Speakers to reach international audience

Page 7

Vancouver

A number of respected Aboriginal leaders, legal experts and academics from across the province will be taking part in a speakers series on First Nations governance and land claims, but their words will reach more than just those in attendance in the University of British Columbia's First Nations Longhouse.

Thanks to the marvels of technology the lectures will be available live on the Internet though streaming video on the Web site of the university's First Nations Studies program. Internet participants will even have an opportunity to take part in the question and answer portion of the lecture through an online chat feature.

Web technology will also be used to expand on and continue the discussions spawned by the lectures. The series will be archived on the program Web site and discussion forums will be created dealing with issues raised during the presentations.

The speaker series started on Jan. 18 and will take place on eight consecutive Tuesdays with the last scheduled for March 15 (there will be no lecture on Feb. 15 because of Reading Week). The lectures, which are free to the public, will take place in the Great Hall at the First Nations Longhouse from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The first lecture on Jan. 18 featured an introduction to First Nations governance and land claims by Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, and Chief Edward John, Grand Chief of the Tl'azt'en Nation and former member of the First Nations Summit political executive.

Other lectures in the series will deal with the history of land claims in B.C., the treaty process, consultation, sovereignty and Aboriginal rights, economic development, and what the future holds for First Nations across the province.

Scheduled lecturers include Edward Allen, CEO of the Nisga'a Lisims government; Tsawwassen First Nation Chief Kim Baird; Aboriginal rights lawyer Louise Mandell; former chief of the Neskonlith Indian Band Arthur Manuel; First Nations Summit executive member Dave Porter; lawyer Marvin Storrow; Chief George Watts, currently acting chief councillor for Tsshaht First Nation and former president of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council for 23 years; David Walkem, Chief of Cook's Ferry First Nation and the first Native registered professional forester in the province; and lawyer Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson, as well as other community leaders and legal and academic experts.

For more information or to watch the speaker series live on the Internet, go to the First Nations Studies Web site at http://fnsp.arts.ubc.ca.