UBCIC Newsletter (March, 1991)
- Title
- UBCIC Newsletter (March, 1991)
- Is Part Of
- 1.06-01.08 Union of BC Indian Chiefs Newsletter
- 1.06.-01 Newsletters and bulletins sub-series
- Date
- March 1991
- Language
- english
- Identifier
- 1.06-01.08-02.01
- pages
- 12
- Table Of Contents
-
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
President's Message ....................................................... 1
LOW LEVEL FLIGHTS AND THE GULF WAR .................. 2
NICARAGUA/Miskito, Suma and Rama Peoples ............... 3
AIDS ................................................................................... 3-5
NEWS FROM THE NATIONS:
Kwakiutl Nation ................................................................... 6
Cheslatta Nation ................................................................. 7
Mohawk Land Question ...................................................... 7
UBCIC In-House Counsel News ......................................... 8 - Contributor
- Chief Saul Terry
- Nancy S
- y
- Type
- periodical
- Transcription (Hover to view)
-
M A R C H , 1991
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
PRESIDENT's
LOW L E V E L
MESSAGE
1
F L I G H T S A N D T H E G U L F WAR
NICARAGUA/MISKITO,
2
SUMA A N D RAMA P E O P L E S
3
AIDS
3 - 5
NEWS FROM T H E N A T I O N S :
KWAKIUTL
CHESLATTA
NATION
6
NATION
7
MOHAWK L A N D Q U E S T I O N
UBCIC
IN-HOUSE
COUNSEL
7
NEWS
8
Union o f B.C. Indian C h i e f s
2 0 0 - 7 3 Water S t r e e t
Vancouver, BC
V6B 1A1
Telephone:
(604) 684-0231
FAX:
(604) 684-5726
March 1, 1991
P R E S I D E N T ' S MESSAGE:
Much i s b e i n g made o f t h e r e c e n t r e p o r t r e l e a s e d b y Mr. Max
Y a l d e n o f t h e C a n a d i a n Human R i g h t s C o m m i s s i o n , w h i c h p o i n t s o u t
t h a t Canada i s f a i l i n g t h e I n d i g e n o u s p e o p l e s .
This f a i l u r e i s
i n f a c t n o t new.
Ten y e a r s e a r l i e r ( i n Rotterdam,
1980) t h e
f o u r t h R u s s e l l T r i b u n a l made f i v e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s w h i c h a r o s e o u t
o f t e s t i m o n y from I n d i g e n o u s p e o p l e s .
The
recommendations were t h a t :
1.
Governments
recognize
Indian
Peoples
of the
according t o t h e People's' understanding of themselves.
2.
T r e a t i e s and agreements w i t h I n d i g e n o u s
subject t o u n i l a t e r a l abrogation.
nations shall
Americas
n o t be
3.
T h a t s t a t e s must p r o h i b i t a l l a c t i o n s o r c o u r s e s o f c o n d u c t
which r e s u l t i n t h e d e s t r u c t i o n , d i s i n t e g r a t i o n o r d e t e r i o r a t i o n
of Indigenous nations.
OR
4.
otherwise
these nations.
threaten
the national
or cultural
integrity
of
5.
e x i s t i n g laws which f o r c i b l y a s s i m i l a t e Indigenous
peoples
a g a i n s t t h e i r w i l l and v i o l a t e t h e i r b a s i c r i g h t s , as d e f i n e d by
i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t a n d a r d s , s h o u l d be a n n u l l e d .
Now, t e n y e a r s a f t e r t h a t T r i b u n a l , t h e C a n a d i a n Human R i g h t s
C o m m i s s i o n e r , Mr. Max Y a l d e n r e p o r t s t h a t C a n a d a ' s t r e a t m e n t o f
I n d i g e n o u s p e o p l e s c o n t i n u e s t o be a n a t i o n a l t r a g e d y .
The e x p r e s s message i n t h e r e p o r t i s t h a t Canada c a n n o t h o l d i t s '
head up i n t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l community b e c a u s e i t h a s f a i l e d i n
i t s ' o b l i g a t i o n s t o t h e Indigenous peoples.
While t h e Mulroney government has pledged
a new r e l a t i o n s h i p
( 1 9 8 4 a n d 1 9 9 0 ) w i t h u s , a l l we r e c e i v e d f r o m t h e 1 9 8 4 p l e d g e w a s
"Buffalo
Jump"
termination
policies
that
accelerated
the
v i o l a t i o n o f o u r human r i g h t s .
The second p l e d g e r e s u l t e d i n
M u l r o n e y ' s " F o u r P i l l a r s " p o l i c y s t a t e m e n t o f l a s t f a l l , much o f
which
i s simple
p l a t i t u d e s and a p u b l i c
relations
exercise
t o t a l l y v o i d o f s u b s t a n t i v e change.
I t i s very d i f f i c u l t t o b e l i e v e t h a t t h e c u r r e n t government has
the i n t e g r i t y t o uphold i t s ' o b l i g a t i o n s and r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s t o
t h e I n d i g e n o u s p e o p l e s i n Canada.
One n e e d o n l y l o o k a t t h e
f e d e r a l government's r e c o r d over t h e past year t o see t h a t i t s '
a c t i o n s and f a i l u r e s speak louder than t h e i r words.
The r e c o r d
shows t h a t t h e f e d e r a l government i s c o n t i n u i n g i n i t s ' s t r a t e g y
of l i e s , manipulation and i n t r i g u e .
The
Mulroney
government
not only
has f a i l e d
p e o p l e s i n Canada, i t h a s f a i l e d a l l Canadians.
LOW
LEVEL
FLIGHTS
AND
THE
GULF
the
Indigenous
WAR
GOOSE B A Y T R A I N I N G PROVES " V A L U A B L E " I N G U L F
WAR.
Many o f y o u r e c a l l C h i e f D a n i e l A s h i n i f r o m t h e I n n u , N i t a s s i n a n
Nation speaking
t o o u r assembly on " l o w l e v e l f l i g h t s " .
They
have been p r o t e c t i n g t h e i r Nation
against these
intruders f o r
many y e a r s .
The Innu,
a s w e l l a s many o t h e r
Nations are
protecting
their
"homelands"
i n various
ways.
These a r e
e x c e r p t s from t h e Innu Resource Centre Newsletter.
"Comments r e : t h e War . . . t h e y s p e a k f o r t h e m s e l v e s :
. . . .
B r i t i s h W i n g Commander E r s k i n e Crum, CFB G o o s e B a y :
" . . .
Yes, t h e p e o p l e t h a t t r a i n e d here a r e t h e f r o n t l i n e o f t h e a i r
f o r c e s we're u s i n g i n t h e G u l f .
t o that extent t h e t r a i n i n g
they've
had here
i s obviously
extremely
valuable."
The
L a b r a d o r i a n , J a n . 22/91.
Elizabeth
Penashue,
I n n u Woman:
"Our r e s i s t a n c e t o t h e
military
on o u r l a n d
i s e v e n more t h a n
p r o t e c t i n g o u r own
futures.
