ANWA 'encouraged to split'

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Weaselchild bitter about government 'tactics'

"The government is deliberately trying to break the Alberta Native Womens' Association by using its "old tactics of divide and conquer," said an angry President Donna Weaselchild speaking before more than 30 delegates at the Region 5 annual general meeting April 5.

However, the government wasn't the only target of the president as Weaselchild also accused former president Loro Carmen of deliberately misleading delegates at the last provincial annual general meeting held in June last year at Edmonton's Continental Inn.

"I have documentation that will give you a clear picture of what is going on," Weaselchild said bitterly. "Loro (Carmen) reported that a line of credit had already been established last year. But after I was elected, I found that this had not been the case."

Weaselchild explained that because of lack of funds and because no line of credit had been applied for cheques, including pay cheques, bounced and ANWA was forced to lay off staff.

"When I started as president, we had creditors threatening ANWA at all times of the day and night. And now I feel that perhaps the government has done this deliberately. Perhaps we were getting too powerful for the governments' comfort," she added.

Weaselchild also accused Carmen of saying "that ANWA had folded."

"But the fact that you ladies are sitting here is proof that ANWA has not folded," she said.

Weaselchild told delegates that ANWA had been promised $100,000 last year in core funding from Secretary of State. However, the organization only received its first payment December 29, 1986.

"I will be sending you information packages which give you a breakdown for other organizations," said Weaselchild, "And you will find that they receive much more money than ANWA."

"I am disappointed that ANWA has been pinpointed by the government. The level of funding is not adequate in the first place."

Weaselchild placed the blame for lack of funding on the shoulders of Secretary of State, Regional Director Marc Arnal saying that after Loro Carmen was elected president in 1985 that "Marc approached board members saying as long as Loro was president he didn't want to fund us. He encouraged us to split."

"And again this year he is trying the same tactics. We need to inform the government that organizations they fund are supposed to be representative of all the women ? Treaty, Metis and non-status.

"Before an organization is funded they are supposed to have a track record. They are supposed to have priority before Secretary of State funds other organizations. They say (Secretary of State) that funds are limited. Yet a new organization (Women of the Metis Nation) was funded recently despite Secretary of State saying they had no money. They still found $25,000 for this new womens' group."

The assembly then went into an in-camera session and asked reporters to refrain from reporting. However, in a statement after the session, Weaselchild announced that further steps would be taken against former employees and former ANWA elected representatives.

Weaselchild was addressing delegates on the final day of a two day Annual General Meeting for Region 5. Region 5 of ANWA extends from Red Deer to just south of Calgary.

AT the time of going to press, Marc Arnal was not available for comment. Loro Carmen, who is currently marketing manager for the Cardston-based Indian News Media was elected president of ANWA in September, 1985 defeating former president Gloria Laird. Carmen was also unavailable for comment.