Feds Agree to Clean
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Indian Mannequins removed... Pg. 2 Economic Metis trapper profile... Pg. 10 Richard Wagamese...pg. 6 Development Droppin' In...Pg.8 Community evgnts..Pg.8 Conference Gadwa still chief, says Turbayne... Pg. 7 Pages 3, 4, 5 & 9 September 29,1989 North America's No.1 Native Weekly Newspaper Volume 7 No. 30 Feds agree to clean up Sarcee reserve Deal ends three -month blockade By Jeff Morrow the agreement but said it Windspeaker Staff Writer would be "significant." Whitney said more than CALGARY, ALTA. 1,500 hectres of land will be cleaned by the DND. A land -use dispute be- The agreement was the tween the federal govern- product of a special com- ment and the Sarcee In- mittee set up after the dian band on the southern Sarcee Indians denied CFB Alberta reserve near Cal- troops access to their re- gary has ended. serve and is expected to be Windspeaker has signed by Defence Minis- learned that the Depart- ter Bill McKnight and ment of National Defence Indian Affairs Minister and band officials have Pierre Cadieux. reached a tentative agree- Chief Whitney Whitney sees it as a ment to clean up parts of positive step for other the reserve that have been the land for the safety of Indian band s whose rights used for military exercises our future generations," have been infringed by the for over 70 years. said Whitney. Canadian military. Band members block- The band had also He said band members aded reserve roads con- demanded that the DND have found unexploded nected to the nearby DND live up to a 1985 land -use and spent ammunition agreement to pay for more than a few tional media attention, and leased land. occasions, and parents and forced the department to According to Whitney, elders were worried for the the negotiating table. that land will be "decon- safety of the reserve chil- A tentative agreement taminated," and all pay- dren. requiring the government ments will be made to the The war of attrition to clean up the land, which Sarcee, including back between the Department houses unexploded am- leasing costs, legal feesand of National Defence munition, has been agreed costs for band equipment (DND) and the Sarcee to, confirmed Sarcee chief that was used to clean up Indians in Calgary appears Roy Whitney. The agree- the area. to be waning, said Whit - ment is expected to be fi- He could not give a to- nalized within four weeks. tal of costs expected from Con't page 2 The 70- year -old dispute over land use and military cleanup could be recon- Europeans back Native ciled in a couple of months, and Whitney believes it could mean the DND is tourist site at Athabasca finally recognizing Indian By Jeff Morrow rights. of the Athabasca River will Bert Crowfoa, Wmdspeaker "We've agreed to what Windspeaker Staff Writer become reality. has been provided to us," Jacobs, president of Peigan elder Joe Crowshoe led the parade to open the Indian economic said Whitney last week. EDMONTON Blackstar Development development conference last week at the Edmonton Inn. Accompanying "They've agreed to do a Corp. of Edmonton, noted Crowshoe is Chief Clifford Freeman of Driftpile Reserve. The three -day 100 per cent clearance of The vision for success conference attracted leading politicians, chiefs and Natives. that started as a drawing Con't page 2 on a cocktail napkin six years ago has now been etched in stone, says Na- tive neophyte business- Q man Leo Jacobs. Sawridge band signs self -gov't deal Jacobs has finalized a deal with European inves- By Jeff Morrow tors for the construction of Windspeaker Staff Writer U.; a $50 million international z EDMONTON r, z tourist resort in northern Alberta. And the long -awaited The northern Alberta announcement couldn't Sawridge Indian band have come at a more fit- has signed self- govern- ting time. ment agreement with Jacobs made the sur- the federal government prise statement during a that will give its people banquet presentation at control over their own the 1989 Indian Economic affairs and provide a Development Conference base for other Native at the Edmonton Inn. bands wanting sel f -gov- After offering a toast to ernmen t. the meeting's guest Chief Walter Twinn speaker, Native business- and Indian Affairs Min- man Billy Diamond, Jacobs ister Pierre Cadieux put told the 1000 people in the self-government ini- attendance that his dream tative into writing Sept. of building a Native cul- Con't page 2 Jeff Morrow, Windspeaker tural centre on the banks A smiling Indian Affairs Minister Pierre Cadieux and Chief Walter Twinn PAGE 2, WINDSPEAKER, SEPTEMBER 29, 1989 Artist wins