Nesika: The Voice of B.C. Indians -- Vol. 1 No. 3 (December 1972)

Transcription (Hover to view)


Page Eight



NES IK A

December, 1972



sre



; ANGIE DENNIS TALKS TO NEWSMEN
. while alderman Harry Rankin listens intently.

COPE fields the first



Indian in

mayoralty

VANCOUVER (Staff) — Another first was chalked up here on
November 14 when the Committee of Progressive Electors (COPE)
announced its candidate for mayor in Vancouver civic elections; Mrs.
Angie Dennis, a 29-year-old school teacher became the first Indian
womanin Canada to run for the office of mayor.

Calling herself ‘‘a candidate for the average person,’

” she rejected

. the idea that she is a token candidate which had been suggested due to her

relative inexperience in city politics.

Mrs. Dennis told newsmen she was running for mayor because “a

change is needed,”

and as a member of an ethnic group, she knows the

problems and thinks that she could doa good job.
“T know what it’s like to look for decent housing at.a price you can
afford and not find it,”’ she said. “T know what public transit’s all about

because I don’t own a car.’

COPE’s pians for Vancouver, according to Mrs. Dennis, include.

giving each area of the city direct representation on council through a
ward system, a 20-year plan for growth which world involve the active

participation of all citizens.

Mrs. Dennis was born in Fort St. James and taught school in Prince
George and Burnaby until a couple of years ago when she became active
in the native Indian rights movement.

She has stated that she does not want people te vote for her because
she is a woman or an Indian, but because of her ability.

Mrs. Dennis will be running against at least three other candidates for

-mayor in the December elections.



New ARDA agreement made
for “special action”

VANCOUVER (Staff)
Representatives from the Union of
B.C. Indian Chiefs and the B.C.
Association of Non-Status Indians
met with DREE spokesmen for a
briefing on the recently signed
Special ARDA oo between
Ottawa and B.C

. The special agreement was
based on the recognition by both
levels of government that a
“special action” was needed to
implement the General ARDA
Agreement of 1970 to benefit
‘‘disadvantaged people’. who in
certain rural areas include many
of Indian ancestry. -

Projects to be approved in the

special agreement will be those in

remote rural communities and
rural areas.

These projects may provide
services or facilities to. lessen
isolation of remote communities;
build community recreation
facilities that create employment
opportunities; provide counselling,
training and other services -not

provided by. government
programs; develop primary
producing activities to improve
incomes; set up, expand or
modernize any commercial un-
dertaking using primary
resources.

EQUITY QUESTIONED

Among the much questioned
provisions of the agreement was
the required equity for these
projects. Applicants need to put in
20% equity for a project to be

“approved.

The UBCIC and BCANSI also-
noted that equity requirements
showed that the special agreement
favored well-to-do natives.

Ted Oliver of DREE, Ottawa,
agreed but explained that his
department is prepared to accept
equity in the form of applicants’
laber, house, grants from other
resources, value of reserve land
for the plant, and _ others.

In reply to a question on funding

Oliver: said that the federal -

government had set $2 million for
the program, and that the
department is. ‘‘prepared to
respond quickly” to applications.

On the observation by BCANSI
representatives that the special
agreement was less advantageous
to non-status Indians than
registered Indians Oliver men-
tioned the success of DREE
sponsored development projects
among Metis and non-status
natives in Manitoba and Saskat-
chewan.

Any band interested in applying
for assistance under this special
agreement may get in touch with
the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.

MORE DIALOGUE



PRINCE- RUPERT (Staff) —
Following a request from the floor
of the Chiefs’ Conference, the
Honorable Eileen Dailly, Minister
of Education agreed to meet with
Indian students on November 8.

This meeting was attended by
Mrs. Dailly, Mr. Walsh, Director of
Special Education, students from
Bella Coola, Prince Rupert,
Vancouver, Victoria, home-school
co-ordinators and other interested
persons.

Mrs. Dailly and the students
tried to reach some kind of accord
but with little apparent success as
Mrs. Dailly and Mr. Walsh were
unfamiliar with the extent of
federal involvement in Indian
education. However, Mrs. Dailly
did promise to investigate ways
and means of working with Indian
Affairs to improve the quality of
education. ;

Mrs. Dailly agreed with Dennis
Hanuse, spokesman for the Native
Students Union that a person
should not be denied access to
higher education because of
financial need.

Hanuse noted that out of 60 In-
dian students who had begun
studies at Vancouver City College
with him two years ago, only two
were left. He suggested that the
reason for this high drop-out rate
was a problem of social ad-
justment, saying that “it was hard
to meet your kind of people; people
who share. the same interests.”

To combat this, he said that the
Native Students. Union has
looked into the idea of co-operative
housing: This idea has the full
support of the 70 students in the
union he said. Mrs. Dailly
promised to speak to Norman Levi
on this matter.

Other - solutions. which. were
suggested included an orientation
program ‘for Indian students
coming to urban. settings, and
travel experience programs where
students could make field trips to
towns, large urban centres and
other regions of B.C. to acquaint
themselves, gradually, with dif-
ferent life styles.

PROMISES A LOOK

Mrs. Dailly promised’ to in-
vestigate programs which. would
help in this area.

She also asked why so many
Indian students were steered. into
post-secondary schools in large
centres such as Vancouver instead
of attending the regional com-
munity colleges which she said had
been established so that young
people would have a chance at
higher education without incurring
great expense.

Student spokesmen said that this
was mainly a result of channeling
by the Department of Indian. Af-
fairs. /

Dennis Hanuse also pointed out
that non-status Indian students

-have a much harder time gaining -
access to higher education than do-

status Indian students. He noted
that out of the 70 students in the
union, only one of them was non-
status.

Students from the University of
Victoria queried Mrs. Dailly as ‘to
why Indian students were forced to
learn another language in school.

Why couldnt’t they be given
credit for their knowledge of their
native tongue?

While Mrs. Dailly and Mr. Walsh’

agreed that Indian students. who
ean speak their native language
should not be forced to take
another language such as French
in school, they pointed out that the
problem was deciding how well the
students knew the language. ,
Mr. Walsh said that he was all
for the idea of Indian languages
being taught in school, as ‘is
already being done in some

districts, because he would like to.

see the native languages .‘‘come
alive’ again.

All students admitted to meeting
diserimination in their schooling;
some from teachers’ “wisecrack-
ing attitudes” other from other

non-Indian students in social ac-

tivities and many in. trying . to
obtain housing. ;

Don Jenkins, area education
counsellor for native students in
South Okanagan, said that
discrimination against Indian
students in his district couldn’t be
denied and asked what could be
done about teachers who are either
racially biased or completely
resistant to new approaches.

LAY A COMPLAINT
Mrs. Dailly noted that under new
departmental regulations the

problem of a -teacher’s in-
competency was taken into ac-
count and suggested that if and
when a student encounters open
discrimination that the student and
his family should be encouraged to
lay a complaint under the Human
Rights Act.

Mr. Jenkins also pointed out that
while there are special educational
facilities in the southern
Okanagan, many of his students
could not make use of them since
the facilities were in a different
school district than the students.

Mrs. Dailly replied that she
supported the idea of inter-district
resource centres and that she
planned to encourage inter-district
co-operation in making use of
teachers with specialized teaching
skills.

In summing up, Mr. Walsh said
that it was a matter of priorities
and at present, the government’s
priority was “local control by
Indians over their education.”’

When asked if she would support
separate schools, Mrs. Dailly said
no; her idea is to make alternative
types of education available within
the public school system.

She said she would like to see the
day when ‘‘no kids are kicked out’”’
of the school system but rather
would be able to find within the
system the type of schooling which

‘best fits his or her needs.



Applications to First
Citizens Fund reviewed

VICTORIA (Staff) —.The new
Advisory Board for the First
Citizens’ Fund met here on
November 21 and 22 to. discuss
plans and review applications for

funds.

Seven Indian people now make
up the Advisory Board. They are:
Mildred | Gottfriedson, of
Kamloops, Gloria Webster of
Vancouver, Dr. George Clutesi of
Port Alberni, Alvin McKay of the
UBC Indian Education Resources
Centre, George Wilson of the
provincial department of
education, Edwin Newman of Bella
Bella, and James Sewid of Alert
Bay.
Rod McInnis who is acting as co-
ordinator of the board explained
that the new government. has
changed all committees who
control administration of perpetual
funds such as the First Citizen
from ministerial committees in an
attempt to ‘‘eliminate any political
influence”. in determining grants.

And; McInnis continued, the
NDP government decided to ap-
point individuals to the board’
rather than representatives of
various Indian organizations as
had been done in the past.

