Native leaders to join talks

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Native leaders will be invited to the next round of constitutional negotiations involving Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa, who has raised concerns over the latest

self-government package.

Prime Minister Brian Mulroney made the announcement last week, putting to

rest fears that Native organizations would be left out of the final process.

The question over Native inclusion in the coming bargaining rounds capped a stormy week fuelled by fears the July 7 package would fail when Quebec returned to

the table.

Assembly of First Nations chief Ovide Mercredi led a demonstration at Meech Lake to protest Native exclusion from an informal premier's meeting earlier in the week.

It was the first set of discussions to include Quebec since Bourassa started a boycott of constitutional meetings to protest the Meech Lake accord's failure two years ago.

"The potential is there for this to become a resurrection of the Meech Lake process, but I doubt it," he said. "There are too many premiers who want a public

process that involves aboriginal people."

Leaders from the Native Council of Canada, the Inuit Tapirsat of Canada and the Metis Nation did not join Mercredi's demonstration. They said they were satisfied with Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's offer of a separate meeting during the premier's talks.

"I have no reason to justify my being involved in a protest," Native council president Ron George said.

Metis leader Yvonne Dumont left the meeting saying: "The sky has not fallen." But Dumont and George were unable to say how much of the Native package is safe if

the July 7 deal is reopened.