McKnight urges Native involvement in Calgary Winter Olympic Games

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SARCEE RESERVE - The minister of Indian Affairs has instructed Alberta officials to involve as many Alberta bands as possible in the upcoming Calgary Winter Olympic Games, but denies the new policy is an attempt to stymie the boycott called by the Lubicon Lake band.

In a news conference after a helicopter tour of the Sarcee Indian reserve which borders Calgary's west side, Minister Bill McKnight said he felt the department would be remiss if they did not encourage Alberta bands to take advantage of the economic benefits offered by the Olympic games and the confirmed that the department has recently held discussions with OCO '88 (Olympiques Calgary Olympics.)

"It (economic involvement) something we'd want to see happen even if there wasn't an Olympics taking place in Calgary," he said.

Deputy Minister Bruce Rawson, who accompanied McKnight, added that although large contracts, such as the media housing contract won by Atco, have been signed, there are still many opportunities for the Blood band construction company, Kainai Industries. "There may be a way Atco can accommodate Kainai Industries, and there are other opportunities for Kainai," he said.

The Lubicon Lake band has called for a boycott of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in support of their 43-year-old land claim. McKnight confirmed that the talks between the band and the government remain at a stalemate after the talks broke down in July over a dispute over band membership. Federal negotiator Roger Tasse said at the time that the government was only willing to negotiate a settlement based on half the membership claimed by the band.

"We are available at any time," said McKnight, adding that the government is "willing to sit down and negotiate."

The Calgary Olympic Games are 15 months away, but already the games are being labeled the most controversial in recent history. Last week a ticket official\s was charged by Calgary police with fraud, and earlier this week the Queen confirmed she would be unable to officially open the Games.

Late last week three Lubicon band members and officials from the Indian Association of Alberta (IAA) left on a tw-week tour of winter sports countries in Europe to promote the boycott.

The minister was visiting the Sarcee reserve to fulfill a promise made by his predecessor, David Crombie, made in Calgary last year. McKnight held a five-hour meeting with band officials and Elders. However, Sarcee Chief Roy Witney said he had no statement for the press at this time.