We a l s o t h i n k a b o u t p r e v e n t i n g e n v i r o n m e n t a l
damage
and w a r s t h a t w o u l d a f f e c t t h e whole w o r l d . "
S y l v e s t e r Andrew, I n n u Man:
"Now t h e l e a d e r s o f H a p p y V a l l e y G o o s e B a y who s u p p o r t e d L L F ( l o w l e v e l f l i g h t s ) w i l l r e a l i z e t h e
d e s t r u c t i o n t h a t comes f r o m i t . "
Letter
1991:
from
Peter
Penashue,
President,
Innu
Nation,
February
I t h a s b e e n w i t h g r e a t d i f f i c u l t y t h a t we I n n u f r o m
Sheshatshit
and
Utshimassit
came
to a
decision
t o begin
preliminary
n e g o t i a t i o n s w i t h t h e governments o f Canada and Newfoundland t o
implement o u r r i g h t s i n N i t a s s i n a n .
We h a v e s t r u g g l e d l o n g a n d
hard,
s u f f e r i n g p r i s o n and separation
from loved
ones i n an
effort t o protect our land.
Our e f f o r t s have met w i t h
some
s u c c e s s ; p r e s s u r e has been a p p l i e d t o governments, and thousands
o f N o r t h A m e r i c a n s a n d E u r o p e a n s h a v e b e e n made a w a r e o f o u r
struggle.
Unfortunately, military
training
i s c o n t i n u i n g , and p o s s i b l y
expanding.
Many o t h e r m a j o r d e v e l o p m e n t s a r e p r e s s i n g i n on u s
as w e l l .
I n a d d i t i o n t o a l a r g e h y d r o - e l e c t r i c p r o j e c t and i t s
transmission lines,
there i s a skidoo t r a i l
and t h e TransL a b r a d o r H i g h w a y , b o t h o f w h i c h w i l l c u t t h r o u g h l a n d w h i c h we
continue t o use.
F o r e s t r y companies a r e p r e p a r i n g p l a n s f o r
major l o g and p u l p o p e r a t i o n s l o c a l l y , and non-Innu c o n t i n u e t o
b u i l d p r i v a t e and commercial h u n t i n g and f i s h i n g c a b i n s i n t h e
interior.
A l l t h e w h i l e other a b o r i g i n a l groups a r e p r o g r e s s i n g
i n " l a n d c l a i m " n e g o t i a t i o n s t h a t w i l l have major impacts on o u r
homeland.
We a r e i n no way r e l e n t i n g i n o u r e f f o r t s t o p r o t e c t w h a t i s
ours.
We s h a l l c o n t i n u e o u r s t r u g g l e .
B u t we f e l t t h e t i m e
was r i g h t t o b e g i n d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h g o v e r n m e n t s a s p a r t o f t h e s e
efforts.
Our p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n t h i s p r o c e s s i s toward a v e r y
s p e c i f i c purpose:
t h a t we do n o t e n d up w i t h a " r e s e r v e " , b u t
t h a t I n n u h a v e a r e a l h o m e l a n d , a h o m e l a n d w h e r e we h a v e a
d i g n i t y and power t o l i v e as a p e o p l e and as a n a t i o n .
We
i n s i s t t h a t a l l s t e p s i n t h e p r o c e s s be u n d e r s t o o d a n d r a t i f i e d
by t h e p e o p l e .
We h o p e t h a t Canada a n d N e w f o u n d l a n d a r e
s e r i o u s l y committed t o r e s o l v i n g t h i s o u t s t a n d i n g i s s u e .
Y o u r c o n t i n u e d s u p p o r t i s more i m p o r t a n t now t h a n i t h a s n e v e r
e v e r been.
B o t h we, a n d t h e g o v e r n m e n t s n e e d t o b e c e r t a i n t h a t
y o u a r e b e h i n d u s when we s a y , "We a r e a n a t i o n , we w i l l n o t
e x t i n g u i s h o u r r i g h t s and t i t l e t o o u r l a n d . "
Thank y o u f o r
y o u r s u p p o r t y o u h a v e shown u s , we o n l y a s k t h a t i t c o n t i n u e .
* * *
NICARAGUA
- MISKITO,
SUMA A N D RAMA
PEOPLES:
Brooklyn
R i v e r a a n d many o t h e r
political
leaders
from t h e
M i s k i t o , Suma a n d Rama r e t u r n e d t o t h e i r h o m e l a n d s a f t e r t h e
e l e c t i o n i n Nicaragua.
B r o o k l y n i s now M i n i s t e r a n d D i r e c t o r
of t h e Nicaraguan
I n s t i t u t e o f D e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e Autonomous
R e g i o n s (INDERA) a n d s i t s on t h e N i c a r a g u a n L e g i s l a t u r e .
The
U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s h a s b e e n r e q u e s t e d
by t h e
M i s k i t o , Suma a n d Rama I n d i a n s o f t h e A t l a n t i c C o a s t i n N i c a r a g u a
to a s s i s t them i n a r e c o v e r y program a f t e r t h e c i v i l war and
h u r r i c a n e damages.
The U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s f o r m e d a
working
committee t o begin
raising
funds
and s e a r c h i n g f o r
d i f f e r e n t avenues f o r d o n a t i o n s o f s u p p l i e s and m a t e r i a l s .
The
Indian
peoples
i n the Atlantic
Coast
need
the following
desperately:
o
food
o
o
o
o
o
medicine
medical supplies
portable sawmills
t o o l s (hammers, saws, n a i l s , f i s h i n g r o d s a n d l i n e s ,
machetes, s h o v e l s , hoes)
seeds
F i n a n c i a l d o n a t i o n s may b e made p a y a b l e t o t h e UBCIC - INDERA
Fund and a r e t a x d e d u c t i b l e .
A s p e c i a l a c c o u n t has been opened
f o r t h i s purpose.
L e t t e r s should
a l s o go t o t h e Hon. J o e C l a r k , M i n i s t e r o f
E x t e r n a l A f f a i r s i n Ottawa u r g i n g him t o g e t i n v o l v e d and p r o v i d e
i m m e d i a t e a i d t o t h e M i s k i t o , Suma a n d Rama I n d i a n s .
I f y o u w o u l d l i k e t o v o l u n t e e r , d o n a t e o r w a n t more
c a l l UBCIC ( M i l l i e P o p l a r ) a t 6 8 4 - 0 2 3 1 .
information
* * *
AIDS:
AIDS I s A B i g T h r e a t To N a t i v e
W r i t t e n by P h i l i p Raphals,
Canadians:
Montreal.
AIDS
represents
a major
threat
to the future
of
native
c o m m u n i t i e s , d e s p i t e t h e f a c t t h e number o f a b o r i g i n a l s w i t h AIDS
i n Canada i s s t i l l s m a l l .
T h i s was t h e m e s s a g e h e a r d b y a l m o s t 600 I n d i a n s a n d I n u i t f r o m
a c r o s s Canada a t t e n d i n g a t h r e e - d a y m e e t i n g h e r e l a t e l a s t month
on A I D S .
But s p e a k e r s a l s o s t a t e d t h e s t r e n g t h o f f a m i l y and community
t i e s i n n a t i v e s o c i e t y make i t p o s s i b l e t o meet t h e c h a l l e n g e o f
t h e d i s e a s e , i f s t r o n g s t e p s a r e u n d e r s t a k e n now.
W h i l e many o f t h e p e o p l e a t t h e c o n f e r e n c e
were i n v o l v e d i n
h e a l t h c a r e , p r e v e n t i o n and e d u c a t i o n i n t h e i r c o m m u n i t i e s , most
had o n l y a p a s s i n g knowledge o f AIDS.
