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content: UNION OF B.C. INDIAN CHIEFS SPECIAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY INDIAN SURVIVAL STATE OF EMERGENCY MAY 14th and 15th, 1981. AT THE VANCOUVER INDIAN CENTRE, 160 7 EAST HASTINGS STREET, VANCOUVER, B. C. I N D I A N I D E O L O G Y SPEECH BY GEORGE MANUEL AT THE SIXTH SPECIAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY UNION OF B . C . INDIAN CHIEFS MAY 14TH & 15TH, 1981 MR. CHAIRMAN, ELDERS, CHIEFS, COUNCILLORS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TRUDEAU'S RESOLUTION TO PATRIATE THE CANADIAN CONSTITUTION, B . C . A . ACT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE 40% OF CANADA'S LAND BASE THAT HAS NOT BEEN SURRENDERED TO ENGLAND OR TO THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT THROUGH ANY KIND OF CONTRACT, CONSENT, OR TREATY, THAT IS BASICALLY WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE TAKE OUR LEGAL ACTION TO ENGLAND. THE LEGAL RESEARCH BY OUR LAWYERS SHOW ALL THE TREATY AGREEMENTS HAS BEEN ALL WITH BRITAIN AND THE ONLY RESPONSIBILITY CANADA HAS TO THE INDIANS IS TO ADMINISTER THAT INDIAN - QUEEN CONNECTION, THAT CONSTITUTIONAL RELATIONSHIP, OR THE CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT IS TO THE INDIANS OF CANADA. THAT IS WHY BRITAIN WANTS TO GET OFF THE HOOK AS EASY AND AS PAINLESS AS POSSIBLE. THIS IS WHY THEY WOULD' LIKE TO SEE THE CONSTITUTION PATRIATED WITHOUT INDIAN INVOLVEMENT. I HAVE A FEELING THAT THIS IS THE LAST BIG BATTLE FOR THE INDIAN PEOPLE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, OUR FOREFATHERS HAVE FOUGHT IT AND NOT ONE OF THEM ARE ALIVE THAT STARTED THIS BATTLE. I JUST MENTIONED THIS HISTORY TO POINT OUT HOW OLD THIS FIGHT IS THAT HAS BEEN RAGING BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND OUR PEOPLE. I APPEALED TO THE NLSHGA'S WHEN I WAS UP AT THEIR CONVENTION IN 1977. I SAID THE ONLY REASON YOU HAVE LAND CLAIMS OR ABORIGINAL RIGHTS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA TODAY IS BECAUSE OUR FOREFATHERS HAD THE VISION AND THE WISDOM NOT TO SIGN AWAY OR COMPROMISE OR MAKE AN AGREEMENT TO SELL THEM, ABORIGINAL RLGHTS IS NEVER SOLD ANYWHERE.IN THE WORLD, A LOT OF THEIR ELDERS CAME AND TALKED TO ME AND TOLD ME THAT THEY REALLY APPRECIATED WHAT I HAD SAID. - 2 - DIFFERENT GROUPS HAVE TRAVELLED TO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD, THEY NEVER SOLD THEIR IDEOLOGY, THE FOUNDATION OF THEIR ABORIGINAL RIGHTS, THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA'S POLICY IS TO ONLY RECOGNIZE ABORIGINAL RIGHTS IF YOU SELL IT TO US, WE WILL NOT RECOGNIZE ABORIGINAL RIGHTS UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED TO SELL IT TO US, IF YOU ARE PREPARED TO SELL IT TO u s , THEN WE'LL RECOGNIZE ABORIGINAL RIGHTS AND WE'LL SIT DOWN AND NEGOTIATE WITH YOU, THAT IS NOT WHAT WE'RE SAYING, WE WANT OUR ABORIGINAL RIGHTS TO BE BROADENED AND STRENGTHENED, AND AS OUR LAST BATTLE APPROACHES, IN OUR LAST BIG STRUGGLE, WE HAVE FAR MORE INFORMATION. WE KNOW THEIR SYSTEM, FAR BETTER THAN OUR FOREFATHERS KNEW IT, BUT WE HAVE LOST A LARGE PART OF OUR INDIAN VALUES, OUR FOREFATHERS HAD A FAR GREATER WISDOM AND VISION THAT WE HAVE NOW. THEY WERE RELIGIOUSLY COMMITTED TO OUR IDEOLOGY ON THE USE OF OUR LAND. BACK IN 1956, THE DEPARTMENT OF INDIAN AFFAIRS BROUGHT US TOGETHER FOR A MEETING, INDIAN PEOPLE WERE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT WE WERE NOT TAKING OR SPENDING THE B , C , SPECIAL VOTE OF $100,000 PER YEAR AND THEY ASKED US HOW THEY SHOULD SPEND IT, TH IS WAS THE INTRODUCTION OF THE EVILS OF GOVERNMENT MONEY AND GOVERNMENT CONTROL OVER INDIAN LIVES, INDIANS UP TO THIS TIME REFUSED TO TOUCH GOVERNMENT MONIES, HALF OF THE INDIANS IN THAT MEETING SAID, DON'T TOUCH THAT MONEY BECAUSE IF WE DO, THE GOVERNMENT WILL INTERPRET THAT TO MEAN THAT WE'VE ACCEPTED PAYMENT FOR OUR LAND IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, AT THAT POINT IN TIME, HALF OF OUR INDIAN NATIONS DIDN'T WANT TO TOUCH GOVERNMENT MONIES AT ALL AND THE OTHER HALF INSISTED THAT THE $100,000 PER YEAR B . C . SPECIAL VOTE BE DISTRIBUTED ON A PER CAPITA BASIS TO ALL INDIANS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, THE DEPARTMENT OF INDIAN AFFAIRS - 3 - LISTENED TO THE INDIANS THAT WANTED A PER CAPITA DISTRIBUTION, THE LATE ANDY PAUL FOUGHT HARD WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE OTHER HALF OF THE INDIAN PEOPLE TO ESTABLISH AN INDIAN BANK OF B . C . TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE INDIANS FOR INDIANS. THE DEPARTMENT OF INDIAN AFFAIRS SCOFFED AT THIS PROPOSAL. THEY SAID THAT WE WERE NOT COMPETENT TO HAVE A BANK. AND NOW WE FIGHT OVER PER CAPITA FUNDING TO BANDS IN THIS DAY AND AGE IN 1981. YET IN THE MID-FIFTIES THE WHOLE INDIAN NATIONS WOULDN'T TOUCH GOVERNMENT FUNDS. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO TOUCH IT BECAUSE IT WAS TABOO. THEY WOULD ONLY USE THEIR OWN FUNDS, AND NOW WE ARE AT THE STAGE WHERE WE ARE FIGHTING OVER GOVERNMENT FUNDS, I AM NOT SAYING YOU SHOULDN'T TAKE IT, I AM SAYING THAT FIGHTING AND COMPETING FOR GOVERNMENT FUNDS WITH EACH OTHER IS NOT PRODUCTIVE POLITICALLY FOR OUR PEOPLE, BY CONDUCTING OUR POLITICAL ACTIONS IN THIS MANNER, WE HAVE ACCEPTED THE INSTITUTIONAL LAWS OF CANADA. YOU HAVE PRETTY WELL SAID TO YOURSELF, NOT HAVING TO SAY IT OUT LOUD, I HAVE NO ABORIGINAL RIGHTS, MY ABORIGINAL RIGHTS IS MONEY NOW, WITH THAT NOTE I WISH TO SAY THAT WE MUST NOT USE GOVERNMENT FUNDS TO FIGHT THIS BATTLE, I HAVE THE B E L I E F , WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN OUR PEOPLE, ALWAYS COME ACROSS WITH THE MONEY TO CARRY ON WITH OUR BATTLES WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, OUR IDEOLOGY IS NOT MONEY, OUR IDEOLOGY IS TIED TO OUR INDIAN RELIGIONS, WE'VE GOT TO BRING OUR RELIGION BACK TO L I F E , OUR IDEOLOGY AND RELIGION RESPECTS ALL LIFE, IF YOUR GRANDFATHERS AND GRANDMOTHERS HAVE TAUGHT YOU, YOU WILL KNOW FROM THEIR TEACHINGS THAT EVEN AS MAN HAS LIFE, AIR AND SUN HAVE LIFE, TREES HAVE LIFE, DEER AND MOOSE HAVE LIFE, OUR RELIGIONS TEACH US THAT flOTHER EARTH IS THE GIVER OF ALL LIFE, INCLUDING OUR OWN LIFE, WE CANNOT LIVE BY OTHER PEOPLES RELIGION AND - 4 - EXPECT TO SURVIVE AS NATIONS OF PEOPLE, THE SECOND IMPORTANT FACT OF OUR IDEOLOGY IS OUR"LANGUAGES, WE HAVE TO REVIVE OUR LANGUAGES, MOST OF US IN NORTH AMERICA AND AROUND THE WORLD HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT THIS IS A PRIORITY OF ANY NATION OF PEOPLE, IF A NATION WANTS TO SURVIVE, THEY MUST PRESERVE AND STRENGTHEN THEIR LANGUAGES, IF WE ARE HONEST, SINCERE AND COMMITTED TO RETAINING OUR IDENTITY AS NATIONS OF INDIAN PEOPLE, THEN WE MUST BRING OUR LANGUAGES INTO USE, AS PART OF OUR IDEOLOGY, OTHERWISE WE WILL DISAPPEAR AS A RACE AND NATION OF PEOPLE. THE THIRD PART OF OUR INDIAN IDEOLOGY IS OUR LAWS, WE CANNOT LIVE BY OTHER NATIONS' LAWS, AND STILL EXPECT TO SURVIVE AS INDIAN PEOPLES OF INDIAN NATIONS WITH AND INDIAN CULTURAL IDENTITY, VERY FEW INDIAN PEOPLE TODAY ASSERT INDIAN LAWS IN OUR FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES, TRIBES AND NATIONS, THAT'S WHY WE'RE SLOWLY DYING AS NATIONS OF PEOPLE, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SLOWLY BECOMING ASSIMILATED, THAT'S WHY WE'RE SLOWLY BECOMING ABSORBED INTO THE INSTITUTIONS AND LAWS OF THE WHITEMAN, IT WILL CONTINUE UNTIL WE OURSELVES DECIDE TO REVIVE AND IMPLEMENT OUR INDIAN LAWS, OUR LAWS HAVE TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE AMONG OUR NATIONS OF INDIAN PEOPLE THROUGHOUT BRITISH COLUMBIA, AS THE FUNDAMENTAL BASES OF OUR IDEOLOGY IN OUR LIVES. I'LL TELL YOU WHY IDEOLOGY IS A FUNDAMENTAL INGREDIENT IN OUR L I F E , IN A LOT OF THE COUNTRIES IN SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA, INDIANS ARE THE MAJORITY AND YET THEY ARE NOT GOVERNING THEIR LIVES OR THEIR OWN COUNTRIES, THEY ARE GOVERNED BY THE MINORITY DESCENDANTS OF THE EUROPEAN PEOPLE AND ARE TREATED AS BEASTS OF BURDEN IN THEIR OWN HOMELANDS, THE GREAT SPIRIT PROVIDED US WITH OUR IDEOLOGY AND THE - 5 - WHITEMAN HAS SUCCEEDED IN MAKING US FORGET OUR OWN IDEOLOGIES THROUGH THEIR LAWS AND INSTITUTIONS, WE HAVE TO REVIVE OUR OWN IDEOLOGY AND DEVELOP OUR OWN LAWS AND INSTITUTIONS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF OUR OWN IDEOLOGY, THE IDEOLOGY USED IN THE CANADIAN PUBLIC EDUCATION IS DESIGNED TO ENTRENCH IN THE MINDS OF OUR CHILDREN - THE RELIGION, LANGUAGE, LAWS AND VALUES OF THE WHITEMAN, IT IS DESIGNED TO SERVE THE STATE OE THE GOVERNMENT OF THIS COUNTRY, THE GRADE SCHOOLS THAT OUR CHILDREN GO TO, THE NURSERIES, KINDERGARTENS, PRIMARY, ELEMENTARY, SECONDARY SCHOOLS, AND UNIVERSITIES; THEY ALL HAVE A FORMALIZED FORM OF EDUCATION THAT IS DESIGNED BY THE WHITEMAN TO SERVE HIS GOALS, PARENTS HAVE A TENDENCY TO TELL THEIR CHILDREN TO GET EDUCATED AND THAT IT'S NECESSARY TO GET EDUCATED, BUT WHERE THEY GO WRONG IS THEY DON'T TELL THEIR CHILDREN WHAT TO DO WITH THAT EDUCATION, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE, AS INDIAN NATIONS AND LEADERS, HAVE NEGLECTED OUR RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS OUR OWN PEOPLE AND OUR CHILDREN, THE LEADERSHIP OF THE DAY, THE LEADERSHIP OF THE PAST, THE LEADERSHIP OF THE FUTURE HAS A DUTY TO TELL OUR PEOPLE AND OUR CHILDREN HOW TO CHANNEL THE RESOURCES FROM EDUCATION TOWARDS STRENGTHENING OUR NATION- HOOD, WE, AS INDIAN PEOPLE, HAVE A GOAL TO DESIGN AN ECONOMY FOR OURSELVES, A SOCIAL, A CULTURAL, A POLITICAL L I F E , WE NEVER TELL OUR CHILDREN, WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO SCHOOL, HOW WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT THESE GOALS, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE FAIL AS LEADERS AND OR PARENTS IN DISCHARGING OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARDS OUR OWN PEOPLE, WE LEAVE OUR CHILDREN AT A VERY SMALL AGE, AT THE MERCY OF WHITE INSTITUTIONS, - 6 - WHITE TEACHERS, WHITE PRINCIPALS, AND WHITE GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS, THE WHITE INSTITUTIONS HAVE THEIR OWN GOAL, AND IN PRINCIPLE, THAT GOAL CONFLICTS WITH THE INDIAN GOAL OF SELF-DETERMINATION, THAT'S WHERE THE FAILURE BEGINS AND ENDS; THAT IS WHAT IS HELPING TO DESTROY OUR NATIONS, THE REASON I RAISED THIS ISSUE IS BECAUSE WE ARE IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY, OUR SURVIVAL AS A RACE OF PEOPLE, AS NATIONS OF PEOPLE, DEPENDS ON THE ACTION' WE TAKE IN THE FUTURE AND THE ROAD WE CHOOSE TO TAKE IN DESIGNING THE FUTURE, THE GOAL OF THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE GOVERNMENTS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD - IS TO ASSIMILATE INDIAN PEOPLE INTO THE EUROPEAN SOCIETY, THEIR GOAL IS TO ABSORB THE INDIAN PEOPLE INTO THE WHITE INSTITUTIONS, "TO C I V I L I Z E THE SAVAGE", SO THAT WE CAN BE LIKE THEM, OUR PARENTS AND OURSELVES FALL INTO THE TRAP OF CO-OPERATING WITH THEM, WITHOUT REALLY REALIZING IT, BECAUSE WE HAVE UNCONDITIONALLY ACCEPTED THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AS AN INSTITUTION TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN, WE HAVE NO INPUT INTO THOSE INSTITUTIONS, THERE IS AN EFFORT IN CANADA RIGHT NOW TO MASS ASSIMILATE US AND