were created amidst considerable acrimony and two of which were created in political harmony between the local municipality and the First Nations band council. The contributors explain the political tensions and problems that arose; plus the legal, bureaucratic and social hurdles that had to be overcome. They discuss in detail the complex agreements reached between municipalities and First Nations to ensure bylaw and tax compatibility, among other things. Many of the contributors highlight what should and what should not be done when creating an urban reserve.