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The Aboriginal Newspaper of British Columbia & Yukon
Published October 13, 1998
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Cree man's cross-country It was all smiles for Andrew Merasty when he arrived in North Vancouver on Sept. 15. It was the end of a 5,800 km cross-country trip that started in Halifax on June 14. Merasty, a member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, was welcomed to Squamish territory by hereditary Chief Bill Williams. Merasty's parents were also on hand to greet their boy. Photo credit: Ronald B. Barbour |
DIAND firefighting criticized by Yukon First Nation
by Brigitte D. ParkerNisga'a Agreement Blacked-out by newspaper publisher
by Rob McKinleyIndigenous Games confirmed for Fargo
by Terry LustyCree man's cross-country bike ride ends in Squamish territory
by Ron B. BarbourElder abuse does exist - column
by Gil LeratNo "Black-out" in this paper - Editorial
By Paul BarnsleyNews in brief:
CUPE local calls for Gustafsen inquiry
Province releases consultation guidelines
Here is a full list of additional stories featured in the October, 1998 issue of Raven's Eye. If you are not receiving your own copy of Raven's Eye, then you have missed all this information.
Most Reverend Celebrant Archbishop Adam Exner was on hand Saturday, Sept. 12, on the Mission Reserve #1 to bless St. Paul's Indian Church, the oldest wooden structure in the lower mainland.
Located in Squamish territory in North Vancouver, St. Paul's Indian Church has been serving its congregation for more than 100 years. Built in 1884, the church has gone through as large a number of changes as the number of people who have gone there to worship.
The grounds the church stands on has been as meticulously cared for as the church itself. The church yard is replete with many beautiful plants and floral arrangements and ponds complete with a bridge. The landscaping is not just esthetically pleasing but rife with symbolism.
The Celebration of Creation ceremony featured Dennis Joseph as Master of Ceremonies, a performance of Aya Y Ylh (song) by Rene and Maurice Nahanee as well as a performance of Khot La Cha (Chief Simon Baker Song) by the Nahanees along with the Squamish Nation Youth.
CUPE local calls for Gustafsen inquiryHow does the RCMP's dousing of APEC protesters with pepper spray merit an inquiry when the spraying of Aboriginal protesters with machine gun fire at Gustafsen Lake doesn't, asked the majority of members of Local 50 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees in a letter to the British Columbia premier on Aug. 26.
The letter, signed by local President John Burrows, states "whereas the Ts'peten defenders Wolverine and OJ Pitawanakwat continue to be held as political prisoners as a result of their defensive actions against the paramilitary invasion of sacred, unceded Shuswap territory . . . be it therefore resolved that CUPE Local 50 supports the call for a public inquiry and urges others in the labor movement to join this call. We further call for the release of those Ts'peten defenders still imprisoned."
The letter also suggests there might have been a "smear and disinformation" campaign intended "to demonize the Sundance Camp occupants" mounted by "the state and certain officials" and argues that only a public inquiry will get to the truth of the matter.
Also included in the letter is a copy of AFN resolution 19/97 which also calls for an inquiry, saying "excessive force" was employed by authorities at Gustafsen Lake and at Ipperwash Provincial Park, where protester Dudley George was shot dead by a police officer.
Province releases consultation guidelinesThe policy that provincial government officials will follow in complying with the Delgamuukw decision was released in late September.
It is available on the internet under press releases for the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs.
While counselling all officials to admit nothing, ("In carrying out consultation activities, it is important that staff do NOT explicitly or implicitly confirm the existence of Aboriginal title," a section, printed in bold type and labeled "Important," reads, "The question before decision makers is to identify the POTENTIAL for Aboriginal title in the area in question.") the document nevertheless seems to grudgingly concede that the province has a duty to determine the existence of Aboriginal title before action is taken in developing or otherwise making use of land.
Officials are told that the Supreme Court of Canada has imposed a duty on the Crown to infringe on Aboriginal titled land only if the infringement is "in furtherance of a legislative objection that is compelling and substantial."
