Bigstone Cree Nation’s (BCN) toll booths were up sooner than expected, as members monitored traffic going in and out of Wabasca-Desmarias area for three days.
RCMP media spokesperson Sgt. Jack Poitras said toll stations were set up the morning of March 13 after sending some members of the Athabasca detachment to watch over the situation, before being taken down March 15.
The demonstration was to help reaffirm the band’s pre-Alberta treaty and Aboriginal rights, which include more involvement with local economics and to help improve quality of life within the reserve.
The demonstration came as a surprise for Bigstone Cree Nation Chief Gordon Auger, who said in a March 12 interview that the band was planning on installing toll stations along Highway 813 and 754, but not until appropriate planning was made.
“It wasn’t part of the plan,” Auger said. “It was supposed to be a long-term plan, so no, it wasn’t expected.”
“This was a spur-of-the-moment (thing) and they that’s why they were up there…I think it was just to show we weren’t bluffing,” he added.
Poitras said BCN members located on the Highway 813 toll station turned away about 15 vehicles, before being redirected by BCN council members to let every vehicle through.
“We heard they turned about 15 vehicles around,” he said. “We found out after that there was a misunderstanding of what chief and council wanted done as opposed to what they were doing. That was rectified pretty quickly.”
“It was a very peaceful demonstration,” Poitras added. “I’d just like to thank the public for there co-operation during the incident and it was taken well by everyone.”
According to both Poitras and Auger, the members let all vehicles pass, but still made them stop at the checkpoint. Members on site would ask what the driver’s business was in the area keeping tabs on companies sending in workers in the area.
Auger said he and the BCN council requested members to exit their stations on the evening of March 15, adding that they will continue to develop a “bigger and better plan” for the near future.
“It was a decision by the chief and council to (withdrawal) the toll stations because there is a lot of implementation to be done and a lot of organizing to be done,” he said. “This wasn’t done the way we wanted it to be done.”