These individuals, weconding fi
McInnis were chosen because they
have ‘‘extensive knowledge” or
have direct work experience with
the Indian population of B.C.
SCREENING COMMITTEE

Although the terms of reference
for the advisory committee have
not changed, McInnis reported that
this committee screens all ap-

‘plications and makes~ recom-

- plications

mendations to a secretariat
composed of Mr. Bryson, the
deputy minister of finance and Mr.
Wallace who is the deputy
provincial - secretary. © This
secretariat will then act on the
committee’s recommendations.

His own office, McInnis added,
will act as co-ordinator for the’
committee by receiving ap-
and collecting
background material for the
committee.

The committee plans to meet
fairly regularly, ‘“‘as the need
arises,” to review applications in
depth.

Their recommendations on the
100 application the committee
reviewed are now before the
secretariat for final approval.

First Citizen Fund
board is criticized

VANCOUVER — Non-status
Indians have questioned the Indian
membership of the recently for-
med advisory committee of the
First Citizens Fund.

“The government has named
people without any connection with
the association or with the Union of
B.C. Indian Chiefs,’ said Len
Maracle, secretary-treasurer of
the B.C. Association of Non-Status
Indians.

Deputy provincial secretary
Laurie Wallace replied that the
present members were chosen
because they prepresented all
Indian people rather than any
specific group of Indians.





articles.





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December, 1972

N ES i K A

Page Nine



New $180,000
store completely
burned

By DAVE STEVENSON
CDW, Bella Coola

October 30 will be remembered
by most Canadians as election day,
but for the people of Bella Bella it
will be remembered as the sad day
when our Band Store burned down.

The fire, which started early in
the morning, took only three hours
to demolish the recently built
$180,000 self-service grocery store
.owned and operated by the band.

Despite the valiant efforts of the
Bella| Bella Volunteer Fire
Brigade, the fire soon got out of
conirol and fanned by a strong
wind razed the building. One
firefighter, William Gladstone,
overcome by smoke, broke both
ankles when he fell off a ladder.

A 19-year-old suspect was held
and questioned by RCMP. He
confessed to breaking into the store
and setting three separate fires. He
was tried and convicted in Ocean
Falls and received a sentence of
three years.in jail.

Once the shock of losing our
store; which took four years of
planning, wore off the Band
Council and the Store Commission
quickly undertook to establish
grocery service by setting up a
temporary store in the basement of
the Community Hall. It started
operating November 15.

Due to a strong need for it —
people cried over the burning of the
store —- a new. store is being
planned. Hopefully it will be
completed by next spring.

'Ksan dancers
- get ovations

OTTAWA: — Following their
performances at the National Arts
Centre here, the ’Ksan Dancers of
the ’Ksan Historic Indian Village

~ at Hazelton may be on their way to
national. and international
recognition.

The talented group. received
standing ovations after each of
their three performances at the
centre, requests for performances
at York and - Pennsylvania
universities, three other offers of
engagements in the east and were
asked, to stay on in Ottawa for
another week.

Their presentation included
ceremonies, songs and dances that
have come. down to the Gitksan
people from ancient times.

The trip which included ex-
cursions to museums in New York
and Washington, D.C., was
financed by grants from the
federal government, the First
Citizens’ Fund and the Kitanmax
school in Hazelton.





NEW AIYANSH — A salute to
pioneers-of the Nishga Nation was
the theme set for the Fifteenth
Annual Convention of the Nishga
Tribal Council held. on the 16th,
17th and 18th of November. :

The convention wished to pay
tribute, in the words of Council
President and Minister-without-
Portfolio Frank Calder, to ‘‘the

_work and energy of the pioneers

which has.culminated in the en-
deavors of the Nishga people now.”

The convention was held sixty
miles deep into the magnificent
Nass Valley north of Terrace at the
village community hall of New
Aiyansh.

The Nishga Tribal Council is
made up of representatives from
the four villages of the Nass

Valley: Canyon City, Greenville, -

Kincolith, and New Aiyansh.

PROPOSE PETITION

Education was stressed highly at
the meeting highlighted by a
proposal to petition the Provincial
Government for the creation of a
new school district solely in the
Nass Valley and a breakaway from
the existing one presently: con-
trolled by the Terrace School
Board.

Also of concern was a proposed
new junior secondary school for
Aiyansh coinciding with a
bicultural bilingual program for all
schools in the year.
~ All the panel speakers agreed in
the need for the people of the

’ community to take a very active

part in their children’s education if
they wanted the. proposed new
school be a success. :

WILSON SPEAKS

B.C. Native Indian . Teachers
Association. Chairman George
Wilson, who recently became
Director of Indian Education for
the education department,
stressed that the most important
thing that could be taught in the
new school would be human
relationship. .

He also suggested that when they

‘chose a principal for the school

they give him a full year paid leave
of absence to plan and develop the
educational program.

Indian Education Resource
Centre Director Alvin McKay said
he felt that education “‘is a life that
is changing all the time.”

He felt that it was important to
realize. that education was
everything in life and began right
in the home: ‘‘We, the Indian
people, are the only ones who can
make the changes we want...

through strong

children.”
MORE CONCERN

Bert McKay, who is the principal
of the elementary school in
Aiyansh and also president of

producing

BCNITA, stated that although the:

school was having problems due to
inadequate financing the real
problem was lack of community
involvement. He asked = the
delegates to be more concerned
about their children’s education.

Another matter dealt with at the
eonvention was the housing
situation. Delegates expressed
concern with the present system of
house allotment from the Federal

NISHGA TRIBAL CONFERENCE



Government and the quality of
house that resulted.

It was suggested that the present
$8,500 grant per house — should
‘somehow be upgraded to provide
better quality. DIA Superintendent
of (Regional) Community Affairs
_Larry Hunter revealed that the
Canada-wide allotment of 15,000
houses arrived at in 1966 still stood.

HOUSING MONEY

Mr. Hunter admitted that it was
not adequate but he said nothing
could be done about it at present.
George Price from | Indian
Economic Development suggested
the Council pass a resolution and
take over money allocated toward





NEW. ATYANSH — A possible
Canadian first and certainly a
large step towards more control of
their own education by the Nishga

people was begun in the Nass.
’ Malley on the 17th of November.

In an amended resolution passed
by the Fifteenth Annual Con-
vention of the Nishga Tribal
Council it was recommended that
the four bands of the Council
petition the Provincial Dept. of
Education for the dreation of a new
school district: School District 89.
_ The: proposed. school district
would include not just the four
communities of New. Aiyansh,
Greenville, Canyon City and
Kincolith but all communities
along the Nass River.

The communities. presently
come under-the jurisdiction of the
Cassiar School District 88. There
has been, however, a growing
frustration in dealing with the non-
Indian school board at Terrace.

The culmination of. this
frustration is centred around
negotiations for the building of a
new bi-cultural,. bi-lingual junior
high school at Aiyansh and
establishment of. a - similar
program in the existing elemen-
tary schools.

FIRST PROPOSAL

The proposal was first made in
February 1972 at the last con-
vention by. the. Nishga. School
Committee which consisted of
members from each of the four
communities. Despite the fact that
the Terrace School Board has
already received 50% of a 1.3
million dollar grant towards the

new school and despite intensive
negotiations throughout the year to
date no action has. been taken
towards the project’s realization.

The original resolution at this
year’s conference was the result of
this frustration and called for the
establishment of a Nishga School
Board to take charge of Nishga
educational matters.

The resolution also called for the
handing over of monies from the
Terrace School Board that had

been allocated for Nishga
education.
CALDER COMMENTS

Commenting on the resolution,
however, Council President. and
Minister Without Portfolio Frank
Calder suggested: that in. dealing
with the government they should
keep clear of the word “‘separate.”’

Rather, he said, they should
stress ‘‘equality of education for all
citizens. of the Province.” He
suggested then the idea-of a new
school district serving all the
people of the valley.

“Nowhere in Canada does an
Indian school board exist,”’ he said,
“St will be a model for the rest of
the country.”

He then invited representatives
from the four villages to come to
the opening of parliament to meet
with Minister of Education Eileen
Dailly and work out the feasibility
of the proposal. ‘

Calder stressed, however, that —

the proposed new school district
would serve all the people of the
Nass Valley and not just the
Nishga Nation.



NEW INDIAN RCMP CONSTABLES



IN A HISTORY-MAKING CEREMONY recently in Victoria, seven B.C.
native Indian policemen were sworn in for duty on their respective
reserves. The seven, whe were sworn in by Gordon Cunningham,
Assistant RCMP Commissioner, were put through an extensive training





James Gosnell,

‘Point Edward Local;

program, which consisted of many facets of poliee work. Let us all hope
that people will co-operate with: Brian Thorne, Archie Robinson, Ted
Seward, William Newman, Frank MacDonald, Rebert Louie and i!arry
Baker. —G. MeKevitt Photo



housing and control it themselves.

