Page 5 Chatter - September

ON AUG. 30 A COURT SAID THE
suspension of Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Grand Chief Guy Lonechild was unlawful and the non-confidence vote the organization had planned for Sept. 1 could not go ahead. Lonechild had been under siege since a conviction in March on drunk driving charges. Complaints came from some chiefs in the FSIN that Lonechild failed to disclose the charges during his election campaign in 2009. On Aug. 4 an executive committee of the FSIN suspended the leader, but Lonechild fought back. Court of Queen’s Bench Judge Ronald Mills ruled that the executive committee overstepped its authority denying Lonechild “the basic principles of natural justice.” Mills said there was confusion over the process that saw Lonechild suspended and some voiced their concerns about that confusion at the time. However, the judge said it was obvious from material and comments made that there was a personal agenda being pursued that pushed the suspension forward. “The importance of this process to the FSIN .. .and to all First Nations individuals throughout the province should have made those responsible for the process to be vigilant in ensuring that it was conducted fairly and impartially with respect to all those involved,” said the judge. He didn’t, however, rule that Lonechild should keep his job. He said the FSIN could challenge Lonechild’s leadership again, but in accordance with the organizations own rules and regulations.

POSTMEDIA NEWS REPORTS THAT THE
sixties scoop has sparked a class-action lawsuit against the federal government. Regina lawyer Tony Merchant, a major player in the residential school compensation agreement, filed the suit representing about 57 plaintiffs. The suit could attract thousands more, however, who were adopted out allegedly under spurious circumstances. Merchant said the Adopt Indian Metis (AIM) program took Aboriginal children away from their families and communities and placed them in non-Aboriginal homes, with many children sent great distances away, even over the border into the United States. Merchant alleges it was part of a well-publicized effort to assimilate these children who were “forced to be white.” Some suffered physical or sexual abuse. The suit seeks unspecified damages for such things as loss of sense of family, suppression of culture, and emotional or physical trauma.

OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE
new as the Bearspaw First Nation (Alberta) chief and council are swept out of power. Former chief David Bearspaw had come to national attention when he endeavored to put forward new electoral guidelines that would have postponed this year’s election, extending his own term in power from two to four years. Community members challenged him in court and the election went forward, with the result being the community’s rejection of all the re-election bids of the incumbents. Darcy Dixon, who held the chief’s position before Bearspaw came along in 2008, was returned to power with 327 votes to 222. Rod Hunter, Farrel Holloway, Keith Lefthand and Rex Daniels are councillors. These folks will now have to deal with the $400,000 in legal bills left from the challenge.

THE DAILY GLEANER IS REPORTING THAT
New Brunswick will return more than $3 million in tobacco fuel and taxes collected from Tobique First Nation members. Councillor Paul Pyres said the taxes collected violated Section 87 of the Indian Act. Pyres led negotiations for the nation with the province on the issue, and says the band had been fighting the tax for 12 years. While Tobique was looking at $11 million in compensation dating back to 1954, a province-imposed six-year statutory limit capped the amount at just over $3 million. “We could have fought it in court, but we would have ended up with the same outcome we have now after lawyer bills and the time that the legal argument takes,” he told the paper.

CHIEF JACKIE THOMAS OF THE
Saik’uz First Nation in Vanderhoof said her doubts about the “true intentions” of the Missing Women’s Inquiry led by Wally Oppal, former BC attorney general, has grown in recent months. “Commission staff have left me with the impression that they are more interested in being seen to have consulted with First Nations leaders than actually meeting with the families who have lost relatives,” she told the Vancouver Sun. She said the commission traveled to northern British Columbia ahead of the Sept. 12 start date to meet and greet First Nations leaders. It then held separate meetings with northern community mayors. “We will not be part of redwashing this commission to justify its existence or aid its search for palatable answers,” Thomas said in a statement. And she said the commission is not welcome in her community. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council and the Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of B.C. said they would not participate in the inquiry without government funding for lawyers.  The government, however, will only fund lawyers representing the families of the victims of serial killer Robert Pickton. The inquiry will attempt to understand why it took so long to catch Pickton and bring him to justice for the slaying of 27 women from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.