UBCIC News - volume 1, number 2 (June 1978) · UBCIC Photograph Collection

UBCIC News - volume 1, number 2 (June 1978)

Edit item

Title

UBCIC News - volume 1, number 2 (June 1978)

Is Part Of

1.06-01.03 Nesika: UBCIC News

1.06.-01 Newsletters and bulletins sub-series

Date

June 1978

Subject

volume

issue

Language

Identifier

1.06-01.03-02.06

pages

General Assembly Resolutions
Special Supplement

Vander Zalm Sees the Problem. . .
But Misses the Point

Chief's Council Votes for Indian Control
of Indian Fishing

topic

Contributor

Type

periodical

extracted text

Vol. 1,4 2 June 1978

General Assembly Resolutions
Special Supplement

Vander Zalm Sees the Problem. . .
But Misses the Point

Chief’s Council Votes for Indian Control

of Indian Fishing

EDITORIAL

Once again we are facing a Federal Government who is determined to decide what is best for 300,000 status
Indians in Canada. In 1969 the Federal Government ‘‘consulted” with Canadian Indians for one year, and decided
what strategy would be best to deal with our ‘dependence, deprivation, and frustration.” An Indian Policy
resulted from those consultations, which would have (among other things) abolished the Indian Act, transferred
federal responsibility to Indian people over to the provinces, and would also have given us “positive recognition
by everyone” for our “unique contribution of Indian culture to Canadian life.”” Strength was needed to counter-
act that piece of legislation. The 1969 Indian Policy was the catalyst that unified Indians across the country.
We were successful. Or were we?

The Federal Government is making plans for status Indians in Canada. 1981 has been chosen as the ‘Year
of the New Federation.” At this time the finishing touches will be made to the Canadian Constitution to be
rewritten following “intensive parliamentary scrutiny and federal-provincial consultations,” says Prime Minister
Trudeau. Should Trudeau succeed as Canada’s Prime Minister in the next election, the re-wording of the Consti-
tution will take place in two phases, the first to be completed by 1979, and the second by 1981. These proposals
are contained in a booklet entitled ‘‘A Time for Action.”

While the whole concept of a new Constitution is important to status Indians, we must realize that Phase II
which deals with those matters under federal jurisdiction, are the most significant for us. According to “A Time
for Action”, Phase II “would cover all those sections of the constitution which the Federal government and the
provinces must discuss together what should be done.” The 1969 Indian Policy proposed to transfer federal
responsibility of status Indians over to the provinces. With the re-wording of the constituion and the re-distribu-
tion of federal-provincial powers, this could be possible.

“A Time for Action” outlines the section dealing with status Indians:

“The renewal of the Federation must fully respect the legitimate rights of the native peoples, recognize their
rightful place in the Canadian mosaic as the first inhabitants of the country, and give them the means of
enjoying full equality of opportunity.”

If you think you’ve heard that: one before, you're right. In 1969, the Indian Policy stated:

“Indian people have the right to full and equal participation in the cultural, social, economic, and political
life of Canada, and that lawful obligations be recognized.”

Ten years later, the Federal Government is still proposing to recognize us. The “recognition of legitimate abori-
ginal rights”, sounds good, but what does it really mean? Our definition of legitimate aboriginal rights is different
from the Federal Government’s. Will the new Constitution safeguard our interests, or those of the Federal
Government?

B.C. Indian Governments (Band Councils) have been working towards developing and protecting our aborigi-
nal rights. ‘We collectively as Indian people, have the right within the framework of the Canadian Constitution to
govern, through our own unique form of government (Band Councils), an expanded version of our Indian reserve
lands, that is sufficiently large enough to provide for the essential needs of ALL our people.’”’ The basis for our
aboriginal rights is contained in the Canadian Constitution, and any changes to it will have long term effects on us,
and future generations of Indian people. Our interests must not be ignored.

In the past ten years, Indian Nations across Canada have become strong, and politically aware of the struggle
ahead, for us to achieve self-determination. Once again we must unify and develop a strategy to make ourselves
heard above the din of federal-provincial consultations. The year is 1978, and Our Time for Action is Now!

Summer Editor

OUR COVER .
The eagle, the beaver and the fish represent Lyle Wilson, a 22 year old Haisla Indian from

the three clans of Kitimat village, together they Kitimaat Village near the industrially exploited
represent unity. This month’s cover was done by Kitimat.

The UBCIC NEWS 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.

EDITOR: Beth Cuthand

_ Summer Editor: Linda Day

Written Contributions:

Marie Marule, Bob Bacon and Kelly Vail; George
Manuel, Maxine Pape, Jackie Seward, Lillian
Basil, Walt Taylor, Donna Kydd, Michelle Stiff,

Dinah Schooner, John Warren, Clifford Hanuse,
Rosalee Tizya, Barbara Kuhne, Pauline Douglas,

Cartoons and Graphics: Lyle Wilson
Layout and Design: UBCIC Staff and volunteers
Typesetting: Makara Publishing and Design Co-op

The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs
440 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, B.C,

V6B 1L1

Telephone: 684-0231
Telex: 04-54220

| TABLE OF CONTENTS»

Vander Zalm Sees the Problem But
Misses the Point

Indian Control of Indian Fishing

Reproduction not “Enhancement”
World Council Meets in Argentina
Pipeline Impact Study Gets Underway
History of the UBCIC

(Seieury Praxtiests oo oli tSi-), cee ewe in ins es 8 0 15

Sun & Earth, A Salish Legend

Moose Found on Doorstep —
Indian Charged

Our Freedom Was Our Culture ............. 20

JUNE

VANDERZALM SEES PROBLEM —
BUT MISSES POINT

Human Resources Minister, Bill Vaiider Zalm,
has announced plans to “save” our young people
who came to Vancouver by refusing them welfare
and shipping them back to their reserve. Vander
- Zalm describes Vancouver’s welfare problem as
caused by a flood of “thousands” of people,

“mainly young native people” from northern
communities, who are attracted to the city lights
and excitement. The Minister recognizes the
problems of unskilled transients on the job market

“who end up walking from beer parlour to beer
parlour. . . and getting into trouble. . .. We are
trying to get at those who might be saved froma
miserable life and who, if they are moved away
from a bad environment, can become very useful
and happy people’’.

George Manuel congratulated the Minister for
being the first Government Minister to speak out
about the problems of our young people in B.C.
Chief Councillor Heber Maitland of Kitimat Village
Council wrote along the same lines to the Labour
Minister: “I was glad to see some official recogni-

tion of the situation at last. . . . coming to grips
with the Indian problems in B.C. Although it
f-

VAN DOOR JAM

Smoke signals, drums, and songs

Echoed throughout the air about wrong
Incidents, like the Indians off reserves

Who are said to be collective and preserve
The business of evening delights in return,
Oh how this makes my heart burn!

It makes me want to run on home, °

And end this adventure of earthly roams,
And end this learning of society roles,

And end my life goal.

Opportunity and chance are hardly at hand
On the long time designated reserve lands, °
Nor does the Indian Act give much chance

Our ways of life, and our ways of spirit.

No! It was not the Indians who said it

To the public, for it was a government man,
Apparently in some kind of a Van Door Jam,
But remember, we spoke of it first,

We wanted to get rid of this life curse,

We want to live to be free,

We want to be!

For development of victory in issues that enhance

Me a

might come as a surprise to him, | agree with
Mr. Vander Zalm to a certain degree; we too want
our young people home, away from the corrupt-
ing influence of Skid Row”.

This is as far as the White Press have usually
reported on Indian comment on Vander Zalm’s
plans. They have failed to understand or report
the most important part of both social conditions
on our reserves are often as unhelpful to our
young people as those in the city. Where at least
Vander Zalm has failed to see that those of our
young people who are deprived on welfare in
Vancouver, an opportunity for higher standards
of education, jobs or housing, will have to collect
welfare back home where the same conditions

‘they tried to escape from still exist. The Minister

may have recognized our problems but his way of
dealing with them seems pretty short-sighted, and |
expensive. The only people to benefit would
seem to be the Greyline Bus Company.

“Since the early 1900’s”’, said George Manuel
in his telex to the Minister, “Indian leaders have .
made every effort to persuade both the provincial
and federal governments to direct their attentions
to the social conditions and problems of our
people on Indian reserves.” ‘‘Had Mr. Vander
Zalm checked further”, wrote Heber Maitland,
“he would have discovered that the unemploy-
ment rate in Indian Communities is five to six
times that in non-Indian communities. Prospects
of finding work in those Indian communities are
negligible. What draws Native people southward
is desperation, lack of opportunity and lack of
hope.”

“Until greater opportunities are made available
to our young people on reserves, many will con-
tinue to migrate to the city. We cannot compel
them to return,” Manuel stated. The only answer
to Vander Zalm’s problem is the one we have
been demanding for a century now: a settlement
of outstanding land claims and Indian Govern-
ment authority over our lands resources. By
refusing these, says Heber Maitland, “the Provin-
cial Government is frustrating the one means
by which we could accomplish our own develop-
ment, ... that Mr. Vander Zalm’s bright lights
could not hope to match.

George Manuel ended his telex with a strong
invitation for a meeting within the next 2 weeks
with the intention of establishing a joint commit-
tee of our senior staffs, working towards a goal of
providing a strategy to resolve the roots of the
problems we have identified”.

UBCIC 4

The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has just held
its 10th Annual Assembly. Your staff of the

Union Newsletter have compiled the decisions
made by our Chiefs at that conference.

Our Chiefs and Council members are studying
these resolutions and making plans at Band
meetings on how to take action to make these
decisions work for you in the communities. |
believe very strongly in students and educators
studying these decisions, and making them real to
our young people.

One of the most important decisions made
was the resolution that adopts and accepts the
Indian Government or Aboriginal Rights Position
Paper. This resolution agrees that we are working
towards Indian Control over Indian lives, land and
all resources. It also gives directions how we will
build and strengthen our sovereignty as B.C.
Indians. :

There are many forums where these decisions
may be debated. The Bands in B.C. must be the
source of political involvement. For example, a
forum such as a General Meeting of 184 Chiefs
and regional leaders can only make decisions that
apply to 184 Bands. Because we have many
reserves with different situations, the wording of
our decisions apply generally to the Bands. It is
up to the individual Bands to use these decisions
to their advantage.

