Winnipeg — A dispute over a checkstop on a northern Manitoba roadway is escalating into a broader call for provincial intervention, as the Manitoba Lodges and Outfitters Association (MLOA) urges the government to resolve what it describes as an illegal blockade affecting tourism operators.
The industry group is asking Premier Wab Kinew, Justice Minister Matt Wiebe, Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Minister Ian Bushie and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to remove a Bloodvein First Nation checkstop located on the East Side Road, also known as Rice River Road, north of Winnipeg.
The issue came to a head on Feb. 11, when Tobias Becker, an MLOA member and owner of a fly-in fishing operation, was stopped while travelling north to conduct winter maintenance on his outcamp facilities. Becker said he was denied passage after refusing to provide identification or consent to a vehicle search.
“I’ve been traveling the Rice River Road for years in the winter. It is how I access winter roads and trails to my outcamps and lodge to do winter maintenance. The inconvenience of the checkstop to my operation is one thing, but the bigger issue is that government and law enforcement are allowing illegal search and policing powers on a public road.
“Laws are important and they need to apply evenly to all of us. If not, things break down, and as a business owner, I question how we can continue if things don’t change”, stated Tobias Becker.
Becker said his family has operated the lodge for 13 years but has recently considered relocating outside Manitoba due to growing uncertainty.
“Our family is fully committed to working with all the communities around us cooperatively, but if government and law enforcement don’t do their job, we simply can’t operate”, stated Tobias Becker.
According to the MLOA, Becker interacted extensively with checkstop staff and local RCMP officers during the incident and recorded much of the exchange. He was eventually allowed to proceed after RCMP involvement, without submitting to a vehicle search.
“Local RCMP acknowledged that I was not required to provide identification or submit to a search of my vehicle which verifies that the checkstop is in fact, not legal. I was thankful for their assistance and for their offer of future assistance on my next trips”, stated Tobias Becker.
The association says tensions escalated during the Feb. 11 incident when community members travelling south became involved.
“When Tobias Becker was stopped at the Bloodvein checkstop, community members traveling south through the checkstop became involved and threatened Tobias and his passenger. What concerns me most is the safety of outfitters and their clients”, stated Melanie MacCarthy, President of MLOA, adding, “we are deeply concerned about the potential for escalation of conflict. MLOA members support reconciliation and collaboration with Indigenous communities across Manitoba. We’ve had a long history of working positively with First Nation communities providing employment, and in some cases, sharing harvested meat. We do not want to see that jeopardized and want to maintain that goodwill”.
The MLOA says it has formally written to the premier, relevant ministers and the RCMP, urging immediate action to remove the checkstop, which it describes as being located on a provincial public highway surrounded by Crown land. The organization is seeking urgent meetings with government officials and is advocating for what it calls the sustainability, security and protection of tourism businesses operating on Crown land.
“The seriousness of this situation cannot be ignored any longer because of the risk to personal safety and the division it is creating within Manitoba, undoing much of the hard work that has been done to advance reconciliation”, stated Melanie MacCarthy, adding, “Our membership relies on ongoing, secure access to public land to conduct their business and ensure their livelihoods continue, all while contributing over $370 million in provincial tax revenues to the province through tourism”.
MacCarthy warned that the dispute could have broader implications for Manitoba’s outdoor tourism sector, which the association values at approximately $1 billion annually.
“The MLOA calls on the Premier, Justice Minister and RCMP to enforce the province’s laws, and represent all Manitobans, so that we don’t become more divided”, stated Melanie MacCarthy. “We’re concerned that this kind of action could happen elsewhere. Without urgent Government mediation and action, the potential negative impacts from this kind of conflict would be devastating to Manitoba’s $1 Billion-dollar outdoor tourism industry”, said MacCarthy.
Following the February incident, Becker retained legal counsel to assist with future crossings and used legal documentation to pass through the checkstop on Feb. 25.
“With the surge of visitors that comes with spring fishing, bear hunting and camping, it is imperative for guest safety and experience that a resolution is obtained, and it’s absurd that operators should have to incur legal fees to avoid undue conflict”, stated MacCarthy.
MacCarthy emphasized that the association does not oppose the concept of a community checkstop in principle, provided it operates within legal boundaries.
“The MLOA is not denying the fact that the Bloodvein First Nation has a right to operate a checkstop to protect their community, in fact, we would be supportive of their checkstop if it aids in creating a safer community. However legally it needs to be situated within the reserve’s property where they have legal jurisdiction, not violate citizens rights and not be on a public highway”, stated Melanie MacCarthy.
“Our billion-dollar industry requires certainty of land and water access for us to continue to operate. To maintain Manitoba’s brand as a world class destination for hunting and fishing, we need strong, immediate leadership from our government”, stated Melanie MacCarthy.