Periodical
Indian World - volume 2, number 9 (February, 1980)
- Title
- Indian World - volume 2, number 9 (February, 1980)
- Is Part Of
- 1.06-01.04 Indian World
- 1.06.-01 Newsletters and bulletins sub-series
- Date
- February 1980
- volume
- 2
- issue
- 9
- Language
- english
- Identifier
- 1.06-01.04-02.02
- pages
- 52
- Table Of Contents
-
Editorial..................................... 2
Preservation of Spotted Lake.................... 4
President's Message........................... 5
Pollution Overloading in the Fraser.............. 7
1036........................................ 8
News News News............................. 9
Hat Creek Threatened Again....................10
Dam the Stikine, says B.C. Hydro...............11
Up-Dates....................................13
Gitskan-Carrier Tribal Council
Land Claims Office.......................14
Gitanmaax, "People of the Burning Torches".....16
Canim Lake Elders Talk on
Indian Sovereignty..........................18
From the News...............................20
Local Services Agreement Supplement.........21-32
Negotiating the L.S.A......................22
Knowing How is the Key...................24
Management in Lake Babine................26
Doig River...............................28
Indian Government Alternatives.............30
The Alkali Five Upholding
Traditional Hunting Rights...................33
Free to Think but not to Act____................34
Up-Dates....................................35
Uranium: Last Month at the Hearings............36
Child Welfare Study...........................38
No Help Available for Burned Out Family........39
The Regional CHR Conference in Vancouver......39
Trust, Respect and Laughter....................40
A Reason for Living:
A poem by Deborah Hay ward.................41
Lower Kootenay Band Farm...................42
Erosion and Flood Control.....................44
Forestry..............................<......45
Red-Tape Talk...............................46
Indians at Work: A Book Review................48
Kitamaat, Home of the Stars....................49
Visions:
A poem by Jeanette Bonneau................. 51 - Contributor
- Beth Cuthand
- Pauline Douglas
- Don Gravelle
- Jack Kruger
- Arlene Laboucane
- Marie Wilson
- Jeff Smith
-
Judy
Manuel - Jeanette Bonneau
- Jane Mowatt
-
Charlotte
Joe - Mary Louise Williams
- Tina Marie Christian
- George Manual
- Barbara Kuhne
- Beverley Dagg
-
Sadie
Worn-Staff - Willard Martin
- John Rogers
-
Clifford
Hanuse - Jim Brisboise
- Alej
- ro Palacois
-
Darryl
Watts - Reg Percival
- Angela Matilpi
- Val Dudoward
-
Darrell Ned.
Penny Goldsmith - Mary Schendlinger
- Type
- periodical
- Transcription (Hover to view)
-
INDIAN WORLD
"THE CHOICE IS OURS"
$1.00
FEBRUARY, 1980
UBCIC
NEWS
EDITORIAL
We have changed so much from the people that we
once were, we have accomodated the outsiders at the
expense of our own beliefs. We have compromised
and compromised in hopes of living i n harmony with
them and for every compromise we have made we feel
guilty.
M y friend E m m a grew up in Northern Alberta a
daughter of a Metis hunter and trapper whose sole
means of making a living is from what the land
provided. In the mid fifties the search for oil in
Alberta intensified and its impact was felt by E m m a
and her family. Her father decided to move one
hundred miles further north where the animals were
still undisturbed.
After a couple of years of serenity their hunting and
trapping life was once again disturbed when the rich
field company came in and began to drill for oil. Not
two yards from her uncle's cabin was a little swamp
which the company began to drain with not so much as
a by your leave to the family living only six feet away.
The ground began to give off a bad smell as it was
being drained, and the plants and trees around it were
being ripped and broken. Seeing this happen Emma,
who was ten at the time, took her uncle's hand and
tried to pull him over to the construction workers
saying, " U n c l e , go tell them to get off your l a n d ! "
" N o my g i r l , ' ' said her uncle, standing there helplessly
holding her hand, "Their G o d is bigger than our
G o d " . Think how guilty her uncle felt when he
couldn't satisfy the simple and just wish of his ten year
old niece when he had to compromise his own beliefs
in the sanctity of the land to the outsiders who were
more powerful than he.
In the last fifteen years because of the growing
political activism on the part of our leaders we, the
sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters
no longer believe their G o d is bigger or stronger than
ours. Collectively we are beginning to realize our own
power. But to our grandfathers and grandmothers,
our fathers and mothers who are forced to
compromise their beliefs: who didn't fight back, who
didn't teach us our own language, who didn't keep us
home from boarding schools, we don't blame you. We
are learning to understand who is really to blame.
Please put away your guilt because it's a disgusting
emotion which eats away at you until you are no
longer whole and we need you whole and healthy, we
need your strength, wisdom, and knowledge i f our
children are going to grow up in dignity as Indian
people.
Grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers and mothers,
we love you.
•
The Editor
OUR COVER: In Canim Lake the young and old gathered to discuss the importance of Indian
sovereignty; bringing back our Indian values.
INDIAN
WORLD
VOLUME 2 NUMBER 9
INDIAN W O R L D is the official voice of the Union
of British Columbia Indian Chiefs.
It is dedicated to building a strong foundation for
Indian Government by providing an awareness of the
political and social issues affecting the Indians of
British Columbia.
Signed articles and opinions are the views of the
individuals concerned and not necessarily those of the
UBCIC.
Table of Contents
Local Services Agreement
DIA's bureaucratic rules and regulations for funding
fail to recognize Bands' rights to control their own
administrations. Band projects like this Housing
program in Massett are too often held back because of
DIA inefficiency.
Contributors
Editor: Beth Cuthand
Assistant Editor: Pauline Douglas
Written Contributions: Don Gravelle, Jack Kruger,
Arlene Laboucane, Marie Wilson, Jeff Smith, Judy
Manuel, Jeanette Bonneau, Jane Mowatt, Charlotte
Joe, Mary Louise Williams, Tina Marie Christian,
George Manual, Barbara Kuhne, Beverley Dagg, Sadie
Worn-Staff, Willard Martin, John Rogers, Clifford
Hanuse, Jim Brisboise, Alejandro Palacois, Darryl
Watts, Reg Percival, Angela Matilpi, Val Dudoward
and Darrell Ned.
Typesetting: Penny Goldsmith and Mary Schendlinger
Photographs: by UBCIC staff unless otherwise credited.
Editorial...
2
Preservation of Spotted Lake
4
President's Message
5
Pollution Overloading in the Fraser
7
1036
8
News News News
9
Hat Creek Threatened Again
10
Dam the Stikine, says B.C. Hydro
11
Up-Dates
13
Gitskan-Carrier Tribal Council
Land Claims Office
14
Gitanmaax, "People of the Burning Torches"
16
Canim Lake Elders Talk on
Indian Sovereignty
18
From the News
20
Local Services Agreement Supplement
21-32
Negotiating the L . S . A
22
Knowing How is the Key
24
Management in Lake Babine
26
Doig River
....28
Indian Government Alternatives.
30
The Alkali Five Upholding
Traditional Hunting Rights
33
Free to Think but not to Act
34
Up-Dates
35
Uranium: Last Month at the Hearings
36
Child Welfare Study
.38
No Help Available for Burned Out Family
39
The Regional C H R Conference in Vancouver
39
Trust, Respect and Laughter
40
A Reason for Living:
A poem by Deborah Hay ward
41
Lower Kootenay Band Farm
42
Erosion and Flood Control
44
Forestry
<
45
Red-Tape Talk
46
Indians at Work: A Book Review
48
Kitamaat, Home of the Stars
49
Visions:
A poem by Jeanette Bonneau
51
"THE CHOICE IS OURS"
INDIAN W O R L D 3
PRESERVATION OF
SPOTTED LAKE
by Jack Kruger
In the fall of 1977, Ernie Smith
called the Indian people together to
meet with him to discuss Spotted
Lake. Ernie, a non-Indian at present
has title to the land.
Ernie promised the natives the
ownership of the Lake with his
blessings. This trust relationship
continued to 1978. Ernie, along with
us had gatherings, meetings, and we
privately attended at the Lake.
The decision by Ernie to change the
zoning
to
commercial
was
immediately
opposed
by
the
Okanagan Tribal People. The zoning
of Spotted Lake is at present under
mining and grazing. Under this
zoning you are not allowed to construct buildings for commercial purposes.
The long conflict between the
Natives and Ernie was finally decided
on February 14, 1980, in Victoria,
(continued on page 6 )
INDIAN W O R L D 4
THE ELDERS
Since the first meetings and
gatherings held, the elders were
continuously involved.
Responsibility was the direction
to be maintained, as we were
advised by the elders, specifically
in the importance of Keeping
Spotted Lake. Our elders stressed
the importance this Sacred Lake
has to all Native Indian people.
These serious moments created a
path that led us to a positive attitude and definite goal in our
minds. The elders' experiences
were being shown during many
circumstances we went through.
Our Elders were far more supportive than just giving Historical
Information.
When self doubt would affect us
and our desire to win would wane,
our elders rescued us from self
defeat. Many times their creativeness and smoothness was needed to
eliminate our crusty rough edges.
Our spirits were often lifted by
their humor, laughter and soft
bubbling nature.
They consistently did for us
everything we could ask, without
pay, question or praise.
These elders were showing us
simple and basic respect and humbleness.
I feel it was best expressed when
John Kruger stated "I was called
by the Young Children to speak
about my knowledge of Spotted
Lake."
My feelings are that it was us
who were in need of the Elders'
help. Yet in a humble way the
Elders showed a desire to equally
participate alongside of us.
•
PRESIDENT'S
MESSAGE
The Department of Indian Affairs insists that our
Indian Government must sign the Local Services
Agreement in order to be "eligible" for Federal
Government funds to administer local services to our
Indian people on our Indian Reserve Communities.
Our Indian Governments are not opposed to accounting to DIA for funds that they know they must negotiate
for to provide badly needed services in our Indian
Communities. We are opposed to the paternal and often
the dictatorial methods that are used by District
Managers and staff of the Department of Indian Affairs.
Our Indian Governing leaders are made to feel like they
are being provided with the privilege of administering a
glorified welfare service by the supreme commanders of
the white colonists of the Federal Government: that is
what generates hostility and non-cooperation from our
Governing leaders.
Many Indian Government leaders are still looked upon
and treated as hewers of wood and packers of water by
DIA officials. Many field managers and staff of the
Department of Indian Affairs act as though they are
supreme commanders, their colonial lords when they
meet with our people to interpret the local services
agreement to them. The reaction from our Indian leaders
is naturally resentment and often hostility. The old saying
that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" or "he who
pays the piper calls the tune" holds so much truth when a
clearly patronizing relationship with Indian Governing
leaders is being practised in carrying out duties by civil
servants of the Federal Government. Is this mentality
created by the oath of allegiance the civil servant makes
The hostility by Indian leaders against DIA is escalated
by the local services agreement terminology that DIA
insists must be used such as "eligibility for funds." The
word eligibility used in the L . S . A . insinuates a moral
obligation is being translated with the Indian governing
authority and this is bound to be interpreted by Indian
leaders and DIA field staff as a Welfare handout to the
Indian leaders, at least in mentality if not in fact.
The traditional colonial mentality fostered in the
relationship between Indians and DIA must end if selfreliance for Indians is the honest intention of both sides.
Then the Federal Government has to acknowledge the
Indian people's conviction that the Federal Government
funds that come to Indian Governments for services to
Indian people for Indian Reserve Communities does
come from the resources of our homeland and we are
entitled to receive funds from the Gross National Product
in the same way as have-not Provincial Governments
such as Prince Edward Island. They receive equalization
grants for having little or no resources. After all, the
Federal Government took our resources and are holding
it in "trust" for the benefit of our people.
As Indian people throughout history, we have
demonstrated an extraordinary ability to survive and
hold to our original contention that the relationship
existing between ourselves and the Federal Government
and its civil servants is a "trust" relationship. We could
do no less than hold true to that conviction our
forefathers bequeathed to us. Today, in our everyday
dealings with these civil servants, we are as correct in our
assessment of their desire to hold us down and under
their thumbs, as our forefathers were. And just as our
forefathers
maintained our struggle for selfdetermination, so such civil servants should realize that
we shall continue to oppose their supremacist attitudes
until the last civil servant is led out the door of our lives.
Yours in struggle,
when he becomes an employee of the government? Or is
it racism? In any case, this DIA attitude must stop if we
are sincere in bringing the reality of self-determination to
Indian reserve communities.
INDIAN W O R L D 5
(from page 4)
The meeting took place at Municipal Affairs Minister Vander Zalm's
office in Victoria. The Chiefs had me
chairing the meeting.
We had our first Elder John Kruger
speak of the history and his involvement with Spotted Lake. He spoke of
the Lake before the arrival of white
society. He spoke on the past meetings with the old chiefs of the
Okanagan and Department of Indian
Affairs on our ownership of Spotted
Lake. He stated how the lake was
supposed to be held on behalf of
Native People. With honest sincerity
this Elder spoke briefly and to the
point.
Members of the Okanagan Tribal
Our second speaker was also an
Elder,
Tommy
Gregory
from
Vernon. He questioned Vander Zalm
first. His emphasis was " W e did not
come to quarrel with you. We just
want you to know: this is our position
and our right and it is very important
to us."
The third speaker was an elderly
INDIAN W O R L D 6
lady, Selina Timoyikin. She spoke of
the many wrongs done to our native
people. She spoke about history, our
medicines, about our spiritual values
and our knowledge of how we are to
use them. She expressed how our
faith and the Lake was important to
us.
Our fourth speaker was Larry
Pierre Sr., an Elder also. He stated
Spotted Lake was made by the
creator and this is very sacred. The
white society did not bring this lake
from Europe and place it in Osoyoos.
Larry said that we were not going to
carry the Lake from where it's at and
put it on the Reserve. This Lake is
sacred in its natural state.
point. During this brief exchange Bill
Vander Zalm stated that he acknowledged the statements given by the
Elders. The Minister was especially
impressed with our faith in our Spiritual Beliefs. W i t h this the Minister
Bill Vander Zalm stated, " I will not
sign the zoning by-law and will
inform the Regional Board of my
decision." He also promised to make
a report to the D I A to support the
Indian people's claim to have the lake
returned to their trusteeship.
Those of us who did not speak were
ecstatic of the decision.
We came as a Tribal representing
group prepared with info to express
our views to the Minister.
Council oppose first application to turn Spotted Lake into a tourist resort
He also emphasized the spiritual
values. He asked for Vander Zalm's
sincerety in deciding. He said, " P u t it
in your mind what is more important
here, money or a person's health.
What we Natives are concerned about
it the person's health."
I felt there was an atmosphere
happening with Vander Zalm at this
We are as follows: the chiefs of the
Okanagan Tribe and representing
spokespersons; Union of B . C . Indian
Chiefs representative and lawyer, and
also included are interested members
and children.
Those of us who did not speak did
not have to because our Elders successfully showed us the ropes.
•
POLLUTION OVERLOADING
THE FRASER
photo: Westwater Research Centre
systems for air and water pollution
for the North and South Thompson
River. The Band says the two major
pollutants in the area are Weyerhauser Pulpmill and the City of
Kamloops sewage treatment facility.
The Bridge River Band says there is
a real danger arising from the Kemano
II project that would reduce the flow
of water that helps dilute the pollutants going into the river. The Band is
now drafting up by-laws for pollution
control in their area.
The pollution of the Fraser River
and its estuary will be the death of the
biggest salmon run in the world if
industrial waste into Municipal
sewage systems is not treated immediately.
A brief submitted to the Pollution
Control Board by the Health and
Social Development Portfolio of the
UBCIC in January, 1980 said the
Branch has not lived up to its responsibility to protect the environment of
B.C.
While the Pollution Control
Board, the Greater Vancouver
Sewage and Drainage District and
the City of Vancouver dispute over
who gets authority to regulate
industrial discharge, the Fraser
River is becoming a sink for
pollutants.
In 1977, oil and grease loads going
into the Fraser River from Annacis
Island was 6800 pounds a day. Other
pollutants such as aluminum,
chromium, iron, copper, ammonia,
cyanide, zinc, nickel, lead and sulphate are passing daily through the
many treatment plants on the Fraser.
As a result, Sturgeon Banks on the
Fraser estuary is totally destroyed.
The Kamloops Indian Band are in the
process of setting up monitoring
The problem is that the responsible government agencies are not
enforcing the laws to protect the
environment. The Fisheries Act,
for example, is used to harass
Indian food fishermen but not to
control industrial polluters who
cause far more damage to fish.
A public enquiry looking into these
treatment plants and waste discharges
going into the lower Fraser River was
held
on the 18, 19 and 20th of
February at the Robson Square
conference rooms.
As the Hearings progressed we
learned why nothing had been done
about the pollution problem. Government and Municipal agencies were
involved in a political power struggle
and the River was the victim.
On Thursday, February 20, we
made our presentation. Up to that
point the Hearings had been technical
and boring with nobody addressing
the main issue of moving now to
protect the fish.
Herman Thomas, Co-ordinator of
the Fishing Portfolio
led off
the presentation, accusing the Pollution Control Board of a "callous
disregard" for the environment and
the Indian people of B.C.
The Union demanded that the B.C.
government institute a source control
program for industries dumping
wastes into municipal sewers; that the
government establish a toxic waste
disposal system; that industries which
refuse to comply with regulations be
shut down; and that Vancouver
Sewage and Draining be ordered to
institute secondary treatment at
Annacis Island plant.
Then George Manuel spoke : "We
are not militant opposers to
everything that happens but we have
outstanding concerns that relate to
our livelihood."
He challenged the Chairman to
"Take a drink of Fraser River water
from the Vancouver area if you want
to know if it is polluted or not." He
left a sample of water in front of the
Chairman and paused, but no one
would touch it. "There used to be so
many salmon in the river that a rock,
thrown in, would lay on their backs
and not sink, they were so thick."
"Pollution is the greatest agent
destroying our natural resources. If
you (the PCB) don't do anything
about pollution, we will take our
concerns to the United Nations."
Next, Chief Saul Terry of the Bridge
River Band, told the Hearing that
"The Fraser River is an artery of life
and it is important to maintain those
arteries of life not only for the Indian
people but for all citizens of the
country."
Chief Ron John of the Hope Band
told the Inquiry about the diseased
condition of the salmon his Band
caught and how they were afraid of
being poisoned by the pollution.
Federal Fisheries, Wildlife officers
and the Environment Protection
Service also made presentations to
support immediate steps to clean up
the River.
Dr. C. Mackenzie, Chairman of
the Hearings, and the panel will
take all recommendations to the
Pollution Control Board.
INDIAN W O R L D 7
Chiefs Council has decided to continue to challenge the right of the Province to take Indian reserve
lands for road-building,
etc. They have directed the
UBCIC Legal Portfolio to
take the Moses vs. the
Queen case, better known
as the 1036 case, to the Supreme Court of Canada.
In 1975 the Province entered into
the Reserves of the Lower Nicola
Band in order to widen a road that
ran through the reserve. The Band
took the position that they were
trespassing. They wouldn't allow
them to come in. But the Province
came in anyway, and the Band,
through Don Moses who was Chief of
the Band at that time, sued the
Province for trespass.
The case raises two basic issues.
The main one is whether or not the
Province has the right to go into
reserves without consent for the
purpose of constructing roads. The
Province claimed that it has that right
under Order-in-Council 1036 which is
a Provincial Order-in-Council. There
is a corresponding Federal Order-inCouncil as well, called Order-inCouncil 208 which relates to lands
inside the Railway Belt. But the
basic effect of both of these OrdersIn-Council, says the Province, is to
give them the right to enter into
reserves and take land for roads. For
both lands inside the Railway Belt
and reserve lands outside the Belt, the
province claims that it has the right to
take up to one-twentieth of Indian
reserves for the purposes, among
other things, of constructing roads.
The Indian people in the Moses case
say the Province does not have that
right.
B.C. Reserve Lands Only
Transferred in 1930
The history of the relationship
between the Province and the Indian
people has been, as everyone knows,
pretty difficult
and confusing.
Reserves
were
allotted,
and
INDIAN W O R L D 8
confirmed
by
the
Colonial
Government and then by the
Provincial
Government.
After
Confederation there were conflicts
between the Federal and Provincial
governments while they were trying to
clear up what they called "The Indian
Problem". There was the O'Riley
the "fee simple right". The Province
also added the right to take back onetwentieth of Reserve lands for roadbuilding, etc. We say that the
Province can't take back what it
never had before, which is the
"usufructary right". That had
always been with the Indian people.
Commission; then at the turn of the
century there was the McKennaMcBride Commission. Out of this
last Commission came the cut-off
lands issue. These Commissions were
supposed to jointly sort out where the
Reserves were, and who would have
how much land. But it wasn't until
1930 that we had any formal Executive or Legislative Act in terms of establishing Reserves. The Commissioners allotted Reserves, confirmed
Reserves. But only in 1930, the date
of Order-In-Council 1036, was there
any Conveyancing Document that
transferred the land on which the
Reserves were situated from Provincial to Federal control.
Parliament Should Have Been
Involved in Transfer
Another argument is that they did
all of this by what is called Executive
Acts, which meant it was considered
too unimportant to put through the
House of Parliament. Orders-InCouncil are basically set up to do the
"housekeeping"
work
of
the
Government. We are saying that in
fact this change was important
enough that it could only have been
done by the Legislature through
Parliament.
The really bad thing about Orderin-Council 1036 is that it allows
expropriation without consent or
compensation for the land.
In Order-In-Council 1036 there is
the phrase that the Province has the
right to resume up to one-twentieth of
Indian Reserves for the purposes of,
among other things, the construction
of roads.
You Can't Take Back What You
Never Had
The people of Lower Nicola Band
say, however, that this part is illegal.
They say that all 1036 did was recognize the change in jurisdiction that
under the B.N.A. Act Indians and
lands reserved for Indians came
under the Federal Government. They
say it was simply an administrative
change and that Order-In-Council
could not really give rights and take
away rights.
We had the land and we had what
lawyers call "usufructory rights"
over that land, the right to be on and
'use' that land; but the Province
claimed what lawyers call the basic
"fee simple" which means that the
land was held in trust for Indians.
Under the Terms of Union, the
Province packaged everything up to
hand over to the Federal Government: the "usufructory right" and
Negotiation Through Indian Act
Will Give Us Bargaining Power
If we win this case, it would mean
that the Provincial Government can
no longer just come in and take
Reserve land. If we win this case,
Provincial road-building, power
lines and so forth will have to be
negotiated through Section 35 of the
Indain Act. This provision in the
Indian Act allows the Province, if it
has the right to expropriate in its own
Act, to go to the Governor in Council
and get permission to expropriate the
land it wants. But the Governor in
Council can impose all kinds of
conditions. The difference between a
1036 action and a Section 35 action is
that the action is not one-sided. The
Province has to have the Governor in
Council, someone representing the
Indian people, involved in the decision. Section 35 of the Indian Act
gives us bargaining power that we
don't have under Order-in-Council
1036.
The Lower Nicola Band lost this
case at trial level and again at the
B.C. Court of Appeal. It is now going
to the highest court in the land.
•
NEWS, NEWS, NEWS
MOWACHAHT BAND SUES B.C. HYDRO
The Mowachaht Band of the West Coast of Vancouver
Island is suing one of the most powerful corporations in
British Columbia.
After years of unsuccessful on-and-off negotiations
with B.C. Hydro, Chief Mary Johnson, on behalf of the
Band members, filed suit against B.C. Hydro February
15.
The Mowachaht Band claims that in 1971 B.C. Hydro
came on the Sucowa Reserve, bulldozed the land and
began to construct a power supply line. This was done
without lawful access to the land and without the
Mowachaht Band's consent.
The Band also says that B . C . Hydro has caused
extensive damage to the reserve, by removal of trees, loss
of rental value, application of chemical sprays and
interfering with the use and enjoyment of that land.
Although the Band has the legal right to remove the
power line, they have chosen to proceed through the
courts so they might spare the residents of the town of
Tahsis from being deprived of electricity. This decisions
was reached despite the fact that the Indian Reserve
adjoining the townsite has never been supplied with
electricity from a line illegally running right through their
reserve.
The suit brings a trespass action against B.C. Hydro
and asks the court for exemplary and punitive damages.
Chief Mary Johnson said, "Through my experience, I
feel B . C . Hydro has continuously ignored our
complaints; now they will realize we are serious about our
demands."
B.C. Hydro will understand they cannot bulldoze the
rights of the Indian people as easily as they bulldozed the
land.
KITSUMKAYLUM
The Kitsumkaylum Indian Band outside Terrace, B.C.
has a lease agreement with the Canadian National
Railway Co. According to this agreement, the company
can remove and process rocks from a part of the reserve,
and pay a certain amount of money for the rent.
However, the Band feels the agreement is one-sided and
that they are being ripped off. They have asked the Legal
Department to analyze the lease for them.
CHILLIWACK DISTRICT SUED FOR TRESPASSING
ON FOUR RESERVES
A road known as the Chilliwack Mountain Road goes
through the Squiala Indian Reserve and has been used by
the public up to 1950, without the consent of the Band,
members.
Cheifs Theresa Jimmie, John George, Ben James, and
David Pat Joe on behalf of themselves and their Band
members, are suing the district of Chillwack and the
Department of Indian Affairs for trespass, concerning
travel on two main throughfares in Chilliwack.
Although no valid surrender was obtained for use of
the road, the Department of Indian Affairs entered into
an agreement with the District of Chilliwack allowing
them use of the Chilliwack Mountain Road for right of
way, without compensation. Therefore the Bands are
asking for a declaration of ownership of Chilliwack
Mountain Road, damages and an injunction.
Chief Ben James is also separately suing the District of
Ctiilliwack for trespass, asking for damages and an
injunction, concerning travel on a road called "Skyway
Road" commonly known as Wolf Road. The road
belongs solely to the Band, and only the Band can give
permission to the public for its use.
FOUNTAIN BAND CHARGES FISHERIES DEPT
The Fountain Band has laid charges against the Federal
Fisheries Department but are awaiting the Crown
Prosecutor's decision whether to accept them into court
or not. The Band has charged them with nine counts of
trespassing on reserve land, six common assault charges
and one charge causing a disturbance by using obscene
language. The court hearings were to be heard on the
25th, 26th and 27th of February, 1980 in Lillooet, B.C.
INDIAN W O R L D 9
B.C. Energy policy announced
HAT CREEK THREAT AGAIN
After years without any real
leadership in energy matters, the
Provincial Government has finally
released its Energy Policy Statement
for
the
1980's. Claimed
"a
framework for detailed initiatives,"
the paper is just a bare-boned skeleton clothed in motherhood statements. It fails entirely to provide any
assurances to Indian people that our
resources will be protected from
needless exploitation.
B.C. Hydro Policies to be
Directed by Province
The one bright spot is the Government's decision that it, not B . C .
Hydro, will set future policies on
which major projects go ahead and
under what circumstances. A new
B.C. Utilities Commission was announced to regulate Hydro's electricity and natural gas rates, as well as
taking on the regulatory functions of
the present B.C. Energy Commission.
B.C. Hydro has been given a monopoly over the development of all
future hydroelectric projects on B.C.
rivers, but the proposed projects must
be submitted to a new regulatory
process.
No Details on Review Process
The report promises that the
"streamlined project review process"
will weigh all the social, environmental and economic implications of
major energy developments to ensure
that only those that are desirable get
approved. Needless to say, the
question "desirable to whom?" isn't
gone into. Since no details are given
about the structure and functioning
of this review process, we really can't,
know whether it will serve in any way
to protect Indian lands and waters.
Several other new regulatory and
review boards were announced:
• an energy development agency to
fund research programs and
assist industry
INDIAN W O R L D 10
B.C.'s Energy Policy calls for me development of Hat Creek coal. Twelve
Bands will be directly impacted and many more interior Bands will eventually
feel the effects of this massive strip mining project.
• a task force to develop energy
pricing policies
• a system for reviewing proposed
exports of natural gas, electricity
and petroleum products.
It all sounds logical enough, but
we'll have to wait and see how well it
functions.
Hat Creek Threatened Again
The closest that Energy Minister
McClelland came to giving a concrete
policy directive was in singling out
coal for government research. He
announced:
•
the establishment of an Office of
Coal Research;
•
renewed determination to develop
the Hat Creek coal deposit;
•
research projects to assess conversion of coal to synthetic
petroleum;
feasibility studies to determine
how waste coal from the metallurgical mines in the East
Kootenays could be used to
•
generate electricity.
Indications are that the Hat Creek
Indian Communications Committee's
battle to protect our health and environment from the dangerous pollutants of a coal-fired power plant is
not over.
A Lot of Questions Unanswered
The policy statement leaves many
questions unanswered. Most noticeably, no mention was made of
nuclear power; no decision was made
on proposals for a natural gas pipeline to Vancouver Island; and the
future of the Kemano II hydro
project was left unclarified. While the
policy clearly states that only B.C.
Hydro can develop future hydroelectric projects, Alcan is maintaining its
stated intention to proceed with the
project.
Until these and many other issues
are clarified, the energy policy will
lack the flesh and blood of a real
thing to be reckoned with.
•
DAM THE STIKINE
says B.C. Hydro
Flooding and construction that would result from five proposed dams on the Stikine and Iskut Rivers would be
devastating to the Tahltans of northern B. C.
Indian people in B.C. may again
feel the effects of exploitation of this
province's resources. This time it will
be the Tahltan people of the Stikine
and Iskut Rivers, near Telegraph
Creek in north, who could be hit.
B.C. Hydro has proposed the
construction of five dams in the area
which would have a direct effect on the
local people. Two of the dams would ,
be on the Stikine River and the other
three are planned for the Iskut River.
On the Stikine the sites are called site
C-1 and site Z. South of these sites
would be the Forest Kerr Creek Diversion, More Creek and Iskut Canyon
dams, on the Iskut.
Because of the huge size of the
project, there are also many access
roads and transmission lines planned
for the area.
At this time feasibility studies are
being done, but B.C. Hydro said it will
go ahead with the projects, regardless
of the findings. The timetable the
company hopes to follow calls for
actual construction to begin in 1984
and to finish in 1996. Should the dams
be constructed and used for hydroelectricity as planned, the total energy
generated would be greater than the
amount produced by the massive
W . A . C . Bennett Dam. Local residents
would not get any of this energy.
The effects of the project would be
devastating to the Indian people of the
region. The Tahltan Indians of the
Telegraph Creek area are greatly
dependent on the natural resources,
much of which would be destroyed
permanently.
Flooding would be the major
destructive force of the area. It would
turn the river from a very fast-moving
one to one that would move slowly
along much of its distance. The
flooding would also destroy much of
the natural habitat of the animals,
especially the wild goats. There is a
herd of about 180 goats living around
the cliffs along the river. This is the
last major goat herd. If the dams are
built, these cliffs would be flooded.
Although the goats are planned to be
INDIAN W O R L D 11
airlifted by helicopters to another
area, many would probably not be
found and would die.
The people in the area make most of
their livelihood from the Stikine
Fishery. This would also be greatly
affected. The dams and their effects
would destroy the livelihood of the
Indians and others, causing many to
turn to social assistance to feed their
families.
The Tahltans also depend heavily
on hunting, trapping and guiding to
make a living. Because of the construction of access roads and transmission lines, migration patterns of
the region would change. The wolverine, marten, bear, beaver and otter,
which the Indian people need, would
be frightened away or killed needlessly. The traplines would also be
destroyed. One group that would be
directly affected would be a group of
thirty-two Indian trappers who
formed a co-operative trapline.
Another worry of the people is that
the construction and operation of the
five dams would cause a great increase
in the population of the area. There
would be many workers sent to the
dam sites. Problems have arisen from
similar, extreme increases of population in the past and the Tahltans don't
want the same problem in their area.
Indians of the Stikine and Iskut Rivers depend on the wildlife for food. Much
would be killed or frightened away.
University of B.C. and discussed their
concerns.
The group were unanimous in
opposing the project. They want the
river to remain in its natural,
free-flowing state, especially the
Grand Canyon on the Stikine River,
which would be flooded by the
damming.
The Tahltan and Iskut Bands have
said that the construction of the dam
would impose on their right to
determine their own future. They
would not be able to manage the
resources of the Stikine drainage
photo: Alaska Geographic
Willy Williams, a Tahltan Indian, took 10 years to build his ranch. It might
end up under 500 feet of flood water.
To fight the building of the dams,
the Tahltans and several other local
interest groups have banded together
and are trying to stop the proposal by
B.C. Hydro. On January 25-27, these
groups held a workshop at the
INDIAN W O R L D 12
system. Land claims could also be
seriously affected by the completion
of the project.
The people in the area want studies
of potential environmental and social
impacts to be carried out by govern-
ment agencies, other than B . C .
Hydro. Since they are the most
knowledgeable about the area, local
residents want to be able to participate
in the studies. The local groups also
want all data and studies conducted by
the B.C. Hydro to be released to the
public. They have been kept secret in
the past.
To combat the construction of the
dams, the local groups decided at the
workshop in Vancouver that two intial
steps must be taken.
The first would be a public inquiry
into the energy policies of the
provincial government. Within one of
the resolutions, the groups stated that
some of the energy-producing projects
carried out by the provincial government are of questionable need. The
inquiry would look into the situation
to see if the dams are actually needed.
The other step would be to set up a
task force which would collect data
about the region and try to come up
with a practical alternate plan for
energy production, rather than the
dams. It would also look into the other
problems caused by northern development in general.
The dams on the Stikine and Iskut
rivers, along with the construction of
roads, railways, transmission lines
and homes for workers, would have a
devastating and permanent effect on
the people of the Stikine and Iskut
Bands. They are fighting for their
livelihoods and the fight has just
begun.
