Four First Nations in the Island Lake region have announced that they are pulling out of the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak organization, a political advocacy group that has 30 member communities in Manitoba's north. McDougall, who used to work for MKO, said the population of the Island Lake region is close to 14,000 people. He says given their size, the four Island Lake First Nations weren't fairly represented in MKO's membership. According to McDougall, the Island Lake region started off as one government as the communities were pulled together to sign Treaty 5. "The respect that the Island Lake communities deserve isn't coming from certain departments in government," he said.

Source: CBC News March 29, 2018 22:52 UTC