THEREFORE WIPE US OUT AS A RACE OF PEOPLE, TO MASS ABSORB US TO THE INSTITUTIONS OF CANADA, WE ARE IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY FIGHTING FOR OUR SURVIVAL, P R E S I D E N T ' S R E P O R T UNION OF B.C. INDIAN CHIEFS PRESENTATION I . INTRODUCTION: The U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s , b e i n g r e c o g n i z e d and a c k - n o w l e d g e d as one o f t h e m a j o r f o r c e s and o u t s p o k e n v o i c e s f o r t h e i s s u e s and c o n c e r n s o f I n d i a n p e o p l e i n B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a , w o u l d l i k e t o a c k n o w l e d g e and t h a n k t h e C h i e f s , C o u n c i l l o r s and E l d e r s f o r y o u r c o n t r i b u t i o n t o w a r d s t h e c o n t i n u e d g r o w t h and d e v e l o p m e n t t a k i n g p l a c e among o u r p e o p l e t o d a y . Y o u r c o n t r i b u t i o n i s a c k n o w l e d g e d i n t h e a r e a s o f o u r p o l i t i c a l g r o w t h , l e a d e r s h i p t r a i n i n g , o r g a n i z a t i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t , r e s e a r c h and p o l i c y d e v e l o p m e n t , i n c r e a s e d a w a r e n e s s o f t h e i s s u e s and c o n c e r n s a f f e c t i n g I n d i a n p e o p l e and g o v e r n m e n t , as w e l l as o u r a b i l i t y t o make p r o p e r r e p r e - s e n t a t i o n o f t h e s e i s s u e s . We know t h a t t h e s e p r o c e s s e s began l o n g b e f o r e o u r f o r e f a t h e r s b e g a n t h i s s t r u g g l e i n s u p p o r t i n g o u r e n d e a v o u r s t o d a y , b u t we can say t h a t t h r o u g h y o u r s u p p o r t , o u r p r o g r e s s as I n d i a n p e o p l e has a c c e l e r a t e d and a l l o w e d us t o a d d r e s s our m o s t p r e s s i n g c o n c e r n s . We m u s t f r a n k l y s t a t e t h a t r e g a r d l e s s o f t h e i n p u t o f anyone e l s e i n s o c i e t y , t h e f i n a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r o u r p a r t i c i p a t i o n and s o l u t i o n s l i e w i t h us. To a c h i e v e o u r g o a l o f s e l f - r e l i a n c e and f u l l p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g , o u r c o n t r i b u t i o n i s d i s c i p l i n e and a d e d i c a t i o n t o f i n d i n g ways t h a t work f o r u s . .../2 - 2 - I I . THE PATH WE CHOOSE: The f o l l o w i n g i s an i n s i g h t t o t h e b a s i c p r i n c i p l e s and p o l i - c i e s w h i c h t h e U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s a d h e r e s t o i n w o r k i n g w i t h o u r member Bands. We have f o u n d t h e s e p o l i c i e s t o be w o r k a b l e f o r us i n t h e d a y - t o - d a y r e a l i t i e s o f m e e t i n g t h e n e e d s o f o u r m e m b e r s h i p . We b e l i e v e t h a t as an o r g a n i z a - t i o n b u i l t w i t h o u r p e o p l e , t h e n p e o p l e m u s t m a t t e r . E v e r y i n d i v i d u a l i s t r e a t e d w i t h r e s p e c t and d i g n i t y . E v e r y i n d i - v i d u a l has a r i g h t t o h i s o r h e r own s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and t o be p r o v i d e d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o e x c e r c i s e h i s o r h e r own w i l l . We a c k n o w l e d g e t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f o u r l e a d e r s a n d C h i e f s f o r t h e w e l l - b e i n g o f t h e i r p e o p l e and p a y them due r e s p e c t . I n d e s i g n i n g a way f o r us t o e n h a n c e t h e s e q u a l i t i e s , we o p e r a t e i n t h e f o l l o w i n g way. F i r s t l y , we b e l i e v e s t r o n g l y t h a t o u r most v i t a l r e s o u r c e i s o u r young p e o p l e a n d o u r s t r o n g e s t g u i d e s a r e o u r E l d e r s . On t h i s b a s i s , we make e v e r y e f f o r t t o i n v e s t o u r k n o w l e d g e , s k i l l s , e x p e r i e n c e a n d f i n a n c i a l r e s o u r c e s i n t r a i n i n g o u r y o u n g p e o p l e i n e v e r y a s p e c t o f p o l i t i c a l , o r g a n i z a t i o n a l and i n d i v i d u a l d e v e l o p m e n t . Our g o a l i s n o t t o i n t e r f e r e i n t h e i r t r a i n i n g . We have f o u n d i n a v e r y s h o r t t i m e , t h r o u g h t h e k i n d o f c a r e and i n t e r e s t we t a k e i n t h e f u t u r e o f o u r ... /3 - 3 - y o u n g p e o p l e , t h a t we have c a p t u r e d t h e i r i n t e r e s t and c h a l - l e n g e d t h e i r t h i n k i n g . T h r o u g h t h i s p r o c e s s , t h e U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s u n d e r w e n t v e r y d r a m a t i c and d y n a m i c c h a n g e s . The a v e r a g e age o f o u r s t a f f i s t w e n t y - f i v e . Of t h e t o t a l c o m p l e m e n t , 9 8% a r e o f I n d i a n a n c e s t r y a n d 8 0% a r e f r o m B.C. We h a v e t e n p r o f e s s i o n a l s on s t a f f , o f w h i c h 40% a r e I n d i a n . S i n c e we b e g a n t h i s p o l i c y t h r e e y e a r s a g o , two h u n d r e d y o u n g p e o p l e have p a r t i c i p a t e d a n d gone on t o f u r t h e r t h e i r t r a i n i n g , r e t u r n e d t o t h e i r homes t o w o r k , o r p u r s u e d t h e i r own i n t e r e s t s . We s t r i v e n o t t o d e v e l o p s y s - tems o r p r a c t i c e s a t t h e e x p e n s e o f o u r p e o p l e , b u t t o t r y and f i t t h e s e t o s u i t t h e i r n e e d s . We e n c o u r a g e d i s c u s s i o n and d i a l o g u e r e g a r d i n g o u r work h a b i t s and s t r i v e t o c r e a t e a h e a l t h y a t m o s p h e r e f o r t h i s t o t a k e p l a c e . As a r e s u l t , we have a t t a i n e d c o n f i d e n c e i n o u r s e l v e s and i n o u r f u t u r e w h i c h i's most e v i d e n t i n t h e q u a l i t y and h i g h s t a n d a r d s we have s e t f o r o u r s e l v e s i n o u r e v e r y d a y w o r k . P o l i t i c a l l y s p e a k i n g , i t i s t h e p o l i c y o f t h e U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s n o t t o d e a l i n c o n f r o n t a t i o n w i t h o t h e r I n d i a n g r o u p s . B o t h t h e l e a d e r s h i p and t h e s t a f f a r e c o m m i t t e d to u t i l i z i n g o u r e n e r g y f o r t h e work a t h a n d . As a b a s i c p r i n c i p l e , we do n o t b e l i e v e i n f i g h t i n g o u r own p e o p l e and w i l l t h e r e f o r e n o t be a p a r t y t o f u r t h e r i n g c o n f l i c t s among I n d i a n g r o u p s . Our m a j o r c o n c e r n i s r e f l e c t i n g t h e w i s h e s and p u s h i n g f o r c h a n g e s t h r o u g h t h e p o l i t i c a l and l e g a l p r o c e s .../4 - 4 - S o c i a l l y , we c o n t i n u e e d u c a t i n g and t r a i n i n g o u r p e o p l e i n d e a l i n g w i t h t h e i r own i s s u e s . T h i s k i n d o f d e v e l o p m e n t i s n o t e a s i l y m e a s u r e d i n f i n a n c i a l t e r m s o r numbers. When p e o p l e a r e d e v e l o p i n g and c i r c u m s t a n c e s c h a n g e , we c a n n o t p r e d i c t what any one i n d i v i d u a l w i l l do o r a c c o m p l i s h . A l l we s t r i v e t o do i s t o g i v e them t h e t o o l s f o r p r o p e r d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g . T h i s i s , o f n e c e s s i t y , a s l o w and p a i n f u l p r o c e s s b u t one we must u n d e r t a k e t o become s e l f - r e l i a n t p e o p l e . B e c a u s e o f t h e t r e m e n d o u s amount o f work and n e e d a t t h e community l e v e l , i t i s o u r p o l i c y a t y o u r o f f i c e h e a d q u a r t e r s t o use o u r t i m e a c c o r d i n g l y . I n h a v i n g t o s e t p r i o r i t i e s on o u r t i m e , e n e r g y and r e s o u r c e s , we have c h o s e n t o s p e n d t h e m a j o r p a r t o f o u r work a t t h e community l e v e l . We p u t v e r y l i t t l e t i m e i n t o m e e t i n g s a t t h e p r o v i n c i a l and n a t i o n a l l e v e l b e c a u s e t h e r e i s a g r e a t e r n e e d i n t h e com- m u n i t i e s t o know what i s g o i n g on, t h a t we c a n h e l p , b e c a u s e t h i s i s where t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e f r u s t r a t i o n s o f o u r p e o p l e a r e f e l t . I n o r d e r t o a l l e v i a t e t h e s e f r u s t r a t i o n s , we do n o t r e f u s e any r e q u e s t f o r a s s i s t a n c e r e g a r d l e s s o f I n d i a n o r g a n i z a t i o n a l p o l i t i c a l a f f i l i a t i o n . We a r e l i m i t e d o n l y by r e s o u r c e s . T h i s does n o t s u g g e s t t h a t we i n t e r f e r e i n t h e p o l i t i c s a t t h e community o r r e g i o n a l l e v e l . We s i m p l y do t h e work a s k e d o f us. We d e a l w i t h C h i e f s and C o u n c i l s and t a k e o u r d i r e c t i o n f r o m them. We s p e n d t i m e w i t h t h e Band s t a f f , s h o w i n g them ways t o work o u t p r o b l e m s and b a c k them up when' t h e y c h o o s e f r o m t h e i r a v a i l a b l e o p t i o n s . The .../5 - 5 - Bands do t h e work t h e m s e l v e s , and we a c t as a r e s o u r c e f o r them. We e n c o u r a g e d i s c u s s i o n , p a r t i c i p a t i o n and a c t i o n on i s s u e s . We e n c o u r a g e s e l f - r e l i a n c e and t h e use o f a l l a v a i l - a b l e r e s o u r c e s a t t h e c o m m u n i t y l e v e l . Thus we have begun t h e l o n g and a r d u o u s p r o c e s s t o d e v e l o p b e t t e r use o f t h e a v a i l a b l e r e s o u r c e s t o B a n d s , D i s t r i c t s , T r i b a l and P r o v i n c i a l b o d i e s . T h i s , n a t u r a l l y , w i l l t a k e t i m e and o u r l i m i t e d r e s o u r c e s must be e x p a n d e d a t a l l l e v e l s . In t e r m s o f o u r f i n a n c i a l p o l i c y , we must g e t t h e m o s t work p r o d u c t i o n o f e v e r y d o l l a r we s p e n d , and t h e r e f o r e o p e r a t e e c o n o m i c a l l y and w i t h c a r e f u l p l a n n i n g . A l l o f o u r s t a f f , m e m b e r s h i p and l e a d e r s h i p a d h e r e t o a v e r y s t r i c t p o l i c y r e g a r d i n g f i n a n c e s , o u r s a l a r y s c a l e i s l i m i t e d , we t r a v e l as e c o n o m i c a l l y as p o s s i b l e , and we e v a l u a t e a l l p r o p o s a l s b e f o r e d e c i d i n g - o n a c o u r s e o f a c t i o n . E v e r y o n e i s e x p e c t e d to be r e s p o n s i b l e f i n a n c i a l l y b e f o r e m a k i n g c o m m i t m e n t s . We s t r i v e t o m a i n t a i n a h i g h s t a n d a r d o f a c c o u n t a b i l i t y and l o o k f o r t h e b e s t f i n a n c i a l a d v i c e when s p e n d i n g . A l l s t a f f a r e made aware o f o u r f i n a n c i a l o b l i g a t i o n s and have l e a r n e d b u d g e t t i n g f o r t h e i r own p r o g r a m s . I n t h i s r e s p e c t , e a c h P o r t f o l i o h a n d l e s t h e i r own b u d g e t s and ways o f o p e r a t i n g f o r t h e i r s p e c i a l i z e d a r e