Light voter turn-out aided accord's defeat

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The Charlottetown accord was soundly defeated on Alberta's reserves where light voter turnouts added up to a simple rejection. But the final results held few surprises. Treaty chiefs across the province had long since abandoned the constitutional process, fearing it undermined the "nation-to-nation" relationship with Canada.

"Our people were not in favor of the accord because it did not reflect our understanding of the treaty relationship," said Indian Association of Alberta president Regena Crowchild.

"Whether the referendum vote had been yes or no (would have made no difference) because our people never consented to the process."

Most on-reserve voters followed the advice of their chiefs and boycotted the

Oct. 26 ballot. Elections Canada was even prohibited from setting up polling stations

and conducting enumerations on some reserves.

Beaver Lake chief Al Lameman, who was an early and strident opponent of the accord, said he was pleased with the NO vote and that the Native community is better

off without Charlottetown.

"It's time for the federal government to sit down with the treaty chiefs and talk nation-to-nation about our understanding the treaties," he said.

The accord, which would have established a framework for power now held by Ottawa to first nation communities, was even rejected in the few communities where chiefs supported the deal.

Less than half of the 1,200 eligible voters on the Siksika reserve near Calgary cast ballots, despite chief Stratee Crowfoot's support for the plan. Voters there narrowly rejected the accord 261 to 242.

The turnout was also light on the Blood reserve - the largest in Canada - where Elections Canada scrambled to compile a voter list despite a ban on enumeration and polling stations by the chief and council. Of the 500 people on the list, fewer than 100 cast ballots, ending with a 60 to 26 vote against the deal.

Crowchild said it is now up to the chiefs and communities to figure out how they will approach Ottawa to re-open talks on self-government. She said some leaders are

now discussing the possibility of creating a new organization to represent treaty issues at the federal level.

Charlottetown supporter Larry Desmeule, president of the Metis Nation of Alberta, said the overwhelming NO vote wouldn't affect Metis self-government plans in the long run.

"I'm not pessimistic, I'm optimistic. We have a back-up plan," he said. "We are well on the way to signing a deal that will give us legislated self-government. But a YES vote would have made it law."

The Metis nation signed a three-way agreement with Ottawa and the province in September opening talks on transferring control over areas like social services and health.