In order to begin moving in the direction of
Indian Control, Band Councils and Band Members
have decisions to make and work to do. As
provincial leaders, we ‘cannot tell you who your
Band membership shall ‘be. We cannot tell you
what kind of ‘management structure to design
to govern your fishing, hunting, and other Indian
rights. It is your responsibility to design these for
your people. The political direction has been set
by the Chiefs of B.C.

All of the many Indian organizations in B.C.
were invited to this year’s General Assembly.
They all turned out, and we thank you for your
commitment to attend, since we know you are
swamped with work. We appreciate your efforts
on behalf of our people.

Many hundreds of Indian people worked very
hard to make your Annual Assembly a success;
from the women who cooked our meals, the
drivers who brought car loads of Board members,
to the youth volunteers who helped out. Elders
participated with us, many talented artists took
part in the talent show, and hundreds of people
were involved in the workshops. On behalf of
your organization, the Union of B.C. Indian
Chiefs, | would like to extend my heartiest and
warmest appreciation for your commitment to
work so hard on behalf of the aboriginal rights of
our people.

We have received the criticism that our agenda
or work-plan for the General Assembly was too
ambitious. We attempted to do too much work
in our meeting, and we apologize to those people
who felt over-burdened. There must be enough
time to study the material and make wise deci-
sions. We will bear this in mind in the future.

We must plan well together if we are to reach
our goal of Indian self-determination. It will not
be an easy job. We will have to work hard and
plan well if we are to build positive alternatives
for the white government structure.

Within our provincial office at 440 West
Hastings, our workers have been very busy. If
you're wondering why you haven’t seen them in
your communities it is because the Executive
Committee has assigned them the task of organ-
izing the General Assembly resolutions into co-
hesive work plans.

We look forward to a productive year with all
of you, and hope that our Assembly resolutions
will create a stronger working band and clearer
direction towards Indian Control.

UBCIC 5

IN DIAN CONTROL

OF INDIAN FISHING

Fishing is the Number One resource of B.C.
Indians, and in order to ensure the reproduction
and protection of our valuable fisheries, they
must be controlled by our Indian Governments.

Chiefs Council has acted on two fishing reso-
lutions that will give Indian Governments-respon-
sibility for the regulation of Indian fishing. These
resolutions were passed at the UBCIC Chiefs
Council on June 22, 1978 and recognizes the
need for responsible management over our fish-
eries which have been severely depleted due to
mismanagement by a non-Indian government.

In a press release, George Manuel spoke of our
concern for the salmon, “By resuming our abori-
ginal responsibility for the fish, we can begin to
work towards establishing once again, the fish
management and reproduction practices which
allowed B.C. Salmon to flourish for thousands
of years.”

By preparing their own fishing laws and regu-
lations for their areas, our Indian Governments
can be certain that our fisheries will survive as
strongly as they have for thousands of years. Con-
trolling our fisheries is a huge step towards
self-determination for B.C. Indians, since we are
ensuring our fisheries and ourselves of a strong
future.

MOOSE DIES ON DOORSTEP -

Francis Haines of the Stone Band was cherie
under the B.C. Wildlife Act for killing a moose,
after a conservation officer came onto the reserve
and found a moose in front of his house. Haines’
defence was argued on the grounds that the Wild-

life Act is being enforced in such a way that it

limits and hinders the traditional hunting and
trapping rights of Indian people.

It was necessary to establish these traditional
rights, and through the testimonies of members
of the Stone Band, it became clear that the need
to hunt definitely still exists.

Charlie Quilt, an Elder, beautifully described
to the court how hunting has been a part of the
Indian way of life for many years. Because he is
blind and cannot hunt, other band members
hunted and shared with him. Some Band mem-
bers are not getting permits, and he stressed that
people will continue to hunt in or out of season,
permits or not, adding that if his people were not
able to hunt, they would simply go on welfare.

UBCIC 6

INDIAN CHARGED

Chief Jimmy Meyers went on to say that if his
people went on welfare, the end result would be
extreme alcoholism. Myers has been a hunter all
his life, and said that although it was true the
animal population appeared to be dwindling, he
felt this was due to White guiding companies who
have licenses to lead foreigners into traditional
Indian hunting grounds.

The case has been put over until July 19 and
20, and we will have updated information about
Francis Haines’ case in the next issue of UBCIC
News. If the case is won, it will become illegal for
provincial conservation officers to enter reserves
for any purposes, and it will not be necessary for
Indians to get permits to hunt in or out of season.

REPRODUCTION

NOT “ENHANCEMENT”

‘Under the control of the Federal Fisheries
Department, in less than one century, the salmon
runs of B.C. have been depleted to half their
natural size.

These same salmon runs, when under the
control of the Indian People of B.C. were sustain-
ed, maintained and managed in a highly respons-
ible manner, for close to one hundred centuries.

The goal of this program is to increase the
depleted salmon population by the end of the
century to the population level which was in
existence at the beginning of the century.

Although the U.B.C.I.C. was invited to
participate in the S.E.D., all attempts at construc-
tive involvement have not been encouraged.

tebe

4 is a
pak ‘ai 7
Mh Sere eee. lel
a ek rp oD

Since the new “SEP Management Board”’ will
include only one Indian among its ten members,
we hope to help that person become well informed
about the progress and problems of ‘SEP”’ as it is
seen and experienced by B.C. Indians.

It is our impression that the ‘“SEP”’ puts a lot
of emphasis on training a few Indian people to fit
into non-Indian, biological engineering projects.

In order to keep all B.C. Indians well inform-
ed on this program we shall depend on getting
facts, concerns and questions from all interested
bands, including the many wise and experienced
Indian fishing people.

Your observations and questions will deter-
mine what type of research we need, and your
comments on SEP are welcome.

Important questions are being raised by
Indian fishermen who are worried about the
impact “enhancement” will have on natural
salmon and on Indian fishing rights.

It is possible that “enhancement” could
negatively affect natural salmon runs. Since no
one has decided how the “enhanced” salmon will
be allocated, there could be the danger that
Indian food fishing will be limited to ‘‘natural”
salmon only.

However, we have not yet seen any evidence
that ‘SEP’ has developed effective ways to listen
to the ecological values of the Indian heritage, or
fish reproduction wisdom that many B.C. Indians
still use in their fishing today.

, Ss
Sun dryin

g a catch of fish.

We do not believe that any attempts to
restore healthy fish runs can fully succeed in B.C.
without effectively consulting and _ involving
Indian people in making plans, as well as imple-
menting them.

We are looking forward to hearing from
readers of UBCIC NEWS.

UBCIC 7

WORLD COUNCIL

MEETS IN ARGENTINE

Marie Marule, Secretary for the World Council
of Indigenous (Aboriginal) People (WCIP), sent us
this report of the visit of 13 Canadians to Argen-
tine — for the Executive Council Meeting of the
WCIP (World Council of Indigenous People) —
and to participate in a cultural exchange program
with the Indians of Argentina. For space reasons
we had to shorten the report a little. In her
covering letter, Marie told our editor:

“Please understand that the article is a
general report due to the request of our
Argentine colleagues who fear reprisals
should we disclose and publish some of the
details. The day will come when all this
will become public knowledge, or at least,
publicity will be more useful”’.

With George and Marie on this important -

visit were members of the Native Council of
Canada and also the Prairie Indian Dancers. The
meeting was hosted by the Association of the
Republic of Argentina. Many members of the As-
sociation and local indigenous leaders participated
in the meetings and socio-cultural activities,

The program for the visit was well organised,
with every moment put to maximum use. Cultural
exchange meetings were accompanied by deli-
cious traditional meals. All guests participated in
North and South American Indian dances and
songs. Our tall Plains Indian dancers were over-
whelmed by the adulation (great praise) expressed
by the Argentina indigenous. Music and dances
of our South American brothers and sisters
equally overwhelmed the visitors.

There were theatre performances of ,indigen-
ous American music, dance and folklore. The per-
formances..were opened by indigenous Argentin-
ian artists, followed by Plains Indian dancing. The
star of the Plains Indian Dancers was Bill Brittain
with his spectacular hoop dance. Also participa-
ting in the threatre presentations were George
Manuel singing his Grandfather’s song; Hans-Povia
Rosing singing traditional Inuit songs of Green-
land and Ross Moore singing a traditional abori-
ginal song and a contemporary Australian song.

_ UBCIC 8

Amid the many Council meetings and cultural
exchange performances, there was also a very
meaningful meeting with the Argentinian Minister
of Education and Culture with the WCIP and
AIRA Executive representatives; an hour and a
half long live national radio interview and a na-
tional TV program featuring the Plains Indian
dancers.

Our delegation took an 800 mile trip to
Resistencia in Northern Argentina. Regrettably
the 20 hour bus trip did not result in the visit to
indigenous communities as planned, due to
regional government restrictions.

Despite difficulties experienced with unfam-
iliar systems and language, the meeting and
exchange program in Argentina must be consi-
dered remarkably successful. All participants in
this historic event must be congratulated for their
dedication and patience in the face of very tense,
exhausting and difficult circumstances. —

The visit and the events in Argentina made
very clear the importance of human rights and the
need for associations which strive to have rights
recognised and respected. Although it was evident
that the relationship between the Indigenous of
Canada and the Government of Canada is much
healthier than that between Indigenous peoples of
South America and existing governments, the
experience telescoped the essential elements of
oppression and repression to the size at which
identification is instantaneous (immediate) and
unmistakable, whether in North, Central or South
America.

HISTORY OF THE UB.C.LC.

Nine years of hard work brought the Union to
a large and strong Assembly at Penticton in April.
For those people who are still unclear as to the
direction the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs is head-
ing, we have prepared a brief history of the Union
since its founding.

In 1969 the Federal Government proposed its
Indian Policy that would have ended the Consti-

tutional responsibility of the Federal Government
to the Indians of Canada, as it relates to aboriginal
rights,

Strength was needed to counteract the 1969
Indian Policy. Before this time there were many
regional organizations in B.C. working for the
rights of our people. But not one organization re-
presented status Indians.

July 6, 1972 — Chief’s Council of the Union of

B.C. Indian Chiefs formally presented ‘‘Claim
Based on Native Title” to the Federal Government.

The simplest way to gain representation of
status Indians in B.C. was by unifying our people
across the province at the Band level. Band
members elect their Chiefs, and by forming an
organization with B.C. Chiefs, we are. able to
provide better representation for status Indians.

In 1969, the Union of B.C. Indians Chiefs was
founded.

As a non-treaty province in Canada, we have
not made a settlement that gives land and resource
rights to non-Indian governments. In founding
the UBCIC our top priority was to have our
aboriginal rights recognized by the non-Indian
governments, and secured by our Indian govern-
ments.