The policy also states that the Crown has a fiduciary obligation to involve Aboriginal people in decisions taken with regards to land to which Aboriginal title exists.
Cree man's cross-country bike ride ends in Squamish territory
By Ronald B. Barbour
Raven's Eye Writer
NORTH VANCOUVER
Hardly looking like someone who had just completed a 5,800 km bike ride across Canada, Andrew Merasty pulled into Ambleside Park on the afternoon of Sept. 15 looking quite spirited and healthy.
Originally from Pelican Narrows in Saskatchewan, Merasty, an 18-year-old member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, began his journey on June 14 and cycled for 65 days. His sojourn was initially a solo undertaking until a friend hooked up with him in Calgary. They rode together until they reached Salmon Arm where Merasty says his friend "ran out of juice."
Although he states his accomplish could send a message to the kids of the north, Merasty comments he did the journey for his own satisfaction. The goals he had set for himself, Merasty said, "were to keep himself out of trouble, condition himself, and to complete his trip across Canada."
Merasty was welcomed to Squamish territory by Squamish Hereditary Chief Bill Williams and Bob Baker who welcomed him with an honor song in commendation for his accomplishment.
The first task fulfilled by Merasty upon his arrival to the waters of the West Coast was to throw a child's tooth into the drink. This tooth belonged to a child of a friend he had met in Mohawk territory.
While talking about his plans for the future, Merasty said he's not going home just yet - he wants to travel south.
Nisga'a agreement Blacked-out by newspaper publisher
By Rob McKinley
Raven's Eye Writer
VANCOUVER
The Assembly of First Nations wants British Columbia publishing magnate David Black to make some room on his mantle for an annual journalistic "booby prize."
Black, who owns three companies that control 60 newspapers in British Columbia and one Alberta newspaper, (and who recently gained control of former Thompson dailies in Penticton and Kelowna) told his editors that any editorials and opinions in their papers on the Nisga'a Final Agreement can only contain anti-treaty sentiment.
Canada, British Columbia and the Nisga'a Tribal Council initialed the final agreement earlier this summer. Nisga'a people are expected to vote on it in early November. The deal has been heralded as the first modern-day treaty in the province. Nisga'a people will receive a land claim settlement worth close to $200 million and the agreement provides for the other parties to recognize a form of Nisga'a self government. In exchange for that, the people must relinquish their Indian Act rights to be tax-exempt.
Black, who is no relation to Hollinger/Southam's Conrad Black, has also contracted book author Mel Smith to write eight columns detailing the background of the Nisga'a treaty process. Smith's articles will appear in all 60 newspapers, even those not writing editorials on the Nisga'a agreement.
Maurice Switzer, spokesman for the AFN, suggested a Canadian equivalent of an annual award handed out by the Native American Journalists Association, which spotlights words or deeds which reflect anti-Native sentiment, should be created to mark Black's decision.
"NAJA has the Columbus award," Switzer said. "Well, we don't have anything like that up here, but I think we have - in fact, I'm sure we have - a winner."
The AFN communications boss said he was serious. He said he planned to organize a special ceremony to present the award to Black.
But not all of the assembly's remarks on the issue were based in humor. National Chief Phil Fontaine held little back in his scathing response to the Black's initiative.
"We've been criticized for saying Indians are still targets of racism," said Fontaine, "but in recent months we've heard politicians deny our treaty rights, and media commentators contest our inherent right to self government. Now they're trying to deprive us of our right to free speech. If this isn't racism, I don't know what else to call it."
Black knew he was going to stir up a hornet's nest with his edict. He isn't, however, prepared to be called racist.
"I'm not against the Nisga'a people and I'm sure as hell not racist," he told Raven's Eye.
Black just wants people to realize that 90 days isn't enough time to decide on an agreement that will change Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal lives forever.
Members of the First Nations Summit feel that Black is abusing his right as a newspaper owner. An abuse that is being carried out at the expense of the Nisga'a people and everyone else who believes in free speech.
