The Green Party of Saskatchewan has announced Tory McGregor as their candidate for the Cumberland by-election called for June 25. 

McGregor is the 28 year old Metis Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Saskatchewan (GPS).   Although McGregor is not from the constituency, the GPS intends to increase its presence and popular support in the North by establishing a local group to increase awareness of environmental issues.  

The GPS believes strongly that the North is a unique ecosystem which is under increasing environmental stress.  

The Green Party of Saskatchewan places a strong emphasis on protecting the environment and believes it can be managed sustainably with proper and adequate consultation and regulation.

The GPS proposes all agreements regarding the development of natural resources guarantees, through binding legislation, that First Nations and Metis governing bodies are full legal partners with industry and government. All agreements will be monitored by an Environmental Review Commission.  

The second GPS policy for Cumberland would mandate an Environmental Review Commission to oversee natural resource development.   The Commission would ensure that development plans by industry and government incorporate local traditional ecological knowledge with conventional scientific study. 

For example, local residents are alarmed by a significant drop in the Walleye population in Montreal Lake. There is currently a restrictive limit on Walleye. This places additional social strain on communities who rely on fish to feed their families.   Presently there is no official governing body studying this alarming reality on behalf of the community.  

The third GPS policy for Cumberland and for the entire northern half of Saskatchewan would be to move the offices of the Deputy Minister of Northern Affairs and two Assistant Deputy Ministers from the Department of First Nations and Metis Relations to La Ronge.   All politics is local and Regina must acknowledge that constant direct participation in Northern affairs must be conducted on site to ensure representation and accountability.    

The GPS will be meeting with as many residents of Cumberland during the campaign.   The GPS believes in economic development but development must be sustainable based on sound ecological principles.