T\.) 0 tier O by McKnight's reluctance By Keith Matthew while the press conference two very crucial points and, Windspeaker Staff Writer was going on. He plans to the most crucial is that he go over McKnight's head will say which Lubicons ENOCH RESERVE, Alberta and "go after the prime can benefit from the settle- minister and hopefully deal ment. O'Reilly claims Chief Bernard Omi- at that level." McKnight is "not treating nayak and his advisors are Ominayak noted McK- the Lubicons the way other outraged at Indian Affairs night's reluctance to let the bands were treated at the Minister Bill McKnight's band decide how many time of entering into treaty. reluctance to grant the Indi- members it has goes against "The second point is that ans a full compensation what was done in the land he said he will not create a package regarding the land deal recently struck in the reserve for the 16 square claim settlement. Northwest Territories. That miles and that was the basis In an Oct. 26 press con- agreement "is based on the of the settlement. Chief ference McKnight said he criteria which enables the Ominayak agreed to take went along with the amount members of those commu- the 16 square miles ... it of land that should be nities to determine who would be created as a awarded the Indians. But their people are." reserve once Ottawa pur- he will not provide the $150 Ominayak did not dis- chased it and that has been million compensation they count the idea of public done in other instances, are asking for, nor will he protest but said that they including the one here at provide funding and ser- would continue first to try the.Morley reserve." vices for the number of and deal with the federal O'Reilly believes the Indians the Lubicons say government now that the federal government is as they have in their band. province had agreed to "vindictive as ever. All "I would have to say it is many of the conditions his they want to do is make It was a long, chill/ night Oct. 28 for Caleb Hughes and Jess Sinclair, two you totally against what the pre- band has requested. sure the Lubicons get noth- bicon supporters who camped out overnight at the legislature grounds mier and I had agreed to Lubicon lawyer James ing and they seem deter- ntown Edmonton. going into discussions we mined every step O'Reilly called McKnight's to take Temperatures dipped below zero but the the two braved the cold along wi had last Saturday," com- action "very negative. Mr. possible and imaginable to eral others to support the Lubicons. Later that same day, after a seven h mented Ominayak, who McKnight has rejected the crush the Lubicons. They was attending an Alberta settlement reached by Chief want to defeat the Lubicon 's eeting between Chief Bernard Ominayak and Premier Don Getty, it w Indian Association All - Ominayak and Premier badly and teach all of the announced that a tentative deal had been struck. -- Photo by Kim McLain. Chiefs meeting in Enoch Getty. He has rejected it on Indians in Canada a lesson." McKnight balks at membership issue By Susan Enge and Les- Lubicons had "land but no One of the major dis- conference, band lawyer cerned about the member- ley Crossing ham houses" and promised a full putes in the drawn -out land Bob Sachs welcomed the ship question, and whether Windspeaker Staff Writer economic package for the claim was the question of ministers remarks, with the decision to fund only and Correspondent new community. band membership. The reservations. about half of the Lubicon However, McKnight band had claimed they had "It is heartening to see membership list would lead EDMONTON insists a referendum be held 477 members as of July this Mr. McKnight agree to the to division on the future to force band members to year and therefore should basics of this deal. But I am reserve. The Lubicon Lake choose between private receive land on a per capita concerned about the mem- "There is also a question nation is getting a reserve ownership of the land or basis. However, McKnight bership question, particular- of the disenfranchised but may have to battle to taking the land as part of a says the formula of two ly Bill C -31 people, as this Native people who were receive compensation, community owned reserve. square miles per person was has been a bug -a -boo all arbitrarily taken off the recognition of membership "The lands will have to not used and that the "quan- along. membership lists during the and control of their tradi- be surveyed, third party tum of land was agreed to "The decision on who 1940s for no reason. These formulas." tional