With 193 Bands and Chiefs, and the second
largest Indian population in Canada, you can see
how B.C. has the most complex political situation.
Other provinces have only 12, or 45 Bands, and
maybe seven Chiefs.

A good voting percentage for the election of
the Federal Government is 33%. Yet our Indian
Governments (Band Councils) must have 2/3 of
our people vote before it is official. We have to
be that much stronger to be able to deal with the
numbers we need to have an official meeting.

For ten years now we have lived up to that
task. B.C. Indians are a strong people. The UBCIC
is as good and as strong as its Band members,
because it is up to us, as Band members to support
our chiefs.

From each of our 16 provincial districts, one
chief is elected to Chiefs Council, which is the
policy making group for status Indians in B.C.
It is up to Chiefs Council to decide what to do
about the problems facing our people. At the
general meeting of Chiefs Council, an executive is
elected which consists of one President and four

_Vice-Presidents. Elections are also held for Chiefs

Council members.

For the sake of provincial co-ordination, our
Executive got core funding from the Federal
Government to hire consultants to work on devel-
oping an Indian policy, and to work on the
pressing issues of B.C. Indians.

The present job of the Union, from You, all
the way to the President, is to work towards
Indian control of Indian lands, resources and
programs. Right now the non-Indian governments
have all the authority, and our job is to get that
authority. back to our reserves and to our Indian
Governments (Band Councils).

Our lives will be much different if our Band
Councils have the authority to implement deci-
sions, allocate monies, and build real alternatives
for our lives. Right now we do not have those
powers. We must get them back and that is the
primary goal of your organization, the Union of
B.C. Indian Chiefs.

UBCIC 9

SECRETS OF ANCIENT SEA DISCOVERED
Gas bonanza found
on B.C.-Alberta line

By PAUL RAUGUST
Sun Business Writer

CALGARY — A massive natural gas
field straddling the northeastern B.C.-
Alberta border could nearly double Cana-
da’s known gas reserves, the Canadian
Society of Petroleum Geologists was told
here Tuesday.

About half the 26,000-acre field, called the
Deep Basin, borders the Sukunka and Griz-
zly Valleys about 160 kilometres south of
Fort St. John. The remainder is in Alberta.

The discovery was made by Canadian
Hunter Exploration Ltd., of Calgary, which
estimates the field’s ultimate recoverable
reserves at 50 trillion cubic feet.

Total Canadian reserves we
quickly managed to attract)
considered among the bes

teams in the ;
“We just went out and hi
we red the in the

conside:
‘ters saids ‘‘It didn't mat
money it took; we wanted the
B t it wasn't until 1976

at 59 tcf in 1977, when B.C.’s proven re-
serves stood at a meagre 7.8 tcf.

Canada now produces about three tcf per
year, half of which is sold to the U.S.

Canadian Hunter president John Mas-
ters, in revealing details of the discovery to
the geologists’ 50th annual convention here,
said its economic implications are stagger-

ing.

“These large supplies could displace part
of Canada’s foreign oil requirements, and,
exported to the U.S., could resolve Cana-

da’s serious balance of payments deficit,” —

Masters said.
et neg aoe is
now £2.16 a thousand cul set

It Just So Happens...

Northeastern B.C. may soon be the scene for

spent nearly $5 billion in the last 15 years in
exploring the same area as Canadian Hunt-
er, drilling a total of 544 wells in B.C. and
Alberta, but nothing was found.
Geologically, the Deep Basin has always
been viewed as a high-potential area, Mas-
ters said, but a combination of economics |
and technological restrictioss prevented
ri companies from makit the discov-

wh fact, it was free statistical data, filed
by the oil companies with. |: government
agencies, which helped his company unlock
the secrets to the basin.

._ The richest part of the basin found so far
5 located in Alberta's Elmworth area near
border, where Canadian Hunter
| 25 wells. Five of the wells have
tested, ranging from five million
per day to 18 mef, ranking them
erta’s biggest producers.
ih geologists at the conference

findtheD§ the most intensive seismic and drilling activity in }

crop a bal ome mountaig _its history. sang sl wa Le ee
ern B.C. This exploration will follow a June 27 an- [erties on the northern frontier —
olen ~ ctorgeenaalag nouncement that a huge new discovery of natural the next decade. |

in prehistoric times was cruc gas has been made, nearly half of which lies under 's’ rationale is that the Deep
plan. It would be from there, the area south of Chetwynd and east of the new he current return level to produc-
that the gas deposits could be Sukunka and Grizzly Valley gasfields. er thousand cubic feet, will allow
abareasatemete — The discovery is called Deep Basin, a 100 i 0 tet now. If the price were to

“When the crew found it,
over the phone: ‘Goddam it,
still hear the seagulls.’ "’

Masters said he is convi

gas.

border.

million year old sea buried deep under the earth
for 26,000 square miles along the B.C.-Alberta
Geologists think the basin holds more
than double Canada’s known reserves of natural

But first much more exploration must be
done to verify the discovery. One geologist pre-

fs band & Spine cpio
e found in applying

: developed in the U.S. from the
rea.of southwest Kansas. The two
ie similar geological formations,
ot geologists up to now were
d when encountering large

Canadian Hunter now coi dicted 1,000 new wells must be drilled. Because t water in the basin area.
een est basin acreage, - of the nearby location of the Grizzly Valley pipe- said gas normally is found above
lone. on lease purchases line, the Northeast will be the first to know the t in the basin there is a flip flop,
The company will drill impact of the new multi-billion dollar hunt for ‘trapped under the water. The
wells this summer on the B.C gas. } formed about 100 million years
of about $1 million each. Texac i the Prairies were covered by a

Pacific and a B.C. consortium formed be-
tween Home Oil, Superior, Ashland, and
Pan-Canadian are also active in the area.

Such companies as Texaco and Hudson
Bay Gas, he said, drilled right through the
Se ts “tnay dads resopuiee 3 ot
years but, ‘‘they t reco ag
cal eal conclusion that we were dealing with a

claims was generally cautious. Most large
exploration companies have attracted
to the Elmworth area by Canadian Hunt-
er’s activity and finds.

At least one marketing analyst said that

the 50 tcf rigted pea rig presented by the
Deep Basin could change the economic
scale of the country’s petroleum industry.

huge sea.
Masters said he became convinced of the
Deep Basin’s potential in the early 1970s,
but while working as a geologist he couldn't
convince the industry to back his theory.
In 1973, he formed Canadian Hunter with
partner James Gray. The company was

largely financed by Noranda Mines and

UBCIC 10

PIPELINE IMPACT STUDY

The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has been

granted funding by the Federal Government to

conduct our own studies of the socio-economic
impact of the proposed Alaska Highway Pipeline.

Since last summer the Bands in the Northeast
and the Southeast have been working closely with
the UBCIC to make the government and the pipe-
line companies recognize our right to know how
we will be affected by the pipeline. Countless

_ letters and our delegates’ two trips to Ottawa
have finally resulted in approval to do the studies
which can help us protect our communities from
the dangers of this pipeline.

We are now planning how the research will be
done. Our staff has met with the top research
experts from across Canada who have done the
kind of studies we need to do, and we.outlined
topics such as:

1) Land Use: We want to make maps that
show where you hunt, trap and fish, and how this
has changed over several generations. We also
want to describe the animals in each area: their
habits, feeding places, mating areas, etc.

2) Tradition: To establish how much our
culture means to us and the kinds of problems we

GETS UNDERWAY

are facing. To discuss what our Treaty and Abor-
iginal Rights are. To establish what types of work
we do now and what jobs we want to have.

3) Living off the Land: We want to describe
what the land means to us: the kinds and amounts
of food we get from hunting, trapping, fishing,
berry picking, etc., and how our eating habits are
changing.

Our fieldworkers, Mary Lou and Arlene, have
already visited some of the communities where
the research will begin first. The Bands involved
will be selecting one person to gather the informa-
tion from every family in the communities, and a
field research co-ordinator will organize the work.
They will be assisted and trained by outside
expert researchers. We also hope to set up an El-
ders Advisory Council to provide guidance to the
researchers.

The study will involve maps and other data
which will be returned to the communities for
your use. The goal of this research is to define
what problems arise when industrial development
is forced on our people without consultation, and
to begin to develop alternatives that will meet our
needs.

MUCKAMUCK STRIKE CONTINUES

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Your assistance is vital to us. The fact that
Native workers in B.C. are badly treated has gone
unnoticed for too long. At the Muckamuck we
are told by our management we are slow, stunned,
- inexperienced and hard to train. As soon as we
got together to ask for some respect and some
rights, they fire us and hire expensive lawyers to
fight us and break our union.

We are appealing to you, our brothers and
sisters in the Native community for assistance in
any one or more of the following forms:

— donations and/or loans to our strike fund

(send them to the SORWUC Union office)

— assistance with finding jobs for some of us

who are on strike (call the union)

— assistance with picketing (come down to

the Muckamuck at 1724 Davie St.)

We are part of the renewed struggle of Native
people to gain the rights and respect denied us
since Captain Cook landed here. We hope that
you will support us. The Union address is 207

West Hastings, suite 1114 in Vancouver, and the

phone number is 684-2384 or 681-2811. You

may also contact me at my home, my number is
324-4348.

In Solidarity,

Ethel Gardner for all SORWUC

members at Muckamuck.

UBCIC 11

- OIL~ HOW MUCH? FOR HOW LONG?

The question of oil supply and demand for —

the next 10 to 15 years was discussed in National
Energy Board hearings at the Hotel Vancouver on
May 31,

Speeches were given by organizations such as
the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union,
and public interest groups from the Queen Char-
lottes and Smithers. Companies like Westcoast
Transmission Co. Ltd., also spoke to the N.E.B.

The NEB heard comments about the import-
ance of fish on the West coast; the environmental
problems an oil port in or around Kitimat would
cause; the future of oil developments and explora-
tion; and the potential of alternate energy sources,
such as the wind, sun, lumber and the sea.

Conservation was talked about as a way to
use less energy and control energy demand, by all
consumers of Canadian and imported oil.

The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs did not make
a speech at this hearing but did provide the NEB
with a written submission containing several
points:

Oil cannot be separated from the land and the
people of the land. For oil to be produced it
must be taken from the land, and must disturb
our people, our culture, our society, and our live-
lihood.

When oil transportation and development
occurs, the territory being exploited is most often
Indian reserve and tribal territorial lands.

