Indigenous Governance Database

Best Practices Case Study (Expansion of Jurisdiction): White Bear First Nation and SIGA

Best Practices Case Study (Expansion of Jurisdiction): White Bear First Nation and SIGA
Best Practices Case Study (Expansion of Jurisdiction): White Bear First Nation …
Author
National Centre for First Nations Governance (NCFNG)
Year

On March 22, 1993, the provincial government of Saskatchewan sent the RCMP tactical team to shut down the White Bear casino on White Bear First Nation near Carlyle citing criminal code violations. The result was a highly hostile raid where all assets and records were confiscated.

"We had every intention of going ahead with it [gaming] even after they did raid the casino," says Bernie Shepherd, former Chief of White Bear First Nation. "We were going to open a casino no matter what. But [the raid] had a big impact on our community; it only made the community's resolve that much harder."

This resolve was soon adopted by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN), who joined White Bear in the vigorous defense of their rights regarding gaming on First Nations land...

Centre for First Nations Governance (CFNG)
gaming
regulations
Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority
self-governance
Native Nations
White Bear First Nations
Resource Type
Case Studies
Topics
Economic and Community Development
Governance
Laws and Codes
Citation

National Centre for First Nations Governance. "Best Practices Case Study (Expansion of Jurisdiction): White Bear First Nation and SIGA." A Report for the National Centre for First Nations Governance. The National Centre for First Nations Governance. Canada. June 2009. Case Study. (https://fngovernance.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/EJ_WhiteBear.pdf, access March 8, 2023)

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