a s . As a r e s u l t , we have s p r e a d t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o t h e y o u n g e r s t a f f and f i n d t h a t t h e l e a d e r s h i p and s e n i o r p e o p l e c a n u t i l i z e t h e i r t i m e more e f f e c t i v e l y i n d e a l i n g w i t h the i s s u e s . . . . / 6 - 6 - In c o n c l u s i o n , the s u c c e s s o f t h e U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s i s due t o our b e l i e f and f o l l o w - u p o f t h e s e p o l i c i e s . By e n c o u r a g i n g p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n c o n s t r u c t i v e s o l u t i o n s and a l l o w i n g o u r c o l l e c t i v e c r e a t i v i t y t o f l o u r i s h , we a r e e x - p e r i e n c i n g a r a p i d g r o w t h and l e a r n i n g among o u r s e l v e s and f i n d t h e s e p o l i c i e s t o be w o r k a b l e . I t i s t o t h e c r e d i t o f the l e a d e r s and t h e C h i e f s o f o u r o r g a n i z a t i o n t h a t we can work t h i s way and the d e d i c a t i o n o f o u r s t a f f and m e m b e r s h i p t h a t we a r e f i n d i n g ways o f r e s o l v i n g l o n g o u t s t a n d i n g i s s u e s . The end r e s u l t w i l l be d e m o n s t r a t e d i n o u r f u t u r e l e a d e r s and s k i l l e d t e c h n i c a l p e o p l e o f w h i c h t h e r e w i l l be an a b u n - d a n c e . The amount o f f r u s t r a t i o n and l i m i t a t i o n s we a r e f a c e d w i t h w i l l n o t be r e m e d i e d i n a s h o r t s p a c e o f t i m e , b u t w i t h o u t o u r most p r e c i o u s r e s o u r c e , w h i c h i s t h a t o f o u r p e o p l e , t h e s e i s s u e s w i l l n o t be e a s i l y r e s o l v e d . I t i s o u r s i n c e r e b e l i e f t h a t w i t h p r o p e r c o - o r d i n a t i o n , c o - o p e r a t i o n and n o n - i n t e r f e r e n c e , t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s f o r I n d i a n p e o p l e i n the f u t u r e a r e l i m i t l e s s w i t h t h i s p r o c e s s we have begun on a s m a l l s c a l e . T h i s i s one way we a r e m a k i n g o u r c o n t r i b u - t i o n and t h r o u g h i t we have r e n e w e d o u r s t r e n g t h and d e v e l o p e d u n q u e s t i o n a b l e c o n f i d e n c e i n o u r a b i l i t y and b e l i e f s . The c o n f i d e n c e o f o u r p e o p l e i s d e m o n s t r a t e d i n t h e i r a c t i o n s . The commitment t o t h e p r o c e s s we have begun has r e v o l u t i o n i z e d t h e v e r y h e a r t o f I n d i a n c o m m u n i t i e s w h i c h makes o u r l e a d e r - s h i p s t r o n g . T h e r e i s no d o u b t i n o u r minds t h a t t h e c o m m i t - .../7 - 7 - ment o f t h e I n d i a n p e o p l e t o t h e p a t h we have c h o s e n w i l l n o t be a l t e r e d by t h e G o v e r n m e n t . R e g a r d l e s s o f any e x t e r n a l c o n s u l t a t i o n s o r e x t e r n a l i n t e r e s t s t o t h e I n d i a n c o m m u n i t i e s , t h e U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s and t h e I n d i a n G o v e r n m e n t s and o u r C h i e f s w i l l f o r e v e r do what i s b e s t f o r o u r p e o p l e b e c a u s e i t i s o u r b e l i e f t h a t money i s n o t t h e m a j o r c o n t r i b u t i n g f a c t o r t o our' d e v e l o p m e n t - i t i s t h e I n d i a n p e o p l e . I n a s m u c h as t h e s e p o l i c i e s p u t t h e g o v e r n i n g a u t h o r i t y o f t h e U n i o n o f B.C- I n d i a n C h i e f s i n t h e h a n d s o f t h e C h i e f s , C o u n c i l l o r s , and t h e p e o p l e , t h e s e p o l i c i e s w i l l n o t c h a n g e . I n t h e e v e n t t h a t t h e y d o , i t w i l l be t h e C h i e f s who make t h a t c h o i c e . I I I . THE BROADER PERSPECTIVE: INDIAN ORGANIZATION REALITY: I n t h e e a r l y p o l i t i c a l d a y s o f o u r s t r u g g l e , g o v e r n m e n t r e - p r e s e n t a t i v e s met w i t h I n d i a n p e o p l e i n t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e c o m m u n i t i e s w i t h a l i m i t e d a w a r e n e s s o f w h a t o u r s t r u g g l e was. As a r e s u l t , t h e F e d e r a l G o v e r n m e n t a t t e m p t e d t o d e a l w i t h t h e s o c i a l a n d e c o n o m i c s i t u a t i o n s f a c e d by o u r p e o p l e i n t h e c o n t e x t o f t h i s l i m i t e d u n d e r s t a n d i n g and w i t h a v a l u e s y s t e m w h i c h c o n f l i c t e d w i t h o u r p e o p l e ' s way o f l i f e . I n t h e g o v e r n m e n t ' s a t t e m p t t o d e a l a t t h i s l e v e l , t h e p o l i - t i c a l a s p i r a t i o n s o f o u r p e o p l e were n o t t a k e n i n t o c o n s i d e r a - t i o n i n t h e hope t h a t i m p r o v i n g o u r s o c i a l and e c o n o m i c b a s e •••/8 - 8 - w o u l d s a t i s f y o u r d e s i r e f o r s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . S i n c e t h e r e was no c o - o r d i n a t e d o r c o n s o l i d a t e d " p e o p l e s ' movement" e v i d e n t a t t h e t i m e t o s e n s i t i z e t h e g o v e r n m e n t t o o u r A b o r i - g i n a l R i g h t s , i t was assumed we a c c e p t e d C a n a d a ' s a s p i r a t i o n s f o r u s . As i n v o l v e d as o u r p e o p l e were i n t h e i r f i g h t f o r d a i l y s u r v i v a l , t h e r e was n e v e r t h e l e s s a s t r o n g d e s i r e t o be s e l f - r e l i a n t and i n c o n t r o l o f o u r own d e s t i n y . S i n c e t h e s e e a r l y d a y s , many c h a n g e s h a v e come a b o u t t o w a r - r a n t more o r g a n i z a t i o n p o l i t i c a l l y : s e t t l e r s became i n t e r e s t e d i n b u i l d i n g h o m e s t e a d s ; s p o r t s m e n became i n t e r e s t e d i n h u n t i n g and f i s h i n g ; b i g b u s i n e s s e s and t h e g o v e r n m e n t s had v e s t e d i n t e r e s t s i n t h e l a n d s and r e s o u r c e s . B e c a u s e o f t h i s , I n d i a n p e o p l e c o u l d n o t a v o i d f o r m i n g i n t e r - t r i b a l a l l i a n c e s t o c o n s o l i d a t e one p o s i t i o n on t h e i r A b o r i g i n a l R i g h t s . A l - t h o u g h t h e s e were l o w - k e y p o l i t i c a l a l l i a n c e s , t h e y were t h e b e g i n n i n g o f a f o r m o f o r g a n i z i n g on o u r p a r t . I t was d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d t h a t I n d i a n p e o p l e s o u g h t a l l i e s f o r A b o r i g i n a l R i g h t s , t h e y d i d n o t i n t e r f e r e w i t h one a n o t h e r s ' i n t e r n a l a f f a i r s . L a t e r o n , when t h e C a n a d i a n p e o p l e and t h e two g o v e r n m e n t s showed s i g n s o f p e r m a n e n c y i n t h i s c o u n t r y , t h e I n d i a n p e o p l e such as t h e A l l i e d T r i b e s o f B.C. o r g a n i z e d f o r m a l l y . G o v e r n m e n t f u n d i n g t o o p e r a t e t h i s o r g a n i z a t i o n was c o m p l e t e - l y o u t o f t h e q u e s t i o n i n t h o s e y e a r s b e c a u s e t h e t r i b e s d i d n o t want t o j e o p a r d i z e o r c o m p r o m i s e t h e i r f i g h t f o r .../9 - 9 - A b o r i g i n a l R i g h t s . I t was n o t f o r s a l e ! F i f t y y e a r s l a t e r , B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a e x p e r i e n c e d t h e g r o w t h and d e v e l o p m e n t o f s e v e r a l I n d i a n o r g a n i z a t i o n s , e a c h w i t h d i f f e r i n g g o a l s a n d a s p i r a t i o n s , e a c h w i t h d i f f e r e n t dreams t o g a i n i n d e p e n d e n c e on t h e i r own t e r m s . C o n t r a r y t o w h a t g o v e r n m e n t s p e r c e i v e I n d i a n p e o p l e t o b e , we h a v e a l w a y s b o r n e d o u r own p o l i t i c a l v i e w s and a c t i o n s . We h a v e a l w a y s r e s p e c t e d t h e n a t u r a l d i v e r s i t y and d i f f e r i n g n e e d s among p e o p l e and t h e l o y a l t y t o o u r own b e l i e f s . We w a r r e d , n e g o - t i a t e d o r u n d e r s t o o d when c o n f r o n t e d w i t h o t h e r p o i n t s o f v i e w . T h i s d i v e r i s t y i s t h e v e r y r o o t o f t h e g r o w t h o f d i f - f e r i n g p o l i t i c a l g r o u p s w h i c h t h e g o v e r n m e n t s o f t h i s c o u n t r y n e e d t o u n d e r s t a n d . I n s e t t i n g t h e c r i t e r i a f o r f u n d i n g , g o v e r n m e n t s n e g l e c t e d o u r n e e d f o r f l e x i b i l i t y b a s e d on t h e n a t u r e o f o u r p o l i t i c a l a f f i l i a t i o n s . F o r e x a m p l e , c r i t e r i a was b a s e d on t h e a s s u m p t i o n - one r a c e , t h e r e f o r e one p a r t y . I t w a s n ' t s u r p r i s i n g , t h e n , when g o v e r n m e n t s f o u n d t h e m s e l v e s s u p e r v i s i n g h i g h l y d e v e l o p e d o r g a n i z a t i o n s w i t h d i f f e r e n t a p p r o a c h e s and p h i l o s o p h i e s . R a t h e r t h a n r e a l i z i n g and a c - c e p t i n g t h i s f u n d a m e n t a l p r i n c i p l e , they n e v e r t h e l e s s t r i e d t o d o l e o u t l i m i t e d m o n i e s t o v a r i o u s i m p a t i e n t I n d i a n o r g a n i z a t i o n s who knew what t h e y w a n t e d and w h a t was n e e d e d . The f a c t t h e r e f o r e r e m a i n s t h e I n d i a n p e o p l e d i d n o t s e t up one p a r t y b u t s e v e r a l p o l i t i c a l p a r t i e s w h i c h were e a c h e s t a b l i s h e d t o s e r v e t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t o f t h e i r m e m b e r s h i p . .../10 - 10 - T h a t p r i n c i p l e s t i l l s t a n d s t o d a y . The v a r i o u s I n d i a n o r g a n i z a t i o n s , i n t h e b e g i n n i n g , gave r e s p e c t t o one a n o t h e r and d i d n o t i n t e r f e r e w i t h one a n o t h e r s ' i n t e r n a l a f f a i r s . The o n l y t i m e t h e t h r e a t o f i n t e r f e r e n c e was f e l t was when t h e F e d e r a l G o v e r n m e n t c r e a t e d f u n d i n g a g e n c i e s and p l a c e d e a c h o r g a n i z a t i o n i n c e r t a i n a r e n a s , w h i c h i n t u r n , c r e a t e d a c o m p e t i t i v e a c t i o n f o r f u n d i n g . The b a s i c q u e s t i o n s f a c i n g modern p o l i t i c a l I n d i a n o r g a n i z a t i o n s and t h e i r f u t u r e r o l e w i t h i n o u r c h a n g i n g s o c i e t y must be s e e n i n l i g h t o f t h e demands t h r u s t upon them. The l i f e o f o u r o r g a n i z a t i o n s i s o n l y a b r i e f t e n y e a r s , and y e t t h e h i g h e x p e c t a t i o n s t h r u s t upon them w e r e i m p r a c t i c a l and o u t o f a l l p r o p o r t i o n t o t h e i r a v a i l a b l e r e s o u r c e s . T h i s o n l y s e r v e d t o f r u s t r a t e o u r p e o p l e more. The monumental e c o n o m i c , p o l i t i c a l a n d s o c i a l p r e s s u r e s f a c i n g o u r p e o p l e c a n n o t p o s s i b l e be f u l l y met by o u r o r g a n i z a t i o n s . We m u s t , h o w e v e