" I h a d no i d e a how s e r i o u s t h i s p r o b l e m i s , " was a comment h e a r d
over and over again.
B u t o n c e t h e p o i n t was made t h a t AIDS i s
n o t j u s t a w h i t e man's d i s e a s e , t h e a u d i e n c e h a d no d i f f i c u l t y
f o c u s i n g on t h e g r a v i t y o f t h e t h r e a t .
" E p i d e m i c s a r e n o t h i n g new t o n a t i v e c o m m u n i t i e s , " s a i d Ron
R o w e l l , e x e c u t i v e d i r e c t o r o f t h e N a t i o n a l N a t i v e A m e r i c a n AIDS
P r e v e n t i o n C e n t e r i n O a k l a n d , Ca.
" T u b e r c u l o s i s and s m a l l p o x
d e v a s t a t e d t h e I n d i a n p o p u l a t i o n r e d u c i n g o u r numbers f r o m f i v e
m i l l i o n b e f o r e t h e E u r o p e a n s a r r i v e d t o 250,000 t o d a y . "
AIDS
(con't)
I n one v i l l a g e ,
s i n g l e epidemic,
the p o p u l a t i o n
he a d d e d .
"And
on o u r
time i s not
went
s i d e , " he
from
3,000 t o
s a i d o f t h e AIDS
100
during
a
epidemic.
" U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h e r e i s no g o o d e s t i m a t e o f t h e number o f n a t i v e
p e o p l e w i t h AIDS o r HIV,"
s a i d Dr. J a y Wortman o f I n d i a n
and
Northern Health S e r v i c e s , p a r t of the medical s e r v i c e s branch of
H e a l t h and W e l f a r e Canada, " b u t we know t h a t t h e t h r e a t i s v e r y
grave."
O n l y 24 AIDS c a s e s h a v e b e e n r e p o r t e d among n a t i v e s , b u t t h i s i s
j u s t t h e t i p o f t h e i c e b e r g , he s a i d .
The number i s i n a c c u r a t e
f o r a number o f r e a s o n s : u n t i l two y e a r s ago, no p r o v i n c e e x c e p t
Quebec r e p o r t e d r a c e w i t h AIDS d a t a , and when r a c e i s r e p o r t e d ,
i t i s often reported incorrectly.
I n f a c t , Dr. Wortman c o n s i d e r s t h i s f i g u r e t o be so
" i t w o u l d be b e t t e r n o t t o h a v e any number a t a l l . "
Among I n d i a n s l i v i n g i n
m a j o r p r o b l e m , and HIV
Turvey, c o - o r d i n a t o r of
S o c i e t y n e e d l e exchange
Turvey s a i d
native.
almost
misleading
u r b a n c e n t r e s , I.V. d r u g u s e h a s become a
i s f o l l o w i n g i n i t s f o o t s t e p s , s a i d John
t h e Down Town E a s t S i d e Y o u t h A c t i v i t i e s
program i n Vancouver.
half
the
people
who
use
their
services
are
"Only
1.4%
of
the
people
using
our
needle
exchange
have
seroconverted
i n t h e l a s t two y e a r s , " s a i d T u r v e y , " b u t 80% o f
t h o s e h a v e b e e n n a t i v e women."
F u r t h e r m o r e , he s a i d n a t i v e s e r o p o s i t i v e s g e t s i c k and
f a s t e r t h a n do m i d d l e - c l a s s w h i t e s e r o p o s i t i v e s who a r e
healthy.
d i e much
otherwise
" I ' v e s e e n I n d i a n s d i e w i t h i n two y e a r s o f i n f e c t i o n , " he s a i d ,
" b e c a u s e t h e y ' r e a l r e a d y immunocompromised, t h a n k s t o p o v e r t y and
malnutrition."
T u r v e y s a i d o f t h e m i l l i o n s o f d o l l a r s b e i n g s p e n t on AIDS, o n l y
a l i t t l e a c t u a l l y r e a c h e s t h e p e o p l e a t r i s k , and he e x c o r i a t e d
the l a c k o f f i n a n c i a l support f o r programs t h a t a c t u a l l y i n t e r a c t
one-to-one w i t h people from a t r i s k p o p u l a t i o n s .
I n d e e d , p o v e r t y i t s e l f i s a m a j o r r i s k f a c t o r f o r HIV, s a i d Dr.
G e o r g e Conway, an e p i d e m i o l o g i s t f r o m t h e U.S. C e n t e r s o f D i s e a s e
Control i n Altlanta.
M a l n u t r i t i o n and p o o r h e a l t h c a r e t e n d t o
q u i c k e n t h e p r o g r e s s i o n f r o m HIV t o A I D S , and t h e h i g h p r e v a l e n c e
of s e x u a l l y t r a n s m i t t e d diseases
common i n p o o r
communities
g r e a t l y f a c i l i t a t e s t r a n s m i s s i o n , he s a i d .
N a t i v e c o m m u n i t i e s a r e among t h e p o o r e s t i n C a n a d a , and most
e x p e r t s b e l i e v e t h e s p r e a d o f HIV i n n a t i v e c o m m u n i t i e s w i l l be
a c c o r d i n g t o w h a t i s know a s P a t t e r n I I .
S e e n i n A f r i c a and t h e
Caribbean,
heterosexual
transmission
is
the
most
common
transmission route i n Patter I I .
W h i l e many t h i n k o f AIDS a s an u r b a n p r o b l e m , r u r a l
native
communities are a l s o at great r i s k , s a i d Ida W i l l i a m s , e x e c u t i v e
d i r e c t o r of the Montreal's Native Friendship Centre.
" T h e r e a r e more t h a n 12,000 n a t i v e p e o p l e i n M o n t r e a l , " she
said.
"Most o f them come t o t h e c i t y - maybe f o r a w e e k e n d , maybe f o r a
few m o n t h s - and t h e n go b a c k t o t h e i r c o m m u n i t i e s .
A l li t
t a k e s i s one i n f e c t e d p e r s o n t o b r i n g HIV b a c k home, and t h e n t h e
whole community i s a t r i s k .
AIDS:
(con't)
CONDOMS
P a r t o f a n a t i o n w i d e network, t h e M o n t r e a l N a t i v e F r i e n d s h i p
C e n t r e d i s t r i b u t e s a b o u t 100 condoms a day (when i t c a n g e t them)
and a l s o e x c h a n g e s n e e d l e s f o r I.V. d r u g u s e r s .
The m o s t m o v i n g moment o f t h e c o n f e r e n c e came Monday a f t e r n o o n
when f o u r a b o r i g i n a l p e o p l e w i t h AIDS o r HIV t o l d t h e i r s t o r i e s .
K e c i a L a r k i n , a 1 9 - y e a r o l d f r o m A l e r t Bay a t t h e n o r t h e r n t i p o f
Vancouver I s l a n d , t o l d o f h e r l i f e o f p r o s t i t u t i o n and d r u g abuse
a f t e r r u n n i n g away f r o m home a t t h e age o f 15 t o e s c a p e p o v e r t y
and s e x u a l a b u s e .
" I knew t h e r i s k s , b u t I k e p t b e l i e v i n g
me," s h e s a i d .
"What y o u d o n ' t know w i l l
i t wouldn't
k i l l you."
happen
to
Ken Ward, a 3 4 - y e a r o l d C r e e f r o m A l b e r t a was t h e f i r s t C a n a d i a n
n a t i v e t o "go p u b l i c " a b o u t b e i n g s e r o p o s i t v e .
