Treaty 6 wants 'nation-to-nation' talks

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SADDLE LAKE - Treaty Indians called for Canada to renew the bilateral relationship it has with Indian governments at the Treaty Six Assembly held here November 14 and 15.

The meeting saw about 75 chiefs, Elders and delegates from several Alberta and Saskatchewan Indian bands gather to review and talk on Indian matters.

The meeting indicated a firm resolve to press for a nation-to-nation relationship based on the spirit and intent of Treaty 6 made in 1876.

Delegate after delegate repeated the call for the strengthening of the bilateral link to the Crown in right of Canada, regardless of the outcome of the upcoming First Ministers final talk on Aboriginal self-government next April.

Indian sovereignty was recognized by the British Crown by the making of Treaty 6 with Indian nations, said several chiefs and Elders.

"We are a sovereign nation," as recognized by the 1763 Royal Proclamation by Britain and the following treaties the British made with Indians, said Chief Andrew Paddy of the Thunderchild Indian band.

The prime minister, 10 provincial premiers and two territorial leaders will meet with Aboriginal leaders to discuss the rights of Aboriginal people next year.

The April 1987 meeting will be the last of four meetings called for under the 1982 Canada Act, to define and entrench Aboriginal and Treaty rights in the Canadian Constitution.

Along with self-government, other topics discussed included band authority over band membership, government actions affecting Treaty Indian governments and similar experiences of other indigenous peoples throughout the world.

Hosting Chief Eugene Houle reported on a recent offer by Indian Affairs Minister Bill McKnight to pursue non-constitutional means towards addressing Treaty Indian concerns.

In a letter last August to Treaty Indian leaders, McKnight proposed several means towards more recognition of Indian governments.

Increased band bylaw-making powers and economic development may be accommodated within the existing legal and political limits of the Indian Act and other government legislation, offered McKnight.

Chief Walter Twinn of the Sawridge Band gave an update on the court challenge to Bill C-31 by six Alberta Indian bands.

Bill C-31 amends the Indian Act in order to reinstate persons who had lost Treaty Indian status by marriage to non-Indians or by enfranchisement. The federal government has given Indian bands until April 1987 to make up their own membership codes. After that deadline, the federal government will impose membership codes on bands that do not have any in place.

The Indians have won round one, reported Chief Twinn, after court justices decided that the plaintiff bands have an arguable case to present. The federal government tried to quash court proceedings on the case by saying that the bands did not have an arguable case, said Chief Twinn.

Other chiefs agreed with Twinn that control over band membership is included in the powers of Indian self-government. Bill C-31, is seen by the chiefs as a violation of Indian rights to self-government, guaranteed by Treaty.

Violation of Treaty 6 constitutes a violation of international law, because the treaty is an international treaty, said Elder and statesman John Tootoosis.

Bill Wahpepah, board member of the International Treaty Council (IITC) supported Canadian Indian Treaty efforts to secure their rights in his address to the Treaty 6 assembly.

The IITC work with indigenous people of Aotearoa (New Zealand), Pacific Islands, Mexico, and North, Central and South America.

"We have to take the issue of Indian treaty rights to the international level," said Wahpepah.

He explained that the IITC is an international organization, based in San Francisco, California, which advocates for the human rights of indigenous nations around the world. Wahpepah described the similarities in the political situation experienced by Canadian and American Indian people.

The United States is constantly chipping away t treat rights and the same thing is happening in Canada, with a little variance in methods, according to Wahpepah.

"They want the destruction of Indian nations," said Wahpepah.

He added that Bill C-31 of Canada is similar to the American government regulation of recognizing the status of Indian people by how much Indian blood runs through their veins.

The blood quantum regulation is contrary to treaty provisions and is used to reduce the number of status Indians that are eligible for government paid health care services," said Wahpepah.

Wahpepah urged Canadian Treaty nations to continue their efforts to get recognition of their rights.

U.S. and Canadian governments hate to see Indian people get stronger in spite

of all that has happened to them. That is why they place obstacles, laws and deadlines against our survival efforts, said Wahpepah.

A report accompanied with a slide presentation on the situation of Indian people on Nicaragua was given by Allan Jacob of the Cold Lake First Nations.

There are 110 million Indian people included in countries in North, Central and south America, reported Jacob.

Indians are not alone in Canada in their present political situation. Other indigenous people are suffering under more desperate conditions, said Jacob, and showed slides to expose the visible poverty conditions Nicaraguan Indians live under.

Jacob was part of a Treaty Six delegation that attended an international symposium on autonomy in Nicaragua. The delegation went there to obtain first hand information on the progress of talks between Indian leaders and the Sandinista government. The talks are on establishing autonomy for indigenous people of the Atlantic coast of the Central American country.

Indian leaders and bands within the Treaty 6 area will continue to solidify unity to pursue a bilateral relationship with the federal government, said Chief Houle in closing the meeting.