Treaty Right To Gather

The gathering rights of First Nations will gain a higher profile as a result of two developments.  First, the mapping of territories will document where current and past generations congregated and gathered food and medicines.  Second, provincial Trespass legislation has been enacted that may restrict the right to gathering of medicines.

It is very important that First Nations begin identifying and documenting areas, both on and off-reserve, where they conducted gathering activities.  This would include land and waterways where sweetgrass and medicinal plants, along with foods, such as wild turnips and gooseberries are gathered.  Due to the expansion of farming and industrial activities, such as mining and oil/gas exploration and development, more of these areas are being contaminated or totally lost due to the clearing of natural vegetation.