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Scope of government intervention widened

Page 8

Robert Nault may tell First Nations people that his powers under the Indian Act intrude unacceptably into their lives and he wants to stop it with his First Nations governance act, but that hasn't stopped him from exercising those powers in the Northwestern Ontario community of Pikangikum.

That's how First Nation leaders see Nault's imposition of what they call an "Indian agent" on the remote, suicide plagued First Nation.

Two hundred organizations buck AFN boycott

Page 6

Just over 20 per cent of the approximately 900 federally funded Aboriginal organizations in Canada are committed to participate in the First Nations governance act initiative spearheaded by Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault.

Nault revealed the number during an interview on June 8. He expects more organizations will decide not to go along with Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come's call for a boycott of the consultation.

Two hundred organizations buck AFN boycott

Page 6

Just over 20 per cent of the approximately 900 federally funded Aboriginal organizations in Canada are committed to participate in the First Nations governance act initiative spearheaded by Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault.

Nault revealed the number during an interview on June 8. He expects more organizations will decide not to go along with Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come's call for a boycott of the consultation.

All accountable

Page 5

Dear Editor:

Yes, I agree we must be more accountable to our people but not to the government. They have not offered any accountability on the revenue that Canada has raised and how much of it was Indian monies. They seem to be able to do anything with our share of the resources; they even put it in a general revenue pot and do not identify any of it as Indian monies.

All accountable

Page 5

Dear Editor:

Yes, I agree we must be more accountable to our people but not to the government. They have not offered any accountability on the revenue that Canada has raised and how much of it was Indian monies. They seem to be able to do anything with our share of the resources; they even put it in a general revenue pot and do not identify any of it as Indian monies.

Help prevent further attempts to hurt our people

Dear Editor:

The following letter has been sent to the Secretary General of the United Nations.

Dear Secretary General,

As the grand chief of the Wulustuk Grand Council, I am writing to you and your organization to request your organization's help, assistance and support.

The Wulustuk Grand Council is the traditional form of government of the Wulustukyeg people or, as we have come to be known, the Maliseet people.

Help prevent further attempts to hurt our people

Dear Editor:

The following letter has been sent to the Secretary General of the United Nations.

Dear Secretary General,

As the grand chief of the Wulustuk Grand Council, I am writing to you and your organization to request your organization's help, assistance and support.

The Wulustuk Grand Council is the traditional form of government of the Wulustukyeg people or, as we have come to be known, the Maliseet people.

An open letter to the national sheaf

Page 5

Dear Matt (if I may):

After much deliberation and soul searching, the management team of "Me, Myself and I" has reached a consensus about your performance in year one as the national chief, la grande fromage, of the AFN, the Assembly of Indians.

Our performance evaluation technique is culled from the infamous School of Hard Knocks. Like youse guys at the AFN, we wanted to have OUR OWN consultation process. My colleagues at the school have insisted that we release the results of our extensive consultation process-forthwith.

Recommendation 1

Aboriginal rights are meaningless

Page 4

Recently, on the pretext of ruling against Mike Mitchell, a Mohawk of Akwesasne, who asserted an Aboriginal right to conduct cross-border trade, the Supreme Court of Canada went much further and took the opportunity to deny the Mohawks of Akwesasne, and by extension Indigenous peoples as a whole, any rights at all outside of those accorded them by the Canadian government. In Mitchell v. MNR, the Supreme Court has explicitly denied that we have an existence that is in any way independent of Canadian law and society. That is a statement of major significance.

Aboriginal rights are meaningless

Page 4

Recently, on the pretext of ruling against Mike Mitchell, a Mohawk of Akwesasne, who asserted an Aboriginal right to conduct cross-border trade, the Supreme Court of Canada went much further and took the opportunity to deny the Mohawks of Akwesasne, and by extension Indigenous peoples as a whole, any rights at all outside of those accorded them by the Canadian government. In Mitchell v. MNR, the Supreme Court has explicitly denied that we have an existence that is in any way independent of Canadian law and society. That is a statement of major significance.