"It's as if we were back in the Wild West all over again," said Grand Chief Edward John, First Nations Summit Task Group member. "It is very troubling to think that many communities in B.C. which rely on these newspapers for objective journalism are being provided anything but when it comes to reporting on First Nations issues."
Black said the decision to insist that his own opinion be put into all the newspapers was a tough thing to do. He said he knows what the dangers of forcing an opinion on people can be. But in his mind, the Nisga'a agreement is not the best deal for the Nisga'a people or the province right now.
"It was tough. It's the first time in 23 years [in the newspaper industry] that I've done this," he said "The treaty as proposed now is not acceptable."
Black said the provincial government is pushing the agreement onto the Nisga'a people without the majority of the people knowing what the deal means. The non-Native people in the province haven't been educated enough on the deal or the background either, he said.
"The government is trying to force-feed it. They are selling it to the people with half truths, as opposed to educating the people about what's in it," he said.
A primary vehicle for the government's campaign to promote the Nisga'a agreement is with paid advertisements in the majority of Black's newspapers. Papers under his control have also printed opinion pieces in favor of the agreement from government sources.
Black said his actions are just a way to present the other side to the public.
"Let's get an educated public here. This is too complex and there's too many issues," he said.
Although he is against the current agreement, Black said he would like to see an agreement negotiated with the Nisga'a. He would like to see the negotiations on a new agreement start up soon after the current agreement is voted down.
"I'm not saying, 'Let's turn the clock back,'" he said. "We need to get this done as rapidly as possible and then get on with things."
If the Nisga'a agreement is voted down by the Nisga'a people, Black's 60 newspapers will again form a united front and lobby for those new negotiations, he said.
"It should be resolved and my papers will be at the forefront saying that this has to be resolved," he said.
The Canadian Association of Journalists has come down hard on Black, calling his actions an attempt to "censure open debate on the B.C. treaty-making process."
Black said he hasn't restricted news coverage of the agreement, just the opinion expressed on the editorial page.
Trudi Beutel, secretary for the Canadian Association of Journalists, said Black has gone too far in trying to influence an issue.
"Black is saying the public has the right to know only what he wants them to know," she said. "The opinion/editorial are his words . . . but what's the bigger picture," she asked. "How will Black's mandate affect letters to the editor? How will it affect how the reporters write their news stories. It's a trickle-down effect."
Boni Fox, a board of directors member of the Canadian Association of Journalists also said the "trickle-down effect" could taint the objectivity of the papers.
"It can't help but be a suppression of fair and balanced coverage on this issue," said Fox, a television reporter working with CBC in Vancouver.
Even if the papers can continue to write fair and objective articles on the treaty process, Fox said, the public may question their objectivity. She said Black's mandate could not only give those B.C. newspapers questionable credibility with the public, but could also give the whole journalism industry a black eye.
As one of the editors of a paper owned by Black said, "They'll be talking about this in journalism schools for years to come."
"I think it is not helping the industry any," said Fox, adding that many people already feel there is bias in the media. "Something like this can't be helping our cause at all."
Despite the concerns, Fox said Black's initiative may result in an ironic twist. She said that despite his insistence to express only anti-Nisga'a sentiment on his newspapers' editorial pages, his actions have focused a lot of attention on the Nisga'a Final Agreement.
That attention to the issue is just what Black wants.
His own opinion that the reserve system isn't working and hasn't for a hundred years is a part of his desire to turf the Nisga'a agreement.
He said the agreement is just a continuation of the reserve system. It will lead to more problems and more barriers between Native and non-Native people.
"You can't separate people based on their race or religion and give them a separate piece of geography," said Black, a firm believer in equality for all.
He said it will produce more ill-will between the two groups of people.
"It will feed racism for a long time," he said.
Although proponents of the agreement say it will break the reserve system, Black believes the treaty process will instead create "a society of 50 or 60 homelands in B.C.," further increasing the distance between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal cultures.
