Fission Uranium Corporation wants to extract uranium ore from underneath Patterson Lake in northwest Saskatchewan, but a Metis Nation-Saskatchewan leader says that can’t be done without their consultation and involvement, because the Lake is at the centre of their Northwest Land Claim area.

MN-S Regional Director, Leonard Montgrand explains that they aren’t opposed to mining, but like any over government, the MN-S and the community around Patterson Lake need to be consulted. According to Montgrand, there was a meeting, and Fission already had its plans made up and was telling them what they were going to do, but that didn’t sit well with them.

Montgrand says, “Fission has to understand that this is our land. This belongs to the people, and they have to answer to the people and the elected leaders of our community. It’s not just to come in and say well, we are going to set up shop right here and we’re going to do this, do that.” He adds that they want the job because of the jobs it will bring to the area, but he stresses that there are steps to go through first. Montgrand explains that Patterson Lake is significant to the Metis of Northwest Saskatchewan because it has long been used as an area to hunt, fish, trap and travel.