Two y e a r s ago,
he f o u n d e d t h e F e a t h e r o f Hope A b o r i g i n a l S o c i e t y f o r AIDS
P r e v e n t i o n , t o w a r n n a t i v e p e o p l e o f t h e d a n g e r AIDS p o s e s t o
them.
Ward s t r e s s e s
the importance of t r a d i t i o n a l
spirituality
in
m e e t i n g t h e c h a l l e n g e s o f A I D S , b o t h f o r t h e i n d i v i d u a l and f o r
his or her family.
"We w a n t t o go home," he s a i d , a theme t h a t was o f t e n e c h o e d
during the three-day conference.
"Our f a m i l i e s and c o m m u n i t i e s
must r e a c h o u t t o c a r e f o r t h e i r c h i l d r e n who a r e s i c k , n o t p u s h
them away."
L i k e L a r k i n , Ward
Indian communities
t r a v e l s i n c e s s a n t l y , s p e a k i n g a b o u t AIDS i n
around Canada.
Asked about h i s e x h a u s t i n g
s c h e d u l e , he s a i d h e was a n x i o u s t o g e t t o a s many c o m m u n i t i e s a s
p o s s i b l e w h i l e he was s t i l l h e a l t h y e n o u g h t o do s o .
Much o r t h e E m p h a s i s i n t h e c o n f e r e n c e
r e l i a n c e i n AIDS p r e v e n t i o n work.
was
on
native
self-
"You d o n ' t n e e d a m a s t e r ' s d e g r e e t o t e a c h p e o p l e a b o u t a v o i d i n g
A I D S , " s a i d J a c k i e M c P h e r s o n , o f t h e L i t t l e B l a c k R i v e r Band i n
M a n i t o b a , who d e s c r i b e s h e r s e l f a s t h e "Condom G r a n n y . "
She
gave
condoms.
a
hands-on
workshop
on
how
I don't use b i g words because I can't
laughing.
t o teach
people
t o use
p r o n o u n c e them," s h e s a i d
* * *
NEWS FROM T H E N A T I O N S :
KWAKIUTL
NATION:
Congratulations
t o the Kwakiutl
Band
for their
efforts i n
defending/protecting
t h e i r t e r r i t o r y by t h e p e r s e v e r a n c e and
determination
i n their
presentation
to
the
Port
Hardy
Ferrochromium Review Panel.
The
panel
has concluded
that:
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS:
From o u r m a n d a t e , w h i c h was t o c o n s i d e r t h e t e c h n o l o g y , t h e
environmental
i s s u e s and t h e s o c i a l i s s u e s , and i n c o n s i d e r a t i o n
o f a l l t h e e v i d e n c e b e f o r e u s , we h a v e d r a w n t h e f o l l o w i n g t h r e e
general conclusions:
(1)
Technology:
The t e c h n o l o g y o f t h e p r o p o s e d p l a n t i s f e a s i b l e ,
although
refinements
and c l a r i f i c a t i o n s w i l l be n e c e s s a r y ,
as
set
f o r t h i n our r e p o r t , i n o r d e r t o a c h i e v e a s a t i s f a c t o r y
f i n a l design;
(2)
Environment:
Provided
t h e c o m p r e h e n s i v e and
stringent conditions
set
f o r t h i n our r e p o r t are a p p l i e d t o the d e s i g n , c o n s t r u c t i o n ,
operation
and
monitoring
of
the
Sherwood
plant,
its
environmental
i m p a c t s a r e e x p e c t e d t o be m a n a g e a b l e
and
a c c e p t a b l y low, h o w e v e r t h e s e l e c t e d s i t e n e a r B e a r Cove i s
not
ideally
suited
due
to
the
general
environmental
s e n s i t i v i t y o f H a r d y Bay;
and
(3)
S o c i a l Issues:
a)
General
Provided
the
environmental
impacts
are
managed
in
accordance w i t h t h e recommendations of t h i s r e p o r t , the
Sherwood p l a n t w o u l d y i e l d a n e t s o c i a l b e n e f i t t o P o r t
Hardy, based upon i t s l o c a l economic v a l u e .
b)
Native
The B e a r Cove s i t e i s n o t a c c e p t a b l e i n l i g h t o f n a t i v e
issues
which
must
be
resolved
by
litigation
or
settlement.
I n l i g h t o f t h e f o r e g o i n g , t h e p r o p o n e n t and
government
may
c h o o s e t o s e e k an a l t e r n a t i v e l o c a t i o n , p o s s i b l y i n t h e
Port
Hardy v i c i n i t y , t h a t i s s u i t a b l e t o a l l p a r t i e s .
:
Various issues l i k e t h i s arise i n various Nations.
They
o f f e r j o b s , d o l l a r s i n t o t h e c o m m u n i t y , e t c . b u t we h a v e a l l s e e n
t h e d e v a s t a t i o n some i n d u s t r i e s h a v e c a u s e d t o t h e l i v e l i h o o d o f
our peoples
(Alcan i n Kitamaat t e r r i t o r y , pulp m i l l s ,
etc.).
Our p e o p l e s n o t o n l y h a v e t o f i g h t i s s u e s l i k e t h i s f o r t h e i r own
t e r r i t o r y but p r o t e c t i o n f o r the areas white people l i v e i n a l s o .
The e n v i r o n m e n t has a l w a y s b e e n an o n g o i n g i s s u e when i t comes t o
p r o t e c t i o n of our lands.
* * *
CHESLATTA C A R R I E R NATION:
The C h e s l a t t a C a r r i e r N a t i o n a n n o u n c e d t o d a y t h a t n e g o t i a t i o n s t o
s e t t l e an o u t s t a n d i n g S p e c i f i c C l a i m w i t h t h e f e d e r a l government
h a v e b r o k e n down a n d a r e f i l i n g s u i t i n BC Supreme C o u r t .
Chief
Marvin
Charlie, representing
t h e 14 0 members o f t h e
C h e s l a t t a C a r r i e r N a t i o n , l o c a t e d south o f Burns Lake, noted l a c k
of
fairness
and
co-operation,
on
behalf
of
the federal
government, as t h e main r e a s o n f o r h i s d e c i s i o n .
Chief Charlies
s a i d , "The D e p a r t m e n t o f I n d i a n A f f a i r s h a s c o n s t a n t l y l i m i t e d
our r e s o u r c e s w h i c h would a l l o w us t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n a f a i r and
proper n e g o t i a t i o n process.
W h i l e t h e DIA h a s u n l i m i t e d a c c e s s
to f i n a n c i a l and l e g a l r e s o u r c e s o f t h e Canadian government t o
a s s i s t them, we h a v e n o t h i n g . "
The S p e c i f i c C l a i m , f i l e d w i t h t h e DIA i n 1984 a n d a c c e p t e d f o r
n e g o t i a t i o n s i n 1987, i s b a s e d on t h e f o r c e d s u r r e n d e r and r e l o c a t i o n o f t h e C h e s l a t t a Band i n 1952 a f t e r t h e A l u m i n u m Company
o f C a n a d a c o n s t r u c t e d a dam on t h e C h e s l a t t a L a k e s y s t e m .
