Land essential

Page 5

Dear Editor:

At a Mi'kmaq Economic Development Forum held in Stephenville on May 24, several guest speakers highlighted the importance of land to economic development for the Mi'kmaq population in the Bay St. George area.

Since its establishment in 2002, the Ktaqamkuk Mi'kmaq Alliance (KMA) has always maintained the position that land is essential to the Mi'kmaq people. Some people become fearful when an Aboriginal person mentions the word land. Therefore, it is important to define land more specifically. There are basically two categories of land. The first type is land that is set aside by government for the establishment of reserves as defined by the Indian Act. Reserves can be established in a relatively short period of time simply by a decision to do so by the federal government and willingness by the provincial government to transfer land for that purpose. The Miawpukek Reserve at Conne River was established in this manner.

The second type of land, defined as traditional land by Aboriginal people, differs from reserve land because the reestablishment of traditional Aboriginal land rights can take many years and is usually granted as a result of a lengthy court process. The KMA does not intend to ever give up its right to pursue the reestablishment of Mi'kmaq rights to traditional territory in Newfoundland and Labrador. Yet, the Mi'kmaq people continue to be ignored in the planning, development, utilization and management of traditional Mi'kmaq territory. It is unfortunate that the only progress Aboriginal people make in Canada seems to be through either the court process or through public demonstrations and protest.

Governments have shown little regard for the interests of Mi'kmaq people in this province and with that a total lack of respect as well. Similarly, mining, oil, paper, hydro companies, and others, who seek only to use our lands for profit and leave a legacy of destruction and pollution on Mother Earth should be aware that the Mi'kmaq people were here long before European contact and that we are here to stay.

We must be included in the planning and decision making process. Consequently, the KMA will continue to pursue its own economic development and other initiatives designed to improve the lives of its members and their communities. We seek only equality with Conne River and other First Nations communities therefore we have chosen not to participate in any joint venture or association with anyone or any type of organization whose objective is anything less than equality for our people. At a time when every other minority group in Canada seems to have the ear of and response from federal and provincial governments, we, as Mi'kmaq people, surely seek justice as well. To pursue anything less would be a sellout of our people, and that's something the KMA is not prepared to do.

- Bert Alexander

Chief, Ktaqamkuk Mi'kmaq Alliance