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Thanks to his work as chief of the White Bear First Nation, shared with that community’s leaders in the 1990s, Indigenous-led casinos are regular fixtures today: Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA), their regulating body, earned $270 million in the last fiscal year, employs more than 1,600 people, manages seven year-round casinos, and is also celebrating its 25th anniversary. But as Shepherd, now a band councillor, looks back he’s reminded that the tidy, yearly milestones offer only half a picture. Earlier events in the 90s point to familiar themes when governments interact with Indigenous people: Heavy-handed police power; minimal government support for First Nations; betrayed commitments.
REGINA The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations is calling on the Saskatchewan government to consult with First Nations before shutting down casinos, which it says wasn t done before this weekend. A new public health rule orders the closure of casinos and bingo halls starting Saturday until at least Jan. 15. Federation Chief Bobby Cameron said Indigenous communities benefit from revenue made at casinos operated by the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA). The organization operates seven casinos, which employs hundreds of First Nations people who have mortgage payments, who live in the towns and cities, who all pay taxes, Cameron said Friday.
REGINA 327 employees from Casinos Regina and Moose Jaw have received layoff notices which take effect Monday. 238 unionized workers and 89 non-union employees will be impacted. The layoffs come as the two government operated casinos prepare to temporarily close at midnight, Friday night. Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation spokesperson Shanna Schulhauser said the temporary layoffs are being made under the public emergency provisions in the Saskatchewan Employment Act. Casinos and bingo halls have been ordered to close to help slow the spread of COVID-19. 251 additional permanent employees have been off the job since March. “Sask. Gaming Is being met with even greater challenges than we were at the end of March and this has resulted in the corporation needing to make some considerable changes, not just to gaming floor and back of house staff and management, but also to corporate staff too,” Schulhauser said.
Bobby Cameron, chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN). (File photo/650 CKOM)
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) is not impressed with one of the Saskatchewan government’s new COVID-19 measures.
On Saturday at 12:01 a.m., all casinos and bingo halls in the province are to close under the new rules implemented Monday. Those facilities are to remain closed until the measures are reassessed Jan. 15.
In a media release Friday, the FSIN said it should be consulted by the government before public health orders are instituted “that significantly impact and negatively affect First Nations communities and businesses.”