DIAND firefighting
criticized by Yukon First Nation
By Brigitte D. Parker
Raven's Eye Writer
WHITEHORSE
Photo Credit: Mario Villeneuve
Yukoners are still reeling from a record-breaking summer fire season as dry timber and high temperatures helped more than 195 forest fires consume 385,000 hectares of land, including many parcels designated under Yukon First Nation land claims.
Since May, the extreme burning conditions kept DIAND's Fire Management Branch busy as fires ignited and spread rapidly. A few wind-driven blazes incinerated large expanses of land close to communities and along scenic highways, heavily impacting the Little Salmon/Carmacks and the Kwanlin Dun First Nations.
Forests along both highways leading into the Village of Carmacks were blackened and burned, including three-quarters of the Little Salmon/ Carmacks Nation's biggest settlement land parcel. The Kwanlin Dun Nation lost an entire rural block and adjacent land to the Primrose Lake fire. As these First Nations survey the aftermath, many say not all was done to protect their traditional lands.
"As the fire started in Primrose, our concern was R-39, one of the rural blocks that was near the fire," said Kwanlin Dun Chief Joe Jack. "I understand that because it is not a priority zone, that R-block was completely burned. . . So right there, it raises a concern that the fire protection priority zones certainly work against the First Nations; because when you have a priority, the settlement lands are not part of that priority based on their location."
The head of fire management disagreed.
"We fight fires that are either in the action zone or out of it," said Gord Dumas. "We don't discriminate if they are settlement lands or non-settlement lands."
According to the territory's firefighting policy, fires are divided into action and observation zones. On detecting a fire, a crew investigates and assesses the direction it is likely to take. If the fire is threatening life, an infrastructure or valuable timber, resources are allocated to attack and steer the fire away from the identified value. If nothing stands in the fire's way, it will be monitored but left to burn.
Chris Noble, director of lands and resources for Little Salmon/ Carmacks First Nation, said he thinks the fires were left to burn because DIAND did not have the resources or money to continue fighting them. The Fire Management Branch's $6.5 million budget was spent by the end of June and total costs for the unusual 1998 firefighting season are estimated at over $20 million.
The effects of forest fires impact a First Nation's livelihood. Traditional trails have been lost, berry crops wiped-out, crucial wildlife habitat eliminated and future tourism opportunities gone up in smoke.
"The aesthetic component is gone," noted Noble. "Who wants to drive for a half hour through a fire killed area. That does slow down tourism."
Yet for Dumas, fires are a positive and natural part of the Yukon's ecosystem.
"It is creating changes to the landscape and renewing the forest so that you keep on with a diversity of habitats. Most of the time it is old forest that ends up burning, so you set the clock back and start with a new forest," he said, adding that fire has made the Yukon landscape what it is.
While the longer-term impact of the fires will be in waiting for nature to rejuvenate, they will also alter land claim negotiations.
"Land is selected based on a particular resource," explained Jack. "If a fire sweeps across that section of land, then that priority has changed."
In the meantime, both First Nations are planning to consult with the Canadian government on new firefighting priorities for next year. They will also be proposing training and resources for their communities' fire crews and seeking greater involvement in fire management decisions.
"There has to be a higher priority placed on settlement lands," said Jack. "I mean, that is the reason why we spent millions and millions of dollars and 25 years negotiating these parcels of land."
In September, in the wake of the fire season, the territorial government announced a $500,000 fund to assist Yukon communities to improve their fire safety. Eligible projects could include the reduction of brush and debris within communities as well plans to lower wild fire risks.
Indigenous Games confirmed for Fargo
By Terry Lusty
Raven's Eye Writer
FARGO, N.D.
Sources say the 1999 North American Indigenous Games will go ahead as planned in Fargo, North Dakota.
For what seemed the longest time, the location of the games was in doubt. The host organization had not met financial obligations that the NAIG council required to be in place by last spring. When the deadline passed, Fargo had less than one-quarter of the required funding in place. An extension was granted, then it was extended again from mid-summer, until October.
The reprieves paid off. While it will not be official until an Oct. 10 meeting, everything appears far better than before according to Mike Hawpetoss, the games chairman.
