The City of Meadow Lake’s commitment to treaty relationships, as well as its partnerships with Flying Dust First Nation and the Métis Nation continue to fly high. A special flag-raising ceremony was held Monday afternoon (Sept. 28) outside the Meadow Lake Co-op Centre at which time the Treaty 6 flag as well as the Métis flag were raised alongside the Canadian, Saskatchewan and municipal flags, all of which will remain permanent fixtures at the facility. Meanwhile, the ceremony also saw a special truth and reconciliation flag raised in commemoration of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which is observed Sept. 30 of each year. 

“When the Co-op Centre was being planned, the goal was to create a space that would be welcoming, accessible and inclusive for everyone in our community,” remarked city manager Amanda Flasch, who served as emcee for Monday’s proceedings. “True inclusion includes making sure our public spaces reflect the people who live here and use the facility every day. That is why permanently flying the Treaty 6 and Métis Nation flags was planned from the start. Today, we raise them alongside the flags of Canada, Saskatchewan and the City of Meadow Lake to complete that vision.” Among those in attendance for the ceremony was Flying Dust First Nation chief Tyson Bear. “It’s a good event here, acknowledging we are on Treaty 6 territory with the raising of the Treaty 6 flag,” Bear said. “It’s good in some ways, but, in other ways, we look at it as an agreement that was never kept. We’re still trying to make the treaties right, and we still have a long way to go… We’re all treaty people, we’ve all been in Canada most of our lives, we’ve all worked together and we thrive for the same things.” 

Bear went on to say FDFN and the City of Meadow Lake are like family. “Sometimes we don’t always get along, but we all bleed red, we all come from the same place and we’re all probably going to go to the same place when we’re gone,” Bear continued. “It’s always beneficial when we get together to do a land acknowledgement, to hang a flag and acknowledge the past while moving forward together in a good way. I look forward to working with the city, building our community and making things safe for our children… There is no line between us and Meadow Lake. I grew up in Meadow Lake and all my opportunities happened in Meadow Lake – my jobs, my school, my education, it all came from Meadow Lake… I am grateful for everyone who came out today and made this event happen. I look forward to working with the city. It’s easier to grow when we grow together and opportunities will align easier when we work together.” Representing the Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) was Dene vice-chief Norma Catarat. 

“Meadow Lake is no different than Flying Dust or any of our nine communities because this is our central hub as we come to participate, to shop, to do our things here,” Catarat said. “Truth and reconciliation – the truth is coming out, but not the whole truth. Reconciliation is happening, but not to the extent I would like to see it personally. We talk about kinship and working together, but we can’t discriminate against anyone. Everyone is human and we all need to treat each other like human beings. No matter what colour your skin is or where you come from, you are a human being. When it comes to reconciliation, we talk about everyone to reconcile. Don’t judge me on the colour of my skin. Judge me for the human being I am because we have a lot of our people suffering out there when it comes to reconciliation. There’s a lot of abuse, which stems from colonization. When the treaty was signed, our ancestors signed it thinking we would share and be equal on this land. When reconciliation comes up, that’s where our goals should be.” 

Catarat also said people need to offer each other support. “A lot of our people are suffering, not just Indigenous people,” she said. “Everyone is related and we need to respect each other as we go on. The truth is still to be revealed. We’ve seen some of it, but not all of it… If we want to start with reconciliation and acknowledging it, start with your heart. The truth is still out there and we have a lot of people who went to their graves with the truth in their hearts… Treaty was to share, to be equal, not to be any different than anyone. This is our homeland. Let’s respect our home, let’s respect our people.” Loretta King, MN-S Western Region 1 representative, spoke on behalf of the Métis Nation. “Today is a day I will carry with me because, when we raise the Métis flag today, we are not simply raising a flag, we are raising the memories of our families, the stories of our ancestors and the strength of generations that came before us,” King stated. “For me, standing here today is deeply personal. The history of this region isn’t something I simply learned, it’s a part of who I am. Names like Morin, Fiddler, Ouellette, Villeneuve, King, those carry memories of my family, my relationships, generations. Behind those names are people who worked hard to raise families, care for their neighbours and to make life better for those who came after them. Long before Meadow Lake became the community we know today, First Nations people lived on and cared for these lands. Their relationship with this territory is an important part of the history we honour today.” King went on to note the Métis history is greatly woven into this region. “In 1799, Peter Fidler established Bolsover House in this area, then, in 1873, Cyprien and Marie Morin brought their family here and established a permanent Métis home,” she said. “Other Métis families followed, building lives through trapping, farming, fishing, ranching and trade. They raised their children here, built homes here, built relationships here… Over generations, their lives became part of the foundation of the community we stand in today. When I think about those families, I think of what they endured… hardships difficult for us to imagine today, yet they built community… That spirit is part of the legacy we inherit.” 

Today, King added, the Métis flag rises because the Métis people are still here. “Today, as the Métis flag rises above Meadow Lake, I think of the generations that came before us,” she said. “All the families whose names and families are woven into this region, the elders who carried our history, the parents who carried their children and the children who carried their culture forward… Today, we raise this flag for our ancestors, our families, our children and for the Métis people who ever wondered if there was a place for them because there is. This is our home, this is our history, these are our people. We are still here and we will continue to carry our story forward.” Mayor Merlin Seymour took to the podium on behalf of the city. “Coming together just ahead of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation makes today an important time to reflect on our shared history and, more importantly, how we choose to move forward together with mutual respect,” Seymour said. “Raising the Treaty 6 and Métis flags at the Co-op Centre, the home of our city hall, is a simple and visible commitment. The Treaty 6 flag honours the spirit of the treaties to share this land in peace and friendship. It carries forward the First Nations value of being good stewards of the land and supporting one another as neighbours. The Métis flag represents the enduring strength and distinct heritage the Métis people bring to our region. Putting up these flags where our community gathers every day matters. They belong outside the building where we carry out municipal business, where we meet up with our neighbours and where our children play. When our youth see these flags flying proudly, they see their culture is recognized, their families are respected and this is a place where everyone belongs.” 

In closing, Flasch said raising all the flags side-by-side symbolizes rising together as one in unity, mutual respect and friendship. “It represents our commitment to walking this path together and working toward a shared, bright future,” she said.