Indians have the right to decide what is going
to happen to their land. Oil companies and gov-
ernments must negotiate with us if they want to.
transport oil and/or explore for oil on Indian
lands.

The UBCIC made this submission to the NEB
for two reasons. First, the UBCIC wants the NEB
to understand the B.C. Indian position on resource
development and transportation systems.

Secondly, the UBCIC wanted to make it clear
that if policy directions are made as a result of
these hearings, then Indian opinion must be part
of that policy.

Oil cannot be separated from the
land and the people of the land.
For oil to be produced it must be
taken from the land and must
disturb our people, our culture,
our society, and our livelihood.

It is certain that policy directions will come
from these hearings. This means that what the
NEB recommends will be the policy of the
Federal Cabinet on oil supply and demand for
Canada up to 1985.

The UBCIC must be part of this process to
be certain that the Federal Cabinet understands
the position of B.C. Indians on future plans for
oil, oil ports, oil exploration, and all oil con-
cerns in general.

VIDEO WORKSHOP

Quite a few people have been asking about
workshops on video: what is available and what
to do with what you have.

The television staff at Capilano College in
North Vancover have agreed to put on a three day
workshop August 21, 22 and 23rd. This would
be for all Bands in B.C. who already have, or hope
to get, video equipment, and for any other groups
or persons who are interested.

The workshops have been planned to include:

Equipment: how to use it (we will have 4”

b. & w. reel to reel, cassette and
%’’ colour cassette equipment)
discussions on uses of each kind

Production Techniques: basic instruction in

audio, camera and lighting

Production: pre-planning, scripting, shooting

and editing.
(if you have any edited tapes or
tapes that you would like to

eat “ edit, please bring them).

If you have any particular video problems
that you would like us to cover, please let us
know.

One of the other advantages to a workshop of
this kind is to get together with all other Indian
video groups or individuals: find out who is doing
what, who can help who — and to start a kind of
distribution network, so that useful programs
aren’t just sitting on someone’s shelf.

If you could let us (Communications UBCIC)
know if you will be coming, what kind of equip-
ment you have, what particular areas that you
want to cover, it would certainly help us arrange
the workshop. We can only handle sixteen people
in this kind of workshop: the first sixteen people
to register before July 15. Please let us know too
whether you would like to be billetted while
attending the workshop.

Write to: Communications UBCIC: Video

Workshop
440 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, B.C. Tel: 684-0231

UBCIC GENERAL ASSEMBLY >

yy  -

RESOLUTIONS

U.B.C.1.C. RESOLUTIONS — 10th GENERAL
ASSEMBLY — APRIL 1978

Here are the decisions that were made at our
General Assembly held in Penticton. They are
listed in categories, and where possible we have
provided you with a follow-up on what action
has been taken on these decisions. The Union of
B.C. Indian Chiefs and Indian Governments
(Band Councils) are working together for self-
determination, and these decisions will aid us in
this important process.

INDIAN GOVERNMENT

Indian Band Government Control

(Gordon Antoine, Robert Manuel)

REASONS:

1. The Indian Act is an act of the Federal
Government of Canada and this non-Indian
government has imposed this legal definition
of Indian people and their status upon us,

2. The Indian Act of the Government of
Canada discriminates against Indian women by
legislating the loss of status at the time of mar-
riage, and further that this loss is no more than
legal genocide.

DECISIONS:

1. We, the delegates at this assembly recog-
nize the existence of Indian Band Governments
as our sole governing authority.

2.In the future, all membership statistics
issued by the Indian Band Governments shall be
issued to the Department of Indian Affairs along

‘with all necessary documentation required by

this non-Indian system and only in accordance
with local policies derived from the Band in-
volved, and under the hereby recognized authority
of the Indian Band Governments.

Aboriginal Rights Position Paper
(Dennis Alphonse, Tom Sampson)

DECISION:

The Aboriginal Rights Position Paper pro-
posed by the UBCIC Indian Government Port-
folio be accepted as the Aboriginal Rights
Position of the UBCIC under the condition that
it is reviewed and revised from time to time ac-
cording to Clause 5 of the Aboriginal Rights
Paper.

FOLLOW-UP:
Intent to work on review of paper in July.

UBCIC 13

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

FINANCE (Gordon Antoine, Percy Joe)
Indian Control of Financial Resources

REASONS:

1. There exists a great need for credit and
advisory services in the area of personal and Band
financial affairs and,

2. The B.C. Native Peoples’ Credit Union and
other financial institutions have expressed interest
in co-operating with the U.B.C.1.C. to investigate
better ways of providing these services.

DECISION:

1. That the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs work
with any of the organizations to evaluate their
concrete proposals to increase Indian control of
the financial resources available to our people.

FOLLOW-UP:
This item will be on the agenda for the Next
Chiefs Council, or Executive meeting.

INDIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND

REASONS:

1. The Indian Economic Development Fund
loan fund-level for this region is currently less
than $800,000,

2. This amount is totally inadequate for the
needs of the 192 Bands ‘in the region,

3. This fund will probably run out early into
the new financial year resulting in no further
loans or contributions to Indian and Band busi-
nesses.

DECISION:

1. That the Department of Indian Affairs
either allocate additional loan and contribution
funds to the B.C. Region now, or make an official
commitment to the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs
that in the event there is an Indian -Economic
Development fund shortage that additional funds
will be made available during the course of the
fiscal year.

FOLLOW-UP:

George Manuel has written to Minister of
Indian Affairs, Hugh Faulkner, protesting the
cutbacks on the Indian Economic Development
Fund, and his letter is contained in this issue of
U.B.C.1.C. News.

UBCIC 14

Sectoral Programming

(Gordon Antoine, Barney Alison)

REASONS:

1. the financial resources now available
for Economic Development in general are held in
common for all status Indians in B.C., and

2. there is no provincial co-ordination for sec-
toral programming, and
3. the Economic Development policy nation-

ally for Indian people is not oriented towards
long term socio-economic planning, and

4. the Sectoral program approach to econo
mic development ensures Indian participation in
overall development planning the region.

DECISIONS:

1. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs support
the sectoral program approach to economic
development, and if necessary, its leadership take
political action to implement these programs;

2. the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs work with
other Indian organizations in the Province towards
co-ordinating and supporting the efforts and
objectives of the Indians in B.C. in securing funds
for sectoral program delivery.

FISHING
Fisheries Restrictions — Stoney Creek
(Gordon Antoine, Geri Ambers)

REASON: from time immemorial, the Sto-
ney Creek Indians have fished
Tachick Lake, Corkscrew and
Stoney Creek,

that the present inhabitants of
Stoney Creek be allowed to set
nets in the above-named places at
all times, and without restrictions
from the Department of Fisheries.

FOLLOW-UP: No action has been taken as of
yet, but Walt Taylor, Fishing
Portfolio, will be following up on
this decision in the near future.

DECISION:

RESOLUTIONS

OWEEKENO BAND

REASONS:
1. The Oweekeno Band located at the head of
Rivers Inlet, is without electricity,

2. The Department of Indian Affairs has pro-
posed to repair the 15 kilowatt diesel engine,

3. The Oweekeno Band members have voted
in favour of discontinuing the use of the 15 kilo-
watt engine due to its lack of efficiency,

4. The Department of Indian Affairs proposed
to install a 60 kilowatt diesel engine at an approx-
imate cost of $125,000.00,

5. The Oweekeno Band has been approached
and is meeting Universal Water Wheels Limited,
a company that installs Hydro-electric Power
Systems, Turbines, Generators and related equip-
ment.

6. The Oweekeno Band wants a feasibility
study of hydro-electric power in opposition to
diesel engine power,

7. The D.I.A. has now received a proposal
from a Universal Water Wheels Limited represen-
tative,

8.No notice for tenders has been made
public,

9. The months of December 1977, January,
February, March, April, 1978 is the total time
that the Department of Indian Affairs, Universal
Water Wheels Limited and the Oweekeno Band
Council have been arguing.

DECISION:

1. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs provide
assistance to the Oweekeno Band in research and
legal aid in stating our case to prove the inade-
quacies of the Department of Indian Affairs
controlling our core funding.

FOLLOW-UP:

Rosalie Tizya, Education Co-ordinator, and
John Warren, Socio-Economic Co-ordinator, met
with Oweekeno Band on June 26-28 to discuss
the situation, and the Band will meet with the
Department of Indian Affairs on July 5, 1978.

COMMUNITY PLANNING

(Gordon Antoine, Michael Leach)

REASONS:

1. The Minister of Indian Affairs, the Honour-
able Hugh Faulkner, has stated that a Socio-
Economic Development Strategy must be devel-
oped from the Band level up and not from a top
down approach, and

2. this approach requires that Bands have the
opportunity to develop comprehensive community
plans which will define what their aspirations and
objectives are, and

3. this process will require a substantial
expenditure in order that it can be realized.

DECISION:

The Department of Indian Affairs at the
National and B.C. levels make sufficient funds
available to Bands in order that they may begin
and continue the community planning process at
the Band level.

FOLLOW-UP:

A funding process has been developed for use
of the different DIA budgets to permit compre-
hensive planning by Bands. A directive has been
sent to District Offices advising District Managers
on the general way that funds should be used.
Although it’s a limited process now, it is a first
step.

PLANNING INSTITUTE
(Bill Mussell, Harry Dickie)

REASONS:

1. The Indian Bands of B.C. have long-range
goals for the development of their human and
natural resources, and

2. the Indian Bands of B.C. have to depend
currently on the purchased services of outside

consultants for technical and professional plan-

ning towards these goals,

DECISION:

The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs encourage
the formation of a Planning Institute to assist
Bands with this important process.

FOLLOW-UP:

Two summer students have been hired to
look at Planning process and they are consulting
with Bands on their planning needs and on what
progress has been made in some areas of planning.
They are working in co-operation with the School
of Community Planning at the University of
British Columbia.

UBCIC 15

ENERGY & RESOURCES
West Coast Oil Ports Inquiry

REASONS:

1. the West Coast Oil Ports Inquiry was set up
to investigate the implications of an oil port and
increased tanker traffic on the West Coast of B.C.,

2. the U.B.C.I.C. was a major participant at
the Inquiry hearings,

3. the Honourable Len Marchand announced
on February 23, 1978 that there was no need for
a West Coast Oil Port now or in the forseeable
future,

4, the U.B.C.1.C. demanded that the Govern-
ment pass a law establishing that the National
Energy Board shall not hear any application
concerning a West Coast oil port for a period of
at least ten years.