•
UP-DATE
KILDONAN ASKS BLUEBERRY TO LIFT INJUNCTION ON SOUR GAS WELL
Kildonan Oil Company met with Blueberry Band
members to claim that all safety standards had been met
for operating the sour gas well on the edge of the Blueberry
Reserve. They claimed to have used Alberta safety
standards, which are higher than those for B.C., and they
want the Band to lift the injunction closing the well before
the case goes to court.
In July last year, the Band got a court injunction to close
down this well because of a chronic pollution problem and
a major poison gas leak that forced the Band members to
flee for their lives into the bush.
The Band took the company to court to have the well
shut down and also filed suit against the company for
damages to health and loss of income caused by the leak of
hydrogen sulphide from the well. The case is due to be
heard in the courts within the next few weeks.
In the meantime the Band is checking all the company's
documentation of improved safety standards very
carefully before deciding on a possible re-opening.
MUSQUEAM CASE
The Musqueam Band is suing the Department of
Indian Affairs for mismanagement and breach of trust in
leasing their land on conditions to which the Band had
never agreed.
Musqueam Band Chief Delbert Guerin says they don't
know what is happening in the case at this time. There is a
chance it will be reopened in April, 1980 with a new
witness for the Crown, Jack Ellis, who owns a part share
of the smaller golf course on the reserve.
MURIEL JOE'S BLOCKADE
Muriel Joe of the Cowichan Band is still in dispute with
the Duncan City Council over property she knows is hers
and won't allow the city council to repair sewer lines on her
property until they admit to her land ownership.
Muriel protested and parked an old truck inside the
fence with a sign saying it was Indian land. Her blockade is
still standing, she has replaced the old truck with a tractor
but it still does the job.
SOCIAL SERVICES TAX EXEMPTION
KEMANO II
Opposition continues to grow against the Kemano Two
Project which B.C. Hydro says it's determined to build in
the Kitimat area. The Haisla people of Kitamaat insist
that a public inquiry must be held, so that their concerns
will not be ignored. The Gitksan-Carrier Tribal Council
has already done studies on the project and its potential
impact on the Gitksan-Carrier people. They are
continuing to meet in order to come up with a strategy
concerning the project.
MOUNT CURRIE DIKING
The Mount Currie Band is looking for ways to gain
more control of a diking project on their land. The fiveyear 1.2 billion dollar project, funded by federal and
provincial government sources, involves flood control
and erosion protection. The river banks are suffering
from extreme erosion, and spring flooding in the area is
often severe. Although the Band is in support of the
much-needed project, they object to being shut out of the
decision-making process, decisions which will affect their
land. These decisions are now being made by a nonIndian committee, which is also responsible for work
done on non-reserve land in nearby Pemberton. We'll
have a complete story on the flood control and erosion
project next month.
It was decided in a court decision on the Lillian Brown
case, December, 1979, that Indians living on reserve do not
have to pay tax on electricity.
Since that decision the provincial government has said it
will not attempt to appeal the case. It has also admitted
that it does have a moral obligation to pay back the taxes
collected illegally in the past, but complains that the
computer doesn't know who to pay.
The next step is figuring out just how much money is
owed to Indian people and how it should be distributed.
With help from various advisors, the UBCIC has devised a
scheme that, with the consent of Bands, could make the
job both easier and faster than it could be.
The Union would like a trustee appointed who would
collect the money. Then, the money from this trust fund
could be used to benefit Indian people with projects
carried out at a district level. Also, if Indians want to make
direct claims, they could go through the trustee, rather
than the provincial government.
The Union has also taken the position that no Social
Services Tax should be charged to Indians on reserve. This
would include taxes on such things as, utilities, telephone,
fuel and personal property delivered on reserves. A form
that could be used by Band members to claim exemption
from paying the Social Services Tax on the grounds of the
findings of the Lillian Brown case has been distributed to
Band offices. Individuals can use this form when goods are
paid for on delivery to a reserve.
INDIAN W O R L D 13
GITSKAN-CARRIER TRIBAL
by Marie Wilson
The Land Claims office of the
Gitskan-Carrier Tribal Council in
Northern B.C. is a busy place these
bright spring days. The quiet activity
reflects the confidence of this
relatively new organization. When
the Gitskan and Carrier people
presented their formal land claims to
the Federal government in 1977 they
struck the first note on the drum,
sounding a call for recognition and
.Justice. In 1978 they selected the
motto "Gitskan Carrier Getting
Stronger" as their declaration of
solidarity and determination to
succeed. Again, at the second annual
convention is November, 1979 the
leaders proclaimed a new motto for
1980: "Learning Today, Leading
Tomorrow." It was a direct
invitation to the Gitskan and Carrier
people to understand and discipline
themselves to regain their lively
The Constitution
The Tribal Council itself is in a
constant process of learning as it
deals with the concerns of its people.
As a constant guide to their strategy
the leaders teach the goals of the
INDIAN W O R L D 14
a) to preserve and promote the
native heritage and identity of the
Gitskan and Carrier people of North
Western B.C. within the Canadian
society;
b) to improve the social and
economic independence of the
Gitskan and Carrier people;
c) to achieve Just resolution of the
Land Claims and Aboriginal Rights
issues of tie Gitskan and Carrier
people;
d) to promote and improve
communications between members of
this society and other native
communitiesinB.C. and Canada;
e) to promote better understanding
between native people and the general
public;
f) to promote self government for
the Gitskan and Carrier people.
We can't just deal with one
issue at a time
At a quick glance it would appear
that the Land Claims office of the
Tribal Council should deal primarily
with goal (c). Not so. Experience has
proven over and over again that the
six stated goals are equal in
importance, that controlled attention
to each concern is vital to a cucessful
land claims position. As a result of
this log step approach to success, the
land claims office has become a
unifying and planning instrument for
the Tribal Councils. It is now
involved in many issues of local
concern such as unemployment, fishing rights, traplines, social and legal
problems as well as monitoring nonIndian practices or projects that
threaten to erode aboriginal rights.
COUNCIL LAND CLAIMS
Traditional Conservation more
strict than Federal Fisheries
In 1977/78 a spirited defenseThe
of private contract
allowed the Council
Indian fishermen ended successfully.
to control the preliOut of that encounter, some good
minary course conresults have surfaced on bothtent,
sides
thus
achieving
of the dispute. A calm approach to a maximum
common concern seems to bebenefits for the particular
needs of the
evolving in 1980. Indian leaders
are
Gitskan and Carrier
seriously discussing the stern rules of
students. These
cultural conservation ethics. These
researchers are now
ancient rules far exceed the present
engaged in a grass
governmental posturing on behalf
of of all
roots census
the diminishing fish supply.
Specially Trained land
Claims Researchers
The Land Claims office has also
taken its first step towards informa-
Opening Communication Lines
The information flow resolving
from this personal contact with the
population not only provides the
valuable day to day information required for future planning, it also
opens lines of communication and the
organization and the people it serves.
Such interchange is the heart of any
successful strategy. Armed with the
knowledge, we can confidently shape
a pattern of objective suitable to the
people's desires. If it matches every
planned strategy to that pattern it will
not stray far fro the six goals
chartered in its constitution.
The busy hum of the Land Claims
office reflects the dally attention of
an orderly movement towards that
first call for independence sounded in
1977. The people are awaiting to their
own ability and small successes are
reported daily. As one thoughtful
leader mused aloud:"Today we learn
the note, Tomorrow we sing the
song."
photo: A. Carter
tional independence by creating a
research team of six Gitskan and
Carrier people. These researchers
were hired in 1979 and sent to Carlton
University in Ottawa for training.
The research study course was
contracted directly between the
Gitskan-Carrier Tribal Council and
the President of Carlton University.
residents on reserve
within the boundaries of the GitskanCarrier Land Claims
territory. They are
well received by the
people who express
great interest and
approval in this
Indian adventure.
OFFICE
INDIAN W O R L D 15
GITANMAAX: "PEOPLE OF
Children are a special gift to the Gitanmaax. Our Elders refer to children as the "Flowers of the Reserve". And in these
children lies the hope of Gitanmaax. We are rebuilding our culture and it is a slow and painful journey.
I will not pretend and paint a pretty
picture of life on Reserve. Here in
Gitanmaax we have our problems.
Some situations are sad indeed. Why
is it, I ask myself, that this once a
strong and mighty people are now so
lost and confused. The answer I
believe lies in the destruction of many
beliefs and traditions. The Indians of
days gone by had a system which was
followed by all. It was their way of
life.
In this lifestyle man, woman and
child had a very important role. Each
was taught what was expected of
them and this was followed through
with pride and sense of importance,
and belonging. Then along came
another lifestyle which overshadowed
the culture of the Indian people. The
Indian people found that their system
of using the feast as their courthouse
was not legal. Their religious beliefs
were not recognized. The marriage
ceremony was not proper. On and on
the new rules snuffed out a lifestyle
and the pride of a people.
INDIAN W O R L D 16
Once everything you believe in is
gone, you try to forget. So alcohol
started to take its toll of Indian lives.
A people who had prided
themselves in taking care of one
another and their families turned to
Alcoholism is our number one enemy. Housing is in short supply. Many
adjustments have to be made and Gitanmaax has taken steps toward this goal
THE BURNING TORCHES"
by Jane Mowatt
Social Welfare.
But, because the Indian culture is
strong and true, it could not die.
Many of the old ways will never come
back and remain buried. So we take
the opportunity in taking the best of
both worlds around us.
Gitanmaax means, "People of the
Burning Torches." Legends tell of
how a young woman alone with her
two babies survived. The young
woman burned torches along the
Skeena to attract fish.
Thus
Gitanmaax was born.
As suffering and the will to survive
marked Gitanmaax's beginning this
same determination is born with the
people.
Yes, we have our problems.
Alcohol is our number one enemy.
Housing is in short supply and needs
to be improved. Many adjustments
have to be made, and Gitanmaax has
taken steps toward this goal. The
Gitanmaax Band Council owns and
operates the Ksan Campsite. Our
young men and women have learned
the "art" and are once again carving.
Many of our elders have recorded
our history and the very young listen.
Songs and dances are taught and
the regalia has been taken out of
storage.
Our young people are seeking
knowledge and now many are taking
part in the feasts.
Children are a very special gift to
Gitanmaax. Our Elders refer to children as the "Flowers of the Reserve."
And in these children lies the hope
of Gitanmaax. As these children
receive their education, they can
return to their Reserves to help
people they know and understand.
Our children should have the best of
both worlds.
Our strength is in our children.
In Gitanmaax we are rebuilding
our culture. It is a slow and painful
journey.
Legends tell of a young woman, alone with her two babies, who burned
torches along the Skeena to attract fish. Thus Gitanmaax was born. Today
they still burn torches at this site.
But soon the beat of the
drum will pick up the
rhythm of the heartbeat of Gitanmaax. The
pride, hope, dignity and
lifestyle of a People wilt
be returned.
Jane Mowatt
INDIAN W O R L D 17
CANIM LAKE ELDERS TALK
At Canim Lake Feb. 18th, 1980, an Indian sovereignty workshop was held at the alternate
school, which the community attended along with the students. "Sovereignty is the supreme right to
govern yourselves, to rule yourselves. Indians used to be able to control and exercise that right, now
we have to work to get that right back,'' said George Manuel.
Chief Roy Christopher (below centre): "Indian values are now returning. We are
fortunate to still have the old resource people around. We now have the knowledge and
ability to run our own affairs."
INDIAN W O R L D 18
ON INDIAN SOVEREIGNTY
Eliza Archie (also on our cover) spoke about her young days in Canim Lake: "I used to do
everything in my young days; hunt deer, beaver, martin and I also trapped." The young people
showed constant enthusiasm towards the Elders who spoke on how their ancestors had survived
living off the land before the coming of the Europeans.
Both the young and the old speak Shuswap fluently, and that
is an important part of our Indian sovereignty. Ed Dixon on the
right below, is a very respected Elder at Canim Lake.
•
INDIAN W O R L D 19
From the News...
ELDER OF THE MONTH: CHARLIE ALLEN
From: Neskainlith News
INDIAN W O R L D 20
photo: Neskainlith News
Neskainlith Elder of the Month, Charlie Allen, is from
Salmon Arm. He was born February 6,1906. His parents
were Christine Allen and Tom Allen.
"I used to go to school at the Kamloops Indian Residence; I finished the eighth grade then I had to go back
and work looking after sheep and cattle. I danced a bit
when someone would sing and drum.
"I never went to the war; they said I have a bad heart
and they would not let me join. I tried three or four times
and couldn't. No, I never did marry; I never stayed home
long enough I guess.
"Only times I went off the reserve was when I went to
find work in the apple orchards down the States, and on
the farms in Regina, Saskatchewan. There's been a lot of
changes. In my days I used to travel and work around
wherever I couldfindwork. Four dollars a month used to
be lots. Never had welfare but when times were tough
there was relief.
"I used to hunt up Mt. Ida, I'd go high up in the fall
when my eyes were good, up the hill and hunt. Nowadays
I can't see the front sight. They never had old age homes,
my days, we had to work, make wood in the summer with
cross cut saws, used to cut more wood than the power
chain saws. Over the rockbluff we'd cut the trees and roll
them down the bluff one at a time. One time the logs just
missed a truck. Another time the logs just missed some
people who were walking by the bluff. Boy we used to cut
lots of logs.
"I used to play hockey. I played defence and was a
good hockey player when I was young. Played a little bit
of baseball in town. I played hockey for the Aces. (These
days the young people seem to skate around pretty slow.)
We used to make our own hockey shin pads, sticks with
wood over it. Mom used to make them leather vests. Our
hockey sticks, we made them too. Made the puck from
hard green wood—used to play good hockey. Jimmy
Allen used to be the best hockey player then. Walter
Allen and Sparrow (David Charles) was pretty fast too.
Sparrow took after that one guy's name from Enderby
who won B.C. Champs, he was real good.
"Nowadays I live on pension, can't really do too much
work. I walk on the tracks to town a lot, almost every
day. The Councillor for up here, Elaine Thomas, seems
to be doing pretty good for the people. I would like all the
old people to get together sometime."
•
EDUCATION
by Jeff Smith
Homework: Many parents often comment that their
children do not bring home any homework. When this
happens it is necessary to look into the circumstances. All
of the students are given homework regularly and
although the amount may vary from night to night there
is always something that must be done. While it is
possible that some students may do some homework
during the day, the bulk of it should be done at home.
At the Junior Secondary level (grades 8-10), students
should expect an average of one hour's homework each
evening, and Senior Secondary students should expect an
average of two hours each evening especially if they are
taking some of the heavier academic grade 11 courses
such as math, chemistry, physics, biology, English and
social studies. Even if a student has no specifically
assigned homework to do, there is always something
which must be reviewed or studied further.
A student who regularly brings nothing home should
be questioned carefully. If you are concerned about your
child's homework or lack of it please phone the school
administration or any subject teacher.
•
From: Inkameep News, the Osoyoos Indian Band.
LOCAL
SERVICES
AGREEMENT
SUPPLEMENT
What is now known as the Local
Services Agreement came about as a
result of the Auditor General's report
to the DIA in March 1978. In it he
talked of inadequate accounting by
the DIA. The Department turned
around and put the responsibility on
the Bands to do their accounting for
them.
The DIA was quick to turn the
criticism on the Bands. They have not
looked at their own system to see if
the problem might be there.
The Roots of the Problem
The Auditor General talked of
insufficient training. The DIA tried
to teach their own management and
accounting systems through their
Band Training sessions. In that training however, they still did not get to
the root of the whole problem, which
was that these systems did not meet
Band needs. If a small Band gets
$50,000, is it worth spending all its
time and effort administering and
accounting for it according to DIA
procedures? The Band could set up its
own system and then concentrate on
the things it wants to do. It is up to
the Department to fit this system into
their own system, not for the Band to
fit in with the DIA's.
The other major problem lies
within the DIA communications. At
the Ottawa level, the DIA and the
Treasury Board agreed to a large
The Local Services Agreement is the
agreement
to
properly
account
for
"contribution" funds received by Bands, through
the Department of Indian Affairs, from the
Canadian Government. It is the Treasury Board
who disburses money to every Government
Department, through Minute 7750. Each
Department adds its own Terms and Conditions,
which are then approved by Treasury Board.
The DIA Terms and Conditions are brief: they
deal with contribution funds for services to
Indian Bands (or Inuit Settlements) in the areas
of economic development, community services,
public works, education, social development,
and housing. Whoever receives these funds has
to submit a financial plan and budget and
maintain financial records meeting standard
accounting principles; details for reporting on a
quarterly basis and the annual audit are to be
negotiated.
degree of flexibility and encouraged
Regions to make the most of that
flexibility. But by the time that a
directive gets to the District Managers, it has become red-neck.
The B . C . Region translated their
Local Services Agreement into a giant
document that District Managers
were pressuring Bands to sign
immediately, only a few months after
the Auditor General's criticism. It
was called a draft agreement but left
Bands with no room to negotiate.
Pressure to sign continued in spite of
Regional directives toj)lay it cool,
and in November 1978 the UBCIC
was directed by the Special Assembly
to negotiate an alternative.
Bands Negotiate their own
Agreements
Throughout
the
negotiating
process, DIA were made to
understand that the Band could
negotiate the final Agreement it was
to sign. If a Band was to totally reject
this draft, the Union would support
that Band.
What the UBCIC was doing was
up. What we're trying to wrestle
we can't win at Region, Bands will
still have to fight. The main thing
about these negotiations is that we
were never drawing up a UBCIC
draft. The DIA cannot use this to sell
the L S A to Bands. We have only
negotiated the DIA's offer to Bands.
The LSA Itself Has Become
Unimportant
We are now negotiating to have the
deadline for signing extended still
further, and all other Provincial and
Territorial Indian organizations are
calling for the same. Because, in
itself, the Local Services Agreement is
becoming small. Out of it we are
discovering the roots Of some of our
problems.what we're trying to wrestle
with is: are Bands going to learn to
manipulate this system, or are they
going to take the position of fighting
to change the system? It's just at
a point when a lot of Chiefs and
Council are looking not just at the
administration of dollars, but at the
root problems. The LSA workshops
are creating an assessment of their
situation. When it first came out, the
LSA was a big thing in everyone's
mind but now we've come out with
the fact that other things have to
happen first, before we deal with the
LSA. It seems critical for a lot of
Bands to take the time now to work
these things out: communication of
Band members, role of Chief and
Council, planning, setting goals and
priorities, setting negotiation bottom
lines, figuring out where does Indian
Government fit in. Chiefs and
Council are responsible to their Band
members, not to the Department of
Indian Affairs.
INDIAN W O R L D 21
THE POLITICS OF CONTROL
Negotiating the L.S.A.
Within a few months of the Auditor General's criticism of DIA accounting, the
B.C. Region drew up a massive accounting "Agreement" for the Bands to
sign. The fault, they said, was with the Bands. If the Bands would just learn to
use the Department's accounting system, all would be well. They stretched the
point a little and added that if Bands were going to administer services, they
should do so according to the Department's administrative system. Some
District Managers stretched the point still further and told Bands that if they
didn't sign this draft Agreement immediately, funding would be withheld.
Some Bands were intimidated into signing, some drew up their own draft; all
protested the Department's strong-arm tactics. The Regional Director was
embarrassed into calling off the pressure, but the District Managers have been
hard to restrain.
At the UBCIC Special General Assembly in late November, 1978, the
Union was directed to look into alternatives to the DIA first draft. After
the first few negotiating meetings
with the Department, we agreed to
start from scratch.
Negotiating the Negotiating
Process First
Because of our experience with the
DIA, as we negotiated the Agreement
we also negotiated the PROCESS of
the DIA negotiation with Bands. The
first things we agreed to were that
everything had to be ironed out at
Region first; nothing was to go out to
Districts or Bands without consent;
they had to stop forcing Bands to sign
the old draft LSA; the deadline for
signing was postponed for a year.
We also agreed that workshops had
to be held on the Agreement before
negotiations. We negotiated a Budget
where we would put all the information together ourselves and hold the
workshops. Whatever position Bands
took, we would support.
Starting from Scratch
We set the first draft aside and
looked at all the different options for
getting money other than by "contribution Agreement". The CITC is still
examining those long-term possibilities. We also looked at the Treasury
Board Terms and Conditions and we
saw that the difference between these
and the first draft LSA was extremely
wide.
INDIAN W O R L D 22
Bands Administering Services
Can Set Own Criteria
One distinction was the Treasury
Board never talked about Bands administering D I A programs. It talked
about Bands providing services for
their Band members. What DIA
talks about in their LSA was Bands
administering
DIA
programs,
according to DIA criteria: and Bands
can choose to do that. But a Chief
and Council can provide services to
their Band members and develop
their own conditions.
So all
the DIA has to do is transfer the
money and make sure there is an
Agreement that it's going to be
accounted for.
However, if a Band does choose to
administer a DIA program, we are
saying that the DIA has to make
available all information regarding
those programs. Often Bands don't
know their rights. It's just a question
of the District Manager coming out
and saying 'you must do this and you
can't do that,' but no one has seen
that written or where it comes from.
Most Bands think this comes out of
Region. The whole role of Ottawa
and Treasury Board is hidden. When
we got into that, we began to see how
Ottawa is really protected from its
own decision-making. So we decided
to turn our focus on Ottawa and see
how those decisions come down to us.
Conflict at Ottawa Level
And what we discovered was that
the Department of Indian Affairs was
split in two. We had two Assistant
Deputy
Ministers.
One
was
responsible for consulting with Bands
to develop policy and evaluations for
the Treasury Board; the other was to
develop the financial and administrative procedures for carrying out
those policies. One of the real
frustrations of Bands is that they are
consulted after the fact: and what we
discovered was that one guy was
moving faster than the other.
The Local Services Agreement is
very directly affected by this through
the Department's conflicting position
on budgetting. The policy people
were trying to develop something
called Zero-Base budgetting, where
you start from zero, make your plans
and budget accordingly. So when it
came right down to the crunch, down
to negotiating the L S A , they were
trying to fit a Zero-base attitude into
an A-base structure. That conflict is
still there.
Dual Evaluation
We pointed out another weakness:
Treasury Board requires programs to
be evaluated and what we negotiated
for is a dual evaluation. Not only
does the DIA evaluate a program but
so do the people involved. So if a
program is falling through, we can
find out it is through the actions of
the DIA or it is something weak at
Band level. What started out as the
DIA using the criticism of the Auditor
General to try to get the Bands to
change, we have turned around to
evaluate them too.
Financial Reporting is the
Biggest Battle
The Terms and Conditions negotiated in Ottawa give a lot of flexibility. On that basis we argued about
financial reporting; that there should
just be five general categories and
Bands should be free to spend on
what they set as their priority and ac-
count on that basis. DIA said no, it
has to be very specific. Our argument
is that the Auditor General just needs
a proper accounting of expenditure,
and to know that he is getting his
money's worth. He doesn't say the
DIA should decide what the Band
should spend its money on. A new
draft from the Department at time of
going to Press suggests that we have
finally won that argument.
DIA Needs Ninety Days to get
Their Guidelines Together
The biggest fights were over financial reporting, Bands having control
over their own systems. The DIA system imposes more problems than it's
worth. But at the same time we had
put into the August/September draft
a clause that DIA must provide those
Bands who wish to administer DIA
programs with all the policies, criteria
and guidelines for those programs.
Even by the end of November they
couldn't put it all together. There was
so much they began to realize it was
unworkable. This is what Bands have
been saying for years. But the
Department had spent so much time
looking at Band systems, they had
never looked at their own system.
When they began to put the stuff
together, it mounted into the thousands of pages of directives. They
asked to put in a clause that if a Band
required these documents, the DIA
had sixty days to get them together.
That would just be the summary. The
details would require another thirty
days. We stuck to the fact that they
should provide these: if Bands have
that information they will know just
what the DIA limits are. When the
Department said it was too much, we
recommended they scrap ail of it, just
set up a page of general principles for
each program.
Our position is that Bands should
negotiate their own criteria. What the
LSA brought out positively is that
this is a weakness with the Department, not with the Bands.
We came up with a final draft in
November, but then the DIA changed
the whole section about financial
reporting. This section is crucial: it
could make or break the way a Band
wanted to go. It was probably the
clause that caused the most fighting
but we wouldn't give in.
A l l this time what we were negotiating was the DIA's offer to the
Bands. What we couldn't win at
Region, the Bands would still have to
fight in their final negotiations.
Band is Final Negotiator
We were, at the same time,
negotiating the process of those final
Band/District negotiations. Up to the
sixth or seventh draft, DIA kept to
their agreement; but then we started
getting calls from Bands who had
been sent drafts by District Managers
who were talking about signing now.
So we started the workshops right
away. The L S A is a legally binding
document and Bands have to live with
it once they sign it. The information
had to be put in the hands of the
Bands so they could negotiate on an
equal footing.
Workshops on Negotiating
The process we had agreed upon
was that first we would - have the
workshops, then the DIA, before any
real negotiation started, would
negotiate the negotiating process with
the Bands. Some District Managers
skipped that step. So now we're
finding that in our workshops we are
having to deal with that before we
even deal with the LSA.
We also find that we have to counteract selected information going to
the Bands. They are not getting the
full story from the Department. The
reason we asked for workshops in the
first place was our experience of DIA
practice.
The Real Resentment
As Indian people we have dealt
with the Government all our lives.
90% of the time we deal with laws we
don't know exist, we deal with
authority we don't know exists. So in
the workshops, in order for us to find
the source of a lot of frustration, we
go through the whole system. We find
it is ignorant of Indian people. And
the worst thing is those people don't
.know they're ignorant of Indian
people.
In essence what the L S A brought
out to us was the whole purpose of
the rejection of funds. It was the real
resentment of being told how to live.
When we talk about rejecting the
LSA, we are talking about the same
thing. But what we have now proven
through the L S A is that if the
Government wants to lay down their
conditions to Indian people we can
also lay down conditions. We can
beat them at their own game. But do
we want to play that game?
Indian Governments Will
Negotiate as Equals
With an Indian Government, we
are talking about a trust in an equal
relationship, the head of one
government with the head of another.
The LSA is talking about an unequal
relationship: you get this money on
certain terms, the head of one government deals with the bureaucrat of the
other.
Indian Government is the option to
the LSA because Indian Government
talks about Chief and Council being
the Government, having jurisdiction
to make decisions over all that
happens on the reserve. So for us, that
is the long term objective. The short
term one is to use the L S A in
whatever way we can to help Bands
get there. It can fit into the long-term
goal, but it is limited.
What really has to be looked at it
the transfer of money from the Canadian Government to the Indian
Government;
and
the
Indian
Governments legitimately accounting
to their Band members whom they
represent, rather than to the other
government.
If you go through the system as an
Indian person, it becomes more and
more unacceptable to have a
government that is ignorant, and
continues to show the paternalism
and lack of respect we find in the fact
of the L S A . The government that
exists is not the only option. There
are other ways of providing for our
people, on our own terms, more
effectively and more meaningfully.
We can go for Indian Government,
negotiate at another level for our own
system.
•
INDIAN W O R L D 23
A n historic look at the development
of Indian Bands throughout the land,
suggests that most Indian leaders have
always been conscious of the need for
some management and administrative
training for Band leaders. For
sometime, they felt that an Indian
concept of management and administration would be enough. It was
apparent that, in earlier years, a
system designed in the framework of
such a concept was adequate in most
cases. However, certain events which
have occurred as part of the ever
evolving world of man, has caused
today's leaders to alter their outlook
on Indian management and administration.
Conditions elsewhere in the various
provinces have influenced the normal
development of Indian communities
throughout the Nation. Consequently, for survival, the Indian leaders
have been forced to accept systems
which are predominantly oriented to
non-Native communities. Needless to
say, the Indian's concept of management and administrations changes of
necessity. It becomes more inclined
towards a commercial or business
concept.
Research has revealed that the
Department of Indian Affairs had
informed Indian Band councils of its
intention to decentralize its bureaucratic operations in the late 1950's
which meant that Bands would be
given the opportunity to control their
communtiy programs. This process
INDIAN W O R L D 24
did not actually begin until the latter
part of the 1960's. Although the
process has been gradual, it has
become evident that the Department
has not prepared the Bands properly.
Adverse employment conditions, as
well as a desire to achieve a high degree
of independence, has caused many
Bands to pursue local economic
development schemes. This makes
worse an increasingly cumbersome
administrative problem for the Bands.
Although many of the Band
Councils in Canada seem to enjoy
tendencies towards local autonomy, as
suggested by some procedural changes
introduced by the Department, they
Pearl Pearson of Skidegate.
Most Band Training courses have
failed so far. We'll have to develop
our own.
have grave concerns about the ability
to accept responsibilities attached to
the changes.
Perhaps the most significant of
these changes is the introduction of the
Local Services Agreement. It has
caused a rather rude awakening.
Suddenly, we learn that a great many
of the Bands in B.C. alone sadly lack
the facility to effectively maintain
such an agreement. Why does this
situation exist?
It was stated earlier that the
Department had failed drastically, in
preparing the Indian leaders for any
transition. On the other hand, the
Indian people have not taken the initiative to obtain professional skills to
undertake various tasks within Indian
administration offices.
It then became apparent to Indian
leaders that each Band administration
group would have to ensure that it
posesses the management and administrative skills which would enable
successful administration of many
community services and pertinent
funds with which it is entrusted.
Many organizations have attempted
to provide management training in
various forms. There have been
isolated successes" However, the
majority have been total failures.
Perhaps the most significant of these
attempts is that of the Department's
through Centrad. Although the effort
was commendable, it lacked proper
implementation of sound recommendation's.
Being convinced this has become a
dire situation and that the Department
has no remedies to offer, the Union
has undertaken a rather ambitious
project which would provide management and administrative training to
Bands in B.C. The preliminary work
on the project has now been
completed. Short seminars are being
organized in response to immediate
needs brought on by L S A negotiations. These will deal with community
planning preparation and maintenance, and financial reporting. The
success of the project is dependent
largely on the participation of the
Bands in the provinces. For further
information contact William Martin,
UBCIC: tel. 684-0231.
•
wards developing goals that are of
benefit to ourselves and to our community. This is basically taking responsibility, what I call Indian
Government.
by Chief Wayne Christian
Spallumcheen Band
photo: Okanagan Band
When we talk of Band Management, we have to look at it in terms of
what Indian people want, in terms of Indian Government. My whole
feeling about this is that Band Management as seen in the eyes of the
Department is no more than carrying out the policy and guidelines of the
Department. Our whole thing is that we have to develop our own policy,
Each Band has different ways of
our own guidelines that meet the needs of the community. If there is any looking at things. Some people are
Agreement signed at all, it should be one meeting the needs of our
specifically looking at administracommunity and not hooked into the Government circulars, local
tive skills; defining the jobs of the
government guidelines as they are called, because those are all geared toBand Manager, the responsibilities
Assimilation. We are going in the opposite direction. We have had
of the Band Councillors and how to
enough of Assimilation.
make themselves more effective.
But this is the kind of process that is
of the Chief and Council, the
The Okanagan Tribal Education
happening with each Band. And
administrative role versus the
Committee has hired a person to go
Once the Band has identified Band
political role, training for new Band
around to each community to do a
needs, it is up to the Band to then
Councillors; land development and
needs assessment of what the
decide how they want to go about
job
orientation,
ommunity wants in terms of management;
doing something, decide what kind
t r a i n i n g for
the people. Jane administration and communication
of resource people to bring in. The
skills; legal awareness, spiritual leaGottfriedson
goes to the Chief and
Tribal
Education Committee,
Council and to the administrativedership and cultural resources; curthrough
Jane,
co-ordinates this and
riculum development, constructive
programs, as wel as organizing
brings
in
the
resource
people.
criticism and how to do it: that type
Community Meetings. This way she
We were working through the
of thing. Once we went through that
makes sure that her information
Okanagan
College, but they're
whole
list,
what
we
identified
as
the
comes from the whole membership.
reneging
on
their
financial commitmost
important
was
human
We did one here with the people of
ments
so
we
are
going
to have to get
development
and
self-awareness.
Spallumcheen. We had a really good
DIA
Band
Training
funds.
We want
meeting: about forty people showed
to
establish
this
on
an
on-going
If
each
of
us
can
understand
up, all our Councillors and Band
basis. The training needs of a comwhere we are coming from, historistaff, community members and
munity
develop each year.
cally
and
in
terms
of
our
spiritual
students. We went through the
Those
of us who did not Speak
needs
and
means,
we
can
cope
whole process of identifying what
did
not
have
to because our Elders
better.
We
can
identify
why
we
have
people wanted. One of the main
successfully
showed
us the ropes.
problems
now
and
can
work
toconcerns in this program is that the
community decides what they want
We have to really examine why we're in the situation we're in and my
feeling is that we're at the point where we can't ask for help from the
and
the
Tribal
Education
outside any longer; we have to do it ourselves. We have to really question
Committee just meets the needs,
and look at where do we want to go, what do we mean by being an Indian
rather than us saying: this is what
person living on a reserve in this day and age. The assimilation has gone
you have to learn. The Community
so far that in a lot of cases people feel lost or defeated. But we have to
members themselves know what
take a look at that; we have to develop ourselves before we can talk
they want and their priorities. We
about
management and development of good programs for the
looked at a whole lot of things at
community.
Every individual has to do that, not just the Chief and
our first meeting: how to use our
Council
making
all the decisions and doing all the work. That is why all
resources, youth awareness, how to
the
things
we're
doing are open to the community. Our Band Training
organize your own life in terms of
has
been
designed
for the Community to say what they want—and we
personal book-keeping, how to get
deliver
that
because
that is the way it has been traditionally, that's the
funds for long-term projects, deway
it
should
be.
fining the roles and responsibilities
c
INDIAN W O R L D 25
MANAGEMENT AT
LAKE BABINE
Band member input, office efficiency, long-range planning, and self-reliance are some ways Lake Babine
Band is trying to run its administration.