He said the hosts have raised $1.5 million. Although that only amounted to about half of what was needed, there have been some recent developments that change the picture. One happens to be the fact that at least two reservation-operated casinos have stepped forward and made a commitment to the games, Hawpetoss said.
Therefore, being under-budget is not the threat it once was and the potential of further cuts to the overall number of contestants is far less than it was a couple of months ago. That means the numbers will be all the more manageable and easier to accommodate.
Hawpetoss, from Wisconsin, assured Raven's Eye readers that the games will indeed happen and that they will occur at Fargo. His council continues to pursue additional revenue. The commitments from the casino operations encourages the Fargo chairman. He feels certain "there may be more," once the word gets out.
Up until this time, said Hawpetoss, the council limited the number of athlete entries to 5,000. These figures, theoretically, could change if the required money is not raised.
"They will not be cut back if we can help it," Hawpetoss said.
If more of the reservations do come through with contributions, it will most likely be from those that have casino operations, explained Hawpetoss. He feels so confident of acquiring the $3 million needed for the games that he is not reluctant to state that, "there will be no cuts to the number of athletes; that won't happen."
Ted Hodgson, the chef-de-mission for Alberta, said the 1999 version of the Indigenous Games is not going to be easy on the Canadian visitors, particularly in light of the low Canadian dollar.
Communities, he felt, are going to be scrambling to acquire all the money they will need for the games and one means of cutting corners, he suggested, is for those who are Treaty Indians to consider traveling as far as Winnipeg by train because Treaty Indians are entitled to a 50 per cent discount on trains to anywhere in Canada. From Winnipeg, they can either bus the remaining distance or rent a vehicle to travel the few hours it takes to get to Fargo.
At least, said Hodgson, it is not as bad as it may have been had the games gone to the alternate host community which was Norman, Oklahoma.
"Can you imagine the costs that would be incurred then?" he asked.
One of the main sites for the games will be the university campus in Fargo. Hawpetoss said Fargo is an "ideal community because it's centrally located for all the states and provinces."
In addition, he said, "there are enough facilities for
the games themselves because it is a university town." Always
one of the biggest highlights is the opening and closing ceremonies.
They'll be at the university as well.
By Gil Lerat
Raven's Eye Columnist
VANCOUVER
Tansi! Although last month, I stated that I would talk about Elder abuse in a future column, I decided that I would write about it this month while the images of the British Columbia Elders Gathering were still fresh in my mind.
Acknowledging the fact that Elder abuse exists in our communities has been difficult because there seems to be other pressing concerns that take up most of our communities' resources. Also, acknowledging the fact that a problem exists means questioning some of our community's most important values. Elders in our communities have special stature and it is inherent to our beings that we respect and honor our Elders. As we strive to go back to our traditional ways, acknowledging the fact that there may be abuse happening to our Elders is an area of concern for many traditionalists.
As I stated in last month's column, there seems to be the presence of denial in our communities when it comes to addressing and talking about Elder abuse. So, here is my attempt at addressing this issue.
A commonly accepted definition of abuse and neglect is any action/inaction that jeopardizes the health and well-being of an Elder. This mistreatment is perpetrated by a relative or another person in a position of trust.
The two most controversial areas of Elder abuse are neglect and financial abuse. According to an American study on abuse in the Native community, being left alone and neglected is the most frequent abuse experienced by older Native people.
Neglect is seen as occurring where a person has some form of responsibility to an older adult. There are a variety of concerns that have to be taken into account when someone is assumed to have responsibility, these being: 1) does the caregiver have sufficient resources, is he or she or mentally capable of caring for the Elder? (e.g.: can they afford to take care of the Elder); 2) are there underlying issues affecting the potential caregiver and Elder? (e.g.: was the Elder physically abusive to the caregiver earlier in life?) and; 3) physical environment of the care relationship (e.g.: a remote reserve).