DECISIONS:

1. the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs continue
to lobby for the necessary legislation to ensure
that our coastal waters will be protected against
any and all dangers from supertanker traffic now
and in the future.

2. the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs continue
to work with concerned local communities and
support effects towards gaining recognition and
protection of our aboriginal rights to fish.

FOLLOW-UP:

U.B.C.I.C. Energy and Resources still needs to
continue the lobbying for legislation against any
oilport on the B.C. Coast, and are watching all
proposals for oil ports on the coast. They recent-
ly attended hearings in Seattle and have also ob-
tained information from Chicago hearings where
KPL made a strong presentation. We are also
intervening in the National Energy Board Oil-
Supply and Demand hearings.

Looping

REASONS:

1. Westcoast Transmission Company Limited
has proposed to loop a pipeline from Chetwynd
to Huntington,

2. the proposed pipeline will run through
Indian Reserves and traditional Indian territory
and trapping lines, hunting and fishing grounds of
the Indian people in the Province,

UBCIC 16 |

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

3. in the past, the Indian people in the Pro-
vince have not seriously opposed the pipeline
construction through their lands because we have
not been fully informed by the companies or by
the Department of Indian Affairs of the pipeline
applications nor have we appreciated the impact
of pipeline construction on the lives of our people,

4.in the past, Westcoast Transmission Com-
pany Limited has built a pipeline without regard
to Indian people and our resources and as a re-
sult the company has been destructive to our
resources without providing any benefits to our
people, either with good jobs or reasonable
compensation,

5.the National Energy Board has been
insensitive to our people by holding hearings on
pipeline applications giving inadequate notice of
the hearings on pipelines which will affect the
lives of our people far from local areas, in spite of
the fact that the National Energy Board has
power to give reasonable notice and hold hearings
in local communities,

DECISIONS:

1. the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs insist that
the National Energy Board give reasonable notice
of hearings and hold hearings in local Indian com-
munities wherever a pipeline application in the
future will affect Indian lifestyle and aboriginal
rights such as, but not restricted to, hunting,
trapping, fishing, and food gathering.

2. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs opposes
the expansion of the looping pipeline until we
are satisfied that the pipeline can be built safely
without harming our communities, our land, or
our resources. In the event that the pipeline can
be built safely, the Union supports the demands
for compensation and jobs made by the affected
Bands.

3. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs supports
the demands made by affected Bands for the re-
negotiation of existing right of way contracts.

FOLLOW-UP:

There has been no decision approving the
loop, and meetings will be arranged with bands to
keep them informed.

RESOLUTIONS

FORESTRY COMMITTEE.

REASONS:

1. A Provincial Committee has been formed
with the objective of ensuring that the new
Forest Act will ensure, encourage, and assist
greater Indian involvement in the industry,

2. Indian people require opportunities for
Economic Development.

DECISIONS:

1. This Assembly will support this Committee.

2. In the short term this Assembly support
the changes in the Forest Act guaranteeing the
Opportunity for involvement in the industry and
guaranteeing the opportunity for allocation of
timber resources to Indians on a meaningful
basis,

3. In the long term this Assembly give the
Union the mandate to work with Bands to
develop long range strategies within the Forestry
industry.

ALASKA HIGHWAY PIPELINE

REASONS:

1. There has been cultural genocide among
our people in B.C. as a result of large-scale
construction and development projects in recent
years,

2. The social chaos created by the invasion of
our communities by large numbers of transient
workers has become totally insupportable,

3. Plans to construct the largest pipeline in
North America are now being negotiated between
the Federal and Provincial governments and the
pipeline companies,

4. There have been no studies and no inquiry
into the socio-economic impacts of the proposed
Alaska Highway Pipeline in B.C. and no consul-
tation with our people in planning this project.

DECISIONS:

1. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs continue
to oppose the construction of the pipeline until
we have had adequate time and funding to con-
duct the necessary studies to protect our commu-
nities from the dangers of this and other develop-
ment projects.

2 The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs insists on
an iridependent public inquiry into the socio-
economic impact of the pipeline and on the
resolution of all outstanding issues concerning
our rights.

FOLLOW-UP:

The Union is demanding an independent
public inquiry into the socio-economic effects of
the Alaska Highway Pipeline.

KUPER ISLAND RESIDENCE
(Gordon Antoine, Raymond Jones)

REASONS:

1. The Allied Indian Metis Society (AIMS) has
made a proposal to the Penelakut Band for use of
former Kuper Island Student Residence as a
Diversion Centre Program, and

2. the Penelakut Band has agreed to enter into
negotiations with AIMS in agreement with the
above proposal, and

3. the President of AIMS is seeking funding
from various governmental Agencies in order that
this operational Diversion Centre can become
operational.

DECISION:

AIMS and the Penelakut Band seek the
support of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs to get
this worthwhile program functional.
FOLLOW-UP:

Supporting letter is being drawn up.

WORLD COUNCIL OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
(Victor Adolph, Barney Shackley)
DECISION:

As an indication of support for the World
Council of Indigenous People, the U.B.C.I.C.
resolves to donate $1,000 (one thousand dol-
lars) to the World Council of Indigenous Peo-
ple, and that the money is to be derived from
donations to the U.B.C.I.C.

FOLLOW-UP:
The cheque has been processed.

UBCIC 17

FISHING
Quotas
(Gordon Antoine, Jim Dolan)

REASONS:

1. The Indian Bands of British Columbia have
fishing rights which they have never given up and
these rights cannot be limited without the
consent and agreement of the Indian people in-
volved, and

2. The Federal Fisheries Department is now
imposing a quota system on Indian fishing in
British Columbia.

DECISION:

This Assembly reject on principle any effort
of the Fisheries Department to curtail or limit
Indian fishing rights.

FOLLOW-UP:

On June 20, 1978, a Temporary Advisory
Group meeting was held at Union Headquarters.
Eight experienced Indian fisheries people met
with our Fisheries staff to discuss Band concerns
in this valuable resource. The UBCIC will be
invciving other Bands by sending them information
and materials resulting from these meetings.

PROVINCE-WIDE INDIAN FISHING
REPRESENTATION

(Gordon Antoine, Jim Dolan)

REASONS:

1. When fisheries in B.C. were completely
managed by Indian Bands, the fisheries were well
cared for and there were plenty of fish, and

2. due to one hundred years of control and
mismanagement by the Fisheries Department, and
due to over-fishing by non-native people, t.1e fish
stocks have become endangered and are now in
need of massive rehabilitation and restoration,
and,

3. all Indian Bands, whether on the coast or in
the interior, depend on many of the same species
of fish, and

4. Indian Bands must exercise management of
Indian fisheries,

UBCIC 18

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

DECISION:

This Assembly direct the President to involve
all interested Bands in developing a strategy to
provide province-wide Indian representation that
would deal with current critical concerns in
fishery matters.

EDUCATION j
Master Tuition Agreement

(Basil Ambrose, Clifford Louie)

DECISION:

This Assembly give the Education Portfolio
full support, including support for negotiations
with the Federal and Provincial Governments to
effect the inclusion of a legal addendum to the
Master Tuition Agreement which will take the
form of an opting out clause for Bands that wish
to make their own education contracts.

This Assembly support and endorse the con-
tinuation of the consultation process initiated by
the Master Tuition Agreement workshops.

FOLLOW-UP:

The Regional Office of the DIA has been
informed of the Assembly’s resolution.

MTA workshop will be held at the Interior
Conference in Vernon.

Cultural Education Centre
(Dave Sommerville, Dennis Alphonse)

DECISIONS:

1.The Education Portfolio of the Union of
B.C. Indian Chiefs, with the assistance of the
staff of the existing Cultural Education Centres,
begin making a case to decentralize B.C.’s Cul-
tural Education Centre dollars to B.C. from
Ottawa;

2. the Education Portfolio of the Union of
B.C. Indian Chiefs assist in reactivating the
provincial organisation to handle the decentral-
ized dollars to B.C. and to assist the centres to
meet the objectives and criteria of the Treasury
Board through guidelines duly approved and rat:
ified by Chiefs Council.

FOLLOW-UP:

The Education Portfolio is in the process of
re-activating the Provincial Committee. Meetings
will follow.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership Workshops
(Robert Manuel, Geri Ambers)

REASONS:

1. The B.C. Native Women’s Society has
developed a working paper with respect to Indian
Rights for Indian Women which states that control
of membership shall be by Band Councils,

2. The working paper will be used as a work-
ing paper during workshops to be held in co-oper-
ation with Band Councils throughout the Province
of B.C.,

3. The workshops will develop a_ position
paper to be used by the Society and further to be
submitted to the U.B.C.I.C. for their use at the
National Indian Brotherhood conference to the
Indian Act Amendment Committee.

DECISIONS:

1. The U.B.C.I.C. supports the B.C. Native
Women’s Society’s working paper workshops to
be held throughout the Province.

2. The B.C. Native Women’s Society and the
B.C. Homemakers Association work together as
an Ad Hoc Committee in this regard.

FOLLOW-UP
The B.C. Native Women’s Society received
$10,000 from Secretary of State to hold work-
shops in B.C.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT as read to the 10th
Annual General Assembly

(Irving Harry, Archie Pootlass)

DECISION:

The Youth Development Paper be accepted
as presented to the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs
Tenth Annual General Assembly.

FOLLOW-UP:

The Co-ordinator has been consulting with
Bands as part of her research for program devel-
opment. Two sources of funding for permanent
positions have been identified.

CAPTAIN COOK
(Philip Paul, Wilson Bob)
REASON:
1. This General Assembly of the Union of

B.C. Indian Chiefs support the Mowichaht Band
in rejecting the Captain Cook Celebrations.

RESOLUTIONS

DECISIONS:

1. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs have no
active participation in Captain Cook advertise-
ments and celebrations and that all items per-
taining to Captain Cook advertisements be
withdrawn from this General Assembly,

2. A day be declared as a day of victory to
celebrate the survival of Indian People in spite
of the fact that suppression has taken place over
the past two (200) hundred years.

FOLLOW-UP:

About 140 Indians demonstrated at the
opening of the Celebrations by the Minister of
Tourism. A meeting with the Minister has been
arranged to discuss the needs of B.C. Indians.
This is scheduled for September.

KAMLOOPS RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL
(Gordon Antoine, Benjamin James)

REASONS: \

1. The Kamloops Indian Residential School
building located on the Kamloops Band pro-
perty has become available for various business
activities and the Kamloops Indian Band is
very much interested in making the property
available for the continued cultural and tradi-
tional education activities of the Indian people
of B.C.

