Muskikki Lake Access

[Quidgybo]

On Wednesday I attempted to fish Muskikki Lake off the Cardinal River Road. As I turned off the Trunk road, I was confronted with a large sign stating access to Small Boys camp was closed due to concerns regarding Covid. There was a list of exceptions (ie.. RCMP, Teachers, Medical). I did not know if that meant the road too, was closed. The sign may have been purposely vague on that detail to dissuade individuals like myself. I get it, Covid=Bad. For those of you that have driven through Small Boys, you know it is a small settlement that you can not really sneak through. Trying to be respectful of the band wishes, I chose to go elsewhere. What are your thoughts? Matters are further complicated due to the Grave Flats road still being washed out or at least blocked. If you can not drive through the camp and the road south of Cadomin does not work ,I guess Muskikki lake, Thunder lake, and the upper Cadrinal (after June 15th) are a no go?

[Drewski Canuck]

Is the Small Boys Camp an actual Reserve? My understanding was that a group from Maskwacis decided to leave the Res to escape the drugs, gangs, etc, and have been tolerated there ever since on the Crown Land.

Do they now have a Title or Reserve status?

If not, how does driving straight through on a road ever spread Covid?

Drewski

[aiceeslater]

I think that sign has been there a while now. They don’t seem to mind people passing through. Slow down, mind the speed bumps, give a respectful wave, you’ll get one back.

[Quidgybo]

You are absolutely correct. I was back in the area last week and the big sign just off Hwy 40 was gone. I drove in to investigate and found a manned, temporary gate set up on the Cardinal river bridge. I spoke to a very polite young man from the community. He asked where I was headed and was more than happy to remove the barrier when I said Muskiki Lake (sorry, I guess I was misspelling the lake earlier). He just asked that I not stop in the community. We talked fishing for a few minutes and I was off.

[Drewski Canuck]

Is this community now a reservation? If not, then it would be the local Board of Health who could impose an Emergency Health Order to limit access.

What this is if there is no Board of Health Order or Order from Band Council for a Reservation, is an illegal road block, and this cannot be allowed.

The Bigstone Cree did get a Public Health Order with MD of Opportunity in March 2020. The MD did the administration and the Band got Federal money for the staffing. All the same, alot of people got the taste that this was an inappropriate exercise of Jurisdiction.

When the money ran out, the roadblocks ended.

So can anyone report how there is a manned temporary gate being allowed on the Cardinal River Bridge?

Drewski

[Douglas N]

It’s not a reserve and is all driven by the residents of the community. It popped up when the Bighorn Reserve locked down. I’m glad they have relaxed, as they weren’t letting folks through at first.

[aiceeslater]

From my own experience, road blockades are definitely illegal. I worked for a company that dealt with a ton of theft in our area and management looked into putting gates in. Turned out that even if they’re your roads you cannot put up gates. Can’t risk someone coming in when the gates open and unattended and getting locked in for the night or longer.

HOWEVER, these are some crazy times and some of these “rules” defy all logic and err on the “safe” side. So I would imagine if the Small Boys were to show any Covid related concerns whether it be legit or just an excuse for a gate, the authorities would grant them whatever request they submitted for the sake of “health concerns”

Either that or a simple “lets put the gate up and make them make us take it down” type of thing.

Either way, like I stated above, show them some respect and you’ll get it in return. Gate or not. Doesn’t seem to be keeping anyone from fishing.