Shields' efforts fail

Page 5

COLD LAKE - About 8:15 a.m., Saturday, April 12, two RCMP and two Fish and Wildlife officers arrived at English Bay. They threatened to confiscate the two nets in the water.

Hurriedly, the Indians dropped them to the bottom of the lake, only to return later and retrieve them..

In the morning and again about mid-afternoon, a chopper believed to be from Fish and Wildlife buzzed the area. The latter one got down fairly low to one of the fish holes so the Indians mounted two skidoos and raced over the scene. The people felt that this was an example of undue harassment.

About 3:40 p.m. Marcel Piche received a phone call on the mobile in his truck. It was a reporter from the Edmonton Sun wanting an update on circumstances. When asked about the possibility of a physical confrontation, Piche assured the reporter that"If any violence erupts, it'll be on their part."

Member of Parliament or the area, had telephoned requesting a meeting with the Band Council.. He said he'd arrive at Medley Airport around 4:30 p.m. and wished to be picked up.

Shortly after 5 p.m. Shields arrived at the airport. Because the base was closed for the weekend, he was unable to pass through the locked gages. Having no alternative, he scaled the high mesh fence and, as he came down the outside, he lost control and fell part of the way.

He was driven to the Indian Camp at English Bay arriving the about 5:30 p.m.. and entered in a discussion with the councillors from Cold Lake. That parlay lasted approximately one hour.

The fact that new laws in the way of fishing bans at Cold Lake was being planned with everyone but the local Indians was "a mistake on the (Fish and Wildlife) part," emphasized Shields.

During a personal meeting on April 12 with the supporters of the Indians who are exercising their Treaty right to fish, Shields made three key points: 1) "you have set your nets," 2) "you have had charges laid against you, and 3) you have made your point."

On the basis of these three points, said Shields, nothing further could be done at this time by anyone else. "It is now up to the courts; it is a mater for the courts to decide whose law is the right one and it will go to court, all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada," he said.

Shields expressed his opinion that to continue setting nets would serve no further purpose. We said "your point has been made, the point has been taken, now it's up to the courts." To further his own views, he noted that "you (Indians) won't resolve it, the local authorities wont resolve it, only the courts will."

On that note, he appealed to the better judgment of the people to forsake their fishing and suggested the same interim solution to the peoples' needs of for fish as was suggested, but unacceptable, by Fish and Wildlife, That suggestion was to let things go, return to their homes, and the department would supply them with whatever fish they needed.

The suggestion immediately met with strong opposition from the Indian delegates, particularly in the person of Hazel Jacko, who told the Member of Parliament for Athabasca that "we do not want handouts, we don't want welfare" and that"we are quite capable in this situation of providing for ourselves and we intend to do just that." The grandmother was very near to tears.

Jacko's salvo said it all. she wasn't one to mince words and her impassioned pleas were spontaneously picked up on by those present who concurred with her emotional delivery. Resolutely, the people verbalized their affirmation that they would indeed continue to set nets as their needs dictated.

As Shields took his leave, he reiterated his sentiments and concern that the Indian people had not been consulted on the planned closure of Cold Lake, which was definitely a mistake on the part of Fish and Wildlife.

Just as he began to walk to his waiting vehicle, Shields was chided by a lone voice, "Hey, Jack, you gonna climb that fence again?"