Pelican Lake First Nation facts for kids
| Headquarters | P.O. Box 399 Pelican Lake First Nation, SK S0J 1N0 |
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The Pelican Lake First Nation is a First Nation community in Saskatchewan, Canada. Its name in the Cree language is Cree: ᒐᐦᒐᐦᑭᐤ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᓂᕽ (cahcahkiw-sâkahikanihk), which means "at the Pelican Lake."
This First Nation is part of the Federation of Saskatchewan First Nations, an organization that represents 74 First Nations communities across Saskatchewan. They work together on important issues for their people.
Pelican Lake First Nation is located by Chitek Lake. It's about 170 miles northwest of Saskatoon, 115 miles northeast of North Battleford, and 120 miles west of Prince Albert.
The Pelican Lake First Nation also works closely with the Witchekan Lake First Nation and Big River First Nation. They are all part of the Agency Chiefs Tribal Council, which helps different First Nations groups work together and share resources.
About the People
The number of people in the Pelican Lake First Nation community has grown over time. In 2006, the census showed 825 people. By December 2013, the official count of registered members was 1,555. This number includes all members, whether they live on the reserve or elsewhere.
Community Leaders
The Pelican Lake First Nation is led by a Chief and Council. These leaders are elected by the community members. They make important decisions for the First Nation and work to improve life for everyone.
The current leaders are:
- Chief Peter Bill (he has been the Chief since March 2019)
- Councilor Donny Rabbitskin
- Councilor Willie Thomas
- Councilor Tony Wolfe
- Councilor Evan Chamakese
- Councilor Greg S. Bill
- Councilor Lee Bill
Our History and Land
The history of the Pelican Lake First Nation is closely tied to its land. When the first surveys were done, the community received about 8,630 acres of land to be set aside as a reserve. A reserve is land that is legally set aside for the use and benefit of a First Nation.
Later, through a process called the Treaty Land Entitlement (TLE), the Pelican Lake First Nation gained more land. This process helps First Nations get the land they were promised in old treaties. In 1979, they were given an additional 36,714 acres.
In 1992, the Office of the Treaty Commissioner confirmed that the Pelican Lake First Nation was legally owed at least 36,714 acres under Treaty No. Six. Treaty No. Six is an agreement signed a long time ago between First Nations and the Canadian government.
In September 1995, the community voted to approve the TLE Agreement. This agreement added another 30,753 acres to their reserve land. Thanks to the TLE process, the Pelican Lake First Nation will eventually have a total of 45,345 acres of reserve land.
Our Reserves
The Pelican Lake First Nation has five official reserves. These are areas of land that belong to the First Nation community:
