Mixed reaction to settlement

FORT CHIP CREE

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Mixed reactions have greeted the 12,280 acre land settlement of the Fort Chipewyan Band. The contract includes $26.6 million cash, mineral rights and hunting and trapping rights.

Local people have hailed the settlement as a reason to celebrate. Some others have been critical of the agreement and belittle it. Still others have both praised and censured the outcome.

Cree Chief Rita Marten thinks it is "great," and speaks highly of those involved in the many years of negotiations. "The efforts of those who have gone before us were not in vain," she remarked.

Band Manager Tony Punko lauded the signing as "heck of a good Christmas present." Both Marten and Punko are filled with optimism for the prospects and implications for settlement has for economic development for the Band.

Archie Cyprian, chief of the neighboring Chipewyan Reserve on the south side of Lake Athabasca, shares their joy. Although he declined comment regarding the settlement when contacted by Windspeaker, he did say that "it's a long time coming." Cyprian explained that "it took them 22 years just to get the agreement" and he readily admits to not knowing all the terms of the settlement, which is why he feels reluctant to comment on it. He says he has not yet had the opportunity to discuss the matter with Chief Marten.

Indian Association staff person Wilma Jacknife also declined comment saying that the staff are under board rules not to make statements about such matters to the press. And, Treaty 8 Vice President Lawrence Courtoreille, a former chief for the Fort Chip Cree and one of the former negotiators for the claim, was also unavailable for comment. Courtoreille, in a press statement to the Edmonton Journal on January 5, said that the package was "a fairly good deal" that "will be analyzed for years." However, he also expressed certain reservations about the claim and implied that it sets an unfortunate precedent because the band sold 13,000 acres to the province.

While the Fort Chip Cree heralded their land claim settlement as a victory, Lubicon Lake Chief Bernard Ominayak charges that it "is in fact another sad example of the continuing abuse of Aboriginal people and Aboriginal rights in Canada."

Ominayak indicates that the provincial and federal governments got away cheaply. In comparison (to the Chip agreement), he says the James Bay Agreement of 1975 "provided 22 times more reserve land...and the equivalent of over twice the financial compensation." In addition, Ominayak states that the COPE (Western Arctic) Agreement

"Provided 108 times more reserve land...and the equivalent of nearly a third more financial compensation."

Ominayak charges that the agreement may "set a new and dangerous precedent." He further claims that "the Fort Chipewyan Cree settlement would never have been signed without the international pressure generated over the Lubicon situation." The Chip deal, he says, is "a relatively cheap way of responding" to that pressure.

The tactics of the provincal and federal governments are "deliberately deceptive and deceitful." Ominayak said, "but "we don't think that they'll food anybody..." On the other hand, "if the people are satisfied, that's the important thing," he conceded. Montreal lawyer James O'Reilly, who represents the Lubicon Lake Indians and who aided in the James Bay settlement told the media "it's a rip-off. I'd go so far as saying it's paying almost trinkets and beads." To that, Cree Chief Marten responded, "that's his opinion, but I think the Cree claim speaks for the Cree members."

The decision to accept the proposed claim went before the Cree band last April when a referendum was held and 94% of 74% of eligible voters cast their ballots in favor of the proposed settlement.