To ensure that Band members'
needs are best carried out, efficient
Band management is of vital importance. Band member input, office
efficiency, effective financial and
program planning, self-reliance and
trust between the Band council and
staff are some ways Wilfred Adams,
Band manager of the Lake Babine
Band, said his Band is using to best
run its administration.
contact with both the people and the
council committees. During general
meetings, the Band members have a
way to let the council know what they
want done and how. He also gets
ideas from them at major events that
take place at the Band. But, the way
that most Band members communicate with him and the council is by,
dropping by the office or stopping
them on the street and talking.
He said that keeping a close relationship going between the Band
members, council and staff are
important to meet the Band's needs.
As Band manager, he tries to keep in
Committees dealing with housing,
social assistance, education and other
areas work closely with the Band
manager when trying to find out what
Band members want. As well, they
use this information when they decide
INDIAN W O R L D 26
which proposed program or project is
most important to the people.
Before the Band begins any major
project that will affect many Band
members, it tries to hold a general
meeting. Adams said that the purpose
of the meetings is to get both the
people's
feelings
and
ideas
concerning the project.
The Band held a general meeting at
the Toppley Landing reserve to talk
about moving the reserve village to
higher ground because it is now below
the flood level. There was another to
talk about a new water and sewage
system at that reserve. The Band
members discussed how they want the
project carried out.
Effective planning is another way
for the Band to get the most out of
both its money and work. The Lake
Babine Band is involved in long range
planning. Plans are updated each
year to take into account present
situations. One example of this was
the planning for a pre-school at the
Band. Wilf explained how the Band
had to work with the education
how things go after
election.
the
recent
One aspect of planning that can
give Bands a big problem is budget
for casting and planning. Wilf Adams
said that the way his Band works is
that each head of the different
programs figures out how much
money they need for the year. Then,
he sits down with the staff and works
out the budget for the coming fiscal
year. During this procedure, he stresses that cooperation is essential.
To help with the financial aspects
of management, he said that the Band
everyday work isn't done on time,
overall planning and forecasting
could go off schedule. One way the
Lake Babine Band makes sure that
everything runs smoothly is with a
manual. In this manual, which is
given to.each staff member, are set
procedures for carrying out certain
tasks. It also states the policies of the
Band.
Having a job description for each
position in the office has helped to
avoid chaos. It has also made hiring
new employees easier and more
effective. Before hiring someone for a
Lake Babine Band has had to develop an efficient Band management to manage its seventeen programs.
Wilfred Adams, Band Manager, stressed that meeting Band members' needs and wishes is essential in this
regard.
key position, the Chief and council sit
department of the DIA to finalize
has recently hired a consultant. The
down and look over resumes.
agreements and to get money. But
consultant is a Band member who
one unforeseen problem in this part
now lives in Ottawa.
of a five-year plan was the financial
The attitude of the Band staff
cutbacks imposed by the conservative
contributes
to efficient management
A smooth running Band office is
government. However, the Band
of
the
Band,
said Wilf. Cooperation,
very important to ensure that the
finally got some money and hopes to
reliability, trust and keeping on top
Band is well managed, Wilf insists.
move ahead with plans this coming
of things are some qualities he said
To help, the Band rents the use of a
summer.
the Band looks for when hiring staff.
computer to keep track of finances.
Each day the bookkeeper phones the
daily transactions to their auditor in
As Band manager the most effecA similar problem was met with a
Prince George, who in turn punches
tive way he says he can manage the
freeze on government spending which
the information into the computer.
Lake Babine Band is by "answering
halted the planning and building of a
new Band office. That project is still
in the air. They have to wait to see
In the office he stressed that
working together is important. If
the question before the question is
asked."
•
INDIAN WORLD 27
DOIG RIVER
The
first steps
Story and pictures by Arlene Laboucane
Margaret Davis is the Band
Manager for the Beaver community
of Doig River.
The Band is looking after the
housing books and has hired accountants for the farm books.
They are preparing to take over full
administration on the 1st of April this
year. Rose Davis will be Band A d ministrator.
On April 1, Doig River Band will take over full administration of Band
business. Margaret Davis, Band manager has experienced the frustrations of
conducting business through DIA.
The main problem with the housing
program is the housing money is late
and by the time it arrives in the fall, it
is too late to finish them. If it is not
spent by the end of March it goes
back to Ottawa or to other Bands.
The Doig River Band tried to complete two log houses last year. Maybe this year they will be able to complete these
houses and more new houses—if the housing money is sent from Ottawa early enough to build them before the frost
comes in October.
INDIAN W O R L D 28
the last year to fix the system. The
first one didn't fix it properly and
they hired a second contractor that
was more experienced. He told them
the line couldn't be fixed properly in
the cold weather but he would try and
fix it in the spring if the money was
available then.
With the farm the biggest problem
is getting the machinery fixed when it
breaks down. They have to get a
mechanic from town to come out and
look at it, and it's very costly.
The Doig would like to build a
Band hall for meetings and office
space. Hopefully the money will be
available when construction season
starts and not when it is too cold
outside to do anything.
If they go ahead and start construction on their own, the cat clearing and
foundations, without money, the
Lucky the River is close by because the water system is broken at Doig. Money
contractors get upset if they don't get
to fix it didn't arrive until after freeze-up.
paid. Some Bands have written bad
The same is also true for the water
system on the reserve. The money to
fix the water system comes late in the
fall and the ground is frozen. The
contractor admits he can't do a top
notch job of fixing the system when
the ground is frozen.
The Doig hired two contractors in
cheques, depending on the money
being on time, and have gotten into
trouble with other businesses by
getting their credit cut off.
•
Newly elected Chief of the Doig River
Band is Calvin Davis, with wife
Darlene.
INDIAN W O R L D 29
The District Offices in
the Central Interior Region
were closed down in 1975 as
a result of the rejection of
funding and the Tribal
Councils never allowed
those offices to reopen. But
at that time we didn't have
anything to replace the DIA
structure with and all moves
to replace it subsequently
were stonewalled by the
DIA. A move by a unified
front was needed.
INDIAN GOVERNMENT
THE
The concept of the "Red Book"
originated about a year and a half
ago: we wanted an in-depth study to
address the problems of delivery of
technical services to the Bands,
through the Okanagan, South Central, Kootenay and Lillooet Tribal
Councils. This undertaking is out
first attempt to really implement the
concepts of Indian self-determination
and self-government that we so often
talk about. We introduce it as
"an attempt to deal with the wide
range of issues which relate to
viable Indian Government. The
Red Book outlines the kinds of
organizations we envisaged to meet
those needs. The Central Interior
Tribal Council is saying to the Department of Indian Affairs that we
can do as good if not a better job of
providing the services to our people
for which Parliament provides the
monies. The Department accepts
the position in principle."
We are suggesting that staffing in
the District Office in Vancouver DIA
would remain small because everything else would be looked after from
a Tribal Council level. It wouldn't
interfere with dollars that are going to
Bands for Band programs, core funding, or anything. For instance, for the
staff who are phased out of Vancouver, the man-year dollars would be
relocated to the Tribal Councils,
INDIAN W O R L D 30
IN THE CENTRAL
INTERIOR DIA IS SEEN
AS MERELY A
CLEARING HOUSE
by Saul Terry
Since we started the Red Book study,
Indian Affairs has been trying to increase our District staff considerably
and the Central Interior Bands have
adamantly opposed this.
What we have done is organize ourselves in order to be more effective in
terms of decision-making and lobbying. The force of a large group of
Bands is something to be considered.
There is also the matter of knowing
what we are doing so that we won't be
working at cross-purposes with one
another, but supporting each other.
What we are talking about is Tribal
Councils providing legal services,
technical services, economic development and Indian Government leadership.
The implementation of this would
be through different phases and
according to the pace of each Band
and Tribal Council.
The Nuts and Bolts Issues
We wanted to start by addressing
the short-term needs or problems
immediately, the nuts and bolts issues
like audits, planning and budgetting,
people reneging on funding and so
on. The long-term goal would be the
decentralization of advisors to the
Tribal Council level, delivery of
services to the Bands on a more intimate level than say from Vancouver
into Cranbrook. Hopefully we will
streamline things a lot more, have a
more effective delivery of and use of
the money. Financially each Band
would be responsible for their own
budgets. But, from the first phase,
the Tribal Councils would have financial advisors to assist those Bands
who want to participate in the Tribal
Council Delivery of Services. We feel
this is a small step towards implementing Indian Government as a
whole. It's just the beginning of decision-making in terms of program
delivery.
The DIA would be dealing with
technical data, a clearing house for all
programs and forecasts. The Tribal
Councils would have to take part in
reviewing the guidelines of the
proposals and hopefully have
influence in changing those not
geared towards the needs of our
Bands.
Implementation Agreements
Are Being Signed Now
The first phase was implemented
beginning February 19, 1980: funding
for a Director of Operations and a
Financial Advisor. This phase centres
on the urgent need to get planning
and financial assistance out to Bands
right now. The approaching deadlines
for finalizing Local Services Agreements and negotiating the 1980/81
budgets make this Tribal Council
service a priority.
At the time of going to press the
Kootenay and South Central Tribal
Councils had signed Agreements with
the Department to implement their
first phase and the other two Councils
will be signing this week.
•
ALTERNATIVES TO
L.S.A.
IN SOUTH ISLAND
TRADITIONAL
LEADERSHIP SHOWS
THE
WAY
The whole history of the LSA really
goes back to the sixties when grants
first started; the terms just changed
from grants to core funding to contribution agreement and L S A . Since
1969 it's been really the attempt of
DIA to put the Indian people in a
position where we can't work. If we
do, it has to be under the government's
terms and conditions. The South
Island District could not and never did
go along with that: our position is that
the funding of the reserve is to be made
by an ordinary Band Council resolution. It is as legal as a Band Council
could get, without losing its reserve
status.
That's where I see the L S A
going.
The danger of the whole
thing is that once again the
government is trying to find ways and
means to implement the 1969 White
Paper Policy. They have tried to
pacify our thoughts by using some of
our words in the LSA but it's all the
same.
A simple B.C.R. is all that's
necessary
We are going to uphold the BCR.
It's simple and straightforward: the
Bands will look after certain programs
and shall be responsible for reporting
the expenditure. That's all that's
necessary. The money is appropriated
by the Parliament of Canada for the
Indian people. We shouldn't be
blackmailed into whatever other
means the DIA tries to use on us to get
the money.
by Tom Sampson
assisted each other. So we took a look
at our leadership styles: the modern
leader in relation to the traditional
leader. We took a look at what they
were doing and what we were doing
and why the two couldn't work
together, if it was possible. We told
them of the difficulty we were having.
For five days we talked.
The thing is the whole system was
frustrating new leaders because they
couldn't relate the wishes of the Band
with the type of leadership style they
had: you hear some say "my welfare
program works really good,". When I
hear something like that, that really
upsets me. To me they have pacified
our people to do nothing and any
Sammy Sam, Norman and Vi Williams: traditional leadership has strong
relevance today.
We had a district-wide meeting in
January this year to work on our final
position on the LSA. We invited the
Elders and the unelected officials of
our district, the people who are
constant spokesmen in our area.
When it comes to Indian work,
whether it's potlatch or gathering at
the big house, these people are always
in the lead. That was the only way to
do it. We were getting too frustrated
by the division of the issue; we knew
the traditional leaders had all the
answers; we had part of it in our, what
we called security kits: our brief cases.
But it wasn't all there, half of it was
with the traditional leaders. You know
the understanding of leadership style,
just understanding. So all we did was
program that works, especially that
one, I'd like to see it go away. Too
many of our people today have been
brainwashed through education, assimilation, and now believe that Indian
education, traditional methods of
leadership and qualities have no
relevance to today's system. But it
does have strong relevance in today's
system. That meeting was a real
eye-opener for us. It was all in our own
language. It was real unique, has never
been done before, in South Island
anyhow.
Traditional leaders are very
organized
Traditional leaders are very organized, as once they identify problems
INDIAN W O R L D 31
to the issue at hand, they have no
difficulty in dealing with issues. They
have procedures and follow them
through. When you have a problem,
discuss it with the person you are
dealing with. But there is a point and
time, they say, that you must assert
authority. That's why you are chosen
as leaders so that you assert the entire
identity of leadership...
Today, strong leadership is required. It's not the same as being
elected by popularity vote like it used
to be in the past, even as recently as
five years ago or even less. There's
more pressure on leaders now to assert
the demands and rights of the people.
It's not a new move in Indian Government though in a sense it is in that
we're going back to traditional type of
government, so it's a new move by
this generation. That workshop
assist our chiefs and young leaders in
asserting the authority and power
granted by the people. The leader
provides leadership through the choice
and will of the people.
Traditional leaders fill the gaps
in Indian Government
Traditional leaders gave us a real
clear way of how to go. They said there
will be a lot of heartaches, except it
would be a lot easier to follow the
adv ice because this advice was given
to us over the last hundreds of years.
They fed us something what we were
looking for in terms of our Indian
Government concept. And for the
newer people, it is a very new thing.
Probably a lot of people are opposed
to it because they can't see the value of
an old system. A lot of them believe
that education is the only answer to
leadership. It is part of the answer but
it isn't everything. The older people
have very much to offer.
We took the
politics out of the whole thing. There
was no discussion of programs as
such, just strictly about Indian
leadership styles, the type of necessary
disciplines. It was good for the
younger leaders to see. Unanimously,
young and old together voiced and
expressed energies and powers gained
over the few days. The traditional
leaders themselves got something out
of what we said. They had a chance to
assess their own work, their own
positions. For the first time, they sat
down with elected officials. It was
never done before. They just assumed
we'd go about our work and not
bother them. But they found that we
do have very much in common with
them. In fact without each other we
can't go anywhere. In the Saanich
area, the traditional leaders are now
calling on young leaders to listen,
especially in the long house: they call
their Indian names, to acknowledge
that they are there.
Traditional leaders know the
total being of a community
South Island District has always
fought from a position of strength.
We spread out our responsibilities to
all the villages so that everyone has an
idea of what's going on here. In the
South Island we don't have a
hierarchy system. We are at the same
level and no matter what this one or
that guy says, we all say the same
thing. That's another thing we learned
from the Qualicum meeting: it's really
based on our leadership and energies
given to us by the traditional leaders.
They know the whole existence, the
total being of a community. And
we've turned to Indian Government,
advice because this advice was given
energy and powers of our traditional
leaders. They assist the Chief and
Council; they feed us and keep us
going.
They made it very easy for us to
decide on the LSA. We told the DIA,
when they came in right at the last half
hour of the five-day meeting: we're
going to deal with it the way we've
been shown. We're taking a positive
position. If the DIA wants to change
it, they should be prepared for a tough
battle because we won't allow them to
dictate to us the way they've done. It's
something that baffles them: we don't
care what they say any more. Our
traditional leaders helped us determine what our next step will be. The
DIA money doesn't bother us any
more. For years the Department took
the attitude that they were protected—
but by what I don't know. The
government of Canada has a
responsibility to Indian people and
we're just meeting that responsibility.
And now we want to show them how
to do it, our way. Over a hundred
years they've shown they don't have
the answers. We know we have the
answers. Our traditional leaders
showed us how to put them into
practice.
•
Wilfred Sylvester, Louise Underwood, Fred Miller and Gabe Bartleman:
Indian Government in practice shows Local Services Agreement is irrelevant.
INDIAN W O R L D 32
THE ALKALI FIVE
UPHOLDING TRADITIONAL HUNTING
RIGHTS
On February 5 & 6, 1980, five
Alkali Band members appeared
before Judge Barnett in Williams
Lake. They were charged by Fish and
Wildlife officers for shooting deer
out of season. The five were John
Johnson, Louis Wycotte, Frank
Robbins, Arthur Dick and Gabriel
Robbins.
It was one of the usual days in
Alkali on February 9th, 1979. A
working day. But on this day the men
had the afternoon off from work, so
they decided to use the spare time to
go on a hunting excursion. They gathered together the needed supplies,
and left that same day. They drove
along a forestry logging road, a road
they had used repeatedly for other
hunting trips. The road they travelled
on that day had traditionally been
used by the elders of long ago, a time
when they used horseback.
At two o'clock that day the men
had seen a couple of deer outside
Churn Creek but it was too late to
take a shot, so they continued on
their way heading southwest. A little
way down the road another deer appeared about one hundred feet from
the roadside. They immediately came
to a stop, got out. Three shots rang
out, fired by John, Arthur and
Gabriel. The deer went down. No one
knew whose bullet found the mark.
The preparation for taking the kill
home began. John opened the deer
and gutted the inners out. They
loaded the carcass in their vehicle and
started on their way. It was not long
after that they approached a 4 by 4
vehicle which was parked right in the
middle of the snow-packed road,
allowing only room for one-way
traffic. The vehicle had headlights
on. Frank brought his truck to a stop.
The Alkali Band members' first
impression was that there were other
hunters, because these people were
not uniformed. There were two men
in the unknown vehicle: one of them
rushed to the driver's seat and asked
Frank if they had been hunting.
Frank said yes, along with the others.
Once the questioning began the men
knew these were officers. The officer
asked if it was for sheep; Frank said
no. The officer asked if it was deer
that they were hunting. Frank said,
"Yes, we killed a small deer."
"Who killed the deer?" asked the
officer. John replied, "Three of us
fired at the same time, we don't
know."
The officer said someone had to
take the responsibility for the killing.
John replied that he would take the
blame.
INDIAN W O R L D 33
While this was going on the other
officer remained by their vehicle
holding a 30-30 rifle by his side,
barrel to the ground. He had stayed
there until his partner called him to
witness the seizure of John's gun. The
others were allowed to keep theirs.
Arthur Dick had mentioned to the
officers that he thought Indians did
not need a permit to hunt in the
Alkali area. The deer and John's rifle
were seized.
In the court many of the friends
and relatives were present to see how
their Band members would make out
Frank told the court that he and his
companions remembered one of the
officers telling them they could pick
up the deer the following Monday,
February 12, 1979 at the Williams
Lake wildlife office.
The officer denied that he said to
pick up the carcass and gun. He said
that he only mentioned there would
be questions asked. (The gun was just
recently returned, but no deer up to
this date.)
The next day in court another
group of concerned villagers were on
hand, along with elder and former
chief David Johnson and present
Band chief, Andy Chelsea. One of the
officers gave evidence to the court
that Arthur Dick had blood on his
hands, when in fact John Johnson
was the one with the bloody hands
because he was the one who had
cleaned the deer.
The five Band members explained
to the court that where they were
hunting had always been Alkali
Lake's traditional ground, going
back generations. In the old days,
they explained, there were no roads,
except the path their Forefathers'
horses had made. It was only in the
last few decades that logging roads
were constructed, pushing back the
wildlife population.
In the court the five hunters were
asked about the importance of
hunting to them. John Johnson
replied, "I have been hunting since I
can remember; my uncle used to put'
me on a horse to go along with him
INDIAN W O R L D 34
Free to
think but
not to act
In May, 1978, George Charlie and Anderson Jack of
the Saanich Band shot a deer needed for a religious
ceremony and were charged for hunting out of season.
After going to court in Victoria during the summer, the
two were found guilty.
On January 24, they were again in court to appeal the
decision to the B.C. County Court. The defense gave two
arguments—freedom of religion and impairment of
Indian status. Burnings of actual religious rituals and
religion fall under the realm of the Federal Government
and the B.C. Wildlife Act shouldn't apply to Indians.
This Act should apply only if it doesn't impair the status
or character of Indian people.
Religion is a major part of the Saanich people's lives:
in this case the provincial laws are an impairment and
should not apply. The Crown made its argument on
January 30 in Victoria'. On February 14, 1980, the judge
decided against its Indian people.
He held that the law in Canada protects freedom of
thought, not religious practices. The case may be
appealed.
Anderson and Elizabeth Jack and George Charlie needed a deer for a religious
burning. They say the Wildlife laws do not apply in this case.
on his hunting trips. We had to hunt
to survive. Even our young people
today are starting to hunt small game
like rabbits and that."
Also Frank Robbins had his say. "I
learned to hunt from my dad. This is
when there were no logging roads;
there was always consistent game and
now there are roads all over."
They also made it clear that once
an animal is killed, it is shared
between the hunters and all relatives.
By the time it is all given out the
hunter is not left with much to take to
his family. They also mentioned that
after their deer and John's gun was
seized, and they left on their way
home, they saw two deer but they
never bothered them, though they
could have easily shot them.
Evidence was given by Band Chief
Andy Chelsea that there was an
agreement made by the government
and the Band in the 1920's, guaranteeing hunting rights in the Band's
traditional territory, including the
place where the hunting charge
occurred. The case will be carried
over on March 6th, 1980 in Williams
Lake.
•
UP-DATE
HUNTING CASES
March 4,1980:
The reason for judgment will be given in Duncan on
March 4, 1980. Joe Bartleman and Doug August were
charged last winter with illegal hunting.
March 25,1980:
Raymond Bob of Anaham was charged by
conservation wildlife officers for shooting moose and
grouse out of season without a permit. On January 16,
1980, at the Alexis Creek court, it was discovered the
moose and grouse had been shot on Indian land after
Raymond had pointed out on the map the location of the
shooting near Stum Lake.
The crown was surprised that the moose and grouse
were shot on reserve land and asked for more time to
study the fact and to argue the point. The decision was
put over to March 25, 1980 for the lawyers to put their
argument in writing.
NATIONAL NATIVE ALCOHOL ABUSE PROGRAM
Recently, the D I A and N H & W informed the NIB that
the Hickling & Johnston Review (see last issue) was to be
shelved. From 15 February, a National Task Force would
be formed to again evaluate N N A A P . The news was
released just days before the task force was to begin. The
decision was made without any prior consultation with
NIB or any Provincial or Territorial Organizations. The
NIB and PTO's have reacted by preparing alternatives to
the task force. The Health and Social Development
Portfolio have sent letters to all Bands and N N A A P
personnel informing them of the alternatives and asking
for their response to these further developments.
Terms of reference for the National Task Force are
available at the UBCIC office. If possible, we would like
to hear your opinions on another study of the N N A A P ,
and of N N A A P itself.
CONSULTATION FUNDING
May 28,1980:
Peter Gregoir, Josephine Gregoir, John Camoose and
Martin Tony were charged with hunting out of season,
possession of game and not having a license to carry firearms on August 15, 1979. Their case was held over from
February 4, 1980 and has been adjourned to May in
Vernon.
FISHING CASES
February 28,1980:
Chester Douglas of Cheam for unlawful possession of
fish at Agassiz: his case was held over from February 8,
1980.
March 5,1980:
McKay Jr. from Lillooet, B.C. charged for unlawful
possession of fish in Lytton. His case was held over from
December 16,1979.
March 27, 1980:
Fisheries appeal Herman Thomas case. Herman was
charged with illegal possession of fish but won his case
last year.
RALPH GEORGE TEST CASE
The UBCIC Legal Team started an action against the
Federal Fisheries Department on Ralph George's behalf
alleging negligence in the case where 68 fish were seized
from George. He won his case in Chilliwack court March
16, 1979 but the fish were not returned to him. A
statement of claim has been filed.
The Health and Social Development Portfolio has been
participating at the National Commission Inquiry
meetings coordinated by the National Indian
Brotherhood since March, 1979.
At the last meeting held on February 5th to 7th, 1980,
it was learned that only half of the previously promised
$475,000.00 is now available due to the short time
remaining till the end of March, 1980.
There was also a $25,000.00 ceiling set for all the
provinces and each province is now expected to apply to
their regional medical services branches for the funds.
Justice Berger and his commission have met with
various Indian organizations and groups across the
country. The commission is now prepared to make their
recommendations to the Health Minister. Hopefully, a
change in government will not jeopardize their decision
(if it happens to be in our favour) for the full $950,000.00
consultation yearly budget.
Justice Berger and his commission were hired by the
N.I.B. as an arbitrary third party after the Minister's
office suggested a third party would be needed to verify
the proper spending of the Consultation's Money.
On February 11th, Dr. Muri, Acting Regional Director of
Medical Services, informed us that British Columbia
would be receiving the grand total of $18,000.00 to be
spent no later than March 31, 1980. This certainly does
not give us much time for complete Consultations on
problems in Health Care the Bands must live with, let
alone time to have this money delivered to our office to
be spent! .
INDIAN W O R L D 35
URANIUM:
The Bates' Royal Commission on
Uranium Mining continued to hear
technical evidence in Vancouver. In
the past few weeks, three more
witnesses gave reasons why uranium
mining should not be permitted in
this province.
Last month at the Hearings
the risk is magnified when uranium is
mined as the tailings waste contains
cancer causing radioactive material.
The witnesses testified that many
spills had occurred at the mine at
which they worked (16 spills in the
past year alone) and yet only one spill
has ever been reported to the government in the mine's total operation.
One witness also testified that he has
never seen a Mines Inspector on the
tailings dam in the twelve years he has
worked at the mine.
This real life evidence is in complete contrast to the theoretical
framework which has been presented
to the Commission by the Ministry of
Mines. The Ministry has reassured
the Commission that its inspection
and monitoring facilities are adequate
to ensure the safety of uranium
tailings dams in B.C. But the Ministry
has also made it clear that it relies on
the mines industry to police itself.
The evidence of these workers raises
doubts that the Ministry and industry
is even doing the necessary job on
existing mines and gives little
confidence that the more hazardous
uranium mines will be effectively
monitored or controlled.
The home of Ned Yazzie, a Navajo
paralysed in a mining accident, sits
on radioactive tailings.
B.C. Miners Tell of Tailings Dam
Spills
From Vanderhoof and Fraser
Lake, two mine workers presented
evidence from the viewpoint of those
who do the actual maintenance of
mine tailings dams. These dams hold
the waste material produced from
mines and the tailings area often
covers many acres of land. Although
the failure of any mine tailings dam
can cause the release of hazardous or
polluting waste to the environment,
INDIAN W O R L D 36
from the tailings has eliminated all
fish from the 50 mile long Serpent
River system. Band members were
even advised at one time not to drink
the water or to swim in the river. Yet
the Band has never received any
compensation from industry or
government and they claim that by
using their river as a "waste sink,"
the mining companies have received
an "environmental subsidy" at the
Band's expense.
Government and Industry Put
Economics First
The panel from the union described
their efforts to improve the situation
at Elliot Lake and how too often
these efforts were frustrated by the
attitudes of government and industry
which put economics ahead of health,
safety and the environment. The
witnesses also produced a 1956 letter
from the Department of Lands and
Forests which reassured a local
resident that uranium mining "is not
expected (to have) any adverse effect
on Whiskey Lake or the Serpent
Indian Hunting, Trapping &
Fishing Destroyed in Ontario
The United Steelworkers Union
also gave evidence based on its experience as the union representing the
workers at Canada's major uranium
mining
location, Elliot
Lake,
Ontario. Uranium has been mined at
Elliot Lake for over 25 years with the
result of devastating health and
environment effects. The Serpent
River Band, located downstream
from the mines has
suffered
grievously. Their hunting and trapping territories have been totally destroyed from a population influx of
over 20,000 people and pollution
Henry Black is dying of lung cancer.
"The government never told us
Navajos about the dangers of radioactivity."
River watershed." The letter states
that the uranium "industries have cooperated excellently and have assured
the Department that they will undertake whatever measures may be
necessary to protect the quality of the
waters receiving the mining wastes."
Twenty years later not a fish can
survive in that water. Yet constantly
at the Hearings, government and
industry make the same assurances in
B.C.
tions throughout B.C. if opened. In
addition, Ontario currently is heavily
dependent on nuclear powered generating stations while B.C. is not and
will not be in the foreseeable future.
Uranium production in B . C . would
be basically for export, however, it is
not possible to find an export market
for the wastes associated with
production or the potentially harmful
health effects inherent in it."
between the radioactivity in uranium
and an increased rate of lung cancer.
However, those warnings were not
heeded by industry or government
with the result that the rate of lung
cancer was five times that expected
for white and Navajo miners in the
U.S. Southwest. Dr. Wagoner sees
these rates as going even higher and
described the situation as an epidemic
of lung cancer in that region.
Finally, Dr. Wagoner testified as to
Evidence last month told that mining destroyed hunting, trapping and fishing for Ontario Indians, that Navajo miners
get lung cancer five times more than expected, and that in B. C. many tailings spills go unreported.
You Can't Export the Waste
Along With the Uranium
The Steelworkers take the position
that there should be no uranium
mining in this province, even though
they are the union for uranium
miners in Ontario. Their reasons are:
B.C. "has many small presently
undeveloped deposits, which in our
opinion, would reproduce Elliot Lake
on a mini scale in each of the loca-
You Have to Put Human Values
First
The final important witness was
Dr. Joseph K. Wagoner. For twenty
years he has studied the effects of
uranium mining on miners for the
U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Dr. Wagoner
recounted the history of uranium
mining in the U.S. and described how
even in the 1940's the scientific community had identified the link
what he saw as the root cause for the
deaths and misery caused by uranium
mining—the tendency to put the
needs of industrial development (or
"progress") ahead of human needs
and values. He gave a quote which
accurately summarizes the thrust of
the evidence of all three witnesses in
this article: "There is nothing more
urgent than this society's assertion of
individual over institutional interests,
and of human over economic
values."
•
INDIAN W O R L D 37
Alert Bay in gear
HEALTH
CHILD WELFARE STUDY
On 28 January 1980, a Co-ordinator for the Child
Welfare Study was hired to compile the terms of
reference for the Child Welfare Study. The Co-ordinator
is not doing the study alone. The duties are:
a) contact all who are interested;
b) compile information submitted into one package. This
is in order to avoid duplication, to have a compact and
representative terms of reference for the Study. This
package is meant to include everyone's ideas on how
the Study should be done;
c) the Co-ordinator contract is with the Department of
Indian Affairs for an initial one month period; this
timeframe was set to develop a work plan.
d) the Co-ordinator has the use of the Union office space,
telephones and supplies, but is not an employee of the
Union;
e) this was all agreed to by all organizations attending the
initial meetings: F.J. Walchli, J.W. Evans, Lillian Ingram and Mike Bennett of DIA; Bernice Robson,
Indian Homemakers Association of B.C.; Jim White,
Native Brotherhood of B.C.; Verne Jackson, North
Coast District Council; Steve Kozey, Glen Newman,
and Gloria Joe of The Alliance; Julie Newman and
Archie Pootlass of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.
The Co-ordinator has tried to contact everyone, and
has attended various meetings to discuss the Study. The
response has been really negligible.
The responsibility
of the Co-ordinator was to contact all organizations,
Tribal Councils, and those who are interested in participating in the study. The main, and only purpose for this
is to compile everyone's terms of reference, ideas
for the Study, what questions should be asked, and
information required.
A number of comments have been made that there have
been too many studies completed and they all have been
shelved and forgotten. The reality is that the statistics of
our children in care, adopted, apprehended, continue to
rise. It is all of our responsibility to do something about
this. We have that opportunity now: what should we do,
what should the goals and terms of reference of this
Study be?
The Province has "informally" mentioned to the
Department of Indian Affairs that "possibly a study is
not necessary, that it might be more useful to look at
improving services, namely the implementation of the
"Family Support Workers Program."
The next meeting to discuss the Study further is being
scheduled for early March.
Please share your information and ideas with us.
•
INDIAN W O R L D 38
In early February, the Kwawkewlth District Council
met with appointed health inquiry Commissioner, Dr.
Gary Goldthorp, in Campbell River, B.C.
Dr. Goldthorp said the council would have the
opportunity to be heard by the commission whether in a
public presentation or behind closed doors, and that he
would facilitate them as much as possible.
Dr. Goldthorp has been looking into statistical health
data in Vancouver, Victoria and Provincial offices over
the past two weeks gathering information to help him
understand the nature of what he is to inquire into.
His investigation into the nature of health care services
will be with a special focus on Alert Bay and the
Nimpkish people.
The date for people involved in health care services to
make their own presentations will be March 21,1980, in a
public forum workshop at Alert Bay. The district council
of Alert Bay are now holding workshops of their own as
to the direction and strategy of their presentation.
The district council has not received any consultation
funding from National Health and Welfare. The
Department of Indian Affairs has said they are going to
give their moral and financial support in the health
inquiry.
After March ,31. 1980, Goldthorp will prepare a
general overview report that will be made available to the
Nimpkish Band and the Kwawkewlth District Council.
INUIT DEMAND STUDY TOO
Mr. Amarook, President of Inuit Tapirisat of
Canada, responded to a study prepared by National
Health and Welfare about health care for Inuit as 'out
of date and inaccurate.'
The study showed that Inuit babies die at five times
the national rate. M r . Amarook holds the lack of
medical care for Inuit infants explains the poor infant
health. He speaks from his own experience:
"I was an interpreter in the sixties for the nurses and
doctors who came to my community of Baker Lake.
Health and Welfare officials used to urge Inuit mothers
not to breast-feed their babies. The government used to
say that unless we learned to do things the southern
way, we had no future."
Mr. Amarook says there are about 5,000 people in the
Keewatin region and no doctor. "The only way Inuit
living in the Keewatin area can see a doctor is to fly to
Churchill, Manitoba, 400 air miles away, or wait for
one to come to their community." Weather conditions
in the Arctic often cause delays in times of emergency,
he said.
The Inuit Tapirisat of Canada met with Health and
Welfare officials last month to discuss guidelines for a
possible study of health care services in the Keewatin
region of Nunavut.
NO HELP AVAILABLE FOR
BURNED OUT FAMILY
by Mary Louise Williams
On October 6, 1979, a house was
destroyed in a fire in the Mount Currie
Indian Community. It was a tragedy
that hurt everyone because two of our
Community members were lost to us
forever. But even more tragic is the
fact that a mother's life was snuffed
out at a very young age and a two-year
old boy's life ended before it got
started and it is deeply depressing that
no one seems to care. They were buried
and then quickly forgotten. The ruins
are still there for the remaining family
to be reminded of their loss day after
day. Why haven't they cleared it
away? The Band Council asked that
someone look into getting another
home for the remaining family.