It
was o n l y a f t e r t h e dam was c o m p l e t e , a n d t h e C h e s l a t t a R e s e r v e s
b e i n g f l o o d e d , d i d t h e Department o f I n d i a n A f f a i r s i n f o r m t h e
Band t h a t t h e y w o u l d h a v e t o s i g n a s u r r e n d e r a n d
immediately
evacuate t o h i g h e r ground.
The Band h a s a l w a y s c o n t e n d e d t h a t
t h e s u r r e n d e r was i l l e g a l a n d i n v i o l a t i o n o f t h e I n d i a n A c t .
Since
filing
the Specific
Claim,
the Cheslatta Nation
has
i n c u r r e d d e b t s o f n e a r l y $200,00 w h i l e t h e DIA h a s a d v a n c e d on
$2 0,000 p e r y e a r s i n c e 1987, t o c o v e r e x p e n s e s .
These advances
a r e t a k e n o f f t h e t o p when a s e t t l e m e n t i s r e a c h e d .
"The w h o l e
p r o c e s s i s a sham.", s a y s C h i e f C h a r l i e , " B r i a n M u l r o n e y and Tom
Siddon a r e l i a r s
when t h e y
say t h a t they
a r e c o m m i t t e d on
s e t t l i n g S p e c i f i c Claims.
Our a t t e m p t s t o r e a s o n w i t h t h e
f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t h a v e c o n s t a n t l y f a l l e n u p o n d e a f e a r s a n d we
are s i c k o f i t .
How a r e we s u p p o s e d t o n e g o t i a t e a s e t t l e m e n t
w i t h t h e same p e o p l e t h a t l e n d u s money f o r n e g o t i a t i o n s ?
One
way o r a n o t h e r , t h e y h a v e a l w a y s f o u n d a way t o h o l d u s b a c k .
T h i s h a s f o r c e d u s t o s e e k l e g a l r e d r e s s f o r t h e way we h a v e b e e n
treated.
Once t h e f a c t s o f t h i s c a s e a r e p u b l i c , t h e g e n e r a l
p u b l i c i s g o i n g t o be d i s g u s t e d w i t h t h e way t h e g o v e r n m e n t h a s
t r e a t e d us over t h e l a s t f o r t y y e a r s .
The c o l d , h a r d f a c t s w i l l
be v e r y
embarrassing."
The C h e s l a t t a C a r r i e r N a t i o n w i l l c o n t i n u e t o h o l d s m a l l b i n g o s ,
r a f f l e s a n d b a k e s a l e s i n an a t t e m p t t o k e e p a b r e a s t o f t h e i r
mounting expenses.
"The p e o p l e o f t h e C h e s l a t t a C a r r i e r N a t i o n
a r e c o m m i t t e d t o s e e i n g j u s t i c e done,"
says C h i e f C h a r l i e s ,
"When o u r t e r r i t o r y
was
flooded,
we
lost
o u r homes, o u r
t r a p l i n e s , o u r h i s t o r y and o u r c u l t u r e , e v e r y t h i n g .
We h a v e
nothing else t o lose."
* * *
MOHAWK L A N D
QUESTION:
C h i e f S a u l T e r r y , P r e s i d e n t w i l l be making a p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e
'Mohawk C r i s i s ' t o t h e S t a n d i n g C o m m i t t e e o n A b o r i g i n a l A f f a i r s
i n O t t a w a o n T u e s d a y , M a r c h 5, 1991.
A r e p o r t on t h i s w i l l be
i n our next n e w s l e t t e r .
The
Haudensosaunee
Crisis
Committee,
i n cooperation
with
Barricade Productions,
Inc. and TVI Video has produced a 3 0
m i n u t e v i d e o t h a t p r e s e n t s a n a t i v e v i e w o f t h i s summer's s i e g e
o f t h e Mohawk N a t i o n .
The v i d e o i s t h e o n l y v i d e o t h a t h a s b e e n
p r o d u c e d w i t h t h e a u t h o r i z a t i o n o f t h o s e who p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h i s
summer's e v e n t .
"Voices From Oka - A N a t i v e Recounting o f t h e
Mohawk Siege o f 1990" i s a v a i l a b l e a t a c o s t o f $25.00 p e r c o p y .
Discount f o r bulk orders.
This p r i c e includes postage.
Allow
t h r e e weeks f o r d e l i v e r y .
P l e a s e s e n d payment t o :
Barricade.
Productions,
I n c . PO Box 292,
Kahnawake, PQ, J O L 1B0 o r c a l l(514)635-809
UBCICIN-HOUSELEGALCOUNSEL NEWS:
I n May 1989 t h e C h i l c o t i n J u s t i c e C o u n c i l
i n Williams
Lake
a p p r o a c h e d t h e U n i o n r e q u e s t i n g a s s i s t a n c e i n s e t t i n g up a l a w
c e n t r e i n t h e C h i l c o t i n C o u n t r y w h i c h w o u l d s e r v i c e t h e Bands
west o f t h eFraser R i v e r .
Those p e o p l e comprise t h e C h i l c o t i n
and t h e C a r r i e r n a t i o n s .
The C o u n c i l h a d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s f r o m
t h e A l e x a n d r i a , A l e x i s C r e e k , Anaham, N e m a i a h , S t o n e , T o o s e y a n d
U l k a t c h o Bands.
The C o u n c i l d i r e c t e d me t o i n c o r p o r a t e them u n d e r t h e S o c i e t y A c t
and o n c e t h a t was a c c o m p l i s h e d n e g o t i a t i o n s b e g a n i n e a r n e s t f o r
f u n d i n g from the A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l ' s Department.
A Society Act
i n c o r p o r a t i o n c o u l d b e a n e a s i l y a c c o m p l i s h e d t a s k f o r some
r e g u l a r s o c i e t y b u t t h e C o u n c i l w a n t e d C o n s t i t u t i o n a n d By-Laws
t h a t w o u l d b e a r e f l e c t i o n o f t h e i r way o f t h i n k i n g a n d t h e i r way
of l i f e .
They c h o s e a s t h e i r name "Nenqay D e n i Y a j e l h t i g " Law
C e n t r e S o c i e t y w h i c h t r a n s l a t e s i n C h i l c o t i n t o "The P e o p l e o f
t h e W o r l d Speak."
The C o u n c i l d e c i d e d t h a t t h e name e x p r e s s e d
t h e i r d e s i r e t o speak o u t and have c o n t r o l over t h e j u s t i c e
i s s u e s i n t h e i r communities a f t e r years o f o u t s i d e c o n t r o l by a
s y s t e m t h a t was a l i e n t o t h e i r c u l t u r e .
We met o v e r a n e x t e n d e d p e r i o d o f t i m e a n d a f t e r many d r a f t s came
o u t w i t h a s e t o f By-Laws w h i c h a r e r e a d a b l e t o t h e o r d i n a r y
person.
The J u s t i c e C o u n c i l c o m p r i s e s o f t e n members w i t h t h e
c a p a c i t y t o form o t h e r committees s u c h a s an E l d e r s C o u n c i l w h i c h
w i l l s i t t o help resolve contentious matters.
The l a w c e n t r e i s
s i t u a t e d on t h e Anaham R e s e r v e a n d w i l l p r o v i d e l e g a l a s s i s t a n c e
t o t he p e o p l e i n t h e C h i l c o t i n .
