Leaders 'saunter' away from constitutional talks

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National leaders of four aboriginal groups "sauntered" away from recent constitutional talks in Edmonton to express their frustration with the constitutional process.

"I am not satisfied that people are taking our comments seriously; the promise of full and equal participation has not become a reality," said Ovide Mercredi, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations.

Mercredi fears solutions will be imposed on aboriginal peoples without their consent, much like what happened at Meech Lake.

Delegations representing Inuit, Metis, treaty, status and off-reserve Indians left

the talks as a single group, but none would describe their action as a walkout.

"It looked like we walked out, but maybe it was more of a saunter," said Ron George, President of the Native Council of Canada.

"We agreed in Halifax that the inherent right would be entrenched; it seems that ever since then we've been receding when it gets down to the wording that will reflect what that right would be."

On the eve of the recent round of negotiations, George threatened to leave the talks over demands to include off-reserve Indians and Metis in Section 91.24, the part of the Constitution that sets out the federal government's trust obligations to Inuit and status Indians.

George shelved the threat after winning a promise from Constitutional Affairs Minister Joe Clark to "fast-track" discussions on rights for off-reserve Indians.

The next day, the issue "was shelved back into the working groups," George

said. "We're getting a little tired of waiting for the federal government to come up with

a position.

"We're afraid that if Quebec comes to the table and we don't have our issues mapped out and solutions established, we might get dropped off the table."

Yvon Dumont, Metis National Council president and Rosemarie Kuptana, president of the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada agreed that there has been significant progress since Natives were admitted to the constitutional process. But they are also getting frustrated.

"There is growing frustration among all aboriginal groups at the way the process is going," Dumont said.

"There is still an assumption that aboriginal people have to satisfy a test; there isn't enough dialogue as equals; there has to be a significant change of attitude by the federal and provincial governments," Kuptana said.

Clark has agreed to discuss Native concerns with the process.

Clark and some provincial leaders suggested that Natives tone down their demands. George and Mercredi rejected that.