After phone calls and several
discussions with people, it has become
apparent that there is nowhere in the
whole Department of Indian Affairs
or the whole country, for that matter,
that people could turn to for help.
Surely in this rich country there is
somewhere we can turn to for aid to
help people in need.
The first place that was approached
was DIA. Their recommendation was
to go back to the Band Council and
ask them to do something for the
family. It was pointed out to DIA that
the money we receive for the Mount
Currie Community is hardly adequate
to house Band members, never mind
having any to help in disasters such as
a fire. The Mount Currie Band's
revenue is nil. We did have a timber
resource which doesn't benefit the
Band because it is in the hands of the
Provincial Government and a Corporation.
It is strange that people run around
trying to set up Government policies,
guidelines to make life better for
people and when faced with doing
something for people right in our
midst we cannot find anyone to help.
If that is the stage we are at, then why
bother about those precious policies
and guidelines because the life of a
human being couldn't really matter.
After all one always thinks the
policies and guidelines are supposed to
be helping not human beings but the
Government machines. Please, if you
have an answer to the following
questions, would you help us? Surely
other Communities have suffered and
have had to get help somewhere.
• Is there a fund for people in our
Communities set up that we could
turn to for help when disasters
happen?
• What is the role of DIA to set up
emergency funds?
• Is there anything UBCIC can set up
for emergencies?
?
Send answers, money, anything, to
Mount Currie Band Office in care of
Mary L . Williams.
•
THE REGIONAL CHR CONFERENCE IN VANCOUVER
by Charlotte Joe
On Monday Dr. Butler started the
conference by giving a speech on the
philosophy of devolution and what it
means to us as CHR's. During the
course of the week we held group
workshops on adolescent health
needs, influencing life styles on
fitness and nutrition, smoking and
alcohol, prescription drugs, prenatal
and infant care, and an update on
prenatal education and TB control.
Wednesday the 13th was more of
an information day. Thomas Berger
and Dr. Segal came to talk to the
CHR's on the study that they are
doing on Indian Health Care
Program. The CHR's from the four
zones gave their evaluations on their
program and stressed some of the
changes they would like to see in their
area. Information was given to the
CHR's on the training of paramedics.
On Thursday people from Canada
Employment Centre and Indian
Affairs came to give us information
on funding sources, and the two
people from Indian Affairs discussed
the social development program and
the housing part of Indian Affairs.
OPINION
Our people are still fighting
amongst
themselves—example—
Phillip Paul, who is the Vice
President of UBCIC, was invited to
attend a workshop at this conference.
My insides turned and my mouth
remained shut but my pen can still
write and I've got to get it out before
I burst with shame.
Government Officials along with
CHRs clapped, smiled and cheered
as if they were glad to watch us fight
amongst ourselves or as if they were
glad to watch one of our leaders get
called down at this conference.
I feel and we should all feel we as
Indian people should never, never
fight or call each other down in front
of the white society because I feel
they like to see us fight amongst
ourselves. I thought we'd all learned
this lesson by now. But we have not
and it hurts me to see it still
happening.
I go to these conferences to voice
my opinion on certain issues facing
Indian people in regards to
Government programs and policies.
I do not attend to be humiliated by
Indian people attacking each other in
such a childish, immature manner in
front of Government officials.
I attend conferences in the hopes
that I can learn and find a
constructive means to help me give a
better service to the people I serve in
my community. I apologize to
Phillip Paul for even being a part of
what happened at this conference.
INDIAN W O R L D 39
TRUST, RESPECT
AND LAUGHTER
by Tina Marie Christian
ROUND LAKE
TREATMENT CENTRE
We are now approaching the end of
our first year of operation of the
Round Lake Treatment Centre, and
we feel a progress report is
warranted, as there have been a lot of
questions being asked by the people
in communities.
months. This has caused a few
problems and misunderstandings this
past year, the referring agents have
had to wait to get their clients into
treatment. We realize the importance
of getting people into a program at
the right time but the staff are doing
Freedom to Choose
Together, they have developed a
program based on self-awareness,
spiritual growth and sobriety, giving
Shortage of Space
Client in-take is up to 18 residents,
both male and female, singles and
couples. The existing facilities and
space have prevented us from our
planned 24 bed unit. This is a temporary situation and we should be
operating at full capacity within six
the best they can, given the shortage
of space. Please bear with us.
The program is also going through
some positive changes as well. There
is now a three phase treatment program which allows for continuous intake, as opposed to in-take every six
weeks. Gerry Oleman is our Program
clients an alternative in life, where
they have the freedom to choose who
and what they want to be. For a lot of
the people entering the program, they
have had little or no exposure to
sobriety and the strength they possess
as Indian people.
At the Treatment Centre, the
INDIAN W O R L D 40
Supervisor and is responsible for the
program and the counsellors.
opportunity to view people and the
meaning of life are given through the
Elders, the Sweats, Meditation and of
course the analysis of alcoholism.
That it is not only a chemical dependence but an emotional dependence
as well.
The physical setting of the centre is
conducive to the program. It is set,
back off the main highway a mile and
a half, with the closest town 17 miles
away. The residence is set back
amongst the trees and overlooks
Round Lake, providing an atmosphere of tranquility. It is nature in its
natural state. There are no concrete
buildings to obstruct the vision and
confuse the mind.
Trust, Respect and Laughter
Working out the Kinks
Communication is an integral part
of the program. The Counsellors
have developed a variety of "Communication Games" that encourage
discussion groups to express their
feelings honestly. Sessions on Trust
and Respect have proven to be very
interesting: the Client learns that
trusting people is an essential part of
living. The Program also has a
generous quantity of humour. It
wouldn't be unusual to walk into a
session where there is cheering,
booing and laughing. Not only at
themselves and their situations, but
others as well.
In short the program shows
that there is more to life than
simply surviving. It is there to live
and enjoy—to Experience.
Hopefully at the end of the six
week residency, our people have
regained their awareness of being
an Indian and have developed
their own ideas of what they want
for themselves and their families.
With them, they take their
prayers and an alternative
lifestyle. The sincerity they show
in thanking those that have
helped them during their stay, is
truly a rare moment. For some,
there is no going back now. The
tranquility and peace of mind
they possess is one to be envied.
The Centre has not been without
problems, though. We are like
anything new: there are the kinks to
work out, staff to settle and of course
the two levels of government to deal
with. A few misunderstandings have
developed over the course of our
year, bringing about some bad feeling
to some. Hopefully though, we have
dispelled any negative rumors by
maintaining a successful program.
Please keep in mind that we aim for
100% sobriety; unfortunately it
doesn't always work that way. People
are people, some change, some don't.
Remember also we need the support
of the communities for doing followup work. The problem can't be solved
by a handful of people. The
communities can help their people
upon their return, with employment,
accommodations and just by being
there to talk to and support them.
Keep in mind what they're aiming
for:
Sobriety—Acceptance—Support.
Coming Home: That's Another
Problem
Something that is becoming
increasingly obvious is the need for
a "Coming out" home and program.
Some may call it a "half-way house"
but it is more than that. Recently
we've been discussing the idea of
establishing something of this sort.
At a meeting held in early February,"
we talked in serious terms of Where,
What type of program, etc. This was
the second meeting and realize it is
time to pool our resources. We need
the involvement and the commitment
from all communities as this will be
affecting your people as well. Our
meeting is set for March 3 at 1:00
p.m. in Enderby. Anyone interested
is welcome to attend.
In closing, we would like to thank
those who have supported us this past
year and hope for your continued
support. We're moving in a positive
direction
and
encourage
the
participation and interest of Indian
people. The problem of alcohol
affects all of us in some way. As with
any Killer, there is strength in unity. •
A Reason for Living
A Flower
is like a person.
You give it sunshine,
and water,
you give it life.
And it's contented with
just living.
A person needs a lot more.
A person needs understanding
and love.
A person needs a reason
for living.
You give love,
as well as receive.
You respect everyone,
they respect you.
To me,
that seems a very good reason
for being here.
Deborah Hayward
INDIAN W O R L D 41
LOWER KOOTENAY BAND
FARM
Agricultural Corporation formed
by Dan Gravelle
Lower Kootenay Band Agricultural
Corporation
photo: Lower Kootenay Band
The Lower Kootenay Band Agriculture Corporation put in a reclamation of 1,100 acres to develop an
economic base both socially and
physically for their people. The reclaimed area has been divided into
farming and pasture land. The 700
acres available for farming lies in the
Southern end of the Indian reserve.
Draining Lands Without
Hurting Ducks
Drainage of this sizable acreage
which borders the Kootenay River,
commenced in the spring of 1974 with
the actual negotiations with Ducks
Unlimited of Canada dating back.to
the fall of 1972. To date, the Lower
Kootenay Indian Band and Ducks
Unlimited have agreed to a ten year
contract agreement for upkeep and
States and Canada for the preservation of waterfowl.
The 1,100 acres directly behind the
Lower Kootenay Indian community
enough to seed and farm in the spring
of 1980. The topsoil is at least 5 feet
in depth with at least 15% or more
organic matter.
No More "Make Work"
Programs
photo: Lower Kooteny Band
Making use of this land has required a significant cultural change
for their people. This sort of change
was not achieved overnight and has
been accomplished with changes of
attitude, responsibility and respect
for one another. The Lower
Kootenay Band has in the past operated work-oriented programs but
lacked the property of viability because they were just projects that
both employees and management
knew were in sight from the
beginning.
maintenance of ditches, dykes, water
level and nesting areas, etc. Ducks
Unlimited of Canada is an organization that is supported by the United
INDIAN W O R L D 42
centre is comprised of soils with class
I and II capabilities now that they are
drained. The people are hoping that a
substantial amount will be dry
This project differs from a l l other
projects undertaken by the Band
because it's "real" and does not have
the element of "make work" about
• To utilize whatever land that is
wet and farmable for grazing
pastures and alfalfa crops
photo: Lower Kooteny Band
• To realize a reasonable return on
the land.
The Band has a sizable beef herd
and will continue to build the herd by
grazing in the pasture lands and
utilizing the hay not sold as cash
crops for winter feed.
The Lower Kootenay Band is now
awaiting spring to begin seeding some
new acreage and hoping for a bigger
and better crop for this year.
•
photo: Lower Kooteny Band
it. The Band's major objectives to
date are as follows:
• To utilize most of the 1,100 acres
of undrained land
• To provide as much training as
possible to their Band members
in order to be able to assume full
responsibility of Creston Reclamation land upon termination of
this particular lease which
includes 2,200 acres
photo: Lower Kooteny Band
• To provide employment opportunities to their Band members
INDIAN W O R L D 43
EROSION AND FLOOD CONTROL
Similkameen River Erosion and Flooding Control
The Upper and Lower Similkameen Indian Bands have
requested A . R . D . S . A . and D I A to finance the erosion
and flooding control work needed to protect their
agricultural land. The Ministry of the Environment,
Water Investigation Branch, prepared the engineering
study and estimated the cost at about 4 million dollars.
A . R . D . S . A . decided that .because of the amount of
money involved, it would be necessary to prepare a Cost/
Benefit study to evaluate the economic feasibility of the
proposed investment. They further decided to tender the
study to 4 consultant firms (one of them will be
W.I.A.C.). They will call the Consultants to present their
proposals probably next week and make a decision at the
beginning of March. W.I.A.C. will present their proposal
and compete as any other private consultant. The
feasibility study will take about six months. It is
expected, therefore, that the work in the field will not be
started until 1981.
In May 1972 farmlands and houses were under water for
about two weeks. Similkameen Reserves #2, 7 and 8 were
flooded.
Lower Fraser Valley Indian Lands
Erosion and Flooding Control
North Thompson Erosion end Flooding Control
D.I.A, requested Sigma Resource Consultants Ltd. to
prepare a study to identify where erosion and flooding
control works were needed and to estimate its costs.
W.I.A.C. has been requested by North Thompson Band
to prepare the Cost/Benefit analysis in order to request
the necessary funding from A . R . D . S . A . and DIA.
ANSWERS to Indian Government Crossword, January
1980 INDIAN WORLD.
ACROSS: 1. medicine; 2. Indian; 3. eagle; 4. snowshoes; 5. moccasins; 6. kelp; 7. deer; 8. cradle; 9. buck;
10. duck; 11. soapberries; 12. bannock; 13. culture;
14. smokehouse; 15. spirit; 16. weaving; 17. clan;
18. fish; 19. beaver. DOWN: 9. birds; 15. sinew;
17. crest;
20. Chiefs;
21. canoe;
22. potlatch;
23. maskes; 24. bow and arrow; 25. buckskin; 26. drum;
27. see; 28. bear; 29. basket; 30. animals; 31. salmon;
32. beads; 33. raven; 34. traps; 35. tipi.
INDIAN W O R L D 44
The Department of Indian Affairs requested C . B . A .
Engineering Ltd. to evaluate, through a Cost/Benefit
analysis, the economic feasibility of a number of erosion
and flooding control projects along the Fraser River from
Vancouver to Hope. A preliminary draft of the study has
been submitted to DIA for comments. W.I.A.C. has
been asked by some of the Bands that will benefit from
the projects to review the study draft from an economic
as well as an engineering point of view.
DARKROOM TECHNICIAN
wanted
To develop pictures for Indian World in new darkroom.
Full time position with some time for photographic
assignments in the field.
Must be experienced in all darkroom techniques as well as
photographic filing.
Knowledge of Indian political and social issues an asset.
Preference given to a worker with previous experience.
Starting Date—A.S.A.P.
Starting Salary—$1,000/month
Apply to: Beth Cuthand
Communications Co-ordinator, UBCIC
STONEY ELDERS SOCIETY
The Stoney Elders Cultural
Society is preparing now for their
2nd Indian Festival, on August
15th and 16th 1980 to be held at the
Lake Town Grounds on the shore
of Nulki Lake! (Kenny Dam Road).
Some very committed and
concerned pejbple have formed a
volunteer grdup to organize and
promote this'event which will be
unique to this area of the Carriers.
The Stoney Creek Elder's Society
hopes to raise half of the total
budget and seek the other half
through donations from Indian
organizations, neighbouring Bands
and local interested Indian and
non-Indian parties. The Elders
have already begun their fund
raising projects which include a sale
of their membership cards and an
"Ole Time Leap Year Dance" for
later this month (February).
The Festival which is organized
to reflect an expression of Carrier
Traditions will consist of Indian
dancing, drumming, singing, displays of beaded moccasins, Indian
clothing, etc. and Carrier food
delicacies. It is expected that
various Indian Cultural Groups
will be represented, with a great
variety of dance, dress and
displays. The Festival will be a
scene of other events as well, such
as tug-o-war contests, canoe races,
horse shoe tournaments, a jigging
competition, Ole Time Dancing,
etc.
The Stoney Creek Elders Cultu-
ral Society wants to be a part in
restoring the spiritual and cultural
foundation to Indian Government.
The Elders being traditionally,
naturally gifted hosts will make the
Stoney Creek and area Annual
Indian Festival a successful event
and put the Carriers on the 1980 list
of Indian Gatherings.
The Elders mailing address is:
Stoney Creek Elders Cultural
Society,
Box 893
Vanderhoof, B.C. VOJ 3A0
Telephone: 566-9609
Last year the Elders put a great
deal of hard work into their 1979
Indian Gathering and it was a great
success.
FORESTRY
In 1978 the UBCIC Forestry Committee was set up in
response to the new B . C . Forest Act. The Committee
prepared a position paper to identify Forestry
opportunities that Bands could take advtantage of. They
lobbied through a barrage of letters to the M . L . A . ' s
asking for support for their recommendations to the
Forestry Advisory Committee that had been set up just to
hear response from the Pearce report, from which the
New Forest Act was drawn up.
Once the New Forest Act was passed in Victoria the
Forestry Committee's mandate was finished. The
Provincial Government began the process of making up
policies and procedures for implementation.
At the January 1980 Chiefs Council meeting, the
Socio-Economic Portfolio got a new mandate to strike up
a second Forestry Committee to deal with these policies
and procedures in practice, as they relate to opportunities
for Indian Bands.
In February this month, a meeting of interested Bands,
lawyers and government representatives met at the Union
office to discuss two of the White Papers that would be
beneficial: the Intense Forest Management and Woodlot
Licenses. Recommendations were drawn up and handed
to the lawyers hired as consultants for this state of
negotiations.
For any information on the UBCIC Forestry
Committee, contact the Socio-Economic Portfolio.
•
INDIAN W O R L D 45
RED-TAPE TALK
A short story by Clifford Hanuse
" B i l l , are you going home for lunch?" the secretary
had accidentally slammed the door behind her. The Band
Manager's office appeared balanced out with the fresh
sky blue walls and the clutter of paper work, magazines,
reports and so forth surrounding his huge desk and filing
cabinets. "Yeah, I want to take a walk, to get away from
all these." He pushed a bunch of papers to the edge of his
desk.
Leanne walked slowly towards the aluminum framed
window and spoke in a tone Bill never heard before,
"Suppose the federal government will never change the
ways of the Department." The Band Manager did not
answer but instead he wondered what she was driving at.
Using the palm of her small hand she started wiping the
steam off the glass pane and stared outside as if she were
in a trance.
The salmon berry bushes beside the Band office looked
very brittle as they reached out to sky. But this did not
matter to the chickadees that bounced to and fro from
branch to branch. The frost was now melting as the
sunlight, with ever increasing force, pierced through the
morning overcast clouds.
Like a politician, who always laugh at their own jokes
in their promising speeches, Leanne's fake laugh faded
into a cold voice, " Y o u know, it drives me up the wall
when I read the incoming mail and type the out-going
letters." Bill felt a tingling grab at his spine, it was a
defensive feeling. He looked at her for a moment and
asked, "Does all that red-tape nonsense get to you too?"
INDIAN W O R L D 46
She turned to face Bill. "We are like puppets, our
strings are being pulled by the Department." She paused
momentarily to catch her breath. "Those civil servants
have continuously succeeded in writing the scripts, you
know. It's all in the policies and guidelines." Bill tried to
speak but the secretary continued, "How do we change
this type of administrative arrangement? It's so difficult
when the policy-makers, the politicians, only believe in
the Indian Act and the reports that are in response to the
Indian Act. The so-called bureaucrats in return only
believe in their internal office policies and procedures
which boggles up their whole purpose: they don't know
what is coming and what is going."
There was silence until Leanne asked abruptly, "How?
We can try to get into all kinds of programs, whether it be
make-work projects or a Band-owned logging operation,
yet we still end up as puppets of the Department."
Bill inhaled deeply before he spoke. "The programs
can be our key, in the socio-economic development. If we
can open the doors with the programs, it's a step in the
right direction. Sure, we're puppets, sure we do as the
Department's policies and guidelines say, but we've got
to use this, use the strings to our advantage. You've got
to remember that the Department reps are puppets of the
government." He stopped to think a moment, "I know
that the Department is in the middle, I know they tell us
and the politicians different reports, but we've got to use
the strings.
"In my own mind, with our Band, I'd like to start a
Band-owned logging company to cut timber off-reserve.
But first we've got to prove to ourselves that we're
capable and confident enough to do it. I don't want the
Department patting me on the back and saying you're
doing pretty good and have a lot of potential to really
move ahead. So far, the strings that the Department
controls through their policies and guidelines are
effectively controlling our ability to use the confidence
that can carry us."
Leanne's face lit up as she said with lifted spirits, "You
know, I think you are on the same air wave as me. I've
always wanted to put my ideas in perspective, especially
in management, the management of our own community
affairs, the management of our own authority, and the
management of a land base than could provide long term
development. I really want to see a Band-owned logging
company too. At least it will give us revenue under our
own policy. But to take it a step further, I see it very
necessary that we also have a land base owned by the
Band that can provide sufficient long term
development."
"I know, but right now all we've got going for us is the
short term Band make-work projects and the Band
office." Bill left the room for a minute or two and came
back with two cups of steaming hot coffee. He
continued, "I think we have to deal with this in phases.
We both agree that our goal is to own a company that can
provide the community economical and social, benefits
and we know that at the moment all we have is the Band
office and its make-work projects. If we can convince the
people to all come together, both on reserve and off, to
look at the Band administration, as the first phase, and
try to determine how the Band office can function to help
members both individually and as a community, and then
in return—"
Leanne interrupted, "It takes money. Getting here
makes it even tougher, but what it all boils down to is
money. There is no way off-reserve members will come
here to meet and talk about Band management."
Bill started smiling as he was about to take a sip of his
coffee, "I didn't say come together physically, I meant
mentally. If we can all put our thoughts together, and
hash out what really Band management is — it's up to us
to decide how we will administer ourselves."
"I had a plan once, it's more or less scrap now, but the
first phase was to strike up a committee to organize local
Band Training seminars. I know the Department has some
type of Band Training programs which I don't think could
possibly apply here because it's program by theory not
actual practice. My idea of any Band Training seminars is
to get the ideas from the people, from the grass-roots. If
our Band Council can effectively present their ideas on
how their role in policy making can help the Band as a
whole, if the Band Manager, yours truly, can explain how
the administration has developed over the years and
determine the direction it can go in the future, and if you,
as the secretary, can determine how your job can have .
more responsibility, like an office manager that can co-
ordinate committees, and if the members of the Band can
openly express their specific interests, which they've got
through experience, and are willing to tackle certain
areas... say we have a guy who is specifically interested
in forestry so that he could talk from that view at Band
training seminars," he paused to catch his breath,
"maybe the Committee can put all our ideas together and
into perspective, put it into a community plan, and get
more feed-back from the people—"
'Yeah, this would be better than sending away
someone to those Department Band training programs. I
think those might make more bureaucrats and the
programs may not apply to our Band's situation,"
Leanne laughed. "Maybe the second phase would be to
develop our resources in our area, like a Salmonid
Enhancement Program to work towards a fishing resort
or a commercial fishing fleet in the fisheries, or like an
Intensive Forest Management Program to work towards
a Band owned logging company - hey, maybe we can
buy a couple of logging trucks to haul timber now."
Bill did not realize how much the secretary knew about
socio-economic development and he thought about the
position of a Band Planner. "The third phase can be the
community business enterprises: we need a Band store,
we need tourism facilities, we need a museum type
library, we need better recreational facilities, we need a
housing construction crew, to name but a few. I really
believe the overall objective is to show the civil servants
that we are capable of managing our own affairs. With
this in mind we can't afford to have this process started
by having the Department advising us how to get out of
the problem they created."
"Then you agree that it is us that must make the
changes. We've got to make the Department's civil
servant's job not necessary outside the community and
most of all we've got to make changes in the Indian Act
to get authority over our own lives. I would suggest that
we start a war chest fund from the people for the
necessary legal help. As well as showing the bureaucrats
that we can develop our resources both economically and
socially we should be continuously getting input into
changes to the Indian Act. When our revisions are
complete we can make recommendations to the
government, maybe to the House of Commons."
"Leanne, I think the Indian Act is a way out of our
field. But then again it's our overall goal, we must make
certain changes if we want to control our own lives, if we
want to be able to handle the authority, and if we really
want to increase our land base." Bill stood up and
grabbed his coat.
As the Band Manager and the secretary were about to
walk toward the door a knocking echoed in the office.
The Chief stuck his head in the doorway and said, "I was
just talking to the District people: they are wondering
when we are going to sign the Local Services Agreement.
They said if we don't sign it we won't get any funds for
the Band administration."
•
INDIAN W O R L D 47
BOOK REVIEW
Indians at Work
by Rolf Knight
Published by New Star Books
by Reg Perciyal
In this book Rolf Knight attempts to give us an account
of the Indian labour work force in B.C. from the years
1858-1930. The book was compiled from memoirs,
obituaries,
reports,
from
government
agents,
missionaries and company records.
He begins by telling us that the Indians in B.C. have
every right to be as interested and proud of our history as
workers and independent producers as we are of our
more purely cultural and traditional history.
The author of this book has left me with the impression
that after the 1930's the Indian people of B.C. have made
very little contributions to the work force and are
unimportant. I do not believe our history should stop or
begin at a certain period in the province's history as the
author of this book would have us believe. Our work
history in B.C. did not begin in 1858 nor did it end in
1930.
He also leaves the reader with the impression that our
work history ended in 1930 as a result of government
subsidies and handouts which began in the 1930's. We
continued to work, but along with many non-Indians
who were also forced by lack of job opportunities to
obtain government subsidies and nation payments.
One thing that stands out very clearly is his statement
that government subsidies and nation payments were
non-existent until late in the 1930's and that before 1930
all Indian people had to work for wages or subsistence
production or usually a combination of both.
Despite the author's biases he gives us very excellent
information of Indian people in the various labour forces
that were in existence of that period: loggers, longshoremen, teamsters, cowboys, miners, fishermen, cannery
workers, and virtually in every primary industry in B.C.
There is an example of Indian handloggers in B.C. in
1856 in Nanaimo who were supplying logs to the
Hudson's Bay Company. They were giving eight large
logs or sixteen smaller ones to the H . B . C . and receiving
in return one H . B . C . blanket. The blankets at that time
were wholesaling for $1.57. Another example is of Indian
farmers from Douglas and Portage Bands who won a
diploma and a medal for the wheat they had grown. They
had entered it at the U.S. Centennial Exposition held in
Philadelphia in 1876. What was unique about Indian
farming was the vast amount of restrictions imposed by
the Federal and Provincial Governments, restrictions on
water rights, grazing leases, pre-emption as well as
restrictions on obtaining farm credits for improvements.
B.C. Indian people would also find this book very
interesting because it mentions some of our more
prominent Indian leaders such as Andrew Paull, James
INDIAN W O R L D 48
Sewid, Peter Kelley, Ed Sparrow, Charles Edenshaw,
Heber Clifton and Joe Capilano. Often these leaders are
only described as political leaders, but Knight gives us a
more personal view of them.
I feel that our real history is not only as labourers in
this Province, as the author suggests. I believe credit
should be given where credit is due. Our history did not
begin with the arrival of the Europeans. I think for him
to ask us to forget our history before European contact is
asking us to forget our culture and to become assimilated
proletarian. I would like to add a passage, one in which
he shows absolute contempt and his refusal to accept that
we had a history and a thriving culture before the arrival
of the European. "One of the most persistent and wellnigh universal misconceptions of Native Indian history in
B.C. is the romantic vision of a golden past age. In this
view, indigenous Indian societies on the Pacific Coast
existed in a veritable Garden of Eden where a superabundance of foods was always and everywhere available
with the merest effort; where Chiefs were the servants of
the people, where all necessities were shared, where
spiritualism and tradition reigned supreme." He informs
us that there are available informed opinions quite
contrary to the above. "It is regarded as gloss over the
evidence of suffering, hardships and oppression between
and within Indigenous Indian societies and it should be
conceived that Indian soceities did not witness some fall
from natural grace at the arrival of the Europeans."
I would highly recommend this book for reading to all
people not only Indian but non-Indians, regardless of
statements like the one above, because it shows the
tremendous amount of change that Indian people have
gone through and still have not yet really adapted into. I
believe that although we did endure some hardships in
our traditional culture we did not have the problems that
exist today, such as alcoholism, suicide, a high
percentage of our people in prisons and a lack of selfrespect that was at one time highly visible in all Indian
people throughout B.C. and North America. This is what
we cannot forget.
This book is available in most bookstores throughout
B.C. and may be purchased for $10.95 for the paperback.
•
KITAMAAT, HOME OF THE
STARS
The people of Kitamaat are called "Haisla"—people of the snow. When the sun shines on the water and mountains,
all the colours come alive.
by Sylvia Woods
Kitamaat Village is a medium-sized
reserve on the Northwest Coast of
B.C. The population is estimated to be
around 1,000. The people there are
called "Haisla" which means "People
of the snow." Kitimaat is surrounded
by mountains and water: when the sun
shines all the colours seem to come
alive, and it is very picturesque.
Most of the men work in Alcan, or
Eurocan. There are quite a few fishermen. Most of the women work in the
canneries in Prince Rupert during
fishing season but a lot of them are
beginning to attend College and BTSD
courses.
Besides Basketball, Fishing is
a major part of the Haisla
people's lifestyle
The Homemakers are very helpful:
if there is some kind of feast going on
or if there is a wake then they serve
coffee and other refreshments to the
people attending the wake. We also
have United Church Women (UCW)
who also help out people just like the
Homemakers.
We have only one school on our
Reserve which is attended by Nursery
and Kindergarten students. Grade
One and up go into town to Public
School. The trip to town is about eight
miles which leaves some of the
students exhausted by the end of the
day. The more energetic ones can go
till about 12:00 p.m. and still be up at
6:30 the next morning.
Practically everyone who can
INDIAN WORLD 49
This year at Prince Rupert, the senior Kitamaat basketball team won
the All Native Tournament. It was their sixth year win in a row.
Gerald Amos (14) is the floor general and leader
of the Kitamaat Haisla Braves and was named
Most Valuable Player of the Decade at the All
Native tournament awards presentations.
participates in the most popular sport
in the Northwestern part of B . C . ,
which is basketball. The Kitamaat
people take, this sport very seriously:
out of 21 all-Native Basketball
Tournaments held in Prince Rupert I
would say Kitamaat has won about 14
tournaments. In our Village we have
about six teams. Basketball also helps
to discipline the younger ones. If they
get caught smoking or drinking they
are allowed two tines, and if they are
caught a third time they are dismissed
from the team, which can be very
disappointing. This year the Senior
team has won the A l l Native
Tournament for the sixth year in a
row. The Intermediate team did not do
so well this year. During the tournaINDIAN WORLD 50
photos: Theresa Johansen,
Daily News Prince Rupert
Morris Amos (10) is co-captain and offensive
scoring leader of the Kitamaat Haisla Braves
who have won the All Native tournament for
six consecutive years.
ment there is hardly anyone left in our
Village, that's the same with most.
Reserves on the Northwest Coast.
On our Reserve we have many clubs
besides Basketball, but basket ball
seems to be the biggest and most
exciting one. We have a Hockey team
called Kitamaat Village Thunderbirds
which is only four years old. they
have problems getting men out to play
because of Basketball, but it is just as
exciting and a bit more aggressive than
basketball. From watching them, if
they are given the right coaching and a
lot of training and self-confidence I'm
sure a lot of them have N H L potential,
because Indians are known to be
stronger than non-Indians: just take a
look at Stan Jonathan—he is small but
very tough. Who knows maybe in the
next few years we'll have our own Stan
Jonathan.
I must not forget Soccer. As you
may have noticed Kitamaat is very
sports-minded—the younger boys
seem to really get into this. We have
about four soccer teams, they usually
play with other Native teams, but play
a lot with Kitamaat town, because
there is not always enough money to
travel to other reserves.
A lot of credit should be given to the
women of Kitamaat Village who help
in any way they can to raise money to
send these athletes to participate in
tournaments. The women put up a lot
of bake sales, potluck suppers, and
other things.
•
Visions
We live in silences,
little bits of spaces,
slim fitted slivers,
wedged between bunches of sounds.
Places where jewel fishes
dart through dark green.
We speak in languages
whose speakers have no tongues,
We will come to you,
soft-edged in the night
or mirror-image clear
in warm sun noon.
We breathe in the voices
of little children.
We play in the god-minds
of the great,
who capture us
only in silences.
by Jeanette Bonneau
INDIAN WORLD 51
FROM: UNION OF B.C. INDIAN CHIEFS
440 WEST HASTINGS ST.
VANCOUVER, B.C. V6B 1L1
THIS MONTH:
Most Band staff are putting in long hours these days as
the deadlines approach for the 1980/81 budget
negotiations. T o further complicate matters, many are
also fighting pressure to sign a Local Services Agreement
for funding, without due negotiation preparation. The
Special Supplement this month deals with the LOCAL
SERVICES AGREEMENT. What emerges is that the
L S A in itself has become small: the issues it has raised
have become more important. Chief Wayne Christian
describes the kind of Band Training that the Okanagan
Tribal Education Committee is undertaking to meet their
Band's management needs, (page 25) Band Manager,
Wilfred Adams gave time to discuss his Reserve's problems with and solutions to the administration of the
Babine Lakes Reserve, (page 26) Arlene Laboucane
talked over the problems facing a small Band just taking
over financial controls with Doig River Reserve Band
Manager, (page 28) Chief Saul Terry describes how the
CITC plan to eliminate many Band administration
problems by starting to take over delivery of services at
Tribal Council level on page 30. Chief Tom Sampson
describes how the traditional leaders of the South Island
District re-inforce their Bands' decision to reject the L S A
through the practical demonstration of Indian Government, (page 31)
A tragic event on the Mount Currie
Reserve made Mary Louise Williams write of her concern
that budgets and rules and regulations of administration
don't always allow for help to our people in times of
crisis.
Community Health Representatives met
in Vancouver in February. Charlotte Joe from Duncan
and another C H R give their impressions of the meeting,
(page 38) Tina Marie Christian tells how things are going
at the Round Lake Treatment Centre as the starting kinks
are worked out and the emphasis on trust, respect,
humour and traditional ways gives hope and strong alternatives, (page 40) A s promised last month, Marie Wilson
describes the goals and work of the Gitksan Carrier
Tribal Council's Land Claim Office, (page 14) Jan
Mowatt describes life on her reserve up there Gitaanmax
with great sympathy and care. She also sent in the
pictures, (page 16)
One source of anger on reserves is Order-in-Council
1036 that supposedly allows the province to use reserve
land for road-building and so on without the Band's
consent. The Lower Nicola Band considered this
trespassing and are taking this to the Supreme Court.