2. The Kamloops area is a centralized area
in the Province of B.C. and as the Band pro-
perty is located in such a place that would be
most convenient to the Indian people within
the Province of B.C.

DECISIONS:

1. It was decided that the Union of B.C.
Indian Chiefs consider the Kamloops Residence
buildings located on the Kamloops Band pro-
perty as its permanent future home.

TAXATION
(Gordon Antoine, Clarence Apsassin)

REASONS:

1. Lillian Brown of the Skidegate Band is
suing B.C. Hydro for the return of the 7%
social service tax she is paying on her monthly
hydro bill, and

2. the position is that she is exempt under
Section 87 of the Indian Act, which states that
regardless of any other Federal or Provincial
law, the interest of an Indian or a Band ona

UBCIC 19

Taxation Continued

Reserve or surrendered land cannot be taxed
and the personal property (wages, clothes, etc.)
of an Indian or Indian Band is not subject to
tax if it is on reserve, and

3. the case will come before the courts in-

Vancouver on April 10 and 11, 1978, and

4, this case will have broad socio-economic
implications on the other Indians and Bands of
British Columbia.

DECISIONS:

1.in order to show support to Lillian
Brown in this court action Indians living on
reserves consider stop paying the tax portion
of their hydro bills,

2. the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs support,
where possible, those that wish to attend the
court case and show their support.

FOLLOW-UP:

Lillian Brown is taking her case to the
Appeal Court, which will resume in September.
In the meantime, the UBCIC has suggested that
Bands continue to not pay their hydro tax, but
to keep it on one side until the case is settled.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT:
Working Paper
(Dennis Alphonse, Clarence Appsassin)
DECISION:

It was decided that this Assembly accept in
principle the working paper on Health and
Social Development.

FOLLOW-UP:
Dick Vedan is developing the working
paper on Health and Social Development.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

REASONS: (Bill Mussell, Philip Paul)

1. The Federal and Provincial Governments
have entered into negotiations to effect the
transfer of Social Services administration for
Indian Bands to the Provincial Ministry of
Human Resources,

2. The local Indian Governments of B.C.
are moving towards greater control over their
affairs,

3. The spirit of involvement, consultation,
and co-operation has become an accepted facet
of Federal Government/Indian relations.

UBCIC 20

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

DECISIONS:

1. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs remind
the Federal Government of their obligation and
commitment to consultation especially on
matters pertaining to the lives of our member-
ship.

2. That the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs
be authorized by this conference to state in
strongest terms to the Federal! Government
its disapproval of such unilateral and arbitrary
actions, and that immediate action be taken by
the Federal Government to ensure the full and
immediate involvement in all research discus-
sions and negotiations on this issue.

FOLLOW-UP:

There are discussions taking place to trans-
fer welfare responsibility from the Federal to
the Provincial government. The Province does
not want U.B.C.I.C. involvement in these
negotiations. The U.B.C.I.C. will send a letter
to the Minister of Indian Affairs demanding
that no negotiations concerning the transfer of
social services to the province take place, unless
U.B.C.1.C. is involved as a third party.

JUSTICE WORKSHOPS

REASONS: (Gordon Antoine, Clarence Apsassin)
1. The U.B.C.1.C. has a direct interest in civ,
criminal, and administrative justice policy in B.C.

2. Broadly based Indian opinion concerning
justice policy, as expressed by a provincial justice
council, was recommended at the 1975 Edmonton
Conference on Native People and the Criminal
Justice System,

3. On September 9, 1976 the Ministry of the
Attorney General agreed to explore with provin-
cial Indian associations the idea of biannual
consultation regarding justice policy.

DECISIONS:

1. Within the next three (3) months the
Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs cohost a “workshop
on criminal, civil and administrative justice in
B.C.” with the Indian Homemakers’ Association
of B.C., to provide the Bands a vehicle for legal
education.

FOLLOW-UP:

There will be a meeting with Richard Vedan,
Health & Social Development Co-ordinator, and
the Homemakers’ Association to develop a
strategy to implement this resolution.

SUN and EARTH

A Salish legend

The Old One who lives in the world above
grew tired of looking down and not seeing any-
thing. He took a handful of the transparent
matter that surrounded him and shaped it into a
ball. He hurled it into space, where it stayed
suspended. The Old One contemplated it for a
while and realized that something was missing,
so he created several beings who looked like
men. He called them Sun, Earth, Moon and
Stars, and made them shine so that he could see
them better from his doorstep.

Sun was married to Earth, and Moon and
Stars were their parents. After they had lived
together for some time, Earth started making life
difficult for Sun. She was never satisfied. Some-
times she would scold him for being too hot,
other times for being too cold. She sulked
whenever he was away, and when he returned she
would heap abuse on him. Finally, he grew fed
_up with being scolded all the time and left his
wife to live far away. Moon and Stars followed
him since they-loved Sun very much and got on
with him very well.

Left to her own devices, Earth got bored. She
reproached herself for having driven her husband
away and cried so much that her tears rose to her
knees.

The Old One saw how sorry she was for what
she had done and took pity on her. He ordered
Sun, Moon, and Stars to live where Earth could
see them.

“From now on,” he said to them, “you won’t
be permitted to abandon anybody. One of you
will remain visible day or night. It’s not good for
Earth to pine away like this. You, Sun, may run
around all day if you like, but at night you must
come back to your wife as you’re supposed to do.
How else am | going to have any grandchildren to
play with?”

After giving Sun, Moon and Stars their
present form, the Old One proceeded to trans-
form Earth. From his own flesh he made the
ground on which we walk, from his bones the
rocks that support our world, from his blood the
water that refreshes and purifies, and from his
hair he made the trees and flowers.

“From now on,” he said to Earth, “you will
be a mother to all the creatures that crawl, swim,
walk or fly. They will all live in and around you.
They will take their food from you because you
are bountiful. They will sleep in your lap and
make use of every part of your body. Sun will
father many children by you who will walk over
your belly, treat you harshly at times, and often
forget you. But in the end they will always come
back to you. When they lie down for the sleep
that never ends, your flesh will cover them up
and, thus hidden away, they will be yours again.”

UBCIC 21-

UNION PROTESTS $$ CUTS —

June 26, 1978

The Honourable J. Hugh Faulkner
Minister, Department of Indian Affairs
and Northern Development

400 Laurier Avenue West

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A OH4

Dear Mr. Minister:

Again | must strongly protest the allocation
of funding to the B.C. Region.

In my letter to you of 15 May, 1978, | noted
the disproportionately small share of the overall
Indian and Inuit Affairs budget which had been
allocated to this region this financial year. | have
still not received your response to my letter.

| now wish to question the even more ex-
treme disparity within the Economic Develo-
ment budget. On the attached summary | have
shown the national budget break-down as pre-
sented in the official estimates. The total budget
this year is $61.9 million. | have also listed the
allocations which your department has made to
the B.C. Region. The figures available to us as of
this date show a total Economic Development
allocation of only $5.0 million. This is only 8.1%
of the total budget; yet B.C. has 18.5% of the
status population in Canada.

| have two questions for you, Mr. Minister:

1. Why is this Region receiving less than half
our fair share of the Economic Development
budget?

2. Where are the Economic Development
dollars going?

| must again stress that the Indians of B.C.
will not tolerate this degree of disparity in the
way your department chooses to allocate the
funding which Parliament appropriates for our
people.

Yours truly,
Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs

George Manuel,
President

UBCIC

Our Bands will have little funding available
this year for Economic Development projects.
Generally this is because funding for this program
is only a small part of the overall Indian and Inuit
Affairs budget.

he Economic Development Funding Picture ty
Financial Year 1978/79

National B.C. Economic  %age
Econ. Devel. Development

Budget Allocation

| Salaries and other
operation and
mtce. (O&M) $32.2 million $2.5 million 7.8

Capital $6.1 . 0.5 8.2
Contributions
(IEDF & IFAP) 10.8 ? 0.9 8.3
Grants 1.5 0.2 13.3
Stabilization
Program — Bi. 0.5 6.3
Arts and Crafts
Development 3.3 0.4 2.1
Totals $61.9 million $5.0 million 8.1%
K

However, this year the problem is even more
serious because of the unfair allocation of the
Economic Development budget to British Colum-
bia. Even though this region has 18.5% of the
status population; we will only get 8.1% of the
Economic Development budget if the allocation
proposed by D.1.A., Ottawa is carried out.

All of our Bands are asked to write to
the Minister, as well, to demand our fair share of
this important budget.

Please send copies of your letters to the
Union office for our information.

| CLOSE MY EYES

There is no wind.

And yet — | feel the violence of many storms
Both within me and around me,

The anger of a hurricane

Slowly, softly creeping in a rising, falling wave
Descending upon my upturned world.

You say there is no rain?

Then why is there this steady, pacing rhythm of
its fall?

The gentle beating of its drops on rivers running
slow,

Now running faster and the beating now a roaring
in my ears.

I feel the river rising higher

Intent on engulfing my soul.

But now—

| have an urgent need to close my eyes

And search for peace

That | may feel the calm,

And soft serenity of time unmoved,

To know that wind and rain need not be there
But only thoughts of it.

For,

Can | not but close my eyes
To its violence and fury

As others have to men?

LOUCHEUX

“OUR FREEDOM WAS OUR CULTURE”

During a brief training course, | had the
privilege of meeting and spending some very
important hours with Adele Sellars and John
Alexis. Adele Sellars is an elder from Soda
Creek near Williams Lake, and John Alexis is
from Tache near Fort St. James. John isn’t
quite an elder but certainly has a lifelong
history of his homeland.

It is very hard to express my thanks and
appreciation in such few words because they
shared such a great amount of wisdom, exper-
tise and knowledge with me.

Both spoke of their traditional territory
with such an incredible amount of harmony
and pride. They spoke about what it was like
in their early growing years, in terms of hunt-
ing, fishing and trapping, and the freedom of
living harmoniously with nature.

, UBCIC 24

Towards the end of my time with them,
they were both saddened in telling me about
the destruction they have seen to our Indian
people, our lands, our hunting, fishing and
trapping rights. It really hurt to see the pain
in their eyes because of their experience in
watching the depletion of the salmon, wild-
life and peace from such an unfeeling force for
the almighty dollar which is ruining nature.

