Pahl committed to resolving Lubicon Lake Band claim

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Provincial Minister Responsible for Native Affairs Milt Pahl told AMMSA in a telephone interview that he is personally committed tom resolving the outstanding land claim of the Lubicon Lake Indian Band.

Pahl said he expects the federal government to give the province a "documented land claim" (outlining the number of band members in the area 100 km northeast of Peace River and how much land the band should receive) sometime in May. Once this happens, he said, the province will decide if they agree with the figures and will then turn over crown land for a new reserve for the Lubicon Lake Band.

Pahl said he had no idea how long this process will take.

Public pressure has been mounting against the provincial government after a recent fact-finding tour to the Lubicon lake area by church leaders. The church leaders challenged the federal and provincial governments to live up to their responsibility to provide the Lubicon Lake Band with a reserve.

The band was missed by treaty commissioners when other Indians in the Treaty 8 area were granted reserves and was not visited by government officials until 1939 when they were promised a reserve they never received.

In addition, the World Council of Churches, in a letter to the prime minister, said, " in the last couple of years. Alberta provincial government and dozens of multinational oil companies have taken actions which could have genocidal consequences."

The letter continues to charge the provincial government with allowing forest fires to burn freely on the lubican lake area, of tricking residents of the area to apply for two-acre plots in the settlement of Little Buffalo, and instructing employees to destroy traplines and frighten game from the area.

These charges are currently being investigated by the provincial Obudsman Randall Ivany. Ivany was quoted in the Globe and Mail on April 7 as saying that the World Council of ' charges of genocide are "bordering on the ridiculous."

None of the current discussions on the lack of a land base for the Natives of Lubicon Lake have mentioned that there are also Metis and non-Status Indians in the area who are also suffering from the destruction of their environment by oil companies.

Pahl said this is an " area that needs to be discussed" but added, "I wouldn't contemplate further Metis settlements being established" until it can be proven that the existing Metis settlements are used to capacity.