Band works for 2008 Olympics

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The band with a land claim filed on its traditional lands in downtown Toronto was part of that city's bid to land the 2008 games.

Members of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation were part of the entourage that went to Moscow on July 8. Toronto, Paris, Beijing, Osaka, Japan and Istanbul, Turkey, the cities vying to host the games, made their final 45-minute presentations during the Olympic committee's annual meeting in Moscow on July 13. The final decision was expected later that day, past Windspeaker press time.

"John Bitove, the chairman of the bid group, had it brought to his attention that the New Credit band is the traditional land owner, so he followed the proper protocol and contacted New Credit," explained the band's media relations officer, Mandy Eason.

Funding commitments are in place from all levels of government for a $1.5 billion plan to reshape the Toronto waterfront. An Olympic village to house the athletes and other facilities required to host the games will be constructed within a six km area in the Ontario capital's downtown. The TO-2008 committee sees the plan as one of the strengths of the bid.

But a decision in Toronto's favor is by no means a sure thing.

An Agence France Presse wire service report in early July quoted a Taiwanese official as saying Beijing has the support of about 60 per cent of the 106 countries that will vote. Despite the political tensions between the mainland People's Republic of China and its breakaway island rival, Taiwan has officially supported the Beijing bid.

All the cities hoping to host the games have been closely scrutinized by committee members during the last year. There has been a lot of speculation in the press about what factors will be relied upon when the final decision is made.

New Credit officials were cagey when asked about Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman's remarks about natives in Kenya. Eason scowled when asked on June 22, while the media storm over the mayor's remarks was still raging, if she had any comment to make about Lastman's latest gaffe, but declined to comment.

Lastman was widely criticized for remarking he didn't want to travel to Africa to lobby on behalf of his city's Olympic bid because he might end up cooking in a pot while "natives" danced around him. Some observers feared the remark would hurt the city's chances of a successful bid.

Dick Pound, Canadian vice-president of the International Olympic Committee, said he believes his IOC colleagues will look beyond Lastman's "idiotic" remarks. Pound predicted, just before the delegation departed for Russia, that it will be a close vote between Beijing and Toronto.

Eason said many good things for First Nations will come out of New Credit's involvement in the bid, even if the games aren't awarded to Toronto.

The benefits of the process have already begun. On June 12, the Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid committee, in partnership with New Credit, launched the Digital First Nation, an interactive Web portal that connects all 134 Aboriginal communities in Ontario.

"The first of its kind anywhere in the world, the portal, located at www.to-2008.com, dynamically displays Aboriginal community information, history, art and music in an interactive manner. After the bid is completed, the Digital First Nation will remain as a unique legacy for Aboriginal people throughout Ontario and Canada," a committee press release stated.

"Aboriginal people have historically travelled great distances to meet and to discuss issues concerning their communities," said New Credit Chief Dan LaForme. "The Digital First Nation bridges that distance by creating a virtual meeting place for Aboriginal communities. It is a wonderful resource that will be used by Aboriginal people for years to come."

"Aboriginal communities have played a significant role in this process and this project is just one example of their involvement," said Bruce Kidd, chair of TO-2008's Legacy and Community Enhancement Committee and deanof the University of Toronto's faculty of physical education and health.

The Digital First Nation has been a team effort, involving TO-2008, interns from the TO-2008 Aboriginal Internship Program, and the New Credit First Nation, said Eason. The portal is a work in progress, with more information being added constantly.

The next step will be to evolve it into a stand alone Web site (www.digitalfirstnation.com) and expand it to include all First Nations in the country, she added.

Several band members have been hired as bid committee staff, gaining invaluable work experience on a world-class project. In return, Laforme and New Credit band councillor Larry Sault, (who's also the grand chief of the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians) both say the bid has been strengthened by the Aboriginal participation.

"The Toronto bid sets a precedent for not only the Olympics but for future international events on traditional Indigenous territory," LaForme said.

"We have had genuine participation in areas related to employment, technology, volunteers and numerous cultural programs, all the while bringing a unique perspective reflective of our culture and heritage," said Sault.