Adele stated, “Our freedom was our cul-
ture, the freedom to hunt, fish, trap and live
our lifestyle. It is gone, how can we get it
back, the freedom to live how we want.”

Both expressed feelings of hopelessness and
helplessness because so much has been destroy-
ed. But they continue to hold faith in their
own people for not becoming totally destroyed
and rebuilding our people, our lands, life and

culture. by Lillian Basil

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Since the U.B.C.I.C. Annual Assembly, the
Youth Development Portfolio has been extremely
active. Our first activity was securing funds from
D.1.A. to finance the Summer Hiring program.
We now have 13 summer students working in the
various departments of the Union. Three of these
students are working in Youth Development as
Researchers and fieldworkers. They are conduct-
ing research in the following areas:

A) What Indian Youth programs are in exist-
tence in the province,

| B) A review of various non-Indian Youth pro-

grams to determine possible relevance to the

Indian young people of B.C.

C) Possible sources of permanent or short
term funding.

D) Population statistics and how they relate
to the problems that youth are facing.

E) What percentage of the Youth population
are having difficulty with the law.

F) The feasibility of setting up a provincial
inter age Youth Development committee that
would act in an advisory function to the Youth
Development Portfolio.

We afte also now becoming involved in some
field work in the northwest area. (Kitimat,
Terrace, and Prince Rupert.) This kind of consul-
tation will provide us with a much deeper insight
into the real needs of the Youth and their com-
munities.

We also will be holding a Youth Development
workshop in Vernon in July at the Central Interior
conference. One whole day at the end of the
conference will be devoted to Youth Develop-
ment,

We have been receiving feedback from various
bands requesting more involvement from the
Portfolio at the community level. The Vernon
Conference will hopefully facilitate this request.

Since the Assembly the Portfolio has also
been involved in the U.N.A. conference on
Human Rights in the community. We were able
to bring 26 students from all areas of the province
to participate in the conference as well as having
17 resource people who held some very successful
workshops for the 400 students.

We are also receiving requests to speak at var-
ious local high schools about the situation of the
Indian people in Canada and B.C. in particular.

(ELP WANTED: DOCTOR, LAWYER, INDIA

CHIEF

Indian doctors needed

To save our young and old
Indian lawyers needed

To see no more land is sold
Indian Chiefs now needed

To lead us on the trail

Back to our Indian Heritage
(This time we must not fail.)
Indian writers needed

To keep our minds alive

So our religion will survive

And mainly mostly Indians needed
Not chiefs or business men

Just like you Brother and Sister
Who want to live again. . .

Help wanted (no experience)
We will learn together

To share and help our people
With respect for one another.

% Bob Bacon, Williams Lake

Kelly Vail is a young girl from Lillooet who
attended the United Nations Association in
Canada Conference on Human Rights in Your
Community. She also attended one of the
workshops given by the resource people that
the UBCIC invited to be at the conference,

Kelly sent us this report of her experience
at the conference and we felt that by printing
it, a lot of people could share her experience
and understanding.

Thank you Kelly!

NOTES ON INDIAN PEOPLE FISHING

Fishing is the Indian people’s major group
resource. The fishing rights of Indian people
are controlled by the Federal Fisheries depart-
ment. The Indian people fish in different
ways. There are many different types: lake
fishing, coastal fishing, and river fishing, these
are just a few. :

Ever since the Indian people have lived
here they have depended on resources from the
land and the water. The Indian people have a
harmonious life cycle with the fish.

UBCIC 25

In 1920 a lot of Indian people were facing
_ imposement of regulations such as the fishing
rights issue. In 1926 a group of Native people
went to Ottawa to discuss the Indian Rights
topic. They were faced with more and more
impositions on fishing rights, which is import-
ant to 90% of the people. There were restric-

tions and regulations made against the Native .

People’s fishing rights. For example, they were
told they had to cut the nose and dorsal fins
of the fish, and this never had to be done be-
fore. This was done so the fish could be
marked for commercial fishing.

The Indian people depended on fish re-
sources to survive. The Federal Conserva-
tion Officers are a threat to the fisheries of
the Indian people. The Indian people feel they
are being used for the decline of the Indian
fisheries.

The recent restriction is so much fish per
family, or per person. The Indian people have
never had such restrictions. They have always
only taken what they needed for whatever they
needed it for.

There are people who fish for sport, you
can’t tell me that those people who can afford
to go to a salmon derby, need the fish for sur-
vival.

The Native people are accused of taking
all the fish, but the Native people rely on the
fish for their food.

Fewer and fewer Indian people have their
own boats, These people are being pushed out
of the fishing industry. The boats and the fish-
ing licenses are being bought out. The Fisheries
Department do not care. In area 27 where the
fish come through the Fraser run and Kishmere
River, this area is open to the commercial sys-

RAPTURE
MERTON TT Bry TA
ATTN Wile
ut AL

i i yey r , vr
pda see

Kt YW (iia Wt Nt ya
iia, \ih F vi; Aro ap ij

or D
(Aut
rr
)

ney Gay a
rte .
eR a

Gnayt aKa ooase stores
‘) ort rie io i
seas Daa on yy

Cie
a
fy

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

i
Hy
ie

Cont.

tem. If this goes through this will kill the rivers
and their runs. The Indian people have sent a
letter of protest to the Fisheries Department
and they have received no answer. They won’t
know for two years whether the rivers will be
wiped out. "
The “shit” they put in the rivers are killing
the fish and the runs. There is someone some-
where who doesn’t care about conservation. The
Indian people’s fishing is being pushed out of the
Commercial industry. There are more and more
Indian people who are unemployed because all
they know is fishing. The fisheries is really a
dirty business. You have to really hustle and you
have to have the money and equipment, which is
very expensive. Some of the Indian people can’t
afford to fish, because they can’t afford the boats
and the equipment.

Notes taken from Larry Pierre Sr.’s Speech

“You speak of rights, original rights. | speak
from my life. Speaking to you now, | don’t know
what to say to you young people. If | tell you
anything you might go home and tell your pa-
rents, and | don’t want to say anything to offend
them. Whatever | say here you may discuss with
your parents and family.”

“Ask your Government a few questions like
| asked them a few questions. There was a man
from the Fisheries Department present at a meet-
ing | atended. | asked just a few questions:

| asked what tribe he was.

He said, “‘l work at the Fisheries Department,
| am a high official.

| asked if he ever watched an Indian fish.

He said, ‘Yes’.

| asked if he ever saw a Native person catching
fish.

He said “Yes”.

| asked, “Do you know what he does with
that fish?”

He said, ‘They preserve them.”

| asked, ‘How do they preserve them?”

_ He said, “They dress them, clean them, and
hang them out to dry.”

| said, “Yes, they preserve the fish, do you
think this is wrong?”

The man was silent.

| said, “Do you know why they catch the
fish? Because their families are hungry. | catch
my fish at a certain season, | know-how many to
catch and how many to let go so they will pro-
duce more. I thank the fish. Your people don’t
respect those things.”

“Grandmother used to tell me things before
she died, at 117, she taught me about Christianity.
Christianity is a bunch of pretty dresses. Open
your eyes and see the work of the Creator.
| can’t explain him or it to you. You can only

think of the Great One for three seconds pure,

after that, it isn’t pure.”

“You’re supposed to share, we haven’t shared
have we? If we had shared we wouldn’t have this
problem. I’m telling you about who | am and
what | am, and about fishing.”

. “I don’t question my elders, they know best.
| have taught my children this. You have to re-
spect others including yourself. Don’t walk
around with your shoes untied, a man will turn
around and laugh. But don’t laugh at someone
else before you look at yourself. Always respect
everything, life, forest, food. This is all corrupted.
Now you have to go to school or go to jail. |
never went to school because | was beaten or
whipped because of my language, which was all |
knew.”

“| hope this teaches you, what I’ve told you.
A white man told me once, ‘You’re a good speak-
er Larry, everything you say is true, white people
wasted the buffalo, they leave dead fish in the
rivers, your people take what they need.’ ”

“An Indian man went to court for shooting a

. Canada goose out of season. He said to me,
‘Larry, I’ll go to court in my Indian outfit. You
brought this on, you taught me my rights, the
preservation of our rights.’ ”

“My boy went fishing one day. He brought
back some fish, his Aunt said to him, ‘Throw it
away, it’s full of 24D.’ | don’t know what it will
do to me, | might grow another arm out of stom-
ach or another ear somewhere. This 24D is for
killing weeds, but it won’t help my people. What
is it good for?”

‘YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Cont.|

“This year we will gather food and have a
celebration like a long time ago. Everyone digs a
handful of food in the spring, this is the first food
of spring. They are thankful for the first food of
the spring, and they celebrate. The first salmon is
celebrated before any of the people have any and
then they all help themselves. The last of the
food celebrations is the huckleberries. When a
deer is killed everything is used up, nothing is
wasted.”

“The sportsman is prouder with a larger fish.
He will brag about it and stuff it and hang it on
the wall. | asked the man from the Fisheries -
Department, ‘Do you think my way is right or
that your way is right?’ The fisheries man said,
“Your way is right.’ Everyone at the meeting
started to laugh.”

“Regulating the fishing of the Indians is like
taking away their rights. The Fisheries Depart-
ment says the Indians are lessening the fishing
resources. The people are never consulted with
the rights we have. Most of the people have to
have a university education to get a job and less
than 1% do.”

“When hunting, my uncle and | would go out
and see a deer carcass with a leg or a head gone,
used for an ornament. It is disturbing to see a
whole carcass lying there with just a hind leg or a
piece missing. There was a family that went out _
and shot a deer just for meat to feed their dog.”

“When you see a river or a valley polluted,
it’s killing wildlife and fish. The people in our
area are afraid to eat fish, because the rivers are
full of 24D. | might turn green if | eat that fish.”

“Our fish is our survival. We want the fish to
run up the river forever to provide for us. As long
as we have our rights we will protect what we use.
Fishing is important for our survival and employ-
ment.”

Larry PierreSr. vuscic 27

BOOK REVIEW

The Life and Death of Anna Mae Aquash
James Lorimer & Company, Publishers
Toronto, 1978

The book provides a thorough and intimate
profile of a ‘‘militant’”’ Mic Mac Indian woman
named Anna Mae Aquash. She was found mur-
dered, February 24, 1976, on the Pine Ridge
Reservation, South Dakota. It becomes apparent
that her death is linked to the major role she had
in the American Indian Movement. The situations,
aims, and frustrations that were recorded through-
out this book are still being faced today by peo-
ple earnestly seeking to press the U.S. Government
for an immediate investigation.

