Chief Dr. Stan Bird addresses the crowd of Peguis member residents and youth in Winnipeg who took their concerns to Sport Manitoba on Oct. 22, 2026, protesting an Interlake Hockey decision that has affected opportunities for young players to compete within their region.
By Terra Indigena staff
PEGUIS FIRST NATION — Peguis residents and youth took their concerns to Sport Manitoba on Oct. 22, 2026, protesting an Interlake Hockey decision that has affected opportunities for young players to compete within their region.
For the second season, Peguis U15 and U18 players must play in Winnipeg to participate in league competition. Peguis recreation director Jonathan Flett said the departure of teams from Stonewall, Stony Mountain and Warren left the Interlake league without enough teams to function.
Peguis turned to Winnipeg competition so its children would have opponents and could continue playing.
“By them doing this, our league no longer has enough teams to function,” Flett said.
The consequences extend to neighbouring communities. Flett said Lake Manitoba and Fisher River were left without enough teams to play within the Interlake, potentially leaving about 100 children without hockey this season.
He said the Interlake has a responsibility to keep teams playing within the region and alleged that its rules were not followed.
In the U9 hockey, the creation of a new league left Peguis and several other communities outside the group, according to Flett.
He said Stony Mountain, Stonewall and Warren made arrangements in early August, without Peguis knowing, to create their own league within Interlake hockey. Flett described the arrangement as “illegal” and said the communities had received permission despite what he maintained were violations of the rules.
Flett said the organizers then approached Arborg, Gimli, Teulon and Riverton, and all four agreed to join. That left Peguis, Fisher River, Lake Manitoba, Lakeside and Pinaymootang to play on their own, he said.
“This looks to me as segregation and is not right for our children ages 7, 8, 9 years old, who just want to play hockey,” Flett said.
Asked whether he meant segregation based on race, Flett replied, “Yeah.”
Peguis youth stage a protest at Sports Manitoba.