Other business at the convention
included talks with officials from
the Fisheries, Manpower, Health
and. Welfare, Forestry and Fish
and Wildlife Departments.

On the first day of the meeting
the council was presented with a
cheque from Columbia Cellulose
for $2,500 as a memorial fund for
Reginald Percival who died on the
job last. year.

BRASS BAND .

The first bursary from the fund
will go to the New Aiyansh
Philharmonic Silver Band, the
local brass and reed band who ably
entertained. the delegates on the
first. two. evenings of. the con-
vention.

Election of Table Officers,. which
would normally take place, was
waived. and delegates voted to
retain the present members.

Tt was felt that-it was not a good
idea to vote in new people while the
Nishga Land Claim was still in
progress.

The officers. presently are Chief
New Aiyansh;
Chief Maurice Nyce, Canyon City;
Chief William. McKay, Greenville;
Chief Harold Barton, Kincolith;
Hubert Haldane, Prince Rupert —
Hubert
Doolan, Chairman; Henry McKay,
Secretary-Treasurer; and
Minister-without-Portfolic Frank
Calder as President.

Guests at the convention in-
cluded Senator Guy Williams,
Chief Victor Adolph, who was
representing the Union of B.C.
Indian Chiefs and Simon Baker,
Chairman of the Squamish Band.

It was a particularly nostalgic
trip for Mr. Baker as he had played

~ lacrosse with the Nishga team for a

short period back in the early
thirties. Many of his teammates he
met again for the first time since
then.

The third and final day of the
convention was devoted to
ceremonies taking place in nearby
Canyon City. Delegates were in-
vited to help the village celebrate
the fiftieth anniversary of the local
Salvation Army.



Professionals



of the Year’

FORT ST. JOHN — Mrs. Mille
Poplar was honoured by the Fort
St. John Business and Professional
Women’s Club last month when she
was chosen as the club’s “‘woman
of the year”. The award is

‘presented annually to a woman in
the community who has - con-

tributed to making Fort St. John a
better place.

Despite family committments to
her. husband and three. small
children, Mrs. Poplar has made
outstanding contributions to the
community and especially to the
native community.

She has been instrumental in
organizing the Keeginaw Friend-
ship Centre in Fort St. John,
retains'the position of home-school
co-ordinator for Indian students
eovering the territory between
Chetwynd and Fort Nelson, serves
on the family court committee as
well as being active in her church.

Born in Old Crow, Yukon which
is several miles within the Arctic
Circle, Mrs. Popiar was educated
in Whitehorse and later in Van-

couver.

Mrs. Popiar travelled around
western Canada quite a bit before
she settled down in Fort St. John
with her family.

At the same time she ‘was
declared ‘‘Citizen of the Week”’ for
the Fort St. John District.

Page Ten

N E— S | K A



UNION STAFF MEMBER Marj Percival registers
another chief on the first day of the Chiefs Con-

ference. Watching in the background are staff

Hans (standing).

members Susan Sparrow, Mrs. S. Sparrow and Marie

(Staff photo)

December, 1972

Students take study,

tutoring

Astudy hall program initiated on
the Saanich Peninsula on Van-
couver Island is proving itself a
needed and successful aid to Indian
Secondary students of the area.

The program, which began in

late October, provides for the
bussing of students from the East
Saanich, Coal Bay, and Pat Bay
reserves to. Tsartlip School on the
West Saanich Reserve two nights a
week for a two hour session of
study and tutored help.

Home School Co-ordinator Mollie
Pelkey, who is in charge of the
program, said she felt the service
is meeting a real need of the
students. In fact, she said, the idea
for it was suggested to her by
students ‘she talked to.

She said that many of the
students had difficulty studying in
the home and especially if they
were from large families.

An indication of the programs
popularity is that over half of the 75
eligible students in the area
(students enroled in grades eight to
twelve) take advantage of it.
AIDS AVAILABLE

Besides bussing the program.
provides for two regular tutors,

Sessions

two students from the University of
Victoria, to help the students with
individual problems.

Some typewriters .are provided
too for commerce students, as well
as encyclopedias and other
reference materials.

Mrs. Pelkey said that she hopes
the program will continue right
through to May. This is only ten-
tative at present, however, as
finances have been and are still the
major problem.

She originally applied to the
Dept. of Indian Affairs, the Dept. of
Education, the First Citizens Fund,
and Welfare but ran into obstacles
in all these courses. The program:
is presently funded up until
December by a private source but
what will after December is still
uncertain.

Mrs. Pelkey also said that they
were considering a program of
adult education night school
although she stressed that this was
still only an idea at present. The
facilities at the school are:
available, however, and she said
she felt that courses for adults:
would be worthwhile if and when.
they could be organized.



PORT ALBERNI Indian
community. workshops and
- educational travelling vans were
among projects proposed by the
consultant to. the U.B.C. Indian
Education Resources Centre in his
report to the conference of native
Indian teachers here.

The report containing the
proposed projects was submitted
-by Dr. Art More to the BCNITA
conference and. was formally
adopted by the delegates.

The community workshops ‘is to
help Indian communities provide
feedbacks to schools, while the
travelling vans would move
throughout B.C. to provide
methodological and cultural in-
formation to teachers and
students, the report explained.

OTHER PROJECTS

The report also’ proposed the
following special projects:

A three-year program aimed at
improving the language arts
achievement of Indian children,
both in English and their native
Indian languages; - /

A training program to improve
the opportunities for native Indians
to become certified teachers; and

An Indian culture and heritage
program with emphasis on the
present for use by both Indians and
non-Indians,

PORT ALBERNI — Dr. George
Clutesi, author. and artist, told
delegates to the BCNITA con-
ference that to insure a_ strong
basis the association must make
sure the people who join are. sin-
cere and dedicated so that changes
will be assured and real.

Dr. -Clutesi spoke at a dinner
given by the BCNITA where he was
presented with the honor of a
permanent membership in the

_ Centre Council of the association.

“You must be content to start
slowly. and grow gradually, not
with a big bang,” he said.

The noted Indian writer stressed -:

the importance of rediscovering
Indian culture. In his generation,

PROBLEMS IN EDUCATION

Special projects proposed

IMPORTANT PROBLEMS

Dr. More. suggested
projects as ways of dealing with’
what he thought are the most
pressing problems facing the
BCNITA.

The IERC consultant said. that
the first problem: is the great lack
of knowledge of non-Indian
teachers about. Indian children’s
problems when trying to get into
the existing school system.

“If teachers could be made
aware of these problems, it is
likely that solutions would
automatically follow in most of the
other problem areas,” he said.

Dr. More then detailed the low
Indian-teacher-student ratio of the
province, saying that native
teachers make up only 0.1% of total
teacher population of the province
which has 5% of its total population
made up of native. people, in-
cluding non-status Indians.
MORE INFLUENCE

He said that the proper ratio is
1,300 Indian teachers instead of the
present 24.

“This would not only lead to
more influence, but the process of
exposure would result in greater
understanding and more positive
attitudes by non-Indian teachers,”’
the consultant said.

The More Report also examinéd
community. attitudes. Because of

these -

the lack of understanding of

problems that projects are trying -

to solve, often school boards turn
down those projects presented for
Indian children.

“This
prejudices can again be traced to
lack of “knowledge © and’ * un-
derstanding of the non-Indian
community,” said Dr. More.

NO BENEFITS

According to his report some
Indian parents expect things from
the educational system which are
not possible or are better handled
in another way; many do not get
the benefits from the system.

and more personal

Dr. More noted that, “It is easy
to understand their feelings when
you trace back the experiences
which they have had. with the
school’ system in:this province.”

‘Most material available now is
written by non-Indians and often
suffers from a lack of real un-
derstanding of Indian life and
cultures,” reported Dr. More.

He said that there is a tremen-
dous need for material at an in-
terest level which will catch the
imagination of both Indian and
non-Indian students.

Unfortunately, information
stores in libraries and museums

are written in technical language

and often difficult to get.

NEW PRIORITIES

Reporting on funds, Dr. More
noted that in general money for
education has been decreasing due
to new priorities of -the -govern-
ment, and due to increasing por-
tions’ commited to programs of
which Indian people have little or
no control.

Dr. More then suggested that,
besides the usual government
sources, the association may apply
to outside private foundations such
as Carnegie and Ford.



FIRST IN BCNITA HISTORY

McKay elected

PORT ALBERNI — Delegates to
the general conference of the B.C.
Native Indian Teachers
Association elected Bert McKay as
president, the first in the three-
year history of the association.

They also gave official
recognition to the works of author
and artist George Clutesi by
moving to make him a permanent
member of the Centre Council.
~ Eighteen members of the Centre

SINCERE, DEDICATED MEMBERS

Clutesi urges strong base

he said, the Indian was told to forge
ahead and never look back. This
has resulted now in the almost total

loss of everything~ that is Indian.’

