New Status Indians for Alberta Council

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A new organization calling itself the New Status Indian Council of Alberta, with a grand chief as president, has been formed by former board members and members of the Native Council if Canada (Alberta) dissatisfied with its president, Doris Ronnenberg, and the organization she represents.

At a special meeting November 29 in Edmonton, arguments regarding two resolutions that were to be voted on and were not because of a lack of members in attendance, led the group to split from the NCC (A). Other arguments erupted also, dating back to the Rafter 6 NCC(A) Assembly in southern Alberta in October. Incorporated as a society under the Alberta Societies Act, the new organization has 11 objectifies it hopes to reach. One of the main objectives is to represent all off-reserve Status Indians and their descendants at the local, provincial and national levels, including the 1987 Constitutional Conference.

NSICA representatives say it will also assist in finding legal assistance for all

those non-Status Indian descendants who wish to regain their Indian status and rights for themselves and their children, such rights to include treaty rights, including rights of urban and off-reserve status and general list Indian people.

"We wanted to defeat those two motions (resolutions), then Doris and her supporters walked out. She left all the members just sitting there. When they walked out we said let's start a new society," commented White.

Resolution one would have allowed Status Indians who are also on a band list because of Bill C-31, and who have resided off-reserve for more than three months, to become NCC(A) members. This bylaw article now only allows Status Indians who have been place don a general list of Indians under the Indian Act for less than three years to be members. This clause was to be discussed at the next annual assembly.

The other resolution dealt with the board appointing a Constitutional Committee, composed of the President (Ronnenberg) and four members, who would examine submissions from members regarding the constitution and bylaws.

Don Cardinal is the first as grand chief of NSICA . Three vice-presidents were also elected, and Cardinal says that according to traditions, they will be called Chiefs. They

are Russell White (Treaty 6), Theresa Bone (Treaty 7) and Madge McRee (Treaty 8).

Also elected as the Board of Directors are Mary Willier, Sam Dumais, Gordon Shaw, Lewis Cardinal and Marlene Cardinal, with one more board member to be appointed from the Treaty 8 area.

The recently elected board of directors will be known as headsmen.

"The titles are not new, and we are just keeping within the Indian custom and tradition, "said Cardinal.

White says the bitter arguments between the two groups started at the Rater 6 assembly when they interpreted the NCC(A) Bylaws to not represent general list Indians and off-reserve Indian people. Many of us were excluded from the NCC(A) at Rafter 6," said White.

General list Indian people are so-called because they are on a list of Treaty Indians with no voting privileges.

"Off-reserve Indian people feel the same as new general list people because we don't have any say or voting rights on our band councils. We are not getting our full benefits in regard to our Treaty rights. We feel we should be enjoying those rights," said Cardinal, who also said that was why the NCC(A) was started.

"I was a full member of the NCC(A) and a board member. I paid my membership at Rafter 6, but was excluded from voting because the NCC(A) Bylaws excluded off-reserve Indians. About 30 of us were excluded," Cardinal added.

"If they (NCCA) want to represent non-Status Indians but not the new status Indians and their descendants, it is fine with us. What does the NCC(A) do? Nothing. What is their mandate? There is no new band creation, no new bands," White said.

Cardinal believes that most off-reserve Indian people know there is nothing to return to on their designated reserves and tha most reserve areas are already allocated to band members, "so rather than fight, we must try and find a home for these people like myself. I've been off my reserve for 30 years. Treaty 8 is the strongest treaty across Canada and we will model after them to try and acquire new lands. It's not an overnight deal, this we know," said Cardinal.

The new organization will be looking into core funding and meetings are soon to be planned between themselves and various levels and departments of government.

"After the meeting our board members went back to their homes to build up the membership. We have the jurisdiction now in front of the funding agencies. We have legal letters and a legal option to do it now. All we need now is to build up our membership," commented White.

"We are very positive that we will have a very good response in the new couple of weeks," Cardinal added.