hunting and trapping interests dealt with and an by other and who is not an Indian people were struck off and lands. order -in- council passed by McKnight made it clear should not be made by the cannot regain their rights that only those members Minister of Indian the Alberta government to of government but the band through C -31 because the transfer the lands the band they feel are "sta- itself. Chief Bernard Affairs, Bill McKnight con- to Cana- act does not allow for that, tus" Indians Ominiyak has always main- firmed in a press conference will receive but they are truly Indian McKnight benefits tained that everyone should on Oct. 26 that he recog- steadfastly under the Indian people," she complained. refused Act be treated the same." nised the agreement the to discuss the issue but "the band could of Native Council of Cana- Ronr. ^nberg says there Lubicons had thrashed out compensation to the share those benefits with nation from whoever da president, Doris Ronnen- are many people in that area with Alberta Premier Don either oil and they wish." gas revenues The Lubicons berg agreed with Sachs but who experienced dis- Getty Oct. 22 for a 2,205 or for services are claim- not received while ing 4,000 expressed enfranchisement including square kilometre reserve, the Lubi- square kms of tra- concern that cons were negotiating ditional lands for McKnight had not agreed to people in the Lubicon and a 41.5 square km parcel a hunting reserve. and the hunting nation. of land still to be deter- trapping. However, and trapping "They've received all McKnight lands being mined. the stated he, as under the juris- Chief Bernard Ominiyak benefits (as if they were minister, could not hold diction of the crown. did not attend McKnight's "I hope there can be a recognized as an Indian lands other than reserve "Many people criticize conference as he was mak- ground- breaking ceremony band) but they've lacked the lands and that the Lubicons the James Bay Cree agree- ing presentations to the at Lubicon Lake this land," he said. "It is a must negotiate the transfer ment. but as I recall, they Indian Association's All spring," said a confident provincial responsibility to of these lands with the were given hunting lands Chiefs conference at the McKnight. provide oil revenues on that province. by the crown." Enoch reserve west of McKnight stated that the land." After McKnight's press Ronnenberg is also con- Edmonton. r---r Page 2, WINDSPEAKER, October 28, 1988 CLOSE TO HOME .',,,i91F4g'13'%' ó."ki?6Y%f/1/y /N/q$'9F///rY/N9'14'AY} Not all Lubiconers happy with deal By Susan Enge major disappointment, says Dissension doesn't rest Windspeaker Staff Writer L'Hirondelle. just among some Metis peo- "We were never consult- ple only. Melvin Laboucan LITTLE BUFFALO, Alta. ed. I don't like the way and his common -law wife Bemard is running things. Doris Noskey, who are both The tension in Little He has his own little clan Treaty Indians, claim his Buffalo is reaching danger- and he plays favourites. family "is the lowest on the ous proportions and some He's a dictator. Maybe if totem pole" and isn't receiv- suspect there may be vio- we had a new chief things ing the same equal local lence. would be different. Old employment opportunities Despite a seemingly Chief Laboucan 'Maska- as families supporting the quiet community atmo- muchas' was good. I liked band. sphere, there is a bitter dis- him." A petition against the pute mounting against Metis trapper Peter road blockade and land Chief Bernard Ominayak Sawan, who is applying for claims negotiations was dis- and the land claim he is his treaty status under Bill tributed by Laboucan. He negotiating. C -3I legislation, feels the says he obtained 55 signa- The battle lines are being same way. He refused to tures from Metis, Non -Sta- drawn between some Little participate in the road tus and Treaty people. The Buffalo Metis, Treaty and blockade and resents deci- document was then sent to Non -Status people and the sions Ominayak is making Premier Getty. Lubicon nation's land claim because he claims the chief "We didn't want the road supporters. Some don't isn't consulting with the blockade because it would want to relocate to a com- community at large. He give us a bad name in town munity at Lubicon Lake. plans to stay put on his two - (Peace River)," says Labou- Others reject the concept of acre plot. can. living on a reserve fearing "Nobody's gonna move Ever since the road the loss of their freedom. me outta here. We were blocks were erected two And another sector want a born and raised here.