First Nations Youth Council to be established

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The dream of a full-fledged First Nations Youth Council inched closer to reality last month as 300 First Nations youth gathered in the city to formally prepare for the establishment of their own political arm to represent them at the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.

Youth representatives from the province's major urban centres and its 61 reserves went about the task of hammering out a vision for the new council, as well as developing an organizational plan.

For many of the youth, the one-day conference marked a milestone in their relations with the AMC, which helped sponsor the event, an organization that had rebuffed previous attempts to establish formal political representation by the youth.

"The numbers are inescapable for anyone to ignore because First Nations youth represent over 60 per cent of the population both on- and off-reserve," said conference co-chair, Clayton Thomas.

"Political organizations like the AMC and others are beginning to understand that if the youth don't have a formal political voice and a seat at the table then these organizations can't really say that they represent the interests of a majority of their own people."

For Thomas, who also heads up Aboriginal Youth Initiative, the need for a political voice for the youth is a pressing concern.

"The issues of economic development, training and employment, education, health and self government are all aspects affecting our lives today," said Thomas. "We aren't just saying to everyone else, 'hey you better do something about this,' but that we are prepared to do things for ourselves."

Yet plans to have the youth council become a formal part of the AMC are a worry for some of the youth.

"They should remain separate from all the other political organizations," said Sean Mackenzie, who describes himself as an "urban Indian."

"Once groups like the chiefs or the Aboriginal centre have their hooks into you, then you become nothing more than pawns for their own agenda."

Sandy Lake First Nation member, Mandy Fiddler echoed that concern.

"We need our own distinct voice and representatives whose sole concern is to move our issues forward and not get mired down in the politics of these other groups.

"That's the only way anyone is really going to take us seriously. We have to create a group whose support is regarded as essential by the other Aboriginal organizations and by the governments."

However, for Thomas and many of the young people who attended the event, the support of the AMC in organizing the conference came as a bit of a surprise, albeit a pleasant one.

"This is a tremendous accomplishment for the youth and for the AMC in supporting this event because it finally sends a crystal clear message to the youth that they (the AMC) are taking us seriously."

The apparent recognition is credited to Chief David Crate (Fisher River First Nation) and Chief Margaret Swan (Lake Manitoba First Nation) who drafted a resolution at the last AMC assembly calling for the chiefs' support of the youth initiative.

For Swan, the support of the AMC for the creation of a youth council will ensure the chiefs' organization remains relevant.

"The youth absolutely must have a political voice within our organization in order for it to represent the interests of all our people. Self government, economic and other political issues are having, and are going to have, an impact on the lives of our youth and their future," she said.

"If they're not included in the political process that decides the outcome of these issues then they won't be able to take ownership of them."