NOW LOOKING BACK

The non-Indian society has. made
this same mistake and the chaos
and confusion they. are ex-
periencing now is the result of it, he
noted.

The new generation of Indians,
he said, is becoming aware of this
mistake — they are “looking back”’
and realizing that the whole
makeup of the Indian is deeply
rooted: in.the past.

With this feeling for the past the
Indian must prepare for the future,
Dr. Clutesi said.

The most positive way of
assuring a bright future he felt,
was the careful raising of children.

“One of the things that. has .

carried through our culture even to
today is that we treat our children
as important people.”’

Dr. Clutesi went on to say:
“Here’s an Indian thought. It is
said that to build a good fire you
must start with the best and dryest
wood and kindling. You must then
build the fire carefully and
properly and when you set a spark
to it you will have a fire that will
burn in a rainy night. So it is with
children. You must tend and build
them with the cleanest of
thoughts.” :



Council were also elected during
the conference: held here October
49, 20 and 21.

The conference also marked the
first occasion at the newly opened
cultural center of the Sheshaht
Band who acted as conference
hosts.

TOP OFFICE CREATED
Elections were held during the
last day of the conference. The

The best way to teacha child was
through example, he added.

“It is an easy thing to stand and
preach but. to set an example. is
difficult.”’

He also urged those present. to
tencourage their children to come
to their elders if they wished to
know something or needed advice.

Touching on recognition, Dr.
Clutesi said that no one can work
for recognition since it only comes
to those who have accomplished
something worthwhile.

He stressed, however, that those
who have gained recognition have
a duty to their people to at least
meet them halfway.

resident

motion to create the office of
president was carried by a
unanimous vote the day before.

Centre .Council Chairman
George Wilson expressed the need
for a person in a position to speak
with authority for the association.

In his acceptance speech McKay
voiced optimism in the growth and
progress of the association.

He said he hopes that he can
fulfill the confidence put in him by
the delegates.

The association was also
unanimous in its expression of
gratitude and admiration for the
efforts and wisdom Dr. Clutesi has
lent to the organization.

WALK, DON’T RUN

In a speech at the banquet held in
his honor Dr. Clutesi urged that the
association be content with slow
and steady growth. (See report on
Clutesi speech in this issue.)

Delegates visited the
Wickaninnish Residence School
and ‘the Christie Residence in a
field trip to Tofino and Ucluelet.

On the second day they discussed
a proposed Multi-Service Resource
Centre, finances and problems of
funding for BCNITA and_ the
U.B.C. Indian Education
Resources Centre.

Delegates also heard a report by
IERC consultant Dr. Art More on
long-range projects and funding.
(See story on this report in this
issue.)

(Continued on Page 12)

PORT ALBERNI — Mike Lewis
first appeared back in April in Port
.Alberni walking across a softball

field to where Sheshaht Band
Manager George Watts was
marking out the lines. He ex-
plained that he had hopes for ‘a
eross-culture project he was
working on and wanted to. involve
the Indians in it.

Said Watts: “If you want to help
the Indian you can take this. peg
and walk sixty yards down the
baseline and mark it there.”

So began Mike Lewis’s in-
volvement with the Port. Alberni
Indian community. He continued to
follow Watts around for the next
month or so getting the same
treatment and making no visible
progress with his project.

“Tt wanted to test him out.”
George Watts said later. ‘“We get
so many guys coming here with
their grant money and their big
ideas about how they are going to
‘help’ the Indian. We’re getting a
little tired of it.”

CONFIDENCE GAINED

Lewis stuck it out however and in
time has gained the confidence of
both the Indian and the non-Indian
community.

Presently a University of
Calgary student Lewis, 20, was
first called out to the coast by a
local United Church minister. The

basic preblem that he is con-'-

fronting is the lack of trust and
understanding between the Indian
and non-Indian communities.
This situation haa been
bothering the Port . Alberni
residents for some time. They were
_aware of the problem but had no
idea of how to even start resolving
it. : ;
Working at. first at what was
called-.a Head -Start program,
Lewis: -attempted» to:-bring: both
cultures together in a concern of
mutual interest the breschooling
of their young. :
PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS
Operating out of the Port Alberni
Friendship Centre and free to all
involved, Lewis managed to bring
some 72 volunteers from both
cultures into the program.
Basically the program consisted of

field trips and supervised play for

the children.

The philosophy behind the
program was first of all to give a
chance for Indian and non-Indian
adults to work together with a
common purpose. One of the main
blocks to this communication in the
past was the lack of chances to
come half way to meet together.

Another purpose to the program
was to give the Indian people in-
volved a chance to discover what
resources were available in the
non-Indian community that they
could.use,

An example of this was the Park
and Recreation Dept. which very
often they were paying taxes tc
support and yet had no idea what it
offered or how to go about taking
advantage of the facilities.
COMMUNITY MIX

Head Start tried to alleviate this
lack of information. Another thing
the program tried to do was give
the preschool children, who were
often isolated within the com-

munity, a chance to mix and play”
with other children.-of their age ~

before the shock of first _Brade

: primary school.

Finally Head Start gave the
children and parents the chance to
get out of the town every once in a
while.

If you do not own a car or have

aécess to one you are more or less”

trapped:in Port Alberni-as. there is

no..other.. transportation available |

for a trip to the coast say, or spend
a day at Pacific Rim Park. Head
Start had the facilities to provide
this sort of break.. -

Lewis’s next project was a coffee .
house that-also took -place at the. :
Friendship Centre. The idea of the -

coffee house.was to. bring together
the two Communities: on. a: sorta

“basis:-

RELAXED, FRIENDLY

Entertainment of all sorts was
presented. including dancing,
bands, plays and singing in the
hopes of providing a chance’ for
both cultures to experience each
other in a relaxed, ‘friendly at-
mosphere.

The turnout for the weekly get-
togethers. grew. each. time until

there was standing reom only in
the end. The coffee house also
made it possible for the volunteers
to work together and get to know
each other.

Lewis said he felt that in this
respect the project was a bit weak
as there was not enough time over
all for the volunteers to. meet or to

orient themselves. Possibly if it |

could have been continued for a
loger period of time this could have
been worked out.

Perhaps the next project Lewis

staged for the last week of August
went the necessary bit farther to
really bridge the gap between the
two cultures.

What was called a Culture Camp
was held then, free of charge, in
which about .70 people took part.
The camp was live-in affair with a
age limit of sixteen and above.
BASIC IDEA

Basically the idea here was to
bring the two peoples together into.

a fulltime encounter where they
really would have time to relate
and gain an cinenstericling of each
other.

The people worked in arts and
crafts of all types from both
cultures, sharing and. teaching
their own particular skills and
philosophies. Lewis said that-on the
whole the experience was in-
credibly enjoyabie.

Very often, he said, people came
to the camp with pre-conceived
ideas about.what they wanted to
achieve there. They wished to
discuss and bring out political and
economic problems and So on; they
soon discovered however that the
real advantages of the camp was
more on an ‘interpersonal and
festive level; a celebration of
humanity.

The makeup of the camp turned
out to be, unplanned, about half
Indian and half non-Indian. In the
two groups there was a good cross-

section of different ages and oc:
cupations.

‘MORE EXPERIMENTS

Lewis said that he thought that
only a small. part of the great

_potentiai of this type of experiment
/was realized with the Culture

Camp and he heped to see the same
sort thing -happen again in the
future.

At present Mike Lewis is
working with a youth group at the
Friendship Centre and in general:
trying to re-orient himself to
discover in what direction to move
next,

With Watts, who is now a firm
ally, they have been looking into
methods of developing more trust
and better personai relationships
within the band itself...

“What we are striving towards in
all these projects more than
anything else is simply friend-
ship.” Lewis said, ‘That is the key
to it all.”



NON-STATUS INDIANS MEET



PRINCE GEORGE — Two
topics dominated the 4th annual
meeting of the’ B.C. Association of
‘Non-Status Indians which was held
here on. -November > 18 and 19:

‘housing and land claims.

Housing, according to BCANSI
President Fred-House is one of the
top -priorities.

“There isa tremendous need for.

housing,”’ jhe. said,

rest until it is met.” -
During. the first’ day. of. the

conference, delegates. were given a

“and. we. can’t

‘run down.on what the association
had accomplished in the last year:

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Built 20 homes under a Central
Mortgage and Housing Cor-
poration deal and began. con-
struction. of 67 others, some of
which will be ready by Christmas;

Employed 118 people to repair
182 homes under.a winter warmth
program, and,



welfare
and educational programs to help
improve the lot of the: non- ae
Indian. people.

