New forestry training plan criticize

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Native students will be given the opportunity to teach while they learn, said a Forestry, Lands and Wildlife official during an elders' conference in Whitefish Lake March 10.

Fish and Wildlife Native liaison officer Ron Hanson announced his department's new Native resource management assistants' program during an intense question period with elders from across the province.

While warding off queries concerning fishing rights for Natives, Hanson revealed the government's new initiative offering high school graduates training opportunities in the fish and wildlife department. H \e said the program would also benefit wildlife officers.

The training program would offer Native and Metis students practical experience in the functions of the department for one year, then they could go on to college, he said.

"They can learn to be technicians and biologists."

Hanson said it's import ant for the Natives to share their culture.

"We can learn from them."

Cold Lake First Nations council member Vic Machatis criticized the plan for evading the real issue.

"We have our fishing rights to begin with. They (game wardens) act like they don't know. What do they want to train our people for?"

They should be training their own people, he said.

Machatis said he and other band members have been chased off Cold Lake for fishing by provincial officers. He said the government needs to learn more about Native fishing rights than Natives do.

But according to Hanson, working closely with home wardens makes understanding much easier for both sides.

"We want them to work close to where they live (for the first year). There's no reason why we can't learn while they do. It's only hard if they're far away from home."

Hanson said he also wants to set up seminars with his officers and band elders to iron out past problems with fishing and trapping rights.

Later, Hanson acknowledged it may have been too early to announce the new program saying it is unofficial until after the provincial election.

"I just like to keep them informed...it is something that would have an impact on the Native community. There are loose ends to tie up (concerning the plan)."