Oceti Sakowin Economic Compact – Standing Buffalo Economic Corridor
Uploaded: July 2, 2025
The Oceti Sakowin Economic Compact is a modern Nation-to-Nation agreement among Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota Nations to formally coordinate economic development, trade governance, and cross-border Indigenous commerce through the Standing Buffalo Economic Corridor. It reactivates ancient Indigenous trade routes across the Canada–U.S. border, affirming the sovereign jurisdiction of the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires) over their historical economic systems.
This Compact establishes a shared legal framework to:
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Facilitate Indigenous-to-Indigenous trade and certification under the authority of the Dakota-Lakota Cross-Border Trade Authority.
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Coordinate jurisdictional oversight through a Joint Economic Council made up of signatory Nations.
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Harmonize customs protocols, tax-exemption mechanisms, and corridor governance across unceded territories.
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Assert fiscal sovereignty by ensuring trade is exempt from Crown-imposed taxation and tariffs under Section 87 of the Indian Act, Section 125 of the Constitution Act, 1867, and international agreements including Article 32.5 of CUSMA.
It also affirms Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation’s legal position as a recognized ally of the British Crown, based on rulings by the Specific Claims Tribunal (SCT-5001-13) and the Supreme Court of Canada (2025 leave to appeal denied). This legal foundation strengthens the Corridor’s capacity to enter international agreements, claim exemption from external regulation, and administer its own certification and customs regimes.
The Compact is a cornerstone of the Standing Buffalo Economic Corridor’s governance architecture. It builds unity among Nations and formalizes the legal instruments needed to protect trade sovereignty, infrastructure jurisdiction, and long-term wealth generation on Dakota-Lakota terms.
Download: Oceti Sakowin Economic Compact – Standing Buffalo Economic Corridor
Thanks,
Solomon Cry
Communications Consultant
Cell: 306.527.8081
Email: solomoncyr@gmail.com
Strategic Planning Tables – Standing Buffalo Economic Corridor
Uploaded: July 2, 2025
The Strategic Planning Tables for the Standing Buffalo Economic Corridor provide a detailed roadmap for implementing Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation’s $2 billion sovereign infrastructure initiative. This initiative is grounded in Dakota-Lakota law and seeks to re-establish the Oceti Sakowin trade routes through a comprehensive framework of trade governance, cross-border logistics, and Indigenous economic jurisdiction.
The tables outline how Standing Buffalo will enact new legislation—including the Dakota-Lakota Sovereign Trade Act and Indigenous Customs & Tariff Protocol Act—to assert control over trade and customs processes. They also describe the creation of several governance institutions such as the Corridor Development Corporation, the Cross-Border Trade Authority, the Airport Authority, and the International Trade Secretariat.
The plan identifies five core infrastructure projects: a Cross-Border Trade Portal, Central Delivery Hub, Renewable Energy Corridor, Airport and Landing Strip, and a Smart Transportation Network. It also includes a multi-source financing strategy involving the First Nations Finance Authority (FNFA), the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program (ILGP), internal capital reserves, private equity, and IPETCA-aligned international funding.
Each phase is supported by risk management protocols, regulatory compliance milestones, and Indigenous-led permitting processes. This document demonstrates that the Economic Corridor is not only visionary—it is capital-ready, legally defensible, and rooted in the Nation’s inherent jurisdiction.
Download: Strategic Planning Tables – Standing Buffalo Economic Corridor
Thanks,
Solomon Cry
Communications Consultant
Cell: 306.527.8081
Email: solomoncyr@gmail.com
Statement from Chief Rodger Redman, Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation
First Ministers Meeting and the Role of Sovereign Indigenous Nations in Confederation
May 31, 2025
Chief Rodger Redman of Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation has issued a powerful statement addressing the ongoing exclusion of Indigenous Nations from critical national discussions, such as Canada's First Ministers Meeting.
The Nation emphasizes that Indigenous sovereignty is not a political slogan, but a recognized legal fact, deeply rooted in historical and international laws. Rejecting the subordinate role offered under Executive Federalism, Standing Buffalo proposes the establishment of a "Hybrid Table," a constitutional innovation honouring Indigenous governance as equal to federal and provincial powers.
The Nation recently implemented "The Consultation Protocols of the Sovereign Alliance," asserting jurisdiction and legal authority over project approvals within its unceded Dakota territory, exemplified by its issuance of the Sovereign Alliance Project Approval Certificate. Standing Buffalo invites all interested Nations and industry proponents to review and adopt this pioneering framework to ensure genuine reconciliation and respect for Indigenous sovereignty.
Download: Statement from Chief Redman
Download: Sovereign Alliance Project Approval Certification
Solomon Cry
Communications Consultant
Cell: 306.527.8081
Email: solomoncyr@gmail.com
DTC Form Consolidation
May 31, 2025
The forms available on this site are integral components of the Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation’s Duty to Consult (DTC) Framework, facilitating structured, transparent, and accountable consultation processes. These documents—including Cultural Impact Assessments, Community Information Sessions, Corporate Commitment Statements, and more—are designed to support rigorous project evaluations, protect cultural integrity, and ensure community engagement aligns with Dakota governance principles and international standards. They serve as essential tools for proponents to clearly document their commitments, engage respectfully with Standing Buffalo, and uphold the Nation’s sovereign rights and responsibilities.
