QUOTABLE QUOTE "What a lot of people want to do is keep us in a museum, saying this is what Native art must look like." - Paul Chaat Smith See Regional Page 6 April 26, 1993 Canada's National Aboriginal News Publication Volume I I No. 3 $1.00 plus G.S.T. where applicable Preserving traditions What better way to pass on culture than to celebrate it at a powwow? George Ceepeekous (right) and Josh Kakakaway joined people of all ages to dance at the Saskatchewan Federation Indian College powwow in Regina recently. People from all over Canada and the United States attended the powwow, which ',-ralds the beginning of the season. To receive Windspeaker in your mailbox ever two weeks, just send a reserve lands your cheque of money order in Act threat to the amount of$28 (G.S.T. By D.B. Smith over management of Indian re- would be able to find adequate community." land leg- Windspeaker Staff Writer serve lands to First Nations. funding for land development But similar charter Bands exercising their "inherent and management, said Robert islation in the United States led W1t authority" to manage lands un- Louie, Westbank First Nation to homelessness for many Na- 15001 the chief and chairman of the First tive groups because they mis- EDMON VANCOUVER der the act can opt out of land administration section of Nations' land Board. managed funds, Terry said. Natives across Canada are the Indian Act and adopt their "It would give them com- When the time came to repay outraged with the federal gov- own land charter. plete control of the land, the au- loans taken out on mortgaged NAME: _ ernment over a controversial Under the act, First Nations thority to manage the land," reservations, their lands were new land act. would develop and adopt their The union is concerned, simply taken away. Organizations opposed to own land charters according to however, that bands seeking The union is also concerned re- ADDRES the First Nations' Chartered their own specific needs. The control and management of their that the move to privatize Land Act include the Assembly authority to manage land would own reserves risk losing their serve land would jeopardize of First Nations and the Union include the power to grant any land base if they get into finan- treaty negotiations with Cana- B.C. Indian The pro- right or interest in chartered cial trouble. dian governments. CITY /TO of Chiefs. posed act is a direct threat to land, subject to limits set by each "Land is being privatized," "This is by- passing the whole First Nations' Aboriginal and First Nation. Terry said. "And it becomes ca- process of negotiations. This is treaty land rights, opponents Chartered lands could in- pable of being taxed, or mort- getting right down to the land POSTAL claim. clude any reserve or special re- gaged, or both." base. They're fracturing the ef- The government has had a serve of the First Nations, or, Bands could,-however, pro- forts of our people to negotiate long- standing policy of termi- with the consent of the Crown, tect their land base by outlining the unfinished business of land nation from our point of view," any treaty entitlement land, restrictions on financing in their claims." $10 charge on all B.C. union head Saul Terry said. claim settlement land or First individual charters, Louie said. The Coalition Against First NSF Cheques "We wish to make it known that Nation fee simple land. "First Nations members de- Nations Genocide, a group of X not. Natives from treaty and tra:ii- $40 for all subscriptions (the act) should not be intro- The FNCL Act would not cide if they want that or 1 duced at all. It's one more nail in affect Aboriginal or treaty rights They can say in the charter `there tional territories across Canada, I outside Canada in- our coffin from a government of but the Crown would still hold is no risk.' They can say 'we'll do has also formed to fight the L J a genocidal nature." legal title to the chartered lands. certain things, but they'll be re- troduction of new legisla' See Land, Po PUBLICATION MAIL REGISTRATION #2177 The act proposes turning Bands opting into the act stricted.' It all depends on the PAGE 2, APRIL 26, 1993, WINDSPEAKER News WHERE TO TURN Blockade to celebrate Arts birthday &Entertainment.17,R3&6 By Linda Caldwell company harvesting in the area. environmental legislation. If it is, has been set. Windspeaker Business 8 Staff Writer Numbers at the blockade fluctu- the government must order an Several complaints have ate because people have to leave environmental assessment. been registered with the Human to take care of other commit - Delays, including chal- Rights Commission. CANOE LAKE, Sask. The com- Careers 22,23 ments, but there