Manitobans undecided

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There's no telling which way First Nation opinion in Manitoha will blow when the winds of the national referendum sweep Canada Oct. 26, community leaders say.

Although the province's First Nations are treaty bands in general, there has not been a flat rejection of the constitutional process.

That does not mean the deal stands unopposed. There are concerns it may water down existing treaty rights. Some people are leaning towards a "No" vote because women didn't participate directly in negotiations.

But people most want information on what's in the deal - and that is not widely available.

"A lot of people out there don't know what is in it," said Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg vice-president Sandy Funk, who's 1,200 member group is sponsoring a series of non-partisan information meetings.

While opinion in the province appears to sway back and forth between yes and no, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is busy polling community attitudes. The organization, which represents the province's 60 bands, had not come out with an official line by press deadlines but was expecting to reach a formal position this week.

In an earlier Windspeaker interview, assembly chief Phil Fontaine said Manitoba's First Nations will have to make their own decisions. "What is of primary importance to us is getting information out to our people," he said. "(The vote) will be a well-considered decision...Get the information out to the people and let them be guided by their conscience."

Meanwhile, Elijah Harper - the Manitoba MLA who was instrumental to the collapse of the 1990 Meech Lake accord - sat out the first week of the referendum campaign.

Instead of joining the arm-twisting and posturing, the representative from Red Sucker Lake disappeared into the bush with his brother to hunt moose and contemplate

his own "maybe."

The problem is that the final legal document is not available...The people have a right to that. This is a very important document, entrenched in the constitution - in the future of this country. I don't think that we should rush into it."