Not. content with this ‘ad

' Set up various health,

vancement, the association is
pushing for $200,000 in Local

Initiative Grant money to ‘sup-

plement the $203,000 committed by
CMHC. for: winter warmth; an
association. operated... building
supply organization to supply
construction materials at lower~
the purchase of 70. war. surplus

houses from: the-old Boundary. Bay
airport to be moved at .a: cost: of:

about $2000 each to locations on the
coast,. and, no-interest housing

' Joans.
. WRITE-OFFS

House said. that the federal
government must be prepared to
write off the expense of organizing
and planning and higher con-

‘struction costs against the social





TAKING PART IN.A PANEL DISCUSSION on social services at a special

LEVI TAKES PART

night session of the conference, Norman Levi replies to a question from
one of the delegates. Pictured with him are, from left to right, Bob
Joseph, Conference chairman; Graham Lea,.MLA for ‘Prince Rupert;
Tom D’Aquine, Special Welfare Consultant wat DIA for North Island

@

District. Bill Mussell, who acted@’as moderator for the discussion, is on

Levi’s right. Other members of the panel were Mildred Gottfriedson,
President, B.C. Native Women’s Society; Rose Charlie, President B.C.
Homemakers Association; and Glen Newman, Squamish Band social

worker.

G Staff Photo).





goals to be gained through more
complete. participation of non-
status Indian people in the design
.and construction of their homes.

While the first day was almost
entirely. taken up with the question
of housing, the second day dealt
with two topics; the relationship of
non-status. Indian people to the
land claims made by the registered
Indian people of B.C., and the
elections of officers to the
association.

Bill. Wilson. presented a
background paper. .on. aboriginal
title and land claims: to the
delegates which stated, ‘‘without
entering into a discussion on. the
validity of the status versus non-
status distinction, it can be stated
that all Indian people who can
trace their roots back to the land
have a legitimate right to claim
their share of any benefits ac-
cruing.’

The paper also mentioned that a

“settlement could well result not
only in a large financial payment
but also in the restoration of some
of the rights Indian people
originally enjoyed in this
province.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

To ensure that the non-status
people are quite informed of
developments in the land claims
question, Fred House was in-
structed te set up a committee to
keep. a watching brief on the
matter and to report back to the
BCANSI directors and the next
annual assembly.

In the elections, despite some
strong opposition, from Butch
Smitheran who is the founding
president of BCANSI, Fred House
was re-elected as president.

Lawrence Gladue who ran un-
successfully as the Liberal can-

~-didate for Cariboo in the’provincial
. election’faced four candidates for

his position of vice-president but
managed to retain it in a vote of
confidence.

The main opposition centered
around complaints that association
officials had lost touch with the
grass roots of the organization.

Wayne Clark of Sechelt who ran
against Gladue accused the
association of over spending a
$440,000 budget and ‘“‘not doing a
damn thing for us non- “status In-
dians.”” :

In reply,” Gisdue and House
pointed to the extensive housing
program undertaken in ‘the last
year,
~ Lennie Hindle replaces Camp-
bell MacDonald as secretary-
treasurer.


mmaZmomoe



NNO





THE VOICE OF B.C. INDIANS



(Chinook meaning “US”)

_ PUBLISHED BY: UNION OF B.C.

2140 W.
Telephone: 736-6751

INDIAN CHIEFS,
12th Ave., Vancouver, B.C.



w wmmZcz = mecro<|



FREE TO ALL REGISTERED B.C.

OTHERS $3.00 PER YEAR

NATIVE INDIANS











PRINCE RUPERT (Staff)
While the fourth annual Union of
B.C. Indian Chiefs conference here
Nov. 7-9 was many things to many
people, it very easily was four
specific things:

One, it was the new provincial
government renewing promises to
begin assisting Indian people in
such areas as education, welfare
and other public services.

Two, it was a time for 147 of the
province’s 192 chiefs to be,
collectively, fairly critical of the

federal Department of Indian.

Affairs programs and policies.
Three, it was a time for bands

and districts to come up with some

solid resolutions, which if carried



PRINCE RUPERT (Staff) —
George Manuel said that an Indian
economic development. program
must. be socially oriented at first
with emphasis on grants .and
forgiveable loans.

The president: of ‘the. National
Indian Brotherhood,’ addressing
the delegates of the B.C. Chiefs
annual conference, criticized white
society for -expecting . overnight
development of Indian people.

He warned Indian people against
accepting economic development
on the white man’s terms.

“We will fail and become
disillusioned and: lose our few
remaining aboriginal rights
guaranteed. by the Indian Act,”
. Manuel predicted.

Comparing government foreign
assistance programs with
assistance to Indian people, the
NIB head said Indian people “‘are
as impoverished and in need...
as many countries that ‘the
Canadian government assists, and
yet we cannot get the same in-
terest-free loans available to
them.”

LOTS OF DISPARITY

The Canadian International
Development Agency grants ‘‘soft
loans” that are 50-year interest-
free with a 10-year repayment
grace period, said Manuel.

The NIB president contrasted
this with 15-year maturity loans
available at high interest to Indian
people.

ils

PRINCE RUPERT (Staff) —
George Wilson, president, B.C.
Native Indian Teachers’
Association, told the 4th Annual
Chiefs Conference that he
questions the teaching method and
the curriculum contents for
education.

Speaking strongly against the
shift of decision making from the
Regional Superintendent of



Education. to the DIA Regional.

Director, Wilson, who is also a
curriculum consultant, assailed
the takeover by “‘someone without
an educational background, in-
sensitive to education. . .”

The BCNITA president brought
up. incidents of drastic budget



out will surely result in many
better conditions throughout the
province.

And four, it was the best meeting
of chiefs since the Union was first
formed four years ago in
Kamloeps.

MINISTERS SPEAK

While the themes .of the con-
ference were education and
economic development, two
subjects which received’ plenty of

attention, the conference was

highlighted’ by speeches and
discussion with Education Minister
Hileen Dailly, Rehabilitation
Minister Norm Levi. and Minister
without Portfolio Frank Calder.

He also compared the disparity
between development funds made
available to white men and Indian
people: -

The 110,000 people of Prince



along with an address from George
Manuel, president of the National
Indian Brotherhood.

The three cabinet ministers all
said they attended the conference
to talk to and listen to people and to
try to help Indian people in areas

where the federal. government
hasn’t been. successful.

Since defeating the Social Credit
government some months ago, the
NDP government has pledged this
policy of. getting closer to people
and it was more than apparent. as
the chiefs sat down for three
demanding days of business.

In fact, one observer noted that it
was probably the first time in. the

history of the province that three

Edward Island with per ‘capita. —

inceme of $2,000 have an outlay of
$725 million from the government,

On -the other hand, 120,000 In-
dians in the North with per capita
of less than $200 for a family of five’
“are expected to be grateful for a
fund of $50,’’ of which $40 million is
for loans-at high interest and $10
million is for grants for a five-year
period.

PLAN 18 LACKING .

Criticizing the lack of a com-
prehensive development plan in
Indian Affairs, Manuel proposed
developing an’ ‘‘all-encompassing
socio-economic development
program” that provides capital
formation and employment
creating cppertunities and sup-
ports educational, cultural and
social aspiration and values of
Indian people.

He outlined the need to ‘‘define
the philosophy, the objectives, and
the broad terms of reference’ and
to ‘‘determine the magnitude of the
program, especially as it relates to
the requirement of funds and
human resources.””

“I emphasize that such a
planning exercise must give close
attention to provincial and regional

(Continued on Page 2)
See DISPARITY CHARGED

GEORGE MANUEL:
. . .lots of disparity.

_ UNION HONORS
PAT McMILLAN

PRINCE RUPERT (Staff)
The Union .of B.C. Indian Chiefs
saluted one of its staff — Patricia
McMillan. for her. loyalty and
dedication.

As a token of appreciation for her
service the Union gifted Pat with a
large and beautiful lamp at the
banquet for delegates to the 4th
conference of chiefs.

Pat has been. with the Union
since its organization in 1969.
Previously she worked with Indian
Affairs and with an engineering
company in Edmonton.

Chiefs Conference co-ordinator
Don Moses, who handed the award
to Pat, recalled the earliest days
when he worked with her in a very
small office of the Union.



of



cabinet ministers attended such a-
meeting.
THREE RE-ELECTED

The Union’s Executive Com-
mittee of the Chiefs’ Council was

returned to office by acclamation

near the end of the third day, as the
chiefs. prepared to return home
with what can only be described as
feelings of greater solidarity.

The three, Phillip Paul of the
Tsartlip Band, Victor Adolph of the
Fountain Band, and Heber
Maitland of the Kitimat Band will
serve on the committee for another
one-year term. ~ .

