Crafts bid withdrawal sparks angry reaction

Alberta Indian Arts and Crafts

Page 1

CALGARY - The withdrawal earlier this month by Alberta Indian Arts and Crafts Society (AIACS) from the Calgary Winter Olympic Games has drawn angry speculation of an "unholy alliance" between OOC '88 and various provincial and federal government departments.

"I feel AIACS was deliberately pushed out," says a bitter and angry Lois McLellan, executive director of the Society.

The society had been negotiating with the Department of Indian Affairs, Alberta Native Affairs, the Native Economic Development Program (NEDP) and OCO '88 for more than 19 months on a proposal for temporary kiosks and a permanent store to sell Indian arts and crafts for the upcoming Olympic Games. Calgary does not have a permanent Indian arts and crafts store.

McLellan says the negotiations with the various departments were going smoothly and OCO '88 had in fact committed $60,000 for the project. However, the tone of the negotiations changed dramatically last fall.

"When Sykes (Powderface) came on staff (of OCO '88), things started to fall apart, says McLellan. "His comment seemed to be who did we think we were? All we wanted to do is to sell our clients' crafts, not try to encompass all Native crafts." Powderface, a Stoney band member, was appointed to his $40,000 a year position as Native Liaison Co-ordinator September 1.

McLellan complains that negotiations with the Alberta Native Affairs department took a sudden "detour" in late September as new and unexpected changes were recommended for the proposal.

"Alberta said we had to incorporate an advisory board. We didn't feel it was necessary but we complied," said McLellan.

Then negotiations with the NEDP also began to go off track as the proposal for the temporary kiosks was apparently approved but the proposal for the permanent store was not.

"We had thought we might have trouble with getting funding for the temporary kiosks so we were really surprised that they had problems with the permanent outlet," said McLellan. "We thought that was why the NEDP was formed in the first place.

The NEDP was formed more than four years ago in order to develop and fund Native economic ventures. It falls under the Department of Regional and Industrial Expansion (DRIE) and its main offices are located in Winnipeg.

McLellan adds that she then received word from NEDP official Blyde McBain that Alberta would not support the proposal. Shortly after, the society received yet another proviso from OCO '88 stipulating AIACS must consult and liaise with the chiefs and councillors of the Treaty 7 bands.

"I felt we were forced to withdraw the proposal because we are just not prepared to get politically involved. We were not excluding Treaty 7, in fact two of our board members are from the Peigan and Stoney bands," she added.

Alberta Native Affairs Co-ordinator Jim Monzer, who helped negotiate the proposal, says he feels just as upset about the withdrawal as McLellan.

"But according to AIACS proposal, they would lose $91,000 the first year and $44,000 the second. This is because no one is sure about the market, and the expenses of the society would be high because of the hierarchy of personnel. We wanted something that would t least break even, said Monzer.

McLellan counters that it was Monzer's department who insisted that an advisory board be structured as it was not in the Society's original proposal.

"And as for staffing, we proposed to hire one manager for both the kiosks and permanent store, plus about three full-time staff members. This is hardly a hierarchy," said McLellan.

McLellan adds that Monzer did not point out that the store would in fact pull out of the red in the third year and begin to make a profit in subsequent years.

"Our estimates and predictions were all very conservative because Calgary doesn't have another store to compare with. In fact, the store could possibly begin to make money right away."

And very little clarification was forthcoming from theNEDP as official Blyde McBain, the main negotiator for the proposal, denies he has even received a letter of withdrawal from the society.

"As far as I am concerned, they (AIACS) are still involved," said McBain from his Winnipeg office last week.

McBain went on to not only deny receiving the AIACS letter dated October 31, a copy of which has been obtained by "Windspeaker," but further refused to discuss the specific proposal or to even outline official NEDP policy on permanent versus temporary economic ventures.

However, another NEDP board member says that proposal has not been brought before the board and that the last three board meetings in a row have been unexpectedly cancelled at the last minute.

Muriel Stanley Venne, who earlier this year criticized the federally funded program for its secrecy and "black-hole" policies, says she intends bringing up the AIACS proposal before the next board meeting slated for January 17 and 18 in Winnipeg.

"I want to get at the heart of the matter," said Venne, from her Edmonton office last week.

"And if indeed the proposal was turned down because of the permanent store, I shall want to know why."

Venne blames the NEDP bureaucracy for lack of communication and singled out some individuals who make decisions before informing the board.

OCO Native Liaison Co-ordinator Sykes Powderface denies there is any link between OCO '88 and the NEDP or the Alberta Native Affairs departments.

"We certainly didn't put any pressure on the NEDP not to fund. If anything, we spoke in their (AIACS) defense. Apparently they couldn't substantiate their market and according to their own analysis they would lose a lot of money," said Powderface, in an interview last week.

Powderface defended his stipulation that the society must consult with Treaty 7 bands saying many chiefs had informed him they were unaware of the society.

"Instead of getting upset they (AIACS) should demonstrate they have the confidence of the Treaty 7 people."

However, cLellan points out AIACS is a Department of Indian Affairs (DIA) funded organization controlled by a board of directors made up of Native people from all parts of Alberta, including Treaty 7.

"We have been mailing information, including requests for band support of our proposal, to all bands, including Treaty 7. It's hardly our fault if the chiefs don't read the mail."

Powderface added that the $60,000 earmarked by OCO for the arts and crafts project will be kept on hold until another organization comes forward and receives approval.

"If people in Treaty 7 want to take advantage and fill in that particular vacancy, we will support them."

Jim Monzer also confirmed that negotiations are already underway with a member of the Treaty 7 area. However, he refused to release further details.

Many Indian and Metis organizations have officially joined a boycott of the Calgary Winter Olympic Games in support of the Lubicon Lake Band's 42-year-old land claim. Lubicon Chief Bernard Ominiyak has stated that the games are being organized by the same "old boys" network that is destroying the band's traditional lands and lifestyle. However, bands from the Treaty 7 area have yet to make a decision on whether to join the boycott. An all-chiefs Treaty 7 meeting was held in Calgary in September and was addressed by Ominiyak. But after the meeting, IAA Treaty 7 vice president, Narcisse Blood announced that the decision would be postponed while negotiations between the chiefs and OCO took place. A final decision is expected to be announced in January.

Meanwhile, McLellan says she is watching the proceedings with more than a little bitterness, says the AIACS proposal could be used and adapted by any other organization wishing to fill the void left by the society.

"Everyone and his mother has a copy of our proposal. Yet we were the ones who put in many months of hard work, planning and organizing, all at our own expense." DIA economic Development Co-ordinator John McIsaac was unavaiable for comment at press time.