A conspiracy to cover up was revealed when
her friends were dissatisfied with the pathologist’s
report which had stated that he found ‘‘no evi-
dence of physical injury’’, and further speculated
that “she had gotten drunk, fell asleep and froze
to death”. She was then hastily buried, without a
death certificate; and no real attempts were made
for identification. Dr. Brown, the pathologist,
was later quoted as saying: “I don’t care if they
terminate [my contract] or not. Working condi-
tions have deteriorated to the point where going
there is no fun anymore.”

UBCIC 238

The book also describes the brutality and the
unorthodox tactics used by the Federal Bureau
of Investigation, local law enforcement and
other government agencies, during and after the
occupation of Wounded Knee. These agencies did
so well, using infiltrators and informers, in under-
mining Anna Mae’s credibility within her organi-
zation, AIM, that she was interrogated by her
own peers. This summed up in Judge Nichol’s
rebuke of the Chief Prosecutor for collaborating
with the F.B.I., and seeking a conviction rather
than justice; his rebuke of the F.B.I. for their
illegal activities (wiretaps and perjury); and finally
of the Pentagon for the illegal intervention of the
armed forces at Wounded Knee.

The American Indian Movement was originally
formed to help lessen the persecution of Indians
living in the urban areas of,Oklahoma. Violence
was not their intent until the pressures and provo-
cation by the law and the government soon had
them branded as violent, militant, and dangerous.
It was the actions of a corrupt and powerful tribal
chairman that warranted an invitation for AIM’s
presence in South Dakota. The news media,
because of government control, prevented any
sympathy or support the public may have given,
by-distorting the real facts.

| was thoroughly impressed with the author’s
extensive research and the fact that she didn’t
resort to sensationalism. The facts alone are
enough to generate one’s emotions. |

a a TTS

NEEDED: Artists to design cover of UBCIC
NEWS. Cover designs should be 14”
by 22”.

We’re gradually building the UBCIC News.
This month we have typeset the copy featuring
the art of Lyle Wilson of Kitimat, and we would
like to collect a large sampling of Indian art from .
all over the province. We need cover designs,
cartoons, and graphics of all shapes and varieties.
Price and copyright negotiable.

For further information contact:
Beth Cuthand,

Editor, UBCIC News

440 West Hastings

Vancouver, B.C. V6B 1L1

Telephone: 684-0231

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor:

Native people comprise a small percentage of
the population of B.C., yet Native Indian children
comprise a high percentage of all children in care
of B.C,’s Superintendent of Child Welfare.

Native people and organizations are very criti-
cal of the Ministry of Human Resources when
Native Indian children are fostered or adopted by
non-Indian families. The Adoption Placement
- branch of the Ministry of Human Resources in
Vancouver is aware of this criticism and are
therefore trying to rectify this situation by hiring
a Native student to find Native Indian families
to adopt Native Indian children or homes of
mixed racial marriage (Native Indian and Cauca-
sian) for children of similar inter-racial origin.

The aim of my job is to contact any organi-
zation that deals with Indian families and if
possible get information to Native Indian families
about adopting Native Indian children. If any
family in the greater Vancouver area is interested
in more information they can contact me. If you
would like more information as to what proce-
dures to follow send me your name, address and
phone number and | will get in touch with you.

| realize that many of the readers of the U.B.
C.1.C. Newsletter are residing on Reserves through-
out the province. If you have relatives in the
Greater Vancouver area which includes North
Vancouver, West Vancouver, Vancouver, Rich-
mond, Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey, Port
Moody, Coquitlam, and Port Coquitlam, please
let. them know that Indian adoption homes are
needed for Native Indian children.

Thank you,

Victor Jim

c/o Adoption Placement Service
_132—800 Hornby Street
Vancouver, B.C. V6Z 2C5

Tel: 688-2390

Gentlemen:

Thank you for your May. 1978 issue of
UBCIC News.

| am delighted to receive a copy of your news-
letter. | find your content not only informative
but very much addressed to the deeper human
issues that B.C. Native Indians are facing.

| am just about to move to the University of
Alberta as chairman of the Department of Secon-
dary Education, Faculty of Education. | would
appreciate continuing to receive your newsletter.
Please change my address on your mailing list to
the following:

Dr. Ted T. Aoki, Chairman
Department of Secondary Education
Faculty of Education

University of Alberta

Edmonton, Alberta

T6G 2G5

Cordially,
T. Aoki

LETTERS

NATIVE BROTHERHOOD—
MOUNTAIN INSTITUTION

| had a great time at a social evening spon-
sored by the Native Brotherhood at the Moun-
tain Institution in Agassiz. They prepared a
delicious meal featuring fish and wild rice, and
after supper there was dancing and drumming
with the people from the Vancouver Friendship
Centre.

We all had a great time, and |’m looking for-
ward to the time when we can get together once
again. When | was talking to one of the Brothers,
| let him know that our newsletter welcomes
their stories and poetry.

Here is a letter from him, and if you would
like to share some of your thoughts and ideas
with the Native Brotherhood, I’m sure they
would really enjoy hearing from you!

Linda Day

Continued

Brothers and Sisters:

We are a group numbering over twenty here at
Mountain Institution in Agassiz, B.C. We are in
the process of rebuilding our group and would
like the support of outside Natives. Every Thurs-
day night we have a meeting between the hours of
seven and ten.

All across Canada there are many of our peo-
ple in Institutions and there is no help for them
upon release. We are proud people and should
help each other no matter what the situation or
the circumstances.

I’m an Ojibway from Spanish, Ontario and |
have no people out here that | know. | have an
Irish name but I’m two-thirds Native. I’m the
Secretary and the head of a committee for the
Native Brotherhood here. Would you please send
us copies of the newsletter. |

Yours in Brotherhood,
Robert A.G. O’Connor

P.O. Box 1200
Agassiz, B.C. VOM 1A0

WRITER'S WORKSHOP

WHEN: july 17 & 18

WHERE: Board Room
2nd Floor
Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs
440 West Hastings
Vancouver, B.C.

WHY: _ to share your ideas
to learn new techniques
to become part of a province-wide
network of Indian writers

WHO: anyone who would like to write or is
writing now

UBCIC 30

HOW: you provide the transportation costs
we'll provide a place to sleep and
food to eat.

Maria Campbell, Author of Hal/fbreed and
Little Badger and the Fire Spirit is coming as a
resource person. She is a strong believer in
Indians writing about Indians. (So are we.) If
you are coming to the Writer’s Workshop,
please contact us — Communications, UBCIC.

UBCIC STAFF:

At the Fish Forum last December, George
Manuel told the delegates: ‘‘The Staff of the
Union are not my staff. The Union is the Indian
people of B.C., and therefore the staff work for
the Indian people of B.C. They are your staff.
They do not work for me; they work with me for
you”’,

These are the people who are working for
you:

Executive Committee:

George Manuel President
Philip Paul Vice-President—Southwestern Region
Raymond Jones Vice-President—Coastal Region

Don Moses. Vice-President—Central Interior
Region
Ray Hance Vice-President—Northern Region
Bobby Manuel Portfolio Chief
The Main Office:
Maxine Pape Special Assistant to the President
Ernie Willie Executive Director
Jacqueline Seward Office Manager
to be hired Bookkeeper

Marie Gagnon
Julie Newman
Jennifer Dick

Finance Clerk/Secretary
Executive Secretary
A/Executive Secretary

Faye Edgar General Secretary
Penny Billy Receptionist
Phyllis George A/Receptionist
Ernie Dawson Custodian
Dale Brown A/Custodian
Resource Centre:

Keltie McCall Librarian
Reg Percival Asst. Librarian

Printing and Mailing:
Mary Percival Printer and Mail Clerk
Brenda Leon Assistant

Communications:

Beth Cuthand Co-ordinator
Steven Basil Audio Visual Field Liaison
Pauline Douglas Audio Visual Technician

Socio-Economic Development Portfolio:

John Warren Co-ordinator
Regina Terry Secretary
Youth Development and Recreation:

Michelle Stiff Co-ordinator
Research:

Reginald Kelly Director

Summer Workers: who started in June and will
be with us till September

John Delorme Energy and Resources
Elaine Eli Education Researcher
Clifford Hanuse Fisheries Researcher
Barnabus Howard Audio Visual Communications
Linda Day Writer/Reporter Communications
Frances O’Soup Office Assistant-Fisheries
Kirk Ritchie Researcher—Y outh Development
Marlene Squakin Researcher—Indian Government
Gilbert Shuter Planning Researcher

Dinah Schooner Map Worker,
Energy and Resources

Loretta Todd Researcher Youth Dev.
Bill Williams Researcher Socio Ec. Dev.
Sylvia Wood Secretary—Indian Government
Anita Penner Resource Centre
Marianna Palmer Education
Indian Government Portfolio:

Bobby Manuel Portfolio
Wayne Haimeila Co-ordinator
Charlotte Gilbert Assistant
Fisheries Portfolio:

Walt Taylor Co-ordinator
Lillian Basil Fieldworker
Education Portfolio:

Rosalee Tizya Co-ordinator
Ronald Dan Assistant

Energy and Resources:

Rick Salter Co-ordinator
Mary Lou Andrew Fieldworker
Arlene Labourcane Fieldworker
Donna Kydd Researcher
Debbie Hoggan Assistant
Contract Basis:

Louise Mandell Lawyer
Carey Linde Lawyer
John Rogers Energy and Resources
John Joe Indian Government

Barbara Kuhne Energy and Resources

UBCIC

CENTRAL
INTERIOR
REGIONAL CONFERENCE

There will be a conference in Vernon on
July 25-26, 1978. The actual location of the
conference has not been confirmed yet, but
this information will be released as soon as
possible.

The planning committee which consists of,
Rosalind Leon, Conference Co-ordinator,
Robert Manuel, Loretta Todd, and Wayne
Haimeila, will be meeting in Vernon on June
28 to clarify such details.

This conference is being held to elect a new
Regional Vice-President as Don Moses has re-
signed from this position to run in Federal
elections. In electing a new Vice-President it is
important to cover the spectrum of issues the
UBCIC is involved in. Therefore, the UBCIC
will be holding workshops on Indian Govern-
ment, Youth Development, Technical Services,
Education, Socio-Economic Development, and
Fisheries. The UBCIC will be sponsoring one
delegate per Band to attend the conference.

VERNON JULY 25,26

Files

Cancel

UBCIC Photographs