OTTAWA REPORT

Page 2

Hey gang, it's quiz time! Grab your writin' paper, writin' irons and test your knowledge of the latest arcane and trivial goings-on in the world of Native affairs.

Prizes will not be awarded and neatness does not count.

First question - Dorothy Wabisca, the slim trim vice-president of the Native Council of Canada, has joined: (a) The National Action Committee on the status of women, (b) the Native Nurses Association; (c) the Progressive Conservative Party; (d) Overeaters Anonymous, (e) a fitness club in Montreal.

The answer is (c). Dorothy Wabisca joined the PCs after she was elected to the Native Council post . She is the only leader of a national Native organization to belong to a political party. She says she joined the Tories to see if they will live up to their promises to Native people.

Question number two - who went to centre ice recently and dropped the puck to open the hockey season for the Toronto Maple Leafs?

Was it: (a) Federal Sports Minister Otto Jelinek; (b) Assembly of First nations national chief Georges Erasmus; (c) One-legged runner Steve Fonyo; (d) Ojibway Indian and former Maple Leaf Captain George Armstrong; (e) Mohawk Indian and Olympic gold medal winner Alwyn Morris.

The answer is (b) Georges Erasmus. Just what opening night for a second-rate hockey club has to do with self-government or land claims is a mystery to me. For that matter so is the cost of this junket to the AFN.

I think the idea is to raise the profile of the AFN by using the national chief to get secondhand publicity. If this continues, maybe we'll see the national chief referee a Hulk Hogan wrestling match next or maybe he'll become a contestant on Wheel of Fortune.

Third question - 317 people voted in the recent election for the president of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Natives. David Ahenakew, the former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, and before that, the FSI president for nine years, was one of the candidates. How many votes did he receive: (a) 17; (b) 53, (c) 83; (d) 124; (4) 211.

The answer is (c) 83 votes. David Ahenakew finished last in a three man race. After the election, he said, "I think they wanted a fresh face."

Fourth question - the Assembly of First Nations recently issued a news release to announce its support for a tribe that's being persecuted by the Government of (a) British Columbia (b) Quebec (c) South Dakota (d) Nicaragua (e) Bangladesh.

The answer is (e) Bangladesh. The AFN was reacting to a report by the human rights group Amnesty International that criticized Bangladesh for oppressing the tribes in the Chittagong region.

The AFN announced its support for the Chittagong people on the same day the Amnesty report was released. The trouble is, the AFN still hasn't said anything to support the tribes of Manitoba in their fight with the Department of Indian Affairs, even though it's been weeks since the funding controversy exploded in that province.

Fifth question - a prominent Native figure will receive the Order of Canada in November is it (a) Pittsburgh Penguins centre John Chabot (b) Native Council of Canada president Smokey Bruyere; (c) former National Indian brotherhood president George Manuel; (d) Native Arts Foundation founder John Kim Bell; (e) Metis actress Tantoo Cardinal.

The answer is (c) George Manuel. He deserves the honour.

The surprise, though, is that he got it at all because there are some people in Ottawa who would oppose is selection. Some remember his warning that Indian militants were being trained in guerilla warfare. The R.C.M.P. remembers him as a national Indian leader when the Mounties identified Native people as the number one threat to national security. George Manuel's award is a sign either that Canada is growing up as a country, or it could just be proud that if you live long enough, the government will forget about the past.

Last question - in his annual report, the Auditor-General noted that 34 lawsuits have been filed against te epartment of Indian Affairs for mismanagement reserve lands. The value of those lawsuits is: (a) $7 million ; (b) $81 million (4) $350 million; (e) $900 million (e) $1.7 billion.

The answer is (e)) $1.7 billion. That's not all, however. That's just for the 25 lawsuits that have a dollar value attached. Another 75 lawsuits - three times as many - have been filed with no dollar figure.

By the way, Indian Affairs minister Bill McKnight says there's nothing in the Auditor General's report to get excited about. So what if Indian people are getting shafted on lands, trust accounts, estates, land claims and education? Bill McKnight says the problems aren't really new and besides, he's got them under control.. His message to angry Indians is simply "trust me."

So that's it gang. Add up your scores. If you answered any of the questions correctly, don't let it go to your head. If you didn't get any of them right, don't worry, you can do better the next time.