401 Main St., Mceachern Did What His Bosses Wanted
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401 Main St., McEachern did what his bosses wanted. He slammed Natives with his "decision" in one of the longest and most costly land claims cases in the recorded history of Canada, telling them they should just assimilate themselves into the mainstream. The judge took a giant step backward going against many precedent-setting victories of Nacives. The ~itskan-~et'suwet'anpeople ex- pected a victory and objective obser- vors agreed. McEachern chose to feed their rage, to lecture about ample op- portunities for getting off reserves and just 'give up'. To him, thousands of years of Native history, tradition and belief weren't worth a dam....the Oka standoff is meaningless ...legal recognition of Native rights irrelev- ant. McEachern had his orders. McEachern's bosses are the same who tell Mulroney and Vanderzalm what to do..be it deregulating air travel or the phone system, privatizing public services, removing farm subsidies & Dear Carnegie and TnulR Taylor, gutting the fishing/mining/forestry/ manufacturing sectors, weakening pol- I would like to send a thankyou to lution laws..anything to make trans- the one who did the artwork and the national corporations independent of layout in January 15th1s issue. The local, regional or national concerns. art really enhanced my poetry; thanks! McEachern knows what hand feeds him I'm sending 2 poems and a newsletter and scratches his head; all he's done on the war - new to Calgary. The Up- is lick that hand. By telling Natives date has received the last 3 issues of to leave reserves he makes theft and the Carnegie Newsletter. Also, articl- exploitation of natural resources on es from Carnegie have been going to them simpler. the Calgary Poverty Focus Group. For decades, Natives struggled with We enjoy so many aspects of the News the non-native concept of 'owning' letter; the articles, poetry and poli- land, then years in discussions, neg- tical commentary and, of course, Car- otiations and courts demanding their negie's Newsletter gives us the images birthrights and heritage be respected. language and the courage to speak the Herb George (Satsan) , a Wet 'suwet 'an truth. My son Danny and a friend , hereditary chief, said: "We will come Eliza also read it. 1 off our reserves in a way this country Thankyou again for the newsletter has never seen before." and publishing my poetry in such a 1 The language of the judgement speaks wonderf ul way ! 1 of the attitude of McEachern - #'our Marilyn Seelye t Indians" - By PAULR TAYLOR Calgary, Alta, mix my wine with water; don't give a damn 'bout quality. iuix my wine with water; t makes a week seem like a day n my bummin' money... week seems like a day. ver in the graveyard is my favorite place o drink and cuss and sin. hey put a fence around my favority graveyard ecause people are dying to get in. o when I bite you for a dollar Lines From Your Learning Cent re nd you only give me a dime, MIKE KRAMER ain't gonna scream and holler cuz I mix my water with wine. What do you want to know about this guy? tanding outside the liquor store, I say Here's the latest info: partner how you doing today?'' nd if you~etortwith a grumpy snort, - he has lived in Vancouver say, "You can go to hell all the way." for umpteen years and loves the city and it's people. ell I'm a derelict rummy with guts in my tummy, L he's a teacher who thinks ut my head is feeling fine; everyone should have lots ou see I mix my wine with water. of chances to learn - any- mix my water wuth sweet dream wine. thing and everything. mix my water with wine. - he will match you up with a tutor DEside Joe who will help you learn whatever you want and at times that suit you. It's a wonderful deal. Drop in any- time and get started. Everyday is the right day for you. Tell your friends about our place. All for free! Monday to Friday 9 am - 7 pm. -a Dear Folks, -an Doree Keeping Carnegie going, struggling with problems, having fun and keep- Correction - ing 'up' on being here is part of all A few issues ago, Bob Kiyoshk was of us, I guess, but doing all this & more is part of the unwritten job nistakenly referred to as "a director ~f a new shelter for battered Native description of the staff people. I domen". Bob did and does a lot of the want to say Thank You to Phil Goad. research in this area, networking with I almost lost it during a severe as- qative support groups all over North thma attack and he stayed calm & cool, herica. He is presently working as keeping me together until the ambu- =he Program developer for this house. lance arrived. Just decent...staff are people - even