INSIDE THIS WEEK The battle between the pro -fur and anti -fur groups is escalating as Native groups boost their efforts to defend traditional trapping rights. See Pages 4 and 7. Powwows, rodeo and sports events are the stuff of summer in Indian country. Last weekend, activity was concentrated at Morley and the Blackfoot and Alexander Reserves. See Pages 17, 18 and 19. Fourteen students celebrated their graduation from the Native Communications Program of Grant MacEwan Community College. See Page 23. Enoch members want answers By Rocky Woodward carrying signs that read money is being spent, and happened to it," said a past as five years, but many of An investment in race "Give us back our Tribal the previous chief and manager for the band, the group would like to go horses has seen the band ENOCH RESERVE - On Law" and "What's in store council's dealings in Peter Morin. even further. lose $37,000 in 1985, and an August 21, approximately for my Future ?" investments, expenditures According to Chief "He is talking about investment in the Stony 50 band members at the They say they will and salaries are made Raymond Cardinal, he is in going five years back. We Motor Inn lost them Enoch Reserve marched continue to picket the accountable. support of looking into the are hoping if it gets results $250,000. back and forth in front of building until answers are 'We had a lot of money group's concerns, and we would like to go back Chief Cardinal is also their administration building given as to where their and we want to know what possibly going as far back further because it started concerned over 40 acres of past five years, possibly land purchased by the when they started self - previous chief and council government on their own. for $222,000 in Palm "It was never said to the Springs, California, that people that chief and has.since been sitting there council should do anything idle. The band. own 40 per on their own without the cent interest in the property. consent of the people," Now, Cardinal says, they commented Rita Gordon, are trying to sell it. spokesperson for the Some of the group, like protesters and band Peter Morin, want to know members. of other possible invest- The band, already hurting ments that they may not be from a drop in world oil aware of. prices which has caused job "Chief and council have layoffs and cutbacks in oil almost all power the way cheques for many band the present system is. They members, are also faced with losses on past invest- ments. Continued Page 2 Committee will study problems on Enoch Reserve LATEDEVFLOPMENT waving band members demanding that the invest- ByLesleyCrossingham ments, expenditures and salaries of the chief and ENOCH RESERVE - council be made public. Enoch chief and council Several band members called in officials from the have also circulated a Department of Indian petition demanding the Affairs Wednesday in an department conduct a full effort to get the band's investigation of band finances back on. the right spending. track after nearly a week of However, Wallace denied protests by band members. that he had received a After a closed -door petition or any information meeting between chief and that would force the . council and the department, department to hold an Dennis Wallace, regional investigation. director, announced that "If we are requested an eight -map committee officially by chief and consisting of six band council we would inves- members and two depart- tigate," he said. "And if we ENOCH PROTEST ment officials would be were requested to inves- Bration had its placards, too, as Enoch band members staged a protest to formed to look into band tigate we would conduct a d ,- ttion on band finances. spending. full inquiry or call in the During the police or other departments Photo by past week the - Rocky Woodward Enoch band offices have if we were presented with been beseiged by pacard evidence or information that would oblige us to do so," he added. Ñ However, it appears that o = 0 'win group seeks information several band members are going over the regional director's head by submit- BS) 71 A telex has gone to o ^ the petitioning band director of DIA. The 75 planning, management, ting the petition directly to Indian Affairs Minister Bill - z members do not think they signers of the petition are of and business sense." Ottawa and to the desk of Alle "S. r the McKnight, says Julia John have a 3 = been given accurate the mind that it is their right Much of the money Minister Bill McKnight. mishat J 3 ,nd of Kehewin. The 3 people nor sufficient particulars and obligation to investigate involves "people who owe "We've sent lots of funds 74 z n ng are in the dark and, "we regarding the distribution this matter more fully, says (the band)" and there are headlir z petitions and letters to he don't know where the of band monies. Harry Watchmaker. He personal loans of $50,000 Edmonton," says band Kehev ve money went," she says. The concerns have been charges that a July 16/86 outstanding and "we don't member Peter Morin, "but where .rs A request for detailed sent to opposition leaders band meeting indicates a know what for," Watch- they've all been tossed in signed a facts and figures is being Ed Broadbent and John deficit of $563,590. That maker states. the waste basket. So now petition pursued under the Access Turner and to Dennis amount, claims Watch- of Indian Affairs. to Information Act because Wallace, the regional maker, "indicates poor Continued Page 3 Continued Page 3 A NEW DAWN IN ABORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS PAGE 2, August 29, 1986, WINDSPEAKER Provincial Enoch finances creating concern From Page 1 employment with some of Morin. them. A petition has been sent "We have investments in to Indian Affairs in Ottawa just go and buy hotels, race Saskatchewan, British in the hope they will come horses and don't even ask Columbia and here in to a scheduled meeting with us. Alberta where we could the band, and help them "Now they are building a work." understand the problems golf course here at well over Both Peter and his wife people are facing at Enoch. a million dollars," Morin Veronica are unemployed. One of the group feels it said. Both are suffering from would be to their advantage Many of the band mem- injuries (Veronica had a to have an Indian Affairs bers (according to a spinal operation and Peter official from Ottawa attend petition which gathered a knee injury) but say they the meeting because they approximately 150 names) are willing to work. do not trust Indian Affairs want to see the power "All our business invest- people in Edmonton. brought back to the people. ments are run by white Meanwhile, many of the Some of their concerns people. That's a crock. The people at Enoch who are are that some families work hotel in Stony, there's no concerned with past invest- while others do not and Indian people there," ments and expenditures must depend on welfare or Veronica angrily states. made by the former chief the food bank to get by. "We don't know how and council, say they According to the protest- much we own and what is continue to try and meet ers, in March and April at stake for us or even who bank loans and pay bills many people were laid .off the shareholders are. while most of them have let from their jobs and only When the oil prices dropped necessities such as their "the elite group" still have it got bad. Our money private telephones go, employment. dropped, yet still all the because they cannot afford PROTESTORS ON ENOCH RESERVE Most of them are more money is laid out in anymore to pay the bill. ...placards detail grievances concerned with seeking investments and we are not work and feeding their getting a return," added families, than the past chief Laura Morin. and council's leadership According to Chief abilities, although holding Cardinal, per capita them responsible for the distributions amounting to bands economic difficulties, $300 a month were cut in one reason they want half. When asked if he involvement with future could answer any questions By Rocky Woodward "At that time I was sitting anything on their own people. dealings the present chief he said, "no comment. Let on a committee put together without the consent of the Asked if the RCMP are and council attended to. ENOCH RESERVE the band members do -'We to draw up codes for people." involved or if they will be "Some families have no that." where all the women coming back to the At a band meeting just brought in, Gordon work while some families, The band members are money is being spent, and reserve. It was just before I recently, 24 of 26 voting commented that to her whole families, have we are in support work. doing that, and many of of Johnny got laid off. I told the chief band members called for a understanding the RCMP They should spread the (Morin) and other spokes- out them feel it is time to revert that we wanted full authority full investigation into Enoch have always been involved jobs so every family has a persons who want to back to a tribal law. know for the people to talk with financial records after going beck to the treaties source of income.