Debate threatens nation

Page 4

Pikiskwe

When it all began a few years ago, most thought the constitutional discussions were mere realignments to what was signed seven years earlier.

We were such innocents.

Today the constitutional discussion threaten to tear apparent the country despite the fact that this time all the provinces and Indian people are talking, and taking an active role in the process.

Now Quebec Robert Premier Bourassa is heating up the discussions even further with his proposals for constitutional change.

His late demands have set the proponents for a Tripe-E Senate digging in their heels for a battle, and may well have wiped out the provinces' support for inherent self-government for Indian people.

Where previous discussions may have tied Mercredi and Bourassa to the same outcome for some form of self-government, Bourassa has clearly cut Mercredi adrift.

It is my belief that Bourassa will use the Triple-E Senate to squash inherent self-government so as to ensure his veto over future changes to federal institutions.

I do not believe the difficulty is selling the Triple-E Senate to the Quebec people. After all, at present their senators were all chosen by reigning party leaders and were not elected.

The difficulty will be in selling Quebecers on "inherent right to self-government." Oka, the LaGrande hydroelectric project and most-recently the Great Whale hydroelectric project have all cost Quebec. Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come successfully lobbied the New York legislators to back out of the deal to buy electricity generated by this new dam.

If Bourassa's proposals are granted, for most Indian people there will be no immediate change. But for those in Quebec, their very survival as a people will be in jeopardy. Aboriginal people in Quebec will be subject to Quebec language and civil code. No protection for aboriginal languages or government, inherent or otherwise.

I remember sitting in a class where Pierre Marc Johnston, former Minister of Justice for Quebec, was the guest lecturer. He said with pride that Quebec's new language act would have new immigrants to Quebec learning and speaking French in their schools.

I thought "What arrogance! How can he be so insensitive when a people are losing their language?"

In Quebec, there will be no charter protections for minorities. If the veto is given to new federal institutions, then Quebec could squash any initiatives to create new provinces. this would place "Innuvialuit:" and any other new territories in a subordinate position to Quebec. Finally, and more importantly, Quebec's civl code and "distinct society" clause could effectively undermine any future challenges to proposed Hydro-electric projects based on aboriginal title.