are always some lenges from the logging compa- mission has accepted the com- protesters there. nies operating in the disputed plaint that by hying to evict the Natives protesting clear -cut "When we started the block- area, have postponed News, the deci- Elders, the government was in- 1,2,3,R3,116,R7 logging practices in this remote ade we didn't think we'd be out sion several times. But northern Quigley terfering with their freedom of community are man- more than a few days," said Leon hopes that if they win the May ning the association. The Protectors and longest blockade in Ca- Iron, 69, a wild rice grower and 11 motion to have a trial, he can Richard Wagamese 5 nadian history. the government now are in a ne- spokesman for the Protectors of arrange a quick court date to gotiating phase. On May 13, Elders and other Mother Earth. argue the case. protesters from The protesters have also Sports R2 the Canoe Lake "We quickly chose a name On March 19, Quigley ar- Ile claimed that by signing away the band, a la Crosse and other and drew a line," Iron said. "But gued against the provincial gov- forest Native communities with no regard for Abo- innorthwest we have always felt thatitwould ernment's attempt to evict the riginal rights, Saskatchewan will celebrate the the government is Stephane Wuttunee 7 be in the best interests of all con- protesters from their camp. The guilty of racism. blockade sfirstbirthday.ThePro- to cerned genuinely negotiate the government claims they are tres- "If were I tectors of Mother Earth, the name successful, think it clear -cut issue, which more gen- passing on Crown land. The pro- would mean the the group chose for itself, are govemmentcan- erally affects Native people in testers claim the land they are on no t just sign Forest Management protesting logging around the many parts of Canada's north." was given up when Treaty 10 Licence Agreements without at 1114111 Meadow Lake Tribal Council's Tim Quigley, lawyer for the was signed, but that under the least consulting Aboriginal Ivan Morin despaired nine member communities. Protectors, will be back before a 1930 Natural Resources Transfer groups in the area," Quigley said. They've survived summer Court of Queen's Bench justice when he learned he faced Agreement, they were given the That decision would also apply heat and winter's frigid blasts by on May 11. Last October, he asked right of access to trap, hunt and to mining and other develop- a 12-year sentence for his buildingcabins from logs already the court to decide if harvesting fish on that land. ments with that kind of impact, second violent robbery in cut by Mistik Management, the trees is a development under No date for that decision he added. 10 years. The 34- year -old Saskatoon Meths ap- pealed to community Innu, government at odds over land leaders, who asked Court of Queen's Bench Justice By D.B. Smith decision." J.D. Milliken to let a sen- Windspeaker Staff Writer "We are shuffled between governments. There are times when Dealing with two separate tencing circle have an op- we don't know who to talk to." levels of government is also portunity to advise him. frustrating because the Innu are DAVIS INLET, Nfld. - Davis Inlet Chief Katie Rich The circle was composed often unsure who they should be of Elders, Metis commu- negotiating with, said Rich. The federal government's addresstheself- govemmentland consider major changes in the "We are shuffled between nity leaders, police, pro- recent response to the Innu's claim issue." absence of a (national govemments.Therearetimeswhen bation and parole offic- seven-point plan for healing and While Ottawa supports negotiation)." we don't know who to talk to." ers. relocation fell short of the relocation and substance abuse The federal government There have also been See Page 19. community's expectations, Chief treatment for village residents, it would be willing to explore "Innu problems with federal negotiators Katie Rich said. is not willing to re- negotiate a specific" solutions and designs in who refuse to deal with Ross Reid, Parliamentary land claim deal with the Innu. considering the new community representatives from the Innu Secretary to the Minister of Indian 'We support the community although it did not elaborate on Nation, the official political bb`dy Native artists are grow- Affairs, sent the federal in dealing with health and safety, what those solutions might be. that represents the community, government's response April 5 to ing beyond the confines social reconstruction and "With the meetings we're Rich said. the Innu's report Hearing the relocation. While we recognize going to have, the one thing with of "traditional" art.