While a feeling of unity was
apparent during the conference,
many of the delegates expressed



too weak

PRINCE RUPERT (Staff)
Citing failures in the post high
school program for Indian
students, Alvin McKay deplored
that there is only a ‘‘small number
established | semi-skilled
people;’’ ‘“‘too few.in. the semi-
professional area,” and. ‘“‘virtually
no. people coming: out of: the.
universities’’ to professions:

McKay, director of -the. UBC
Indian Education. Resources
Centre, spoke on the . major.

weakness of the post-secondary.
program to. delegates. of the 4th _

Annual Chiefs Conference.

He pointed out that young adults
already have well set patterns
during post high school and cannot
be expected to fit into ‘traditional
programs.”

McKay suggested that efforts be
directed to “properly evaluate
Indian students as to their future
plans; their capabilities; . their
interests in the work field; their
interests in the semi-professional
or skilled areas; or their desire to
serve their people on reserves or at
district or provincial, levels.”
CAREER TYPE HELD

Further to this, McKay noted,
Indians should have a career-type
orientation program in elementary
school such as non-Indian students
are exposed to by grade 10 through
TV, excursions, or youth service



“She was not only hard working;
she worked hard cheerfully,’ he
said. : °

ALSO RAPS GOVERNMENT BUDGET CUTS

cutting for the Indian Education
Resources Centre and the BC-
NITA.

The LERC presented a budget
this year of about $85,000 which
Regional Director Larry Wight cut
to $54,000 “‘in the course of half an
hour’’ and further announced “‘that
his office will not in the for-
theoming carry us in his budget,”
said Wilson. :

HOMEWORK UNDONE

“To top that,” Wilson added,
Wight thought that the BCNITA
was a union in spite of a detailed
funding request with information
on the association.

“T contend that he did not do his.
homework; I can only conclude
that he was there with the ex-
pressed purpose of cutting us out of
his budget which ne will probably

succeed in. doing,” Wilson con-.

cluded. :
He warned delegates that these

moves will be justified but .

sidesteps the important issue of
decision-making and power
staying with the Regional
Superintendent of Education.

On the issue of spending on In-
dian education Wilson said: ‘If one
great administrative issue is to be
resolved, it is that of accounting

“how: the provincial government

spends the monies turned over. . .

by the federal government... .
OWN STUDY NEEDED

“We must study these spendings
so that we can participate in the
educational process in a
democratic fashion.”

Raising the issue of physical
plants in rural settings, Wilson
charged that ‘‘generations of In-
dians have been shortchanged in
the physical education and cultural
education sector of their
education.”

He told the conference that in
view of the fact that majority of
Indian reserves will not have eight
classrooms in 50‘years ‘“‘let’s not



pleasure at the way things were
organized, despite a few minor
problems with hotel ac-
commodation and bus service.

The chiefs dealt with a record.
number of resolutions on the last
day of the conference.

On the first day, they listened to
the annual reports of the members
of the executive committee and the
executive director. They then
heard an address by George
Wilson, principal speaker for the
day. -
ALSO ON PANEL

Wilson, a native Indian teacher
who is now a consultant to the

(Continued on Page 2):
See CONFERENCE

clubs.

The resources education directur

decried the emphasis on increasing
enrolment in post high school
education, and suggested that the
concern should be on how many
students .are -establishing them- —
selves in the work field.
».To-aid in the shift..of emphasis
McKay urged that parents of
students should aiso attend career
orientation upgrading programs.so
that they can encourage their
children.

Citing poor programming
students as the most common
cause of drop-outs, McKay
suggested better counselling on a
specific level, on personal basis
instead of by telephone, and hiring
expert counselling personnel only.

In cases of students who will
finish training programs but are
not interested in using their
training, McKay proposed starting
retraining or re-evaluation.

For this he pointed out the im-
‘portance of setting up an em-
ployment referral type agency.

But “over-riding all of these
weaknesses areas, is the total lack
of direct communication among all
those involved inthe education of
the Indian,” McKay concluded.

Citing breakdowns in com-
munications as in the case of Nass
River people, McKay proposed the
forming of a B.C. regional team of
consultants to co-ordinate
educational matters for B.C. In-
dians.

critical of insensitive takeover

wait 50 more years to demand at
the very least large activity rooms
in all small day schools in all of
British Columbia.”’

On the issue of over 90% failure
of Indian students to complete high
school, Wilson said he is bothered
by the thought that ‘we may
continue to permit our Indian
students to continue to fail.’

For a change Wilson suggested
“modern learning centres’ as a
base of a curriculum on Indian
values.

He pointed out that in the model
school ‘“‘different learning and
teaching approaches can be
tested” for relevance, and .‘‘in the
end produce success, not failures.”’

Page Two

N E— Sd

KOA

DAILLY MEETS CHIEFS

December, 1972



THE HONORABLE EILEEN DAILLY consults with Bill Mussell during her discussions with
delegates on the second day of the chiefs conference, while George Waish, Director of Special
Education for the province of B.C., clarifies a point for the delegates. Members of the panel
from left to right are: Simon Reece, chairman, North Coast District Council; Bob Joseph;



Continued from Page .1
social, cultural and economic
differences,” the NIB head said:

Manuel urged Indian people to
design their own socio-economic
development program and provide
leadership and management of the
program from the band level,
TIME ENOUGH , /

“If we are to experience the
fruits. . . we must take command
of planning for our own develop-
ment. We have given government
experts sufficient-time; we cannot
afford to give them any more.time.
Their mistakes have caused us
enough; we cannot continue: to
suffer from their incompetence,”’
Manuel concluded: .

In his: critique: of ‘the Indian
Economic:Development; Fund and.

of the Band. Economic Develop- ~

ment Committee Program, the
NIB chief attributed the major
cause of shortcomings to a lack of
any philosophy and co-ordination
in planning.

Reviewing the present state of
economic development, Manuel.

Band managers
meet produces
new committee

NORTH VANCOUVER (Staff) —
A new committee headed by
George Watts was. chosen by
delegates to, the Band Managers
Workshop held here on November
23 and 24.

Other members of the. new
committee are Adam Eneas,
Penticton; Joyce Leask, Kincolith;
and Gus Underwood, Saanich. . _

The committee’s main task is to
draft guidelines for the grants-to-
band program.

The workshop was organized to
make recommendations to . the
Chiefs Council on directions in
approaching guidelines for. the
grants-to-band program.

Delegates made two major
recommendations: Funds must be
distributed to district level on per
capita basis, and each district will

_ decide on how to.distribute funds.

Committee chairman. George
Watts called for suggestions about
funding for band administration.

He said suggestions will be ac-
cepted through the Union office in
Vancouver.

Watts said the committee will be
studying material that the past
committee had and two presen-
tations from the Thompson-Nicola

and the. . Kootenay-Okanagan
districts, and the West Coast
district.

Efforts are still being made to
acquire $280,000.to cover the deficit
in the grants-to-band program, he
added.

‘resources development,

concluded that ‘Indian people
were economically developed «on
paper” with little loans and little or
no social capitai.

He revealed that of $10.2 million
for the 1970-71 Indian-Eskimo
program, $8 million went to
operating expenditures for’ civil
servants, office furniture and
“pretty plans’’; of $13.9 million in
1971-72;
and of. $2:9
million for B:C., $2 million went to
Gperatine expenses, ;

USED INDIANS!

Manuel commented:. ‘One
wonders if the Indian people are

-not, used .to provide well-paying

jobs to non-Indians.””

Loans, providing no ‘capital for’

infrastructure - or “manpower
development had average sizes of
$1,000 to $8,000, up to 1969, he
further revealed.

A rapid increase in loans and
grants resulted from the launching
of the $50 million Indian Economic
Development. Fund for 1970-1971

which the NIB president views as a

“Token contribution and a humble
start in the right direction”

$1,500 million needed.

On top of its financial deficiency,
Manuel pointed to other major
shortcomings. of the Fund in-
cluding its ‘thard-loan’’ orien-
tation, thus having implied
hazards specially to ‘‘potential loss
of reserve lands.”

TERMS UNREALISTIC

The danger must be realized in
the great increase in outstanding
loans’ which is\a sign that Indian
people are foreed te accept. these
on unrealistic conditions, and that
advice from development fund
staff is poor in quality, Manuel
pointed further.

On the failure of the band
economic development committee
to deal. with general human
com-
munity planning, infrastructure
and social: and cultural needs,
Manuel said that it may be argued
that this is not the objective; if so
the objectives must be- questioned
because Indian people cannot be
expected to :.assume -‘‘full
responsibility for and control of
their economic destiny’’ without an
‘all-encompassing programs.”’

Other major. defects of the band
program cited by Manuel are the
unrealistic. expectation that
committee members can take on
important responsibilities on part-
time. basis; and-most Indian Af-
fairs. field staff are ill-prepared
and some totally unable to
monitor, control, assess committee
work, provide on-the-job training,
and give advice.