battle against mall owners Indian mannequins removed from Yukon 'shooting gallery' By Dana Wagg the lower level between a those in the Native com- and Gary Gee record store and a shoe munity, the press and oth- Windspeaker Staff Writers store. ers who have sensitized us The mannequins were to this concern," she said. EDMONTON removed on Sept. 27, five Poitras, a Cree Indian days after the complaint by from Fort Chipewyan, said Triple Five Corporation the artist. she doesn't buy Triple has removed two Indian Triple Five issued a Five's explanation. mannequins from a shoot- news release Sept. 27 re- "They're saying they're ing gallery at its Eaton gretting the use of the blind, stupid and dumb Centre mall following a game, saying that the com- and don't have minds of formal complaint to the pany did not have any their own. It's a cop-out. Alberta Human Rights input into how the game They should make a public Commission. was designed. apology." Alberta Human Rights "It was an off -the -shelf The mother of two said Commission officers item in which we had no she couldn't believe her launched an investigation design input. Had we been eyes when confronted with into the game after promi- aware that the display the game while looking for nent local artist Jane Ash would offend, we would a toy store for her three - Poitras filed an official have altered the scene or year old son. complaint, calling the purchased a different The shooting at the gal- Gary Gee, Windspeaker game "racist and conde- lery frightened her son Artist Jane Ash Poitras holds up a sign to protest the continued use of the 'Yukon scending." Joshua, who asked: Shooting Gallery' The game, dubbed the "We're saying to soci- "Mommy, why are they 'Yukon Shooting Gal - ety and adults it's OK shooting at us ?" lery' featured a domestic to shoot people. It's OK "What are you sup- motes violence. display "insensitive." see that if they speak out scene with a life -size to shoot Indians. It's posed to tell your kid ?" It promotes violence," "There remains in our against racism, there may Indian couple sitting on a trivializing Indians she asked. 'This display she said. "Malls are for society a great deal of in- be someone willing to lis- front porch surrounded and exploiting them for validates Indians as shopping not to do target sensitivity about things ten. by pets and animals. monetary gain." -Jane lesser human beings. It's practise." like this. People put up For 50 cents a pop, Ash Poitras the most racist you can She says Native people things or get involved in 'There is real humani- customers can use six .22 get. It's horrific. are still offended that a displays and comments tariasm left in the world,' air rifles and shoot at "We're saying to society buffalo skull, often used and they just don't think noted Poitras. animals and objects scene. and adults it's OK to shoot for sacred Indian ceremo- about them. They don't It's the second time in around a backyard like 'We sincerely regret the people and animals. It's nies, remains in the dis- have much sensitivity to less than a month the treat- pop cans, a snake, a skunk, game offended and upset OK to shoot Indians. It's play. how other people might ment of Natives at Edmon- a dog and a pig. members of the Native trivializing Indian culture John Fletcher, manager view them. I think that's ton's Eaton Centre has The Native couple, community," said Selma and exploiting them for of the 1990 North Amen- the case here," he said. come under fire. while not targets, sat in the Linzer, Triple Five's vice - monetary gain," said Poi - can Indigenous Games Poitras says it's amaz- IAA official Percy Potts centre of the objects. A president of shopping tras angrily. called for a boycott of the ing how realistic the dis- has launched a suit against buffalo skull, above their centre operations, in the While she's pleased the downtown mall and West play was with the manne- mall owner Triple Five af- heads used in many sacred prepared statement. mannequins were re- Edmonton Mall until the quins. ter he was handcuffed Indian and ceremonies, lights "It has never been our moved, Poitras called it a game was removed. She's happy that some wrestled to the ground up when hit. intention to perpetuate a "band-aid solution" and Fil Fraser, chairman of action came from her corn- Aug. 29 after The trying to use gallery is located at negative stereotype. We insists the whole game be the Alberta Human Rights plaint and hoped that an elevator reserved for the east end of the mall on appreciate the efforts of dismantled because it pro- Commission, called the other Native people can hotel patrons.