INSIDE THIS WEEK

The last weekend of July was a busy one for Saskatchewan Native people. After a short time to recover from the Big Valley Jamboree at Craven, the Back to Batoche Days were the big attraction (See Pages 12 and 15). For added excitement, there was the annual assembly of the Association of the Metis and Non -Status Indians of Saskatchewan (AMNSIS), also at Batoche that weekend (See Pages 1, 2, 4 and 5).

National election Saskatchewan opponents fail of Metis leader! in bid to oust Jim Sinclair By Laurent C. Roy Sinclair Metis members. The coupe d'etat attempt This opened the door for By Clint Buehler Association of Alberta and This anti -Sinclair move- by anti -Sinclair delegates the anti -Sinclair delegation The grassroots election the Metis National Council, BATOCHE, SASK .- An ment was at first subtle but saw their flaming attack spearheaded by two life- of a national Metis leader is (MNC), says the proposal coupe d'etat attempt by soon escalated into a against Sinclair disappear time members of AMNSIS, being proposed by the already had the support of anti -Sinclair members to effrontery debate between into smoke as the delegates Rod Bishop and Frank Metis Association of Alberta. the technicians from the oust Jim Sinclair as presi- pro -and anti- Sinclair were having no part with Tomkins with support com- If approved, the proposal MNC and the provincial dent of the Association of supporters. the coupe d'etat movement ing from George Morin, would provide for a ballot associations, and will be Metis and Non -Status Indi- This has been a long to remove Sinclair from the Morley Norton and Maria for national leader along discussed at an MNC ans of Saskatchewan standing issue since 1982 presidency of AMNSIS. Campbell with ballots for elected executive meeting in Van- (AMNSIS) failed during the withing the rank and file of At the outset of the first Other pro -Sinclair dele- officers of provincial asso- couver August 5 and 6. two -day annual assembly of AMNSIS and the "get rid of day, the second Chairman, gates, Clem Chartier, ciations. This would require It is felt that the election AMNSIS held here on July Sinclair" campain usually Jim Durocher, expláined to James Favel, Clarence that all provincial organiza- of the national Metis a 24 and 25, respectively. surfaces at every provincial the delegates that "this Trochie, Max Morin, plus tions hold their elections on much stronger position On two different occa- assembly of the Metis and annual assembly belongs to others reiterated that this the same day, and for the nationally and more media sions during the two -day Non- Status Indians. And the members of AMNSIS issue was resolved at the same length of term of attention. annual assembly of AMN- every time it appears on the and although we have an March 26 and 27 Constitu- office. The proposal could be a SIS, there was evidence of a agenda, hidden or not, Sin- adopted agenda, the floor tional Summit meeting cf Ron LaRocque, who reality by 1990, LaRocque lobbying and maneuver- clair receives a "vote of will be open for issues and works with both the Metis predicts. ing campaign to remove confidence" from the concerns not covered by Sinclair executed by anti-- delegates. the agenda." Continued Page 4 Kehewin faces dispute over low rental homes

By Donna Rea Murphy CMHC's request, the complete payments every council came under fire month for the homes they KEHEWIN -A problem in from band members who had built under the program housing has arisen between now may have to make full are threatening it for the Kehewin council and reserve payments. Chief Gadwa future, Gadwa pointed out. members who built homes says council has no choice There have been 84 through the Canada but to make the change if it homes built under the pro- Mortgage and Housing wants to stay in CMHC's gram since 1973 at the Corporation. low rental housing program. reserve. Last month, the CMHC Those band members checked the reserve's who are refusing to 'make Continued Page 3 books to see how it was administering the low rental subsidy. What it found was Canadian Indians \ that the band was letting tenants pay only the differ- ence between their monthly at Nicaragua meet payment ($150 -$30) By Anne Georg lawyers, writers, and social depending on the house scientists from various and when it was built, and Five Alberta Indians countries. the CMHC subsidy, which joined the Nicaraguan revo- The conference was covers roughly 90 per cent lutionary process by funded by the Swedish of the cost. attending the International government, traditionally The band was using nat- Symposium dealt specifi- sympathetic to the revolu- ural gas royalties to cover cally with the autonomy tionary government in the part of the monthly process now underway Nicaragua. They donated payment which is then pertaining to Nicaragua's $70,000 U.S. to fund the returned as a subsidy by Atlantic Coast indigenous conference held in Mana- CMHC. However, accord- peoples. gua July 13 to 16. ing to the agreement with The Alberta delegation, The historic event CMHC, the tenants must from Saddle Lake, Cold brought delegates from pay the full monthly amount Lake, Beaver Lake, and the around the world to con- and then wait for the sub- Blood Tribe, was among tribute their ideas to Nica- sidy. CMHC told the eleven other Canadians ragua's autonomy process. Kehewin band council to and about 100 delegates The process was officially make the change or face from around the world. started in December, 1984 paying back the full $4 mil- Included were indigenous when the Autonomy lion it now owes the people from North, South, corporation. and Central American and Continued Page 4 In complying with

