Cold Lake First Nation’s Treaty Days cancelled this year

The newly-elected Chief and council is sworn-in at Cold Lake First Nations Treaty Days in 2019.

Cold Lake First Nation’s marquee event of the year is the latest to be cancelled due to COVID-19.

Treaty Days 2020 will not go ahead as planned this July, said CLFN band administrator Charles Muskego, as hundreds typically gather for the celebration.

“It was kind of a foregone conclusion that we wouldn’t be able to host it in that manner,” said Muskego.

“I think for the event itself just with regards to the provincial restrictions in place for summer events, nothing over 50 people are allowed to gather. So that in of itself, we will generate hundreds of people in a day coming through for that event.”

Any community members who wish to obtain their treaty annuity before the celebration in 2021, can mail in a request to receive it through the mail.

“The federal government had sent us a notification a few months back, probably closer to the start of the whole pandemic in late March, early April, informing us that the Indigenous Services Canada department would not be sending out their fields staff for the purpose of delivering the annuity payments,” said Muskego.

“But there’s a process for members if they wish to still receive their treaty rights to the annuity payment and they can mail it in.”