[Native_American] Gathering Place News Special :NATIONAL CHIEF ENDORSES POSITION

[Sharon Green]

Gathering Place First Nations Canadian News Special April 24, 2002 <> <><><> <><><> <><><> <><><> <><><>  April 24, 2002 NATIONAL CHIEF ENDORSES POSITION OF CHIEF AND COUNCIL OF M'CHIGEENG    The National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Matthew Coon Come, fully supports and endorses the Chief, Council and citizens of the M'Chigeeng First Nation in their struggle for recognition of their community-approved custom governance process. The right to choose your leaders is one of the most basic and fundamental rights that any society has including First Nations communities.   "When the representatives of the Crown encountered and started entering into relationships and treaties with the First Nations peoples the Crown representatives did not question the leaders of the First Nations about their legitimacy nor  did they ask them to prove that their leadership process was in accordance with Crown law and policy," stated National Chief Matthew Coon Come   The M'Chigeeng First Nation developed and adopted an election code in accordance with its customs and traditions and followed the principles and procedures established in the "Conversion to Community Election System Policy" established by DIAND. The M'Chigeeng can establish that it applied an inclusive and transparent process in developing the code and in its adoption as code for use in their community. Yet, in spite of this, the department has refused to recognize the code and does not recognize the duly elected leadership of the M'Chigeeng First Nation. The department is even threatening to impose third party management even though the band's finances are in order and there are no financial or management irregularities.  "The Minister continually advances the principle of accountability. I have to ask, who is the Department of Indian Affairs being accountable to in rejecting what this community has done for itself?  Canadian case law clearly supports the position of the M'Chigeeng First Nation in that the power to determine a leadership selection custom is not a power conferred by Parliament or the Minister of the Indian Affairs, but is rather an inherent power of the band. I support the Chief and Council and all the First Nations citizens in their efforts to have the Minister and the department recognize their governance system and stop, imposing their control on First Nations peoples," added National Chief Coon Come. To this point, according to INAC's own documentation, this matter has not been brought to the attention of the Minister of Indian Affairs and that the bureaucrats have been handling the matter.  "It's time for the Minister to deal with this matter especially since he likes to remind First Nations peoples that he is the most powerful man on First Nations reserves. The Minister must show respect to the M'Chigeeng First Nations people and their leadership and resolve this impasse by sitting down with them and working out the solution rather than having this matter dealt with by bureaucrats or the courts," concluded National Chief Coon Come.  The Assembly of First Nations is the national organization representing 633 First Nations communities across Canada and First Nations citizens living in urban and rural communities.  For additional information, contact Jean LaRose at (613) 241-6789, ext. 251 ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) or by cell at (613) 795-9664.         <> <><><> <><><> <><><> <><><> <><><>  ATTENTION Lets Show Mr Nault who speaks for First Nations People ....... We would ask every one who receives this to Please send a letter of support to Matthew Coom Come ....... At <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>             <> <><><> <><><> <><><> <><><> <><><> <><> * This  news letter is � And is the property of  Gathering Place First Nations ,Canadian News   Compiled by Sharon Green **Special Thanks to �Sunhill Production for the photos that were used to make Gathering Place First Nations Canadian News  logo  *** If you would like our News and Special Reports sent out  to you, your family , friends or to  your list  Please Ask....  We would be more then happy to send it to anyone but   Please Respect that this is someone's work and Ask......Contact me at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit and show your support for the Grass Roots Oyate http://members.tripod.com/GrassRootsOyate Clemency for Leonard Peltier. Sign the Petition. http://petitiononline.com/Release/petition.html ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?b1ddNB.b2HgmN Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================