Government policies protested at rally

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Last week you read the feature, "Guide says millions at stake." This is the second part of that story.

Last weekend the Fish and Game Association held its annual convention at the Edmonton Inn, while yet another group of outdoorsmen held a rally at the Kinsmen Fieldhouse. Some surprises were in store and the issues many.

"Oil and money," says Indian Association of Alberta (IAA) Treaty 8 Vice-President Lawrence Courtoreille, "are the priorities of the government in Alberta - not fish, wildlife or lands."

Courtoreille drew applause for his comments suggesting that the government wouldn't consider the Native viewpoint but would sell off the Crown lands (grazing rights) to those rich enough to afford it.

He also said that Natives were not included in the vital areas of decision making even though they have lived in the wilds longer than anyone else. He was happy and appreciative of the support he was receiving from the majority of the crowd on hand,

and said that until now no one has come to the aid of the Indian peoples.

The Kinsmen Fieldhouse played host to the affair which was held in response to the newly adopted proposals on wildlife matters.

The rally's speakers raised doubts about the viability of the new policy. The 10 speakers addressing the various issues said they were not confident in the way the current Fish and Wildlife minister (Don Sparrow) was handling the situation.

A surprise guest speaker, Alberta Liberal leader Nick Taylor, gathered support from the crowd when he popped in to say: "If we let the government get away with giving away the rights of hunting to guides and outfitters and foreigners, we are taking a small step to hand out exclusive rights for hunting to a few people. These rights have always belonged to the public realm, and it is our duty to see that they remain that way."

Taylor, who remained only a short time, commented on the PC Government's lack of good business sense in the environmental issues.

He said that the government doesn't seem to realize that a good environment allowed for positives in areas including tourism, conservation, watersheds and fertile lands, which provide the ecological balance for our wildlife.

"The livelihood of the Native people will be greatly affected as many depend on fishing and hunting for their very existence," remarked WCC Party representative, Jack Ramsay.

He called for all Albertans to put their signatures to a sheet of paper in order to initiate a referendum to stop the new proposal before "we see more of our rights violated. If we let the government continue in this fashion we soon won't have any rights at all."

Tom Smith, representing Don Sparrow, contradicted the remarks that indicated Native concerns were of no importance. He said that all game animals indigenous to the province had allocation priorities.

"Firstly," he said, "to our Native people, and secondly to the rest of the natives of Alberta."

"Native people are the first to be considered when it involves wildlife matters."

Smith, who needed his wits to fend off multiple questions, did an admirable job of fielding the many inquiries brought forth by the disenchanted crowd.

In British Columbia and Saskatchewan, the NDP Governments have put a ban on most types of herbicide and pesticide spraying.

John Younie, a spokesman for the New Democrats in Alberta, said that if the same measures weren't soon applied here, "we probably wouldn't be fighting about the wildlife a few years down the road," because the animals would probably die off from toxic poisoning anyway.

He estimated that 95% of the guides currently registered in Alberta would be jobless if these new policies are approved in the Legislature later this month.

"These proposals," claims Younie, "are meant to restrict competition, and restricted competition always causes sky-rocketing prices.

The Glengarry MLA also suggested that once the government sanctioned the allocation of permits it could affect the residenthunter.

"How do you take away the private business once you've given it the go-ahead? You don't - you take it away from the resident hunter.

"The government seems to have forgotten what they are giving away. These are your resources, your wildlife, your forests, and we as Alberta should be able to enjoy them at our leisure."

Though the government position as stated says no foreign ownership will control the wildlife, Mr. Younie claims that this could be misleading.

He cited the Shell Oil company as an example.

"Shell Canada," he said, "Is a Canadian enterprise, but technically it is controlled by its parent corporation in the Netherlands."

The 150 or so Native people at the gathering were pleased when they heard of a the recent pact between the IAA and the Metis Association of Alberta (MAA), which will now provide a voice of over 100,000 on wildlife and land issues.

"We'll be damned if the province is going to go ahead and sell off our lands," stated Courtoreille after releasing the news of the pact between the two Native groups.

He said that a good working relationship which should include everyone is vital for stability within the two Native groups.

Spiritual ties to the land was also a subject on the IAA VP's mind. He reiterated that, should the Native people lose their land and their wildlife, the whole province would lose.

Courtoreille was referring to the cultural and traditional ways of life shared by many of Alberta's Native people.

George Mitchel, a noted sportsman and author, was one of many who stood and praised the Native leaders (Indian and Metis) for their united effort to protect the heritage of their people.

"It is good to see a united front among the Native people. One large voice often speaks louder than two smaller ones."

In addition to the rally, Forestry, Lands and Wildlife minister, Don Sparrow, the central figure on the current guide/outfitter, grazing lands, game ranching, and other related concerns, held several press sessions nd question-answer periods this past weekend.

A sudden announcement involving the topic of game ranching took many by surprise.

The minister, at a Fish and Game Association luncheon, said that after having completed a review of the game ranching issue, he was against it and would not support a motion to endorse the practice.

Asked if game ranching was originally scheduled to be taken over by (Agriculture Minister) Peter Elzinga's department, Sparrow said, "we often work together with Mr. Elzinga , but the intent was "if" the proposal went forward, then agriculture would have had a role to play."

On his support for the Fish and Game Association, Sparrow said that the amount of representation provided by the organization over the past two years deserved a "strong voice, and I assured them that I'd give them that."

Sparrow, in the same session, admitted that a communication problem did exist in some of the fish, wildlife, and environmental areas. He said that with three levels of government involved, and so much going on, they didn't always get together often enough or fast enough.

"Native concerns," said the minister, "have always been and always will be considered.

"Input is a two-way street. We've had problems with their (IAA) changing of members (on the fish and Wildlife Advisory Council) and their amount of input. I've offered them at least two seats, along with the Metis, and have added them to the review committee on guiding and outfitting."

Courtoreille of the IAA has made it clear that the Native people will not accept a 'token' position where their input is over-ruled by the minority and their concerns are short-lived.

Sparrow was asked about last weeks' statement by guide Norman Steinwand, concerning the big dollars to be made by only a few.

The minister skirted the issue, but defended it by saying," the principle for transferability is within society. I don't know why you can pick on one group of society and say 'you can't do that.'

"The guy whobuys the mineral rights to start with - he can sell them continuously and it's within the system," he said.

It is simply a "business opportunity," he reasoned, and free enterprise, is after all, the Canadian way.