r , r e c o g n i z e t h e s i g n i f i c a n t r o l e t h e y have p l a y e d i n b r i n g i n g o u t t h e s e p r o b l e m s and f o r c i n g a more r e s p o n s i b l e a p p r o a c h by t h e d e c i s i o n - m a k e r s f o r d e a l i n g w i t h t h e s e i s s u e s . P e r h a p s t h e most s i g n i f i c a n t r o l e t h e y h a v e p l a y e d i s t h e c o n t i n u o u s p r o t e c t i o n o f I n d i a n i n t e r e s t . F o r e x a m p l e , t h e r e was a t i m e when t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f I n d i a n A f f a i r s r a n Band C o u n c i l m e e t i n g s and e v e n went s o f a r as t o w o r d and w r i t e t h e Band C o u n c i l R e s o l u t i o n s (B.C.R.'S) f o r t h e Bands. Today, I n d i a n C h i e f s , C o u n c i l l o r s and t h e i r Band o f f i c e s t a f f have r e a c h e d a p o i n t o f b e i n g a v i a b l e a l t e r n a t i v e f o r I n d i a n p e o p l e w i t h r e g a r d .../11 - 11 - t o o t h e r e x i s t i n g s t r u c t u r e s and s y s t e m s s e t up t o s e r v e them. The D e p a r t m e n t o f I n d i a n A f f a i r s and o t h e r g o v e r n m e n t a g e n c i e s must a c k n o w l e d g e t h e l e g i t i m a t e r o l e o f o u r Band C o u n c i l s and t h e i r s t a f f and t h e i r o r g a n i z a t i o n s t o c o n t i n u e t o r e p r e s e n t and p r o t e c t t h e i n t e r e s t s o f I n d i a n p e o p l e i n Canada. P o l i c y - m a k e r s must a l s o r e c o g n i z e t h e i r own l i m i t a t i o n s i n t h e demands p l a c e d upon I n d i a n Bands and t h e i r o r g a n i z a t i o n s . T h r o u g h o u t o u r h i s t o r y , g o v e r n m e n t a g e n c i e s were u n s u c c e s s f u l i n d e a l i n g w i t h t h e v e r y same p r o b l e m s f a c e d by I n d i a n Bands and t h e i r o r g a n i z a t i o n s b e g a n f o r c i n g t h e s e i s s u e s t h a t v i a b l e s o l u t i o n s b e g a n t o emerge. What t h e g o v e r n m e n t a g e n c i e s have n o t b e e n a b l e t o do has b e e n p l a c e d on t h e s h o u l d e r s o f o u r l e a d e r s h i p and t h i s n e e d s t o be a c k n o w l e d g e d and r e c o g n i z e d . One o f t h e m a j o r r e s u l t s o f t h e g r o w t h o f I n d i a n Bands and t h e i r o r g a n i z a t i o n s has b e e n t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f d i f f e r i n g v i e w s i n r e a c h i n g o u r g o a l s and a s p i r a t i o n s . 'Then t h i s o c c u r s , t h e t e n d e n c y o f t h e p a r t i e s c o n c e r n e d has g e n e r a l l y been t o s e p a r a t e and o r g a n i z e a l o n g t h e s e d i f f e r i n g l i n e s . We see t h i s as a h e a l t h y and n e c e s s a r y s t e p i n o u r d e v e l o p m e n t w o r k . T h i s k i n d o f b r a n c h i n g o u t s h o u l d n o t be s e e n as a n e g a t i v e c h a n g e o r a b a c k w a r d s t e p . The q u e s t i o n we a r e now f a c e d w i t h i s how do we p r o c e e d t o e n c o u r a g e and s u p p o r t t h e s e d i f f e r i n g i n t e r e s t s w i t h o u t j e o p a r d i z i n g t h e o v e r a l l g a i n s o f o u r p e o p l e . T h i s i s t h e p r e s e n t d i l e m m a f a c i n g .../12 - 12 - B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a t o d a y w i t h d i f f e r e n t o r g a n i z a t i o n s and t r i b a l g r o u p s b u i l t up and d e m a n d i n g that t h e i r i n t e r e s t s and t h e i r a p p r o a c h e s t o r e s o l v i n g t h e i r c o n c e r n s be g i v e n l e g i t i m a t e c o n s i d e r a t i o n by a l l c o n c e r n e d . As t h e U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s , we must s t a t e c a t e g o r i c a l l y t h a t we have no w i s h t o i n t e r f e r e i n t h e g r o w t h and a c t i v i t i e s o f o t h e r I n d i a n o r g a n i z a t i o n s and t r i b a l g r o u p s . The same p r i n c i p l e o f i n t e r e s t w h i c h was p r a c t i c e d by o u r f o r e f a t h e r s i s what we s t a n d on t o d a y . Most g o v e r n m e n t f u n d i n g were i n i t i a t e d on a s s i s t i n g r e g i s t e r e d I n d i a n s w i t h s e l f - h e l p p r o g r a m s . S i n c e t h e r e g i s t e r e d I n d i a n s c l a i m ' s p e c i a l s t a t u s ' , g o v e r n m e n t d e p a r t m e n t s i n i t i a t e d v a r i o u s p r o g r a m s on t h i s b a s i s . However, t h e n o n - s t a t u s I n d i a n p e o p l e had t h e i r own p o l i t i c a l v i e w s and a s p i r a t i o n s and s e n s i t i z e d t h e g o v e r n m e n t s t o t h e i r dreams o f "Land C l a i m s and S e t t l e - ment" and became e l i g i b l e f o r f u n d i n g . The s t a t u s I n d i a n p e o p l e have n e v e r had any q u a r r e l w i t h t h i s . What t h e I n d i a n o r g a n i z a - t i o n s w e r e n o t g i v e n was t h e r e s p e c t i n h e r e n t t o any p o l i t i c a l p a r t y . The g o v e r n m e n t d i d n o t g i v e r e s p e c t t o t h e o r g a n i z a - t i o n s and d i d n o t g i v e us t h e c r e d i t t h a t we m i g h t have v a r y i n g p o l i t i c a l v i e w s . As t h e I n d i a n G o v e r n m e n t s w e r e e s t a b l i s h e d and p r o g r e s s e d w i t h i n t h e c o m m u n i t i e s , t h e i r p o l i t i c a l s t a n c e swung w i t h t h e s e c h a n g e s . IIo one can i n f l u e n c e t h e s e c h a n g e s b u t the m e m b e r s h i p . I t comes f r o m the p e o p l e and w h a t e v e r d i r e c t i o n t h e y c h o o s e as f r e e p e o p l e c a p a b l e o f k n o w i n g what t h e y w a n t , t h e n i t i s t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f t h e g o v e r n m e n t t o .../13 - 13 - r e s p e c t t h e c h o i c e t h e I n d i a n p e o p l e make. I n s t e a d , t h e g o v e r n m e n t c h o s e t o t e l l t h e I n d i a n p e o p l e w h a t k i n d o f f o r u m was b e t t e r f o r them, ' f u n d i n g them g e n e r o u s l y i n t h e b e g i n n i n g and when i t had t o d e a l w i t h t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s , t h e onus was p l a c e d on t h e I n d i a n o r g a n i z a t i o n s t o f i g h t o v e r t h e d o l l a r s and t h e r e a s o n u s e d was r e p r e s e n t a t i o n . As l e a d e r s and as p e o p l e e n t r u s t e d t o p r o t e c t t h e i n t e r e s t and r i g h t s o f o u r p e o p l e , we have t o a s k o u r s e l v e s ... whose i n t e r e s t s a r e we p r o t e c t i n g and f o r w h a t p u r p o s e ? Can we s e e where we a r e h e a d i n g f a r enough i n t o t h e f u t u r e t o know t h a t we must work c o l l e c t i v e l y t o p r o t e c t t h e i n t e r e s t o f t h e w h o l e o f B.C., o r w i l l we s e e t h a t p e r h a p s t h i s w i l l n e v e r work and we c o n c e r n o u r s e l v e s w i t h p r o t e c t i n g o u r one a r e a o f l a n d o r c o n c e r n ? IV. OUR ACHIEVEMENTS: The b a s i c c r i t e r i a w h i c h t h e U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s f o l l o w s i n d e a l i n g w i t h i s s u e s a n d r i g h t s i s as f o l l o w s : - an i s s u e w h i c h t h r e a t e n s t h e r i g h t s o f I n d i a n p e o p l e , i s a r i s k t o o u r e n v i r o n m e n t , o r w o u l d d e s t r o y and d e v e s t a t e r e s e r v e l a n d s a n d o u r t r a d i t i o n a l way o f l i f e ; - an i s s u e w h i c h t h r e a t e n s t h e p r o g r e s s o f a community i n t e r m s o f i t s r e b u i l d i n g and r e g e n e r a t i n g ; .../14 - 14 - - an i s s u e w h i c h w i l l i m p r o v e t h e s k i l l s and k n o w l e d g e o f t h e c o m m u n i t y p o l i t i c a l l y , l e g a l l y , f i n a n c i a l l y , s o c i a l l y , c u l t u r a l l y o r s p i r i t u a l l y ; - o r an i s s u e w h i c h t h r e a t e n s t h e A b o r i g i n a l R i g h t s o f o u r p e o p l e . T h e r e a r e many o c c a s i o n s when we h e l p i n d i v i d u a l s i n a d d i t i o n t o c o m m u n i t y , p r o v i n c i a l and n a t i o n a l i s s u e s . We a n s w e r r e q u e s t s f o r h e l p w h e t h e r i t be t h r o u g h r e s o l u t i o n s , phone c a l l s , l e t t e r s o r p e r s o n a l v i s i t s . W i t h t h e w i d e r a n g e o f issues a f f e c t i n g o u r p e o p l e , we h a v e t o m a i n t a i n f l e x i b i l i t y i n o u r a t t i t u d e and a p p r o a c h . A l o n g w i t h t h e i s s u e , we r e l a y w h a t we l e a r n f r o m i t b a c k t o the Bands f o r t h e i r own u s e . We k e e p i t c l e a r and u p p e r m o s t t h a t the p r i m a r y demand f o r o u r w o r k , our p r i o r i t i e s and d i r e c t i o n a r e the C h i e f s o f B.C. T h r o u g h y o u r r e s o l u t i o n s , we s e t o u r work f o r t h e y e a r . V. GENERAL ISSUES DEALT WITH BY THE PORTFOLIOS OF THE UBCIC: H e a l t h and S o c i a l D e v e l o p m e n t : The o n l y p e o p l e who know b e s t w h a t t h e i r h e a l t h p r o b l e m s a r e and what n e e d s t o be done a b o u t them a r e t h e I n d i a n p e o p l e a t home. I n t i m e s p a s t , we had ways o f t a k i n g c a r e o f the s i c k t h r o u g h t h e h e r b a l m e d i c i n e s , o u r m o t h e r h o o d and c h i l d b i r t h l a w s , and o u r c o u n s e l l i n g w h i c h was u s u a l l y the r o l e o f t h e E l d e r s o r t h e s p i t i t u a l l e a d e r s . T h e r e i s s t i l l a need f o r modern m e d i c i n e b u t b e t t e r c o m m u n i c a t i o n has t o t a k e p l a c e b e t w e e n . ../15 - 15 - t h e m e d i c a l p r o f e s s i o n and o u r p e o p l e who have d i f f i c u l t y i n u n d e r s t a n d i n g them. Bands a r e a p p o i n t i n g h e a l t h b o a r d s and c o m m i t t e e s t o d e a l w i t h t h e s e p r o b l e m s . They c o n s u l t w i t h t h e H e a l t h and S o c i a l D e v e l o p m e n t P o r t f o l i o a n d r e q u e s t i n f o r m a t i o n on o t h e r Bands' e x p e r i e n c e s and k n o w l e d g e . To p r o t e c t t h e h e a l t h o f o u r p e o p l e , t h i s P o r t f o l i o was s u c c e s s f u l i n b r i n g i n g t h e G r e a t e r V a n c o u v e r R e g i o n a l D i s t r i c t t o c o u r t f o r a l l o w i n g t h e I o n a Sewage T r e a t m e n t P l a n t t o d i s t r i b u t e w a s t e i n t o t h e F r a s e r R i v e r E s t u a r y . The a c t i o n was a l s o t a k e n t o p r o t e c t o u r f i s h i n g r e s o u r c e s . I t was t h e f i r s t t i m e t h a t I n d i a n p e o p l e h a v e e v e r t a k e n l e g a l a c t i o n t o p r o t e c t o u r s e l v e s and o u r f i s h i n t h i s way. We won t h e f i r s t r o u n d : t h e D i s t r i c t p l e a d e d g u i l t y as c h a r g e d and t h e C o u r t d u l y r u l e d a g a i n s t them. However, we a r e c o n s i d e r i n g a p p e a l i n g f o r s t r i c t e r a c t i o n and r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s a