Constitutional agreement reached

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Canada's premier's and Native constitutional negotiators arrived at a final agreement on how self-government will be written into Canada's fundamental law.

But the deal achieved after months of negotiation and consultation is getting

mixed reactions - even strong opposition - from some local and provincial Native organizations.

Kahnawake Mohawk chief Billy Two Rivers called the agreement a sell-out because of provisions that say future self-government regimes must conform to provincial laws.

"(Quebec's laws) are not binding on the Mohawk people," said the chief of the Mohawk band that blockaded Montreal's Mercier bridge during the Oka crisis. "Quebec

is not a nation. Quebec is not a state. Our relationship is with the Canadian Crown...with Canada."

Alberta chiefs, who had already left the negotiations last May in a dispute with the Assembly of First Nations over the process, were also wary.

Percy Potts, vice-president of the Indian Association of Alberta, described the deal as an 'attempt at appeasement."

"How can people come home from Europe, take away our right to govern ourselves and then after they have been totally destroyed and mostly assimilated, give them a right to govern themselves under a European concept?"

The agreement reached during a week of marathon closed-door meetings in Ottawa is based on the July 7 tentative deal, negotiated between aboriginal leaders and

the premiers of the nine English provinces.

Like the July 7 deal, the new agreement enshrines the inherent right in the constitution, guarantees the right of Native governments to develop their own language, culture and economic systems and states Ottawa is responsible for all Native people, including Metis and those living off-reserve.

It also requires the federal and provincial governments to negotiate self-government over a five-year period. Disputes can be taken to court after the negotiating period, but the courts have been empowered to order more negotiations.

The deal also requires Native government to conform to federal and provincial law and prevents the establishment of new land claims. About 500 claims are currently at various stages of negotiation. Ottawa has promised to resolve all outstanding claims by the year 2,000.

"We're within Canada now - we've negotiated our way into Canada," said Ron George, president of the Native Council of Canada as the deal was struck. "We are going to be partners in history now instead of just adversaries."

Metis leaders also cheered the deal.

Albert Metis Nation president Larry Desmeules said Metis people "got everything we wanted" with the entrenchment. He said it will take years for the governments to develop into final forms and get community approval. Desmeules also said Alberta Metis will get $600,000 from Ottawa and the province to develop Metis self-government models.