Indian leaders protest PM's remarks to Pope

Prairie Treaty Nations Alliance

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Prairie Indian leaders, blocked from participating in constitutional process, sharply denounced Brian Mulroney's recent statement to Pope John Paul that all is proceeding well on Aboriginal rights issues.

During a recent audience with the Pope at the Vatican, the prime minister said that discussions on entrenching Aboriginal rights in the Constitution were proceeding to a successful conclusion.

In a telegram to the Pontiff, the Prairie Treaty Nations Alliance (PTNA) stated "the discussions are not being conducted in a fair and equitable manner."

Indian Association of Alberta Treaty 8 Vice-President Lawrence Courtoreille says they want to make it clear that the PTNA is not being represented at the First Ministers' Conference (FMC) on Aboriginal Rights.

The group represents approximately 45 per cent of Canada's Treaty Indians living in the four western provinces.

For the past two years the PTNA has been lobbying government officials in an attempt to gain 2 seats at the First Ministers' Conference on Aboriginal rights. With the last FMC only weeks away, the PTNA has been unable to attain the seats.

The PTNA blames senior federal government ministers for blocking their attempts to gain representation at the first ministers table.

"I know that certain ministers are not informing the prime minister of the discussions that have been taking place between the PTNA and their respective ministries," says Courtoreille.

He further stated that the PTNA has not heard from the prime minister since the last First Ministers Conference.

Courtoreille contends that to date, "we (PTNA) have been totally ignored." The alliance broke away from the Assembly of First Nations because it is opposed to trilateral negotiations which give the provinces a voice in discussions on Aboriginal rights.

"The reason we want to attend the First Ministers' Conference is to make sure that when it comes to the issue of Treaty rights, no provinces will have the ability to define or determine what Treaty rights are. They (provinces) have no business in that process," said Courtoreille.

Members of the PTNA maintain that they are only willing to enter into bilateral negotiations with the federal government on the issue of treaties. The group says it wants Treaty rights, "enhanced and protected," under the Constitution.

Treaty issues have been put on the FMC agenda for the first time, and the PTNA says because they are not members of the AFN, they want the opportunity to represent themselves on a Treaty position.

The Assembly of First Nations holds two seats at the First Ministers' Conference on Aboriginal rights.

With the possibility of being left out in the cold during the FMC, slated for March, the PTNA has appealed to Pope John Paul for help. In its telegram, the PTNA asks the pontiff "to intervene on our behalf and assist us in obtaining our rightful place in the constitutional discussions." Courtoreille says they are reviewing two options to gain seats at the constitutional table, but was reticent to give further details.

"If we're unable to get two seats, we're going to make a lot of noise then," stated the PTNA member.