g a i n s t t h e I o n a Sewage P l a n t , and t h o s e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e s i t u ' a t i o n . T h i s P o r t f o l i o h a d a s t a f f s u f f i c i e n t l y e x p e r i e n c e d i n r e s e a r c h i n and i n d e a l i n g w i t h c o m p l e x h e a l t h and s o c i a l d e v e l o p m e n t p r o b l e m s t o be a b l e t o p r o v i d e s t r o n g s u p p o r t t o any Band p r e p a r i n g t o g a i n c o n t r o l o f i t s own f u t u r e . The f o l l o w i n g was a c c o m p l i s h e d on b e h a l f o f and w i t h B a n d s : - NAAPP - F r a s e r R i v e r E s t u a r y P u b l i c I n q u i r y .../16 - 16 - - H e a l t h S e r v i c e s R e v i e w - P u b l i c I n q u i r y - G u l f O i l R e f i n e r y - Kemano 11 - Open Forum - I n d i a n D o c t o r P r o g r a m - The C h i l d W e l f a r e S t u d y - The I n d i a n C h i l d C a r a v a n The I n d i a n p e o p l e a r e u n d e r t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f DIA, a n d y e t t h e money a n d r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r t h e a p p r e h e n s i o n o f o u r c h i l d r e n a r e handed o v e r t o t h e P r o v i n c i a l M i n i s t r y o f Human R e s o u r c e s . The S p a l l u m c h e e n Band saw t h i s as a n o t h e r t o o l t o a s s i m i l a t e t h e i r p e o p l e i n t o t h e w h i t e s o c i e t y a n d as a t h r e a t b y t h e two C a n a d i a n g o v e r n m e n t s t o make m u n i c i - p a l i t i e s o f I n d i a n r e s e r v e s . T h i s g o e s a g a i n s t o u r I n d i a n G o v e r n m e n t p o s i t i o n as s t a t e d i n o u r A b o r i g i n a l R i g h t s P o s i t i o n P a p e r . To p r e v e n t f u r t h e r a p p r e h e n s i o n s o f t h e i r m e m b e r s h i p , t h e Band p l a n n e d an I n d i a n C h i l d C a r a v a n on 1 2 t h o f O c t o b e r , 1980. Many Bands s u p p o r t e d t h e c a r a v a n and j o i n e d i n t h e s t r u g g l e f o r t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f a l l I n d i a n c h i l d r e n . C h i e f Wayne C h r i s t i a n was s u c c e s s f u l i n g e t t i n g c o n t r o l o f C h i l d C a r e on h i s r e s e r v e , and a l s o i n g e t t i n g f i n a n c i a l c o n t r o l f r o m t h e DIA. H i s Band d e v e l o p e d a l a w f o r t h e c a r e o f t h e i r c h i l d r e n a t home. T h i s was a s i g n i f i c a n t e v e n t b e c a u s e d o o r s have been o p e n e d f o r o t h e r Bands t o r e g a i n c o n t r o l o f c h i l d c a r e . .../17 - 17 - E d u c a t i o n and C u l t u r a l E n c o u r a g e m e n t : The d e g r e e w i t h w h i c h t h e I n d i a n G o v e r n m e n t s a r e p l a n n i n g t h e c u r r i c u l u m f o r t h e i r own s c h o o l s , a d u l t e d u c a t i o n c l a s s e s , and e v e r y a s p e c t o f c o n t r o l l i n g t h e i r own e d u c a t i o n p r o g r a m s , i s r e f l e c t e d i n t h e w h o l e o u t l o o k o f l i f e among I n d i a n Bands t o d a y . The p i c t u r e we s e e i s t h a t o f s t r o n g and c o n f i d e n t p e o p l e , a n d happy and h e a l t h y c h i l d r e n . We s e e t h e y o u n g p e o p l e p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n t h e i r c o m m u n i t i e s . T h i s i s t h e p h i l o s o p h y o f I n d i a n E d u c a t i o n ... t o make p e o p l e f e e l c o m f o r t a b l e i n t h e i r e n v i r o n m e n t a n d t o e n j o y t h e i r e d u c a t i o n i n s t e a d o f d r e a d i n g i t . Most Bands have p l a c e d h i g h p r i o r i t y on c u l t u r a l p r o g r a m s s u c h a s l a n g u a g e d e v e l o p m e n t , d a n c i n g , s o n g s , and r e s e a r c h i n g t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e i r p e o p l e . T h e r e i s y e a r - r o u n d i n t e r a c t i o n t h r o u g h t h e C u l t u r a l E d u c a t i o n C e n t r e s and s t u d e n t s t a k e f i e l d t r i p s a n d e x c h a n g e p r o g r a m s . T h e r e i s band t o band a d v i c e a n d s u p p o r t i n t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f e d u c a t i o n p r o g r a m s . C o u n s e l l i n g s e r v i c e s w i t h i n t h e s c h o o l s a r e c a r r i e d o u t by I n d i a n p e o p l e a n d t u t o r i n g s e r v i c e s a r e p r o v i d e d on some r e s e r v e s . The r e s o u r c e p e o p l e a s s i s t i n g i n t h e c l a s s r o o m s a r e t h e E l d e r s , C h i e f s a n d l o c a l p e o p l e t o t e a c h t h e c h i l d r e n a b o u t o u r c u l t u r e . S u p p o r t s e r v i c e i s p r o v i d e d a t t h e p r o v i n c i a l and n a t i o n a l l e v e l s t o d e v e l o p t h e p h i l o s o p h i e s o f I n d i a n C o n t r o l o f I n d i a n E d u c a t i o n . T h i s i s done e x t e n s i v e l y t h r o u g h c o n f e r e n c e s , y o u t h c o n f e r e n c e s , c u l t u r a l w o r k s h o p s , c u r r i c u l u m d e v e l o p m e n t , t r a i n i n g w o r k s h o p s and band v i s i t s . .../18 - 18 - The I n d i a n Language Workshops h e l d i n W i l l i a m s L a k e i n A p r i l t h i s y e a r , a t t h e p e o p l e ' s own e x p e n s e , was a p a r t i c u l a r l y v a l u a b l e e x p e r i e n c e . I t drew o v e r 300 p e o p l e f r o m a l l o v e r t h e p r o v i n c e , m o s t l y t h o s e a c t i v e l y i n v o l v e d i n t h e t e a c h i n g , w r i t i n g and l e a r n i n g o f o u r t r a d i t i o n a l l a n g u a g e s . The P o r t f o l i o c o n c e n t r a t e d on I n d i a n E d u c a t i o n and p a r t i c u l a r l y l o c a l c o n t r o l and p a r e n t a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y . E n e r g y & R e s o u r c e s : The P o r t f o l i o w i t n e s s e d c o n t i n u e d h a r r a s s m e n t by g o v e r n m e n t s and b i g b u s i n e s s e s i n r e s o u r c e s d e v e l o p m e n t f o r t h e i r own g a i n . To s u c c e e d i n o v e r t h r o w i n g many o f t h e s e d e v e l o p m e n t s meant s a f e r c o n d i t i o n s t o t h e h e a l t h and e n v i r o n m e n t o f t h e p e o p l e s t i l l t r y i n g t o s a v e t h e i r l a n d s and r e s o u r c e s . - O f f - S h o r e M i n e r a l R e s o u r c e s - U r a n i u m M i n i n g - P e a c e , L i a r d , S t i k i n e R i v e r s - K o o t e n a y R i v e r D i v e r s i o n - H u n t i n g and T r a p p i n g - West C o a s t O i l P o r t s - N a t i o n a l E n e r g y B o a r d H e a r i n g s - A l a s k a H i g h w a y Gas P i p e l i n e - Hat C r e e k C o a l D e v e l o p m e n t P r o j e c t S p e c i f i c C l a i m s , R e s e a r c h and L e g a l Task F o r c e : T h i s P o r t f o l i o h a n d l e d g r i e v a n c e s where r e s e r v e l a n d was b e i n g .../19 - 19 - i l l e g a l l y o c c u p i e d o r i t was l o s t a l t o g e t h e r . The p r o v i n c e w i d e i m p l i c a t i o n s i n c l u d e a b o r i g i n a l r i g h t s o f t h e I n d i a n p e o p l e s u c h as f i s h i n g , h u n t i n g , t a x a t i o n and so on. - S p o t t e d Lake ( M e d i c i n e L a k e ) - T a x a t i o n (Brown C a s e ) - F r e e d o m o f R e l i o g i o n ( H u n t i n g ) - H u n t i n g R i g h t s - F i s h i n g R i g h t s - E n v i r o n m e n t a l C o n t r o l - B r e a c h o f T r u s t - G r e a s e T r a i l ( T o u r i s m ) - C o n s t i t u t i o n S o c i o - E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t : The U n i o n f o u n d i t n e c e s s a r y t o d i s p a t c h r e s o u r c e o r s u p p o r t teams u s u a l l y made up o f p o l i t i c a l and t e c h n i c a l p e r s o n n e l t o a s s i s t Bands who a r e i n t i m i d a t e d by g o v e r n m e n t o f f i c i a l s . T h i s P o r t f o l i o a n s w e r e d r e q u e s t s i n c o m m u n i t y d e v e l o p m e n t p l a n n i n g , f i n a n c i a l p l a n n i n g and e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t r e s e a r c h . - Band A d v i s o r y - F o r e s t r y - L o c a l S e r v i c e s A g r e e m e n t F i s h i n g : _ The P o r t f o l i o p r o v i d e d a s s i s t a n c e t o Bands and i n d i v i d u a l s by r e f e r r i n g them t o l e g a l c o u n s e l and s u p p o r t e d t h o s e a r e a s where t h e r e was d a n g e r t o f i s h s t o c k s , t h r o u g h r e s e a r c h and n e g o t i a t i o n s . .../20 - 20 - F i s h e r i e s s t a t i s t i c s a r e f i x e d s o t h a t i t seems t h a t we a r e c a t c h i n g t o o much, a n d t h e y compare t h i s t o t h o s e c a u g h t by s p o r t s f i s h e r m e n . S i n c e many p e o p l e do n o t u n d e r s t a n d o u r r i g h t s , F i s h e r i e s c o n t i n u e t o c h a r g e o u r p e o p l e w i t h i l l e g a l f i s h i n g , and c o n f i s c a t e c a r s and f i s h . The m a t t e r o f c o n f i s c a t i o n h a s been d e n o u n c e d as i l l e g a l i n t h e C o u r t s and we h a v e b e e n f o l l o w i n g up on m a k i n g s u r e t h a t s u c h i l l e g a l l y c o n f i s c a t e d f i s h has been r e t u r n e d i n e q u a l and e d i b l e v a l u e . O r g a n i z a t i o n s s u c h as t h e M i s s i o n Rod and Gun C l u b , t h e W i l d l i f e F e d e r a t i o n , c o m m e r c i a l and s p o r t s f i s h e r m e n c o n t i n u e t o c a m p a i g n a g a i n s t o u r f o o d f i s h i n g r i g h t s . We c o n t i n u e t o m o n i t o r and p r o t e c t a g a i n s t s u c h a t t a c k s . S i n c e many o f o u r p e o p l e have won t h e i r r i g h t s t o f i s h , t h e y a r e now c o n s i d e r i n g p r o p e r management p r o g r a m s f o r f i s h on t h e i r r e s e r v e s . Band C o u n c i l s have s t a r t e d p a s s i n g b y - l a w s on t h e p r o t e c t i o n , management and p r e s e r v a t i o n o f f i s h . The U n i o n o f B.C. C h i e f s i s h i r i n g o u r own m a r i n e b i o l o g i s t t o e x p a n d o u r work on management and c o n s e r v a t i o n s . Our p o l i t i c i a n s do what we c a n t o make s u r e t h a t r i g h t s t o f o o d f i s h a r e r e p r e s e n t e d . We a r e p r e s e n t l y o r g a n i z i n g t o make s t r o n g r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f o u r r i g h t s and a l s o o u r s t r u g g l e , t o the P e a r s e C o m m i s s i o n . .../21 - 21 - R e s o u r c e C e n t r e : The R e s o u r c e C e n t r e c o n t i n u e s t o p r o v i d e e s s e n t i a l i n f o r m a t i o n s e r v i c e s t o t h e s t a f f o f t h e UBCIC, Band members and t h e g e n e r a l p u b l i c . I t h o l d s o v e r 5,000 v o l u m e s o f i n f o r m a t i o n i n t h e f o r m o f p e r i o d i c a l s , n e w s p a p e r s , n e w s l e t t e r s , m a g a z i n e s , r e p o r t s , b o o k s , m i c r o - f i l m s , maps, l i s t s and h i s t o r i c a l i n f o r m a t i o n . I n t h e work o f I n d i a n G o v e r n m e n t s , t h e Band s t a f f w i l l h a v e t o l e a r