One source of great fun and excitement on reserves is the
sports activities. The Senior Kitimaat team won the AllNative Basketball Tournament in Prince Rupert this
This month we are starting a column on "Community
News": from Band newsletters. The Neskainlith News
sent in the picture for their profile on Elder Charlie
Allen, (page 20) Jeannette Bonneau of the Penticton
Band concludes the INDIAN WORLD this month with
beautiful " V i s i o n s " , a poem.
=e |
5
EDITORIAL
We have changed so much from the people that we
once were, we have accomodated the outsiders at the
expense of our own beliefs. We have compromised
and compromised in hopes of living in harmony with
them and for every compromise we have made we feel
guilty.
My friend Emma grew up in Northern Alberta a
daughter of a Metis hunter and trapper whose sole
means of making a living is from what the land
provided. In the mid fifties the search for oil in
Alberta intensified and its impact was felt by Emma
and her family. Her father decided to move one
hundred miles further north where the animals were
still undisturbed.
After a couple of years of serenity their hunting and
trapping life was once again disturbed when the rich
field company came in and began to drill for oil. Not
two yards from her uncle’s cabin was a little swamp
which the company began to drain with not so muchas
a by your leave to the family living only six feet away.
The ground began to give off a bad smell as it was
being drained, and the plants and trees around it were
being ripped and broken. Seeing this happen Emma,
who was ten at the time, took her uncle’s hand and
tried to pull him over to the constriction workers
saying, ‘‘Uncle, go tell them to get off your land!’’
‘*No my girl,’’ said her uncle, standing there helplessly
holding her hand, ‘‘Their God is bigger than our
God’’. Think how guilty her uncle felt when he
couldn’t satisfy the simple and just wish of his ten year
old niece when he had to compromise his own beliefs
in the sanctity of the land to the outsiders who were
more powerful than he.
In the last fifteen years because of the growing
political activism on the part of our leaders we, the
sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters
no longer believe their God is bigger or stronger than
ours. Collectively we are beginning to realize our own
power. But to our grandfathers and grandmothers,
our fathers and mothers who are forced to
compromise their beliefs: who didn’t fight back, who
didn’t teach us our own language, who didn’t keep us
home from boarding schools, we don’t blame you. We
are learning to understand who is really to blame.
Please put away your guilt because it’s a disgusting
emotion which eats away at you until you are no
longer whole and we need you whole and healthy, we
need your strength, wisdom, and knowledge if our
children are going to grow up in dignity as Indian
people.
Grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers and mothers,
we love you. .
The Editor
\
OUR COVER: In Canim Lake the young and old gathered to discuss the importance of Indian
sovereignty; bringing back our Indian values.
Nee
DIAN
| WORLD
| VOLUME 2 NUMBER 9
Local Services Agreement
DIA’s bureaucratic rules and regulations for funding
Sail fo recognize Bands’ rights to control their own
administrations. Band projects like this Housing
program in Massett are too often held back because of
DIA inefficiency.
Contributors
Editor: Beth Cuthand
Assistant Editor: Pauline Douglas
Written Contributions: Don Gravelle, Jack Kruger,
Arlene Laboucane, Marie Wilson, Jeff Smith, Judy
Manuel, Jeanette Bonneau, Jane Mowatt, Charlotte
Joe, Mary Louise Williams, Tina Marie Christian,
George Manual, Barbara Kuhne, Beverley Dagg, Sadie
Worn-Staff, Willard Martin, John Rogers, Clifford
Hanuse, Jim Brisboise, Alejandro Palacois, Darryl
Watts, Reg Percival, Angela Matilpi, Val Dudoward
and Darrell Ned.
‘Typesetting: Penny Goldsmith and Mary Schendlinger
Photographs: by UBCIC staff unless otherwise credited.
‘THE CHOICE IS OURS” iy
EZ an
INDIAN WORLD is the official voice of the Union [|
of British Columbia Indian Chiefs.
It is dedicated to building a strong foundation for
Indian Government by providing an awareness of the
political and social issues affecting the Indians of
British Columbia.
Signed articles and opinions are the views of the
individuals concerned and not necessarily those of the
UBCIC.
Table of Contents
Ei it bt iho. iis arora. aieers (ote aleve’ olaratel | ereibceceiaiaseres'e dares
Preservation of Spotted bake Scaj ave aieiacs lola isyaia ate aeataty i
President S M@SSABE ici c'0 101s avaible al pieierera iq realeiaty 5
Pollution Overloading in the Fraser.............. L
SG) ape eek ovens avin Siete Oe tei era the ors WS Caterote ai aes 8
News News News ....... ssc seeeee stecsist ston ants aid
Hat Creek Threatened Again... ....0escescneenen 10
Dam the Stikine, says B.C. Hydro ............. veh
We DALES tacevare-aretanaieroreiero wile) =)» wien eigtelareiate la les stile aah
Gitskan-Carrier Tribal Council
Land Claims Office si o.2is cs ccs: cisvtce eos
Gitanmaax, ‘‘People of the Burning Torches’ PE ONG 16
Canim Lake Elders Talk on
EFIGIRT SOVEFOIRTIEY 5 ice ieie!o ces o:a crus Siecalg etele ete leeiee 18
PoP estr Ene ING WE Pe sis setoscs be, cscsesal osdtu'-n cane 0/4 aoa Mie Shea 20
Local Services Agreement Supplement......... 21-32
, Negotiating the SvA re fercisieievenevars miaialeahelatscete 22
* Knowing How 1s the Kev a2. Saini sce ena 24
Management in Lake Babine................26
PGR VOR ais a diss aia ag ok siee einen s'obleieie cie'are 28
Indian Government Alternatives....... saaiiate 30 -
The Alkali Five Upholding
Traditional Hunting Rights................-.- 33
FréetoThink BUtROIO‘ACE:..esececcsceuen eee ee 34
UBS EIALES sa.ccasn orcas io ovis Wisinraters eth ste0 o's7e ote. e'ele Wl quelate 35
Uranium: Last Month at the Hearings............ 36
Child Welfare StuGy <5 0 cca ue secs s sisic esse oe ie ea
No Help Available for Burned Out Family ...... ..39
The Regional CHR Conference in Vancouver...... 39
Trust, Respect and Laughter.............5+++++-40
A Reason for Living:
A poem by Deborah Hayward................. 4)
Lower Kootenay Band Farin sie-< sissies aft sic Siew 4 42
Erosion and Flood Control .................44.: 44
FOLESEEY csi niece op elo ls Walkie a%s aiabacptalie: hialelbrsia) avaiavauskeveys 45
Rede PAane lalk: cc sigs sens vie ihies-slaais Nees mae 46
Indians at Work: A Book Review..............-. 48
KitamaatsHlome of the Stars os. s:+:0:0:<0:0is.068 aivin se 49
Visions:
A poem by Jeanette Bonneau ................. 51
INDIAN WORLD 3
PRESERVATION OF
SPOT
by Jack Kruger
In the fall of 1977, Ernie Smith
called the Indian people together to
meet with him to discuss Spotted
Lake. Ernie, a non-Indian at present
has title to the land.
Ernie promised the natives the
. ownership of the Lake with his
blessings. This trust relationship
continued to 1978. Ernie, along with
us had gatherings, meetings, and we
privately attended at the Lake.
The decision by Ernie to change the
zoning to commercial was
immediately opposed by the
Okanagan Tribal People. The zoning
of Spotted Lake is at present under
mining and grazing. Under this
zoning you are not allowed to con-
struct buildings for commercial pur-
poses.
The long conflict between the
Natives and Ernie was finally decided
on February 14, 1980, in Victoria.
(continued on page 6 )
INDIAN WORLD 4
7
Le * a i aoe rs ™
> oe a
i
(THE ELDERS
Since the first meetings and
gatherings held, the elders were
continuously involved.
Responsibility was the direction
to be maintained, as we were
advised by the elders, specifically
in the importance of Keeping
Spotted Lake. Our elders stressed
the importance this Sacred Lake
has to all Native Indian people.
These serious moments created a
path that led us to a positive atti-
tude and definite goal in our
minds. The elders’ experiences
were being shown during many
circumstances we went through.
Our Elders were far more sup-
portive than just giving Historical
Information.
When self doubt would affect us
and our desire to win would wane,
i
help. Yet in a humble way the |
our elders rescued us from self )
defeat. Many times their creative-
ness and smoothness was needed to
eliminate our crusty rough edges.
Our spirits were often lifted by
their humor, laughter and soft
bubbling nature.
They consistently did for us
everything we could ask, without
pay, question or praise.
These elders were showing us —
simple and basic respect and hum-
bleness.
I feel it was best expressed when
John Kruger stated ‘‘I was called
by the Young Children to speak
about my knowledge of Sree
Lake.”’
My feelings are that it was us
who were in need of the Elders’
Elders showed a desire to equally
participate alongside of us. ay
*
| PRESIDENT’S
__ MESSAGE __
ir > .
“= } :
The hostility by Indian leaders against DIA is escalated
by the local services agreement terminology that DIA
insists must be used such as “‘ligibility for funds.’’ The
word eligibility used in the L.S.A. insinuates a moral
obligation is being translated with the Indian governing
authority and this is bound to be interpreted by Indian
leaders and DIA field staff as a Welfare handout to the
: a Indian leaders, at least in mentality if not in fact.
1 hy ote
The Deparment of Indian Affairs insists that our
indian Government must sign the Local Services
Agreement in order to be “‘ligible’’ for Federal
Government funds to administer local services to o
Indian people on our Indian Reserve Communities.
_ Our Indian Governments are not opposed to acco
tig to DIA for funds that they know they must nego
for to provide badly needed services in our
Communities. We are opposed to the panel and of 4
=
Managers and staff of the Department of Indiz
Our Indian Governing leaders are made to feel
are being provided with the privilege of ac mini
glorified welfare service by the supreme comme
the white colonists of the Federal Gove nimerit:
eh _caapaaet |
r
Ht
Der: ae
is -
3 it
-
iG im
a
ie
Many Indian Government leaders are still looked upon
and treated as hewers of wood and packers of water by
DIA officials. Many field managers and staff of the
Department of Indian Affairs act as though they are
supreme commanders, their colonial lords when they
meet with our people to interpret the local services
agreement to them. The reaction from our Indian leaders
is naturally resentment and often hostility. The old saying
that ‘‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”’ or ‘‘he who
pays the piper calls the tune’’ holds so much truth when a
clearly patronizing relationship with Indian Governing
leaders is being practised in carrying out duties by civil
servants of the Federal Government. Is this mentality
created by the oath of allegiance the civil servant makes
when he becomes an employee of the government? Or is
it racism? In any case, this DIA attitude must stop if we
are sincere in bringing the reality of self-determination to
Indian reserve communities.
The traditional colonial mentality fostered in the
[ relationship between Indians and DIA must end if self-
reliance for Indians is the honest intention of both sides.
[ il Then the Federal Government has to acknowledge the
Indian people’s conviction that the Federal Government
- funds that come to Indian Governments for services to
| Indian people for Indian Reserve Communities does
me from the resources of our homeland and we are
titled to receive funds from the Gross National Product
: in the same way as have-not Provincial Governments
+ such as Prince Edward Island. They receive
~ grants for having little or no rept) ter all,
' Federal Government took our resources-and are holding
i tin “trust” forthebeefi of ae
© As Indian “people throughout history,“ we hi
aitilinrated® an @ftaordinary ability to survive and
hold to our orig )
existing between ourselves and the Federal Government
and its civil servants is a ‘‘trust’’ relationship. We could
do no less than hold true to that conviction our
forefathers bequeathed to us. Today, in our everyday
dealings with these civil servants, we are as correct in our
assessment of their desire to hold us down and under
their thumbs, as our forefathers were. And just as our
forefathers maintained our struggle for _ self-
determination, so such civil servants should realize that
we shall continue to oppose their supremacist attitudes
until the last civil servant is led out the door of our lives.
Yours in struggle,
INDIAN WORLD 5
(from page 4)
The meeting took place at Munici-
pal Affairs Minister Vander Zalm’s
office in Victoria. The Chiefs had me
chairing the meeting.
We had our first Elder John Kruger
speak of the history and his involve-
ment with Spotted Lake. He spoke of
the Lake before the arrival of white
society. He spoke on the past meet-
ings with the old chiefs of the
Okanagan and Department of Indian
Affairs on our ownership of Spotted
Lake. He stated how the lake was
supposed to be held on behalf of
Native People. With honest sincerity
this Elder spoke briefly and to the
point.
lady, Selina Timoyikin. She spoke of
the many wrongs done to our native
people. She spoke about history, our
medicines, about our spiritual values
and our knowledge of how we are to
use them. She expressed how our
faith and the Lake was important to
us.
Our fourth speaker was Larry
Pierre Sr., an Elder also. He stated
Spotted Lake was made by the
creator and this is very sacred. The
white society did not bring this lake
from Europe and place it in Osoyoos.
Larry said that we were not going to
carry the Lake from where it’s at and
put it on the Reserve. This Lake is
sacred in its natural state.
point. During this brief exchange Bill
Vander Zalm stated that he acknow-
ledged the statements given by the
Elders. The Minister was especially
impressed with our faith in our Spiri-
tual Beliefs. With this the Minister
Bill Vander Zalm stated, ‘‘I will not
sign the zoning by-law and will
inform the Regional Board of my
decision.’’ He also promised to make
a report to the DIA to support the
Indian people’s claim to have the lake
returned to their trusteeship.
Those of us who did not speak were
ecstatic of the decision.
We came as a Tribal representing
group prepared with info to express
our views to the Minister.
Members of the Okanagan Tribal Council oppose first application to turn Spotted Lake into a tourist resort
Our second speaker was. also an
Elder, Tommy Gregory’ from
Vernon. He questioned Vander Zalm
first. His emphasis was ‘‘We did not
come to quarrel with you. We just
want you to know: this is our position
and our right and it is very important
to us.”’
The third speaker was an elderly
INDIAN WORLD 6
He also emphasized the spiritual
values. He asked for Vander Zalm’s
sincerety in deciding. He said, ‘‘Put it
in your mind what is more important
here, money or a person’s health.
What we Natives are concerned about
it the person’s health.”’
] felt there was an atmosphere
happening with Vander Zalm at this
We are as follows: the chiefs of the
Okanagan Tribe and representing
spokespersons; Union of B.C. Indian
Chiefs representative and lawyer, and
also included are interested members
and children.
Those of us who did not speak did
not have to because our Elders suc-
cessfully showed us the ropes. °
—
. Board,
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POLLUTION OVERLOADING
THE FRASER
a: Ses
The pollution of the Fraser River
and its estuary will be the death of the |
biggest salmon run in the world if
industrial waste into Municipal
sewage systems is not treated immedi-
ately.
A brief submitted to the Pollution
Control Board by the Health and
Social Development Portfolio of the
UBCIC in January, 1980 said the
Branch has not lived up to its respon-
sibility to protect the environment of
B.C,
totes - Se
ours
= ee
—
systems for air and water pollution
for the North and South Thompson
River, The Band says the two major
; pollutants in the area are Weyer-
hauser Pulpmill and the City of
™ Kamloops sewage treatment facility.
The Bridge River Band says there is
a real danger arising from the Kemano
san ~ II project that would reduce the flow
~~ of water that helps dilute the pollu-
_ tants going into the river. The Band is
now drafting up by-laws for pollution
control in their area.
The problem is that the respon-
sible government agencies are not
enforcing the laws to protect the
environment. The Fisheries Act,
for example, is used to harass
Indian food fishermen but not to
control industrial polluters who
cause far more damage to fish.
While the Pollution Control
the Greater Vancouver
Sewage and Drainage District and
the City of Vancouver dispute over
who gets authority to regulate
industrial discharge, the Fraser
River is becoming a sink for
pollutants.
In 1977, oil and grease loads going
into the Fraser River from Annacis
Island was 6800 pounds a day. Other
pollutants such as aluminum,
chromium, iron, copper, ammonia,
cyanide, zinc, nickel, lead and sul-
phate are passing daily through the
many treatment plants on the Fraser.
As a result, Sturgeon Banks on the
Fraser estuary is totally destroyed.
The Kamloops Indian Band are in the
process of setting up monitoring
A public enquiry looking into these
treatment plants and waste discharges
going into the lower Fraser River was
held on the 18, 19 and 20th of
February at the Robson Square
conference rooms.
As the Hearings progressed we
learned why nothing had been done
about the pollution problem. Govern-
ment and Municipal agencies were
involved in a political power struggle
and the River was the victim.
On Thursday, February 20, we
made our presentation. Up to that
point the Hearings had been technical
and boring with nobody addressing
the main issue of moving now to
protect the fish.
Herman Thomas, Co-ordinator of
the Fishing Portfolio led off
the presentation, accusing the Pollu-
tion Control Board of a ‘‘callous
disregard’ for the environment and
the Indian people of B.C.
The Union demanded that the B.C.
government institute a source control
_ River Band,
program for industries dumping
wastes into municipal sewers; that the
government establish a toxic waste
disposal system; that industries which
refuse to comply with regulations be
shut down; and that Vancouver
SewageandDraining be ordered to
institute secondary treatment at
Annacis Island plant.
Then George Manuel spoke : ‘We
are not militant opposers to
everything that happens but we have
outstanding concerns that relate to
our livelihood.”’
He challenged the Chairman to
**Take a drink of Fraser River water
from the Vancouver area if you want
to know if it is polluted or not.’’ He
left a sample of water in front of the
Chairman and paused, but no one
would touch it. ‘‘There used to be so
many salmon in the river that a rock,
thrown in, would lay on their backs
and not sink, they were so thick.”
‘Pollution is the greatest agent
destroying our natural resources. If
you (the PCB) don’t do anything
about pollution, we will take our
concerns to the United Nations.”’
Next, Chief Saul Terry of the Bridge
told the Hearing that
““The Fraser River is an artery of life
and it is important to maintain those
arteries of life not only for the Indian
people but for all citizens of the
country.’’
Chief Ron John of the Hope Band
told the Inquiry about the diseased
condition of the salmon his Band
caught and how they were afraid of
being poisoned by the pollution.
Federal Fisheries, Wildlife officers
and the Environment Protection
Service also made presentations to
support immediate steps to clean up
the River.
Dr. C. Mackenzie, Chairman of
the Hearings, and the panel will
take all recommendations to the
Pollution Control Board.
INDIAN WORLD 7
Chiefs Council has deci-
ded to continue to chal-
lenge the right of the Prov-
ince to take Indian reserve
lands for road-building,
etc. They have directed the
UBCIC Legal Portfolio to
take the Moses vs. the
Queen case, better known
as the 1036 case, to the Su-
preme Court of Canada.
In 1975 the Province entered into
the Reserves of the Lower Nicola
Band in order to widen a road that
ran through the reserve. The Band
took the position that they were
trespassing. They wouldn’t allow
them to come in. But the Province
came in anyway, and the Band,
. through Don Moses who was Chief of
the Band at that time, sued the
Province for trespass.
The case raises two basic issues.
The main one is whether or not the
Province has the right to go into
reserves without consent for the.
purpose of constructing roads, The
Province claimed that it has that right c
under Order-In-Council 1036 which is
a Provincial Order-in-Couneil. There
is a corresponding Federal Order-In-
Council as well,
called Order-In-
Council 208 which relates to lands —
inside the Railway Belt.
In-Council, says the Province, is to
But the
basic effect of both of these Orders-
give them the right to enter into
reserves and take land for roads. For
both lands inside the.Railway Belt
and reserye lands outside the Belt, the
province claims that it has the right to
take up to one-twentieth of Indian
~ lands re
reserves for the purposes, among ts
other things, of constructing roads.
The Indian people in the Moses case.
say the Province does not have tha
right.
B.C. Reserve Lands Only
Transferred in 1930
The history of the relationship
between the Province and the Indian
people has been, as everyone knows,
pretty difficult and confusing.
Reserves were allotted, and
INDIAN WORLD 8
thy)
confirmed by the Colonial
Government and then by the
Provincial Government. After
Confederation there were conflicts
between the Federal and Provincial
governments while they were trying to
clear up what they called ‘“The Indian
Problem’’.
Commission; then at the turn of the
century there was the McKenna-
Out of this
last Commission came the cut-off
lands issue. These Commissions were —
McBride Commission.
supposed to jointly sort out where the
Reserves were, and who would have
how much land. But it wasn’t until
1930 that we had any formal Execu- —
tive or Legislative ct i in terms of es-
tablishing Reserves . The Commis-
sioners allotted Reserves, confirmed
Reserves, But only in 1930, the date
n-Council 1036, was there
transferred the land on. “which: ‘the
Reserves were situated from Provin-
cial to Federal control. |
In Order-In-Council 1036 there is
the phrase that the Province has the
right to resume up to one-twentieth of
Indian Reserves for the purposes of,
among other things, the construction
ofroads, i
You Can't Take Back What You
Never Had
The people of Lower Nicola Band
y, however, that this part i is illegal.
‘They say that all 1036 did was recog-
nize the change in jurisdiction that
under the B.N.A. Act Indians and
serv ved for Indians came
under the edera al Government. They
say it was simply an administrative
change and that Order-In-Council
could not really give rights and take
away rights.
» We had the land and we had what
lawyers call “‘usufructory rights’
over that " the right to be on and
‘use’ that land; but the Province
x claimed what lawyers call the basic
“fee Simple” which means that the
land was held in trust for Indians.
Under the Terms of Union, the
‘Province packaged everything up to
hand over to the Federal Govern-
ment: the ‘‘usufructory right’’ and
There was the O’Riley
House of
the ‘‘fee simple right’’. The Province
also added the right to take back one-
twentieth of Reserve lands for road-
building, etc. We say that the
Province can’t take back what it
never had before, which is the
‘‘ysufructory right’’. That had
always been with the Indian people.
Parliament Should Have Been
Involved in Transfer
Another argument is that they did
all of this by what is\called Executive
Acts, which meant it was considered
too unimportant to put through the
‘a it. Orders-In-
Council are basically. set up to do the
“housekeeping” work of the |
mmment. We are saying that in~
= this , change was important
£ pied cin only have been
slatu thyOugh
Parliament,
The really bad thing about Order-
a In-Gouncil 1036 is that it allows
expropriation without. consent or
compensation for the land.
Negotiation Through Indian Act
Will Give Us Bargaining Power
If we win this case, it would mean
that the Provincial Government can
no longer just come in and take
Reserve land. If we win this case,
Provincial road-building, power
lines and so forth will have to be
negotiated through Section 35 of the
Indain Act. This provision in the ©
Indian Act allows the Province, if it
has the right to expropriate in its own
Act, to go to the Governor in Council
and get permission to expropriate the
land it wants. But the Governor in
Council can impose all kinds of
conditions. The difference between a
1036 action and a Section 35 action is
that the action is not one-sided. The
Province has to have the Governor in
Council, someone representing the
Indian people, involved in the deci-
sion, Section 35 of the Indian Act
gives us bargaining power that we
don’t have under Order-In-Council
1036.
The Lower Nicola Band lost this
case at trial level and again at the
B.C. Court of Appeal. It is now going
to the highest court in the land. e
NEWS, NEWS, NEWS
MOWACHAHT BAND SUES B.C. HYDRO
The Mowachaht Band of the West Coast of Vancouver
Island is suing one of the most powerful corporations in
British Columbia.
After years of unsuccessful on-and-off negotiations
with B.C. Hydro, Chief Mary Johnson, on behalf of the
Band members, filed suit against B.C. Hydro February
15.
The Mowachaht Band claims that in 1971 B.C. Hydro
came on the Sucowa Reserve, bulldozed the land and
began to construct a power supply line. This was done
without lawful access to the land and without the
Mowachaht Band’s consent.
The Band also says that B.C. Hydro has caused
extensive damage to the reserve, by removal of trees, loss
of rental value, application of chemical sprays and
interfering with the use and enjoyment of that land.
Although the Band has the legal right to remove the
power line, they have chosen to proceed through the
courts so they might spare the residents of the town of
Tahsis from being deprived of electricity. This decisions
was reached despite the fact that the Indian Reserve
adjoining the townsite has never been supplied with
electricity from a line illegally running right through their
reserve.
The suit brings a trespass action against B.C. Hydro
and asks the court for exemplary and punitive damages.
Chief Mary Johnson said, ‘‘Through my experience, I
feel B.C. Hydro has continuously ignored our
complaints; now they will realize we are serious about our
demands.”’
B.C. Hydro will understand they cannot bulldoze the
rights of the Indian people as easily as they bulldozed the
land.
CHILLIWACK DISTRICT SUED FOR TRESPASSING
ON FOUR RESERVES
A road known as the Chilliwack Mountain Road goes:
through the Squiala Indian Reserve and has been used by
the public up to 1950, without the consent of the Band,
members.
Cheifs Theresa Jimmie, John George, Ben James, and
David Pat Joe on behalf of themselves and their Band
members, are suing the district of Chillwack and the
Department of Indian Affairs for trespass, concerning .
travel on two main throughfares in Chilliwack.
Although no valid surrender was obtained for use of
the road, the Department of Indian Affairs entered into
an agreement with the District of Chilliwack allowing
them use of the Chilliwack Mountain Road for right of
way, without compensation. Therefore the Bands are
asking for a declaration of ownership of Chilliwack
Mountain Road, damages and an injunction.
Chief Ben James is also separately suing the District of
Chilliwack for trespass, asking for damages and an
injunction, concerning travel on a road called ‘‘Skyway
Road’’ commonly known as Wolf Road. The road
belongs solely to the Band, and only the Band can give
permission to the public for its use.
KITSUMKAYLUM
The Kitsumkaylum Indian Band outside Terrace, B.C.
has a lease agreement with the Canadian National
Railway Co. According to this agreement, the company
can remove and process rocks from a part of the reserve,
and pay a certain amount of money for the rent.
However, the Band feels the agreement is one-sided and
that they are being ripped off. They have asked the Legal
Department to analyze the lease for them.
FOUNTAIN BAND CHARGES FISHERIES DEPT
The Fountain Band has laid charges against the Federal
Fisheries Department but are awaiting the Crown .
Prosecutor’s decision whether to accept them into court
or not. The Band has charged them with nine counts of
trespassing on reserve land, six common assault charges
and one charge causing a disturbance by using obscene -
language. The court hearings were to be heard on the
25th, 26th and 27th of February, 1980 in Lillooet, B.C.
INDIAN WORLD 9
B. C. Energy policy announced
HAT CREEK THREAT AGAIN
After years without any real
leadership in energy matters, the
Provincial Government has finally
released its Energy Policy Statement
for the 1980’s. Claimed ‘‘a
framework for detailed initiatives,’’
the paper is just a bare-boned skele-
ton clothed in motherhood state-
ments. It fails entirely to provide any
assurances to Indian people that our
resources will be protected from
needless exploitation.
B.C. Hydro Policies to be
Directed by Province
The one bright spot is the Govern-
ment’s decision that it, not B.C.
Hydro, will set future policies on
which major projects go ahead and
under what circumstances. A new
B.C. Utilities Commission was an-
nounced to regulate Hydro’s electri-
city and natural gas rates, as well as
taking on the regulatory functions of
the present B.C. Energy Commission.
B.C. Hydro has been given a mono-
poly over the development of all
future hydroelectric projects on B.C.
rivers, but the proposed projects must
be submitted to a new regulatory
process.
No Details on Review Process
The report promises that the
““streamlined project review process’’
will weigh all the social, environ-
mental and economic implications of
major energy developments to ensure
that only those that are desirable get
approved. Needless to say, the
question ‘‘desirable to whom?”’ isn’t
gone into. Since no details are given
about the structure and functioning
of this review process, we really can’t ,
know whether it will serve in any way
to protect Indian lands and waters.
Several other new regulatory and
review boards were announced:
® an energy development agency to
fund research programs and
assist industry
INDIAN WORLD 10
Pers PAS Lh eS one ain :
B.C.’s Energy Policy calls Ger the development of Hat Creek “ad Twelve
Bands will be directly impacted and many more interior Bands will eventually
feel the effects of this massive strip mining project.
®a task force to develop energy
pricing policies
® a system for reviewing proposed
exports of natural gas, electricity
and petroleum products.
It all sounds logical enough, but
we’ll have to wait and seé how well it
functions.
Hat Creek Threatened Again
The closest that Energy Minister
McClelland came to giving a concrete
policy directive was in singling out
coal for government research. He
announced:
2 the establishment of an Office of
Coal Research;
renewed determination to develop
the Hat Creek coal deposit;
e research projects to assess con-
version of coal to synthetic
petroleum;
® feasibility studies to determine
how waste coal from the metal-
lurgical mines in the East
Kootenays could be used to
generate electricity. .
Indications are that the Hat Creek
Indian Communications Committee’s
battle to protect our health and envir-
onment from the dangerous pollu-
tants of a coal-fired power plant is
not over.
A Lot of Questions Unanswered
The policy statement leaves many
questions unanswered. Most notice-
ably, no -mention was made of
nuclear power; no decision was made
on proposals for a natural gas pipe-
line to Vancouver Island; and the
future of the Kemano II hydro
project was left unclarified. While the
policy clearly states that only B.C.
Hydro can develop future hydroelec-
tric projects, Alcan is maintaining its
stated intention to proceed with the
project.
Until these and many other issues
are clarified, the energy policy will
lack the flesh and blood of a real
thing to be reckoned with. e
DAM THE STIKINE
aa ea = ae |
Yy
‘
as (-
Indian people in B.C. may again
feel the effects of exploitation of this
province’s resources. This time it will
be the Tahltan people of the Stikine
and Iskut Rivers, near Telegraph
Creek in north, who could be hit.
B.C. Hydro has proposed the
construction of five dams in the area
which would havea direct effect on the
local people. Two of the dams would ,
be on the Stikine River and the other
hree are planned for the Iskut River.
on the Stikine the sites are called site
-1 and site Z. South of these sites
would be the Forest Kerr Creek Diver-
sion, More Creek and Iskut Canyon
dams, on the Iskut.
Because of the huge size of the
lewart
Cassiar
Highway
a7
BDEASE LAKE
Phen tie “Pos,
\G I no ReEREIC. Via under study j a
| Alaska \\ British see
oN \ Columbia Mt. Edziza
x ‘Chautina Provincial
' River Park
\ TIKINE
: RIVER
\,
‘
‘ oe
| Zi a
me = ee ‘ls aay Iskut
ae a
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iS X eS AY a he etwas Highway
4 AL { KISKUT =
uh We Y RIVER
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project, there are also many access
roads and transmission lines planned
for the area.
At this time feasibility studies are
being done, but B.C. Hydro said it will
go ahead with the projects, regardless
of the findings. The timetable the
company hopes to follow calls for
actual construction to begin in 1984
and to finish in 1996. Should the dams
be constructed and used for hydro-
electricity as planned, the total energy
generated would be greater than the
amount produced by the massive
Ue
week
W.A.C. Bennett Dam. Local residents .
would not get any of this energy.
The effects of the project would be
devastating to the Indian people of the
says B.C. Hydro
SCALE
Goose a pe eo soniies
Sa ele = Lokilumwie feb
STIKINE
RIVER
Spatsizi Provincial Park
A
‘
*~ Tatlatui
% B.C. Provincial
failway Park
Bed
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me. track to thus
~ Point only
‘
Flooding and construction that would result from five proposed dams on the Stikine and Iskut Rivers would be
devastating to the Tahitans of northern B.C.
region. The Tahitan Indians of the
Telegraph Creek area are greatly
dependent on the natural resources,
much of which would be destroyed
permanently.
Flooding would be the major
destructive force of the area. It would
turn the river from a very fast-moving
one to one that would move slowly
along much of its distance. The
flooding would also destroy much of
the natural habitat of the animals,
especially the wild goats. There is a
herd of about 180 goats living around
the cliffs along the river. This is the
last major goat herd. If the dams are
built, these cliffs would be flooded.
Although the goats are planned to be
INDIAN WORLD 11
airlifted by helicopters to another
area, many would probably not be
found and would die.
The people in the area make most of
their livelihood from the Stikine
Fishery. This would also be greatly
affected. The dams and their effects
would destroy the livelihood of the
Indians and others, causing many to
turn to social assistance to feed their
families.
The Tahltans also depend heavily
on hunting, trapping and guiding to
make a living. Because of the con-
struction of access roads and trans-
mission lines, migration patterns of
the region would change. The wolver-
ine, marten, bear, beaver and otter,
which the Indian people need, would
be frightened away or killed needless-
ly. The traplines would also be
destroyed. One group that would be
directly affected would be a group of
thirty-two Indian trappers who
formed a co-operative trapline.
Another worry of the people is that
the construction and operation of the
five dams would cause a great increase
in the population of the area. There /
would be many workers sent to the
dam sites. Problems have arisen from
similar, extreme increases of popula-
tion in the past and the Tahltans don’t
want the same problem in their area.
-ifit Pipir* 2 Sate,
2B
| Indians of the Stikine and Isk
resources of the Stikine drainage
on
would be killed or frightened away.
University of B.C. and discussed their
concerns.
The group were unanimous in
opposing the project. They want the
river to remain in its natural,
free-flowing state, especially the
Grand Canyon on the Stikine River,
which would be flooded by the
damming.
The Tahltan and Iskut Bands have
said that the construction of the dam
would impose on their right to
determine their own future. They
would not be able to manage the
y ea. ae
end up under 500 feet of flood water.
To fight the building of the dams,
the Tahltans and several other local
interest groups have banded together
and are trying to stop the proposal by
B.C. Hydro. On January 25-27, these
groups held a workshop at the
INDIAN WORLD 12
Willy Williams, a ahitan Indian, took
10 years 10 build his ranch. It might
system, Land claims could also be
seriously affected by the completion
_of the project.
The people in the area want studies
of potential environmental and social
impacts to be carried out by govern-
ut Rivers depend on the wildlife for food. Much
nydes80an eysely :o1oyd
ment agencies, other than B.C.
