Calgary Mayor 'fears for Olympics': Klein meets with Lubicon chief

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Calgary Mayor Ralph Klein entered the frey between the Lubicon Lake band and the federal government by announcing he is writing a letter to External Affairs Minister Joe Clark demanding the government re-enter negotiations with the Lubicon Chief Bernard Ominiyak over the band's land claim.

After an hour-long meeting with Ominiyak and several representatives from Treaty 7, in Calgary's City Hall, March 12, Klein said he had requested the meeting with Ominiyak because he "has fears for the 1988 Calgary Olympic Winter Games."

"It seems unfair that the City of Calgary should be the battleground for this dispute," said Klein. "But I suppose it's the only place where the Olympics are being held."

Klein quickly added that he does not support the boycott of the Calgary Winter Games which was called by the Lubicon Lake band over their land claim which has been in dispute for almost 50 years.

Klein explained that he is calling upon the Minister of External Affairs rather than the Minister of Indian Affairs, Bill McKnight because he feels that the Lubicon boycott has now become an international concern.

"Many people from overseas are asking about the boycott and also Joe Clark is a member of Parliament for Alberta and lives close to Calgary," he added.

Klein will also be in close contact with OCO (Olympiques Calgary Olympics) and added that the recent proposal by some officials within OCO to incorporate an Indian war dance and wagon-torching exhibition during the opening ceremonies was "unfortunate".

"I think that we have all got to become more sensitive to these kinds of issues. They can really hurt relations between Indian people and non-Indian people."

In a press conference after the meeting with Lubicon Chief Bernard Ominiyak announced that the meeting with Klein went well but pointed out that the boycott will go ahead.

"In the end the boycott is up to the federal government. They should re-enter negotiations with us on our reserve lands," he said.

Several reporters asked Ominiyak if he was being unfair to the Calgary people by "spoiling" the Olympic Games. However, Ominiyak pointed out that the Lubicon Lake band has been in negotiation with the federal government for almost 50 years and yet they were still no nearer to a solution.

"If it is a question of hurting people, what about the oil companies who destroy our lands or the provincial government who skuttle every discussion we have had with the federal government?" said Ominiyak.

In an earlier news report, Ralph Klein had expressed concern that supporters of the Lubicon Lake band would skuttle the planned torch relay across Canada by blockading roads that run through reserves. However, Ominiyak refused to elaborate on this plan or any future plans to bring the Lubicon land claim to the publics' attention.

"We haven't spelled out what we are planning. And we are not sure of what we are going to do. We are going to use every opening we can."

Klein added that neither he nor the band have any future plans to meet again. However, he added that he will be keeping in touch with the band.