n t o do r e s e a r c h f o r t h e i r p a r t i c u l a r B a n d s , how t o s e t up t h e i r l i b r a r i e s and how t o use that i n f o r m a t i o n . The r o l e o f t h e R e s o u r c e C e n t r e i s t o a s s i s t Bands t o g a i n t h a t k i n d o f k n o w l e d g e . I n t h e m e a n t i m e , t h e s e r v i c e s a r e a v a i l a b l e t o a l l p e o p l e . The R e s o u r c e C e n t r e r e n t s f i l m s and a l s o may buy some o u t r i g h t . Once b o u g h t , Bands may b o r r o w them. V i d e o t a p e s a r e a l s o o b t a i n e d f r o m t e l e v i s i o n s t a t i o n s on i s s u e s o f i n t e r e s t . The R e s o u r c e C e n t r e p a r t i - c i p a t e s a t w o r k s h o p s and c o n f e r e n c e s by h a v i n g d i s p l a y s o f i n f o r m a t i o n and a l s o h o l d i n g m e e t i n g s w i t h o t h e r I n d i a n l i b r a r i a n s who f o r m e d t h e O r i g i n a l P e o p l e ' s L i b r a r y A s s o c i a t i o n . C o m m u n i c a t i o n s : The P o r t f o l i o i s f o u n d e d on t h e b e l i e f t h a t t h e p e o p l e have the r i g h t t o know. Good p o l i t i c a l d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g i s d e p e n d e n t upon the c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f a c c u r a t e i n f o r m a t i o n . I t i s t h e C o m m u n i c a t i o n s P o r t f o l i o ' s r e s p o n - s i b i l i t y t o p r o v i d e t h a t l i n k b e t w e e n t h e p e o p l e and t h e l e a d e r s h i p , so t h a t t h e b e s t p o s s i b l e p o l i t i c a l d e c i s i o n s can be made. .../22 - 22 - P r i n t i s u s e d t h e m o s t . The m o n t h l y n e w s m a g a z i n e " I n d i a n W o r l d " , b u l l e t i n s and p o s t e r s a r e p r o d u c e d by t h e p r i n t s e c t i o n o f t h e P o r t o f l i o . E a c h f i l l s a d i f f e r e n t n e e d , w h e t h e r long t e r m o r i m m e d i a t e a t t h e Band o r P r o v i n c i a l l e v e l . S i n c e A u g u s t , 1980, a l l p h o t o g r a p h i c p r o c e s s i n g and d e v e l o p i n g i s now done by o u r s t a f f i n t h e new d a r k r o o m . L a y - o u t , e d i t i n g and p l a n n i n g o f t h e m a g a z i n e c o n t i n u e s as u s u a l . The r e a l work t h o u g h , t h e h e a r t and s o u l , comes f r o m t h e p e o p l e who l i v e i n t h e c o m m u n i t i e s , who c o n t r i b u t e s t o r i e s , i d e a s , p h o t o g r a p h s , p o e t r y and i l l u s t r a t i o n s . The m a g a z i n e e n a b l e s c o m m u n i t i e s t o t a l k w i t h e a c h o t h e r i n a p o s i t i v e and p r o d u c t i v e way. Bands a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o s e n d i n t e r e s t e d p e o p l e t o t h e P o r t f o l i o t o t r a i n w i t h t h e s t a f f , and s e v e r a l w o r k s h o p s have b e e n h e l d on r e s e r v e s t o d i s c u s s , d e v e l o p and e x p a n d Band and T r i b a l n e w s l e t t e r s . The most s u c c e s s f u l was t h e I n d i a n W r i t e r s W o r k s h o p , j o i n t l y s p o n s o r e d w i t h t h e N e s k a i n l i t h I n d i a n Band and a l s o a t e a c h p a r t i c i p a n t ' s e x p e n s e . J o i n t l y s p o n s o r e d by v a r i o u s Bands o r g r o u p s , t h i s has become i n demand as an a n n u a l s p r i n g e v e n t . T r a i n i n g i s an i m p o r t a n t key t o o u r w o r k . A n o t h e r t w e n t y - t w o week R a d i o C o m m u n i c a t i o n s T r a i n i n g P r o g r a m has been d e s i g n e d by o u r s t a f f t o t r a i n o u r p e o p l e i n t h e b a s i c s k i l l s o f r a d i o p r o d u c t i o n and p e r f o r m a n c e . T h e r e i s g r e a t i n t e r e s t by Bands and T r i b a l N a t i o n s t o b e g i n r a d i o p r o d u c t i o n a t t h e .../23 - 23 - l o c a l l e v e l - and t r a i n i n g i s a s t e p t o w a r d s c o m p l e t i n g t h e j o u r n e y to good l o c a l / B a n d / T r i b a l r a d i o p r o d u c t i o n . Q u a l i t y i n a l l p r o d u c t i o n i s e m p h a s i z e d : we s t r i v e t o do t h e b e s t f o r t h o s e who e m p l o y u s : t h e p e o p l e . However, we s o m e t i m e s s a c r i f i c e q u a l i t y , t e m p o r a r i l y , f o r t r a i n i n g . Then p e o p l e a r e l e a r n i n g m i s t a k e s w i l l be made, b u t t o m o r r o w t h o s e p e o p l e w i l l be s k i l l e d i n t h e i r f i e l d and r e a d y t o work f o r t h e i r p e o p l e . O b v i o u s l y c o m m u n i c a t i o n s i s f u n d a m e n t a l to an o r g a n i z a t i o n o f any k i n d , b u t w i t h t h e n e g l e c t o f I n d i a n i s s u e s by o t h e r m e d i a i n B.C. i t i s e s s e n t i a l t o t h e UBCIC. T h i s r o l e i s u n f o r t u n a t e l y n o t r e f l e c t e d i n the f u n d i n g p o l i c y o f t h e S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e . D e s p i t e t h i s g r e a t h a n d i c a p , t h o u g h , good c o m m u n i c a t i o n s p r o d u c t i o n and t r a i n i n g has been c a r r i e d o u t t h i s y e a r and w i l l c o n t i n u e . We a r e m a k i n g i n c r e a s e d e f f o r t t o e n c o u r a g e s u b s c r i p t i o n s and a d v e r t i s i n g ( s u b j e c t t o e d i t o r i a l p o l i c y ) t o s u p p o r t t h e I n d i a n W o r l d . I n d i a n G o v e r n m e n t : Upon t h e d e c i s i o n o f t h e UBCIC A n n u a l G e n e r a l A s s e m b l y l a s t y e a r t o f i g h t t h e p a t r i a t i o n o f w h a t e v e r means p o s s i b l e , I n d i a n p e o p l e h e r e h a v e o r g a n i z e d t o p r o t e c t T r e a t i e s , A g r e e m e n t s and A b o r i g i n a l R i g h t s . The UBCIC t o o k t h e ' b u l l by t h e h o r n s ' and i m m e d i a t e l y s e t a p l a n i n a c t i o n t o p r o v i d e p o l i t i c a l and l e g a l l e a d e r s h i p on b e h a l f o f t h e s t a t u s I n d i a n p e o p l e i n B.C. and i n Canada. .../24 - 24 - - C o n s t i t u t i o n E x p r e s s : Was o r g a n i z e d t o m o b i l i z e t h e I n d i a n p e o p l e on t h i s i s s u e ; and l e g a l a c t i o n s were f i l e d i n t h e c o u r t s i n C a n a d a , i n B r i t i s h c o u r t s , a n d d o c u m e n t s w e r e p r e p a r e d f o r t h e Human R i g h t s C o u r t i n E u r o p e . P e o p l e were a p p o i n t e d t o c a r r y o u t v a r i o u s d i p l o m a t i c m i s s i o n s . Workshops were h e l d w i t h as many I n d i a n Bands as p o s s i b l e on t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n and i t s i m p l i c a t i o n s on o u r . A b o r i g i n a l R i g h t s . Che I n d i g e n o u s P e o p l e i n Canada were n o t g u a r a n t e e d any r i g h t s u n d e r t h e C h a r t e r o f R i g h t s p r o p o s e d i n t h e A m e n d i n g F o r m u l a o f t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n a f t e r p a t r i a t i o n . The U n i o n was g i v e n a r e s o l u t i o n f r o m t h e N a t i o n a l I n d i a n B r o t h e r h o o d t o c a r r y o u t a l l l e g a l a c t i o n on b e h a l f o f t h e I n d i a n p e o p l e i n Canada. On November 24, 1 9 8 0 , t h e I n d i a n p e o p l e f r o m B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a m o b i l i z e d t o t a k e t h e t r a i n t o O t t a w a t o s e e k r e c o g n i t i o n i n t h e i r f i g h t f o r a b o r i g i n a l r i g h t s b e f o r e P r i m e M i n i s t e r T r u d e a u p a t r i a t e d t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n . The t r a i n t r i p was "The C o n s t i t u t i o n E x p r e s s " . As one o f t h e most d r a m a t i c a c t i o n s t a k e n by t h e U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s , t h e I n d i a n p e o p l e t r a v e l l e d enmasse f r o m t h e West t o t h e S e a t o f t h e C a n a d i a n G o v e r n m e n t t o p u b l i c l y v o i c e o u r c o n c e r n s . A c o d e o f c o n d u c t h a d b e e n s e t f o r e v e r y o n e r i d i n g t h e " C o n s t i t u t i o n a l E x p r e s s " and t h e E l d e r s and t h e S p i r i t u a l L e a d e r s p r o v i d e d t h e l e a d e r s h i p t o p r e p a r e e v e r y o n e f o r t h e d i f f i c u l t j o b a h e a d . I n t h e e n d , a l l t h i s p r e p a r a t i o n was what b u i l t up t h e p r i d e o f t h e p e o p l e . The g e n e r a l p u b l i c .../25 - 25 - was s u p p o r t i v e o f t h e " C o n s t i t u t i o n E x p r e s s " a n d i t c a u g h t t h e i m a g i n a t i o n o f t h e C a n a d i a n p e o p l e . What b e g a n a s a p o l i t i c a l a c t i o n became a j o u r n e y o f a d i f - f e r e n t n a t u r e i n t h a t i t gave t h e I n d i a n p e o p l e a new o u t l o o k i n j u s t who t h e y r e a l l y a r e . I t was v e r y s u c c e s s f u l i n t h i s l i g h t . H u n d r e d s o f p e o p l e and t h e i r f a m i l i e s made s a c r i f i c e s t o commit t h e m s e l v e s t o t h i s t r i p i n r e s p o n s e t o t h e U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s " S t a t e o f Emergency'' d e c l a r a t i o n . F i n a n c i a l l y , many s t a f f o f t h e U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s and b a n d members d o n a t e d t h e i r own f u n d s t o make t h e t r a i n t r i p . C o n a t i o n s w e r e r e c e i v e d f r o m Bands and o u t s i d e g r o u p s . To k e e p c o s t s down, f o o d was d o n a t e d by s u p p o r t e r s a t e v e r y s t o p and t h e p e o p l e o f O t t a w a o p e n e d t h e i r homes t o t h e d e l e - g a t e s . T h i s was t r u l y a ' p e o p l e s ' movement f r o m V a n c o u v e r t o O t t a w a . Fund r a i s i n g i s c o n t i n u i n g by I n d i a n p e o p l e a n d s u p p o r t e r s f o r t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n i s s u e . V I . SOME OF THE OTHER A C T I V I T I E S OF UBCIC: W e s t e r n I n d i a n A g r i c u l t u r a l C o r p o r a t i o n : T h i s i s a c o r p o r a t i o n e n c o u r a g e d by t h e U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s t o p r o v i d e an a d v i s o r y and t r a i n i n g a s s i s t a n c e t o bands i n t h e f i e l d o f I n d i a n A g r i c u l t u r e . I n d i a n C o n s u l t i n g G r o u p : One o f t h e i n i t i a t i v e s o f t h e U n i o n was t o h e l p e s t a b l i s h an I n d i a n C o n s u l t i n g Group .../26 - 26 - i n B.C. t o p r o v i d e p r o f e s s i o n a l s e r v i c e s t o Bands and i n d i v i d u a l s i n a b r o a d r a n g e o f p r o g r a m a r e a s . I.C.G. i s now e s t a b l i s h e d and f u n c t i o n i n g w i t h t h e i r own o f f i c e s as a s e p a r a t e e n t i t y f r o m t h e U n i o n . S t u d e n t Summer E m p l o y m e n t : D u r i n g t h e summer b r e a k , s t u d e n t s a r e h i r e d on s t a f f by t h e P o r t f o l i o s e i t h e r d i r e c t l y i n t h e o f f i c e o r a t t h e Band l e v e l . T h e r