And now:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (S.I.S.I.S.) writes:
ABORIGINAL LEADERS WANT EQUALITY, PREMIERS TO BE TOLD
Canadian Press, March 21, 1999
[S.I.S.I.S. note: The following mainstream news article may contain biased
or distorted information and may be missing pertinent facts and/or context.
It is provided for reference only.]
REGINA (CP) - Aboriginal leaders say they are heading into Monday's
meeting with Canada's premiers absolutely determined to be treated as
equals.
But Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romanow says while he and his fellow
politicians are willing to be constructive, they won't apologize for
leaving aboriginals out of last month's social union agreement. Only five
premiers - representing Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova
Scotia - are expected at Monday's conference in Regina.
Aboriginal leaders have said they should have been included in the
discussions on the social union framework, which set out rules and
responsibilities for delivering health and social programs across the
country.
But Romanow said the premiers had the right to meet to discuss matters
that "pertain to their jurisdictional concerns, and to do so by
themselves." It was then up to the premiers to consult with aboriginal
leaders about the issues affecting them, he added. "That's what were doing
now," Romanow said. "At the end of the day, the premiers are the ones who
are elected by aboriginal and non-aboriginal people to try to make the best
policy." He said it's impossible for every group affected by the social
union agreement to participate in the talks.
But aboriginal people are unique, insisted Phil Fontaine, leader of the
Assembly of First Nations, representing 600 Indian bands across Canada.
"Our rights are clearly recognized in the Constitution and the highest
court in the land has been very clear about the need to consult with us.
And it can't be after the fact." Fontaine said he also wants to be
constructive, but he's determined to convince the premiers that aboriginal
leaders deserve the same say as premiers in negotiations such as the social
union talks. The social union is about the "redesign of government into a
more collaborative process. That should be applied to us too," Fontaine
said. "We know that we're right and we're not going away."
Harry Daniels, president of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, said the
problems faced by the 870,000 urban aboriginals he represents aren't going
away because every level of government refuses to take responsibility for
them. "We want fairness," he said. "We want our share of the Canadian
Health and Social Transfer money." He said he will demand the premiers show
him their plans for how they will deliver services to urban aboriginal
people. If the provinces aren't going to provide adequate housing,
education and job creation, then let aboriginal organizations do it,
Daniels said.
Romanow said Canadian Health and Social Transfer money that Ottawa
provides to the provinces can't simply be handed out to aboriginal groups
because premiers have a duty to use the funding to create programs that
serve all people.
Daniels allowed that aboriginal groups probably won't be given the
funds. "But we have to get them to agree to the principle," he said. "We
have to get them to accept their fiduciary responsibility."
Other issues on the agenda for the meeting include:
- A structure for ongoing consultations between the premiers and
aboriginal leaders.
- Constitutional obligations the federal government has to aboriginal people.
- A national aboriginal youth strategy.
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SOVEREIGNTY IS THE ANSWER - CANADA IS THE PROBLEM
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is
distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed
a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit
research and educational purposes only.
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S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty
P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2
EMAIL : <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html
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