Abstain or vote no treaty chiefs say

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Native bands under Treaties 6, 7 and 8 in Alberta believe self-government under the current constitutional package will jeopardize their Treaty rights.

Many of them intend to make their dissatisfaction known by abstaining from the Oct. 26 referendum.

"If we become involved in this process we will indicate that we are for the process, and we are not for the process," said Chief Roy Fox of the Blood Reserve.

He and several other leaders from Treaty bands in Alberta met in Standoff to discuss the spirit and intend of Treaty 7. Some agreed to bar officials form setting up polling stations on reserves. Other bands have taken a less confrontational stand will ask their people to vote no.

All of the bands under Treaties 6, 7, and 8 tried to reach a consensus on how to make their grievances known to the federal government, but they could not decide which stand would have more clout not voting or voting no.

They did all agree, however, that self-government as laid down in the current constitutional package does not recognize the rights provided to almost 400 Treaty Indian bands in Alberta.

Chief Fox said his researchers have concluded the treaties were negotiated between the British Crown and each band as a sovereign nation. If the current package

is accepted they will lose that international status and become self-governing only under Canada's rule - a far weaker position.

"As far as we are concerned we have always had self-government, before the White man came, before the treaties came, and we continue to hold that perspective even though the federal and provincial governments are trying to narrow the definition of self-government through legislation," said Fox.

He added that if the federal government wanted changes to the Treaty or to self-governing status then the federal government would have to negotiate that separately with the Blood band as a sovereign nation.

It was made clear by all elders present at the two-day conference that the Treaties also had to be protected because they were sacred.

"This agreement involves a sacred promise and it was agreed the promise was for the lifetime of both parties," said Fox.

Regena Crowchild, President of the Indian Association of Alberta, said Treaty natives form across Alberta are echoing the demands of the Blood band.

"There seems to be a collective agreement that we do not agree with the proposals. Most of our people will vote no, and others have taken a strong position. They won't participate at all because they don't think the Canadian constitution is their constitution," she said.

Both Fox and Crowchild expressed concerns about the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) leader Ovide Mercredi. They said he does not speak for all Indian despite the federal government's acceptance of him as a national spokesman for Native people.

Bands from Treaty 6 and 8 have withdrawn from the AFN.

The only band that appears to be straying from the pack is the Siksika nation from southern Alberta, which has already started studying what changes would occur under self-government on their reserve.

"We see this as a path to definite change. We can start negotiating for better services. If we sit back and vote no, things will be the same as they have been for the

last 125 years," said Fred Braker, a member of the Siksika Tribal Council.

Elections Canada said they will not try to force polling stations on to reserves.

But Richard Rochefort, spokesman for Elections Canada, said polling stations would

be installed close enough to reserves that Native people who want to vote, can.