'They busted the locks on our deep freeze': Sask. Cree elder says moose meat was confiscated in raid
An elder from Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation says his home was raided last fall by conservation officers who confiscated moose meat intended for use in a ceremonial gathering and feast.
"They busted the locks on our deep freeze," Doug Morningchild told reporters Friday morning during a news conference organized by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous (FSIN) Nations.
According to Morningchild and the FSIN, Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment staff showed up at his home unannounced on Oct.7.
"[An officer] said that I killed three moose, but how can I kill three moose when I didn't even have any firearms," Morningchild said.
"Any meat that we had, we had been saving for the following spring season once we started our ceremonies."
He said he was charged for having wild moose meat inside the house and slapped with a nearly $3000 fine.
"I can guarantee you if you were to go to every house around my place, [they] would have wild moose meat in their house," Morningchild said.
Morningchild believes the officers were searching for meat that had been harvested on private land. He said he was told the meat would undergo DNA testing as part of the investigation.
In an emailed statement to CTV News, the Ministry of Environment confirmed the search of his home took place.
The ministry said the search was related to a "complaint of recent and unlawful hunting activity" on private land involving the harvesting of two moose.
During the search the officers allegedly found evidence that was "later confirmed to be related to the unlawful harvest of the animals."
Morningchild's charges were dismissed on Jan. 26, due to a technicality, according to both the ministry and the FSIN.
"It's very painful to hear our elders try to explain what happened to them. It was obviously very traumatic and I just want to point [to the fact] First Nations people. We have an inherent in treaty right to hunt, fish, trap and gather," FSIN vice chief Heather Bear said.
"This mistreatment was horrifying to Doug and his wife and these actions cannot go unaddressed," Bear said.
The FSIN said it sent a formal letter in June 2020 requesting an inquiry related to multiple complaints by First Nations people about their treatment by Ministry of Environment staff.
On Friday, it renewed its call for an inquiry and said ministry staff need more education concerning Treaty rights.
"When guns or wild meat is confiscated, it impacts the whole nation, especially those who hunt for ceremonial purposes and who hunt for single mothers and for others that need food," Bear said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

4 in custody after 'brutal' death of Quebec entrepreneur, partner in Dominica
Four people are in police custody after Quebec businessman Daniel Langlois and his partner Dominique Marchand were found dead in Dominica.
Canada's grocery retail sector one of the most competitive on Earth: Sobeys CEO
The top executive at Sobeys asserted on Monday that Canada has one of the most competitive grocery retail sectors on the planet -- even as Canadians continue to feel the bite of higher prices.
Speaker Fergus apologizes, faces calls to resign over 'personal' video played at Ontario Liberal event
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus apologized to MPs on Monday about a 'personal' video tribute message played this weekend at the Ontario Liberal Party leadership convention, but two opposition parties say that's not enough and are now calling for him to resign over his 'unacceptable' participation in a partisan event.
opinion As Trump burns through cash, powerful Republicans are rallying behind a surging candidate
With less than 50 days until Republican voters begin the process of determining their nominee to take on President Joe Biden, political analyst Eric Ham writes about a storm brewing within the GOP -- as super-donors align behind a surging candidate who could pose a threat to frontrunner Donald Trump.
Escaped kangaroo found safe after 3 days on the loose in Ontario
A kangaroo that escaped the Oshawa Zoo during a one-night stay last week has been recaptured after more than three days on the loose.
CBC says it is cutting 600 jobs, some programming as it slashes budget
The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and Radio-Canada will eliminate about 600 jobs and not fill an additional 200 vacancies. The cuts at CBC come days after the Liberal government suggested it may cap the amount of money CBC and Radio-Canada could get under a $100 million deal Ottawa recently signed with Google.
Canada issues updated travel advisory for Guyana due to border dispute referendum in Venezuela
The Canadian government is warning against travelling in Guyana near the border with Venezuela due to a weekend referendum that saw Venezuelans asked about the future of an of oil-rich region that is the centre of a territorial boundary dispute.
Driver arrested after nearly hitting pro-Palestinian demonstrator in Victoria
A driver was arrested in Victoria on Sunday after nearly hitting a protester with a car during a pro-Palestinian rally outside the B.C. legislature.
Short-term rentals have 'significantly impacted' housing affordability: Desjardins
A Desjardins report suggests short-term rentals likely contributed to the housing affordability crisis in Canada and around the world.