Download: DTC Form Consolidation
Solomon Cry
Communications Consultant
Cell: 306.527.8081
Email: solomoncyr@gmail.com
Notice Letter to Arizona Lithium - SBDFN
May 23, 2015
This letter is the formal notice issued by Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation to Arizona Lithium Limited, officially initiating the Duty to Consult process regarding their proposed Prairie Lithium Project in Saskatchewan. It clearly asserts Standing Buffalo’s inherent jurisdiction, sovereignty, and unextinguished Aboriginal rights within its traditional territories, emphasizes the requirement for Arizona Lithium to engage formally with the Nation’s Elders and governance bodies, and outlines immediate steps the proponent must undertake under the Nation’s newly adopted Indigenous regulatory framework titled "Consultation Protocols of the Sovereign Alliance: Standing Buffalo," ratified February 20, 2025.
Download: Notice Letter to Arizona Lithium - SBDFN
Solomon Cry
Communications Consultant
Cell: 306.527.8081
Email: solomoncyr@gmail.com
The Consultation Protocols of the Sovereign Alliance: Standing Buffalo
May 23, 2025
The Consultation Protocols of the Sovereign Alliance: Standing Buffalo, formally adopted on February 20, 2025, provide the foundational framework and detailed processes by which Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation asserts its inherent sovereignty, jurisdiction, and rights concerning projects within its traditional territory. This document outlines a structured and culturally grounded approach to meaningful engagement and consultation, integrating traditional Dakota governance structures—including the Elders’ Oversight Committee, the Chief and Council, and the Technical Review Committee—within contemporary regulatory practices. The protocols ensure thorough assessments of proposed developments, particularly resource extraction, infrastructure projects, or activities with significant environmental impacts, aligning fully with Canadian constitutional obligations and international standards, notably the principles of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
Industry proponents seeking approval for or undertaking projects within Standing Buffalo’s traditional territory must carefully review and rigorously adhere to these protocols. Initial engagement requires formal notification, early and meaningful consultation with the Nation, and collaborative assessments conducted jointly with Standing Buffalo’s appointed governance bodies. Proponents must be fully prepared to engage in co-management structures, commit to binding agreements protecting Dakota rights and interests, and secure explicit consent from Standing Buffalo’s Dakota Elders and leadership before proceeding.
Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation places industry formally on notice: proponents who disregard these Consultation Protocols, or fail to adequately respect our sovereignty, inherent land rights, jurisdiction, or the authority of our Elders and governance structures, will face immediate and vigorous legal action. Our Nation will deploy all legal remedies available—including litigation and injunctions—as necessary to firmly defend our sovereignty, territory, culture, resources, and the inherent rights and responsibilities bestowed upon us by our ancestors.
Download: The Consultation Protocols of the Sovereign Alliance
Solomon Cyr
Communications Consultant
Cell: 306.527.8081
Email: solomoncyr@gmail.com
Notice to the Government of Saskatchewan on Duty to Consult
July 26th, 2024
Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation (SBDFN) has formally placed the Government of Saskatchewan on notice regarding impending legal action related to the Duty to Consult. This action is grounded in the constitutional recognition of SBDFN's inherent rights and title, as affirmed by Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, and reinforced by recent developments and legal precedents.
On July 15, 2024, the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, issued a formal apology on behalf of the Government of Canada to the Dakota and Lakota First Nations, including SBDFN. This apology repudiated past denials of our rights and status and officially recognized SBDFN as Aboriginal peoples of Canada with constitutionally protected rights. This recognition is aligned with our inherent rights, title, and jurisdiction over our unceded Dakota territories.
Despite these acknowledgements, the Government of Saskatchewan's engagement and policies continue to fall short of meaningful consultation and accommodation, as required by law. This failure has prompted SBDFN to issue a Notice to Industry on July 18, 2024, emphasizing the necessity of obtaining our free, prior, and informed consent before commencing or continuing any projects that may adversely impact our rights.
In particular, SBDFN has highlighted concerns over the proposed Seven Stars Energy Project. We have made it clear that no approval of this project should proceed without thorough consultation with SBDFN to secure our consent, in compliance with our rights and the rulings of the Supreme Court of Canada in Haida (2004) and Tsilhqot'in Nation v. British Columbia (2014).
The recent formal apology from the Government of Canada requires the Government of Saskatchewan to review and adapt its First Nation and Métis Consultation Policy Framework to reflect SBDFN's claims to Aboriginal Title and our inherent jurisdiction. Until Saskatchewan engages in the spirit of reconciliation and recognizes our allyship relationship, meaningful tripartite negotiations with the federal and provincial governments cannot move forward.
SBDFN remains open to discussions and urges the Province of Saskatchewan to engage with us in recognizing the Dakota and Lakota peoples of Canada as sovereign nations entitled to consultation under the Constitution Act, 1982. We stand firm in our commitment to enforce our rights and ensure that our voices are heard and respected in all matters impacting our communities and territories.
Download: Notice to the Government of Saskatchewan on Duty to Consult
Solomon Cyr
Communications Consultant
Cell: 306.527.8081
Email: solomoncyr@gmail.com