While the centre w i l l
provide
much n e e d e d l e g a l a i d t h e C o u n c i l d o e s n o t want t o s e e t h e c e n t r e
become j u s t a n o t h e r l e g a l a i d o f f i c e .
To t h i s e n d t h e y a r e
planning
p u b l i c l e g a l education
geared toward keeping
their
people out o f the penal i n s t i t u t i o n s .
I n a d d i t i o n , t h e y w i l l be
d o i n g r e s e a r c h on t h e i r t r a d i t i o n a l
methods b a c k i n t o u s e .
j u s t i c e system t o b r i n g
those
The
C e n t r e h a d i t s g r a n d o p e n i n g on F e b r u a r y 1, 1 9 9 1 o n t h e
Anaham R e s e r v e .
The c e r e m o n i e s w e r e c o n d u c t e d i n t h e C h i l c o t i n
language and i n t e r p r e t e d f o r us n o n - C h i l c o t i n ' s .
The E l d e r s l e d
t h e c e l e b r a t i o n w i t h songs and p r a y e r s .
A f t e r speeches and g i f t
exchanges by r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s from t h e government and t h e p e o p l e
we h a d t r a d i t i o n a l f e a s t f o l l o w e d b y a s h o r t game o f l a h a l .
Former A t t o r n e y General
Bud S m i t h , H i s H o n o u r J u d g e C u n l i f f e
B a r n e t t , A s s i s t a n t A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l , G.R. M a r t i n ; NDP, MLA f r o m
t h e C a r i b o o C h i l c o t i n , Dave Z i r n h e l t , S o c r e d MLA N e i l V a n t ; a n d
Marg A r t h u r , N a t i v e J u s t i c e P r o j e c t P o l i c y A n a l y s t were c a l l e d
u p o n t o j o i n t h e game w i t h a t h r e a t o f a s e v e r e p e n a l t y i f t h e y
refused.
The C o u n c i l i s s t i l l t a k i n g a p p l i c a t i o n s f o r a l a w y e r t o o p e r a t e
t h e c e n t r e f o r t h e p o s i t i o n t o s t a r t o n A p r i l 1, 1 9 9 1 .
The
deadline
f o r submitting
application
i s March
8,
1991;
s h o r t l i s t i n g w i l l t a k e p l a c e on M a r c h 1 1 t h a n d i n t e r v i e w s on
March 15th.
You c a n s u b m i t y o u r a p p l i c a t i o n s t o :
Chilcotin Justice Council
c/o Anaham Band O f f i c e
General D e l i v e r y
A l e x i s C r e e k , BC
VOL 1A0
o r f o r more i n f o r m a t i o n c a l l Ms. J o a n G e n t l e s
(work) o r (604) 659-5634 (home).
Nancy Sandy
In-House Counsel,
UBCIC
* * *
a t (604) 392-3345
MARCH, 1991
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
PRESIDENT! S MESSAGE . 1
LOW LEVEL FLIGHTS AND THE GULF WAR 2
NICARAGUA/M1sk1To, SUMA AND RAMA PEOPLES 3
AIDS 3-5
NEWS FROM THE NATIONS:
KWAKIUTL NATION 6
CHESLATTA NATION 7
MoHAWK LAND QUESTION 7
UBCIC In-House Counset News 8
Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs
200 - 73 Water Street
Vancouver, BC
V6B 1Al1
Telephone: (604) 684-0231 FAX: (604) 684-5726
March 1, 1991
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:
Much is being made of the recent report released by Mr. Max
Yalden of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, which points out
that Canada is failing the Indigenous peoples. This failure is
in fact not new. Ten years earlier (in Rotterdam, 1980) the
fourth Russell Tribunal made five recommendations which arose out
of testimony from Indigenous peoples.
The recommendations were that:
Le Governments recognize Indian Peoples of the Americas
according to the People's' understanding of themselves.
Be Treaties and agreements with Indigenous nations shall not be
subject to unilateral abrogation.
ce That states must prohibit all actions or courses of conduct
which result in the destruction, disintegration or deterioration
of Indigenous nations.
OR
4. otherwise threaten the national or cultural integrity of
these nations.
5. existing laws which forcibly assimilate Indigenous peoples
against their will and violate their basic rights, as defined by
international standards, should be annulled.
Now, ten years after that Tribunal, the Canadian Human Rights
Commissioner, Mr. Max Yalden reports that Canada's treatment of
Indigenous peoples continues to be a national tragedy.
The express message in the report is that Canada cannot hold its'
head up in the international community because it has failed in
its' obligations to the Indigenous peoples.
While the Mulroney government has pledged a new relationship
(1984 and 1990) with us, all we received from the 1984 pledge was
"Buffalo Jump" termination policies that accelerated the
violation of our human rights. The second pledge resulted in
Mulroney's "Four Pillars" policy statement of last fall, much of
which is simple platitudes and a public relations exercise
totally void of substantive change.
It is very difficult to believe that the current government has
the integrity to uphold its' obligations and responsibilities to
the Indigenous peoples in Canada. One need only look at the
federal government's record over the past year to see that its'
actions and failures speak louder than their words. The record
shows that the federal government is continuing in its' strategy
of lies, manipulation and intrigue.
The Mulroney government not only has failed the Indigenous
peoples in Canada, it has failed all Canadians.
LOW LEVEL FLIGHTS AND THE GULF WAR
GOOSE BAY TRAINING PROVES "VALUABLE" IN GULF WAR.
Many of you recall Chief Daniel Ashini from the Innu, Nitassinan
Nation speaking to our assembly on "low level flights". They
have been protecting their Nation against these intruders for
many years. The Innu, as well as many other Nations are
protecting their "homelands" in various ways. These are
excerpts from the Innu Resource Centre Newsletter.
"Comments re: the War . . . they speak for themselves: .. .
British Wing Commander Erskine Crum, CFB Goose Bay: Moe @ «
Yes, the people that trained here are the front line of the air
forces we're using in the Gulf. to that extent the training
they've had here is obviously extremely valuable." The
Labradorian, Jan. 22/91.
Elizabeth Penashue, Innu Woman: "Our resistance to the
military on our land is even more than protecting our own
futures. We also think about preventing environmental damage
and wars that would affect the whole world."
Sylvester Andrew, Innu Man: "Now the leaders of Happy Valley -
Goose Bay who supported LLF (low level flights) will realize the
destruction that comes from it."
Letter from Peter Penashue, President, Innu Nation, February
LOOLS
It has been with great difficulty that we Innu from Sheshatshit
and Utshimassit came to a decision to begin preliminary
negotiations with the governments of Canada and Newfoundland to
implement our rights in Nitassinan. We have struggled long and
hard, suffering prison and separation from loved ones in an
effort to protect our land. Our efforts have met with some
success; pressure has been applied to governments, and thousands
of North Americans and Europeans have been made aware of our
struggle.
Unfortunately, military training is continuing, and possibly
expanding. Many other major developments are pressing in on us
as well. In addition to a large hydro-electric project and its
transmission lines, there is a skidoo trail and the Trans-
Labrador Highway, both of which will cut through land which we
continue to use. Forestry companies are preparing plans for
major log and pulp operations locally, and non-Innu continue to
build private and commercial hunting and fishing cabins in the
interior. All the while other aboriginal groups are progressing
in "land claim" negotiations that will have major impacts on our
homeland.