human! Leona ~il'WatPeople Assert Claim to Sovereignty The Lil'Wat people of Mt. Currie are currently engaged in a nonviolent struggle to prevent the building of a four-lane lumber road corridor through their ancient, sacred burial grounds on Lillooet Lake. This area has his- torically been the training ground where the Lil'Wat have gone to become ABORIGINAL WOMEN'S TRANSITION HOUSE strong - spiritually, mentally, emo- TO COMMENCE OPERATIONS tionally and physically. The Board of Directors of the Help- The Lil'Wat people have always lived ing Spirit Lodge Society'wishes to on this land and have never given up announce April 15, 1991 as the date their claim to it through any treaty. for its transition house facility to They are asserting this claim both in begin operations. This initiative is the courts and by physically blocking the first of its kind in the Greater construction of the road when necess- Vancouver area, and will address the ary. The Kt. Currie Band Council re- unique needs of Aboriginal communities. cently submitted an application for The home will offer shelter and sup- land claims to this area, and the Lil' port for ten women and their children, Wat People's Movement, in a separate and will provide options to remaining case, was recently granted leave to in abusive situations. Counsellors appeal the road construction on the will be on hand to assist residents in grounds of sovereignty - a major step areas of physical, emotional, psychol- forward. The outcome of these two ogical, and sexual abuse. Appropriate hearings will have a profound impact referrals will be made for persons who on the future of the Lil'Wat people, cannot be accommodated for whatever and on the relationship between Native reasons. The Society's basic philo- and non-Native peoples in B.C. sophy is "creating healthy families", The Religious Society of Friends Y1 and will combine contemporary and tra- (Quakers), along with other churches 4 ditional healing methods. and community groups, supports the 1 In addition to serving women, child- ~il'watpeople in their non-violent g ren and elders, the Society is propos- efforts to assert control over their ing to offer a program for abusive men. own lives and resources. If you wish This is seen as an essential step in to show your support, please join us I preventive services which will benefit in the public prayer vigil held on the the entire family. first Friday of every month, from 1 Public and legal education will also 4:15 - 5:30, on the south steps of the 1 be a major focus of the Society's work. Vancouver Art Gallery (Hornby & Robson) I, The Society is looking forward to The next one will be on April 5th. working cooperatively with all agen- Ruth Walmsley, on be- cies dealing with victims, witnesses, half of the BC Quaker Committee on i and perpetrators of family violence. i This includes justice system personnel, Ruth Walmsley, on behalf of the BC policy makers, transition houses, and 1 Quaker Cormnittee on Native Concerns. counselling and support services - f both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal. B-C- Coalition cbf People with Disabilities A new guide to accessible places in Van has been published; the 192-page, pocketsize book contains listings on basics like stores and libraries and parks and festivals and washrooms and phones and on and on. The Coalition also does advocacy for HPIA applications. One current struggle is to get MSSH and the Ministry of Health to stop passing the buck back and forth and decide which pays for aids, wheelchair repairs, etc. Accessible Vancouver Please make cheques payable to: Please send me ......copies @ $5 PLAN 'A' ACCESS I have enclosed $ ........... RESOURCE CENTRE 204 - 456 West Broadway NAME: Vancouver, B.C. V5Y 1 R3 I ADDRESS: -- .-.. -- -1 Tel: 875-0188 Fax: 875-9227 POSTAL CODE:- -- PHONE:_- - -. - - POLITICS OF THE HEART: have no agenda, except to work for the The Individual Voice truth as they see it. One of the best ways to establish a There are lots of people in this voice of your own is t have no serings world who will support humanitarian no commitments to any outside group.. & causes speak up for justice, equal- be it political, religious, or simply ity, freedom, etc. as long as there's I Ihumanitarian" . a chorus of support backing them up. No allegiance to any flag is "anar- But when they find themselves stand- chy" - but in this case it's not just ing alone on commitmentl to truth a political anarchy, it's an anarchy of about poverty, about land rights, war the heart, because it seeks to estab- or social justice, these same people lish new freedoms only out of an soon become uncomfortably embarassed ethical imperative.