Kakisa morel pickers relocated into bush by GNWT

Morel mushroom picking season is just beginning in the N.W.T., but disagreements are already arising as to how the territorial government should deal with pickers.

Dozens of pickers have converged around the community of Kakisa, which has a population of just 45 full-time residents. That number has more than doubled since the start of picking season.

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The community held a cookout to welcome out-of-towners, according to Chief Lloyd Chicot. 

"We want to welcome them and, at the same time, address some of the community concerns," he said. "It's turned out really nice. There's people coming in steady."

Pushed out

However, on Wednesday, many of those pickers and buyers were asked to pull up camp from a nearby gravel pit, and told to move half a kilometre away from the highway, into the bush.

"Someone from the Department of Highways came in, and said this is an active gravel pit that's leased, and they may need it for forest fire suppression," said Yellowknife's Brendan Matthews, who is in the area buying mushrooms with his brother. 

After that, said Matthews, a gate and a "No Trespassing" sign were put up around the pit. He said he tried to reason with the officer, but to no avail.

"We tried to ask him if there was other options, you know," he said. "Can we stay until there might be an issue with forest fires, and then give us 48 hours to leave, or is there an area within here that we could stay in here and just try to stay out of your way? 

"But he was pretty adamant that the whole area was being closed off and reserved for their use, so we had to go."

I don't understand what's going on here- Earl Evans, former Department of Transportation employee

Government officials also told the Matthews brothers that they couldn't set up camp within 500 metres of the road, although CBC reporter Jacob Barker saw several tents set up on the highway. 

The decision to remove the pickers and buyers isn't sitting well with Earl Evans, a long-time former employee of the Department of Transportation, who says moving the pickers directly contravenes efforts by the territorial government to attract them to the territory.

"Here we have [the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment] on the one hand promoting mushroom picking for the past couple of months," he said. "Going into every community. And here we have Highways, on the other hand, chasing them the hell out of there. 

"I don't understand what's going on here."

A Department of Transportation official told CBC that they are closing all gravel pits in the territory to campers, reasoning that in addition to forest fire concerns, they would be liable if individuals were injured or started a fire.

Picker lost for 9 hours

The Matthews' say the forced relocation was a blessing in disguise — they're setting up camp north of Fort Providence, located 70 kilometres north of Kakisa on the highway, where they say the picking is good.

However, an Alberta picker in the area wasn't nearly as lucky on Tuesday. The picker strayed away from a group at nearby Caen Lake, and was lost in the bush for over nine hours.

Joachim Bonnetrouge, the chief of Fort Providence, said the picker was lucky to find the highway, and that the territorial government needs to be more proactive in ensuring the safety of pickers. He suggested the government hire monitors during the summer season.

"It will be local guys," he explained. "They would know the land. Especially for visitors, they would sure feel welcome and a little bit more secure."

Bonnetrouge says that he has yet to receive a response from the territorial government on his suggestion.