We are in no way relenting in our efforts to protect what is
ours. We shall continue our struggle. But we felt the time
was right to begin discussions with governments as part of these
efforts. Our participation in this process is toward a very
specific purpose: that we do not end up with a "reserve", but
that Innu have a real homeland, a homeland where we have a
dignity and power to live as a people and as a nation. We
insist that all steps in the process be understood and ratified
by the people. We hope that Canada and Newfoundland are
seriously committed to resolving this outstanding issue.
Your continued support is more important now than it has never
ever been. Both we, and the governments need to be certain that
you are behind us when we say, "We are a nation, we will not
extinguish our rights and title to our land." Thank you for
your support you have shown us, we only ask that it continue.
ek & &
NICARAGUA - MrskrtTo, SUMA AND RAMA PEOPLES:
Brooklyn Rivera and many other political leaders from the
Miskito, Suma and Rama returned to their homelands after the
election in Nicaragua. Brooklyn is now Minister and Director
of the Nicaraguan Institute of Development of the Autonomous
Regions (INDERA) and sits on the Nicaraguan Legislature.
The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has been requested by the
Miskito, Suma and Rama Indians of the Atlantic Coast in Nicaragua
to assist them in a recovery program after the civil war and
hurricane damages. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs formed a
working committee to begin raising funds and searching for
different avenues for donations of supplies and materials. The
Indian peoples in the Atlantic Coast need the following
desperately:
Oo food
oO medicine
oO medical supplies
oO portable sawmills
oO tools (hammers, saws, nails, fishing rods and lines,
machetes, shovels, hoes)
Oo seeds
Financial donations may be made payable to the UBCIC - INDERA
Fund and are tax deductible. A special account has been opened
for this purpose.
Letters should also go to the Hon. Joe Clark, Minister of
External Affairs in Ottawa urging him to get involved and provide
immediate aid to the Miskito, Suma and Rama Indians.
If you would like to volunteer, donate or want more information
call UBCIC (Millie Poplar) at 684-0231.
AIDS:
AIDS Is A Big Threat To Native Canadians:
Written by Philip Raphals, Montreal.
AIDS represents a major threat to the future of native
communities, despite the fact the number of aboriginals with AIDS
in Canada is still small.
This was the message heard by almost 600 Indians and Inuit from
across Canada attending a three-day meeting here late last month
on AIDS.
But speakers also stated the strength of family and community
ties in native society make it possible to meet the challenge of
the disease, if strong steps are understaken now.
While many of the people at the conference were involved in
health care, prevention and education in their communities, most
had only a passing knowledge of AIDS.
"T had no idea how serious this problem is," was a comment heard
over and over again. But once the point was made that AIDS is
not just a white man's disease, the audience had no difficulty
focusing on the gravity of the threat.
"Epidemics are nothing new to native communities," said Ron
Rowell, executive director of the National Native American AIDS
Prevention Center in Oakland, Ca. "Tuberculosis and smallpox
devastated the Indian population reducing our numbers from five
million before the Europeans arrived to 250,000 today."
AIDS (con't)
In one village, the population went from 3,000 to 100 during a
single epidemic, he added.
"And time is not on our side," he said of the AIDS epidemic.
"Unfortunately, there is no good estimate of the number of native
people with AIDS or HIV," said Dr. Jay Wortman of Indian and
Northern Health Services, part of the medical services branch of
Health and Welfare Canada, "but we know that the threat is very
grave."
Only 24 AIDS cases have been reported among natives, but this is
just the tip of the iceberg, he said. The number is inaccurate
for a number of reasons: until two years ago, no province except
Quebec reported race with AIDS data, and when race is reported,
it is often reported incorrectly.
In fact, Dr. Wortman considers this figure to be so misleading
"it would be better not to have any number at all."
Among Indians living in urban centres, I.V. drug use has become a
major problem, and HIV is following in its footsteps, said John
Turvey, co-ordinator of the Down Town East Side Youth Activities
Society needle exchange program in Vancouver.
Turvey said almost half the people who use their services are
native.
"Only 1.4% of the people using our needle exchange have
seroconverted in the last two years," said Turvey, "but 80% of
those have been native women."
Furthermore, he said native seropositives get sick and die much
faster than do middle-class white seropositives who are otherwise
healthy.
"T'yve seen Indians die within two years of infection," he said,
"because they're already immunocompromised, thanks to poverty and
nalnutri tion. ™
Turvey said of the millions of dollars being spent on AIDS, only
a little actually reaches the people at risk, and he excoriated
the lack of financial support for programs that actually interact
one-to-one with people from at risk populations.
Indeed, poverty itself is a major risk factor for HIV, said Dr.
George Conway, an epidemiologist from the U.S. Centers of Disease
Control in Altlanta. Malnutrition and poor health care tend to
quicken the progression from HIV to AIDS, and the high prevalence
of sexually transmitted diseases common in poor communities
greatly facilitates transmission, he said.
Native communities are among the poorest in Canada, and most
experts believe the spread of HIV in native communities will be
according to what is know as Pattern II. Seen in Africa and the
Caribbean, heterosexual transmission is the most common
transmission route in Patter II.
While many think of AIDS as an urban problem, rural native
communities are also at great risk, said Ida Williams, executive
director of the Montreal's Native Friendship Centre.
"There are more than 12,000 native people in Montreal," she said.
"Most of them come to the city - maybe for a weekend, maybe for a
few months - and then go back to their communities. All it
takes is one infected person to bring HIV back home, and then the
whole community is at risk.
AIDS: (con't)
CONDOMS
Part of a nationwide network, the Montreal Native Friendship
Centre distributes about 100 condoms a day (when it can get them)
and also exchanges needles for I.V. drug users.
The most moving moment of the conference came Monday afternoon
when four aboriginal people with AIDS or HIV told their stories.
Kecia Larkin, a 19-year old from Alert Bay at the northern tip of
Vancouver Island, told of her life of prostitution and drug abuse
after running away from home at the age of 15 to escape poverty
and sexual abuse.
"T knew the risks, but I kept believing it wouldn't happen to
me,'"' she said. "What you don't know will kill you."
Ken Ward, a 34-year old Cree from Alberta was the first Canadian
native to "go public" about being seropositve. Two years ago,
he founded the Feather of Hope Aboriginal Society for AIDS
Prevention, to warn native people of the danger AIDS poses to
them.
Ward stresses the importance of traditional spirituality in
meeting the challenges of AIDS, both for the individual and for
his or her family.
"We want to go home," he said, a theme that was often echoed
during the three-day conference. "Our families and communities
must reach out to care for their children who are sick, not push
them away."
Like Larkin, Ward travels incessantly, speaking about AIDS in
Indian communities around Canada. Asked about his exhausting
schedule, he said he was anxious to get to as many communities as
possible while he was still healthy enough to do so.
Much or the Emphasis in the conference was on native self-
reliance in AIDS prevention work.
"you don't need a master's degree to teach people about avoiding
AIDS," said Jackie McPherson, of the Little Black River Band in
Manitoba, who describes herself as the "Condom Granny."
She gave a hands-on workshop on how to teach people to use
condoms.
I don't use big words because I can't pronounce them," she said
laughing.
NEWS FROM THE NATIONS:
KWAKIUTL NATION:
Congratulations to the Kwakiutl Band for their efforts in
defending/protecting their territory by the perseverance and
determination in their presentation to the Port Hardy
Ferrochromium Review Panel.
