C-31 high on agenda

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Peter Manywounds, political advisor to the Indian Association of Alberta (IAA), says the impact of Bill C-31 is "one of the important items on our agenda presently."

At the IAA assembly last June, delegates directed the IAA to seek an extension to the June 28, 1987 deadline for bands to draw up membership codes and have them approved by Indian Affairs. Bands not complying would be bound by membership criteria determined by Indian Affairs.

To date, out of 575 bands in Canada only 10 band membership codes have met government approval, with transfer of control moving from Indian Affairs to the bands, says Manywounds.

After negotiating with government officials for a year, the IAA is "encouraging First Nations to put their codes in place," says Manywounds.

"We are not trying to encourage them to restrict their membership but to make sure that the First Nations members are the people that make the decision about who will or will not be members of their particular tribe."

IAA Solicitor Tony Mandamin has prepared a draft membership code to guide the tribes in developing their own codes. The draft code was delivered and distributed in early February of 1987, said Manywounds.

Peter said "every tribe has that right to decide who their members are. This is a fundamental exercise of their self-governing powers."