Hydro. Since they are the most
knowledgeable about the area, local
residents want to be able to participate
in the studies. The local groups also
want all data and studies conducted by
the B.C. Hydro to be released to the
public. They have been kept secret in
the past.
To combat the construction of the
dams, the local groups decided at the
workshop in Vancouver that two intial
steps must be taken.
The first would be a public inquiry
into the energy policies of the
provincial government. Within one of
the resolutions, the groups stated that
some of the energy-producing projects
carried out by the provincial govern-
ment are of questionable need. The
inquiry would look into the situation
to see if the dams are actually needed.
The other step would be to set up a
task force which would collect data
about the region and try to come up
with a practical alternate plan for
energy production, rather than the
dams. It would also look into the other
problems caused by northern devel-
opment in general.
The dams on the Stikine and Iskut
rivers, along with the construction of
roads, railways, transmission lines
and homes for workers, would have a
devastating and permanent effect on
the people of the Stikine and Iskut
Bands. They are fighting for their
livelihoods and the fight has just
begun. e
es
ns
——UP-DATE
KILDONAN ASKS BLUEBERRY TO LIFT INJUNC-
TION ON SOUR GAS WELL
Kildonan Oil Company met with Blueberry Band
members to claim that all safety standards had been met
for operating the sour gas well on the edge of the Blueberry
Reserve. They claimed to have used Alberta safety
standards, which are higher than those for B.C., and they
want the Band to lift the injunction closing the well before
the case goes to court.
In July last year, the Band got a court injunction to close
down this well because of a chronic pollution problem and
a major poison gas leak that forced the Band members to
flee for their lives into the bush.
The Band took the company to court to have the well
shut down and also filed suit against the company for
damages to health and loss of income caused by the leak of
hydrogen sulphide from the well. The case is due to be
heard in the courts within the next few weeks.
In the meantime the Band is checking all the company’s
documentation of improved safety standards very
carefully before deciding on a possible re-opening.
MUSQUEAM CASE
The Musqueam Band is suing the Department of
Indian Affairs for mismanagement and breach of trust in
leasing their land on conditions to which the Band had
never agreed.
Musqueam Band Chief Delbert Guerin says they don’t
know what is happening in the case at this time. There is a
chance it will be reopened in April, 1980 with a new
witness for the Crown, Jack Ellis, who owns a part share
of the smaller golf course on the reserve. ;
MURIEL JOE’S BLOCKADE
Muriel Joe of the Cowichan Band is still in dispute with
the Duncan City Council over property she knows is hers
and won’t allow the city council to repair sewer lines on her
property until they admit to her land ownership.
Muriel protested and parked an old truck inside the
fence with a sign saying it was Indian land. Her blockade is
still standing, she has replaced the old truck with a tractor
but it still does the job.
KEMANO II
Opposition continues to grow against the Kemano Two
Project which B.C. Hydro says it’s determined to build in
the Kitimat area. The Haisla people of Kitamaat insist
that a public inquiry must be held, so that their concerns
will not be ignored. The Gitksan-Carrier Tribal Council
has already done studies on the project and its potential
impact on the Gitksan-Carrier people. They are
continuing to meet in order to come up with a strategy
concerning the project.
MOUNT CURRIE DIKING
The Mount Currie Band is looking for ways to gain
more control of a diking project on their land. The five-
year 1.2 billion dollar project, funded by federal and
provincial government sources, involves flood control
and erosion protection. The river banks are suffering
from extreme erosion, and spring flooding in the area is
often severe. Although the Band is in support of the
much-needed project, they object to being shut out of the
decision-making process, decisions which will affect their
land. These decisions are now being made by a non-
Indian committee, which is also responsible for work
done on non-reserve land in nearby Pemberton. We’ll
have a complete story on the flood control and erosion
project next month. ;
SOCIAL SERVICES TAX EXEMPTION
It was decided in a court decision on the Lillian Brown
case, December, 1979, that Indians living on reserve do not
have to pay tax on electricity.
Since that decision the provincial government has said it
will not attempt to appeal the case. It has also admitted
that it does have a moral obligation to pay back the taxes
collected illegally in the past, but complains that the
computer doesn’t know who to pay.
The next step is figuring out just how much money is
owed to Indian people and how it should be distributed.
With help from various advisors, the UBCIC has devised a
scheme that, with the consent of Bands, could make the
job both easier and faster than it could be.
The Union would like a trustee appointed who would
collect the money. Then, the money from this trust fund
could be used to benefit Indian people with projects
carried out at a district level. Also, if Indians want to make
direct claims, they could go through the trustee, rather
than the provincial government. ,
The Union has also taken the position that no Social
Services Tax should be charged to Indians on reserve. This
would include taxes on such things as, utilities, telephone, _
fuel and personal property delivered on reserves. A form
that could be used by Band members to claim exemption
from paying the Social Services Tax on the grounds of the
findings of the Lillian Brown case has been distributed to
Band offices. Individuals can use this form when goods are
paid for on delivery to a reserve.
INDIAN WORLD 13
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GITANMAAX: “PEOPLE OF
Children are a special gift to the Gitanmaax. Our Elders refer to children as the ‘‘Flowers of the Reserve’’. And in these
children lies the hope of Gitanmaax. We are rebuilding our culture and it is a slow and painful journey.
I will not pretend and paint a pretty
picture of life on Reserve. Here in
Gitanmaax we have our problems.
Some situations are sad indeed. Why
is it, I ask myself, that this once a
strong and mighty people are now so
lost and confused. The answer |
believe lies in the destruction of many
beliefs and traditions. The Indians of
days gone by had a system which was
followed by all. It was their way of
life.
In this lifestyle man, woman and
child had a very important role. Each
was taught what was expected of
them and this was followed through
with pride and sense of importance,
and belonging. Then along came
another lifestyle which overshadowed
the culture of the Indian people. The
Indian people found that their system
of using the feast as their courthouse
was not legal. Their religious beliefs
were not recognized. The marriage
ceremony was not proper. On and on
the new rules snuffed out a lifestyle
and the pride of a people.
INDIAN WORLD 16
Once everything you believe in is A people who had prided
gone, you try to forget. So alcohol themselves in taking care of one
started to take its toll of Indian lives. another and their families turned to
Alcoholism is our number one enemy. Housing is in short supply. Many
adjustments have to be made and Gitanmaax has taken steps toward this goal.
= ce ee
THE BURNING TORCHES”
by Jane Mowatt
Social Welfare.
But, because the Indian culture is
strong and true, it could not die.
Many of the old ways will never come
back and remain buried. So we take
the opportunity in taking the best of
both worlds around us.
Gitanmaax means, ‘‘People of the
Burning Torches.’’ Legends tell of
how a young woman alone with her
two babies survived. The young
woman burned torches along the
Skeena to attract fish. Thus
Gitanmaax was born.
As suffering and the will to survive
marked Gitanmaax’s beginning this
same determination is born with the
people.
Yes, we have our problems.
Alcohol is our number one enemy.
Housing is in short supply and needs
to be improved. Many adjustments
have to be made, and Gitanmaax has
taken steps toward this goal. The
Gitanmaax Band Council owns and
Operates the Ksan Campsite. Our
young men and women have learned
the ‘‘art’’ and are once again carving.
Many of our elders have recorded
our history and the very young listen.
Songs and dances are taught and
the regalia has been taken out of
storage.
Our young people are seeking
knowledge and now many are taking
part in the feasts.
Children are a very special gift to
Gitanmaax. Our Elders refer to chil-
dren as the ‘‘Flowers of the Reserve.’’
And in these children lies the hope
of Gitanmaax. As these children
receive their education, they can
return to their Reserves to help
people they know and understand.
Our children should have the best of
both worlds.
- Our strength is in our children.
In Gitanmaax we are rebuilding
our culture. It is a slow and painful
journey.
aa eae :
ly a
eA &
Legends tell of a young woman, alone with her two babies, who burned
torches along the Skeena to attract fish, Thus Gitanmaax was born. Today
they still burn torches at this site.
f"-
But soon the beat of the
drum will pick up the
rhythm of the heart-
beat of Gitanmaax. The
pride, hope, dignity and
lifestyle of a People will
be returned.
Jane Mowatt
>
=
INDIAN WORLD 17 —
(CANIM LAKE ELDERS TALK
= s
. =e
At Canim Lake Feb. 18th, 1980, an Indian sovereignty workshop was held at the alternate
school, which the community attended along with the students. “Sovereignty is the supreme right to
govern yourselves, to rule yourselves. Indians used to be able to control and exercise that right, now
we have to work to get that right back, ’’ said George Manuel.
*
a
|
!
- Se fe : : = |
Chief Roy Christopher (below centre): “Indian values are now returning. We are
fortunate to still have the old resource people around. We now have the knowledge and
ability to run our own affairs.”’
INDIAN WORLD 18
x
ON INDIAN SOVEREIGNTY |
a Pee Stacia: ie a
| iS @eN\) =
Eliza Archie (also on our cover) spoke about her young days in Canim Lake: “‘I used to do
everything in my young days; hunt deer, beaver, martin and I also trapped.’’ The young people
showed constant enthusiasm towards the Elders who spoke on how their ancestors had survived
living off the land before the coming of the Europeans.
Both the young and the old speak Shuswap fluently, and that
is an important part of our Indian sovereignty. Ed Dixon on the
¥ right below, is a very respected Elder at Canim Lake. ° bie
INDIAN WORLD 19
~
Pe
From the News...
ELDER OF THE MONTH: CHARLIE ALLEN
Neskainlith Elder of the Month, Charlie Allen, is from — ie
Salmon Arm. He was born February 6, 1906. His parents
were Christine Allen and Tom Allen.
‘I used to go to school at the Kamloops Indian Resi- |
dence; I finished the eighth grade then I had to go back
and work looking after sheep and cattle. I danced a bit | ti
when someone would sing and drum.
“I never went to the war; they said I have a bad heart |
and they would not let me join. I tried three or four times
and couldn’t. No, I never did marry; I never stayed home
long enough I guess.
‘Only times I went off the reserve was when I went to
find work in the apple orchards down the States, and on
the farms in Regina, Saskatchewan. There’s been a lot of
changes. In my days I used to travel and work around
wherever I could find work. Four dollars a month used to
be lots. Never had welfare but when times were tough
there was relief.
“I used to hunt up Mt. Ida, I'd go high up in the fall
when my eyes were good, up the hill and hunt. Nowadays
I can’t see the front sight. They never had old age homes,
my days, we had to work, make wood in the summer with
cross cut saws, used to cut more wood than the power
chain saws. Over the rockbluff we’d cut the trees and roll
them down the bluff one at a time. One time the logs just
missed a truck. Another time the logs just missed some
people who were walking by the bluff. Boy we used to cut
lots of logs.
“I used to play hockey. I played defence and was a
good hockey player when I was young. Played a little bit
of baseball in town. I played hockey for the Aces. (These
days the young people seem to skate around pretty slow.)
We used to make our own hockey shin pads, sticks with
wood over it. Mom used to make them leather vests. Our
hockey sticks, we made them too. Made the puck from
hard green wood—used to play good hockey. Jimmy
Allen used to be the best hockey player then. Walter
Allen and Sparrow (David Charles) was pretty fast too.
Sparrow took after that one guy’s name from Enderby
who won B.C. Champs, he was real good.
‘*Nowadays I live on pension, can’t really do too much
work. I walk on the tracks to town a lot, almost every
day. The Councillor for up here, Elaine Thomas, seems
to be doing pretty good for the people. I would like all the
old people to get together sometime.”’ e
From: Neskainlith News
Nace
INDIAN WORLD 20
oe -
SMON UITUTEYSIN :oloyd
EDUCATION
by Jeff Smith
Homework: Many parents often comment that their
children do not bring home any homework. When this
happens it is necessary to look into the circumstances. All
of the students are given homework regularly and
although the amount may vary from night to night there
is always something that must be done. While it is
possible that some students may do some homework
during the day, the bulk of it should be done at home.
At the Junior Secondary level (grades 8-10), students
should expect an average of one hour’s homework each
evening, and Senior Secondary students should expect an
average of two hours each evening especially if they are
taking some of the heavier academic grade 11 courses
such as math, chemistry, physics, biology, English and
social studies. Even if a student has no specifically
assigned homework to do, there is always something
which must be reviewed or studied further.
A student who regularly brings nothing home should
be questioned carefully. If you are concerned about your
child’s homework or lack of it please phone the school
administration or any subject teacher. &
From: Inkameep News, the Osoyoos Indian Band.
=
ax fs
LOCAL
SERVICES
AGREEMENT
SUPPLEMENT
‘
The Local Services Agreement is the
agreement to properly account for
“contribution” funds received by Bands, through
the Department of Indian Affairs, from the
Canadian Government. It is the Treasury Board
who disburses money to every Government
Department, through Minute 7750. Each
Department adds its own Terms and Conditions,
which are then approved by Treasury Board.
The DIA Terms and Conditions are brief: they
deal with contribution funds for services to
Indian Bands (or Inuit Settlements) in the areas
of economic development, community services,
public works, education, social development,
and housing. Whoever receives these funds has
to submit a financial plan and budget and
maintain financial records meeting standard
accounting principles; details for reporting ona
quarterly basis and the annual audit are to be
What is now known as the Local
Services Agreement came about as a
result of the Auditor General’s report
to the DIA in March 1978. In it he
talked of inadequate accounting by
the DIA. The Department turned
around and put the responsibility on
the Bands to do their accounting for
them.
The DIA was quick to turn the
criticism on the Bands. They have not
looked at their own system to see if
the problem might be there.
The Roots of the Problem
The Auditor General talked of
insufficient training. The DIA tried
to teach their own management and
' accounting systems through their
.| Band Training sessions. In that train-
ing however, they still did not get to
the root of the whole problem, which
was that these systems did not meet
Band needs. If a small Band gets
$50,000, is it worth spending all its
time and effort administering and
accounting for it according to DIA
procedures? The Band could set up its
own system and then concentrate on
the things it wants to do. It is up to
the Department to fit this system into
their own system, not for the Band to
fit in with the DIA’s.
The other major problem lies
within the DIA communications. At
the Ottawa level, the DIA and the
\ Treasury Board agreed to a large
negotiated.
degree of flexibility and encouraged
Regions to make the most of that
flexibility. But by the time that a
directive gets to the District Mana-
gers, it has become red-neck.
The B.C. Region translated their
Local Services Agreement into a giant
document that District Managers
were pressuring Bands to. sign
immediately, only a few months after
the Auditor General’s criticism. It
was called a draft agreement but left
Bands with no room to negotiate.
Pressure to sign continued in spite of
Regional directives to play it cool,
and in November 1978 the UBCIC
was directed by the Special Assembly
to negotiate an alternative.
Bands Negotiate their own
Agreements.
_ Throughout the negotiating
process, DIA were made to
understand that the Band could
negotiate the final Agreement it was
to sign. If a Band was to totally reject
this draft, the Union would support
that Band.
What the UBCIC was doing was
up. What we’re trying to wrestle
we can’t win at Region, Bands will
still have to fight. The main thing
about these negotiations is that we
were never drawing up a UBCIC
draft. The DIA cannot use this to sell
the LSA to Bands. We have only
negotiated the DIA’s offer to Bands.
-Government fit in.
The LSA Itself Has Become
Unimportant
We are now negotiating to have the
deadline for signing extended still
further, and all other Provincial and
Territorial Indian organizations are
calling for the same. Because, in
itself, the Local Services Agreement is
becoming small. Out of it we are
discovering the roots of some of our
problemswhat we’re trying to wrestle
with is: are Bands going to learn to
manipulate this system, or are they
going to take the position of fighting
to change the system? It’s just at
a point when a lot of Chiefs and
Council are looking not just at the
administration of dollars, but at the
root problems. The LSA workshops
are creating an assessment of their
situation. When it first came out, the
LSA was a big thing in everyone’s
mind but now we’ve come out with
the fact that other things have to
happen first, before we deal with the
LSA. It seems critical for a lot of
Bands to take the time now to work
these things out: communication of
Band members, role of Chief and
Council, planning, setting goals and
priorities, setting negotiation bottom
lines, figuring out where does Indian
Chiefs and
Council are responsible to their Band
members, not to the Department of
Indian Affairs. S
INDIAN WORLD 21
THE POLITICS OF CONTROL
Negotiating the L.S.A.
Within a few months of the Auditor General’s criticism of DIA accounting, the
B.C. Region drew up a massive accounting “‘Agreement’’ for the Bands to
sign. The fault, they said, was with the Bands. If the Bands would just learn to
use the Department’s accounting system, all would be well. They stretched the
point a little and added that if Bands were going to administer services, they
should do so according to the Department’s administrative system. Some
District Managers stretched the point still further and told Bands that if they
didn’t sign this draft Agreement immediately, funding would be withheld.
Some Bands were intimidated into signing, some drew up their own draft; all
protested the Department’s strong-arm tactics. The Regional Director was
embarrassed into calling off the pressure, but the District Managers have been
hard to restrain.
At the UBCIC Special General As-
sembly in late November, 1978, the
Union was directed to look into alter-
natives to the DIA first draft. After
the first few negotiating meetings
with the Department, we agreed to
start from scratch.
Negotiating the Negotiating
Process First
Because of our experience with the
DIA, as we negotiated the Agreement
we also negotiated the PROCESS of
the DIA negotiation with Bands. The
first things we agreed to were that
everything had to be ironed out at
Region first; nothing was to go out to
Districts or Bands without consent;
they had to stop forcing Bands to sign
the old draft LSA; the deadline for
signing was postponed for a year.
We also agreed that workshops had
to be held on the Agreement before
negotiations. We negotiated a Budget
where we would put all the informa-
tion together ourselves and hold the
workshops. Whatever position Bands
took, we would support.
Starting from Scratch
We set the first draft aside and
looked at all the different options for
getting money other than by ‘‘contri-
bution Agreement’’. The CITC is still |
examining those long-term possibili-
ties. We also looked at the Treasury
Board Terms and Conditions and we
saw that the difference between these
and the first draft LSA was extremely
wide.
INDIAN WORLD 22
' Agreement that it’s going te
Bands Administering Services
Can Set Own Criteria
One distinction was the Treasury
Board never talked about Bands ad-
ministering DIA programs. It talked
about Bands providing services for
their Band members. What DIA
talks about in their LSA was Bands
administering DIA programs,
according to DIA criteria: and Bands
can choose to do that. But a Chief
and Council can provide services to
their Band members and develop
their own conditions.
the DIA has to do is transfer th
money and make sure there is
accounted for.
However, if a Band does choo.
administer a DIA program, we
saying that the DIA has to fn
available all information rega
those programs. Often Bands d
know their rights. It’s just a questior
of the District Manager coming out
and saying ‘you must do this and you
can’t do that,’ but no one has seen
that written or where it comes from.
Most Bands think this comes out of
' Region. The whole role of Ottawa
and Treasury Board is hidden. When
we got into that, we began to see how
Ottawa is really protected from its
own decision-making. So we decided
to turn our focus on Ottawa and see
how those decisions come down to us,
Conflict at Ottawa Level
And what we discovered was that
So all ai
the Department of Indian Affairs was
split in two. We had two Assistant
Deputy Ministers. One was
responsible for consulting with Bands
to develop policy and evaluations for
the Treasury Board; the other was to
develop the financial and adminis-
trative procedures for carrying out
those policies. One of the real
frustrations of Bands is that they are
consulted after the fact: and what we
discovered was that one guy was
moving faster than the other.
The Local Services Agreement is
very directly affected by this through
the Department’s conflicting position
on budgetting. The policy people
were trying to develop something
called Zero-Base budgetting, where
you start from zero, make your plans
and budget accordingly. So when it
came right down to the crunch, down
to negotiating the LSA, they were
trying to fit a Zero-base attitude into
base structure. That conflict is
Dual Evaluation
We pointed out another weakness:
Treasury Board requires programs to
‘be evaluated and what we negotiated
for is a dual evaluation. Not only
does the DIA evaluate a program but
so do the people involved. So if a
program is falling through, we can .;
find out it is through the actions of
the DIA or it is something weak at
Band level. What started out as the
DIA using the criticism of the Auditor
General to try to get the Bands to
change, we have turned around: to
evaluate them too.
Financial Reporting is the
Biggest Battle
The Terms and Conditions nego-
tiated in Ottawa give a lot of flexibil-
ity. On that basis we argued about
financial reporting; that there should
just be five general categories and
Bands should be free to spend on
what they set as their priority and ac-
count on that basis. DIA said no, it
has to be very specific. Our argument
is that the Auditor General just needs
a proper accounting of expenditure,
and to know that he is getting his
money’s worth. He doesn’t say the
DIA should decide what the Band
should spend its money on. A new
draft from the Department at time of
going to Press suggests that we have
finally won that argument.
DIA Needs Ninety Days to get
Their Guidelines Together
The biggest fights were over finan-
cial reporting, Bands having control
bver their own systems. The DIA sys-
tem imposes more problems than it’s
worth. But at the same time we had
put into the August/September draft ,
a clause that DIA must provide those
Bands who wish to administer DIA
programs with all the policies, criteria
and guidelines for those programs.
Even by the end of November they
couldn’t put it all together. There was
so much they began to realize it was
unworkable. This is what Bands have
been saying for years. But the
Department had spent so much time
looking at Band systems, they had
never looked at their own system.
When they began to put the stuff
together, it mounted into the thou-
sands of pages of directives. They
asked to put in a clause that if a Band
required these documents, the DIA
had sixty days to get them, together.
That would just be the summary. ‘The
details would Teaui ae i
that idformatiogs ae know just
what. the DIA fale ee When the
wanted to go. It was probably the
clause that caused the most fighting
but we wouldn’t give in.
All this time what we were negotia-
ting was the DIA’s offer to the
Bands. What we couldn’t win at
Region, the Bands would still have to
fight in their final negotiations.
Band is Final Negotiator
We were, at the same time,
negotiating the process of those final
Band/ District negotiations. Up to the
sixth or seventh draft, DIA kept to
their agreement; but then we started
getting calls from Bands who had
been sent drafts by District Managers
who were talking about signing now.
So we started the workshops right
away. The LSA is a legally binding
document and Bands have to live with
it once they sign it. The information
had to be put in the hands of the
Bands so they could negotiate on an
equal footing.
Workshops on Negotiating
The process we had agreed upon
was that first we would- have the
workshops, then the DIA, before any
real negotiation started, would
negotiate the negotiating process with
the Bands. Some District Managers
skipped that step. So now we’re
finding tNat in our workshops we are
having to deal with that before we
even deal with the LSA.
We also find that we have to coun-
teract selected information going to
the Bands. They are not getting the
full story from the Department. The
reason we asked for workshops in the
first place was our experience of DIA.
practice.
st ~The Real Resentment
As Indian people we have dealt
with the Government all our lives,
id 90% of the time we deal with laws we
hat * authority we don’t know exists. So in’
tee the workshops, 1 in order for us to find
reporting. This section is ear’
could make or break the way a Band
don’t. know exist, we deal with
uurce of a lot of frustration, we
ugh the whole system. We find
‘ant of Indian people, And
the worst t thing. is those people don’t
know they're ignorant. of Indian
people.
more
In essence what the LSA brought
_ out to us was the whole purpose of
the rejection of funds. It was the real
resentment of being told how to live.
When we talk about rejecting the
LSA, we are talking about the same
thing. But what we have now proven
through the LSA is that if the
Government wants to lay down their
conditions to Indian people we can
also lay down conditions. We can
beat them at their own game. But do
we want to play that game?
Indian Governments Will
Negotiate as Equals
With an Indian Government, we
are talking about a trust in an equal
relationship, the head of one
government with the head of another.
The LSA is talking about an unequal
relationship: you get this money on
certain terms, the head of one govern-
ment deals with the bureaucrat of the
other.
Indian Government is the option to
the LSA because Indian Government
talks about Chief and Council being
the Government, having jurisdiction
to make decisions over all ‘that
happens on the reserve. So for us, that
is the long term objective. The short
term one is to use the LSA in
whatever way we can to help Bands
get there. It can fit into the long-term
goal, but it is limited.
What really has to be looked at it
the transfer of money from the Cana-
dian Government to the Indian
Government; and the Indian
Governments legitimately accounting
to their Band members whom they
represent, rather than to ‘the other
government.
If you go through the Sysieen as an
Indian person, it becomes: more and
unacceptable to ‘havea
government that is ignorant; and
continues to show the paternalism
and lack of respect we find.in “a
of the LSA. The/ government that
exists-is not the Only option: “There
are other ways of providing for our
people, on our own terms, more
effectively and more meaningfully.
We can go for Indian Government,
negotiate at another level for our own
system, ‘ee e
INDIAN WORLD 23
as historia Took at the deslenneen
of Indian Bands throughout the land,
suggests that most Indian leaders have
always been conscious of the need for
some management and administrative
training for Band leaders. For
sometime, they felt that an Indian
concept of management and admini-
stration “tas, _be enough. It was
have occurred as part of the ever
evolving world of man, has caused
today’s leaders to alter their outlook
on Indian management and admini-
stration.
Conditions elsewhere in the various
provinces have influenced the normal
development of Indian communities
throughout the Nation. Consequen-
tly, for survival, the Indian leaders
have been forced to accept systems
which are predominantly oriented to
non-Native communities. Needless to
say, the Indian’s concept of manage-
ment and administrations changes of
necessity. It becomes more inclined
towards a commercial or business
concept.
Research has revealed that the
Department of Indian Affairs had
informed Indian Band councils of its
intention to decentralize its bureau-
cratic operations in the late 1950’s
which meant that Bands would be
given the opportunity to control their
communtiy’ programs. This process
INDIAN WORLD 24
did not asad Begin’ until the lattes
part of the 1960’s. Although the
process has been gradual, it has
become evident that the Department
has not prepared the Bands properly.
Adverse employment conditions, as
well as a desire to achieve a high degree
of independence, has caused many
Bands to aw ck Jocal ceonicnaie
ae a » ee |
Althogh Many of the Band
Councils in Cacia seem to enjoy
tendencies towards local autonomy, as
suggested by some procedural changes
introduced by the Department, they
= of see | [
i =e ii
Pearl Pearson of Skidegate.
Most Band Training courses have
failed so far. We’ll have to develop
our own,
have grave concerns about the ability
to accept responsibilities attached to
the changes.
Perhaps the most significant of
these changes is the introduction of the
‘Local Services Agreement. It has
caused a rather rude awakening.
Suddenly, we learn that a great many
of the Bands in B.C. alone sadly lack
the facility to effectively maintain
such an agreement. Why does this
situation exist?
It was stated earlier that the
Department had failed drastically, in
preparing the Indian leaders for any
transition. On the other hand, the
Indian people have not taken the initi-
ative to obtain professional skills to
undertake various tasks within Indian
administration offices.
It then became apparent to Indian
leaders that each Band administration
group would have to ensure that it
posesses the management and admini-
strative skills which would enable
successful administration of many
community services and pertinent
funds ae which it it is entrusted:
majority have bean total failGred.
Perhaps the most significant of these
attempts is that of the Department’s
through Centrad. Although the effort
was commendable, it lacked proper
implementation of sound recommen-
dations.
Being convinced this has become a
dire situation and that the Department
has no remedies to offer, the Union
has undertaken a rather ambitious
project which would provide manage-
ment and administrative training to
Bands in B.C. The preliminary work
on the project has now been
completed. Short seminars are being
organized in response to immediate
needs brought on by LSA negotia-
tions. These will deal with community
planning preparation and mainte-
nance, and financial reporting. The
success of the project is dependent
largely on the participation of the
Bands in the provinces. For further
information contact William Martin,
UBCIC: tel. 684-0231. °
x ee
what Indian people want, in terms of Indian Government. My whole
Department. Our whole thing is that we have to develop our own policy,
our own guidelines that meet the needs of the community. If there is any
Agreement signed at all, it should be one meeting the needs of our
community and not hooked into the Government circulars, local
government guidelines as they are called, because those are all geared to
Assimilation. We are going in the opposite direction. We have had
photo: Okanagan Band
_ benefit to ourselves and to our com- |
____ munity. This is basically taking re-
, sponsibility,
" Government.
Ce oe
oe
a imhue .. =
When we talk of Band Management, we have tu look at it in terms of
feeling about this is that Band Management as seen in the eyes of the “"“@
Department is no more than carrying out the policy and guidelines of the [ae oe
wards developing goals that are of )
what I call Indian
“
Each Band has different ways of
looking at things. Some people are
specifically looking at administra-
tive skills; defining the jobs of the
Band Manager, the responsibilities
of the Band Councillors and how to
enough of Assimilation.
The Okanagan Tribal Education
Committee has hired a person to go
around to each community to do a
needs assessment of what the
programs, as wel as organizing
Community Meetings. This way she
makes sure that her information
comes from the whole membership.
We did one here with the people of
Spallumcheen. We had a really good
meeting: about forty people showed
up, all our Councillors and Band
staff, community members and
students. We went through the
. whole process of identifying what
people wanted. One of the main
concerns in this program is that the
community decides what they want
and tthe Tribal Education
Committee just meets the needs,
rather than us saying: this is what
you have to learn. The Community
members themselves know what
theyswant and their priorities. We
looked at a whole lot of things at
our first meeting: how to use our
resources, youth awareness, how to
organize your own life in terms of
personal book-keeping, how to get
funds for long-term projects, de-
Naan the roles and responsibilities
make themselves more effective.
of the Chief and Council, the But this is the kind of process that is
administrative role versus the happening with each Band. And
political role, training for new Band = Once the Band has identified Band
Councillors; land development and _—‘needs, it is up to the Band to then
>men j cide how they want to go about
i tio loing something, decide what kind
S, l lea- of urce people to bring in. The
7 and ‘@iituralere Scur-— Trik Education Committee,
riculum development, constructive through Jane, co-ordinates this and
criticism and how to doit: that type brings in the resource people.
of thing. Once we went through that We were working through the —
whole list, what we identified as the | Okanagan College, but they’re
most important was human reneging on their financial commit-
development and self-awareness. ments so we are going to have to get
DIA Band Training funds. We want
to establish this on an on-going
basis. The training needs of a com-
munity develop each year.
Those of us who did not $peak
did not have to because our Elders
successfully showed us the ropes.
If each of us can understand
where we are coming from, histori-
cally and in terms of our spiritual
needs and means, we can cope
better. We can identify why we have
problems now and can work to-
We have to really examine why we're in the situation we're in and my
feeling is that we're at the point where we can’t ask for help from the
outside any longer; we have to do it ourselves. We have to really question
and look at where do we want to go, what do we mean by being an Indian
person living on a reserve in this day and age. The assimilation has gone
so far that in a lot of cases people feel lost or defeated. But we have to
take a look at that; we have to develop ourselves before we can talk
about management and development of good programs for the
community. Every individual has to do that, not just the Chief and
Council making all the decisions and doing all the work. That is why all
the things we’re doing are open to the community. Our Band Training
has been designed for the Community to say what they want—and we
deliver that because that is the way it has been traditionally, that’s the
way it should be. Dy,
INDIAN WORLD 25
MANAGEMENT AT
LAKE BABINE
ra
Band is trying to run its administration. “
To ensure that Band members’
needs are best carried out, efficient
Band management is of vital impor-
tance. Band member input, office
efficiency, effective financial and
program planning, self-reliance and
trust between the Band council and
staff are some ways Wilfred Adams,
Band manager of the Lake Babine
Band, said his Band is using to best
run its administration.
He said that keeping a close rela-
tionship going between the Band
members, council and staff are
important to meet the Band’s needs.
As Band manager, he tries to keep in
INDIAN WORLD 26
contact with both the people and the
council committees. During general
meetings, the Band members have a
way to let the council know what they
want done and how. He also gets
ideas from them at major events that
take place at the Band. But, the way
that most Band members communi-
cate with him and the council is by.
dropping by the office or stopping
them on the street and talking.
Committees dealing with housing,
social assistance, education and other
areas work closely with the Band
manager when trying to find out what
Band members want. As well, they
use this information when they decide
Band member input, office efficiency, long-range plannirig, and self-reliance are some ways Lake Babine
which proposed program or project is
most important to the people.
Before the Band begins any major
project that will affect many Band
members, it tries to hold a general
meeting. Adams said that the purpose
of the meetings is to get both the
people’s feelings and ideas
concerning the project. Lb
The Band held a general meeting at
the Toppley Landing reserve to talk
about moving the reserve village to
higher ground because it is now below
the flood level. There was another to
talk about a new water and sewage
system at that reserve. The Band
members discussed how they want the
project carried out.
Effective planning is another way
for the Band to get the most out of
both its money and work. The Lake
Babine Band is involved in long range
planning. Plans are updated each
year to take into account present
situations. One example of this was
the planning for a pre-school at the
Band. Wilf explained how the Band
had to work with the education
=
Lake Babine Band has had to develop an efficient Band man
how things go after the recent
‘election.
One aspect of planning that can
give Bands a big problem is budget
for casting and planning. Wilf Adams
said that the way his Band works is
that each head of the different
programs figures out how much
money they need for the year. Then,
he sits down with the staff and works
out the budget for the coming fiscal
year. During this procedure, he stres-
ses that cooperation is essential.
To help with the financial aspects
of management, he said that the Band
be J
‘ — —
~ - = =
»
Se a, ee ee
everyday work isn’t done on time,
overall planning and forecasting
could go off schedule. One way the
Lake Babine Band makes sure that |
everything runs smoothly is with a
manual. In this manual, which is
given to.each staff member, are set
procedures for carrying out certain
tasks. It also states the policies of the
Band.
Having a job description for each
position in the office has helped to
avoid chaos. It has also made hiring
new employees easier and more
effective. Before hiring someone for a
— OF
agement to manage its seventeen programs.
