'Moving Forward in Unity' Rally
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1 LIBRARY AND CANADA NS,OR.NA,- Bibliother ie et Canada 111,31181151,21611611611 IIII 3 3286 5426465 3 O Na- Shilth -Sa Canada's Oldest First Nation's Newspaper - Serving Nuu -chah- nulth -aht since 1974 Canadian Publications Mail Product Vol. 31 - No. 11 - June 3, 2004 haaitsa "Interesting News" Sales Agreement No. 40047776 'Moving Forward in Unity' rally By David Wiwchar, Southern Region Reporter Victoria - As the canoe carrying Hesquiaht Ha'wiih was lifted onto the shoulders of two -dozen young men, the ' s r . , , ' sound of hundreds of drums echoed '737-34.-'.1,_^1 - across the legislature lawns and the sun - . ,# ` ._« soaked inner harbor. ...va ti, More than 2000 First Nations people =;`" . ' .p'. from around British Columbia marched + J -l .' .-3..i 1 upon the provincial legislature, .. -. i demanding Premier Gordon Campbell a..4 and his cabinet ministers recognize r' Aboriginal title and rights. / "Today were going to tell the province .a who the real owners of this land are," . said NTC Northern Region Co -chair , a. Little, who joined more than 200 s Archie 16:E ' " 5r -aht at the May 20th IY} i ! , Nuu -chah- nulth protest. "We own our land and water lock, stock, and barrel," added Jerry a Jack. "We never sold it or made an The canoe carrying Hesquiaht Ha'wiih was lifted onto the shoulders of two -dozen young men, the sound of agreement with anybody, and they [the hundreds of drums echoed across the legislature lawns and the sun -soaked inner harbour. BC Government] have to realize they Title and Rights Alliance is a new government and industry infringement of spoke to the hundreds of people don't own any part of Nuu -chah -nulth collective initiative among all major the resources that belong to our children gathered on the legislature lawn territories," he said. provincial and regional First Nations and grandchildren. Our people are throughout the early afternoon. The "Moving Forward in Unity" rally, organizations, "standing unified in the determined to stand together, to carry on Before the marchers had arrived, BC organized by the Title and Rights face of threats by the provincial Crown actions against the other governments' Forest Minister Mike deJong organized Alliance, brought together First Nations and resource industries to Aboriginal intent to ignore, submerge and a rare pre- emptive press conference for from as far away as Haida Gwaii and Title and Treaty Rights; using all extinguish our rights." legislative reporters before the start of northeastern BC, and involves formerly available means to achieve recognition "The junior governments have been the final day of the spring session in the divergent groups such as the Union of of Aboriginal Title and Rights; resisting negotiating in bad faith, and we're tired legislature. BC Indian Chiefs, BC First Nations divide -and -conquer tactics; and holding of our rights and titles being trampled Calling the Title and Rights Alliance Summit, Treaty 8 Tribal Association, the federal Crown accountable for its on," said Cliff Atleo Sr. "The Campbell supporters "misinformed" and Okanagan Nation Alliance, and the fiduciary obligations to Aboriginal government is a big fan of the economy, "malcontents ", deJong said his Council of the Haida Nation. Peoples." and they have to realize that we have the government is doing more to satisfy "We traveled for days to come here to ability to shut the province down and First Nations concerns than any previous own land and water "We our expose the deceit, deception, and lies of have a very detrimental impact on that government. lock, stock, and barrel," added this government," said Chief Stewart economy," he said. "To suggest, as some people are, that Jerry Jack. "We never sold it or Phillip, President, Union of BC Indian the government isn't interested in made an agreement with Chiefs. "Only Aboriginal Peoples can The "Moving Forward in Unity" affecting that economic involvement on anybody, and they [the BC provide the certainty that the provincial rally, organized by the Title and the part of First Nations and forestry is "If a First Nation Government] have to realize they Crown and resource industries are Rights Alliance, brought together just BS," said deJong. takes the approach that these agreements don't own any part of Nuu -chah- craving, and until the just First Nations from as far away as accommodation of our Aboriginal Title are insufficient or not to their liking, territories," he said. and northeastern nulth occurs, neither businesses nor their Haida Gwaii fine, I guess we'll go to court. But the investors will have the economic BC, and involves formerly criticism should be factual, not fanciful, in BC interior The caravan started the certainty they seek," he said. divergent groups such as the not based in rhetoric around accusations town of Westbank on May 17th, picking "It is