IAA rejects Meech lake

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Alberta Indians have unanimously rejected the Meech Lake accord.

And they let Prime Minister Brian Mulroney know it.

The Indian Association of Alberta at its annual assembly June 5-7 sent Mulroney a telex expressing "total rejection of your government's effort to pass Meech Lake without due consideration of the First Nations of the Country."

The IAA, representing Alberta's 65,000 status Indians, called the first minister's Meech Lake marathon in Ottawa an "embarrassing and a total abrogation" of Canada's responsibility to Indians.

"By ignoring Indian First Nations, Canada's actions are totally reprehensible," said the telex to Mulroney and federal opposition leaders.

The IAA message to Mulroney said "the efforts of your first ministers is considered to be a weak effort and an afterthought to appease First Nations.

"Your personal efforts for the First Nations was clearly evident by its absence and we find this insulting."

It concluded by saying "the Indian Association of Alberta hereby denounces your government's determined effort to cater to the province of Quebec."