_ Wilfred Adams, Band Manager, stressed that meeting Band members’ needs and wishes is essential in this
regard.
department of the DIA to finalize
agreements and to get money. But -
one unforeseen problem in this part
of a five-year plan was the financial
cutbacks imposed by the conservative
government. However, the Band
finally got some money and hopes to
move ahead with plans this coming
summer.
A similar problem was met with a
freeze on government spending which
halted the planning and building of a
new Band office. That project is still
in the air. They have to wait to see
has recently hired a consultant. The
consultant is a Band member who
now lives in Ottawa.
A smooth running Band office is
very important to ensure that the
Band is well managed, Wilf insists.
To help, the Band rents the use of a
computer to keep track of finances.
Each day the bookkeeper phones the
daily transactions to their auditor in
Prince George, who in turn punches
the information into the computer.
In the office he stressed that
working together is important. If
key position, the Chief and council sit
down and look over resumes.
The attitude of the Band staff
contributes to efficient management
of the Band, said Wilf. Cooperation,
reliability, trust and keeping on top
of things are some qualities he said
the Band looks for when hiring staff.
As Band manager the most effec-
tive way he says he can manage the
Lake Babine Band is by ‘‘answering
the question before the question is
asked.”’ e
INDIAN WORLD 27
=
The
first steps
DOIG RIVER
, | Story and pictures by Arlene Laboucane
Margaret Davis is the Band
Manager for the Beaver community
of Doig River.
The Band is looking after the
housing books and has hired account-
ants for the farm books.
They are preparing to take over full
administration on the Ist of April this
year. Rose Davis will be Band Ad-
ministrator.
The main problem with the housing
program is the housing money is late
and by the time it arrives in the fall, it
On April 1, Doig River Band will take over full administration of Band _ is too late to finish them. If it is not
spent by the end of March it goes
business. Margaret Davis, Band manager has experienced the frustrations of
conducting business through DIA. ; back to Ottawa or to other Bands.
eA
complete these
—
The Doig River Band tried to complete two log houses last year. Maybe this year they will be able to
houses and more new houses—if the housing money is sent from Ottawa early enough to build them before the frost
comes in October.
INDIAN WORLD 28
Lucky the River is close by because the water system is broken at Doig. Money
to fix it didn’t arrive until after freeze-up.
The same is also true for the water
system on the reserve. The money to
fix the water system comes late in the
fall and the ground is frozen. The
contractor admits he can’t do a top
notch job of fixing the system when
the ground is frozen.”
the last year to fix the system. The.
first one didn’t fix it properly ‘and
they hired a second contractor that
was more experienced. He told them
the line couldn’t be fixed properly in
the cold weather but he would try and
fix it in the spring if the money was
available then.
With the farm the biggest problem
is getting the machinery fixed when it
breaks down. They have to get a
mechanic from town to come out and |
look at it, andit’s very costly. ==
The Doig would like to build a
Band hall for meetings and office
space. Hopefully the money will be
available when construction season
starts and not when it is too cold
outside to do anything. ,
If they go ahead and start construc-
tion on their own, the cat clearing and
foundations, without money, the
contractors get upset if they don’t get
paid. Some Bands have written bad
cheques, depending on the money
being on time, and have gotten into
trouble with other businesses by
The Doig hired two contractors in _ getting their credit cut off. ®
Newly elected Chief of the Doig River
d Band is Calvin Davis, with wife
Darlene.
INDIAN WORLD 29
The District Offices in
the Central Interior Region
were closed down in 1975 as
a result of the rejection of
funding and the Tribal
Councils never allowed
those offices to reopen. But
at that time we didn’t have
anything to replace the DIA
structure with and all moves
to replace it subsequently
were stonewalled by the
DIA. A move by a unified
front was needed.
The concept of the ‘‘Red Book’’
originated about a year and a half
ago: we wanted an in-depth study to
address the problems of delivery of
technical services to the Bands,
through the Okanagan, South Cen-
tral, Kootenay and Lillooet Tribal
Councils. This undertaking is out
first attempt to really implement the
concepts of Indian self-determination
and self-government that we so often
talk about. We introduce it as
‘an attempt to deal with the wide
range of issues which relate to
viable Indian Government. The
Red Book outlines the kinds of
organizations we envisaged to meet
those needs. The Central Interior
Tribal Council is saying to the De-
partment of Indian Affairs that we
can do as good if not a better job of
providing the services to our people
for which Parliament provides the
monies. The Department accepts
the position in principle.’’
We are suggesting that staffing in
the District Office in Vancouver DIA
would remain small because every-
thing else would be looked after from
a Tribal Council level. It wouldn’t
interfere with dollars that are going to
Bands for Band programs, core fund-
ing, or anything. For instance, for the
staff who are phased out of Vancou-
ver, the man-year dollars would be
relocated to the Tribal Councils.
INDIAN WORLD 30
IN THE CENTRAL
INTERIOR DIA IS SEEN
AS MERELY A
CLEARING HOUSE
Since we started the Red Book study,
Indian Affairs has been trying to in-
crease our District staff considerably
and the Central Interior Bands have
adamantly opposed this.
What we have done is organize our-
selves in order to be more effective in
terms of decision-making and lobby-
ing. The force of a large group of
Bands is something to be considered.
There is also the matter of knowing
what we are doing so that we won’t be
working at cross-purposes with one
another, but supporting each other.
What we are talking about is Tribal
Councils providing legal services,
technical services, economic devel-
opment and Indian Government lea-
dership. 2
The implementation of this would
be through different phases and
according to the pace of each Band
and Tribal Council.
The Nuts and Bolts Issues
We wanted to start by addressing
the short-term needs or problems
immediately, the nuts and bolts issues
like audits, planning and budgetting,
people reneging on funding and so
on. The long-term goal would be the
decentralization of advisors to the
Tribal Council level, delivery of
services to the Bands on a more intim-
ate level than say from Vancouver
into Cranbrook. Hopefully we will
streamline things a lot more, have a
more effective delivery of and use of
the money. Financially each Band
by Saul Terry
would be responsible for their own
budgets. But, from the first phase,
the Tribal Councils would have finan-
cial advisors to assist those Bands
who want to participate in the Tribal
Council Delivery of Services. We feel
this is a small step towards imple-
menting Indian Government as a
whole. It’s just the beginning of deci-
sion-making in terms of program
delivery.
The DIA would be dealing with
technical data, a clearing house for all
programs and forecasts. The Tribal
Councils would have to take part in
reviewing the guidelines of the
proposals and hopefully have
influence in changing those not
geared towards the needs of our
Bands.
implementation Agreements
Are Being Signed Now
The first phase was implemented
beginning February 19, 1980: funding
for a Director of Operations and a
Financial Advisor. This phase centres
on the urgent need to get planning
and financial assistance out to Bands
right now. 1] he approaching deadlines
for finalizing Local Services Agree-
ments and negotiating the 1980/81
budgets make this Tribal Council
service a priority.
At the time of going to press the
Kootenay and South Central Tribal
Councils had signed Agreements with
the Department to implement their
first phase and the other two Councils
* will be signing this week. °
|
INDIAN GOVERNMENT
THE
ALTERNATIVES TO
L.S.A.
IN SOUTH ISLAND
TRADITIONAL
LEADERSHIP SHOWS
The whole history of the LSA really
goes back to the sixties when grants
first started; the terms just changed
from grants to core funding to contri-
bution agreement and LSA. Since
1969 it’s been really the attempt of
DIA to put the Indian people in a
position where we can’t work. If we
do, it has to be under the government’s
terms and conditions. The South
Island District could not and never did
go along with that: our position is that
the funding of the reserve is to be made
by an ordinary Band Council resolu-
tion. It is as legal as a Band Council
could get, without losing its reserve
status.
That’s where I see the LSA
going. The danger of the whole
thing is that once again the
government is trying to find ways and
means to implement the 1969 White
Paper Policy. They have tried to
pacify our thoughts by using some of
our words in the LSA but it’s all the
same.
A simple B.C.R. is all that’s
necessary
We are going to uphold the BCR.
It’s simple and straightforward: the
Bands will look after certain programs
and shall be responsible for reporting
the expenditure. That’s all that’s
necessary. The money is appropriated
by the Parliament of Canada for the
Indian people. We shouldn’t be
blackmailed into whatever other
means the DIA tries to use on us to get
the money.
by Tom Sampson
assisted each other. So we took a look
at our leadership styles: the modern
leader in relation to the traditional
leader. We took a look at what they
were doing and what we were doing
and why the two couldn’t work
together, if it was possible. We told
them of the difficulty we were having-
For five days we talked.
The thing is the whole system was
frustrating new leaders because they
couldn’t relate the wishes of the Band
with the type of leadership style they
had: you hear some say ‘‘my welfare
program works really good,’’. When I
hear something like that, that really
upsets me. To me they have pacified
our people to do nothing and any
Sammy Sam, Norman,and Vi Williams: traditional leadership has strong
relevance today.
We had a district-wide meeting in
January this year to work on our final
position on the LSA. We invited the
Elders and the unelected officials of
our district, the people who are
constant spokesmen in our area.
When it comes to Indian work,
whether it’s potlatch or gathering at
the big house, these people are always
in the lead. That was the only way to
do it. We were getting too frustrated
by the division of the issue; we knew
the traditional leaders had all the
answers; we had part of it in our, what
we called security kits: our brief cases.
But it wasn’t all there, half of it was
with the traditional leaders. You know
the understanding of leadership style,
just understanding. So all we did was
program that works, especially that
one, I’d like to see it go away. Too
many of our people today have been
brainwashed through education, assi-
milation, and now believe that Indian
education, traditional methods of
leadership and qualities have no
relevance to today’s system. But it
does have strong relevance in today’s
system. That meeting was a real
eye-opener for us. It was allin our own
language. It was real unique, has never
been done before, in South Island
_ anyhow.
Traditional leaders are very
organized
Traditional leaders are very orga-
nized, as once they identify problems
INDIAN WORLD 31
to the issue at hand, they have no
difficulty in dealing with issues. They ~
have procedures and follow them
through. When you have a problem,
discuss it with the person you are
dealing with. But there is a point and
time, they say, that you must assert
authority. That’s why you are chosen
as leaders so that you assert the entire
identity of leadership...
Today, strong leadership is re-
quired. It’s not the same as being
elected by popularity vote like it used
to be in the past, even as recently as
five years ago or even less. There’s
more pressure on leaders now to assert
the demands and rights of the people.
It’s not a new move in Indian Govern-
ment though in a sense it is in that
we’ re going back to traditional type of
government, so it’s a new move by
this generation. That workshop
assist our chiefs and young leaders in
asserting the authority and power
granted by the people. The leader
provides leadership through the choice
and will of the people.
Traditional leaders fill the gaps
in indian Government
Traditional leaders gave us a real
clear way of how to go. They said there
will be a lot of heartaches, except it
would be a lot easier to follow the
adv ice because this advice was given
to us over the last hundreds of years.
They fed us something what we were
looking for in terms of our Indian
Government concept. And for the
newer people, it is a very new thing.
Probably a lot of people are opposed
to it because they can’t see the value of
an old system. A lot of them believe
Wilfred Sylvester, Louise Underwood, Fred.Miller and Gabe Bartleman:
that education is the only answer to
leadership. It is part of the answer but
it isn’t everything. The older people
have very much to offer.
We took the
politics out of the whole thing. There
was no discussion of programs as
such, just strictly about Indian
leadership styles, the type of necessary
disciplines. It was good for the
younger leaders to see. Unanimously,
young and old together voiced and
expressed energies and powers gained
over the few days. The traditional
leaders themselves got something out
of What we said. They had a chance to
assess their own work, their own
positions. For the first time, they sat
down with elected officials. It was
never done before. They just assumed
we’d go about our work and not
bother them. But they found that we
do have very much in common with
‘them. In fact without each other we
can’t go anywhere. In the Saanich
area, the traditional leaders are now
calling on young leaders to listen,
especially in the long house: they call
their Indian names, to acknowledge
that they are there.
Traditional leaders know the
total being of a community
South Island District has always
fought from a position of strength.
We spread out our responsibilities to
all the villages so that everyone fias an
idea of what’s going on here. In the
South Island we don’t have a
hierarchy system. We are.at the same
level and no matter what this one or
that guy. says, we all say. the same
Indian Government in practice shows Local Services Agreement is irrelevant.
thing. That’s another thing we learned
from the Qualicum meeting: it’s really
based on our leadership and energies
given to us by the traditional leaders.
They know the whole existence, the
total being of a community. And
we’ve turned to Indian Government.
advice because this advice was given
energy and powers of our traditional
leaders. They assist the Chief and
Council; they feed us and keep us
going.
They made it very easy for us to
decide on the LSA. We told the DIA,
when they came in right at the last half
hour of the five-day meeting: we’re
going to deal with it the way we’ve
been shown. We’re taking a positive
position. If the DIA wants to change
it, they should be prepared for a tough
battle because we won’t allow them to
dictate to us the way they’ve done: It’s
something that baffles them: we don’t
care what they say any. more. Our
traditional leaders helped us deter-
mine what our next,step will be. The
DIA money doesn’t bother us any
more. For years the Department took
the attitude that they were protected—
but “by what I don’t» know. The
government. of “Canada has a
responsibility to Indian people and
we’re just méeting that responsibilty.
And now. we want to show them how
to do it, our way, Over a hufidred
years they've shown. they don’t have
the answers. We know we have the
answers. Our traditional leaders
showed™us how :to put them into
practice. ®
INDIAN WORLD 32
On February 5 & 6, 1980, five
Alkali Band members appeared
before Judge Barnett in Williams
Lake. They were charged by Fish and
Wildlife officers for shooting deer
out of season. The five were John
Johnson, Louis Wycotte, Frank
Robbins, Arthur Dick and Gabriel
Robbins. ;
It was one of the usual days in
Alkali on February 9th, 1979. A
working day. But on this day the men
had the afternoon off from work, so
they decided to use the spare time to
go on a hunting excursion. They gath-
ered together the needed supplies,
and left that same day. They drove
along a forestry logging road, a road
they had used repeatedly for other
hunting trips. The road they travelled
on that day had traditionally been
used by the elders of long ago, a time
when they used horseback.
UPHOLDING TRADITIONAL HUNTING
RIGHTS
At two o’clock that day the men
had seen a couple of deer outside
Churn Creek but it was too late to
take a shot, so they continued on
their way heading southwest. A little
way down the road another deer ap-
peared about one hundred feet from
the roadside. They immediately came
to a stop, got out. Three shots rang
out, fired by John, Arthur and
Gabriel. The deer went down. No one
knew whose bullet found the mark.
The preparation for taking the kill
home began. John opened the deer
and gutted the inners out. They
loaded the carcass in their vehicle and
Started on their way. It was not long
after that they approached a 4 by 4
vehicle which was parked right in the
middle of the snow-packed road,
allowing only room for one-way
traffic. The vehicle had headlights
on. Frank brought his truck to a stop.
The Alkali Band members’ first
impression was that there were other
hunters, because these people were
not uniformed. There were two men
in the unknown vehicle: one of them
rushed to the driver’s seat and asked
Frank if they had been hunting.
Frank said yes, along with the others.
Once the questioning began the men
knew these were officers. The officer
asked if it was for sheep; Frank said
no. The officer asked if it was deer
that they were hunting. Frank said,
“*Yes, we killed a small deer.”’
‘*Who killed the deer?’’ asked the
officer. John replied, ‘‘Three of us
fired at the same time, we don’t
know.”’
The officer said someone had to
take the responsibility for the killing.
John replied that he would take the
blame.
INDIAN WORLD 33
While this was going on the other
officer remained by their vehicle
holding a 30-30 rifle by his side,
barrel to the ground. He had stayed
there until his partner called him to
witness the seizure of John’s gun. The
others were allowed to keep theirs.
Arthur Dick had mentioned to the
officers that he thought Indians did
not need a permit to hunt in the
Alkali area. The deer and John’s rifle
were seized.
In the court many of the friends
and relatives were present to see how
their Band members would make out
Frank told the court that he and his
companions remembered one of the
officers telling them they could pick
up the deer the following Monday,
February 12, 1979 at the Williams
Lake wildlife office.
The officer denied that he said to
pick up the carcass and gun. He said
that he only mentioned there would
be questions asked. (The gun was just
recently returned, but no deer up to
this date.)
The next day in court another
group of concerned villagers were on
hand, along with elder and former
chief David Johnson and present
Band chief, Andy Chelsea. One of the
officers gave evidence to the court
that Arthur Dick had blood on his
hands, when in fact John Johnson
was the one with the bloody hands
because he was the one who had
cleaned the deer.
The five Band members explained
to the court that where they were
hunting had always been Alkali
Lake’s traditional ground, going
back generations. In the old days,
they explained, there were no roads,
except the path their Forefathers’
horses had made. It was only in the
last few decades that logging roads
were constructed, pushing back the
wildlife population.
In the court the five hunters were
asked about the importance of
hunting to them. John Johnson
replied, ‘‘I have been hunting since I
can remember; my uncle used to put
me on a horse to go along with him
INDIAN WORLD 34
‘A
Free to
think but
not to act
Anderson and Elizabeth Jack and George Charlie needed a deer for a religious
nt They say the Wildlife laws do not apply in this case.
In May, 1978, George Charlie and Anderson Jack of)
the Saanich Band shot a deer needed for a religious |
ceremony and were charged for hunting out of season.
After going to court in Victoria during the summer, the
two were found guilty.
On January 24, they were again in court to appeal the
decision to the B.C. County Court. The defense gave two
arguments—freedom of religion and impairment of
Indian status. Burnings of actual religious rituals and
religion fall under the realm of the Federal Government
and the B.C. Wildlife Act shouldn’t apply to Indians.
This Act should apply only if it doesn’t impair the status-
or character of Indian people.
Religion is a major part of the Saanich people’s lives:
in this case the provincial laws are an impairment and
should not apply. The Crown made its argument on
January 30 in Victoria. On February 14, 1980, the judge
decided against its Indian people.
He held that the law in Canada protects freedom of
thought, not religious practices. The case may be
appealed. '
he é
ie a
Fey
J
on his hunting trips. We had to hunt
to survive. Even our young people
today are starting to hunt small game
like rabbits and that.’’
Also Frank Robbins had his say. ‘‘I
learned to hunt from my dad. This is
when there were no logging roads;
there was always consistent game and
now there are roads all over.”’
They also made it clear that once
an animal is killed, it is shared
between the hunters and all relatives.
By the time it is all given out the
hunter is not left with much to take to
his family. They also mentioned that
after their deer and John’s gun was
seized, and they left on their way
home, they saw two deer but they
never bothered them, though they
could have easily shot them.
Evidence was given by Band Chief
Andy Chelsea that there was an
agreement made by the government
and the Band in the 1920’s, guaran-
teeing hunting rights in the Band’s
traditional territory, including the
place where the hunting charge
occurred. The case will be carried
over on March 6th, 1980 in Williams
Lake. °
UP-DATE
HUNTING CASES
March 4, 1980:
The reason for judgment will be given in Duncan on
March 4, 1980. Joe Bartleman and Doug August were
charged last winter with illegal hunting.
March 25, 1980:
Raymond Bob of Anaham was charged by
conservation wildlife officers for shooting moose and
grouse out of season without a permit. On January 16,
1980, at the Alexis Creek court, it was discovered the
moose and grouse had been shot on Indian land after
Raymond had pointed out on the map the location of the
shooting near Stum Lake.
The crown was surprised that the moose and grouse
were shot on reserve land and asked for more time to
study the fact and to argue the point. The decision was
put over to March 25, 1980 for the lawyers to put their
argument in writing.
May 28, 1980:
Peter Gregoir, Josephine Gregoir, John Camoose and
Martin Tony were charged with hunting out of season,
possession of game and not having a license to carry fire-
arms on August 15, 1979. Their case was held over from
February 4, 1980 and has been adjourned to May in
Vernon,
NATIONAL NATIVE ALCOHOL ABUSE PROGRAM
Recently, the DIA and NH & W informed the NIB that
the Hickling & Johnston Review (see last issue) was to be
shelved. From 15 February, a National Task Force would
be formed to again evaluate NNAAP. The news was
released just days before the task force was to begin. The
decision was made without any prior consultation with
NIB or any Provincial or Territorial Organizations. The
NIB and PTO’s have reacted by preparing alternatives to
the task force. The Health and Social Development
Portfolio have sent letters to all Bands and NNAAP
personnel informing them of the alternatives and asking
for their response to these further developments.
Terms of reference for the National Task Force are
available at the UBCIC office. If possible, we would like
to hear your opinions on another study of the NNAAP,
and of NNAAP itself.
FISHING CASES
February 28, 1980:
Chester Douglas of Cheam for unlawful possession of
fish at Agassiz: his case was held over from February 8,
1980.
March 5, 1980:
McKay Jr. from Lillooet, B.C. charged for unlawful
possession of fish in Lytton. His case was held over from
December 16, 1979.
March 27, 1980:
Fisheries appeal Herman Thomas case. Herman was
charged with illegal possession of fish but won his case
last year.
RALPH GEORGE TEST CASE
The UBCIC Legal Team started an action against the
Federal Fisheries Department on Ralph George’s behalf
alleging negligence in the case where 68 fish were seized
from George. He won his case in Chilliwack court March
16, 1979 but the fish were not returned to him. A
statement of claim has been filed.
CONSULTATION FUNDING
The Health and Social Development Portfolio has been
participating at the National Commission Inquiry
meetings coordinated by the National Indian
Brotherhood since March, 1979.
At the last meeting held on February Sth to 7th, 1980,
it was learned that only half of the previously promised
$475,000.00 is now available due to the short time
remaining till the end of March, 1980.
There was also a $25,000.00 ceiling set for all the
provinces and each province is now expected to apply to
their regional medical services branches for the funds.
Justice Berger and his commission have met with
various Indian organizations and groups across the
country. The commission is now prepared to make their
recommendations to the Health Minister. Hopefully, a
change in government will not jeopardize their decision
(if it happens to be in our favour) for the full $950,000.00
consultation yearly budget.
Justice Berger and his commission were hired by the
N.I.B. as an arbitrary third party after the Minister’s
office suggested a third party would be needed to verify.
the proper spending of the Consultation’s Money.
On February 11th, Dr. Muri, Acting Regional Director of
Medical Services, informed us that British Columbia
would be receiving the grand total of $18,000.00 to be
spent no later than March 31, 1980. This certainly does
not give us much time for complete Consultations on
problems in Health Care the Bands must live with, let
alone time to have this money delivered to our office to
be spent! |
INDIAN WORLD 35
URANIUM:
The Bates’ Royal Commission on
Uranium Mining continued to hear
technical evidence in Vancouver. In
the past few weeks, three more
witnesses gave reasons why uranium
mining should not be permitted in
this province.
The home of Ned Yazzie, a Navajo
paralysed in a mining accident, sits
on radioactive tailings.
B.C. Miners Tell of Tailings Dam
Spills
From Vanderhoof and Fraser
Lake, two mine workers presented
evidence from the viewpoint of those
who do the actual maintenance of
mine tailings dams. These dams hold
the waste material produced from
mines and the tailings area often
covers many acres of land. Although
the failure of any mine tailings dam
can cause the release of hazardous or
polluting waste to the environment,
INDIAN WORLD 36
Last month at the Hearings
the risk is magnified when uranium is
mined as the tailings waste contains
cancer causing radioactive material.
The witnesses testified that many
spills had occurred at the mine at
which they worked (16 spills in the
past year alone) and yet only one spill
has ever been reported to the gov-
ernment in the mine’s total operation.
One witness also testified that he has
never seen a Mines Inspector on the
tailings dam in the twelve years he has
worked at the mine.
This real life evidence is in com-
plete contrast to the theoretical
framework which has been presented
to the Commission by the Ministry of
Mines. The Ministry has reassured
the Commission that its inspection
and monitoring facilities are adequate
to ensure the safety of uranium
tailings dams in B.C. But the Ministry
has also made it clear that it relies on
the mines industry to police itself.
The evidence of these workers raises
doubts that the Ministry and industry
is even doing the necessary job on
existing mines and _ gives little
confidence that the more hazardous
uranium mines will ‘be effectively
monitored or controlled.
Indian Hunting, Trapping &
Fishing Destroyed in Ontario
The United Steelworkers Union
also gave evidence based on its exper-
ience as the union representing the
workers at Canada’s major uranium
mining location, Elliot Lake,
Ontario. Uranium has been mined at
Elliot Lake for over 25 years with the
result of devastating health and
environment effects. The Serpent
River Band, located downstream
from the mines has _ suffered
grievously. Their hunting and trap-
ping territories have been totally des-
troyed from a population influx of
over 20,000 people and pollution
from the tailings has eliminated all
fish from the 50 mile long Serpent
River system. Band members were
even advised at one time not to drink
the water or to swim in the river. Yet
the Band has never received any
compensation from industry or.
government and they claim that by
using their river as a ‘‘waste sink,’’
the mining companies have received
an ‘‘environmental subsidy’’ at the
Band’s expense.
Government and Industry Put
Economics First
The panel from the union described
their efforts to improve the situation
at Elliot Lake and how too often
these efforts were frustrated by the
attitudes of government and industry
which put economics ahead of health,
safety and the environment. The
witnesses also produced a 1956 letter
from the Department of Lands and
Forests which reassured a_ local
resident that uranium mining ‘‘is not
expected (to have) any adverse effect
on Whiskey Lake or the Serpent
Henry Black is dying of lung cancer.
“The government never told us
Navajos about the dangers of radio-
activity. ”’
Along With the Uranium
River watershed.’’ The letter states
that the uranium “‘industries have co-
operated excellently and have assured
the Department that they will under-
take whatever measures may be
necessary to protect the quality of the
waters receiving the mining wastes.’’
Twenty years later not a fish can
survive in that water. Yet constantly
at the Hearings, government and
industry make the same assurances in
cS
7
tions throughout B.C. if opened. In
addition, Ontario currently is heavily
dependent on nuclear powered gener-
ating stations while B.C. is not and
will not be in the foreseeable future.
Uranium production in B.C. would
be basically for export, however, it is
not possible to find an export market
for the wastes associated with
production or the potentially harmful
health effects inherent in it.”’
.
or
-
Evidence last month told that mining destro yed hun ting, trapping and fishing for Ontario Indians, that Navajo miners
between the radioactivity in uranium
and an increased rate of lung cancer.
However, those warnings were not
heeded by industry or government
with the result that the rate of lung
cancer was five times that expected
for white and Navajo miners in the
U.S. Southwest. Dr. Wagoner sees
these rates as going even higher and
described the situation as an epidemic
of lung cancer in that region.
Finally, Dr. Wagoner testified as to
mi,
get lung cancer five times more than expected, and that in B.C. many tailings spills go unreported.
You Can’t Export the Waste
The Steelworkers take the position
that there should be no uranium
mining in this province, even though
they are the union for uranium
miners in Ontario. Their reasons are:
B.C. ‘thas many small presently
undeveloped deposits, which in our
opinion, would reproduce Elliot Lake
on a mini scale in each of the loca-
You Have to Put Human Values
First
The final important witness was
Dr. Joseph K. Wagoner. For twenty
years he has studied the effects of
uranium mining on miners for the
U.S. Department of Health, Educa-
tion and Welfare. Dr. Wagoner
recounted the history of uranium
mining in the U.S. and described how
even in the 1940’s the scientific com-
munity had identified the link
what he saw as the root cause for the
deaths and misery caused by uranium ~
mining—the tendency to put the
needs of industrial development (or
‘‘progress’’) ahead of human needs
and values. He gave a quote which
accurately summarizes the thrust of
the evidence of all three witnesses in
this article: ‘‘There is nothing more
urgent than this society’s assertion of
individual over institutional interests,
and of human over economic
values.”’ ®
INDIAN WORLD 37
Alert Bay in gear
met with appointed health inquiry Commissioner, Dr.
[ HE AL i H i In early February, the Kwawkewlth District Council
CHILD WELFARE STUDY
On 28 January 1980, a Co-ordinator for the Child
Welfare Study was hired to compile the terms of
reference for the Child Welfare Study_The Co-ordinator
is not doing the study alone. The duties are:
a) contact all who are interested;
b) compile information submitted into cne package. This
is in order to avoid duplication, to have a compact and
representative terms of reference for the Study. This
package is meant to include everyone’s ideas on how
the Study should be done;
c) the Co-ordinator contract is with the Department of
Indian Affairs for an initial one month period; this
timeframe was set to develop a work plan.
d) the Co-ordinator has the use of the Union office space,
telephones and supplies, but is not an employee of the
‘Union;
e) this was all agreed to by all organizations attending the
initial meetings: F.J. Walchli, J.W. Evans, Lillian In-
gram and Mike Bennett of DIA; Bernice Robson,
Indian Homemakers Association of B.C.; Jim White,
Native Brotherhood of B.C.; Verne Jackson, North
Coast District Council; Steve Kozey, Glen Newman,
and Gloria Joe of The Alliance; Julie Newman and
Archie Pootlass of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.
The Co-ordinator has tried to contact everyone, and
has attended various meetings to discuss the Study. The
response has been really negligible. | The responsibility
of the Co-ordinator was to contact all organizations,
Tribal Councils, and those who are interested in partici-
pating in the study. The main, and only purpose for this
is to compile everyone’s terms of reference, ideas
for the Study, what questions should be asked, and
information required.
A number of comments have been made that there have
been too many studies completed and they all have been
shelved and forgotten. The reality is that the statistics of
our children in care, adopted, apprehended, continue to
rise. It is all of our responsibility to do something about
this. We have that opportunity now: what should we do,
what should the goals and terms of reference of this
Study be?
The Province has ‘‘informally’’ mentioned to the
Department of Indian Affairs that ‘‘possibly a study is
not necessary, that it might be more useful to look at
improving services, namely the implementation of the
‘‘Family Support Workers Program.’’
The next meeting to discuss the Study further is being
scheduled for early March.
Please share your information and ideas with us. ®
INDIAN WORLD 38
Gary Goldthorp, in Campbell River, B.C.
Dr. Goldthorp said the council would have the
opportunity to be heard by the commission whether in a
public presentation or behind closed doors, and that he
would facilitate them as much as possible.
Dr. Goldthorp has been looking into statistical health
data in Vancouver, Victoria and Provincial offices over
the past two weeks gathering information to help him
understand the nature of what he is to inquire into.
His investigation into the nature of health care services
will be with a special focus on Alert Bay and the
Nimpkish people.
The date for people involved in health care services to
make their own presentations will be March 21, 1980, ina
public forum workshop at Alert Bay. The district council
of Alert Bay are now holding workshops of their own as
to the direction and strategy of their presentation.
The district council has not received any consultation
funding from National Health and Welfare. The
Department of Indian Affairs has said they are going to
give their moral and financial support in the health
inquiry.
After March 31, 1980, Goldthorp will prepare a
general overview report that will be made available to the
Nimpkish Band and the Kwawkewlth District Council.
( =
INUIT DEMAND STUDY TOO
Mr. Amarook, President of Inuit Tapirisat of
Canada, responded to a study prepared by National
Health and Welfare about health care for Inuit as ‘out
of date and inaccurate.’
“ The study showed that Inuit babies die at five times
' the national rate. Mr. Amarook holds the lack of
medical care for Inuit infants explains the poor infant
health. He speaks from his own experience:
‘*] was an interpreter in the sixties for the nurses and
doctors who came to my community of Baker Lake.
Health and Welfare officials used to urge Inuit mothers
not to breast-feed their babies. The government used to
say that unless we learned to do things the southern
way, we had no future.”’
Mr. Amarook says there are about 5,000 people in the
Keewatin region and no doctor. ‘“The only way Inuit
living in the Keewatin area can see a doctor is to fly to
Churchill, Manitoba, 400 air miles away, or wait for
one to come to their community.’’ Weather conditions
in the Arctic often cause delays in times of emergency,
he said.
The Inuit Tapirisat of Canada met with Health and
Welfare officials last month to discuss guidelines for a
possible study of health care services in the Keewatin |
| region of Nunavut.
~NO HELP AVAILABLE FOR
BURNED OUT FAMILY
by Mary Louise Williams
On October 6, 1979, a house was
destroyed ina fire in the Mount Currie
Indian Community. It was a tragedy
that hurt everyone because two of our
Community members were lost to us
forever. But even more tragic is the
fact that a mother’s life was snuffed
out ata very young age and a two-year
old boy’s life ended before it got
started and it is deeply depressing that
no one seems to care. They were buried
and then quickly forgotten. The ruins
are still there for the remaining family
- to be reminded of their loss day after
day. Why haven’t they cleared it
away? The Band Council asked that
someone look into getting another
home for the remaining family.
After phone calls and several
discussions with people, it has become
apparent that there is nowhere in the
whole Department of Indian Affairs
or the whole country, for that matter, -
that people could turn to for help.
Surely in this rich country there is
somewhere we can turn to for aid to
help people in need.
The first place that was approached
was DIA. Their recommendation was
to go back to the Band Council and
ask them to do something for the
family. It was pointed out to DIA that
the money we receive for the Mount
Currie Community is hardly adequate
to house Band members, never mind
having any to help in disasters such as
a fire. The Mount Currie Band’s
revenue is nil. We did have a timber
resource which doesn’t benefit the
Band because it is in the hands of the
Provincial Government and a Cor-
poration.
It is strange that people run around
trying to set up Government policies,
THE REGIONAL CHR CONFERENCE
by Charlotte Joe
On Monday Dr. Butler started the
conference by giving a speech on the
philosophy of devolution and what it
means to us as CHR’s. During the
course of the week we held group
workshops on adolescent health
needs, influencing life styles on
fitness and nutrition, smoking and
alcohol, prescription drugs, prenatal
and infant care, and an update on
prenatal education and TB control.