time for true, honest, fair Union of BC Indian Chiefs, BC of bad faith. To do so, suggests that 50 support as it followed the up steam and negotiations with Aboriginal Peoples Nations Summit, Treaty 8 First Nations [who have signed 5 -year into Coast Salish territories First Fraser River about land and resources," said Justa forestry agreements with the BC Vancouver Island. Once in Tribal Association, Okanagan and onto Monk, Co- chair, Northwest Tribal Treaty Government] somehow don't have the gathered at the Nation Alliance, and the Council Victoria, hundreds Nation. "It is shameful for the intelligence to properly negotiate, and in Esquimalt to listen to Haida Nation. Pearkes Centre government of BC to take advantage of of the they do; they have negotiated hard," he of Aboriginal title and a legal review the poverty of Aboriginal communities said. "That, I think, is a much healthier and listen to updates on Nations leaders such as rights case law, with "take -it or leave -it" accommodation Numerous First attitude, than to simply say: it's all BC, before the title and rights cases currently deals that force us to give up the ability Stewart Phillip, BC First Nations and the government's trying to screw us Thousands then Grand Canadian courts. to exercise our rights for token economic Summit Task Group member again - which, unfortunately, is what reserve for a Haida Nations gathered at the Songhees benefits," she said. Chief Ed John, Council of you tend to hear from people who don't salmon barbeque, video presentation and numerous Nuu - "This is just a beginning," said NTC President Guujaaw, have, apparently, the interest or the including Cliff Atleo and campout. Southern Region co -chair David Dennis. chah -nulth leaders According to their press release, the Sr., Simon Lucas, and Darleen Watts Continued on page 15 "We cannot tolerate continuing lI If undeliverable, please return to: Ha- Shilth -Sa Treaty Planning, Ahousaht Page 3 P.O. Box 1383, Port Alberni, B.C. V9Y 7M2 Luna Update Page 4 Page 5 Clayoquot fish farms restock Newsstand Page 6 NEWSPAPER COLLECTION (17) Haa -Huu -Payak hosts Union Lake First Nation NATIONAL LIBRARY OF CANADA Price Thlaaktuuthla for Nuukmiis Page 7 395 WELLINGTON ST. $1 NEDC Business News Page 20 OTTAWA, ONTARIO K1A ON4 ij Page 2 - Ha- Shilth -Sa - June 3, 2004 Ha- Shilth -Ss - June 3, 2004 - Page 3 a a newspaper is LETTERS and KLECO'S published by the Naa <hah -nalth Ahousaht performs traditional Cleansing Ceremony Tribal Coattail for distribution to Ha- Shilth -Sat will include letters received from its readers. All letters MUST In the members of the twelve NTC - signed by the writer and base the w s-lter's name, address and phone number on By Denise August, including the cleansing ceremony held Central Region Reporter today. ember First Nations as well as it. Names can be withheld by request. /nonagons submissions will orle Ile said steps are being taken to build a other interested groups and deceased Ahousaht- Nuuchah -ninth (NCN) case against the government illustrating Information and She reserve the right to edit submitted material for clarity, brevity, individuals. Treaty Teams, NTC examples of their had faith Y grammar and good taste. isle will definitely not publish letters dealing wish tribal support stall and negotiations. Í ,- original work contained in this Ahousaht community members gathered The NCN Treaty Office will compile or personal disputes or Issues that are critical of Nuuchah - -nulth individuals or is copyright and may newspaper groups at the Thunderbird Hall on May 26th to examples of such things in a report, not he reproduced without written participate in a traditional Cleansing which will be presented at the neat NCN All opinions expressed in letters to the editor are purely those of the permission from: Ceremony. Treaty Planning Meeting. writer and will not necessarily coincide with the views or policies of the Nutto The lack of progress in treaty Tseshaht Treaty Negotiator Richard Nuuchah -nulth Tribal Council chah -nulth Tribal Cannel/ or its member First Nations. I negotiations, money issues and Watts pointed out the inequities in P.O. Box 1383, frustration at federal and provincial resources for NCN as opposed to the Port Alberni, B.C. blowhole. and the scientific designation government positions each factored into federal and provincial government. They V9Y 7M2. DFO to move Cuu'xiit next week "L -98" emblazoned on their sleeves. i the table's decision to look to traditional have experts at their disposal than can Tom Smith, Archie Little and Cliff \flea Jr. at Although the whale was considered the Treaty Planning Telephone: (250) 724 -5757 By Wuchar the safety of Luna around beats, so methods to cleanse their spirits. come in and explain different aspects of David overly misehics ions at one point in this Meeting held in Ahousaht Fax: (250)t723 -0463 discussions begat on ways to reunite the Cliff Aden Sr.