New Zealand's Bill Nathan rubs noses with CNFC President Vic L'Hiron- delle. Nathan and his Maori dance group performed at the Canadian Native Friendship Centre, July 24. See coverage on Page 22. - Photo by Rocky Woodward WINDSPEAKER, August 1, 1986, PAGE 2

NATIONAL Metis Constitution passes NEWS BRIEFS

By Laurent C. Roy involved with the new Metis assembly that it better be to accommodate the defini- Nation Constitution of prepared to deal with hard - tions of self -government, to Esso closing BATOCHE, SASK -Allan Saskatchewan and em- core realities surrounding design line- systems to facili- Tuk base Morin, provincial secretary phasized that the involve- the Metis push towards tate the self -government for Association of Metis ment of the local members self -government and land aspirations of the Saskat- Spokesperson for Esso Resources, Kent O'Conner plans to dismantle their service base and Non -Status Indians of is necessary if "we are to rights and not "to be taken chewan Metis." said Morin. says the company Saskatchewan (AMNSIS) ratify the new drafts," said in by the abstract good -will in Tuktoyuktuk because the facility is no longer needed since Esso has reduced their drilling in the Beaufort introduced a new draft Morin. of the federal and provincial Further explanation to resolution called, Constitu- "You have a year to dis- governments." WINDSPEAKER, Morin Sea. tion of the Metis Nation of cuss the discussion papers, This new Metis Nation and McKenzie, are both O'Conner commented that this move will drastically Saskatchewan, Inc., which you must study the new Constitution and portfolio optimistic because of the effect the north's economy, but with the downturn in oil was passed at the annual Constitution, the proposed system is to give local favourable optimums sur- prices Esso cannot justify drilling new wells for at least years. assembly held here on July legislature assembly, the members the invested rounding the political the next couple of struggles the He stressed the fact however, that Esso will not pull 24 and 25. portfolio system, and powers by its new govern- of Metis peo- Morin disclosed the new throughout the year, the ing structure to make deci- ple in Canada. Yet both are out of the Beaufort. draft resolution calling for negotiating team will bring sions, to practise their con- also skeptical in achieving termination of the non- into line the operating sys- stitutional rights and to the objectives as laid in the foundational principles Metis assembly approved profit association and to tems of both party and pave the way towards self- out- replace it with a parliamen- government structures to government, explained lined in the new Con- Saskatchewan Metis have given the most significant tary system more suitable govem the Metis Nation of McKenzie. stitution. step towards self government since the days of Louis towards the Metis aspira- Saskatchewan," explained "We have a year before calls Riel. A proposal for a Metis Legislative Assembly was tion of self-govemment and Morin. The two drafts for the Metis members ratify approved by the annual assembly of the Association of land rights. Dona Desmarais, execu- the phasing out the present the modified articles of the Metis and non -status Indians of Saskatchewan. The architect of the new tive director of AMNSIS, system governing AMNSIS New Metis Constitution. Association President, Jim Sinclair, says the estab- Constitution of the Metis reiterated the hope that "a by 1988 and in its place will By 1987, the New Metis lishment of such a government would correct an histor- Nation of Saskatchewan, revised Constitution and be the legislature structure Constitution and its portfo- the existing ical injustice by admitting Metis into confederation with Inc. is Wayne McKenzie, Portfolio System will do is in encompassing lio system should be fully Canada. Sinclair hopes to get final approval on the vice- president of AMNSIS fact phase in an orderly government structures, defined and developed to proposal at the first ministers conference scheduled for and director of Constitu- process for moving from a including municipal local be implemented by the next year. tional Senior Officials non -profit organization to governments. 1988 elections." said The convention was held at Batoche, July 25-27. Committee. Included in this an infrastructure which will McKenzie. "These new systems to committee are consultants, accommodate our move to be modified by the Self - This transitional phase legal counsel, chiefs of staff- self -government." Government Negotiating should give the local Metis Bridge burning appealled -member and national Jim Sinclair, president of team appointed by the members the initiative to offices. AMNSIS, encourages that AMNSIS Board will re- launch innovative new lev- This committee is the working mechanisms Residents of the Pegus Indian Reserve in Manitoba enforced the movement els of local government are appealing responsible to draft new described in both discus- their conviction of burning down a bridge towards self -government. enpowered with jurisdic- on the Constitutional strategies, sion papers be worked out reserve. This team will be enpo- tion and authority as provide necessary docu- closely with the Metis