Charging that the “planning,



$10. million. went: -to °
operating expenses,

con-
sidering the estimated $1, 000 to

‘the department: or.
-called programs is in chaos: we



PRINCE RUPERT (Staff)
Mayor Peter Lester welcomed
‘delegates to the 4th Annual Chiefs:

Conference saying that the,

* relations between Indians and non-
“Indians in Prince Rupert can be an

example in Canada.
He-pointed te the “complete lack

_ of friction’and lack of hostilities”

and that there are more cases of
inter- marriages here “than
anywhere.

Mayor Lester asked ee to
look around the Civic Centre and

“see-many -ethnic’ people’ working *:

there. - :

He also noted that’ about 100
people of Indian ancestry work in
the pulp mill, _

The mayor said these were signs
that Indians no longer are solely
occupied in fishing.

GOOD SITUATION, BUT...

The population in school ‘is
proportional to the 20 te 30% Indian
population, Lester said.

But like elsewhere, he said, the
situation in Prince Rupert is not
perfect; police complaints and
rehabilitation cases among Indians
are of greater proportion than
warranted by the percentage of the
population.

In addition the mayor said he
wanted to particularly report to the
convention that there is a “lack of
pride in: getting things. ac-
complished in the city as a group.”

He gave an example of a.
property known as Chatham House

which has been empty far too long
in’spite of council’s suggestion to
Indian Affairs to put it to use.
Lester concluded that ‘basically
the picture is bright”’ and that the
uniquely amicable situation in

‘Prince Rupert.can “be analyzed

and used as a guide in other
areas.’

Admitting” that Hiere’ are

inequities the mayor pointed out -

that ‘council is. “willing and even
anxious to assist’? but that ‘‘the
initiative, the drive and the per-
sistence’’ must come from Indian
people.



administering and controlling

-aspects of the committee program

is in total chaos,’ Manuel said:
“My concern, however, is not that
. one of its so-

are well used to that. :
“My major concern is ‘that we

‘will be blamed for the failure of:
‘their planned and. administered

program. To the Canadian public

at large, it may appear as our

inability to manage our own

progam: 4

coniérence chairman; Bill Mussell, moderator; Eileen Dailly, George Walsh and George
Wilson, Director, Indian Education for B.C. When speaking to the chiefs, she offered to set up
a system of regional integrated educational centres for B.C. indian people. This was ap-
proved, in principle, by the delegates. 1

(Staff phote)



PRINCE RUPERT (Staff)

"Education Minister Eileen Dailly
suggested setting up regional.

centres of integrated services for

- health and welfare, and education.

as a way of getting Indian people

involved as a major part of the,

solution of problems.

Mrs. Dailly, who spoke at “the
second day of the 4th Annual Chiefs
Conference, also announced the

_ appointment of BCNITA President

George Wilson as. Director of In-
dian Education ‘tinder’ '
education department.

The education minister said that
the regional centres came from

Fe ideas of Indian people and comes in

one package because ‘‘we think
services can be delivered in har-
mony. .
future is to be indeed bright.”

“T would like to throw out to you
some of our ideas and I hope you
will feed.back to me your reaction
to these ideas,’’ the minister said
on suggesting integrated services
through regional centres.

She announced that if Indian
people agree on the centres the
machinery can be set up this year

the’

. and are necessary if the ©

fessionals can begin in January.

January.

The centres, to be in 15 regions
set in the UBCIC Community
Family Life Education brief to
John Munro, will be controlled by
Indian people.

Mrs. Dailly outlined the
following aims of the regional
centres:

1) Encourage and support pre-
schoo! classes at community level
where children will receive steady
and: consistent health care;

2). Research and test new
curriculum approaches at local
level;

3) Encourage and produce
material specifically designed for
Indian children of the region;

4) Provide, when = Indian
children must leave their reserves
to go on studying, child care and
guidance in group homes run by
Indian parents;

5) Encourage and. support
students who wish to continue ©
studying and become profes-
sionals; and

6) Work with parents for adult
education programs.



and the training of parapro-



Continued from Page 1

provincial department headed b
Mrs, Dailly, later took part in
panel discussion.

Also taking part in the panel
discussion and a question and
answer period were: George
Cromb, Dept. of Indian Affairs
from Ottawa; Mrs. Shirley Leon, a
registered B.C. native Indian who
is a school trustee; Bert McKay,
principal of New Aiyansh School;
Mrs. Jacqueline Weitz, education
director of the National Indian
Brotherhood, and Allan Haig-

y
a

. Brown, a teacher active in trying

to improve conditions for Indian
students.

Centroversial former high school
principal John Young of Campbell
River summed up the first day’s
proceedings, and a talent show was

. well attended and well received in

the evening.
Alvin McKay, director. of the
Indian Education Resources

Centre at the University of B.C., .

and a founding member of the B.C.
Native Indian Teachers
Association, was the principal
speaker on the second day, with his
address centering on » problems
facing Indian students: in: -post-
secondary education.

.session



OTTAWA UNDER FIRE

A> panel discussion and a
question and answer period in-
volving Mr. McKay, Phillip Paul
and federal government officials
was then heid and it was during
this session that many of the chiefs
criticized Ottawa.

Mrs. Dailly was the next prin-
cipal speaker and, following
another panel discussion, George
Manuel president of the National

. Indian Brotherhood gave a forceful

address entitled
Whitewash.”

The evening was taken up with a
special session on welfare. After
hearing. from Rehabilitation
minister Levi, the well attended
listened to a panel
discussion and took part in a
question and answer period.

Day three was highlighted by a
speech from Calder, who assured
delegates that the new government
wasn’t going to do just another
study.on Indians and set up a
previncial Indian affairs depart-
ment.

: The remainder of the convention
was taken up by delegates either

“Whiteman’s

passing or rejecting resolutions,

put forth in.advance or from the
floor, and. by dealing with policies
and programs of the Union.


Record n

PRINCE RUPERT (Staff)
Although B.C. Indians have always
paid provincial taxes in. cases
where they have non-Indian people
occupying parts of their reserves,
they have never received anything
back in terms of services and
grants.

And, backed up. by promises
from three different cabinet
ministers to the same effect, In-
dian leaders in the province feel
that it is high time this situation
came to a stop.

In a unanimous vote, delegates
to the fourth annual conference of
the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs
here Nov. 9 passed a resolution
calling on the new NDP govern-

ment to begin implementing
services available to other
residents. |



And, barring that, the resolution
put forward by the Kamloops Band
calls for the provincial government
to return the money.

ONE OF MANY

The resolution was one of many
aimed at the provincial. govern-
ment following addresses. from
Education Minister Mrs. Eileen
Dailly, Rehabilitation Minister
Norm Levi and Frank Calder,
Minister without Portfolio.

All three cabinet ministers
promised action by their depart-
ments in areas where Indian
people in the province have been
let down by federal administration.

The chiefs also unanimously
called for the cancellation of a
provincial government order-in-
council which has been in existence
for nearly 35 years.





PRINCE RUPERT (Staff)
Chief Philip Paul opened
discussions on Indian educatien
saying there is a need for collective
action ‘‘to achieve maximum
consideration of our children’s
education in the future.” |

He said he hopes that. Indian
people’s expertise will ‘“‘find and
identify some of the solutions that
will make Indian education not
only a successful venture for our
young people but a humane and
relevant experience. . .”

The resource speakers. were
George. Wilson, BCNITA; George
Cromb,. DIA; . Shirley Leon,
Agassiz -School. Board; Bert
McKay, New Aiyansh School;
Jacqueline Weitz, NIB; Allan
Haig-Brown, teacher.

Wilson, after stating that ‘‘total
education’? and curriculum
relevance are universal problems,
named four specific issues in In-
dian education:

DEMAND ACCOUNTING

i) Indians must demand an
accounting of. spending in
education;

1) Decisions and power should
be the responsibilities of the
Regional Superintendent | of
Education instead of. the Regional-
Director of DIA who is ‘‘without an

educational background, in-
sensitive to education;”
3) Rural settings have little

increase in population and this has
kept the number of schools and of
facilities. minimal. so that
“generations of Indians have been
short changed in the physical...
and cultural .. . sector of their
education,” and

4) Setting up model learning
centres for a base of a curriculum
on Indian values as a way. of
solving the 90% failure of students
in the present educational system.

Cromb, Chief of DIA Education
Development Division in Ottawa,
me mentioned ‘‘seven thrusts’ in
Indian education:

INDIAN INVOLVEMENT

1) Throughout DIA educational
programs the theme is Indian
involvement;

2) Indian people will have the

choice of either provincial or B

federal education; .