With respect to financial abuse, the focus is typically on a) the consequences of the behavior on the Elder and b) whether or not the Elder has a "real choice" in the matter. The lack of choice typically comes from deception, theft or use of force. If the Elder is seen as "voluntarily sharing" his/her financial resources then this is not seen as financial abuse, even if the money was ill spent. The real question is "real choice."
These are other types of abuse, such as physical, psychological, sexual, spiritual, as well as the violation of rights of the Elder. People in our communities have pointed out that the factors in abuse and neglect in Elders are often the same as abuse and neglect for women and children: poverty, substance abuse and high unemployment. Family violence is considered commonplace in Native communities. A cycle of violence is not inevitable, as I stated before, but the cycle continues until it is broken.
Also, just because the violence may be commonplace, silence condones the behavior. Factors such as a culture in transition, small knit communities, social engineering (keeping Native people on reserves), lack of resources and distrust of authorities all facilitate abuse in the Native communities.
In conclusion, the purpose of my column this month is to aid in bringing awareness to some of our communities with respect to Elder abuse. Our Elders are invaluable. As we begin to go back to our grassroots, some of our Elders are our only connection to the traditional way of life. They have so much to give us with respect to every part of life. We have to value, cherish and honor them with respect.
Until next month . . .
By Paul Barnsley
Raven's Eye Editor
Those who care about journalism will long debate what happened this month when publisher David Black decided to manipulate the content of his newspapers in order to present a more effective opposition to the Nisga'a agreement.
Black's move has made it even more important to talk about bias in the press.
Newspapers all have biases, or at least lean in one direction or another. There are liberal leaning, conservative leaning papers. But there is still a professional obligation to present all sides of an issue.
Black didn't make the order in some secret internal memo that the reading public wasn't intended to know about. But his order is still a form of censorship and it's censorship of one side in a political debate. We believe, and most serious thinkers on the state of the news gathering business agree, that a paper loses credibility if it only shows one side of an issue. At some point, a publisher crosses the line between news and propaganda when he or she starts manipulating the content of the editorial section.
It's a dangerous line that Black is straddling. A little bit of censorship is almost always the thin edge of the wedge. As experienced reporters know at least as well as most people, those in positions of public trust with a certain amount of power can be easily tempted to take steps to avoid having people looking over their shoulders. That means politicians, bureaucrats and, yes, newspaper publishers and senior editors.
With other news this month that public servants are being fired or demoted - even sued - for revealing the people's business to the people, it's important to remind ourselves that a great many of the biggest blunders committed by governments in this country were politically motivated, made behind closed doors and make very little sense to someone who is naive enough to believe that our elected leaders are supposed to do what's best for us.
The residential school fiasco, for example, will eventually cost the taxpayers billions because a wrong-headed, racist attitude led to shameful policies which were never debated in a public forum where the people could decide if they approved of what was being done on their behalf.
Dissenting voices are crucial to arriving at wise decisions. Openness is mandatory if one wants real democracy to exist. Some of the most notoriously stupid moves have been plotted in private by one or two people with pressing short-term political needs.
For example: We didn't get the option to vote "Yeah or Nay" on the issue of coddling a dictator at last year's APEC summit. The politicians and/or bureaucrats made that decision on the people's behalf. The big questions, of course, are "Why?" and "Who made the decision?"
It took a while for the mainstream press to warm up to the issue, but now it appears they may actually hold the prime minister's feet to the fire on this one.
And maybe it's about time the big hitters in the newspaper business took a run at the way Canadian governments conduct their business. Any reporter who covers Aboriginal affairs for any length of time will tell you that Canada isn't the free and open country that many Canadians believe it is. Access to government information is still hit-and-miss, as is real accountability. There is still a very colonial attitude amongst this country's leaders towards the right of regular people to know what their governments are up to. The American republic's greater respect for the average citizen's right to know is viewed as somewhat vulgar by the Canadian establishment which seems to believe you have to go along to get along. And yes, the Nisga'a deal, if ratified, is a blow to the B.C. establishment who, it just happens, are major advertising clients for newspapers such as those owned by Mr. Black. We wonder if anybody in the Black chain is working on that story.