Tion President Ernie Biais, the Organization's Board of Directors Com- Mitted Political Suicide and Dissolved the Board

L BRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA i I lb lellle l[ l 3 3286 55003870 3 December 20, 1 993 - January 2, 1994 Canada's National Aboriginal News Publication Volume 11 No 20 S1 .00 plus G.S.T. where applicable WHERE TO TURN Careers 21 -23 Drew Hayden Taylor 7 et ?Izcistmas! News 2,3,9,10, R1,3 Sports R6,7,8 Taking care of business .8 KAMIKAZE METIS In an attempt to oust Manitoba Metis Federa- tion president Ernie Biais, the organization's board of directors com- mitted political suicide and dissolved the board. The drastic action forces the federation to hold a new election. See Page R3. CHRISTMAS MEMORIES Journey with some of our readers down memory lane as they share their stories of Christmases past. The entries to our story-writ- ing contest begin on Page 15. r 1 To receive Windspeaker in your mailbox every two weeks, just send your cheque or money order in the amount of $28 (G.S.T. included) to: WI 1500, EDMO A NAME:_ ADORE: CITY /TC POSTAL such NS $40 for ; Is outslue ...anaaa Dec. 20193 L .1 Ontario artist Linda Haifhide brings to life the joy of winter recreation during the holiday season In this painting, originally PUBLICATION MAIL REGISTRATION 12177 commissioned for the 1994 Arctic Winter Games to be held March 6 -12 in Slave Lake, Alberta. PAGE 2, DECEMBER 20, 1993 - JANUARY 2, 1994, WINDSPEAKER News Landmark logging agreement teetering By D.B. Smith sory body but that is what Premier Island, but only in 1995. weeks ago that environmental groups Windspeaker Staff Writer Harcourt interpreted it to be. Unfortu- There are, however, no specific cut- like Greenpeace and The Sierra Club, nately, that's not what the negotiators ting areas mentioned in the agreement, which have been protesting against log- agreed to." Frank said. The tribal council only iden- ging in the sound since June, can no VANCOUVER The deal, reached Dec. 10 after weeks tified areas that the board could consider longer use the argument that the Natives of negotiations, agrees to establish a Cen- for some continued forestry activity. want to preserve all the forests. A so- called landmark agreement tral Region Board composed of repre- Although clear -cuttingwas virtually That's not very flattering for the First between the B.C. government and sentatives from the Ahousaht, Hesquiaht, outlawed, the agreement will not affect Nations, said Frank. Clayoquot Sound Natives over restricted Tla- qui- o -aht, Uclueletand Toquaht First the April 1993 deal allowing MacMillan "I think (the government) would be ill- tree -harvesting in that region may be Nations and the province. The board will Bloedel to cut trees in the sound. About advised to thumb their noses at anyone." felled before it's even enacted. oversee logging on Flores Island and in 20 per cent of the sound has already been The tribal council was looking to The chiefs from the Nuu -chah -nulth the southeast quarter of the Clayoquot logged. preserve 100 per cent of the river valley Tribal Council, which represents five River Valley. 'We're not opposed to logging in from loggers, he said, and the province bands on the southwest coast of Vancou- The province will provide $250,000 general but we are concerned with any should be more careful about how it uses ver Island, will not ratify the two-year this year and $500,000 for each year the size of clear- cutting," Frank said. "And if Natives' interests to justify logging in the interim agreement on logging if Premier agreement is in effect to train Natives in we can influence and change the way region. Mike Harcourt's NDP government forestry standards inspection, park stew- some companies carry out their practises 'We didn't conclude negotiations on refuses to give them any decision -mak- ardship and other aspects of forestry through the joint management board, the thought that the environmentalist ing power, Tla-qui -o-aht Chief Francis management. The agreement also calls we intend to do so." people had to jump on board. As far as Frank said. for a combined First Nations -provincial But so far, the negotiations have not our First Nations were concerned, we While the deal provides Natives with working group to develop other eco- provided the First Nations with the feel- had to be a little bit more conciliatory an advisory role on a joint management nomic opportunities in the region such ing that their issues were being addressed than that." board with the province, it will not allow as tourism. seriously, Frank said. The council has until the middle of them to over -rule government decisions, Forestry giant MacMillan Bloedel Advisers to the premier have said January to ratify the deal. In the mean- he said. will be allowed to harvest up to 70,000 the agreement