e a r e j o b s u s u a l l y a v a i l a b l e t o u n i v e r s i t y s t u d e n t s as w e l l . We e x p e c t t o be h e a r i n g s h o r t l y how many summer j o b s t h a t w i l l be a v a i l a b l e i n I n d i a n E d u c a t i o n a n d I n d i a n G o v e r n m e n t . V o l u n t e e r W o r k e r s : The U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s has h a d f i v e v o l u n t e e r w o r k e r s on o c c a s i o n f r o m t h e j o b - t r a i n i n g p r o g r a m b r a n c h o f t h e N a t i v e E d u c a t i o n C e n t r e . One o f t h e f i v e v o l u n t e e r s h a s b e e n h i r e d on f u l l - t i m e . We a c h i e v e d f u n d i n g f r o m t h e Canada Manpower I n d u s t r i a l T r a i n i n g P r o g r a m w h i c h p a i d 60% o f t h e s a l a r y f o r t h r e e m o n t h s . Community L i a i s o n W o r k e r s : The U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s h a s as i t s p r i o r i t y t o work f o r t h e s t a t u s o f I n d i a n p e o p l e a t t h e b a n d l e v e l . However, due t o t h e n a t u r e o f o u r w o r k , t h e U n i o n i s r e q u e s t e d t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n v a r i o u s community p r o j e c t s , w o r k s h o p s , s e m i n a r s , c o n f e r e n c e s a n d c u l t u r a l g a t h e r i n g s . These r e q u e s t s come f r o m a l l o v e r t h e p r o v i n c e , o u t s i d e o f t h e p r o v i n c e and t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s I n d i a n G o v e r n m e n t s . .../27 - 27 - C o r r e c t i o n a l I n s t i t u t e s : T h e r e were numerous r e q u e s t s f r o m t h e M i s s i o n Medium S e c u r i t y , K e n t I n s t i t u t i o n , a n d M a t s q u i t o do w o r k s h o p s on I n d i a n G o v e r n m e n t , t o a t t e n d t h e i r A.A. Roundups, o r a t t e n d t h e i r s o c i a l n i g h t s . A l t h o u g h i t was t i m e - c o n s u m i n g t o a t t e n d a l l o f t h e s e f u n c t i o n s , o u r l e a d e r s e n c o u r a g e d t h e i r v i s i t s b e l i e v i n g t h a t t h e i n m a t e s a r e v a l u a b l e r e s o u r c e p e o p l e w i t h i n t h e p r i s o n ; o r once t h e y a r e r e l e a s e d . We f i l l e d as many r e q u e s t s as p o s s i b l e t o do w o r k s h o p s on I n d i a n G o v e r n m e n t a n d s h a r e d t h e work o f t h e U n i o n and t h e k i n d s o f g r o w t h t a k i n g p l a c e a t t h e r e s e r v e . Community G r o u p s : W o r k s h o p s were h e l d w i t h t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l s o c i a l w o r k e r s i n t h e G r e a t e r V a n c o u v e r a r e a . V a r i o u s e n v i r o n - m e n t a l g r o u p s s o u g h t o u r s u p p o r t i n t h e i r e n d e a v o u r s t o p r o t e c t a l l n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s and e n v i r o n m e n t . C h u r c h g r o u p s r e q u e s t e d i n f o r m a t i o n on Land C l a i m s , C o n s t i t u t i o n , a n d A b o r i g i n a l R i g h t s q u e s t i o n . The R.C.M.P. i n v i t e d t h e U n i o n t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e i r C u l t u r a l A w a r e n e s s T r a i n i n g Week. An i n t e r n a t i o n a l N u t r i t i o n a l Workshop i n v i t e d t h e H e a l t h and S o c i a l D e v e l o p m e n t p e r s o n t o t a l k o n t r a d i t i o n a l I n d i a n f o o d s and n u t r i t i o n . S c h o o l s , C o l l e g e s , U n i v e r s i t i e s : The l e a r n i n g I n s t i - t u t i o n s make a t r e m e n d o u s amount o f r e q u e s t s f o r g u e s t s p e a k e r s on "Land C l a i m s " i s s u e s and " F i s h i n g R i g h t s " , e t c . I t i s i m p o r t a n t t h a t we t r y t o meet t h e s e commitments as i t i s i n t h e s c h o o l s w h e r e m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g s c a n be c o r r e c t e d . The r e s u l t o f p r e s e n t a t i o n s g i v e n have b e e n p o s i t i v e b e c a u s e o f t h e p o l i t i c a l a c t i o n s w h i c h seems t o a p p e a l t o most p e o p l e , e s p e c i a l l y y o u n g p e o p l e .../28 - 28 - I n t e r n a l T r a i n i n g : S i n c e t h e U n i o n o f B.C. I n d i a n C h i e f s has c o n t i n u o u s r e q u e s t s f o r p u b l i c s p e a k e r s and w o r k s h o p s , we e n d e a v o u r t o t r a i n most o f t h e s t a f f t o d e v e l o p t h e a r t o f s p e a k i n g w i t h a g r o u p and how t o h o l d w o r k s h o p s . The y o u n g e r s t a f f members a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o a s s i s t i n t h e w o r k s h o p s and a r e e v e n t u a l l y i n v o l v e d i n t h e d i s c u s s i o n s t o g a i n c o n f i d e n c e i n h a n d l i n g p u b l i c a f f a i r s . When w o r k s h o p s a r e h e l d a t t h e Band l e v e l , l o c a l p e o p l e a r e r e q u e s t e d t o a s s i s t i n s e t t i n g up t h e w o r k s h o p s and a s s i s t d u r i n g t h e s e s s i o n s as w e l l . INDIAN SURVIVAL STATE OF EMERGENCY INTRODUCTION What i s t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n ? I t ' s an agreement between p e o p l e s on how t h e y w i l l c o n d u c t t h e i r a f f a i r s . The C o n s t i t u t i o n o f any g r o u p i s t h e most b a s i c l a w , on w h i c h e v e r y t h i n g e l s e i s d e t e r m i n e d . I t i s t h e f i n a l a n d most p o w e r f u l l a w i n any c o u n t r y . In Canada, t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n i s c a l l e d t h e B r i t i s h N o r t h A m e r i c a A c t . I t was s i g n e d i n 1867, when Canada became a N a t i o n u n d e r t h e Queen. P r i m e M i n i s t e r Trudeau, on O c t o b e r 2, 1980, i n t h e House o f Commons, a s k e d f o r a R e s o l u t i o n f o r h i m t o go t o the B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t t o a s k E n g l a n d t o a l l o w h i m t o b r i n g the B r i t i s h N o r t h A m e r i c a A c t t o Canada. I f t h e B r i t i s h N o r t h A m e r i c a A c t i s b r o u g h t t o O t t a w a , Canada w i l l t h e n become an I n d e p e n d e n t N a t i o n . I t w i l l n o t have t o go t o E n g l a n d t o g e t i t s l a w changed. T h i s t r a n s f e r i s c a l l e d " P a t r i a t i o n " . T r u d e a u ' s main argument i s t h a t Canada s h o u l d have t h e r i g h t t o make and change i t s own l a w s . - 2 - This sounds good i n the way Trudeau has presented i t to the people of Canada. But, when he put h i s R e s o l u t i o n before the House of Commons, he included changes which many groups, provinces and i n d i v i d u a l s cannot agree t o . If h i s Resolution i s passed the way he proposes to Parliament, he w i l l do more than j u s t P a t r i a t e . He w i l l be changing the fundamental r i g h t s and freedoms of people i n Canada. GOAL OF THE INDIAN NATIONS To send about 1,000 or more People from Indian Nations to London, England. RATIONALE - STATEMENT OF REASONS B r i t a i n has a duty to p r o t e c t a l l Indian Nations. This duty has i t roots i n the Law of Nations which governed B r i t a i n at the time when Canada was c o l o n i z e d . The Law of Nations imposed a Sacred T r u s t on B r i t a i n towards the Indian Nations. This Sacred T r u s t c a r r i e d a duty to p r o t e c t Indian people i n the possession of t h e i r t r a d i t i o n a l t e r r i t o r y , u n t i l the t e r r i t o r y i s v o l u n t a r i l y surrendered. T h i s duty i s so because, under I n t e r n a t i o n a l Law, B r i t a i n had no r i g h t s to a c q u i r e lands by discovery, only those which were unoccupied. - 3 - When the lands were occupied, B r i t a i n had the r i g h t s to acquire those lands before other European Nations could do so, but B r i t a i n could only do so through conquest or through t r e a t y . Because much of Canada was occupied Indian t e r r i t o r y when i t was discovered by B r i t a i n , B r i t a i n became a trustee to p r o t e c t Indian Nations according to the r u l e s of Inter- n a t i o n a l Law. This T r u s t i s w r i t t e n i n the Royal Proclamation of 1763. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 i s a b a s i c C o n s t i t u - t i o n a l document of Canada. The R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n s t a t e d t h a t I n d i a n l a n d s were r e s e r v e d f o r I n d i a n s u n t i l v o l u n t a r i l y s u r r e n d e r e d by I n d i a n N a t i o n s . T h i s T r u s t was a l s o r e c o g n i z e d by B r i t a i n i n h e r d e a l - i n g s w i t h I n d i a n N a t i o n s f r o m 1763 t o 1867. I t was i n t h i s p e r i o d t h a t t r e a t i e s were c o n c l u d e d b e f o r e l a n d was s o l d . At the time of Confederation, Indian Nations d i d not p a r t i c i p a t e i n the formation of the C o n s t i t u t i o n c a l l e d the B r i t i s h North America A c t . Yet B r i t a i n preserved the Sacred Trust w i t h i n the B r i t i s h North America Act. Under S e c t i o n 9 1 ( 2 4 ) , t h e F e d e r a l Government was g i v e n t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s t o a d m i n i s t e r the T r u s t . Under S e c t i o n 109, t h e P r o v i n c e s were g i v e n t h e r e s o u r c e s , s u b j e c t t o A b o r i g i n a l R i g h t s i n u n s u r r e n d e r e d I n d i a n t e r r i t o r y . - 4 - Great B r i t a i n held the balance of power i n check, by keeping f o r h e r s e l f the power to amend the B r i t i s h North America Act. Also, when B r i t i s h Columbia and Rupert's Land j o i n e d Confederation, B r i t a i n r e t a i n e d the power to s e t t l e disputes over Indian c l a i m s . So, under the C o n s t i t u t i o n , i t i s impossible f o r e i t h e r the Federal or P r o v i n c i a l Governments now to a b o l i s h the Sacred T r u s t without the consent of B r i t a i n . Because the b a s i s of the T r u s t i s Indian consent to surrender t h e i r t e r r i t o r y , B r i t a i n cannot discharge the T r u s t without f i r s t g e t t i n g Indian consent to do so. B i t by b i t the Federal Government has ignored the existence of the T r u s t r e l a t i o n s h i p between B r i t a i n and Indian peoples i n s p i t e of the f a c t that the T r u s t i s en- shrined i n the B r i t i s h North America Act. Over 40% of Canada i s unceded (unsurrendered) Indian t e r r i t o r y , yet the Federal Government continues to implement p o l i c i e s to expropriate our land without our consent. Our Indian lands continue to be s t o l e n . Now Canada i s t r y i n g to break a l l i t s t i e s with B r i t a i n by p a t r i a t i n g the C o n s t i t u t i o n but, i t r e q u i r e s B r i t a i n ' s consent. Canada never made our t i e s with B r i t a i n t h e r e f o r e Canada cannot break them on our behalf nor have the Indian Nations consented to B r i t a i n breaking t i e s with us. - 5 - Indian people must go to B r i t a i n to force her to f u l - f i l l her