Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson took the challenge Feb. 17 on Wollaston Lake. (Facebook/Tammy Cook-Searson)

By Derek Cornet

Social Media

Jigging challenge underscores importance of northern ice roads

Feb 27, 2019 | 5:00 PM

First Nations leaders across Saskatchewan are embracing the Ice Road Jigging Challenge.

Ever since ice roads began opening in recent weeks, northerners and several chiefs have been demonstrating their jigging skills on the icy roadways. Some of the leaders to accept the challenge so far include Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Chief Bobby Cameron, Prince Albert Grand Council Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte and Vice-Chief Chris Jobb, Black Lake Denesuline Nation Chief Coreen Sayazie, Clearwater River Dene Nation Chief Teddy Clark, Hatchet Lake First Nation Chief Bart Tsannie and Waterhen Lake First Nation Chief Carolyn Bernard. Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson has also been in on the fun.

“There’s a lot of people just doing it for fun and people are really enjoying it on Facebook,” she said. “It’s just a fun way to get out, have some fun and jig, especially when it’s been so cold.”

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Cook-Searson, who took the challenge early on, stated the activity underscores the importance and calls attention to ice roads in northern Saskatchewan. For a couple of months out of the year, the roadways serve as a vital link to several northern communities like Wollaston Lake. At this time of year, Cook-Searson noted semi trucks are headed to those places with much needed fuel, groceries and other supplies. During the spring, summer and fall, products need to either be transported by plane or barge into communities which boosts the price.

Industry in northern Saskatchewan also benefits by the use of ice roads, as Cook-Searson noted the Seabee Gold Mine north of La Ronge has one going to the site. For other places like Grandmother’s Bay and Île-à-la-Crosse, ice roads serve to cut down travel times in the winter compared to other times in the year.

“It’s a lot cheaper to haul things in by truck than flying it in,” Cook-Searson said. “For example in Wollaston, they have a lot of fly-ins and they have to rely on air transport a lot in order to get to La Ronge, Prince Albert or Saskatoon.”

Ice roads in the Far North began opening earlier this month starting Feb. 12 between Stony Rapids and Fond du Lac. Ice roads typically remain open until March 31.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno