Periodical
Nesika: The Voice of B.C. Indians -- October/November/December 1976
- Title
- Nesika: The Voice of B.C. Indians -- October/November/December 1976
- Is Part Of
- 1.06-01.02 Nesika: The Voice of BC Indians
- 1.06.-01 Newsletters and bulletins sub-series
- Date
- October 1976
- Language
- english
- Identifier
- 1.06-01.02-05.06
- pages
- 16
- Table Of Contents
-
INSET] Nishga Council Makes Progress
• pages 4, 5, 6
[INSET] Pipeline tanker disaster nears
• pages 12, 13
[INSET] Haida Nation Regroups
• page 14
[PHOTO]
[CAPTION] The New Executive - Steve Carpenter, Ted Assu, Senator Guy Williams, John Clifton, James Sewid, Gilbert Cook, Vera Cranmer, Wilfred Jackson
Brotherhood takes over Coast Land Claims
pages 8, 9, 10 - Contributor
- Lavina Lightbown
- Mary Jane Johnson
- Ralph Williams
- Nishga Tribal Council
- Type
- periodical
- Transcription (Hover to view)
-
) #fidl PY LET oe:
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published by
ih the
yh UNITED NATIVE NATIONS
Oct/Nov/Dec 1976
| Nishga Council
Makes Progress |
pages 4, 5, 6
Pipeline tanker |
disaster nears
-pages 12, 13.
The New Executive - ove Carpenter, Ted Assu, Senator Guy Williams,
DD. Clifton, James Sewid, Gilbert Cook, Vera Cranmer, Wilfred Jackson
Brotherhood ta
Coast Land
Haida Nation
Regroups
“page. 18
es Over
Claims 53
8, 9, 10
(2)
VAIN LIBRARY
Any PLACE, U.B.C.
; WESTBR
2
L
OUVER, 5.C-
MN
i
Second Class Mail Registration # 3025
ERIALS DI\.
i
3
If undeliverable,
please return to:
#201-1451 West Broadway —
Vancouver, B.C. W6H 1H6
telephone: 732-3726
NESIKA
The Inuit people of three villages in
northern Quebec have united to fight a
last-ditch battle to persuade the House
of Commons to stop the James Bay
Agreement from being forced on them
against their wishes,
Bill C-9 has been introduced into
Parliament and is now in the second
reading stage. Once passed into law,
the bill would finalize the federal
government's details regarding the
James Bay Final Agreement in which
the Cree and Inuit people of Quebec
will have signed away their aboriginal
title to their ancestral lands.
The villages of Ivujivik, Sugluk, and
Povungnituk, the largest of the 14
Inuit villages of Northern Quebec,
have united into the Inuit Tungavingat
Nunanini (ITN), to prevent their
aboriginal rights from being exting-
uished as a result of the James Bay
Final Agreement.
The ITN was formed as a political
V6T 1W5
aad
ls
sce NESIKA Corner, last page
= organization on November 16, 1975,
on just five days after the Final Agree-
= ment was signed between the Crees,
— the two governments, and the North-
= ern Quebec Inuit Association. The ITN
=
Is now working desperately to have Bill
C-9 thrown out of Parliament.
They stress that they do not want to
change the details of the agreement;
they want to see the entire apreement
scrapped, In seeking to protect their
lands and rights, these villages have
announced a desire jo form a common
front with other native groups w he still
hold aborigiral tithe to their lari gas ce
Originally, the three villages were
represented by the Northern Quebec
Inuit Association (NQLA), which was
empowered to fight the proposed
James Bay Power Project and nego-
tiate Babs ceeded
We see these
i monies as the
price for our land -
the land on which
our ancestors :
struggled for 4,000
ears so that we_
might exist - this |
| land we cannot sell!
An Agreement in Principle was
signed by all parties in November,
1974: which formed the basis of the
extinguishment-of- tithe Final Agrec:
ment. Onee it was realized by the Inuit
people in the three villages what the
proposed settlement was all about, a
total of S13 Inuit, a majority of the
people in the three villages, withdrew
the Power of Attorney that was held by
the NODA,
In spite of the fact that the three
Quebec Inuit Fight
James Bay Deal
villages were nol represented by the
NODA, the Final Agreement signed by
them on November 11, 1975, clearly
includes them.
After the Final Agreement was
signed and the ITN was formed, they
3Yegan a campaign to persuade the
Inuit in the other villages to boycott
the vote that was to take place in each
of the communities on the acceptance
of the Agreement. Figures released by
the NOLA show that only 26% of the
people in Ivujivik voted, 20% of the
people in Sugluk, and apparently only
8 people out of at least 221 voters (3%)
in Povungnituk cast a ballot. The ITN
campaign was not successful in the
other communities as a majority of the
voters did vote and 95% of them
approved of the Agreement.
Now that Bill C-9 is now at second
reading in the House, the ITN faces a
nearly impossible task, without any
funds, of persuading the Liberal
Government to reject the Agreement
or withdraw the bill.
ITN STATEMENT ON THE
AGREEMENT
The crucial section of the Agree
ment in Principle reads: “In consider
tion of the rights and benefits heres
sel forth in faver of the James Bay
Crees and the Inuit of Quebec, the
James Bay Crees and the Inuit of
Quebec undertake to cede, surrender
and convey all their claims, rights,
titles and interests in and to land in
Quebec, whatever they may be, by
cont. on page 1]
LAND CLAIMS BOOKS FOR SALE - SUPPORT THE NESIKA
IPE BEEP PDP BPP PEEP PEPPER rE PEPE PEEP EEE EPP RPPPERePeePeE
WHO OWNS CANADA?
ABORIGINAL TITLE AND
CANADIAN COURTS
by William Badcock, published by the
CASNP
SH page paperback, $1.50
-Badeock points out that his work is
not meant to be a historical or legal
analysis, but just his opinions on the
way Canadian courts have handled the
sR of native rights in the way they
ave.
He begins with Columbus, and
continues with the different concepts
of land ownership and the doctrine of
discovery, and moves through the
Proclamation of 1763, and some deci-
sions by the U.S. Supreme Court. The
major part of his work is the section
dealing with Canadian court decisions,
beginning with the St. Catherine's
Milling Case in 1887, and concluding
ee decision in the Nishga Case in
THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES
(Land Claims Information Booklet)
Prepared by the Church Support
Group and ‘le Union of B.C. Indian
Chiefs.
120 page paperback, $2.00
Some of the mimeographed pages are
a little faint, but the eyestrain is well
worth the effort.
A Speech by Chief Seattle
A Speech by Chief Seattle
Joseph Trutch and the Indian Land
The Nishga Petition of 1913
Our Homes Are Bleeding -excerpts
from this book on the cut-off lands.
The White and Bob Case -
The Supreme Court decision
N.1.B. Statement on Aboriginal Title
The Supreme Court Nishga Decision
by Doug Saunders
Federal Policy Statement on Aborigi-
nal Claims, 1973
East Fraser Land Claims Action
THE HISTORY WE LIVE WITH
by Doug Saunders and the Victoria
Indian Cultural Centre
24 page paperback, $1.00
The text is based on a talk given by
Doug Saunders, a lawyer who has
worked on land claims for B.C. Indians
for a number of years. The booklet was
put together and printed by the
Victoria Indian Cultural Centre.
The booklet includes several general
areas of discussion: the first treaties
how British Columbia and the federal
government handled the problem, the
“cut-off lands issue, inter-tribal
organization, the Nishga claim, and
the breaking of promises.
The booklet ig illustrated with
several historical photographs.
pte? 4
oe — .
BEYOND CHARITY:
TOWARDS DIGNITY
Prepared by Mike Lewis and the
United Church Support Group reprin-
ted by NESIRA..
a small pamphlet, 3) cents. .
(available Feb. 1st)
The pamphlet is meant to be a study
guide for understanding the land
claims issue, Se on 1) the
historical perspective of the land
claims 2) some facts of Indian life in
Canada 3) the philosophical foundation
for the future - land, identity, and
survival. .
Each of the sections makes a
statement about the subject. It conta-
ins references to written resources,
tapes and films for further information
on ¢ach section and where they can be
obtained, and also asks several ques-
tions for discussion, further study and
evaluation...
“The land claims issue is both an
invitation and a challenge’’ says the
author and he hopes “the study and
resource guide will stimulate your
acceptance of the invitation and kindle
your curiosity to begin meeting the
challenge of understanding.
Soe OOS OO SOOOS
ALLIED TRIBES
CONFERENCE MINUTES
reprinted by NESIKA
143 page paperback, $3.00
NESIKA has reprinted a carbon
copy of the verbatim minutes of a
meeting held in 1923 between the
Executive of the Allied Tribes of B.C.
and the head of the Indian Affairs
Department at that time, Dr. Duncan
Scott.
The Allied Tribes, first of all, sought
to persuade the federal government's
representatives not to accept the
recommendations of the McKenna-
McBride Report, and asked instead
that their claim based on Native Title
be beens erected by Ov eee a 20
aint statement of “* necessary
coaaiiting of equitable settlement”.
Hak of the 20 poles pai ce
unting, trapping, AE. oF
shore rights that the Allied Tribes
were asking to be recognized.
Peveentecers esses sons os et san ae SSS as
NATIVE RIGHTS IN CANADA
Edited by Peter Cummings and Neil
Mickenberg .
390 page paperback, $6.95.
This book is considered by many to be
the authority on the subject of legal
rights of the native people in Canada
and was prepared mostly by lawyers
and legal professors. .
Included are sections on:
Aboriginal Rights - the-origins, theory,”
legal content of a claim, extinguish-
ment, com ation. .
Treaties - their legal nature, interpre-
tation. .
History of native dealings in - Atlantic
provinces, Ontario, Northwest Terri-
tories, British Columbia, Yukon and
the Prairies.
Current Issues - hunting and fishing
rights, mineral rights, federal control.
U.S. Indian Claims Commission, Alas-
ka Settlement.
There are also 8) pages of documents,
reports, and references. .
AU ahs ae a
Oct/Nov/Dec 1976
_ Dene people in the N’
NATIVE LAND CLAIMS IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA:
AN INTRODUCTION
A teacher's manual prepared by
Target Canada, a research and projec-
tion group. 118 pages, paperback,
$5.00.
The manual was prepared as
part of a slide-tape presentation to
give high school students a general
introduction to the subject of B.C. land
claims.. The filmstrip, cassette, and
a videotape of the slide-tape show are
also available through NESIKA.
Chapter headings include:
Definitions, Attitudes, Aboriginal
Title, Colonial Period in B.C. from
1858-1871, B.C. in Confederation 1871
1913, Cut-Off Lands - the McKenna
McBride Commission 1913-1916, Tre-
aty #8, Nisha Land Claims, Organized
Tribal Activities, Road Bl and
occupations, Land Claims and the
Church, Recent history of federal and
provincial government positions. .
THE DENE
i a ed by H and Karmel
McCullum and Project North, publi-
shed by the Indian Brotherhood of the
16 page paperback, $1.00
sone illustrated nae was aie
to promote the presentation o
the Dene claim made to the Federal
Government in October 1976, but also
provides people from the South with
a good general background of the
, the history
of the Dene to come together into a
united Nation; and a section dealing
with their hopes to get a caveat filed on
their lands in the Mackenzie Valley.
Also included are statement from
Southern Support Groups.
The Agreement in Principle that the
Dene hppe will be the basis of an
eventual settlement and which was
presented to the Federal Government
is included as well as a copy of the
Dene Declaration.
(NESIKA thanks the [BNWT for
their contribution.)
LAOODOSOSOSSCSRSNOTOOOTSOIT
THIS LAND IS NOT FOR SALE
by Hugh and Karmel McCallum 210
page paperback, $3.95
Four contemporary land claims are
discussed in detail - the Yukon,
Northern Manitoba, Northwest B.C.,
and the Northwest Territories.
an entire chapter is devoted to an
examination of two recent land settle-
ments - Alaska and James Bay - and an
explanation of why native groups
across Canada insist that the earlier
agreements not be used ‘as precedents
for further settlements.
This Land is a well-written, no-non-
sense presentation of the case for
contemporary northern land claims.
authors’ bias is clear - their
The :
ee is with the native people.
he
federal government and the
multi-national ions aré con-
sistently presented as villains in a
larized struggle for control of the
land. Both government and corpora-
tions have had plenty of eee in
the past - and enormous budgets - to
present their side of the story in an
equally one-sided fashion. But such a
treatment has been lacking for some
‘time. After all the oil company
promotional material, the book is a
needed change.
chro d C!A\S-NA" Bulletin ‘review
ie,
ee
AS LONG AS THIS LAND SHALL
LAST
by Rene Fumoleau, OMI
415 page paperback, $5.95
An Oblate missionary has produced
one of the most carefully documented
stories of the life of the Indian People
of the Mackenzie Valley in the
Northwest Territories. Fr. Rene Fumo-
leau started out to prepare a “‘modest
aper’’ on the significance of two
[edian treaties signed in 1899 and
1920.
Furnoleau spent many hours inter-
viewing old people who remembered
the early treaty parties, and became
the star witness before Mr. Justice
William Morrow in a caveat action
asking the courts to designate the
450,000 square miles as having “prior
interest’ for the natives. Morrow
ruled they did, and it was the evidence
of Rene Fumoleau which helped
convince the Judge that the natives of
the NWT had aboriginal rights predat-
ing the spurious treaties.
"te became the basis for a precedent
setting court decision and provides a
chilling lesson in the chicanery and
insensitivity of the white government
of that day which employed any
method to obtain signatures on a
document which no native - and few
whites - could comprehend.
But this is no dry legal treatise. It
reads more like a tale of a forgotten
people and land who have suddenly
become headline news.
Thoughtful, unbiased, clear, it is a
major work for those who would care to
rstand the just aspirations of the
natives of northern Canada.
-from a Toronto Star review
- Send Money
:
:
S
o
es
s
iw
a re
= =
Please enter my: subscription to
NESIKA
Return to:
Note to Haidas
AN OPEN LETTER
fo THE HAIDA PEOPLE:
Since the timber resources are part
of our land claims issue, we are taking
steps to assure that the Haida people
have meaningful negotiations over the
limber resource,
Ever since Reynold Russ announced
that the Islands may secede from
Canada, it sems the harvesting has
been stepped up considerably,
It would seem to be a good time
io get our Executive and Board of
Directors and these of the Haidas that
work inthe woods to assess and review
what has been happening in this area
aoe there arc areas of real concern,
The first concern of course are the
areas that affect our fish spawning
areas. Rather than spend a vast
number ol tax dollars te unde damage
it these areas, let us ensure that we
thom't lave avy chamvagre,
Until we have had an opportunity to
review atl assess the Pearse Report, |
would think that we would not have
any tree farm licenses or permils being
issued, Tden’t know whal the outgoing
Executive have done in this area and
won't know until the Execute and
Board of Directors have a chance to sil
down ‘and discuss this,
I would like a meeting with (provin-
cial Indian Affairs Minister) Williams
and (Forestry Minister) Waterland as
soon as possible. | have started my
homework on this resource with the
help of Gary Edenshaw. It is my
intention to discuss with the Board of
Directors, the forming of advisory
boards to the Executive and Board of
Directors.
I) Advisory Board on Lands and
Forests.
2) Advisory Board on Fisheries and
all Sea Resources.
There will be other advisory boards
as we see the need - there will be equal
representation on these bourds as we
can not be making decisions for the
people and it seems a good way to
involve the ones moat affected.
Lavina Lighthown
President
Council of the Haida Nation
Needs book list
NESIRA:
We are but a small part of great
nations of Indians, dnd being a small
part, itis sometimes difficult to let the
present white-run schools know we are
there. lt is also our concern to have our
children educated with our beliefs and
natural knowledge.
Al present, the Yukon schools are
following the basies of the B.C.
curriculum; in fact, much more so than
many B.C. schools! We hope in the
near future to have our own curriculum
which will be half and half, for we are a
minority in cur land, but a strong one!
The reason for this letter is to ask for
books, and ideas on how your people
began their involvement for the
change in the education of your
children.
The only wavs open to us right now,
in the schools at our village, are
through extra-curricular activities, op-
tional studies (cluss once or twice a
week for 40 minutes) and slory limes.
We have begun an aftersschool pro-
gram; are planning for invelving our
elders in optional studies: bul, we
have no books! So, they are our main
need. Tvew have book lists available
Irom the Kindergarten to grade eight
level amd could send one tous, it would
be very much appreciated, Thank you
for your time ane Vour concer on our
behall, We wait te hear fre wou,
Mars Jane Johnsen
Klucr Lovtion Villiage
Burwash Landing, Vukow Terr.
:
a
1
ey ae ea ee
(lea)
co) fed) fe fe (fe) fc) fee) foe | fre
10th time
NESTA:
ve got one of vour VESIRA
newspapers in front of me. This must
fw the tenth tine [ve read it (it's the
August/September issue), and [ would
like tosay that vou're doing a fantastic
hin bringing the proper communica
tion that only a native Indian paper
could print. Pye compared this paper
with the Vaneouver Sun, and it's not
Lard bo see whieh side the Sun's on,
Seoneed to go further on that one.
We are clearly a society within a
awiely. Pthink a's only a matier of
lime before we can maintain our
independence completely, as long as
we keep our children away from the
DIA and their happy-go-lucky welfare
jer Palit,
The organizations that are estab-
lished and the ones that are forming
offer allractive positions which means
that education is an important factor
lor cursurvival, and we must locus our
atbention on the young.
lin rather isolated out here so |
can"! be sure when Ill be able to lay
my hands on another VWESIK-A. These
are dark times for me, so vou have to
wail for better limes before 1 can send
ina subseription.
I hope NESIKA keeps the news
cnr Tag
Pat Delorme
Cedar Lake
eo
Rip-off at Snaugq
ag Rg a
A concerned reader has researched
the history of the Salish Village of
Snaug, and the high rise building
planned for the spot on the south shore
of False Creek in Vancouver, He
provides us with a look into what likely
happened 60 years ago as the people
and the graves of the Snauq were
moved from the location for the first
“development of Kitsilano. Also
included are some of the legal condi-
tions that were never honoured as part
of the ‘deal’.
Harnesses jingle, hooves clomp, as
the chattels of the Snaug people are
pulled up the steep ramp onto the
scow. Now if is a load of thigh bones
and skulls. The Agent's orders are
well understood - no souvenirs, ne
professors, no looting shall obstruct
the final solution to Fancouver's
Indian Question, The scow ts now
afloat on the high tide, the Harbour
Commissioner's tug is waiting.
“There's one more grave, sir!’’ The
Provincial Police have let an old Indian
wondn through. A tall policeman
shakes Acs head, “She's crazy...! told
her."
But she points to the southwest of
the village, just past the still-smoking
ruins of the longhouse where a loved
ane still les.
Pigtailed commuters gawk from
infer-urhan trains rattling by on the
CPR tracks which tri-sect Kitsilano 26
Reserve. Already homebound workers
from Grenville Island, site of the former
fish-traps, are showing interest in the
excavations.
“Filler up."
“That's enough. "
said fhe slpent,
The money for a sale of any part of
Kitsilano Reserve has not been receiv:
ed, nor has a list of recipients ever
heen furnished. The reserve was never
surrendered nor abandoned, it is still
in use by Indian fishermen, who have
tied up there for thousands of years.
CPR tracks no longer lead to English
Buy, which was a condition of the
right-of-way expropriation in, 185,
LETTERS
FPP BPPPPEPEPPEr
The Harbour Commissioners have
had SO vears since 1916 to use thal
lund for harbour works, which was also
a condition of the expropriation, A
brewery, an apartment block and a
police college are nol harbour works.
The War Measures Act, under
which Kitsilane Point and the Seaforth
Armories were grabbed, is no longer
in effect,
The MckKenna-McBride Report is
incomplete, having been made when
all the males were fighting in 1916 of
were fishing in Rivers Inlet at the time.
The Report is so contradictory as to
aupgmest (hal the commissioners newer
made any visit to the reserve. Lt was
alse many vears after the evictions by
the BoC. Government in 1911,
The imminent construction of a 10
story B.C. Central Credit Union office
building on the site of the Snaug
graveyard and foreshore, is a matter of
concern to brothers of these disposses-
eed people and to anyone trying to
increase his share in the B.C. fishing
industry.
(Thanks to Tom Hodgson)
Keep your kids
EMAL -
One thing vou must remember -
them white-eves want a lot from us so
they can say "Oh look what | buy from
a nice Indian”. One thing is we must
nv let the non-native take our young.
If we can't look after them, give them
over to the next door or village
nearby, or give it to one of your
brothers and sisters for a time until
you are ready to have your kids back.
Money is not the point - we never
had money - of doing this of giving the
young to the next door, Don*t worry -
because [tell you something - it is the
Indian way; we did this long ago
before any non-native took place,
True.
Do you understand what you're
doing when you give your young away
to them white people? You are dumb -
them non-native gel so much money to
take care of the young native, do you
know that? There you talk of money,
money is not the paint. It is food, and
things to wear, and a home, just like
we did long ago.
What is the cause of our Indian
people, them that went weak? They
don't want to do nothing to learn the
young, they don’t even want their own
young kids. They gotten too much of
the white city, Got to pull away from
thal and go back on the village where
you belong at.
But too many don't know and don't
have the blood to stand up where you
belong. If | was out there ['d make
things come to such life - Indian Ways.
So vou think about it and see for
yourself where you stand.
Ralph Williams
Matsqui Prison
Peltier writes
geht grt a gg a gt i yl
NESIKA:
| have sat here for 10 months
thinking of different articles to write to
Indian newspapers/newsletters/org-
anizalions - something you haven't
already read or heard about in the
nalive Indian cause. The more |
thought about the article, the more |
realize there's nothing to write about
that hasn't already been said or
wrilten. It's the same in all of North
and South America - the same theft of
land/racism/murdering of our peop-
le“high = unemployment/alcoholism/-
suicides lowest life span/denial of the
hana right to govern our own Livin »
just a plain big state al epyeressiem,
So all lean dois make a plea te stippHir
vour new leaders who are rising up ti
fight this CL Pages genoride!
You till have some good older
leaders who have many hard years of
struggling behind them - the ones whe
have been concerned about the grass-
roots people - the ones who staved and
workes! from there, Now vou have
many young strong leaders rising up
inthe ranks and struggling hard for
our people.
[had the great pleasure of meeting a
couple of sincere young leaders - Bill
Wilson and Ron George - and had the
great honour of becoming Bill's broth.
er when his family adopted me into
their tribe and family. They gave me
their grandfather's and chiels name
whieh TW proudly carry until dear.
Asin many organizations, they need
support and donations and will need
more as the struggle goes on. Many of
you may ask “What the hell can | do? T
know nothing of politics!’ But you can
help with just a letter to Ron and Bill
and their staff and to other leaders
across Canada, even if you doubt some
of their actions, Also write letters to
your elected politicians/Indian Affairs
stating you support vour leaders. Just
a little time to write these letters of
support will help to beat their frustra-
tion when at times all they can see is
defeat,
We no longer have time te fight
among ourselves or our Nations © mot if
we are really concerned and intend to
make a better life for our children so
they may grow up in a better world,
In the past, when native people
stood up for their rights, they were
called savages/renegades,/cut-throats,
and many more names thal would tuke
a day to write down. Today, we are
called iliterate/incompetent/ militants
and communists, Their favourite is
militant and communist. [| thought
about this for some tine - COMO unist
funded, etc,, - because our struggle
began long before the word “commun
ist” was ever used or heard of
Our real enemy has always anil will
alwavs be the same - governments,
USAand Canadian, capitalist /imper-
ialist militants. Again | ask “Who are
the real militants?” (Might does not
make right.) Since 1958, the USA has
spent over a trillion dollars on war
machines ~ that’s mot including hun-
dreds of billions spent on space-con-
nected warships. A trillion dollars is a
thousand billion, or a million million
dollars. ($1,000,000,000,000) Just
think of the good things this money
could have done if spent for the good
of mankind, the housing/hospitals/
education/ scholarships, and the many
good things it coulds have boug!.t for
all people and still have plents left
over for the country’s defense, Bu no -
this trillion was spent on warships and
war machines and they call us mili-
tants. After learning these facts, I'm
proud of who | am and what ['m
fighting for.
Well, brother and sisters, very
possibly Cll be going back or will be
back in the U.S.A. by the time this is
printed, to go back and face their facist
court system in the Siate of South
Dakota. Then again I still have a
chance with Ron Basford. But in case |
am returned, | have tried to say and
write words that come from my heart,
to you: Keep supporting your leaders.
For people who haven't started supp-
orting their leaders across Canada -
Stand up with them. Their fight is your
fight. Without you tt is a losing battle
You are the voice and inspiration o-
your leaders, The secret of our
strength is in our unity. Let us speak
as one so that our collective voice may
be heard from coast to coast,
P.O.W. Gwarth-ee-laas
Leonard Peltier
Oakalla Prison
Oct/ Nov/Dec 1976
a. tft . i «
= fiat . ‘
NESIKA 3
Major Progress | Made in 16
It wus a Littivess lacunae for tbve
Mth Anna! Convention af the Nishpa
Tribal Couneil Heavy rains triggered
Hash fools that swept through the
Nass River Valles wl clelawer! ane
dlmost coneclhoal the convention, Al-
though VieoePresident Bill McKay
blamed noe one for the deliv and
PCO Te ree, ernie krew thal
Hear-cul lagging of the valley bottom
wil hill-stdes was responsible for the
Aacwding. President James Gosnell said
oprivately al later openly blasted
CanCel’s logging practises, saying
that “every time there isa 12 hour rain
the renal gfe" Wy usted ont,
The NTC Rac live vonsnlercead car
elhing the convention before it get
Wena las thurs fewrenl a lows off
leah went ahead and people had to
travel the dhingerous roads,
An encouraging sign to the Execu-
tive was the sight of a coho travelling
dhead of one of their carson a flooded
section oof the road. They also con-
sidered the way the river was boiling
to be a good sign and decided to go
whead with the convention. Bill McKay
later said that the river “showed its
strength to the visitors to the Nass**
"ht the -neak
Brother
Favlinge.
abit the National lndlin
mod taal become with eore-
MeKay suggested that core-funding
be given directly tothe bands and they
can support the tribal, provincial, or
national organization of their choice.
The Nishgas were obviously unhappy
with the core-funding arrangements
since, as McKay said, they had been in
existence for LOT years and never
received "a penny’ from the govern-
mem! for their administrative require-
mens,
There appeared to be less emphasis
placed this vear on the highly-public-
ized Salmon Enhancement Program,
probably because it is failing to meet
the promise of the $30) million plan as
previously announced, Without a fla-
shy audio-visual show to fall back on,
the panelists instead had to sit and
face the music afler grimly announcing
the “disastrous"’ fishing totals for the
wear.
James Gosnell drew loud applause
from the packed hall when he dem-
anded to know why the fisheries
Department hired people from Vane-
The community hall in Canyon City on the banks of the Nass
wid that the river is considered to be
the strength of the Nishga people,
The your M276 proved to be one of
major progress on several fronts for
the Nishga people as the convention
wis lo demansirate, Since their last
meeting, the Nishgas have opened
negotiations with bath levels of pov-
eroiment over the ownership and
contral of the land and resources in
their valley. They have held a number
of negotiating sessions since their first
meeting on Jan. 12th. On another
Vrearnd, the Nishgas have seen three
school inaldings completed in’ the
valley that will house the bi-lingual
wl bi-cultural programs af the new
Sishga-controlled school district.
dl
Olficials from the Department of
Indian Affairs eseaped the heavy and
hatter ques honing Fihat was directed a
other government departments. Thev
did have to acknowledge, though, that
the Prince Rupert office had routinely
lost several Kancolith Band Couneil
Resolutions (BCR*s).
The new regional director steered
lhe conversation onto the topic of
conlunding and the Union of BoC,
livlian Chiefs. Bill McKay immediate-
ko stated his “pet peeve’? of core-
funding and complained about the
4 NESIKA
euver bo conduc the test-fishery when
there were plenty of people from the
valley available to do the work.
The Fisheries official said they hired
an experienced fisherman to do the
fishing vear-alter-yvear lo pet consist:
ent results. Gosnell angrily replied
that the man was incompetent and
didn’t know the river or the patterns of
fish migration, a statement thal was
backed up by others who had fished
alongside him in the river and caught
LO to 20 times as much fish. Gosnell
continued and said that despite the
Indians’ heredity and knowledge of the
fish and the river, they couldn't get the
work,
He later blamed the poor fishing year
on the Americans fishing out of
Alaska, saving that increased fishing
time, and the use of monofilament nets
will mean that the Indians on the Nass
will be conserving the salmon with the
Americans “reaping the harvest"’.
Bill McKay, backed up by others,
complained that the Fisheries’ conser:
vation efforts sometinies resulls in
large fish kills. He cited the closing of
the counting gates al the entrance to
Meziadin Lake ax an example which
resulted ino a large fish kill that he
porsamally witnessed,
Other delegates sneered at the Depart
men's efforts to estimate the size of
the fish runs threotngeh the use of
Oct/Nov/ Dec 1976
James Gosnell meeting with aut>or Hugh McCullum
counting gates and test fisheries. The
alficial admitted that their estimates
can be as much as 25% off the actual
count, while the delegates hinted that
ihe Paronarage could be even higher.
osnell told the convention that the
NTC would be proposing to the
Fisheries Department that the Nishga
people take over the complete admini-
stration and management of the
fishery resource in the Nass River
system. (Some of the Indian Tribes in
the State of Washington manage the
fishery resource in their own river
systems.)
Tom Dennis of the Prince Rupert
branch likewise complained that the
Indian people's right to hunt and fish
for food was being interfered with by
“outside people” and suggested that
the Nishga manage their own conser-
valion system.
Senator Guy Williams wanted to know
why this year's fish escapement
wasn’ l larger, and the Fisheries
official said it shouldn't be blamed on
over-lishing by the Americans but on
“poor ocean conditions'’. He said he
expeded a more detailed reason for
the low escapement from the Nanaimo
Biological Station soon.
The Department's food-lishing rules
came in for a predictable blasting.
Hubert MeMillan compared the
sysiem of having white people being
allowed to buy bacon or eggs in the
store only on certain days of the week,
and having to paint the carton before
they took it out of the store. He also
brought up the matter of two local men
who had been arrested for illegally
selling salmon caught in the river
under the food-fishing system. The
men Claimed that they were lured into
selling the fish by undercover fisheries
officers who were practising entrap-
ment. One of the men has since had
the charges against him dropped.
A retired fisherman later blamed the
poor fish runs on the logging compan-
ies for using the river for their log
drives. He compared it to someone
whe would refuse to enter a smoke-
filled hall because evervone inside was
smoking. “Well, its the same thing
with salmon. They can smell the bark
and the fresh-cut logs in the river, and
ii delavs their spawning.”
The subject of the jack sockeye har-
vesting project al Lake Babine was
brought up and Gosnell said the
Fisheries Department was “meddling
with nature’ when it allows the jack
soc kowe lo be taken out of the river
avstem before the mature sockeve
spun. Under the project, 25,000
mw icks are taken oul af the river
because the Department says they
interfere with the spawning of other
fish. (How did millions of salmon ever
gel by for thousands of years without
such help and protection from the
Fisheries Department?)
The Fisheries’ Mr. Simpson later
agreed with Gosnell on the issue and
said i! vas “a bum idea”
The questioning ended on an angry
and hitter note, because unlike DIA,
people were now discussing their
livelihood and the food on their tables,
instead of just talking about BCR's and
per-capita funding, Although most of
the delegates were highly eritical of
the Department, some thought their
performance had actually improved
yt pres bOPLS Vars,
CAN CEL
The angry questioning directed at the
Fisheries Department continued with-
outa break as a representatives from
Twin River Timber (owned by Canad-
ian Cellulose, which is owned by the
provincial government) took their
place on the panel,
They began by trying to announce
“good news"’, saying that there
would be no logging drives on the Nass
in 1977 of 78 while the mill in Prince
Rupert is shut down. The “good
news’ just means that the fishermen
won't have their nets torn up by stray
logs, that the fish runs and spawning
won't be affected, and that there will
be less danger for people using the
river.
There was plenty of bad news lo go
around, though, especially for those
interested in employment in the
logging industry inthe Nass Valley. lt
soon became clear that there will be na
hiring done by CanCel until at least
1979, and then union hiring practises
will mean that Indians will be the last
ones hired. Since CanCel will be using
their own people to do work that was
formerly contracted-oul during the
coming slow-down, that means that
even if native people atlempted to go
into business on a contract basis, they
would be out of luck,
CanCel was given a 99 year lease on
the timber rights i has in the Nass
Vallev, and the only way that native
people Git expert io get jobs in the
loging industev in their own vallew, is
if the world market lor timber impr:
nes andl CanCel is allowed to rape
entire mountain ranges and = river
4 ilar Se :
The one subject for creating real
Irestrboles ian the wall lors is the road that
connects Greenville, Canvon City, and
SOE Tbe"
Rass Camp with the beer
complex at New Aivansh,
The CanCel representatives ann-
ounced al the convention that thes
would be shutting down their logging
operations in the western part of the
valley (near Greenville) during the
winter. As for maintaining the road
from New Aivansh to Greenville, they
said they would be “providing a
service to Greenville at our conven-
ience™"
The road from Terrace to New Aty-
ansh and through the Nass Valley is a
“private” logging road under the
control of CanCel, At one time, il was
closed to traffic during the daylight
hours in the week and only open at
night and on the weekends to the
public. With the traffic from the mines
near Stewart and the increased traffic
from residents in the valley (the
Nishgas own a total of 200 vehicles),
the road came to be essentially a
public highway. The problem is that
maintenance of the road is up to
CanCel and not to the Highways
Department. Since they will na longer
be logging in the western part of the
valley, they won't have any logging
trucks on that section of road, and
won't feel the need to maintain the
road. Maintenance means grading for
most of the year to keep up with
potholes and extensive snowplowing
during the winter, The CanCel official
admitted that it was almost impossible
to keep up with the maintenance
requirements when they had trucks on
the road. Heavy snows and drifting
winds will make clearing the road
almost a full-time proposition for
CanCel, a task that has become even
more important now that the high
school students at Greenville ride a
schoolbus to New Aiyansh every day -
a distance of 30 miles.
Safety, especially where the children
are concerned, is the Nishgas’ first
priority. They want the road cleared so
that a piece of heavy equipment can
pass a schoolbus on the narrow road
safely, and the people are concerned
that the many close calls in the past
could mean a tragedy in the future
with many young lives at stake.
Logging was clearly CanCel's first
priority, and public service and safety
was clearly second,
The obvious solution would be to have
the provincial Highways Department
take over the control and maintenance
of the road. In fact, that is exacily what
the Greenville Band Council has
requested. Similar requests have been
made in the past but they were all
turned down because the government
said it was a “private”
request is now being considered by the
EOVErn Ment.
On the one hand, the government
owns CanCel, which owns the logging
road. On the other, the government
has accepted the establishment of the
new school district and its plansto bus
students over the dangerous road,
traffic, and weather conditions to the
school complex at New Aivyansh, When
the government was asked previously
about turning the logging road inte a
public aceess road, they referred the
matter (passed the buck) to the
manager of logging operations in the
Nass, and he said, mot surprisingly,
that it couldn't be done. he is
running this show anyway?
[ihe Greenville request is granted,
the public acecss road would probably
mean immediate road upgrading, reg-
ular maintenance, and snowplowing.
The reason CanCel has not allowed it
WW happen as vet is because once the
road becomes a public highway,
CanGel will be required to use smaller
equipment on the road - meaning
ssrrpaller profits!
ACh AT
road. Their
James Gosnell liter painte chou that
the Nishpus were watching the mill-
ions of dlellars ot profits the logeing
companies were daking oul of the
‘ass, al after they were finished
. a | |e
raping the trees, CanCel wouldn't
even be leaving a road behind “lit for
wagons’, and the Nishgas would be
left with “an emply settlement”
The CanCel representative later den-
ied that the company was behind om its
replanting commitments and said it
was “right on schedule”
EDUCATION
The results of years of efforts by
many people, but especially by Bert
and Alvin McKay, could finally be
seen this year with the completion of
the new buildings for the Nishga
School District. Since January 1975,
when School District 92 (Nishga) was
created on paper, the new school
complex at New Ajiyansh has been
completed, and new schools at Green.
ville and Kineolith have also been
added at a total cost of almost $7
million, making it “as well equipped
as any in Canada”,
There are almost 600 students
95%of them Indian - in the new school
district that includes all five villages in
the Nass Valley - Kincolith, Green-
ville, Canyon City, New Aiyansh, and
the white logging population at Nass
Camp.
Each of the villages has elected one
trustee to the Board of Trustees which
acis policy and determines the direc-
tion and school programs to be
offered, Senator Guy Williams warned
the convention however, “Don't ever
lose control of that school board no
matter how much the (white) popula-
tion of the valley expands", a state-
ment that brought wide applause from
the delegates.
In spite of the new buildings,
over-crowding already is a problem in
the district with serious problems in
the group homes provided for the
Yinecolith students who board at New
Aiyansh. Indications are that the
problem could get worse if the popular
school programs attract the Nishga
students now living in Vancouver and
Prince Rupert, back to the Nass.
It seems the over-crowding problem
was created by the Department of
Education officials who didn’t believe
the estimates by Nishgas leaders of
the number of students who would be
ao
Everyone pitches in to host convention -
men play in the band, women prepare banquet line ithe
lning in the group homes
McKay called toa “carry-over r of the
non-Indian attitude that we don't knew
what is going an in our own vallev"
Once the school disirict had been
created, the Nishgas launched a
concenirated teacher-recruiting drive
that eventually saw 250 teachers appls
lor only 25 openings in the district. As
a result, Me Kav called the teachers
hired for the schools “dedicated,
superior, and interested people
Five of the teachers in the district
this year are Nishgas, a figure that will
increase with the graduation of the 13
Nishga students now enrolled in the
Native Indian Teachers Education
Program.
All is not running smoothly with the
school system, however, and the
frustrations over the problems with the
Department of Education led the
convention to support a resolution
calling for a meeting between the
school district trustees and Depart-
ment officials to revise the
Schools Act. The resolution also
demanded the immediate appointment
af a Nishga educator as the Superin-
tendent for the district. The district's
present superintendent is only part-
time (25%), and travels from another
achool district to deal mostly with
crisis situations.
The future of the Nishga children
was very much on peoples’ minds as
the school program was being discus-
sed, Many of the delegates agreed
with Education Minister Pat MeGeer’s
new policy of re-emphasis on the 3 R's,
They complained about the students
who had returned from schools in the
south completely unprepared for life in
the Nass, and they were determined to
change the situation now that they
controlled their children’s schooling.
James Gosnell, however, pointed out a
challenge that the tribal leaders must
meet if the school district is to be a
success. He stated that the NTC must
provide economic opportunities, and
fast, if the young educated Nishga
people are to stay in the Nass rather
than head south because of a lack of
jobs.
Bert McKay, in charge of develop-
ing the bi-lingual and bi-cultural
programs in the schools, reported that
the Nishga language would be the first
part of the program to go into
operation. There will also be instruc-
tion in various cultural aspects of
if a
mts,
Alving
Public
by Nishga Tribal Council |
So ee ee ee ee ee ee ee eee ee eS ee ee oe oe eo ee eo eee
Wis shpat Liles gy snes “Pa late ice nie ditional
preparing fish and
meat in the home ec classes, building
dug-oul canoes and totem poles during
shop classes. Eventually, though, the
foal of the program, McKay expla-
ined, would be to carey owt most of the
instruction in the Nishga language,
ad he stated that work was in
progress on lexts and materials need-
ed to teach math and social studies in
the Nishga language, He added that
the school district would be using
adults from the communities to explain
and enrich the program.
MSHGA HOSPITALITY
The efforts of Chief Harry Nyce and
the peaple of Canyon City demonstra:
ted two things very clearly: 1) the
unique blend of Nishga hospitaliy and
a genuine will to please, and 2) the
extent of community support that
exists for the activities of the Nishpa
Tribal Council.
For three days, the people of
Canyon City hosted the convention -
billeting the guests in their homes,
feeding the 100 plus people three
times a day, and preparing two
enormous banquets. Almost 100% of
the total adult population was involved
in hosting the convention, Such a job
would be impossible for many villages
many times the size of the tiny (180)
Canyon City population.
svhool subjects -
LAND CLAIMS
The day-long discussions on the
land claims issue was closed to the
press as the Execulive gave their
report on the progress made during
the year and sought direction from the
people in related areas.
On January 12th, the Nishgas met
for the first time with both levels of
government to begin negotiations over
title and control of the land and
resources of the 5,75) square miles of
the Nass River Valley. At that time,
they issued the Nishga Declaration
which states their basic position
regarding the negotiations.
On April 27th, they presented both
governments with a 2] point position
paper outlining the basis of the
negotiations, and detailing the terms
of the Nishga Declaration. The three
parties have held a number of sessions
since then, the last being October 8th
in Kincolith.
cont. next pape
Potholes 10 feet deep, afew Esch fotha tha cried cles,
‘private’
road through the valley
Oct/Nov/Dec 1976
NESIKA 5
NISHGA TRIBAL COUNCIL cont.
Scene showing the large and interested crowd at 11 p.m. discussing the
education programs in the new Nishga School District
The Nisheas are new wailing for a
sinters risypeerisee bi the 21 points feo
Quan! from the UL UL it Se" thers
sil they preferred] to deal with one
geerment position. Ne further meet
ies ii Pat anticipated wrtil ita oer rh
mens Can agree on a COMMeNn
response Lio ther perepoersal
A general description of the 21
points is included in the new booklet
poral uiceal his ihe ATC entitled “Ci
zens Plus". The booklet states that
bbe ia legislation will have lie he passed
to protect the rights of fulure Nishga
people. alsa says that the Nishga do
nat agree with setiing aside land in
se panile culegories as was done in the
James Bay agreement, “but are
asking for complete and unrestricted
righis on their own land without
governmental intervention.” -
The WNisheas are also asking for
coonomic development programs that
The Federal Government has
named a replacement for the unpopu-
lar Digby Hunt to handle their side of
the. land claim negotiations in this
province.
He is Brian Hartley, a career
employee in the Policy and Planning
branch of the Department of Indian
Affairs. His responsibility is to handle
the Nishga negotiations, and presum-
ably other tribal groups in B.C., as
well as assisting in the Yukon negotia-
tions where John Naysmith was app-
ointed as the federal representative.
Although both men were appointed
at roughly the same time (October Ist
for Hartley), the DLA only made a
public announcement of Naysmith's
appointment, That, combined with the
diffecences in the two men's back-
ground has made several observers
conclude that the Federal Government
is treating the B.C, negotiations
lightly.
Hartley has had some experience in
negotiating land claims. The DIA
called him in to assist in the James Bay
will involve Nishga people having
parleipalion and controls in the dev-
clopment of any program. (A sawmill
forthe Nass Vallev is sure to be one ol
the projects.) They are also proposing
regional self-government for the val-
lev.
While the negotiations are in prog:
ress, the Nishgas are asking for certain
controls to be placed on the logging
industry (no logging in the west or
north part of the Nass), a complete halt
io river damming, new resource
extraction, and “economic develop-
ment’ until a final agreement is
reached,
They seek compensation for the
Umber, fish, and minerals that have
been taken out of the Nass over the
past 100 vears, and will be asking the
governments to upgrade roads, tele-
phone, hydro, education, and medical
services.
Negotiator Named
also said that a majority vote of the
entire population in the James Bay
region was needed to finalize the
agreement, and that even though a
number of villages rejected the agree-
ment, they would have to live with it,
When asked about the conflict
between the Nishgas and the Kitwan-
cool people over land that both groups
claim, Hartley said that the role of his
affice would to be to act as an
“independent arbiter” of the dispute
ifthe twe groups could not work oul
their differences.
In the James Bay region, the Crees
and the Naskapi people have an
overlapping claim that was included
within the area of the settlement.
However, the Naskapi people were not
parties to the negotiations, do not
agree with the setthement, and may
have their rights surrendered by it.
Hartley said that the Naskapi now
have to negotiate with the Crees, and
not the government, over the lands
they claim which are within the
settlement boundaries. He said that if
The bests of the 2! points as stated
mothe Nishpe Declaration, and the
Hpase Im portand, is Ehret Vewhgrer “rights
eree= bry bee Jurmalized mor extinoursherd,
Vishga land ox net for sale.”
Friank Caller, thee ATLA Cor the area
and a past President of the NTC, was
assignee hoy aha boxan whive SEREDEE® QUGMha"
digtie Lee poteneditons aa peepee Ubval weartibed
siaciwy tha villue oof all) hae
rescnews that have lew taken eat of
thie viallors Tu thie jsisl yen WUE, Calcler
gave his regal dor the closed session
itv resyeonilil with a standing cat uh cag
forthe MLA. lt is understood that 80"
af ithe work on the report is complete
andonly lacks the figures an the value
col minerals Lia finish the report.
Gosnell would nol comment on the
ammount of the resources taken only
tur say that the figures on the 60% was
“slaggering’ . tt has since been
learned that the value of the fish and
timber resources are over $10 billion,
The convention received the report
from the Public Education Committee
headed by author Hugh MeCullum and
Father David Retter on the work being
done lia publicize the Nishga position
and gain support on a Canada-wide
busin.
The Executive also sought direction
fram the convention on two related
matters, In the first, the Executive had
been asked by the Kitwaneoo! Band for
a meecling to discuss an overlapping
area that both groups claim as their
traditional lands before the negotia-
lions began this year. The Executive
decided against the mecting ai that
lime, and the convention voted to
support the Executive and not meet
with the Kitwaneoo! people.
Bill McKay told the convention that
when the Nishga Petition was prep-
wred in 1913, all the neighbouring
tribes agreed with the boundaries as
outlined in the Petition and that
nothing had changed since then.
Secondly, when the Native Brother-
Foran] Fvercud ina’ gumbonenneanewed (evar gndernsd«
rent tee dake oe gelive cole a dhe lan
Cliim~ field last June, the NTE
Executive declared) support for the
staieiel ciel the concerti voter! te
subomanil ul HA] EpOrR PE Daa" liriel Cit idie: Alive:
Brotherhom! Comvention af the ened of
Naneibier,
Liiehedeed io the 5.000 pus square
niles Uaget sure the traditional lands of
eo Nashea piercrpulee i= a | OM) = CPLA
mile settee ol tho Abeka picurnbysconal bee,
Ceommnne lier said that omer a final
acrecnment is peached with the B.C.
and Canadian governments, the Nish-
gas would begin nepotiations with the
Le rics, .
Viletailed nap showing the entire
area claimed by the Nishpas is to be
presentiod to the COP CRN TICHTs ba the
Executive as the next step in the
repre elas,
ELECTIONS
The convention felt that since the
previous Executive had made substan-
lial progress during the past year and
since they were in the middle of
newol ations, it would be unwise io
change them. Re-elected then for
another term were: James Gosnell,
President; Viee-Presidents Hubert
Doolan, Rod Robinson, Harry Nyce,
Bill McKay, Nathan Barton, Hubert
Haldane; Seeretary-Treasurer Gary
Tait; and Perey Tait is still the
Exceculive Assistant,
GA
|
negoliations which appeared to be
breaking down at the time, and two
months later, the parties involved’
signed the agreement.
For his part, Nishga Tribal Council
President James Gosnell said, "'l don't
care who they send. It's immaterial.”
A negotiated land claim agreement
has to be ratified and approved by the
people in the communities before it
becomes final. In the case of James
Bay, Hartley noted that there was no
requirement that the ratification proc-
ess had to have the approval of a it
majority of all the eligible voters; it \-— : ~
only had to have the approval of a
majority of the people who voted. He
the two Rroups can mat agree on a
solution, the Naskapi people have the
option of going to court.
Ni Tribal Council President James Gosnell, on left,
tm -Ponig re vegan sere tres rpg toy
| THE AE THRE
PESPLEG ARE
PEAAAb AG
MEW RIGHTS
w2ULe ye)
LIKE «& HeT
LWAcH Beer
ais! Bras
6 NESIKA Oct/Nov/Dec 1976
UBCIC Studies Commission
The major efforts of the Union of B.
C. Indian Chiefs over the coming year
will apparently be directed towards the
establishment and operation of a B, C.
Land Claims Commission similar to
the Berger Inquiry.
George Manue! has been selected to
conduct a three month investigation
into the commission. His study is to
determine, first of all, whether the
commission approach is a workable
plan of action. If se, he is te also
prepare a suggested terms of refe-
rence, schedule, and work plan.
The concept of a commission as a
method of organizing the UBCIC's
membership was accepted by the
Courtenay assembly.
The formal decision to proceed with
the establishment of a B. C. Land
Claims Commission was made at the
Chiefs" Council meeting of September
21st, when the Council voted to have
George Manuel, past-President of the
National Indian Brotherhood, be its
Chairman.
Manuel replied to the invitation on
October 4th, and included a proposed
time-frame, budget and terms of
reference that he saw necessary for the
successful operation of the commis-
Shon.
The objective of the Land Claims
Commission is to “conduct hearings in
tribal areas throughout the province on
tribal land claims", and to “hear
representations and briefs on other
local issues which are of concern to
Indian and non-[ndian communities."
An important factor in future nego-
tiations that the commission will be
mvestigating will be “the manner in
which negotiations would be conduc-
ted with the two levels of government"
and “the process by which consensus
is reached on a band or tribal basis."
As Manuel sees it, the commission
will have three stages:
[ - Preparatory - The first stage from
November 1, 1976to January 31, 1977,
would “complete the detailed design
and work plan of the commission.”
Specifically, it would mean identifying
the terms of reference; the technical
and professional staff requirements;
the schedule of hearings in Indian and
non-Indian communities; the use of
the media; the type of input from both
governments, industry, and social
agencies; a detailed budget for the
commission; and begin work on nego-
tiations with the two governments on
funding for the commission.
{1 - Implementation - February 1,
1977 to January 31, 1978 would be the
operational atage of the commission.
Il - Windup - From February 18,
1978 to April, 1978, As a result of the
information gained from the commis:
sion, it should then “‘be possible to
design the machinery and the specific
recommendations which will lead to
early solutions of settlement probl-
ems." The three months will be
necessary to prepare a report with
recommendations for action.
The final decision to go ahead with
the commission, and who its chairman
will be, will be made after the study
and the report is completed.
A bulletin that was sent to the bands
on October 21st reported in general on
the activities of the UBCIC since
August. The bulletin noted that the
Union was using space in the base-
ment of the Squamish Band's office as
a workshop while it organizes the files
from the pre-Chilliwack period, The
files will eventually be turned over to
VarlOUs COTHMISsiOns.
The bulletin then outlined a number
af issues that the bands should be
aware of and involved in supporting:
Nazko-Kluskus, the Lower Nicola Ba-
nd’s court case against provincial
order-in-council 1036, the McGregor
River Diversion Project, changes in
DIA trapping policy, the Premiers’
conference on the BNA Act, and the
Quebec Inuit's fight against the James
Bay agreement.
In mid-November, the Chiefs’
Council voted to accept the proposal
put forth by George Manuel regarding
the B. C. Land Claims Commission,
and go ahead with Stage I of the
project,
n November 22, the Executive met
with mew Indian Affairs Minister
Warren Allmand in Vancouver. Rep-
ortedly, about 6000! the concerns
that the Executive raised with Allmand
were related to the land claims issue.
ourt
Derricksan
In an October judgement in the
Derricksan case, the Supreme Court of
Canada decided not to make a ruling
on whether Indians do, in fact, have
aboriginal rights. Noll Derricksan, of
the Westbank Band, was found guilty
by a lower court for illegally spearing a
salmon in Peachland Creek six years
ago as part of a fish-in, and the court
refused to overturn the conviction,
Doug Sanders, Derricksan's lawyer,
argued that Peachland Creek is part of
the tribal territory of the Okanagan
Indians and that Derricksan, an Okan-
agan had the aboriginal right to fish
there for food.
While the Supreme Court justices
listened to Sanders’ argument regard-
ing aboriginal rights, they refused to
listen to the arguments about to be
presented by the lawyers for the
province, which included four volumes
Avoids
of testimony from the Calder case.
In its decision, the court ruled that
as a federal law, the Fisheries Act
aie to everyone, including Indians.
Sanders later said that the high
court treated his aboriginal rights
argument as important, but not rele-
vant.
Kruger/Manuel
Immediately following the oral
judgement, the justices began listen-
ing to arguments on aboriginal hunt-
ing rights in the Kruger/Manuel case.
The two men, Jacoh Kruger and
Kobert Manuel, had been convicted of
illegally killing a deer in 1973,
Arguing their case, Sanders stated
they had the aboriginal right to hunt
for food on unoccupied Crown land.
The lawyer acting for the province said
that there was no such thing as
aboriginal rights and if there were
such a thing, they no longer existed.
Once again, the court refused to
hear arguments regarding the subject
Rights
of aboriginal rights. Judgement on the
case was postponed until probably late
in the winter or spring of next year.
Sander suggests that the court will
probably make a ruling in this case
that will again avoid the subject of
whether Indians hold aboriginal rights.
He said that the reason for the delay
in judgement will allow for the court to
deal with two issues:
1) Who has jurisdiction over Indian
hunting rights off the reserve, and
whether the province can pass a law in
this area in the absence of federal
legislation.
2) Testing the controversial Section
88 of the Indian Act which states that
subject to treaties and the Indian Act,
all laws shall apply to Indians, Sanders
noted that the Supreme Court avoided
a ruling on that section of the Indian
Act a year ago in an Indian adoption
ise.
NWT Caveat
The Supreme Court will also hear
Ruling
before Christmas, the appeal of the
Dene people in their efforts to get a
caveal filed covering 450,000 square
miles of their ancestral homelands in
the Mackenzie Valley.
The Dene, under the leadership of
Chief Francois Paulette, filed legal
papers claiming a prior right to the
land (a caveat) in an early effort to
fight il pipeline ihowery ihe valley sa Vat ul
years apo.
The court in the Northwest Territor-
ies and Justice Morrow ruled that the
Dene did have a prior claim to the land
and were entitled to file the caveat-a
warning to developers and the govern-
ment of the land rights of the Dene.
The Territorial Government appeal-
ed the decision and won on a
technicality, and the case is now in the
Supreme Court.
Sanders suggests that the court will
avoid ruling on the aboriginal rights
aspect of this case as well when it
makes a ruling.
Governments Invited to Cut-off Meeting in January
The leaders of the 22 band Cut-off
Lands Committee have decided to step
up their campaign to get negotiations
to begin over the wrongful taking of
36,000 acres of reserve lands more
than 60 years ago.
They have notified both federal and
rovineial governments of a meeting to
held on January 20, 1977, at which
both governments are expected to be
present, to begin a process that will
mpeny lead lo negotiations.
must be remembered that the
bai bands involved worked for over
20 years to gel the two governments to
agree that these lands were Indian
lands and must be returned,”’ read a
letter from the Committee-Joe Math-
ias, Lloyd Wilson, George Harris, and
Chairman Philip Joe - tothe Ministers
involved,
The letter, dated December 2nd,
marks the fact that it is now more than
eight months since the Indians were
promised that a date for the beginning
of negotiations with each band would
he set within a “few weeks",
The letter notes that no action on the
dispute is yet in sight and points out
that the Commmittes has repeatedly
written, telexed, and phoned both
Ministers to remind them of their
promise and to ask for a date for the
start of negotiations. After speaking
with both of the Ministers and learning
that still no progress had been made,
the Committee decided on the press-
ure tactic.
The reason for the long delay is
apparently a difference of opinion
between the governments about their
mutual responsibilities in settling the
matter, although the exact area of
argument is unknown,
The Committee says that the pur-
pose of the January meeting will be to
remove the roadblocks in the way of
negotiations so that a date for the talks
with each of the bands can be set,
Brian Hartley, the new federal
negotiator for the general land claims
issue, says thal the federal govern-
mentg is waiting for the province to
take a “more liberal position”. He
said that he is not responsible for the
cut-off talks, but he could be requested
to take them over in the future.
Chairman Philip Joe has also written
the 22 bands who lost lands as a result
of the McKenna-McBride Commission
in 1912-13 to get their attendance at
the meeting. He has also notified the
press and promises a “rip-roaring
time” if the governments fail to show
up for the meeting.
It should be remembered that the
summer of protest that followed
Chilliwack and the rejection of funds in
1975, actually began with the demon-
strations organized by the Cut-Off
Lands Committee, beginning on April
lst, 1975.
Nazko Update
The people of the Nazko and
Kluskus Bands, whe had been expect-
ing to meet with Allan Williams, the
Minister responsible for Indian mat-
ters, sometime before Christmas, have
had their meeling postponed and will
likely have to wait until at least
January for a meeting.
The bands, which had conducted
three peaceful demonstrations in Que-
snel and began a campaign for public
support to stop a logging project from
being driven into their homelands, met
with some success in October when
Williams agreed to meet the bands
sometime before Christmas.
However, the bands had been to
meetings with Cabinet Ministers be-
fore, so they tried to get the terms of
the meeting set in advance, bul the
government refused and said it would
not meet until all the necessary
government departments had made
their report on the ‘20 points’ the
bands had submitted as a basis of
settlement.
The bands have still not lessened
their efforts to get the governments *
the table. Kluskus Chief Roger
Jimmie is now in Ottawa in an attempt
to meet with Allmand.
At last report, the logging road that
was under construction during the
demonstrations is still being built and
tree culling will begin in full-swing in
September,
Oct/Nov/Dee 1976
NESIRA 7
, fies Saar ia Lire peu il ibn
Liles rath
CTHELELE' EL
BCIC) was faeraail:
wyed) tha Uni
the fi BBC
Fes peresst
ng
with the cy
@ resulesd in the NBRC laking
2 for Wael,
rsuecess in this area wall likely
Jon whether they receive the
pe Car
Their
wre sila awa from the UBCIC.,
ies do the area off g
1 iL rights will likely cone canes the:
sTrarige udership of Gilbert Cook,
the Zod View-Prestdent.
THE CONF ENTIONW
dddiness bo the convention
a day was cle
disappointment for mast of the
fates. He wos ther
year @xtenspon for t
In announce a |
c lindian Fi her
Assistance Program (IFA,
$1 i He also stated
that the NBERC would be involved in
ing for [FAP’s replacement, ane
that “"pe
is should basical YOne Piper
themselves,
In his shot sp bh, Alimand hinted
that [FAP would [
Pans
ape ol
Tclian fisher E the total
eee by April i
vy ed ce Je sstatewme ‘
that the percentage af
the fleet had
creased by S40 over the
last eight ya
Many of the delegates were upset
with what they called Allmand’s “hig
and run”” tactics at the comvention, and
e they already knew about the
i f them were
Pres. John Clifton
Native Brotherhood
Prince Rupert
hist
eXpecting something nore from the
Minister.
For his part, though, Al
probably disappointed as we
the announcement of the ather-
Tous i the land claims
convention
indi
A Fovernnicnt urce
ale SF pHrase* and di ppointment
when it was leaned that no paper would
be presented.
SHOR DOWN BTTH FISHERIES
Every year, delegates ay NBERC
CORVENLONS pass dozens of reaclu-
tions, most of them de ig with the
es and regulations of the comm
cal fishing industry; and it seems that
every year, the Fisheries Department
her denies t , oF relers them to
her Departments, or ignores them,
ane situation, combined with o
ict
> past
To a group of
uncberstamel bie angry people who mot
by face financial ruin commercial
sherme on, bul alse foe the very real
respect of the boss of eat has been
* base of coastal Indian people's
existence - their relationship with the
sea. The sea's cich manne life has
given the Indian people not only a dies
and @ basis of an ecomeny, but alec the
commerstone of their culture.
The delegates recounted instance
after inslance in which various fisher-
s
ent months: clam-diggi
that wipe out clam beds ma
FEServens; 1 herring SpalWwo
do oul yeurs 4
ito Inedian
shery that
that is
55 tons of abalone from the Queen
Charlotte Islands a and 1&6 tons
divers in wet suits im the last year; the
bottom of harbours pear caneeries
white with the carcasses
smaller than the 32 inch legal size
because small halibut turned up in the
cannery gets the fisherman a stiff limes
apparent aver-fishing by the Ameri-
cans from Alaska (75,000 sockeye and
2 million pink salmon were cought by
Americans last year that were bound
for the Skeena and Nass Rivers}; and
rasl important, ever and ever smaller
fish runs which the Fisheries
Department has mo explanation,
5
The Fishe nies olticials even suppest-
ed that sports fishermen in the future
oo he licensed amel catch
limits set. (fn 2975, sports fishermen
cau’ Ve million salen in the Sreatt
af Georgia alone!
They also stated that next year,
es will be required for commer:
cal abalone fishermen and certain
regulations issued protect whe
slocks.
The one ace-in-the-hole the Fisher-
ies people had was the Salmon
Enhancement Program, which didn’
Impress the angry delegates. The head
of the program admitted that even
2nd V-P Gilbert Cook
hud committed 3300
for the program, Dez
inte plans for a, and
for the public
. The delegates
supeestions that an
“nil prveraen she begin
after the built wpe tay the:
levels of SO years ago, with anything
over that bering consid read as ae E-
mer
regarded by
Vinthe: ane te ishver-
ies officials predicted disaster ino few
ins without tl
ugh UM
mil
men |
thal wis
hearings om
made sevr
ennanee
Three rep angry men made an
impact on the convention with their
complannis.
of Turner [sland
a mechanical claen-
wee bo move into hi
tnbal serritory because of that way it
wiped out the beds in nearby areas.
The Fisheries off , after being
pressed) by other delegates on tk
matter, refused i i
Johnson Gor
blasted the "consultation"
that the Department began, supposed-
ly to protect the bonel’s abalone be
He stated that a shart while alter
pointing out their Jocation to the
person making the new regulations,
the beds were over-run with commer
cial divers in wet suits (the Indians
pick the abalone at low tide), “Naw
where did they get that informat
he demanded. Gordon added that
my grandiother was alive now with his
bow and arrow,
through someone's chest.
Ja es Gosnell ol the Nishpa Tribal
Couneal, suru up the rage and
frustration of the convention when he
told the Fisheries panel that he
wouldn't ask any questions since they
itanswer any. In an angry and
vent speech, he went on to blast
the Depart oer fer its incompetent
performance, especially when it came
to estimating the size of the fish mums.
“Your predictions have driven the
entire industry crazy’, he savd, and
aed that “the Fisheries Depart
Vt has lost complete control of the
fishery im BC."
ae
peo eh)
WMS
rower VEars, the Native
Brotherhood has worked on behall of
native people employed in the fishing
I same time, has
On June
Eaeculive
all of ihe mative
me, & i
¢ lime immemorial, of
waters amd resour:
ees’ for the -seas, rivers, lakes and
streams that flow inte the i
Ue SUFPOuUT
lurnbsia.
rannowrnced teveie imterticn
Ly" te
ladian
ofganizalions in ihe pre on of a
pOsition paper that was te be discussed
al the No IEF COMVENLDN,
In opening the discussion on the
land claims subject, Chairman Lonnie
Hindle said t the call for presenta-
tion of a position paper was “"pre-
mature’. Henry McKay presented
Con VeNLE with a “supperting
ownership of tbe
brief on mative
Allmand at Convention
Gonmimercal heries’’ on behalf of
the Nishpa Tribal Coune], The pur-
pa [the briel was to “serve motice
te the two levels of government thal
native people are devermined uw assert
their lawful right to this resource,"*
During the open scussion that
follawed, ome delegate stated that the
dollar value of salt and fresh water and
; Pesources are more valuable per
square mile than land, He added that
u shouldn't be whking about land
claims, you should be 4 talking abevut
waler claims!
Ina masterful performance, Gilbert
Cook of the Alert Bay branch carried
the convention throug land clans
TScCcusstns Wilh persed
e argument, He bean “hy
a than wt
a oo-urddi
font
ly, saying
S Ss Leni
Mars. He
7 people itt
wlive.
sup oestend the Board of
Directors NEA should be
er representation
new district representatives would go
hack to the communities and organize
discuss
must pet
people in
Is cm the eoget before be PUI TEL TE
il work.
DFR WEL EAL |e
resolution to seek government funding,
decision that has tae major oo
fl "5,
In this first, the NBBC had, with a
few minor exceptions, been entirely
self-supporting Jor is 44 pear history,
raising the ey i required fre its
membership, Because of this history,
il was expec ted thal the vate on the
suc would have been much
The olher of the
maton, the NEB gets sl funding,
would be to seriously reduce 1k
influence and the funding ol the Union
of BiG. Indian Chiefs.
The SBE, includin
ident Guy W as I :
the establishment of the UBCIC in
1969. The mandate given to the Union
that time: was the resolucion of the
land tile question. ow, seven years
aler, she Benth tthood, a5 a founding
partner of the UBCIC, is saving that it
ake over the land claims activities
aleng the coast because the Union
ivving up to ils mandate in
the ovastal re a
ft is probably a sale bet that the
Bretherhood's move ta pet the core-
funding money that ts directed to the
UBCIC wall get the approval of almost
all the. bands on the opast from
th fieuim, lo the Naas. Wherher bards
fon the wesl ooast
of Vancouver Island will support the
NBEC's move ict much lees certain. If
the NBBC docs receive the expected
range of suppert (about 35 bamels), in
will take ApYPDO TE ately 2% oot of the
UBCIC's propected $500,000 bvadget
mecaning alow! $100,000 eore-funding
for the Brotherhood.
A press statement said that the
Brotherhowd will be secking a mancate
from the bands to “start inter-tribal
meetings immediately’. Oy alsa added
that “any band or tribal group is
welcome to join our efforts to get a
ohordinated fishing rights claim on
the megotiating table of the federal and
provincial governments,”
ren questioned abet the alale-
ment, Gilbert Cook stated that while it
refers to fishing rights, he hopes. that
the NBEC's efforts will lead to a
comprehensive agreement covering all
the nghts and resources belonging te
the native peaple of the cost.
As for the white people who are full
members of the organization, Cook
membership in ve NBBC is
ture. One for involvement
of a dual
in the fishing industry (where the
white members who
naive fe
olkver for
justices: anc
conflict. He
are spouses of
ae are invebesd) and the
1 seeking social
the two do inet
pointed cut that the
ining for the
AP pragerum,
msi
gardless
On the issue of | d
thal the would fee spent to
organize inate band dl
lings regarding
lan sinessed that
any government f ved for
land claims activities would nat be
used to subsidize the fishing opera-
tions of the Brotherton,
Steve Carpenter and Cook indicated
that the ther Exeoutives were upset
over the UBCIC’s handling of the land
claims, especially when there had
been no resp to the NEBC*s June
Declaration and also since they had not
sevnl a representative Lo the Conrention
even though they were invited. They
beth thought that within & months the
Exerutive would know which of the
bands would be supporting them.
ever if we lose this fight with the
UBCIC,” Cook later said, “‘and it
interests enough people to become
invelved, then it stl] will be for the
le
ims. He
REACTION
While letters of support have al-
ready been received from tracliti
strong Brotherhood areas, ther
been no official response as yet from
two tribal groups not represented in
the RBC. Musqueam Chef Delbert
Guerin said that he thought the bands
of the Salish Nar would probably
fence’ in the dispute
en the UBCIC and the NBEBC,
meaning that the mew Brotherhood
move would not be supported bey most
of the Salish bands, .
Aspokesman for the Nootha bands
on ihe weet coast said that the history
of bad blood between the Nootka
bands and the Brotherhood would
mean that the NBRC would not get
their support.
The Nishwa Tribal Council has
already given their support to the
NBEC, while Lavina Lightbown, the
newly-clected head of the Haida
Nation, said that the Haida Coune
would probably be taking a “wait and
atitiude towards the Bro therhod's
Ns.
Bill Wilson, whe hi
COVE
‘ ibe thie
sidan! im bis posi
United Naive Ny
sens The interes
penpulat
yed an active
discussions,
Brad herbed 's
. which repre:-
ofthe “non state
Dol the proviner
MOVEY PROBLEMS
The convention was closed te the
press all ¥ Wednesday as the
delegates discussed the financial situ-
n of the Brothe rhood. The NBBC
ough t
and this year proved to be no
on made several reler-
enees to the NBBC being in a fight for
ila very survival agi “ the UFAW LU.
li was | ale * extra legal
ne the U E, AWLTs efforts
the Brotherhood
se ol the organiza-
lion that co ald result in the
the Prime Raapeert
there isto be a reason for the
dehaie over the cr, compared to
“her organizations, 1 likely is because
it was the members” aan money they
were talking about, and mot the
governments. Sinee they fimarncially
support the NBEC every year with
heavy membership fees, the members
obviowsly had an interest in seeing
that the money is properly accounted
for,
CLIFTON RE-ELECTED
Re-elected President again was
John Clifton of Hartley Bay. Also
aled were James Gosnell and
bert Cook. Gosnell declined the
nomination, and ihen Cook likewise
declined the nomination, making Clif
ton President by acclamation.
CLE
cont. next page
FUNDING RESOLUTION
Whereas the UBCIC has been
unsuccessful in organizing and repre-
senting Coast Incians in the area of
aboriginal nehts and land claims;
And whereas the NBBC has histor-
ical roots among the Const Indians;
And whereas the UECIC is receiving
money from the Department of the
Secretary of State on the basis thay the
Union represents the Coast Indians in
the area of aboriginal rights and land
claims:
Therefore be it resolved that the
NEBC declare its interest on behalf of
mkt Indians in the area of aboriginal
righis andl land claims;
And further be it resoboed thar the
NEBC seek a mandate from the Coast
Indians to pursue the “oore-funding
dollars whieh the UBCIC receives on
behalf of Coast Indians;
And be it further resolved that the
corefunding dollars be used by the
Brotherhomd to organize the Coast
Indians and represent them in the
entire area of abortginal mghts and
land claims:
And further, let it be recogniaed that
the Brotherheod's werk in the area of
aboriginal rights and land claims in
no way jeopardiaes the function of the
Breatherhoed as the representative of
the native people in dhe fishing
industry.
Carried nnanimowaly
eae ata teak caer Sa Da a
On October 25, 1976, the President
af the Indian Brotherhood of the
Northwest Territaries, Georges Eras-
mus, presented the Federal Govern-
ment with an Agreement in Principle
thal is to serve as the basis of a
settlement between the Dene people
and the rest of Canada that will allow
the Dene to control and benefit from
their fands and resources in the
Mackenzie River Valley.
The following are some of the
remarks made by Georges Erasmus to
the Minister of Indian Affairs, Farrea
Allmand:
“Today this delegation of both
trealy and non-trealy people, repre-
sentatives of the Dene people of the
Mackenzie Valley, are formally pre-
senting a position paper which we
hope will be the basis for a fair and just
agreement between the Dene and the
Canadian people as to how we will all
live together under the Canadian
Constitution.”
“Let me briefly summarize the
history of our struggle. In the early
years of contact between the Dene and
non-Dene our relationship was one
between nations and governed by
mutual respect. In 1899 and 1921,
representatives of the Dene nation
made agreements with federal repre-
sentatives which recognized our status
as anation and protected and guaran-
teed our national rights for the future.
Our leaders, accustomed to self-gov-
ernment and the independent conduct
of our affairs felt no need to detail the
rights they already exercised. They
sought only a peace agreement which
guaranteed the exercise of these rights
in future years. These peace agree-
ments are known to the non-Dene as
Treaties No. & and No, LI,
“During the following fifty years the
Dene saw the rights we believed we
had secured in the treaties being
undermined, to the point where the
federal government began to deny
their existence, and our existence as a
people. We now view this period of our
history as the colonial period. As we
recognized what was happening we
began to struggle to reassert our
national rights and attempted to
achieve a new agreement with the
people of Canada.
“We organized. We pressed our
case, The federal government failed to
respond and we were forced to go to
court. Following the success of our
court action the public became aware
of our unextinguished rights, but the
federal government continued to
ignore us. At Fort Good Hope, in 1974,
we held the largest meeting in our
history to diseuss our situation. We
had recently become aware of the
plight of the James Bay Cree and the
federal government policy of “‘extin-
guishment of rights’. Our people were
me : ; o a ,
* ale
: =e
Miyay
DENE DECLARATION ADOPTED. FORT SIMPSON, JULY 1975
OR
OPENING ADDRESS, TERRITORIAL COUNCIL
COLONIZATION ?
‘ALL PEOPLES HAVE THE RIGHT OF SELF-DETERMINATION. BY VIATUE
OF THAT AIGHT THEY FREELY DETERMINE THEIA POLITICAL STATUS AND
FREELY PUASUE THEIR ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DEVELOP-
MENT
UM. Coenen! on Boonie Goch! ond Celta! Might, 1985 Article 1
shocked, and restated al that time
their determination to maintain the
position they held when the treaties
were signed, that our rights must be
recognized and not extinguished.
“One year later, because the federal
government had rejected our position,
without consideration, and because
our position was misinterpreted as a
mere property claim of “land claim”,
we held another Dene Assembly to
restate our position. At that time, we
made it very clear in the document
known as the Dene Declaration that we
continued to view ourselves as a@
nation, As such, we sought an agree-
ment on our relationship to the people
of Canada, an agreement which would
recognize not only our property rights
but our political right to self-determin-
ation, to self-government through
institutions of our choosing.
“What we propose is that our right
to self-determination be recognized
through the institution of Dene gov-
ernment exercising authority over
Dene land and affairs. We would see
our government roughly equivalent in
atatus to the provincial level and in no
way are we challenging the legitimate
jurisdiction of the federal government,
"We are not demanding extraordin-
ary rights though we are calling for a
radical change in the historical rela-
tionship between aboriginal people
and the people of Canada, It is because
we believe that what we are demand-
ing is nothing less than a universal
human right that we have taken the
unusual step of affirming our support
for the rights of the non-Dene in our
proposal. Furthermore, we see no
reason why our right to self-determin-
ation cannot be met within Canadian
Confederation.
“We believe an increasing number
of Canadians experience a sense of
powerlessness and alienation, which a
chance to vote every four Fears does
little to relieve. We believe these
Canadians will appreciate and support
us in our struggle to regain our
political rights. We also recognize that
protection of the northern environment
is a vital concern of many Canadians
and that they will support us because
they understand no one will better
protect the environment than those
whose livelihood depends on it, and
these whose history and culture
emphasize the sanctity of the land,
“Why have we chosen to come to
the federal government with an Agree-
ment in Principle? Looking back now
on our experience with the treaties, we
realize that our forefathers were
talking about something entirely
different from the representatives of
the government. At best the treaties
were a gross misunderstanding. At
worst, they were fraudulent. To avoid
this recurring again we have set down
the essential principles we believe
must be embodied in the details of any
final agreement. Until such principles
have been made clear and are agreed
upon by both sides we feel further
negotiations could be wasteful, and,
from our viewpoint, dangerously
undefined.
“We have been quite explicit con-
cerning these principles. It now
remains for the federal government to
prove their good faith by responding
on a point-by-point basis so that areas
of agreement and disagreement may
be pin-pointed and speedy and
effective negotiation can begin.
“L can only say that in a society
which chooses to ignore the rights of
any of ils citizens, whatever rationali-
zation it may use to justify that action,
ig a society in which the rights of all
are threatened. We cannot conceive of
any reason sufficiently powerful to
justify the continued denial of our
rights as a people.”
NATIVE BROTHERHOOD cont.
James Sewid won re-election as Ist
Vice-President over Joe Daniels and
Joe Gosnell. Gilbert Cook won re-elec-
tion as 2nd VP over Robert Clifton whe
had been 3rd VP.
At this time, Don Hall complained
thal the convention had elected three
avine boat skippers and perhaps the
delegates should think about electing
someone with a different background
ia the remaining Executive positions.
That interruption probably helped get
Willred Jackson, a gillnetter, elected
as Grd VP over four other contenders
inan election that required 4 ballots 10
determine a winner.
The position of 4th VP, according to
the NEBC constitution, is one that is
selected by the membership of the
Native Sisterhood, the women's auxil-
iary. The Executives were quick to
point out that women hold equal status
as members of the organization and
the Executive. Vera Cranmer was
re-elected to the post for another year.
Meve Carpenter was re-elected Sec-
retary-Treasurer over George Jeffrey,
and Ted Assu was elected Business
Agent over Robert Clifton.
ODDS & ENDS
A charge by Ray Jones, a delegate
from Kitsegukla, that grants from the
Indian Fisherman's Assistance Pro-
gram (IFAP) for boats and equipment,
depended on whether the applicant
was related to one of the Table Officers
10 NESIKA
Oct/Nov/Dee 1976
of the Brotherhood was later hotly
denied by James Gosnell and Senator
Guy Williams. Jones said that the
administration of the IFAP program
was a“'family affair’’ and that only the
rich fishermen could take advantage of
the program while the poor fishermen
could not. Gosnell, who sits on the
IFAP Advisory Board, angrily rejected
the criticism as he explained the
workings of the program to the
Convention.
A great deal of time and atlention
was devoled to the subject of the
proposed Kitimat to Edmonton oil
pipeline with its associated oil tanker
trallic: in constal Walers, The CoAVET=
lion vated unanimous support for a
aeven part resolution submitted by the
Council of the Haida Nation that called
for many years of study and technol-
ogy developments and improvements
before any tanker traffic can travel in
northern waters, especially as they will
alfect the land claims of several tribal
ropes.
The NBEC established an athletic
scholarship in the memory of Maude
Helin, who died in early November.
About $1,200 was raised by the
delegates for the scholarship as a
tribute to the strength and wisdom
she displayed for the many years she
was an active fighter for native rights
in many organizations, including the
Brotherhood, Maude was one of the
hereditary chiefs of the Tsimpshian
peaple at Port Simpson and a source
of hope and encouragement to all who
knew her! She will be missed.
QUEBEC INUIT cont.
Agreement herein:
Virtue af il Final
after referred to.”’
A statement from the Povungnituk
people after the Agreement in Prine:
iple was signed stated that:""Com-
pared to the earlier Indian treaties in
Canada, the agreement seems fairly
generous; we realize however, that it
is basically an application to us Inuit of
the way in which the Indians have
been dealt with in the past. Unlike the
Indians, we definitely do not want to
give up our rights to our lands.
“And in the lands of Category II,
which were to be our last remaining
hunting strongholds, the government
will be able to take up to 5,000 square
miles for development purposes with-
oul having to compensate for them.
That 5,000 square mile area is big
enough to hold 10,000 villages the size
of our Povungnituk. The game will be
long gone before we are ever compen-
sated for these losses.
“In the lands of Category Ill, white
people will be able to have commercial
fisheries - we find this unacceptable,
“The agreement in Principle says
that the Crees of James Bay and the
Inuit will receive $150 million, Nobody
ever gives anything away for no reason
at all. We therefore see these monies
as the price of our land-the land on
which our ancestors struggled for
4,000 years so that we might exist-this
land we can not sell.
“The agreement also states that the
Quebec Government is to institute a
minimal annual income greater than
welfare benefits for those people who
wish to continue to make their living
through hunting, fishing, and traping.
We feel that the Inuit's efforts to pull
themselves up by themselves will be
undermined by this.
“The Agreement also mentions that
the Inuit are to have a Regional
Government. While this sounds good,
and many people in the south might
envy us for this-what will be the real
power of this Regional Government?
“Besides, how can power be given?
Where in the world has one people
ever given power to another? If you
know of any such instances, tell us-we
want to know about it.
“The references in the Agreement
in Principle pertaining to hunting do
not appear to be bad. We are not
surprised. White people think that
hunting is all that we are meant for.
Since white people think that we
anly enjoy guiding tourists and making
carvings, we in turn see all the
references made to hunting in the
Agreement as attempts at placating
us. We know that all our descendants
will not be hunters. Why do white
peaple insist on seeing us in the same
light, while everything about us is
changing?
This is what the Inuit of Povungnituk
feel about the Agreement in Principle.
This is what was done while we
slept. We say we slept, and we are not
ashamed to admit it. We know that the
same things happens all the time with
white people.
We feel that it does not make much
sense lo carry on these negotiations
unless each and every [nuk has at least
the opportunity to understand that it is
the future of all his descendants that is
now being decided.
NOMA STATEMENT
In spite of the ITN's efforts, the
Final Agreement was signed a year
ago. At that time, NODA President
Charlie Watt said “although we did
not get all the points we had hoped for,
we are an adaptable people and we
must make the change. We are
satistied with the agreement. We are
prepared to go back to the communt-
ties and defend it.”
The NQLA explained how the [nuit
came to be divided over the negotia-
lions in a press statement issued just
betore the Final Agreement was
signed,
The while situation arose in 197]
when the Bourassa Government took
the Indians of James Bay by surprise
by announcing its “Project of the
Century", The developers had moved
into the Crees" backyard, This was to
torce the Cree to organize themselves
and to begin legal proceedings to half
the project.
Since some of their major rivers
were also to be affected by the project
and being fearful that their lands
would be next on the developer's list,
the Inui’ of Northern Quebec decided
to join the Crees and oppose the
already completed. In light of these
circumstances, the Cree and the Inuit
were growing apprehensive as to the
eventual judgement of the court. Time
was noloon the side of the Native
people.
So it was in this context that
negotiations began and which eventu-
ally led to the Agreement in Principle
that was signed on November 15,
lo74.
Of course, the Inuit and the Cree
still had the recourse of going to the
Supreme Court of Canada, but then
the Agreement in Principle had just
been signed and it had been agreed
that all legal proceedings would be
suspended until the first of November
L975, the projected date for the
signing of the Final Agreement.
Segre: Hany
| INUIT
_ settlement
CREE
settlement
Project. NOLA started the procedures
mandated, at the beginning, by Great
Whale River and Fort Chima, the two
communities that were threatened
directly by the Hydro-projects in
James Bay.
This motion for an interlocutory
injunction became the longest in the
history of Canadian law. The proceed-
ings lasted more than a year, the
hearing of testimony itself lasted some
eight months. On the Lith of Nov-
ember 1973, in an unprecedented
‘decision, Judge Malouf upheld the
rights of the Cree and the Inuit and
ordered that work on the James Bay
Project be stopped, He stated in the
170 page judgement that: “it has been
amply demonstrated that the peti-
tioners have clear rights of possession
and occupancy. Their possession, occ-
upancy and use of the land is
measured in terms not of years but of
centuries’.
The Bourassa Government appealed
the decision, and on November 21,
1973, a mere six days after its
announcement, the effects of Judge
Maloufs decision were suspended by
the Court of Appeal until that court
had a chance to study the merits of the
case.
lt was only in June, 1974, after a
lengthy delay, that the court resumed
its study of the appeal. In the
meantime, however, work on the
project had been resumed at an
ace¢lerated pace, adding hundreds of
millions of dollars to the value of work
Moreover, the Federal Government
which had financed the Natives court
ceases had indicated it would not
finance further court proceedings.
The factors influencing the decision
to continue negotiations and to con-
clude them as soon as possible
included: the court decision; the
necessity to come to terms with the
James Bay Project; the declared
intention of the Federal Government to
settle Native claims across Canada;
and the overdue settlement of the 1912
Boundaries Extension Act.
The altempt to handle all these
factors within one framework (the
Agreement in Principle) overlooked
some basic differences of the parties
involved. Essentially, the Cree people
had come to terms with a large
existing project and especially created
municipal government (The James
Bay Municipality) covering their tradi-
tional territory. The Inwit were less
directly affected by this development
and were outside the limits of this
municipality, For the Cree, the James
Bay Development itself is the domi-
nant force behind these negotiations;
for the Inuit it is the threat of other
“Projects of the Century" in their
territory. However, this emphasis on
development or the threat thereof,
particularly the James Bay Project,
has obscured the most fundamental
question of all ~ the extinguishment of
Native land rights.
SS
FAR FROM PERFECT
Representatives from all three ITN
communities have charged that the
NOIA politicians did not inform the
people that their lands and future
would be negotiated when they signed
the Power of Attorney forms. Some of
the peopl: said they were told the
forms were to fight the James Bay
project. Since many of the people can't
speak English, and since that was the
only language on the form, many
people signed the forms without
knowing their meaning.
Speaking for the NQIA, Charlie
Watt said the charge was not true. He
said that everyone was fully informed
about the negotiations and about the
Attorney forms before they signed
them.
The ITN has also charged that the
NOIA took months to inform the
people that an agreement had been
signed, and that the terms of the
agreement were also late in reaching
the people.
Watt said that the NOLA used public,
meetings, fieldworkers, and radio
broadcasts to explain the negotiations
and the Agreement, but he admitted
that the “consultation process was far
from perfect’, because of a small staff
and limited funding before the agree-
ment was signed.
A total of 313 people (22% of the
Inuit voters) from the ITN villages took
away their Power of Attorney from the
NQOLA shortly before the Final Agree-
ment was signed in 1975,
Limited staff or not, the NOTA had
no right to negotiate or sign a Final
Agreement on behalf of the three
villages since the three had taken their
Rona. of attorney away from the
FOR AND AGAINST
Naturally, new Indian Affairs Mini-
ster Warren Allmand is in favor of the
agreement since it was agreed to by a
large majority of the native
peaking against Bill C-9, MP Frank
Oberle of Prince George called it a
sell-out of the native people's birth-
right, and one that excludes the
“non-atatus’’ people in the region.
Also speaking against the bill was
Wally Firth, the NDP MP from the
Northwest Territories who is a native
person himself. He stated, “I cannot
support it for the very basic reason
that the main purpose of the bill is the
extinguishment for all time of native
claims, rights, tithe and interests,
whatever they may be...
“This surrender of rights extends to
a very large area which the people of
James Bay have been occupying since
time immemorial. The people are
being given a small reserve of land and
a sum of money which looks to me like
a large welfare cheque.
“This clause (the extinguishment of
claims) goes against the wishes of
many people who are involved in the
cause of fighting, working and strug-
gling for the recognition and accept-
ance of the fact that the native people
of this country have their basic
aboriginal rights, and many of us
believe that these rights should be
enshrined in the BNA Act. It seems to
me that the Canadian Government
does recognize that the native people
have such rights by the wery fact that
this bill is attempting to extinguish
those rights. Otherwise, why would
this be in the bill?
“Canada, this country, has always
treasured ils rights and freedoms, so it
should not be acting in a negative way
by trying to do away with the basic
rights of many of its inhabitants. But
this is what this bill is attempting to
do, | believe that the Canadian
government has a basic human obliga-
lion to provide general public services
for the people of James Bay without
asking them to sign away their
aboriginal rights."
Oct/Nov/Dec 1976
NESIKA ul
eel el ee ee
Picture this...
On route to the new Kitmat oil
terminal, a jfully-loaded supertanker
carrying 300,000 tons [I million
barrels, or 63 million gallons] of crude
ail from the Persian Gulf, breaks a
water line in its boiler system. Losing
power to run the ship as well as the
electrical and safety systems, the
tanker drifts helplessly to shore and
smashes into the rocky coastline.
Pounding waves driven by gale-force
winds break the ship in two, rupturing
her tanks, and spilling 100,000 tons of
her cargo of crude oil into the sea, The
strong wind and tidal currents spreads
the olf into a slick that covers nearly a
thousand square miles of ocean and
eventually coating 70 miles of coastline
in northern coastal waters,
Scientists later estimate that several
thousand seabirds and sea mammals
were destroyed by the oil spill, which
also wiped out the clam beds and
crabbing areas of a nearby Indian
village.
When the grounded supertanker,
flying the Panamanian “‘flag of con:
venience is boarded, if is discovered
that the gyroscope, radar and other
navigational equipment are out of
order and the compass is the only
piece in working condition.
lr this ...
dn Astan crew anable to speak
English except for the Captain, fails to
understand Canadian regulations and
instead travels in the outbound ship-
ping dane as it heads inbound for
Kitimat harbour and the oil terminal,
With the sophisticated navigational
aids still a vear in the future, the
tanker fails to notice a smaller freight:
er on a collision course until the last
minute, The Captain puis the tanker
into a full-seale emergency “'skid™’ to
avoid a collision. It is too late. The
tanker needs 244 miles to step, and
the too ships collide with a tremen-
dous explosion, killing half the tanker
crew af 30 and sinking the smaller
freighter within minutes with the loss
af most of the crew.
A fire starts and the high winds and
intense heat generated by the burning
ei! creates a “fire storm" that swirls a
cloud of misty oil thousands of feet inte
the air.
4 day later, a black, oily rain falls on
Kitimat and the outskirts of Terrace.
The oil clings to the ground, killing
cows, sheep, deer, and smaller ant-
mals ia the area that feed on the grass
and vegetation, AN emergency [8
declared as plans are made to ship
fresh water into the communities as a
result of oif-contaminated drinking
weber.
The nightmarish ewents just des-
crihed ure not the product of a
Hollvwood movie producer's imagina-
tien as he plans his next disaster film.
They actually happened at one lime
during the recent history of the
hazardous business of transporting oil.
In fact, the oil companies that are
behind the plans for a pipeline to
carry oi) from Kitimat to Edmonton,
with the tanker traffic that goes along
with it, even admit that there will be
spills af 40,000 tons of ail, because
they are inevitable, [tis not a question
at ae et ee ci a ee
= ae ff
al there will be an oil spill, it is now
merely a question of when and where
and dew mach oil will be dumped on
CREP CURT
The nightmares just deseribed will
happen if the oil companies’ proposal
goes ahead as expected, if the B.C.
and Canadian Governments allow it to
happen, and if the people of the
northwest, especially nelive people,
fuil to organize to stop the project.
Ifthe National Energy Board (NEB)
and the Canadian Government give
their approval to the project, it will
mean that a 36 inch pipeline will be
built te carry the oil 760 miles from
Kitimat to Terrace, through the Bulk-
lev Valley to Prince George, and on to
Jasper and Edmonton.
The project will also mean that two
unloading docks big enough to handls
supertankers up to 300,000 tons will be
built in Kitimat harbour, With the
project, of course, will go the tanker
traffic to keep the pipeline — filled
to its capacity of over 600,000
barrels per day. About half the oil will
be travelling through the treacherous
waters of Hecate Strait, Dixon En-
trance, and Douglas Channel in Amer-
ivan ships from Alaska; and half the
ships will be flying the ‘flags of
convenience’ delivering oil from the
Middle East and Indonesia. The oil
a
— =a.
Saad es
ed
companies behind the project want
permission to begin building the
pipeline by mext year, 19TH, so they
can begin pumping oil in 1979 through
the line, This timetable will make it
impossible for the proper research and
environmental studies to be completed
in time to make any changes in the
project.
ONL. THIRSTY AMERICA
The Kitimat pipeline project is being
used as a method of solving a major
headache that the U.S, oil companies
have in trying to dispose of 1.2 million
barrels of crude oil that will be arriving
al the port of Valdez, Alaska every day
from the North Slope of Alaska
through the Alyeska pipeline. The oil
refineries in Puget Sound, Washington
can only handle 300,000 barrels of the
crude oil per day. So the problem, now
that billions of dollars have been spent
gelling the oil out of the ground in
northern Alaska and transporting i
700 miles by pipeline to Valdez, is how
to get rid of 90%),000 barrels of crude oil
per day to American markets, since
U.S. law forbids selling it ta other
countries.
The American oil industry must find
a suitable destination for the Alaskan
oil soon after June, 1977 when the
trans-Alaska pipeline will be com-
pleted.
The oil refineries in the American
midwest will run out of crude oil to
suppl them hiv 1982, when exports
from Canadian oil wells will have
stirpopeil,
Sinee there is already a pipeline
network connecting Edmonton with
the refineries in the midwest, the
logical solution to the problem would
be te build « pipeline from the Pacific
coast to Edmonton to conmect with the
American markets and thus tie up all
the loose ends for the oil industry.
The Kitimat proposal is one of four
differcm proposals to ship the Alaskan
ee ee ee ee ee
12 NESIKA
Oct/Nov/Dec 1976
a a et ee ee ee
oil to the midwest refineries, with the
other three oil terminals to be either at
Long Beach, California, Port Angeles,
Washington, or on the Gulf of Mexico.
li so happens that the Kitimat proposal
will be the cheapest for the oil
companies to build; it will require
fewer licenses and less time to get
Canadian government approval; and it
will mean thal all the environmental
damage will be done on the Canadian
side of the border,
A HIPPOIN A BATHTUB
Tankers approaching Kitimat will
have to travel a distance of 120 miles
through the northern coastal islands
before reaching the oil terminal - the
longest approach for tanker traffic in
the world.
The tankers will have to travel in
shallow waters that are uncharted for
the deep-draft vessels, through chan-
nels that narrow from 3 miles wide to
14 mile. Gary Gallon of SPEC compar-
ed the job of getting the huge tankers
through the maze of narrow channels
lo putting a hippopotamus ina bathtub
and asking it not to touch the sides.
Notoriously bad weather conditions
also plague the oil terminal approach-
es, including gale force winds and
heavy storms five months a year,
strong tidal currents, and an average
90 days of fog per year.
Up to 15 tankera a month will be
making the hazardous trip which will
require two sharp turns, one of them
cutting at right angles across the
heavily travelled inland passage route
along the coast.
The oil companies seem not to care
about improving the situation since
expensive navigational aids will not be
installed in the approaches until some
2 years after the pipeline is completed
and the tankers are travelling through
the treacherous waters. Also, the only
tug assistance for the tankers will
come at the oil terminal itself, and no
where else in the approaches.
CILBERGS
The use of the word “supertanker"™
to describe these ships as they grow
larger and larger, has lost its meaning.
The word “‘oilbergs” is perhaps a
better one since these ships are really
small islands of floating oil waiting for
an accident to happen.
The closing of the Suez Canal in
1967 meant a several thousand mile
detour around Africa for ships bound
for North America, and so the huge
tankers were designed to transport oil
in greater quantities with lower costs
and higher profits for the oil com-
panies. .
As the size of these ships grew, the
computers and technology needed to
operate them also increased. Unfor-
tunately, the design of these ships
made no provision for similar improve-
ments in their safety features, or
operating capacities.
While the engineers have been able
to design engines that will push the
huge tankers, some of them a quarter
-mile long, they have not been able to
make them stop quickly or safely.
Because of the massive load it carries,
a supertanker moving al full speed has
a great deal of momentum and it takes
a distance of seven miles to bring il to
a safe and controlled stop. In an
ae ee ee eee ee a ee ee a
Oil Tanker Disaster
emergency, a supertanker can be
stopped in a distance of 244 miles, but
the captain has no control over the
ship's direction. Emergency stops in
narrow channels or in waters with
shoals and other traffic are, needless
to say, even more dangerous,
The immense sive of the ships is a
clear danger to other ships, especially
smaller fishing boats. There have been
instances in which a small fishing boat
has run straight into the side of a
supertanker al night because the
skipper thought that the distance
between the bow and the stern lights
meant that there were two ships in
front of him, and would then guide his.
fishing boat right into the middle of
the tanker. The supertankers also have
a frightening habit of running over
small boats the size of a gillnetter, and
not even knowing it, and not stopping.
Their size also means they require a
cirele two miles wide to make a 180
degree turn. But in waters where there
is less than 10 feet below the keel of
the ship, the steering is drastically
effected, making the turn even wider,
The danger lies in the fact that in
shallow waters, the ship is not turning
as sharply as the instruments on the
bridge indicate, When there is less
than five feet of water under the keel,
the supertanker becomes almost
unsteerable.
These factors, when one considers
that the channels leading to Kimitat
harbour have never been charted for
vessels that deep (90 feet!); plus the
sharp turns that have to be made at
specds greater than five knots; plus
the frequent bad weather conditions
and the presence of other marine
traffic; makes the entire proposition of
shipping oil in supertankers through
those waters, an absurd and danger-
ous idea.
Instead of rising up and cutting
through the waves, the supertanker's
hull shape was designed so that the
ship would slam through the waves,
which makes them very likely to suffer
structural damage from being pound-
ed day and night by waves, especially
in storms, when the force of the waves
increases greatly. This problem is
added to by the constant throbbing
vibrations of the huge engines. These
factors create cracks and weak points
in the ship's hull that have been known
to break a ship in two in very heavy
Seas.
In their effort to cul costs on the
supertankers, the oil companies began
using only one boiler system in them,
whereas the old steam ships like the
Queen Mary had four different boiler
systems.
The danger of having just one
system is that all the electrical,
navigational, and safety equipment is
powered by the boilers, not to mention
the engines to drive the ship. Most of
the supertankers built in the last five
years have just one boiler system and
don't even have an auxiliary generator
for electrical power, although more
ships are being built with auxiliary
power generators. Onee oil gets inte
the water lines, or water leaks cause
the engines to shut down, the electric-
al power goes out; the fire-fighting
equipment doesn’t work; the ship
can't be steered; the computers and
fancy electronic navigational aids will
not work; and the ship is left to drift
helplessly until repairs are made, or
until it is towed into one of the few
ports in the entire world that can take
in the huge ships for repairs.
The short history of the supertank-
ers shows thal as they reach ten years
of age, they become less safe because
of increased stress cracks in the hull,
and because of increased corrosion in
the hull plates caused by the oil in the
holds which forms an acid that pits and
eats through the steel plates (about
ene inch thick).
At this time, then, they are usually
sold to other shipping companies,
which can’t afford the new tankers,
usually register the ships under a
“flag of convenience” country - Pana-
ma, Liberia, and a dozen others,
While the U.S., Great Britain, and
other maritime powers have certain
regulations for these ships, the flag of
convenience countries do not. There
generally are few, if any standards
that must be met for crew traning or
ship seaworthiness. (An example is
the freighter Pan Leen that ran
aground on the west coast of Vancou-
ver Island in 1972. The captain had
been ordered to set sail from Japan to
Portland Oregon by the owners, with
no gyroscope, radar, or navigational
aids except a compass.)
It is estimated that 1/2 the ships
entering Kitimat harbour will be flying
one of these flags.
The only way that one of these ships
can be prosecuted for dumping its
bilge tanks at sea or for other
infractions of the world shipping laws,
is when it is in a port of the country it is
registered in, and given the fact that
most of the flag of convenience
countries are not big importers or
exporters of oil, that can be never.
The accident record for supertank-
ers is one casualty (fire, explosion,
collision, grounding, oil spill) for every
25 trips, and the rate for the ships
repistered under a flag of convenience
is higher than that,
ONL SPYLES
“Spill” is probably too small a word
to describe what happens when a
supernianker runs aground and its tank
rupture, sending tens of thousands of
tons of oil in all directions. “*Flood"™
would be a better word because floods
kill, and so do oil “spills”,
The oi) companies themselves pre-
dict that a 40,000 ton oil spill is
guaranteed to happen in those north-
em waters, A number of environment-
al groups have estimated what will be
affected and what will be killed from a
spill that size.
The immediate effect would be a
massive kill of seabirds. While sea-
gulls would be unaffected, the loss of
thousands of sea and diving birds
would seriously affect 80% of what is
left of Canada’s endangered falcon
population as well.
A large number of sea mammals
could also be expected to die, includ-
ing the porpoise, grey, sei, and killer
whales, seals and sea lions.
The invisible damage will be done
when the oil sinks to the sea bottom
killing tiny marine life and shellfish -
crabs, clams, abolone, shrimp. (An
accidental oil spill at a scirntilic station
in the east showed that 90% of the
shellfish and marine organisms were
killed within 2 davs of the spill.)
A spill would also affect the salmon
since they have been known to refuse
to enter oil-polluted waters. The
Kitimat River is the home af spawning
beds for an annual (up to now) fish run
of from 60), (0) to SH OK salmimn. The
effects of salmon, which cal herring,
which eal shrimp, whieh would feed on
itd cls hier tau, waertilil rheal be knw
until & months afier a spill,
The huge headline-making spills
aren't the most dumaging ones,
Though, since the environment can
eventually repair iiself over a long
period of time. The deadliest spills are
going toe be the like ones OOCUrTing
every day und week during the
unloading process at the oil tanker
terminal. Repeated spills, even though
thes may be stall ones, will not give
the environment the chance to repair
the damage and will quickly make the
terminal site and its surrounding
waters adcad body of water, support:
ing no life.
AY af Uy
We 8
TANKER ROUTES &
es as
¢
CLEAN-UP
While the science of tanker design
moved ahead in leaps and bounds, the
acience of cleaning oil from the surface
of water, birds, beaches and rocks,
hasn't changed at all, While tankers
are in the space-age, clean-up is in the
stone age, with the rake and wheelbar-
row still the most effective method of
dealing with spills of tens of thousands
of bons.
The oil industry has developed
several types of “‘slick-lickers’” to skim
oi! from the water surface. These
machines are only effective in calm
and enclosed waters and are useless
on the open ocean or where wind and
tides combine to make the water
choppy. Even under the best of test
conditions, a slick-licker can only skim
oil from the water surface at a rate of
1/2 barrel per minute or 30 barrels per
hour.
A good example of Canada’s and the
oil industry's inability to clean up an
oil spill, even a small one, are their
actions after the tanker /rish Stardust
ran aground on Cormorant Island near
Alert Bay in 1973, spilling 88,00X)
gallons of bunker ail.
Almost every single method of
dealing with the problem was tried -
without success. They tried blasting
the oil deep into the beach with
high-pressure water hoses until they
discovered they were creating even
more environmental damage. They
tried containing the oil with booms and
using a slick-licker, No luck. They tried
detergents with no success, They
couldn't even burnthe oil off the rocks
because the bunker oil is almost
impossible ta ignite,
The only effective method of dealing
with the oi] on the shoreline was
spreading peal moss over the oil,
which soaks up 204) times its weight in
oil, then raking it up and carrying i
away in wheelbarrow.
DOLLARS AND SENSE
Naturally, the oil companies’ major
selling: point in trving to persuade the
Canadian Government to aceepl the
project ix the number of jobs that will
Ik created amd the economic benelits
that will derive from the project.
What ix ver clear is that the
as
iT Terrace
pipeline scheme will mean just another
Jiaacerre- arc boust disruption for northern
residents. Mis meant to benefit only
the American oil COM PUES , ane
Canada can expect very little, if any,
economic benelit while it wails af least
10 vears for the chance to buy any of
ithe oil in the pipeline.
In addition to having to live with any
environmental damage asa result of a
spill, the Canadian taxpaver may have
to pay the clean-up bills in case
insurance or the shipping company can
——
_!
‘Rupert
a
t
ee EE ee ee
not freel the bills. In any event, the
taxpayer will definitely have to pay a
great deal to supervise and regulate
the tanker traffic while they are ‘in
Canadian waters to prevent against
the inevitable spill.
As for the jobs to be created, most of
them will be temporary, lasting only
about six months, Since most of these
jobs would be highly specialized, it will
be mostly Texans and Albertans who
will get them. There will be only a
handful of jobs, and very few perma:
nent ones, created for local people.
FOR & AGAINST
The statements from various politi-
cians as they jockey for position while
the oil companies push to have their
plans approved by the NEB have been
fairly redictable.
The b.C. Government has the power
to grant or refuse the necessary land
use permits for the project. Environ-
ment Minister Jim Nielsen says,
however, that the final decisian will be
made by the federal government and
that the province will only be making a
“contribution” at the National Energy
Board hearings.
It was indicated by Economic Devel-
ypment Minister Don Philips that any
provincial decision would not be made
until after the NEB rules on the
project, and Niclsen called that “a
long way off"’.
Not surprisingly, both Ministers
were highly critical of a report produc-
ed by their own government's Envi-
ronment and Land Use Committee,
backed up by Environment Canada,
thal condemned the project on a wide
range of reasons. They said the report
was only ‘‘preliminary’’.
The report, which had been kept
acerel by the government, was severc-
ly critical of the project, saying among
other things, that:
An oil spill was inevitable no matter
what safety measures were taken;
The project would result in an
increase of tanker traffic down the
quest, mcd A decrease, and thal il Woo uilil
amage the provinee crv ironmentally,
coon ically, anil socially,
The report alse included the rewom-
memilation that provincial goverment
crejeet othe proposal.
The pipeline scheme seems to be
‘OK with NDP leader Dave Barret
since he has stated that his parts
would insiston 15% ofthe oil from the
pipeline being kept in the provinee,
and alse promised the towns along the
route the right to tax the pipeline for
lacal revenue.
Skeena MP lona Campagnola whose
riding includes the town of Kitimat, is
silling squarely on the fence in this
controversy, but admits lo seeing
“creat difficulty’ associated with the
security problems connected with the
tanker traffic.
Lurking behind all of this political
footwork is the American Central
Intellegence Agency (CIA). A report in
- the Interior News details the meetings
that an “ex”-CIA agent had with
businessmen and town officials in
Terrace and Kitimat, where he told a
gathering that Canadians would have
to hustle “to get such a good thing as a
pipeline.””
The man admitted being an employ-
ee of the U.S. Stare Department
working out of Ottawa, and said he
would be making a report back to the
U.S. Government about the results of
his trip. Although he refused to say
whether he was still working for the
CLA, the American Government's
practise of looking after its foreign
investments means that Unele Sam
and Big Brother are watching and
listening and doing what else?
LAND CLAIMS
Just about every Indian group on the
north coast has made public state
ments strongly opposing the pipeline
and tanker traffice, The governments
seem to be searching for a way to
approve the project even though some
of their own research reports recom-
mend otherwise. Will they knuckle
under to the demands of the oil
companies, which are mostly Ameri-
can-owned?
What about our land claims? A clear
indication of the government's inten-
tion of dealing with Indian people and
the land claims issue will be given
when they decide what to do in regard
to the pipeline. Who will they choose
to listen to? To a relatively small and
unorganized group of native people?
Or will they listen to the demands of
the American oil industry and the
American government for a project
that will not benefit this country one
hit and will only be used to fuel the
energy-crazed and wasteful habits of
that giant to the south?
One thing is certain - the history of
the Haisla, Tsimpshian, Gitksan, Hai-
da, Nishga, and easier people will be
forever changed if the project is
allowed to be completed before talks
on the land claims begin, because if it
happens onee, it can happen again.
Much of the basis of these peoples’
culture will be drastically altered when
the expected oil flood hits their lands.
It is doubtful that angry statements
and resolutions passed at conferences
are going to be enough to stop or
contral the project. But it should be
elear to Indian groups that they will
have to redouble their efforts al
getting their own people invelved (plus
the churches, cnvironment groups,
labour unions, and others) if they are
to stand anv chance of not only
stopping this ridiculous project, but of
winning a recognition of aboriginal
litle to their tribal territory.
Oct/Nov/ Dec 1976
NESIKA 13
A wholesale change in the leader-
ship plus constitutional changes that
broaden the base of the Couneil of the
Haida Nation highlighted its third!
annual meeting, held December th in
Masset,
The Couneil of the Haida Nation
(CHN), representing approximately
6M) people al Haida descent, is
cue prised ol the iwo bands at Skide-
gale and Masset on the Queen
Charlotte Islands, amd branches in
Prince Rupert and Vancouver.
The Haidas are said to be mext an
line (alter the Nishgas have settled) 1
berin negoliations with both levels of
government, forthe title and control to
the 4,000 scqaare miles of land, water,
and resources within their tribal
lerribory.
lected by acclamation to lead the
Counc! bw the ®) delegates present
was Lavina Lighhown, the head of
the Vancouver branch of the Haida
Nation. Ms. Lighthowmn is an artist and
businesswoman who was raised in the
village of Masset, and who is making
plans te return to the Islands by the
New Year,
___Havina Lightbown
There’s only going
to be one
settlement, and
after it’s over
we Tre going to say,
“we should have
been involved’’
She has been the centre of contro-
versy for her efforts in staging a
demonsiration that succeeded in halt-
ing further leasing of land on the
Islands, For that action, the Skidegate
Band threatened to pull out of the
Council unless her membership on the
Council was suspended, The matter
died during the summer and fall
eevee Fiss.
SLOW START
Most of the delegates strag-
gled in throughout the day, but once
there, almost all of them staved to the
end, despite the faci that the com-
munity hall was so eold that peoples’
breath condensed in the air because of
furnace problems,
Godfrey Kelly read the President's
report detailing how the CHN spent
340,000 of the $50,000 it received from
the DIA to co-ordinate the presenta:
lion ofa claim to government. Approx-
i
from left -Lavina Lightbown, Phil
P ‘
alison, Ted
nately $10,000 is still unspent. Kelly
noted thal “satisfactory progress’” had
been made in the research program to
determine the value of the mineral,
timber, and fish resources as they
relate to the Haida claim.
The CHS had hired Arvin Jelliss, an
economist working out of Toronte, to
do the report, and Kelly reported that
he is scheduled to complete the work
bi mid-December,
The past Executive had also’ estab-
lished offices in both villages on the
Islands and hired one fieldworker for
each to handle the problems of
regisiralion, interviews, and family
revs for a 4 month period. He noted
thal “our goal is not to make a treaty
with Canada; but to insist that we be
permitted to retain our aboriginal title
to the lands and resources.”” He also
aii] a settlement would have to be
“put inte law by the Canadian
government in order to establish an
coonmomic base ane provide Se
nieusure of prekect pon for the new
pencraiions on the future”,
A lesson in what tvwpe of land
settlement to avoid was given by the
visiting head of the 13th regional
corporation of the Alaska Native
Sscitlement. When the Indians and
Inuit of Alaska signed the settlement
with the U.S. Government five yeurs
ago, the setilement provided for the
State of Alaska to be broken up into 13
regional corporations, with the native
people becoming shareholders. With a
flashy videotape set-up, the repres-
enlalive tried to lure those who may
have been of Alaskan descent to sign
up as a shareholder in his regional
corporation with pictures of huge piles
of money being divided up, and scenes
of people reaching in their mailbox for
a dividend cheque.
COURT DECISIONS
Doug Sanders, a noted expert on
the legal aspects of aboriginal rights,
was invited to the meting and gave a
report oon recent decisions by the
Supreme Court of Canada and how
they affect the Haida land claim.
He noted that in the Derriksan amd
Kruger/Manvel cases that were heard
before the Supreme Court, the judges
had decided they wouldn't listen to
any legal arguments about aboriginal
hunting and fishing rights, Although
Derriksan lost his case, the Court
refused io slate their opinion on
whether Indians in this province have
aboriginal righis. Sanders suggested
that in the Kruger/Manuel case and
the NWT caveat case, the Court will
again refuse to make a decision on the
aboriginal rights issue.
sanders then contrasted the recent
Court actions with the actions of the
provincial and federal governments
regarding the land claim negotiations
14 NESIKA
AGE
Oct/Nov/Dec 1976
Bellis, Barbara Wils
in this province. Since the B.C.
Government still has no staff, policy,
or method of coping with the land
claims issue, Sanders said that the
province was expecting the Supreme
Court to rule against the concept of
aboriginal rights for B.C. Indians. He
said that now the Court has avoided
the issue, the province will be forced to
confront the matter.
MANUEL SPEAKS
Also invited to address the con-
vention was George Manuel, the past
President of the National Indian
Brotherhood. Speaking for himself,
Manuel warned the delegates about
the dangers connected with govern-
ment funding because ‘he who. pays
the fiddler calls the tune’’, He said he
didn't have an answer for the problem
bul suggested that “political power
generated by the people’, making
them invelved and united could be an
answer. He stated that people involve-
ment of the old and the young should
he encouraged. He also suggested that
the Haidas should enter into diseus-
sions “‘at the community level on the
meaning of aboriginal rights: their
obligations and limitations’.
“Aboriginal rights means sovere-
ignty’’, Manuel stated, and he said
that he didn’t want to see a settlement
similar to the Alaska settlement be-
cause "that means extinguishment”
of aboriginal rights, and that a
settlement must let the Haida people
regain their sovereignty.
Bill Wilson, President of the United
Native Nations, followed Manuel and
urged the delegates to make decisions
on the blood quantum for people to be
included in the Haida claim, and also
decide on the number of form af
representation that the Boardof Direct-
ors should have, (The CHN has no
written constitution.)
MEMBERSHIP BROADENED
After a long and sometimes
emotional dehate, the delegates voted
by o huge margin to change the
previous requirements for member-
ship from one-quarter Haida blood, to
include anvene of Haida ancestry. The
general fecling was “we don't need
blood tests, we know who our people
are”,
AESTRICTIONS DEFEATED
A motion was introduced that called
for changes to be made in the election
ayslem by not electing a President at
the annual meeting, but instead
having the two band councils elect an
equal number of representatives to the
Council, which would then elect a
Chairman, Lavina Lightbown reacted
and said that the Executive must be
elected from the floor of the conven-
tion and that “we were denied an
election last vear, and we will not be
denied again this year’’. She suggest-
ed that each branch and village should
then elect their representatives to the
Board of Directors.
Apparently most of the delegates
agreed with her and the proposal was
soundly defeated.
A delegate then proposed an-
other mation, this time making only
thase people who are residents of the
ueen Charlotte Islands and who are
registered” members of the Skide-
gate or Masset Bands, the only ones
allowed to run for an Executive
position.
The tiotien and the previous one,
were clearly aimed at Lavina Light-
bown, whe had annowneed her inten-
tion to run for President, and who had
cared ite other
Executives’ displeasure for her out-
epokenness and activism. After an
angry response by Ms, Lightbown, the
motion wenl down to defeat,
ELECTIONS
Lavina Lightbown was elected Pre-
aident of the CHN by acclamation as 5
other nominees, including Godfrey
Kelly, declined to run.
Her election is considered signifi-
cant since she is the first woman
elected to head an organization that
will be negotiating a comprehensive
land claim with the federal and
provincial governments, Her hushand
is Bill Lighthown, who for 7 months
was the leader of the old BCANSI
organization until June of this year,
Also elected by acclamation were
Ted Beis, originally from Masset, as
Ist Vice-President, and Phil Watson
originally from Skidegate, as 2nd
Vice-President,
Barbara Wilson of Skidegate won
election over Tom Green for the
position of 3 Vice-President.
Since the convention 4lected an
equal number of “status” and “non
status’’ Executives and an equal
number of Masset and Skidegate
Executives, it is hoped the election will
heal the split between these factions of
the Haida Nation.
NEW DIRECTIONS
Speaking on the floor of the
convention, Ms. Lightbown stated that
the Council of the Haida Nation "‘is not
a social club", and that "we shirked
our responsibilities as Indians because
we let non-Indians take control of the
land and let them mess it up, and
we're going to have to get that control
back". She added that “the ones thal
have control of it (the governments
and corporations) only care about their
immediate benefit and the almightly
dollar’.
“There's only going to be one
settlement, and after it’s over we're
going to say we should have been
involved.”
She later declared her immediate
goal to be “making the people totally
aware of what is happening on our
Islands; personally drawing as many
people as possible into the land claims
issue; and taking action on the
directions given by the people.”
It is hoped that the intense clash of
“nonstatus’ / status” and Masset/-
Skidegate interests can be smoothed
out by the new Execulives.
TRIBUTE PAID
In spite of the differenc of
opinion that separated Godfrey Kelly
from most of the delegates, the entire
convention gave him a warm and
emotional standing ovation as he
stepped into retirement,
We are the people...
ee ete ee
l
The following article is a condensed
version af @ speech given by Don
Whiteside |sin a paw] to the annual
assembly of the Quebee Native F'o-
men's Association,
The article continues the theme of
the place women are to play in the
native people's movement thal was
begun by the article submitted by
HA, “Butch” Smitherham in the last
issue on Native Princess Pageants.
Unfortunately, both articles are
written by men, and we would
appreciate the thinking of native
women on this subject. Any offers?
ot Se
When | think of the roles or tasks
that Indian men and women have had
since the veil of time has been lifted, |
am struck by how little attention has
been given to the most important
aspects of our lives. We learn about
the wars and-"‘important events”, but
historians, and even our own record-
ers, tend to underestimate or overlook
the obvious - each war or important
event was only a very small part of the
world of aboriginal people. Before and
after these people had to care for each
other. Children had to be born, loved,
and cared for. The sick and dying
demanded attention and our concern.
Then, there was always the waiting.
The waiting for the return from the
hunt. The waiting during any war.
Worse, there was the agony that
followed the waiting as sons, lovees:
husbands or fathers returned disabled,
wounded or perhaps did not return at
all. These are the important factors in
our lives. The wars or the important
events were but like a few heartbeats
in the total life span of a person, they
were fleeting moments. The greatness
of the Indian Nation is not only in its
history of great deeds, but of the
emotional ties that we have with each
other.
In summary, | feel a major aspect of
the greatness of the Indian Nations has
tended to be ignored in the history of
our people; that is, the strong emo-
tional relationships we have with our
people. The loving. The Caring. The
waiting, and since time out of mind,
the struggle to insure survival of
oneself, our children, our family, and
our tribe or nation.
As original people of North Amer-
ica, we properly lament the invasion of
the Europeans, aud the destruction
they brought with them. We cannot
forget that they destroyed our tradit-
ional way of fe, We cannot forget the
agony they created as they slaught-
ered our people in battle. We cannot
forget the diseases they brought with
them. Because of their invasion, some
of our Nations are no more, Because of
their invasion, we have had te witness
the degradation and debasement of
our women. Because of their invasion,
many of our people are confused as
to whom they really are. While we
cannot forget our history, we must not
become so bitter and frustrated that
we overlook the fact that we have
survived with dignity. Our people and
our Nations are tattered and bent, but
we exist and will continue to do sa.
You, more than any other group of
native people, are aware that our men
have been stripped of their traditional
roles as economic providers and
political leaders by the Europeans.
The Europeans felt that by breaking
apart the Indian Nations and removing
people to small reserves which were
generally economically poor, by taking
and you are our heart
away all the political power from the
traditional chiefs and elders, and by
forcing us to learn their language and
religion, that the Indian Nations would
qa die out of existence, The
uropeans did not overlook the stren-
gth of our families, They took our
children away to residential achools
and they forced those who married
non-Indians to leave their people.
The agony that these changes
brought is familar to us all, and it is
difficult to say with certainty if women
more than men suffer most, To see our
proud men reduced to playing ailly
games in order to hide the fact that
they lost their socially useful roles in
Indian society is hard for everyone.
Women, although their activities re-
mained more or less constant during
this period, often time join the men in
drinking in order to further protect the
men and themselves from embarrass-
ment. This has caused problems
all-too commonplace amongst our
peaple.
Further, because it was impossible to
strike out effectively at the Europeans,
our people tended to turn their anger
into their communities and upon ¢ach
other, One consequence of this situat-
ion is that the generosity which is
traditional in our society toward mem-
bers of our own Nation turned too
often into suspicion and jealousy
toward our neighbours, and in too
many cases, even against members of
our own family. ltis a sad reflection on
the history of our people since the
coming of the Europeans that many of
our people find it easier to get along
with Indians from other Nations, than
with Indians from their own Nation.
The agony, the struggle for survival,
and our success al surviving has cost
our people much. lt is my firm belief
that while we must continue the
struggle for survival with dignity, we
must begin to re-emphasize social
activities which can relieve, rather
than increase, these social costs. This,
I believe, is the major role Indian
women can play in today's society.
Perhaps some of you may wonder
why | believe that women should be
singled out for this important role or
task; after all, it is also a man’s
responsibility to work together to
insure unity of purpose and a fuller life
for our people. My only answer is an
historic one based on our philosophy of
life; you have unique abilities given by
the Creator which make it natural for
you to act in certain ways. I| do not
think it is accidental that our Grand-
mother Moon acts the way she does in
regulating the flow of the oceans and
the changes of the seasons. | do not
think it is accidental that our Mother
Earth acts the way she does in
providing us with nourishment and
shelter. lt is mot accidental that our
mothers are the place in which we are
born. Our mothers are the ones who
first give us nourishment, even within
the womb, and this too is not
accidental. As Meewee stated in
praise of Dene women:
“Just as we get our strength and our
medicines from our earth mother, we
also get our strength and sense of well
being from the love of our women. It is
they whe make life, living, and
oo worth fighting and dying
oF.
Our mothers are our first teachers.
From them we learn our culture, our
life; our social skills. Thus, it is
essential that our
(ee ee eae ec eee eee pak iat OD tat a ale reg he
Mothers - our
teachers - he BIFOng,
These are my reasons for believing
that you are uniquely suited for this
apecial role in today's society. |
You might like to know the specific
social activities | would suggest that
would strengthen our people, How-
ever, [do not think it is even for me to
suggest what your activities should be.
I do believe however, that whichever
activities you choose, they should be
designed to reach at least the following
goals:
First, that the activity strengthens
yourself,
Second, that the activity helps to
free you of the misconceptions that the
Europeans have tried to confuse us
with.
Third, that the activity helps elimin-
ate miaeSentny divisions between our
ople.
Finally, that the activity creates
stronger and more responsive action-
oriented native assoications. | would
like to briefly discuss each of these
goals,
If seems obvious that if you are to be
an effective teacher, one goal should
be that you strengthen yourself. You
must be strong to be a good teacher, |
don’t mean that you have to be
“hossy'’ of ‘radical’ to be effective.
For example, if you think for a few
moments about the people who have
influenced you the most in the true
ways of our people, you will recall that
they were not people who got their way
by force. Most often they were gentle
people who at the same time were as
strong and constant as the gentle wind
that blows freely across the prairies on
a summer day. Your problem is to
develop social activities which will
help you become and remain strong in
patience, compassion, common sense
and wisdom; the essential ingredients
of a good teacher.
The second major goal that | think
your activities should have if our
people are to survive with freedom and,
dignity is that they help you to become
free of the misconceptions that the
Europeans have tried to confuse us
with. Some of these misconceptions
divide us from the Europeans. Others
divide us from our own people while
others divide us from ourselves,
because thye create personal anxicty
as lo who we really are.
These misconceptions are a subject
which we could talk about for weeks
and still not exhaust all of the ways.
that we have suffered and continue to
suffer. One of the major sore points,
however, is related to the question of
who is an Indian. Every anthropolo-
gist and government official is quick to
provide us with definitions as to who
we are. We have heard these conflict-
ing definitions for so long our con-
tinued existence is threatened by the
confusion they are beginning to create
in our minds. | should quickly add that
some of our own people have adopted
some of these definitions as well as
adding some of their own. It is litthe
wonder that many of our people are
confused about their true identity.
Does a person cease to be an Indian if
they do not speak their native tongue?
If they were born and raised in an
urban centre? If they marry a male
who is mon-status? If they become
educated? If they do not hunt or fish
for a living? The list of questions could
go on and on. The point is that no
Oy ae
Oct/Nov/Dec 1976
Indian Nation can continue to exist
over time if it systematically excludes
most people from membership. If they
reject everyone but the current mem:
bers who fit most of the criteria, their
Nation will become smaller and even-
tually disappear. Thus, it is essential
thal you develop activities which will
lead to recognition, an understanding,
and a strengthening of our common
links so that unity will be realized. To
hell with the anthropologists and
government officials. Let us regain a
firm hold on our lives,
The third goal that I think your
social activities should have is that of
trying to eliminate unnecessary divis-
ions between our people. As | have
noted before, some of theee divisions
are disappearing as our people leave
their home communities and mingle in
the cities with aboriginal people from
other Nations. Yet, why can't we do
something which will make it unneces-
sary for people to leave their commun-
ily before they lind unity of purpose?
As women and leaders in the social life
of your communities, this problem
rests squarely on your shoulders. | am
not so naive as to think this is any easy
goal to meet, but we have to start
down this pathway soon. [If you do mat
work to eliminate this problem, your
grandchildren will have to, and we can
wonder if they will view you with the
honour and respect that elders should
command?
The fourth and finalgoal that I think
ig important is the effort to create
stronger and more responsive action-
oriented political associations. Since
you are here today, you undoubtedly
agree with this goal and there is no
need to spend much time on the
subject. Nevertheless, | should men-
tion that responsive political associa-
tions are an historic tradition among
our people, We cannot afford to lose
control over political associations.
Similarly, we must keep in mind that if
the associations are to be central to our
continued survival, they must do more
than provide jobs and a good living for
a few people. They must act vigour-
ously to enhance the strength and
values of our people.
We are the people and you are our
heart.
These are my words.
Don Whiteside
(sin a paw)
NESIKA 15
NESIKA Corner
In atiending the different confer:
ences over the last month, it became
clear that one WET W important element
was missing in almost all of them,
$George Manuel mentioned it at the
[Haida convention that the old and the
young must become involved,
There are usually many elders in
allendance al these meetings, but very
few lithe or young ones, A good
example was the Brotherhood conven-
tien in Prinee Rupert. While the
delegates spoke passionately about the
need for making better lives for our
children and grandchildren, there was
Jno one under the age of eighteen in the
Binal,
The reason, of course, ts that
most of the delegates had to travel
some distanae to he there. But, at the
lime thal motions were being
debated that vitally affect the lives of
fulure rencralions, there were several
hundred native teenagers and young
ach l ts directly across the hall who hae
prauial their wari fy thin @ basketball
Lourtiarreerst !
These young people arc our future!
lf we care about our children's
children and hope they carry some af
traditions, values, strengths, and wis-
dom of our people into the future, then
we have to begin doing something to
ensure that they wall.
We must get them involved, W
must make them learn that we are
involved not for our own benefit, but
for theirs. We must take them to
meetings, where we can, and let them
see and hear whal our people are
concerned about and fighting for. They
must learn that we have many heroes
among our people. They must learn to
respect our leaders and our elders.
Many aspects of today’s North
American culture are more attractive
to our children who have been raised
with too-many non-Indian influences.
They must learn that there is more to
life and more to being “Indian’’ than
the Rolling Stones, or the Partridge
Family, or drinking, or basketball.
Sal PERE*
There are some lessons here for us
as adults as well, We must learn to
respect their views, Too often, we shut
them out of our discussions or talk
down to them. We must make some
changes if the meetings we hold are,
nol attracting or stimulating our
children. Perhaps they are getling too
much like the stale political meetings
we all complain about?
The easiest step would be to make
sure that there is a place for babies to
be changed and fed, and maybe some
loys or a place to lie down for the litte
ones. These places should not be used
ba bakevsit the kids, lit dis places la ica
when their patience and attention span
has worn oul, Perhaps there should
lsu hoe ine spre al these
meetings encouraging the use of
traditional fiscls, annps, and dances,
lowe really care aliowt the future
generations we keep talking about,
then maybe it's time we started doing
something about ther,
im por tant!
Fi ifsl, a thank VCbul ih thie: people
who sent in the donations, large and
small, that helped put out this issue,
Since this issue is bo pages, we needed
over $80) in donations to meet the
Iypesclling, printing, and postage
expenses; and since the paper is not
government-funded, we had to rely
completely on the generosity of our
readers to keep it going,
The next issue won't be typeset or
printed until enough money in dona-
tions is received, Likewise, the paper
won't be mailed owt until the donations
can cover the postage bill.
We do manage to make a small
profit from the sale of our land claims
material, and that money is used to
buy more books; to send some
materials to brothers in prison; and
eventually, will be used to buy some
badly-needed typesetling equipment.
As things are now, we have to rent this
equipment from other newspapers.
mare
ENROLMENT
Yukon Land Claims
APPLICATION - mail to:
355 room 118B
| NAME—
‘This letter is to inform you that the Council of Yukon Indians is
accepting applications for the Yukon Indian Land Claims Settle-
This organization is formed of Registered and Non-Registered
Indians and is presently negotiating with the Federal Government ¥
towards a Land Claims Settlement for the Yukon Indian people.
As we are trying to establish the number of persons who may
qualify for the Yukon land claims, a list of
native background is being compiled by authorized enrolment
officers of the CYI. This enrolment is an on-going process. The
signing of this application does not hold you to any commitment,
except that it signifies that you want to be enrolled with the CYI.
Your application will be screened by a Credentials Committee
sed of five eligible members residing
the twelve communities in the Yukon Territory.
Please keep in mind to qualify, a
a) be enrolled with the Council
b) be able to.trace his or her ancestry to an Indian person who is
25 per cent or more Indian AND who has lived in the Yukon
Territory prior to January 1, 1941.
with Yukon
presently in each of
must:
of Yukon Indians.
Council of Yukon Indians, 22 Nisutlin Drive, Whitehorse, ¥.T. YA
if
_ If you are concerned whether or not your application is processed
through our office, or if you have any other questions related to the
enrolment for the Yukon Indian Land Claims, feel free to call =
write to the Council of Yukon Indians, Enrolment Office, 22
Nisutlin Drive, Whitehorse, Yukon, or phone 667-4491.
We can't always get it when we want,
and the inconvenience of typesetting
the paper in one place and doing the
layout in another is loo great to
mention,
You will notice that this VESIKA
Corner is not in its usual spot on page
2 or 3, because we have increased the
number and variety of the land claims
material that are for sale, and because
we are beginning to receive (at last),
enough letters to the editor to fill the
page,
Since, in many ways, the WESIKA is
modelled after the Akwesasne Notes
paper from the eastern part of the
country, we will be following their
method of weeding out our mailing
list. So beginning with the next issue,
if your address label is red-circled,
then that will be the last issue you
recemve until we hear from you,
While we would be interested in
Pia iving donglions, this will not be a
demand for money, but it will be
demand tor same involvement fram
Olir readers, i you Want io keep
receiving the paper, then we are
asking for some invelvenient on your
part by contributing articles, stories,
leliers to the editor, poelry, photos,
(pictures from newspapers and maga-
zines will do), press clippings (name of
paper and date included), or artwork.
An important contribution that our
readers could make would be to send
in copies of mailing lists of people that
may be interested in receiving the
paper. A list of band, local, church or
union members (with postal codes),
will be useful in distributing the
message of native people who are
involved in the land claims movement,
We will see that they receive a
com|lpimentary copy and hope they will
contribute to the increased communi-
cation and distribution of the NESIAA,
If writing a cheque would be easier,
then fine, money will be accepted as
well.
The aim of this paper is to be an
independent journal that is devoted toi
the land claims movement, and more
importantly, to the survival of Indian
eoples, Indian cultures, and Indian
Neihona, It is meant to - be an open
forum for discussion on all of these
issues, and you are invited to take
part. The trouble with this paper and
the entire lands claims movement, 15
that very few people are doing any
talking about these subjects. Only a
few are speaking while the rest agree
or disagree, silently,
We believe that any settlements
over the ownership of the lands,
waters, and resources of our Nations
must be made on the basis of full and
open discussions of the issues by as
many people who are directly in-
volved as possible. We hope, through
this newspaper, to provide one method
of increasing thal communication be-
tween individuals and Indian Nations
involved in a common struggle.
Leonard
Peltier
Returned
&
After having spent 313 days in
solitary confinement, Gwarth-ee-Laas
(Leonard Peltier) was flown by helioop-
ter owt of the Oakalla Prison yard in
the early morning hours of December
18th, to be returned to the United
States.
Many are saddened by his de “par:
ture and angered by the government's
actions in the and no doubt,
there are many who are happy tu see
Casa
him go.
There are lessons to be learned
from this. For the few dedicated
people who worked day and night on
his terhalf for almost a year, they have
alreachy learned them ail kaw
well, The lessons are for us, Lessons in
the lengths that the U.S. anc Canadian
CoOVeriinenis are
VN, them
willing fi: gc
prevent the Indian peoples from
slanding an their own leet ane
insisting on their rights; mot the right
to welfare, but the right for sellf-
government and independence.
There have been many warnings in
recent times that people fram this part
of the country may seon be invelved in
a struggle similar to the one our
brothers and sisters to the south are
facing. Ifse, then this past year should
have opened our eves to what we must
be prepared for and prepared against.
If and when that time comes, will we
be ready?
Gwarth-ee-Laas - from the many
who saw your fight as our fight - our
thoughts go with you.
Nicola Band
Awaits Ruling
The Lower Nicola Band is waiting
for a court decision on their historic
challenge to Order in Council 1036,
and P.C, 208, A four day trial was held
in B.C. Supreme Court from Novem-
ber 8-12. Justice Andrews reserved
judgement, and it may not be known
until spring.
A full report on the case and the trial
details in the next issue of VES/A A.
Chiefs
Re-Elected
In recent band elections, these
chiefs were re-elected: Delbert Guer-
in, Musqueam; Don Moses, Lower
Nicola; and Mary Leonard, Kamloops.
**These Islands belong to us’’
For the first time in 45 years, the
Haida Nation gathered at Haida
Village to witness the installation of a
new hereditary chief. Over 350 Haidag
from Alaska, Washington State, the
Queen Charlotte Islands, and the rest
of B.C., packed the village hall near
Masset to watch as Oliver Adams took
his new name as Chief Ga-Laa.
Haida songs, dances, and ceremo-
nies that have survived the onslaught
af white society were used to honour
the new chief. Ga-Laa was born to his
role and had come home to accept his
responsibilities.
In his acceptance speech, Chief
(-a-Laa explained what it is to be Chief
of the Haida Nation. The Chief is
“Lord of all the Land.”” He later added
that “there is no land claims issue,
these Islands belong to us.”
There is no question that the Queen
Charlotte Islands belong to the Hai-
das. The question is what are the
Haidas going to do about the fact that
the land is not in their control and they
are receiving no benefits from the use
of their resources?
The Haidas have lived on the Queen
Charlotte Islands for thousands of
years and theirs is the clearest case of
aboriginal title in Canada. If the spirit
that brought hundreds of people to
witness a piece of the cultural back-
bone of their Nation can be translated
to political organization and action;
and if the Haidas begin and continue
to rely on their traditional strengths
and values; then perhaps the Haidas
will once again be the masters of their
own lands,
Part of Nesika: The Voice of B.C. Indians -- October/November/December 1976