The panel has concluded that:
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS:
From our mandate, which was to consider the technology, the
environmental issues and the social issues, and in consideration
of all the evidence before us, we have drawn the following three
general conclusions:
(1) Technology:
The technology of the proposed plant is feasible, although
refinements and clarifications will be necessary, as set
forth in our report, in order to achieve a satisfactory
final design;
(2) Environment:
Provided the comprehensive and stringent conditions set
forth in our report are applied to the design, construction,
operation and monitoring of the Sherwood plant, its
environmental impacts are expected to be manageable and
acceptably low, however the selected site near Bear Cove is
not ideally suited due to the general environmental
sensitivity of Hardy Bay; and
(3) Social Issues:
a) General
Provided the environmental impacts are managed in
accordance with the recommendations of this report, the
Sherwood plant would yield a net social benefit to Port
Hardy, based upon its local economic value.
b) Native
The Bear Cove site is not acceptable in light of native
issues which must be resolved by litigation or
settlement.
In light of the foregoing, the proponent and government may
choose to seek an alternative location, possibly in the Port
Hardy vicinity, that is suitable to all parties.
Various issues like this arise in various Nations. They
offer jobs, dollars into the community, etc. but we have all seen
the devastation some industries have caused to the livelihood of
our peoples (Alcan in Kitamaat territory, pulp mills, etc.).
Our peoples not only have to fight issues like this for their own
territory but protection for the areas white people live in also.
The environment has always been an ongoing issue when it comes to
protection of our lands.
CHESLATTA CARRIER NATION:
The Cheslatta Carrier Nation announced today that negotiations to
settle an outstanding Specific Claim with the federal government
have broken down and are filing suit in BC Supreme Court.
Chief Marvin Charlie, representing the 140 members of the
Cheslatta Carrier Nation, located south of Burns Lake, noted lack
of fairness and co-operation, on behalf of the federal
government, as the main reason for his decision. Chief Charlies
said, "The Department of Indian Affairs has constantly limited
our resources which would allow us to participate in a fair and
proper negotiation process. While the DIA has unlimited access
to financial and legal resources of the Canadian government to
assist them, we have nothing."
The Specific Claim, filed with the DIA in 1984 and accepted for
negotiations in 1987, is based on the forced surrender and re-
location of the Cheslatta Band in 1952 after the Aluminum Company
of Canada constructed a dam on the Cheslatta Lake system. LG
was only after the dam was complete, and the Cheslatta Reserves
being flooded, did the Department of Indian Affairs inform the
Band that they would have to sign a surrender and immediately
evacuate to higher ground. The Band has always contended that
the surrender was illegal and in violation of the Indian Act.
Since filing the Specific Claim, the Cheslatta Nation has
incurred debts of nearly $200,00 while the DIA has advanced on
$20,000 per year since 1987, to cover expenses. These advances
are taken off the top when a settlement is reached. "The whole
process is a sham.", says Chief Charlie, "Brian Mulroney and Tom
Siddon are liars when they say that they are committed on
settling Specific Claims. Our attempts to reason with the
federal government have constantly fallen upon deaf ears and we
are sick of it. How are we supposed to negotiate a settlement
with the same people that lend us money for negotiations? One
way or another, they have always found a way to hold us back.
This has forced us to seek legal redress for the way we have been
treated. Once the facts of this case are public, the general
public is going to be disgusted with the way the government has
treated us over the last forty years. The cold, hard facts will
be very embarrassing."
The Cheslatta Carrier Nation will continue to hold small bingos,
raffles and bake sales in an attempt to keep abreast of their
mounting expenses. "The people of the Cheslatta Carrier Nation
are committed to seeing justice done," says Chief Charlies,
"When our territory was flooded, we lost our homes, our
traplines, our history and our culture, everything. We have
nothing else to lose."
MOHAWK LAND QUESTION:
Chief Saul Terry, President will be making a presentation of the
'Mohawk Crisis' to the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs
in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 5, 1991. A report on this will be
in our next newsletter.
The Haudensosaunee Crisis Committee, in cooperation with
Barricade Productions, Inc. and TVI Video has produced a 30
minute video that presents a native view of this summer's siege
of the Mohawk Nation. The video is the only video that has been
produced with the authorization of those who participated in this
summer's event. "Voices From Oka - A Native Recounting of the
Mohawk Siege of 1990" is available at a cost of $25.00 per copy.
Discount for bulk orders. This price includes postage. Allow
three weeks for delivery. Please send payment to: Barricade.
Productions, Inc. PO Box 292, Kahnawake, PQ, JOL 1BO or call
UBCIC’ In-House LEGAL CouNSEL News:
In May 1989 the Chilcotin Justice Council in Williams Lake
approached the Union requesting assistance in setting up a law
centre in the Chilcotin Country which would service the Bands
west of the Fraser River. Those people comprise the Chilcotin
and the Carrier nations. The Council had representatives from
the Alexandria, Alexis Creek, Anaham, Nemaiah, Stone, Toosey and
Ulkatcho Bands.
The Council directed me to incorporate them under the Society Act
and once that was accomplished negotiations began in earnest for
funding from the Attorney General's Department. A Society Act
incorporation could be an easily accomplished task for some
regular society but the Council wanted Constitution and By-Laws
that would be a reflection of their way of thinking and their way
of life. They chose as their name "Nengay Deni Yajelhtig" Law
Centre Society which translates in Chilcotin to "The People of
the World Speak." The Council decided that the name expressed
their desire to speak out and have control over the justice
issues in their communities after years of outside control by a
system that was alien to their culture.
We met over an extended period of time and after many drafts came
out with a set of By-Laws which are readable to the ordinary
person. The Justice Council comprises of ten members with the
capacity to form other committees such as an Elders Council which
will sit to help resolve contentious matters. The law centre is
Situated on the Anaham Reserve and will provide legal assistance
tot he people in the Chilcotin. While the centre will provide
much needed legal aid the Council does not want to see the centre
become just another legal aid office. To this end they are
planning public legal education geared toward keeping their
people out of the penal institutions. In addition, they will be
doing research on their traditional justice system to bring those
methods back into use.
The Centre had its grand opening on February 1, 1991 on the
Anaham Reserve. The ceremonies were conducted in the Chilcotin
language and interpreted for us non-Chilcotin's. The Elders led
the celebration with songs and prayers. After speeches and gift
exchanges by representatives from the government and the people
we had traditional feast followed by a short game of lahal.
Former Attorney General Bud Smith, His Honour Judge Cunliffe
Barnett, Assistant Attorney General, G.R. Martin; NDP, MLA from
the Cariboo Chilcotin, Dave Zirnhelt, Socred MLA Neil Vant; and
Marg Arthur, Native Justice Project Policy Analyst were called
upon to join the game with a threat of a severe penalty if they
refused.
The Council is still taking applications for a lawyer to operate
the centre for the position to start on April 1, 1991. The
deadline for submitting application is March 8, 1991;
shortlisting will take place on March 11th and interviews on
March 15th. You can submit your applications to:
Chileotin Justice Council
c/o Anaham Band Office
General Delivery
Alexis Creek, BC VOL 1A0
or for more information call Ms. Joan Gentles at (604) 392-3345
(work) or (604) 659-5634 (home).
Nancy Sandy
In-House Counsel, UBCIC
Part of UBCIC Newsletter (March, 1991)