3) The location of physical
plants. of schools will be decided by
Indians;

4) indian people will be
responsible for ‘‘curriculum
adaptation;”’

5) There will be an increase in
kindergarten and language
programs;

6) The federal government and
DIA are committed to the training
of native people to administer and
eventually control Indian
education, and

7) Post-school education is
already the responsibility of native
people.

TRUSTEE SPEAKS

Leon spoke of her experience as
a school trustee: and noted that
Indian. people: are considered
resident-electors and:thus made to
register. annually to. vote;
unionized federal teachers make it
hard to remove unsatisfactory
teachers; off-reserve children are
refused service.

Weitz spoke on the NIB stand on
education for full responsibility
and control by Indian people.

Haig-Brown specified the need
for the BCNITA to hire a person to
deal with specific questions on

Indian education.

McKay reported on the stare in
his area of a_ bicultural and
bilingual. program, and. em-
phasized the need for teachers to
have at least. a cross-cultural
course before teaching native
children.

Questions were mostly directed
te Cromb: On the point of lack of
roads or poor road conditions,
Cromb agreed that education
cannot progress if children can’t go
to school, but admitted there are no
funds for road. building. and
suggested that Indian people must
decide on their priorities whether it
is better to build the road first
before the school.

AN OLD, OLD STORY

On teacher aide programs,
Cromb said there are not enough
funds but programs are there and
operating in Alberta, Ontario and

uebec.

On teacher aid programs, Cromb
said there are not enough funds but
programs are there and operating
in Alberta, Ontaric and Quebec.

On the observation that
“everything seems to stop at. the
mountains,’ Cromb replied that
his department is prepared to show
the sums which have been spent in

iC, :

On a. question of request for
funds for a cultural centre; Cromb
replied that education funds are
decentralized and only $40 million
has been set for culture and
cultural centres and advised that
people should apply early for
funds.



The order-in-council, which was
agreed upon by the federal and
provincial governments, has been
a sore spot with Indian people since
1938 as it allows the province the
right to take over reserve land as it
sees fit.

NEGOTIATION WANTED

While there are many. Indian
leaders who would be happy to see
the order-in-council banished once
and forall, the resolution
presented by the Thompson River
District Council left the door open,
calling for fairer and more positive
negotiation with Indian people of
the province.

This negotiation, the resolution
said, should be done through the
Union of. Chiefs. “a toe

A third major resolution passed
with the provincial government in
mind called for the listing of
residents of reserves as owner-
electors, thus allowing them to
vote on money bylaws.

As itis now, Indian people living
on reserves are classified only as
occupiers and are not considered
owners since the federal govern-
ment is holding their lands in trust
for them.

BUSY SESSION

In all, some 40 resolutions were
dealt with by the chiefs, who ob-
viously attended the three-day
convention to get things. done.

And, while there were several
resolutions aimed at improving
things through the provincial
government, there were many
which called for changes to be
made by Ottawa.

Among these was a resolution
from the Bella Coola District which
called for the issuing of herring net

licences to be made on a priority

basis.

Cecil. Reid, chairman of. the
district council proposing the
resolution, said that it was put
forth since Environment Minister
Jack Davis had recently an-
nounced a limitation on the
number of boats which would be
allowed to fish for herring roe.

A resolution from the Westbank
Band in the Okanagan which called
for the immediate implementation
ofa proposed program for arts and
crafts in the province was one of
the few to be defeated. But, not
before much debate took place on
the matter. /

While many arguments were
raised against implementation of
the program, the general feelings
seemed to be that not enough: in-
formation was available, and that
it would not actually be controlled
by Indian people.

Although a workshop has. been
held on the proposed program,
delegates’ at the conference

decided that it requires further -

study, to be done through the
Union. ;

The program, which would
contain nearly $2 million, was first
drawn up about a year ago.

GIVE US A SAY

Other major ‘resolutions dealt
with by the delegates called for:

@ Representation of Indian
people, through the Union, in any
future discussion between the
federal. and provincial govern-
ments regarding child welfare
cost-sharing agreements;

@ Lowering of Central Mortgage
and Housing Corporation interest
rates for Indian people on and off
reserves to two per cent;

e Changing of a clause in the

-National Housing Act -which is

discriminatory toward Indian
people;

9 Negotiations between the
Union and the Department of In-
dian Affairs to bring about funds
for subsidy. housing, band ad-
ministered housing, on-reserve
housing (loans), emergency
housing, and housing for old-age
pensioners and seasonally em-
ployed;

@ Bands to be consulted and

the province to participate in the
screening of teachers for Indian
day schools, and the upgrading of
teaching standards of these
schools, and

® The federal government to
provide sufficient education for all
registered Indian people, whether
the students are living on or off
their reserves.

approval obtained through a band
council resolution before any
decision is made regarding capital
expenditures involving students
from Indian reserves in the
province;

® Replacement of I.Q. tests with
some other means of testing Indian
children in school;

e The right of band councils in





PRINCE RUPERT (Staff) — Although B.C. now has a cabinet
minister whose primary duty is to help native people solve some of their
problems, he will not be doing “‘just another study” of Indian people, and
nor will his government set up a provincial department of Indian affairs.

These two promises came right from the man himself here Nov. 9
during the last day of the fourth annual Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs
conference.

And, speaking to the nearly 150 chiefs in attendance, Minister without
Portfolio Frank Calder also announced that the much talked about First
Citizens’ Fund will remain in existence.

Calder’s appearance gave. him. an opportunity to clear up some
doubts which had been in the minds of many Indian leaders, as to the job
given him by Premier Dave Barrett some two months ago.

DREW OBJECTIONS

Following the premier’s announcement that Calder — the first and se
far only Indian person to be elected to a provincial legislature in Canada
— would be responsible for producing a-report on Indian people in the
province, many voiced objections.

In fact, the brunt of these objections came from members of the
Union’s Executive Committee, Phillip Paul and Vic Adolph, who charged
that Indian people in the province don’t need another study done on them,
there is no sense in setting up another bureaucratic department on a
provincial level, and that: Calder had alienated himself from his. fellow
Indians.

However, the long time president of the Nishga Tribal Council said
that a misunderstanding about his duties may have come about as a
result of a poorly worded press release handed out at the time of Premier
Barrett’s announcement.

NOW HEAR THIS

“Y want to make it very clear . . . that I] am:not going to make any
survey,” Calder told the delegates, ‘‘And in no way will your present
government set up an Indian affairs branch. We don’t want it.”

The MLA for Atlin said that instead of studying Indian people and
their problems his duties will be mainly to look into existing legislation to
try to find out why benefits from that legislation go the rest of society in
general and not to Indian people.

He then said that he wants to talk to Indian people in the province
about public services, and further explained his new role.

“Tt’s a sort of a study to find out why doesn’t it come to me and to
you,” he said.

“Although he emphatically stated that the provincial government i isn’t
going to start its own Indian department, Calder did mention more direct
involvement with Indian peopie.

WANT TO MOVE ABOARD

“Your new government in the province of B.C. is going to look into the
possibility of moving aboard the Indian reserves,”’ he said, while being
quick to mention that this would not come about without direct con-
sultation with Indian people.

But, he also said that there are some services that the new govern-
ment is considering implementing’ that would not require any con-
sultation with the Indian people.

He specifically mentioned air ambulance service to remote areas of
the province, which everyone knows is needed but up to now hasn’t been
provided.

Calder said that Indian people are entitled to as much public service
as other people since they are taxpayers. “‘. . .looking at it on the basis of
the province, very little comes back on your tax dollar.”

JOB TEMPORARY?

After apparently being asked why. he did not receive a cabinet
minister’s job making him responsible for a department of the govern-
ment, Calder said that it was necessary for him to take a non-portfolio job
because of the nature of the task assigned to him by the premier.

However, he hinted that when the next shuffle comes his situation in
Victoria might very well change. And, he indicated that even if he gets
one of the other departments the work he is just starting out to do con-
cerning Indian people will continue.

He said that his work will involve consultation with the other
provinces in Canada, ‘‘to see what they are doing for the Indian people’”’
and that it is his hope to set up a model for other provinces to follow.

FUND EXPANDED? .

Calder hinted that the First Citizens’ Commercial Corporation Act,
intreduced during the last session by Dan Campbell, will probably be
expanded to include not only a marketing system for arts and crafts, but
also to provide financial assistance for such things as public works and
secondary industry.

The minister, while telling the delegates that the First Citizens’ Fund
is going to be continued, announced that rather than having a number of
cabinet ministers handle the fund, as was the case with the last govern-
ment, a committee made up solely of native people has been appointed.

He told delegates that most of the new. committee members were in
attendance at the convention, although he did not mention any names. He
also indicated that the terms of reference for the fund would also be

(Continued on Page Six}
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