o b l i g a t i o n s to Indian Nations p r i o r to the p a t r i a t i o n of the C o n s t i t u t i o n . We have submitted B i l l s of P a r t i c u l a r s to the B r i t i s h Government, the Canadian Government and to the United Nations suggesting i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y supervised n e g o t i a t i o n s take place between Canada, B r i t a i n and the Indian Nations. Our Indian Nations do not consent to the Trust being f o r g o t t e n , as Canada proposes, or delegated to Canada, as B r i t a i n suggests- We demand that the T r u s t be discharged on terms which we w i l l agree t o . Then, the C o n s t i t u t i o n can be p a t r i a t e d , on terms which entrench our Agreement. We w i l l not consent to P a t r i a t i o n of the C o n s t i t u t i o n u n t i l Canada acknowledges our A b o r i g i n a l Rights p o s i t i o n as defined i n our " A b o r i g i n a l Rights P o s i t i o n Paper". Trudeau's p a t r i a t i o n package i n c l u d e s r e c o g n i t i o n of A b o r i g i n a l and Treaty Rights however, i t leaves the i n t e r - p r e t a t i o n of these r i g h t s to the Canadian c o u r t s . The M i n i s t e r of J u s t i c e and M i n i s t e r o f I n d i a n A f f a i r s has a l r e a d y s t a t e d t h e c o u r t s w i l l i n t e r p r e t " A b o r i g i n a l and T r e a t y R i g h t s " . The Canadian courts have never recognized our concept of A b o r i g i n a l Rights i n t h e i r d e c i s i o n s . The Canadian courts l i m i t our A b o r i g i n a l Rights to mean no more than the r i g h t to use and enjoy land at the pleasure of the Government. The Supreme C o u r t o f Canada has n o t a g r e e d t h a t t h e R o y a l P r o c l a m a t i o n o f 1763 a p p l i e s t o B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a . - 6 - T h e r e r f o r e we must not leave the d e f i n i t i o n of our A b o r i g i n a l Rights to e i t h e r the Canadian Government or the Canadian Courts. Under the proposed Amending Formula the Provinces and the Federal Government could e x t i n g u i s h our r i g h t s without our consent. Indians have no say i n the Amending Formula. The P r o v i n c i a l and F e d e r a l Government i n i t s move to f i n a l i z e a s s i m i l a t i o n of Indian people would wipe out a l l A b o r i g i n a l Rights according to Canadian Law (thus never recognizing A b o r i g i n a l Rights according to our Law). The t r u t h i s that many of the r i g h t s t h a t the Federal and P r o v i n c i a l Governments are f i g h t i n g over belong to neither of them f o r they have never obtained the t i t l e to the land from the Indian Nations and thus have no r i g h t to e i t h e r the land nor i t s resources. Just as the Governor of B r i t i s h Columbia during the time of Confederation d i d not speak on b e h a l f o f the Indian Nations, nor can the Premiers of the Province during these debates over the C o n s t i t u t i o n speak on b e h a l f of Indian Nations. The Prime M i n i s t e r cannot speak as r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of the Indian Nations nor any M i n i s t e r of the F e d e r a l Govern- ment except to the extent that they represent the p r o t e c t i v e r o l e of B r i t a i n as that i s a l l that B r i t a i n could have passed to Canada 's Government. From e v e r y I n d i a n N a t i o n , e v e r y man, woman and c h i l d i s now g i v e n t h e c h a n c e t o c o n t r i b u t e t h e i r s t r e n g t h , v i s i o n , wisdom and d i g n i t y t o c a r r y on t h i s C o n s t i t u t i o n a l f i g h t . - 7 - From every Indian Nation, every man, woman and c h i l d should be accounted f o r at whatever the cost may be i n order to ensure that the Indian people's strengh, v i s i o n , wisdom and d i g n i t y i s c a r r i e d out. PURPOSE OF TRIP TO LONDON , ENGLAND To announce t o the Queen that we come t o speak as Indian Nations. To c l a r i f y that Indian Nations are not merely a l o c a l and domestic problem but rather Nations of people d e a l i n g with two other Nations - Canada and B r i t a i n . To bring t o i n t e r n a t i o n a l awareness the f a c t that approximately 40% o f Canada i s Indian land i l l e g a l l y held and that our lands were s t o l e n . To prevent e i t h e r the Federal or P r o v i n c i a l Governments from c u t t i n g t h i e s with B r i t a i n without the consent of the Indian Nations. To inform the i n t e r n a t i o n a l world community, as well as B r i t a i n and Canada, that that Indian Nations of B r i t i s h Columbia w i l l only negotiate our r e l a t i o n s h i p with the Federal Government when three b a s i c i s s u e are agreed upon: 1. the Royal Proclamation o f 1763 a p p l i e s to a l l across the country; 2. the Indian Nations have a say i n the Amending Formula, f i r s t and foremost as i t a f f e c t s us, and; 3. the A b o r i g i n a l Rights now proposed to be entrenched i n the C o n s t i t u t i o n of Canada are those defined i n our " A b o r i g i n a l Rights P o s i t i o n Paper". - 8 - To make the world community aware of our d e f i n i t i o n of A b o r i g i n a l Rights. To inform the i n t e r n a t i o n a l world community, as w e l l as B r i t a i n and Canada, that the Indian Nations confirm a l l the evidence contained i n the "Submission to the Fourth R u s s e l l T r i b u n a l " (November 1980) and the "Report of the Fourth R u s s e l l T r i b u n a l " . To put an end to the f a l s e image of Canada as being a land where many d i f f e r e n t c u l t u r e s l i v e together i n mutual respect. To show s t r e n g t h and u n i t y , and to support any l e g a l a c t i o n s that may take place i n the Courts of B r i t a i n or the Human Rights Court of Europe on behalf of Indian Nations. PREPARATION FOR THE TRIP Review and up-date information on the C o n s i t u t i o n a l issue (Many Band Councils have t h i s kind of information) . Carry out community meetings and workshops about the Canadian Government's proposed R e s o l u t i o n to p a t r i a t e the C o s t i t u t i o n of Canada i n order to inform a l l our people of the reasons why the present and proposed amendments w i l l eventually hurt our Indian r i g h t s . Our p o s i t i o n s should be confirmed concerning the r e l a t i o n s h i p that each i n d i v i d u a l Indian Nations may have or want to have with the Federal Government i n order to ensure that we e s t a b l i s h our P r o v i s i o n a l Indian Government. - 9 - F o r a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n o r t o s h a r e any i d e a s c o n t a c t any o f t h e a s s i g n e d t o e i t h e r S e c u r i t y , T r a n s p o r t a t i o n , C o m m u n i c a t i o n s , M e d i a , F i n a n c e (and Fund R a i s i n g ) , E x t e r n a l A f f a i r s , I n t e r n a l A f f a i r s , F r i e n d s h i p C e n t r e s and S p i r i t u a l L e a d e r s . In order that each Indian Nation can send people to England without any government money, s e v e r a l fund r a i s i n g a c t i v i t i e s w i l l have to take place. We a l l have to s t a r t working as f a s t as p o s s i b l e because the t r i p to London, England could be e a r l i e r than we expect. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES We must act as one Nation to f i g h t f o r our s u r v i v a l . We must assume the d i s c i p l i n e and r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s that our f o r e f a t h e r s c a r r i e d out. We must strengthen our Indian laws as taught to us by our E l d e r s . We must continue t o encourage each other i n order t o keep the momentum of t h i s C o n s t i t u t i o n a l Express movement u n t i l the very end. TIME FRAME We w i l l p o s s i b l y l e a v e i n June o r J u l y 1981. I t i s p o s s i b l e t h a t the t r i p w i l l have t o l e a v e e a r l i e r . Be prepared and carry on as i f we are leaving e a r l y , t h i s w i l l safe-guard us from being caught o f f guard. - 1 0 - HOW WE WILL TRAVEL TO LONDON, ENGLAND We w i l l be t r a v e l l i n g a c r o s s Canada by c a r . I t w i l l be l i k e t h e I n d i a n C h i l d C a r a v a n . We w i l l be s t o p p i n g a t k e y R e s e r v e s a c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y where o t h e r p e o p l e from o t h e r a r e a s w i l l be j o i n i n g u s . We w i l l t r y and f i n d p a r k i n g space n e a r M o n t r e a l u n t i l o u r r e t u r n j o u r n e y . We w i l l p r o b a b l y c h a r t e r about f o u r 747 j e t s t o London, England once we get back e a s t . We a r e g o i n g by c a r and j e t because a b o a t would t a k e t o o l o n g . The Elders may f l y from Vancouver d i r e c t l y t o the C i t y where the main C o n s t i t u t i o n a l Express w i l l take o f f to London, England. It i s important to understand that we are going to be using our own money. To be on the safe side i t i s estimated that each i n d i v i d u a l j o i n i n g the C o n s t i t u t i o n a l Express w i l l need at l e a s t $2,500. f o r the round t r i p (Vancouver-Ottawa or Montreal-London, England-Vancouver.) SUGGESTED FUND RAISING ACTIVITIES COMMUNITY LEVEL: - Bake S a l e s - W a l k - A - T h o n s / M o c c a s s i n M i l e - B i n g o - R a f f l e s - D o n a t i o n s (Money, Food, S k i l l s , e t c . , ) - A u c t i o n s ( A r t s & C r a f t s , I n d i a n f o o d , e t c . , ) - B u t t o n S a l e s - B o t t l e D r i v e s - B e n e f i t D i n n e r / D a n c e s / T a l e n t Show - Shoot-A-Thons ( B a s k e t b a l l , S o c c e r , e t c . , ) - T - S h i r t S a l e s - G u e s s i n g : Beans i n B o t t l e - 11 - F o r More I n f o r m a t i o n Or To Share Your Ideas C o n t a c t : PROVINCIAL LEVEL: - L o t t e r i e s - B a a z a r r e s ( F l e a M a r k e t s ) - R a d i o T e l e t h o n - T - S h i r t S a l e s - B e n e f i t D i n n e r / D a n c e s / T a l e n t Shows - P o s t e r S a l e s - Rummage S a l e s - R a f f l e s - A r t s & C r a f t s A u c t i o n - B u t t o n S a l e s - S i l v e r D o l l a r C o i n (Famous I n d i a n s ) - I n d i a n D a n c i n g Fund R a i s i n g Tour C h i e f Wayne c h r i s t i a n C h a i r m a n , C o n s t i t u t i o n a l E x p r e s s C e n t r a l Comm- i t t e e Phone: 838-6496 j S p a l l u m c h e e n Band NATIONAL LEVEL: - I n d i a n F r i e n d s h i p C e n t r e s - I n d i a n P r o v i n c i a l / T e r r i t o r i a l O r g a n i z a t i o n s - N o n - I n d i a n O r g a n i z a t i o n s ( L a b o u r U n i o n s , Church and S u p p o r t G r o u p s ) - L o t t e r i e s INTERNATIONAL LEVEL: - F o r e i g n C o u n t r y Government S u p p o r t - World C o u n c i l o f I n d i g e n o u s P e o p l e s - I n d i a n D a n c i n g Fund R a i s i n g Tour i n Europe - I n d i a n S p e a k i n g T o u r s i n Europe

Part of 6th: Special General Assembly: Indian Survival State of Emergency

Constitution Express

6bc994296e18d5b38d1c0ef039608dc7f54379ff.pdf