Self-government gains momentum

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Efforts to have the inherent right to self-government entrenched in the constitution gained new momentum in two separate developments on the constitutional front.

At a first minister's meeting in Halifax, provincial premiers congratulated themselves on a "historic breakthrough" after unanimously agreeing to the principle of self-government.

Meanwhile, treaty chiefs at a national conference in Edmonton backed off concerns they have over the current constitutional process that could have weakened the drive towards entrenchment.

In Halifax, nine provinces (Quebec is boycotting first minister's meetings) and four aboriginal groups agreed that self-government can be achieved within the Canadian framework.

The agreement is sketchy. But delegates to the meeting agreed that self-government will be subject to the Canadian Constitution. There was no decision on whether self-government arrangements will be subject to the Charter of Rights, which has been a thorny issue for the Native community.

Despite the lack of details, provincial, federal and Native leaders were enthusiastic about the new understanding.

"The most difficult stumbling block is the acceptance of the inherent right," said Assembly of First Nations Chief Ovide Mercredi. "We now have that. The next part is easier, which is how we will implement it."

Constitutional Affairs Minister Joe Clark said the new agreement would have been unthinkable about one year ago.

Some regional Native leaders in western Canada also expressed optimism over developments at the national level. Roy Bird, president of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians, called the agreement a "historic step in the evolution of Canada."

Doris Ronnenberg, president of the Native Council of Canada's Alberta Chapter, called the agreement a positive step but noted that it is far from the last word on constitutional issues.

"It's a step forward, but I'm a cautious person," she said. "There are a lot of things that still have to be worked out."

The Halifax agreement says the inherent right should be recognized in the Constitution. After it is entrenched, federal, provincial and Native governments will negotiate the transfer of powers. These negotiations would also include limits on self-government and lead to agreements on taxation and financing,.

In Edmonton, at the first ever national treaty conference, treaty chiefs formed a special council to promote their constitutional concerns from within the Assembly of First Nations.

The decision capped four days of meetings, which opened with some chiefs arguing that Native people don't belong in the Canadian constitutional process. Some chiefs, like Beaver Lake's Al Lameman, said treaty nations should be negotiating with Ottawa to fulfil their original agreements instead of worrying about how they fit into the current debate.

The suggestion appeared to worry Mercredi, who had to leave the conference two days early to meet the premiers in Halifax without a unified mandate.

But by the end of the week, the chiefs decided on a strategy that they hope will bring treaty concerns to the constitutional table without splitting the Assembly of First Nations position.

"I certainly felt the chiefs made tremendous progress on how to deal with treaty issues," said Regina Crowchild, president of the Indian Association of Alberta at the end of the conference.

"Everyone has the same goal. How to get there was what was in question."

But other clouds are still looming on the horizon as the constitutional process winds towards its final set of deadlines.

Less than a week after endorsing the inherent right agreement in Halifax, Ron George, president of the Native Council of Canada, was threatening to walk away from the negotiating table. George called the constitutional process "a hoax" if Ottawa is not willing to be responsible for off-reserve and Metis people.

Clark moved quickly to avoid damaging the talks by promising to make off-reserve and Metis issues a "priority" at the nex constitutional confernce in Edmonton on April 29-30.

Ronnenberg said she didn't know whether George is serious about walking away.

"Some times people take hard lines," she said.