gua- Chief Louis Stevenson and five other Band members wered with authority to sell ranteed to manicipalities mentation, carry out membership to demon- say the judge presiding over the case, erred when he up the constitutional package, and to be administratively research, provide legal strate that a "bottom up held lower court convition for mischief. Some Band to completely explain the autonomous and to have advice, and formulate new approach" is carried out, a members admitted to burning the bridge in the spring in roles and functions of each their separate funding innovative policies. prerequisite conditioned by 1984, claiming it was a protest its state of disrepair to intricate part of the pro- sources to fund their pro- To accompany the new governments. federal officials. posed legislature, to develop grams services, concluded Metis Nation Constitution Sinclair told the dele- a comprehensive strategy McKenzie. of Saskatchewan, Morin gates it was time for also introduced a working "puppet governments" to paper, entitled, Comments abandon the non -profit and Proposals, Regarding a association Constitution Portfolio System, to be and By -laws and initiate Halda protest "a good thing" incorporated inconjunction constitutionalized govern- with the new Metis Nation ment infrastructures rec- Constitution. The two ognized by both govern- By Owenadeka medical benefits, no more working papers compli- ments. education money and no ment each other and both Wayne McKenzie, vice - I think Miles Richardson more grants. In short, can papers were passed by the president of AMNSIS, has stumbled on to a good we really have our cake and Report That raises an delegates. insisted that the new Metis Ottawa eat it too? thing. He's the president of Introducing the working Nation Constitution of the Council of the Haida even tougher question that papers, Morin stressedthe Saskatchewan and its port- Nation. Along with most of Native people must answer. need of the Metis organiza- folio system is the only the Haidas (and a lot of force the province to stop if you had a job that is -but Namely, what do we really talk about tion to shift from a non- infrastructure that will gua- other people besides), he's the logging - just a simple you wouldn't have to go on mean when we profit association presently rantee some degree of self - fighting the loggers on Lyell statement to let Ottawa a drunken, flag -waving the Mohawk, Micmac or governing AMNSIS to a government among the Island. know that the nine Haidas patriotic binge. Metis Nation? and provincial constituency - Metis people of Sask- Lyell Island, of course, is intend to be known as There would be a down- Are we Indians first legislature format. atchewan. a jewel of unspoiled beauty Haidas and not Canadians. side, but I think that even it Canadians second? Or is it He warned the delegated McKenzie, known not to in the unique environment That got me thinking the would have its own the other way 'round? Just of the amount of work mince words, told the of the Queen Charlotte other day - what if all the advantages. If you how should we relate to the Islands and since the Haida Native people in Canada renounced your Canadian government in Ottawa? say the island is theirs, they did the same thing? Not to citizenship, it means that Well, the cold hard facts want to protect it from protest land claims, treaty you would not be eligible to of life probably mean that clear -cut logging. violations, constitutional work for Indian Affairs or we, as a people, can't really In fact, 72 people have treachery or the lack of self - any other government afford to give up Canadian already been arrested government - just a department. Just think of citizenship, especially since trying to stop the chain simple statement that a all those government it costs $40 to submit a legal saws. million Native people want offices unable to hire a new application to do so. But the province says the to be known as Mohawks, crop of token Native people But maybe we could do loggers won't damage the Micmacs, Metis or whatever. for token jobs. something that might serve Aulen Jacob Resident Bert Crowfoot fragile landscape and its Why, we can start up our Our educated elite, the as a statement of national General Manager allowed the logging to own little cottage industry best and the brightest Native protest without Clint Buehler Rocky Woodward resume. The next step in just making our own supposedly, could begin endangering our day -to-day Editor News Editor the Haida campaign is passports. And think of the working for the Native survival - and I think I've movement instead of for got just the idea. Nan Morin Kim McLain unclear. In the meantime, other advantages! Reporter Production Editor Miles Richardson and eight the government. The next time you're in a other Haidas have written a We wouldn't have to But enough daydreaming. hockey arena and the John Copley George Poitras for the happens if the Haida crowd stands up for "Oh Advertising Manager Copy Editor & telegram to the Prime stand at attention What Production Assistant Minister telling him they playing of Oh Canada at move is carried to its Canada," stand up too, but Dave Calahasen at a hockey logical conclusion? Doesn't instead of singing about Gail Ste