Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation held a peaceful protest outside of the Two Feathers head office on the reserve Friday, Aug. 13 to demand some answers.
Since the forestry project has moved forward, Wabigoon claims they have been left in the dark. With over $13 million involved to get the project, the people have yet to see a report of where the money is going.
Kevin Gardner, the voice behind the Wabigoon protest, says that the people are simply asking for answers since they are partners in the project, along with Eagle Lake First Nation and Pikangikum.
“All of the decisions are being made without us. We want to be informed and involved in the decision-making. Two Feathers has received $13 million and we want to know where that money is going.”
Gardner adds that the people were giving the Two Feathers executive exactly one week to put together a thorough presentation to  explain what the money is being used for and why the Wabigoon Lake people have not been kept in the loop.
Gardner passed around a petition stating their demand for an acceptable presentation or “we will re-elect the Two Feathers executive positions that were self-appointed in the first place.”
The goal was to get at least 100 signatures on the petition and with some 50 people in attendance at the protest, Gardner did not think that would be a difficult task.
Chief Ruben Cantin was present for the protest but assured the people that while he agrees an update is needed, the right people need to be present to make those presentations.
“We’ve been working on an update for some time but we need the proper people there to do a proper update.”
He adds that it’s been hard to get regular updates out when band council elections are held every two years and things get pushed back when a new council is brought in.
Two Feathers’ President Terry Favelle was unavailable for comment but Two Feathers did release an announcement regarding the site development and preparation work for a wood processing facility at the Nungesser Road Industrial Park in Red Lake.
The facility will include a saw mill line, sorting, chipping and biomass operations.