Alberta bands from Treaty 6, 8 quit Assembly of First Nations

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Alberta bands from the Treaty 6 and 8 regions have left the Assembly of First Nations in a dispute over how grand chief Ovide Mercredi is handling constitutional negotiations.

"Effectively immediately, we are no longer members of the Assembly of First Nations," officials from the Indian Association of Alberta said in a prepared statement.

"Neither the national chief of the assembly...nor any of its representatives have

any authority to negotiate or represent our interests."

The move follows growing concerns the assembly will bargain away arrangements that have developed from the treaty process. Many Alberta Natives fear they will lose their ability to deal directly with Ottawa if the constitutional package now under negotiation gives the provinces too strong a role in the redistribution of powers.

Richard Davis, the Indian association Treaty 8 vice-president, said the decision represents a rejection of the "melting pot" approach taken to self-government issues.

"We are making it plain and clear to the Canadian government that we have our treaty through the Crown," he said. "We are a nation....Treaty people have to be dealt with in a different way."

According to the Indian association statement, chiefs from Treaty 6 and 8 will develop a new process for bringing their concerns to the federal government. Treaty 7 is reported to be considering a similar move but will not decide until its chiefs have met with Mercredi.

Jerome Morin, the assembly's Alberta vice-chief, called the treaty chiefs' decision regrettable, but one that is being respected by the assembly's leadership.

"They are trying to protect their interests. They don't feel the current process is doing that," he said, adding that the pull-out won't likely affect current negotiations.

Relations between treaty chiefs in Alberta - who only rejoined the assembly last year - and the national organization have been strained in recent months.

Chiefs were threatening to leave the process during an Edmonton constitutional conference in April. The conflict was apparently resolved when the chiefs agreed to create a special council within the assembly to deal with treaty issues.

But by last week the chiefs were saying attempts to have Mercredi adequately represent their concerns "have not been responded to or met with success."

Following the chiefs' announcement, constitutional negotiators at meetings in Toronto reached a tentative deal on self-government and a general agreement on securing treaty rights. Davis said the chiefs have agreed to meet with Mercredi to discuss the new developments. But he said there is no indication at this time they will change their stand.

Western treaty chiefs left the assembly in the mid'1980s. They formed the Prairie Treaty Nations Alliance saying the move was necessary to advance their political concerns and protect their treaty rights.