Leaked letter leads to libel lawsuit

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Roy Whitney, chief of the Tsuu T'ina reserve near Calgary, is suing band member Bruce Starlight for defamation of character after obtaining a copy of a confidential letter Starlight wrote to Jane Stewart, minister of Indian and Northern Affairs. The letter accused Whitney and the Tsuu T'ina band administration of mismanaging reserve finances.

Starlight wrote the letter to the minister after several members of the Tsuu T'ina nation approached him with concerns about their community.

"It was just concerns about our community and it was just supposed to be between Jane Stewart and I," Starlight said. "It's the frustration in our community - that's what the letter was about."

Starlight was served with a court order by the RCMP that forbids him to discuss the contents of the letter publicly.

Reform Party leader Preston Manning has thrown his support behind Starlight and his legal battle with the Tsuu T'ina chief. Manning announced his personal support at a press conference held by the group C.A.I.N. (Concerned About Injustices to Natives) in Calgary on Jan. 22.

"I want to say at the onset, on behalf of the offical Opposition, that we are supportive of the efforts of these people," said Manning. He said he is encouraged by "grassroots Aboriginal people" demanding accountability from reserve and federal governments. Those demands, he said, would "change the position of Aboriginal people in this country."

Manning said he is shocked that the letter, supposedly sent in confidence to Indian Affairs, would make its way back to the Tsuu T'ina chief.

"When those people start to demand accountability by writing letters to their members of Parliament or to the minister of Indian Affairs and their only reward is to be sued for it . . . I can think of nothing that would destroy this grassroots desire to reform local Aboriginal government than that," the Reform boss said.

Although Starlight welcomes Manning's support, he believes his fight is his own.

"At the end of the day, I'm the guy left with the bill. Let them do whatever they do, but I've got to worry about who's going to pay my legal bill."

Starlight said the newly formed Aboriginal advocacy group, C.A.I.N., is helping him with his legal costs. Contributions can be made at any Calgary Bank of Nova Scotia.

Starlight's wife, Deanna, said the media has failed to mention that the letter was sent in response to members of the Tsuu T'ina nation approaching them with concerns about the financial management of their reserve.

"They ask us, 'What can we do? We've got to do something because it's our band money,'" Deanna said.

Indian Affairs Minister Jane Stewart intends to investigate how the letter was leaked from her department. She said the letter, which had the minister's stamp on it, should not have gone back to Whitney.

"It's absolutely inappropriate that Chief Whitney is in receipt of this letter," she said. "I can confirm that it didn't come from me and it didn't come through official channels in my department, but there will be an internal investigation to, if we can, identify how indeed and if indeed, this letter came from our department," said Stewart.

Mike Scott, Indian Affairs critic for the Reform Party, wants more than an internal investigation. He said the matter deserves an impartial, independent investigation.

"We have no faith in the department of Indian Affairs investigating itself," Scott said.

Indian Affairs has asked an outside member from another federal department to conduct the investigation. Ron Newman, a civil servant with the Citizenship and Immigration Department, is the investigator. Newman has a background in police work.

Manning is calling for swift action to be taken once the investigation is completed.

"When that investigation is completed, we want the people responsible to be disciplined," Manning said. "Whether that is someone lower down in the department or whether it is the minister herself."

In addition, Mannig wants "Mr. Starlight's legal costs be assumed by the government which is assuming the legal costs of his chief."

Indian Affairs began the internal investigation in mid-January. Minister Stewart gave no timelines on when the investigation would be completed, but she promised to "take action" if it is discovered that a department member circulated the letter, which contravenes the department's oath of secrecy.

Chief Whitney could not be reached for comment.