‘Self determination in practice’: Treaty 6 First Nations developing own search-and-rescue program

The federal government is providing funding to help Treaty Six First Nations create their own search and rescue programs.

Treaty 6 First Nations are developing their own search-and-rescue program.

Over the past year, 128 volunteers across the Treaty 6 nations have undergone search-and-rescue training.

With $241,200 from Public Safety Canada, through the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF), the First Nations will next train 36 search-and-rescue team leads, as well as search managers, for 36 teams, which will undergo team training by the end of the 2027 fiscal year.

“It means that when someone goes missing on our land, our people are ready to respond, and we’re not waiting for help to arrive from somewhere else. We are the help,” said Wesley Stamp, an Enoch Cree Nation councillor and former fire chief, at a press conference in Enoch on Wednesday.

“That is what self determination looks like in practice.”

Grand Chief Joey Pete added that jurisdictional issues and remote locations make First Nations communities more vulnerable, especially in disasters such as floods and wildfires, which annually threaten northern communities in Alberta.

“As we enter the wildfire season, Treaty 6 member nations are better prepared to face potential threats or disasters coming our way,” Pete said, noting his gratitude for the federal funding.

The funding “will save communities and lives,” he said.

The longer-term goal of the Confederacy Of Treaty Six First Nations is to have a regional team join Canada’s Humanitarian Workforce, which would enable its rescuers to be deployed to Indigenous communities across the country.

A total of $2.86 million is being distributed to community projects such as these. Also in Alberta, the Cochrane Search and Rescue Association received $92,000 to pilot hiring an executive director.

The federal government is seeking new project proposals and on Wednesday also announced it was renewing $6.5 million for SAR NIF.

“We’re looking for innovative ideas that can help build capacity in the system that can help strength our preparedness and help make sure people in distress can be reached quickly and effectively, no matter where they are across our country,” said Edmonton Centre Member of Parliament and Emergency Management and Community Resilience Minister Eleanor Olszewski.