Wednesday the 13th was more of
an information day. Thomas Berger
and Dr. Segal came to talk to the
CHR’s on the study that they are
doing on Indian Health Care
Program. The CHR’s from the four
zones gave their evaluations on their
program amd stressed some of the
changes they would like to see in their
area. Information was given to the
CHR’s on the training of paramedics.
On Thursday people from Canada
Employment Centre and Indian
Affairs came to give us information
on funding sources, and the two
people from Indian Affairs discussed
guidelines to make life better for
people and when faced with doing
something for people right in our
midst we cannot find anyone to help.
If that is the stage we are at, then why
bother about those precious policies
and guidelines because the life of a
human being couldn’t really matter.
After all one always thinks the
policies and guidelines are supposed to
be helping not human beings but the
Government machines. Please, if you
have an answer to the following
questions, would you help us? Surely
other Communities have suffered and
have had to get help somewhere.
e Is there a fund for people in our
Communities set up that we could
turn to for help when_ disasters
happen?
© What is the role of DIA to set up
emergency funds?
® Is there anything UBCIC can set up
for emergencies?
Send answers, money, anything, to
Mount Currie Band Office in care of
Mary L. Williams. e
IN VANCOUVER
the social development program and
the housing part of Indian Affairs.
OPINION——
Our people are still fighting
amongst themselves—example—
Phillip Paul, who is the Vice
President of UBCIC, was invited to
attend a workshop at this confer-
ence.
My insides turned and my mouth
remained shut but my pen can still
write and I’ve got to get it out before
I burst with shame.
Government Officials along with
CHRs clapped, smiled and cheered
as if they were glad to watch us fight
amongst ourselves or as if they were
glad to watch one of our leaders get
called down at this conference.
I feel and we should all feel we as
Indian people should never, never
fight or call each other down in front
of the white society because I feel
they like to see us fight amongst
ourselves. I thought we’d all learned
this lesson by now. But we have not
and it hurts me to see it still
happening.
I go to these conferences to voice
my opinion on certain issues facing
Indian people in regards to
Government programs and policies.
I do not attend to be humiliated by
Indian peqple attacking each other in
such a childish, immature manner in
front of Government officials.
I attend conferences in the hopes
that I can learn and find a
constructive means to help me give a
better service to the people I serve in
my community. I apologize to
Phillip Paul for even being a part of
what happened at this conference.
INDIAN WORLD 39
TRUST, RESPECT
AND LAUGHTER rreat™enr CENTRE
We are now approaching the end of
our first year of operation of the
Round Lake Treatment Centre, and
we feel a progress report is
warranted, as there have been a lot of
questions being asked by the people
in communities.
Shortage of Space
Client in-take is up to 18 residents,
both male and female, singles and
couples. The existing facilities and
space have prevented us from our
planned 24 bed unit. This is a tem-
porary situation and we should be
operating at full capacity within six
INDIAN WORLD 40
months. This has caused a few
problems and misunderstandings this
past year, the referring agents have
had to wait to get their clients into
treatment. We realize the importance
of getting people into a program at
the right time but the staff are doing
by Tina Marie Christian
ROUND LAKE
Supervisor and is responsible for the
program and the counsellors.
Freedom to Choose
Together, they have developed a
program based on self-awareness,
spiritual growth and sobriety, giving
Illustration by Gordy Williams
the best they can, given the shortage
of space. Please bear with us.
The program is also going through
some positive changes as well. There
is now a three phase treatment pro-
gram which allows for continuous in-
take, as opposed to in-take every six
weeks. Gerry Oleman is our Program
clients an alternative in life, where
they have the freedom to choose who
and what they want to be. For a lot of
the people entering the program, they
have had little or no exposure to
sobriety and the strength they possess
as Indian people.
At the Treatment Centre, the
opportunity to view people and the
meaning of life are given through the
Elders, the Sweats, Meditation and of
course the analysis of alcoholism.
That it is not only a chemical depen-
dence but an emotional dependence
as well.
Trust, Respect and Laughter
Communication is an integral part
of the program. The Counsellors
have developed a variety of ‘‘Com-
munication Games’’ that encourage
discussion groups to express their
feelings honestly. Sessions on Trust
and Respect have proven to be very
interesting: the Client learns that
trusting people is an essential part of
living. The Program also has a
generous quantity of humour. It
wouldn’t be unusual to walk into a
session where there is cheering,
booing and laughing. Not only at
themselves and their situations, but
others as well.
In short the program shows —
Beat thee, is more to lite tia
The physical setting of the centre is
conducive to the program. It is set
back off the main highway a mile and
a half, with the closest town 17 miles
away. The residence is set back
amongst the trees and overlooks
Round Lake, providing an atmos-
phere of tranquility. It is nature in its
natural state. There are no concrete
buildings to obstruct the vision and
confuse the mind.
Working out the Kinks
The Centre has not been without
problems, though. We are like
anything new: there are the kinks to
work out, staff to settle and of course
the two levels of government to deal
with. A few misunderstandings have
developed over the course of our
year, bringing about some bad feeling
to some. Hopefully though, we have
dispelled any negative rumors by
maintaining a successful program.
Please keep in mind that we aim for
100% sobriety; unfortunately it
doesn’t always work that way. People
are people, some change, some don’t.
Remember also we need the support
of the communities for doing follow-
up work. The problem can’t be solved
by a handful of people. The
communities can help their people
upon their return, with employment,
accommodations and just by being
there to talk to and support them.
Keep in mind what they’re aiming
for: Sobriety —Acceptance—Sup-
port.
Coming Home: That’s Another
Problem
Something that is becoming
increasingly obvious is the need for
a ‘‘Coming out’’ home and program.
Some may call it a ‘half-way house’’
but it is more than that. Recently
we've been discussing the idea of
establishing something of this sort.
At a meeting held in early February,
we talked in serious terms of Where,
What type of program, etc. This was
the second meeting and realize it is
time to pool our resources. We need
the involvement and the commitment
from all communities as this will be
affecting your people as well. Our
meeting is set for March 3 at 1:00
p.m. in Enderby. Anyone interested
is welcome to attend.
In closing, we would like to thank
those who have supported us this past
year and hope for your continued
support. We’re moving in a positive
direction and encourage’ the
participation and interest of Indian
people. The problem of alcohol
affects all of us in some way. As with
any Killer, there is strength in unity. ©
{—
A Reason for Living >
A Flower
is like a person.
You give it sunshine,
and water,
you give it life.
And it’s contented with
just living.
A person needs a lot more. —
A person needs understanding
and love.
A person needs a reason
for living.
You give love,
as well as receive.
You respect everyone,
they respect you.
To me,
that seems a very good reason
Sor being here.
Deborah Hayward
XZ A
INDIAN WORLD 41
photo: Lower Kooteny Band
©
LOWER KOOTENAY BAND
FARM
Agricultural Corporation formed
The Lower Kootenay Band Agri-
culture Corporation put in a reclama-
tion of 1,100 acres to develop an
economic base both socially and
physically for their people. The re-
claimed area has been divided into
farming and pasture land. The 700
acres available for farming lies in the
Southern end of the Indian reserve.
Draining Lands Without
Hurting Ducks
y
Drainage of this sizable acreage
which borders the Kootenay River,
commenced in the spring of 1974 with
the actual negotiations with Ducks
Unlimited of Canada dating back to
the fall of 1972. To date, the Lower
Kootenay Indian Band and Ducks
Unlimited have agreed to a ten year
contract agreement for upkeep and
maintenance of ditches, dykes, water
level and nesting areas, etc. Ducks
Unlimited of Canada is an organiza-
tion that is supported by the United
INDIAN WORLD 42
States and Canada for the preserva-
tion of waterfowl.
*
The 1,100 acres directly behind the
Lower Kootenay Indian community
I and II capabilities now that they are
drained. The people are hoping that a
substantial amount will be dry
. by Dan Gravelle
Lower Kootenay Band Agricultural
Corporation
a —
pueg Aeuajooy Jamo7 :ooyd
enough to seed and farm in the spring
of 1980. The topsoil is at least 5 feet
in depth with at least 15% or more
organic matter.
No More ‘‘Make Work’’
Programs
centre is comprised of soils with class -
Making use of this land has re-
quired a significant cultural change
for their people. This sort of change
was not achieved overnight and has
been accomplished with changes of
attitude, responsibility and respect
for one another. The Lower
Kootenay Band has in the past opera-
ted work-oriented programs but
lacked the property of viability be-
cause they were just projects that
both employees and management
knew were in sight from the
beginning.
This project differs from all other
projects undertaken by the Band
because it’s ‘‘real’’ and does not have
the element of ‘‘make work’’ about
photo: Lower Kooteny Band
® To utilize whatever land that is
wet and farmable for grazing
pastures and alfalfa crops
e To realize a reasonable return on
the land.
The Band has a sizable beef herd
and will continue to build the herd by
grazing in the pasture lands and
utilizing the hay not sold as cash
crops for winter feed.
The Lower Kootenay Band is now
awaiting spring to begin seeding some
new acreage and hoping for a bigger
and better crop for this year. ®
it. The Band’s major objectives to
date are as follows:
® To utilize most of the 1,100 acres
of undrained land
® To provide employment oppor-
tunities to their Band members
© To provide as much training as
possible to their Band members
in order to be able to assume full
responsibility of Creston Recla-
mation land upon termination of
this particular lease which
includes 2,200 acres
-
-
ha
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a alll ; “
ai i '
+s i ee
ee
a
ie — fae
-
&
id
—
photo: Lower Kooteny Band
pueg Auaiooy 1aMo'T :ojoyd
EROSION AND FLOOD CONTROL
Similkameen River Erosion and Flooding Control
The Upper and Lower Similkameen Indian Bands have
requested A.R.D.S.A. and DIA to finance the erosion
and flooding control work needed to protect their
agricultural land. The Ministry of the Environment,
Water Investigation Branch, prepared the engineering
study and estimated the cost at about 4 million dollars.
A.R.D.S.A,. decided that because of the amount of
money involved, it would be necessary to prepare a Cost/
Benefit study to evaluate the economic feasibility of the
proposed investment. They further decided to tender the
study to 4 consultant firms (one of them will be
W.I.A.C.). They will call the Consultants to present their
proposals probably next week and make a decision at the
beginning of March. W.I.A.C. will present their proposal
and compete as any other private consultant. The
feasibility study will take about six months. It is
expected, therefore, that the work in the field ae not be
started until 1981. ;
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if
fp tested |
North Themen Erosion and Flooding Control
D.I.A. requested Sigmd Resource Consultants Ltd. to
prepare a study to identify where erosion and flooding
control works were needed and to estimate its costs.
W.I.A.C. has been requested by North Thompson Band
to prepare the Cost/Benefit analysis in order to request
the necessary funding from A.R.D.S.A. and DIA.
v
ANSWERS to Indian Government Crossword, January
1980 INDIAN WORLD.
ACROSS: 1. medicine; 2. Indian; 3. eagle; 4. snow-
shoes; 5. moccasins; 6. kelp; 7. deer; 8. cradle; 9. buck;
10. duck; 11. soapberries; 12. bannock; 13. culture;
14. smokehouse; 15. spirit; 16. weaving; 17. clan;
18. fish; 19. beaver. DOWN: 9. birds; 15. sinew;
17. crest; 20. Chiefs; 21. canoe; 22. potlatch;
23. maskes; 24. bow and arrow; 25. buckskin; 26. drum;
27. see; 28. bear; 29. basket; 30. animals; 31. salmon;
32. beads; 33. raven; 34. traps; 35. tipi.
INDIAN WORLD 44
| Starting Salary —$1,000/month
a)
_ Weeet ter. Mery 33 1972 tH ANON ven 3
EE hl ae ee
4 nike,
PARMEAS IS OF SIMILRAMEAS DALLEY Hirt ore sper RPS chhiey diel Pebeal
In May 1972 farmlands and houses were under water for
about two weeks. Similkameen Reserves #2, 7 and 8 were
flooded.
Lower Fraser Valley Indian Lands
Erosion and Flooding Control
The Department of Indian Affairs requested C.B.A.
Engineering Ltd. to evaluate, through a Cost/Benefit
analysis, the economic feasibility of a number of erosion
and flooding control projects along the Fraser River from
Vancouver to Hope. A preliminary draft of the study has
been submitted to DIA for comments. W.I.A.C. has
been asked by some of the Bands that will benefit from
the projects to review the study draft from an economic
as well as an engineering point of view.
' ties »
; Sea
4 * =. i
DARKROOMTECHNICIAN
wanted 4 ees
To develop pictures for Indian World in new dar (room.
Full time position with some time for photographir
assignments in the field. nad
Must be experienced in all darkroom techniques as well as
photographic filing.
Knowledge of Indian political and social issues an ase.
Preference given to a worker with previous cl
Starting Date—A.S.A.P. : i
Apply to: Beth Cuthand
Communications Co-ordinator, UBCIC
‘ STONEY ELDERS SOCIETY
The Stoney Elders Cultural
Society is préparing now for their
2nd Indian Festival, on August
15th and 16th 1980 to be held at the
| Lake Town Grounds on the shore
of Nulki Lakd (Kenny Dam Road).
Some ve committed and
concerned people have formed a
volunteer Aaa to organize and
promote this levent which will be
unique to this area of the Carriers.
The Stoney Creek Elder’s Society
hopes to raise half of the total
budget and seek the other half
through donations from Indian
organizations, neighbouring Bands
and local interested Indian and
non-Indian parties. The Elders
have already begun their fund
of their membership cards and an
“‘Ole Time Leap Year Dance’’ for
later this month (February).
The Festival which is organized
to reflect an expression of Carrier
Traditions will consist of Indian
dancing, drumming, singing, dis-
plays of beaded moccasins, Indian
clothing, etc. and Carrier food
delicacies. It is expected that
various Indian Cultural Groups
will be represented, with a great
variety of dance, dress and
displays. The Festival will be a
scene of other events as well, such
as tug-0-war contests, canoe races,
horse shoe tournaments, a jigging
competition, Ole Time Dancing,
etc
ral Society wants to be a part in
restoring the spiritual and cultural
foundation to Indian Government.
The Elders being traditionally,
naturally gifted hosts will make the
Stoney Creek and area Annual
Indian Festival a successful event
and put the Carriers on the 1980 list
of Indian Gatherings.
The Elders mailing address is:
Stoney Creek Elders Cultural
Society,
Box 893
Vanderhoof, B.C. VOJ 3A0
Telephone: 566-9609
Last year the Elders put a great _
deal of hard work into their 1979
Indian Gathering and it was a great
The Stoney Creek Elders Cultu-
raising projects which include a sale
€
FORESTRY
In 1978 the UBCIC Forestry Committee was set up in
response to the new B.C. Forest Act. The Committee
prepared a position paper to identify Forestry
opportunities that Bands could take advtantage of. They
lobbied through a barrage of letters to the M.L.A.’s
asking for support for their recommendations to the
Forestry Advisory Committee that had been set up just to
hear response from the Pearce report, from which the
New Forest Act was drawn up.
SUCCESS.
Once the New Forest Act was passed in Victoria the
Forestry Committee’s mandate was finished. The
Provincial Government began the process of making up
policies and procedures for implementation.
At the January 1980 Chiefs Council meeting, the
Socio-Economic Portfolio got a new mandate to strike up
a second Forestry Committee to deal with these policies
and procedures in practice, as they relate to opportunities
for Indian Bands.
In February this month, a meeting of interested Bands,
lawyers and government representatives met at the Union
office to discuss two of the White Papers that would be
beneficial: the Intense Forest Management and Woodlot
Licenses. Recommendations were drawn up and handed
to the lawyers hired as consultants for this state of
negotiations. |
For any information on the UBCIC Forestry
Committee, contact the Socio-Economic Portfolio. e
INDIAN WORLD 45
i
|
*
A short story by Clifford Hanuse
“*Bill, are you going home for lunch?’’ the secretary
had accidentally slammed the door behind her. The Band
Manager’s office appeared balanced out with the fresh
sky blue walls and the clutter of paper work, magazines,
reports and so forth surrounding his huge desk and filing
cabinets. ‘Yeah, I want to take a walk, to get away from
all these.’” He pushed a bunch of papers to the edge of his
desk.
Leanne walked slowly towards the aluminum framed
window and spoke in a tone Bill never heard before,
‘Suppose the federal government will never change the
ways of the Department.’’ The Band Manager did not
answer but instead he wondered what she was driving at.
Using the palm of her small hand she started wiping the
steam off the glass pane and stared outside as if she were
in a trance.
The salmon berry bushes beside the Band of fice looked
very brittle as they reached out to sky. But this did not
matter to the chickadees that bounced to and fro from
branch to branch. The frost was now melting as the
sunlight, with ever increasing force, pierced through the
morning overcast clouds.
Like a politician, who always laugh at their own jokes
in their promising speeches, Leanne’s fake laugh faded
into a cold voice, ‘‘You know, it drives me up the wall
when I read the incoming mail and type the out-going
letters.’’ Bill felt a tingling grab at his spine, it was a
defensive feeling. He looked at her for a moment and
asked, ‘‘Does all that red-tape nonsense get to you too?”’
INDIAN WORLD 46
She turned to face Bill. ‘‘We are like puppets, our
strings are being pulled by the Department.’’ She paused
momentarily to catch her breath. ‘‘Those civil servants
have continuously succeeded in writing the scripts, you
know. It’s all in the policies and guidelines.’’ Bill tried to
speak but the secretary continued, ‘‘How do we change
this type of administrative arrangement? It’s so difficult
when the policy-makers, the politicians, only believe in
the Indian Act and the reports that are in response to the
Indian Act. The so-called bureaucrats in return only
believe in their internal office policies and procedures
which boggles up their whole purpose: they don’t know
what is coming and what is going.”’
There was silence until Leanne asked abruptly, ‘‘How
We can try to get into all kinds of programs, whether it be
make-work projects or a Band-owned logging operation,
yet we still end up as puppets of the Department.’’
Bill inhaled deeply before he spoke. ‘‘The programs
can be our key, in the socio-economic development. If we
can open the doors with the programs, it’s a step in the
right direction. Sure, we’re puppets, sure we do as the
Department’s policies and guidelines say, but we’ve got
to use this, use the strings to our advantage. You’ve got
to remember that the Department reps are puppets of the
government.’’ He stopped to think a moment, ‘‘I know
that the Department is in the middle, I know they tell us
and the politicians different reports, but we’ve got to use
the strings.
‘‘In my own mind, with our Band, I’d like to start a
Band-owned logging company to cut timber off-reserve.
But first we’ve got to prove to ourselves that we’re
capable and confident enough to do it. I don’t want the
Department patting me on the back and saying you’re
doing pretty good and have a lot of potential to really
move ahead. So far, the strings that the Department
controls through their policies and guidelines are
effectively controlling our ability to use the confidence
that can carry us.’’
Leanne’s face lit up as she said with lifted spirits, ‘‘You
know, I think you are on the same air wave as me. I’ve
always wanted to put my ideas in perspective, especially
in management, the management of our own community
affairs, the management of our own authority, and the
management of a land base than could provide long term
development. I really want to see a Band-owned logging
company too. At least it will give us revenue under our
own policy. But to take it a step further, I see it very
necessary that we also have a land base owned by the
Band that can provide sufficient long term
development.’’
‘I know, but right now all we’ve got going for us is the
short term Band make-work projects and the Band
office.”’ Bill left the room for a minute or two and came
back with two cups of steaming hot coffee. He
continued, ‘‘I think we have to deal with this in phases.
We both agree that our goal is to own a company that can
provide the community economical and social. benefits
and we know that at the moment all we have is the Band
office and its make-work projects. If we can convince the
_ people to all come together, both on reserve and off, to
look at the Band administration, as the first phase, and
try to determine how the Band office can function to help
members both individually and as a community, and then
in return—’’
Leanne interrupted, ‘‘It takes money. Getting here
makes it even tougher, but what it all boils down to is
money. There is no way off-reserve members will come
here to meet and talk about Band management.”’
Bill started smiling as he was about to take a sip of his
coffee, ‘‘I didn’t say come together physically, | meant
mentally. If we can all put our thoughts together, and
hash out what really Band management is—it’s up to us
to decide how we will administer ourselves.’’
**T had a plan once, it’s more or less scrap now, but the
first phase was to strike up a committee to organize local
Band Training seminars. I know the Department has some
type of Band Training programs which I don’t think could
possibly apply here because it’s program by theory not
actual practice. My idea of any Band Training seminars is
to get the ideas from the people, from the grass-roots. If
our Band Council can effectively present their ideas on
how their role in policy making can help the Band as a
whole, if the Band Manager, yours truly, can explain how
the administration has developed over the years and
determine the direction it can go in the future, and if you,
as the secretary, can determine how your job can have -
more responsibility, like an office manager that can co-
ordinate committees, and if the members of the Band can
openly express their specific interests, which they’ve got
through experience, and are willing to tackle certain
areas...say we have a guy who is specifically interested
in forestry so that he could talk from that view at Band
training seminars,’’ he paused to catch his breath,
**maybe the Committee can put all our ideas together and
into perspective, put it into a community plan, and get
more feed-back from the people —”’
‘Yeah, this would be better than sending away
someone to those Department Band training programs. I
think those might make more bureaucrats and the
programs may not apply to our Band’s situation,”’
Leanne laughed. ‘‘Maybe the second phase would be to
develop our resources in our area, like a Salmonid
Enhancement Program to work towards a fishing resort
or a commercial fishing fleet in the fisheries, or like an
Intensive Forest Management Program to work towards
a Band owned logging company—hey, maybe we can
buy a couple of logging trucks to haul timber now.”’
Bill did not realize how much the secretary knew about
socio-economic development and he thought about the
position of a Band Planner. ‘‘The third phase can be the
community business enterprises: we need a Band store,
we need tourism facilities, we need a museum type
library, we need better recreational facilities, we need a
housing construction crew, to name but a few. I really
believe the overall objective is to show the civil servants
that we are capable of managing our own affairs. With
this in mind we can’t afford to have this process started
by having the Department advising us how to get out of
the problem they created.’’
‘“‘Then you agree that it is us that must make the
changes. We’ve got to make the Department’s civil
servant’s job not necessary outside the community and
most of all we’ve got to make changes in the Indian Act
to get authority over our own lives. I would suggest that
we start a war chest fund from the people for the
necessary legal help. As well as showing the bureaucrats
that we can develop our resources both economically and
socially we should be continuously getting input into
changes to the Indian Act. When our revisions are
complete we can make recommendations to the
government, maybe to the House of Commons.”’
*“*Leanne, I think the Indian Act is a way out of our
field. But then again it’s our overall goal, we must make
certain changes if we want to control our own lives, if we
want to be able to handle the authority, and if we really
want to increase our land base.’’ Bill stood up and
grabbed his coat.
As the Band Manager and the secretary were about to
walk toward the door a knocking echoed in the office.
The Chief stuck his head in the doorway and said, ‘‘I was
just talking to the District people: they are wondering
when we are going to sign the Local Services Agreement.
They said if we don’t sign it we won’t get any funds for
the Band administration.’’ °
INDIAN WORLD 47
BOOK REVIEW
Published by New Star Books by Reg Percival
In this book Rolf Knight attempts to give us an account
of the Indian labour work force in B.C. from the years
1858-1930. The book was compiled from memoirs,
obituaries, reports, from government agents,
missionaries and company records.
He begins by telling us that the Indians in B.C. have
every right to be as interested and proud of our history as
workers and independent producers as we are of our
more purely cultural and traditional history.
The author of this book has left me with the impression
that after the 1930’s the Indian people of B.C. have made
very little contributions to the work force and are
unimportant, I do not believe our history should stop or
begin at a certain period in the province’s history as the
author of this book would have us believe. Our work
history in B.C. did not begin in 1858 nor did it end in
1930.
He also leaves the reader with the impression that our
work history ended in 1930 as a result of government
subsidies and handouts which began in the 1930’s. We
continued to work, but along with many non-Indians
who were also forced by lack of job opportunities to
obtain government subsidies and nation payments.
One thing that stands out very clearly is his statement
that government subsidies and nation payments were
non-existent until late in the 1930’s and that before 1930
all Indian people had to work for wages or subsistence
production or usually a combination of both.
Despite the author’s biases he gives us very excellent
information of Indian people in the various labour forces
that were in existence of that period: loggers, longshore-
men, teamsters, cowboys, miners, fishermen, cannery
workers, and virtually in every primary industry in B.C.
There is an example of Indian handloggers in B.C. in
1856 in Nanaimo who were supplying logs to the
Hudson’s Bay Company. They were giving eight large
logs or sixteen smaller ones to the H.B.C. and receiving
in return one H.B.C. blanket. The blankets at that time
were wholesaling for $1.57. Another example is of Indian
farmers from Douglas and Portage Bands who won a
diploma and a medal for the wheat they had grown. They
had entered it at the U.S. Centennial Exposition held in
Philadelphia in 1876. What was unique about Indian
farming was the vast amount of restrictions imposed by
the Federal and Provincial Governments, restrictions on
water rights, grazing leases, pre-emption as well as
restrictions on obtaining farm credits for improvements.
B.C. Indian people would also find this book very
interesting because it mentions some of our more
prominent Indian leaders such as Andrew Paull, James
INDIAN WORLD 48
Sewid, Peter Kelley, Ed Sparrow, Charles Edenshaw,
Heber Clifton and Joe Capilano. Often these leaders are
only described as political leaders, but Knight gives us a
more personal view of them.
I feel that our real history is not only as labourers in
this Province, as the author suggests. I believe credit
should be given where credit is due. Our history did not
begin with the arrival of the Europeans. I think for him
to ask us to forget our history before European contact is
asking us to forget our culture and to become assimilated
proletarian. I would like to add a passage, one in which
he shows absolute contempt and his refusal to accept that
we had a history and a thriving culture before the arrival
of the European. ‘‘One of the most persistent and well-
nigh universal misconceptions of Native Indian history in —
B.C. is the romantic vision of a golden past age. In this
view, indigenous Indian societies on the Pacific Coast
existed in a veritable Garden of Eden where a super-
abundance of foods was always and everywhere available
with the merest effort; where Chiefs were the servants of
the people, where all necessities were shared, where
spiritualism and tradition reigned supreme.’’ He informs
us that there are available informed opinions quite
contrary to the above. ‘‘It is regarded as gloss over the
evidence of suffering, hardships and oppression between
and within Indigenous Indian societies and it should be
conceived that Indian soceities did not witness some fall
from natural grace at the arrival of the Europeans.”’
I would highly recommend this book for reading to all
people not only Indian but non-Indians, regardless of
statements like the one above, because it shows the
tremendous amount of change that Indian people have
gone through and still have not yet really adapted into. I
believe that although we did endure some hardships in
our traditional culture we did not have the problems that
exist today, such as alcoholism, suicide, a high
percentage of our people in prisons and a lack of self-
respect that was at one time highly visible in all Indian
people throughout B,C. and North America. This is what
we cannot forget.
This book is available in most bookstores throughout
B.C. and may be purchased for $10.95 for the paper-
back. °
-KITAMAAT, HOME OF THE
STARS
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by
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The people of Kitamaat are called “‘Haisla’’—people of the snow. When the sun shines on the water and mountains,
all the colours come alive.
by Sylvia Woods
Kitamaat Village is a medium-sized
reserve on the Northwest Coast of
B.C. The population is estimated to be
around 1,000. The people there are
called ‘‘Haisla’’ which means ‘‘People
of the snow.’’ Kitimaat is surrounded
by mountains and water: when the sun
shines all the colours seem to come
alive, and it is very picturesque.
Most of the men work in Alcan, or
Eurocan. There are quite a few fisher-
men. Most of the women work in the
canneries in Prince Rupert during
fishing season but a lot of them are
beginning to attend Collegeand BTSD
courses.
Besides Basketball, Fishing is
a major part of the Haisla
people’s lifestyle
The Homemakers are very helpful:
if there is some kind of feast going on
or if there is a wake then they serve -
coffee and other refreshments to the
people attending the wake. We also
have United Church Women (UCW)
who also help out people just like the
Homemakers.
We have only one school on our
Reserve which is attended by Nursery
and Kindergarten students. Grade
One and up go into town to Public
School. The trip to town is about eight
miles which leaves some of the
students exhausted by the end of the
day. The more energetic ones can go
till about 12:00 p.m. and still be up at
6:30 the next morning.
Practically everyone who can
INDIAN WORLD 49
This year at Prince Rupert, the senior Kitamaat basketball team won
the All Native Tournament. It was their sixth year win in a row.
Gerald Amos (14) is the floor general and leader
of the Kitamaat Haisla Braves and was named
Most Valuable Player of the Decade at the All
Native tournament awards presentations.
participates in the most popular sport
in the Northwestern part of B.C.,
which is basketball. The Kitamaat
people take this sport very seriously:
out of 21 all-Native Basketball
Tournaments held in Prince Rupert I
would say Kitamaat has won about 14
tournaments. In our Village we have
about six teams. Basketball also helps
to discipline the younger ones. If they
get caught smoking or drinking they
are allowed two fines, and if they are
caught a third time they are dismissed
from the team, which can be very
disappointing. This year the Senior
team has won the All Native
Tournament for the sixth year in a
row. The Intermediate team did not do
so well this year. During the tourna-
INDIAN WORLD 50
ment there is hardly anyone left in our
Village, that’s the same with most.
Reserves on the Northwest Coast.
On our Reserve we have many clubs
besides Basketball, but basket ball
seems to be the biggest and most
exciting one. We have a Hockey team
called Kitamaat Village Thunderbirds
which is only four years old. They
have problems getting men out to play
because of Basketball, but it is just as
exciting and a bit more aggressive than
basketball. From watching them, if
they are given the right coaching and a
lot of training and self-confidence I’m
sure a lot of them have NHL potential,
because Indians are known to be
stronger than non-Indians: just take a
look at Stan Jonathan—heis small but
CE eS haa
photos: Theresa Johansen,
Daily News Prince Rupert
Morris Amos (10) is co-captain and offensive
scoring leader of the Kitamaat Haisla Braves
who have won the All Native tournament for
Six consecutive years.
very tough. Who knows maybe in the
next few years we’ll have our own Stan
Jonathan.
I must not forget Soccer. As you
may have noticed Kitamaat is very
sports-minded—the younger boys
seem to really get into this. We have
about four soccer teams, they usually
play with other Native teams, but play
a lot with Kitamaat town, because
there is not always enough money to
travel to other reserves.
A lot of credit should be given to the
women of Kitamaat Village who help
in any way they can to raise money to
send these athletes to participate in
tournaments. The women put up a lot
of bake sales, potluck suppers, and
other things. : °
3
5
visions a
-Welive in silences, -
2 little bitsof spaces, ‘.
Ha ess slivers, |
WNOS sealers fave no tongues, S e.
aa re come to D you, ch E oe
firnl oes
ot.
ic “We béeathe: in the v voices © es a
$f tite children. eaag |e
) BWe: play i in the sed: minds. a oe
be foft thé great, ia
_ Swho capture us - eo
a: only in silences. Re
m1
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siiheciaaonn rete FE eo, -
sea fa Gites
se ie a eee: Pe te
enantio eth Sete ae
any
* -s
INDIAN WORLD 51
a
FROM: UNION OF B.C. INDIAN CHIEFS
440 WEST HASTINGS ST.
VANCOUVER, B.C. V6B ILI
we
THIS MONTH:
Most Band staff are putting in long hours these days as
the deadlines approach for the 1980/81 budget
negotiations. To further complicate matters, many are
also fighting pressure to sign a Local Services Agreement
for funding, without due negotiation preparation. The
Special Supplement this month deals with the LOCAL
SERVICES AGREEMENT. What emerges is that the
LSA in itself has become small: the issues it has raised
have become more important. Chief Wayne Christian
describes the kind of Band Training that the Okanagan
Tribal Education Committee is undertaking to meet their
Band’s management needs. (page 25) Band Manager,
Wilfred Adams gave time to discuss his Reserve's prob-
lems with and solutions to the administration of the
Babine Lakes Reserve. (page 26) Arlene Laboucane
talked over the problems facing a small Band just taking
over financial controls with Doig River Reserve Band
Manager. (page 28) Chief Saul Terry describes how the
CITC plan to eliminate many Band administration
problems by starting to take over delivery of services at
Tribal Council level on page 30. Chief Tom Sampson
describes how the traditional leaders of the South Island
District re-inforce their Bands’ decision to reject the LSA
through the practical demonstration of Indian Govern-
ment. (page 31)
A tragic event on the Mount Currie
Reserve made Mary Louise Williams write of her concern
that budgets and rules and regulations of administration
don’t always allow for help to our people in times of
crisis.
ay
Community Health Representatives met
in Vancouver tn February. Charlotte Joe from Duncan
and another CHR give their impressions of the meeting.
(page 38) Tina Marie Christian tells how things are going
at the Round Lake Treatment Centre as the starting kinks
are worked out and the emphasis on trust, respect,
humour and traditional ways gives hope and strong alter-
natives. (page 40) As promised last month, Marie Wilson
describes the goals and work of the Gitksan Carrier
‘fribal Council’s Land Claim Office. (page 14) Jan
Mowatt describes life on her reserve up there Gitaanmax
with great sympathy and care. She also sent in the
pictures. (page 16)
One source of anger on reserves is Order-in-Council
1036 that supposedly allows the province to use reserve
land for road-building and so on without the Band's
consent. The Lower Nicola Band considered this
trespassing and are taking this to the Supreme Court.
One source of great fun and excitement on reserves is the
sports activities. The Senior Kitimaat team won the All-
Native Basketball Tournament in Prince Rupert this
month.
This month we are starting a column on “‘Community
News’': from Band newsletters. The Neskainlith News
sent in the picture for their profile on Elder Charlie
Allen. (page 20) Jeannette Bonneau of the Penticton
Band concludes the INDIAN WORLD this month with
beautiful “‘Visions”’, a poem.
|
Part of Indian World - volume 2, number 9 (February, 1980)