is a powerful argument time, theTla- quio -aht, the Ahousaht and "If the First Nations are left with the cubic metres of trees annually in the two- against the notion that all of the sound's the Hesquiaht First Nations plan to file a impression that it is an advisory body, year agreement. About 60,000 cubic me- old -growth forests must be preserved land claim declaration with the B.C. we won't ratify it. It's as simple as that.... tres will come from trees in the Clayoquot for future generations. Treaty Commission in mid- December. There is nothing in the agreement that River Valley. An additional 10,000 cubic One adviser, who did not want his Their claim will encompass the en- makes any reference to it being an advi- metres could be harvested from Flores name used, told the Globe and Mail two tire sound. B.C. bands seek input into Alcan hearings Saskatchewan Metis By D.B. Smith "But there's no representa- 'They (the B.C. Utilities Corn- Windspeaker Staff Writer tion at all," he said. "Some (tribal mission) want us to play their council) staff registered just to game and as soon as we reluc- adopt new constitution get information out of those tantly agree, they change the PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. clowns." rules," Charlie said. By D.B. Smith government, which will give the The terms of reference for Experts retained for the ben - Windspeaker Staff Writer Metis people greater access to The B.C. government may the commission's discussions, efit of registered participants, in- the decision- making process, hold its own talks to address Na- which began Nov. 7, were too cluding the band, are no longer Morin said. tive concerns over the expansion narrow for the tribal council's available and now act only as SASKATOON, Sask. Although still in the plan- of a hydroelectric project in the participation to have any affect, advisers to the commissioners. ning stage, the constitution northwestsection of the province. Krehbiel said. The commission The Cheslatta maintain the The Metis took another step would replace the Non -profit The Carrier Sekani Tribal is not addressing the extent of Nechako is the most important towards realizing self- govern- Corporations Actasthe law regu- Council boycotted the B.C. Utili- damage done to flooded lands tributary to the most significant ment. lating the association. The new ties Commission's public hear- and salmon runs on the Nechako salmon -producing river in the Members from the Saskatch- deal would also outline the Metis ings over completion of the Alcan and Fraser Rivers during the world. Expanding the project, ewan Metis Nation voted to stand on land claims, revenue Kemano Project on the Nechako 1950s. originally built to provide power adopt a new constitution de- sharing with provincial and fed- River. The review process further for Alcan's aluminum smelters signed to establish the first Metis eral governments, transfer pay- legislative assembly But provincial Native Affairs ignores the government-to-gov - near Kitimat, B.C., will entail in Canada ments and taxation. Minister John Cashore said the ernment protocol signed between drilling a second tunnel from at theirDecember assembly. 'The new constitution's laid NDP government may try to get British Columbia and First Na- the Nechako's watershed, divert- Metis National Council a solid foundation," he said. Gerald Morin an agreement to start talks with tions in the province only three ing up to 84 per cent of the flow. said the assembly Morin said he expects little the council and resolve concerns months ago, Krehbiel said. The council has mounted an of nearly 700 delegates voted 98- opposition from Ottawa or the over the environmental and eco- Last month, the Assembly of extensive public pressure cam- per -cent in favor of the constitu- province because both govern- nomic impacts of the expansion. First Nations executive council, paign to sway support away from tion that will allow the Metis to ments have previously recog- The tribal council has already including Grand Chief Ovide the mega -project, Krehbiel said. assert their own laws under their nized the Metis' inherent right to met with a provincial negotiator Mercredi, called on the federal They're concerned that recent inherent right to self-govern- self- government to setup the "government-to-gov - government to suspend hearings. drops in the price of aluminum ment. Saskatchewan already ernment interim talks," tribal The AFN also wants Ottawa to means power from the expan- The new legislative assem- signed a bilateral framework council co- ordinator Rick compensate the Cheslatta for 40 sion of the project will be ear- bly would amalgamate the agreement to negotiate on social Krehbiel said. years of 'inaction and inattention." marked for sale to B.C.

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