Peigans spurn $64.3 million government deal

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A multi-million-dollar settlement that would have seen money go into education and business programs, as well as address issues surrounding water on the Peigan Nation, was turned down by membership in a close vote.

With a little more than one-third of the 3,100 Peigan membership casting ballots Nov. 28 and 29, the result was 533 voted against the $64. 3 million settlement with the federal and provincial governments and 511 voted in favor; one ballot was spoiled and 10 were classified as improper.

The low turn out, said Velma Day Chief, office manager with Peigan Economic Development, was in part the result of inclement weather. As well, information mailed out to members in the United States never reached them.

"We were receiving phone calls (the week before the vote) that residents in the United States still hadn't received their packages," said Day Chief.

"It's a sad day for the Peigan Nation," said band councillor Brian Jackson, who served as chairman for the negotiating team.

Jackson blames the failure of the settlement's ratification on in-fighting by council and four or five councillors in particular actively campaigning against the settlement.

"Members of council were advocating for a no vote up to the day of the ballot," said Jackson.

Jackson claims the opposing councillors criticized the amount of information available to allow membership to make an educated decision.

Band councillor Albertine Crow Shoe said, "I couldn't even say this agreement was good because of the time we were given. We needed more information; we needed to see and understand the whole picture of the settlement agreement."

But there were 22 information meetings held in the space of 30 days, with multiple meetings taking place in Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge and on the reserve. Smaller meetings were also held with family groups and administration.

Jackson also said that the opposing councillors chose not to be part of the negotiation team.

"They had their chance at the negotiation tables, at the drafting tables. They chose not to become informed," said Jackson. "The real issue was a personal issue. A lot of the members speaking very loud about a no vote had personal feelings against me or the chief (Peter Strikes With A Gun) or other councillors," he alleges.

What happens next is uncertain.

Jackson is hopeful that the vote was close enough that portions of the settlement will be salvaged.

"Hopefully we can pull off the business opportunities," he said, "the hydro project and the wind power project."

Outside partnerships and bank loans could make them possible. The band has an agreement in place with ATCO Power, which is installing a 32-megawatt generating plant at the Oldman River Dam, while Epcor is working with the Peigan Indian Utility Corporation for wind power, having already erected Weather Dancer 1. "Other projects require equity and money so they won't be able to happen," said Jackson.

The entire settlement, which would have seen $64.3 million delivered to the Peigan Nation over an eight-year period, as well as $1,000 given to each Peigan member, is now off the table. That means plans to create an education foundation and job opportunities have gone. "It's so discouraging," said Jackson. "I don't really know what the outlook is for the Peigans."

Plans had been to put $3.1 million into an education foundation, with 30 per cent of the ongoing payments going to the foundation and 25 per cent of profits generated from Peigan businesses also going into the foundation.

"The doors to the world would have been opened through the foundation," said Jackson, noting that more than 50 Peigan students won't be able to pursue post-secondary education this year because funding is not available through Indian Affairs.

Money was also to go towards employment.

"Job creation was one of the highest priorities in our overall objectives," said Jackson. "We were looking at creating an economy to cary us into the future, for if and whenself-government hit the Peigan Nation."

Jackson admits it's been a difficult time for him. "I feel like throwing in the towel," he said. "But I can't let the 511 who supported it down. I have to sit down with the federal and provincial negotiators and see what we can salvage."

Other issues addressed through the settlement included the Oldman River Dam and Lethbridge Northern Irrigation Headworks. The agreement guaranteed the flow of water to the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District and ensured appropriate measures were to be taken to protect the river valley. The governments had also agreed to follow up with an environmental impact assessment that would have identified how the Oldman River Dam affected the Peigan people's traditional, cultural and spiritual ways.

The settlement was announced in early November. Negotiations had been formally underway since 1994, but unofficially underway before then.

Band councillor Corbin Provost, whom Jackson said actively campaigned against the agreement, would not go on record to confirm or deny that.

"As a council, we need to take a united front," he said, though he wouldn't say what that would be.

Elders' social activism saved a college from closure

Rob McKinley, Sweetgrass Writer, Lac la Biche

In January 1969, a crowd of Aboriginal people forced the government to keep a trade school open in Lac La Biche. They organized a sit-in to force the federal government to maintain funding. More than 30 years later, those Aboriginal people were remembered for helping to preserve what is now Portage College in Lac La Biche.

Portage student Corey-Ann Morin's grandmother was one of the demonstrators.

"There were First Nation people, Metis people, everybody came together to keep the place open. There were people from Kikino, Buffalo Lake, Elinor Lake, Beaver Lake, from all over," said Morin.

In honor of her grandmother and the other Aboriginal supporters, Morin and the collge's Native awareness committee organized Spirit Week rom Nov. 12 to 17.

The special week featured speeches and presentations from community Elders along with activities for students, including a King and Queen of the Bush competition.

The idea behind the special week was to provide a pep rally and at the same time to honor the Elders who fought to preserve the college in its early days.

Back then, Portage was known as Alberta NewStart and offered courses that included trapping, wild fur management, oilfield management and general upgrading.

The place was only seven months old when the government pulled the funding. Led by the Elders, the community challenged the government.

William Erasmus, one of the organizers of the sit-in that forced the government to reconsider, spoke about the role the Elders played back then.

Erasmus and four others spent four days in the nation's capital. They returned with an assurance that the government would provide an annual grant of $160,000 to NewStart.

The school took on a new name, Pe-Ta-Pun, meaning "New Dawn," and was managed by a society made up of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community members.

The society kept the programs operating until 1973 when again the federal government halted funding.

This time, however, the Alberta government stepped in and took over operations, changing the name to Alberta Vocational College.

Two years ago, the college was re-named Portage College when the management of programs changed from provincially mandated to a board of governors.

The 30-year journey to where the college is today is in large part the result of the Aboriginal people who stood up for what they believed.

Spirit Week was organized to bring awareness to those contributions.

"A lot of our generation are starting to forget about our Elders," said Morin. "We are at the school, learning, because that's what they fought for. We owe them a lot."

Spirit Week wrapped-up with a community round dace, which drew more than 300 people into Lac La Biche's Jubilee Hall.

Doreen Beringuette, a Native counsellor at the college, helped organize the dance.

"The significance of the round dance is to bring the community together," she said. "It's to re-establish family ties and friendships, and to keep the community united."

The Spirit Week theme of honoring the efforts of the Elders is expected to be continued next year.

"We need to keep our generation in touch with our Elders," said Morin.