Strong response for Olympic torch run for Indians

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Indian bands all across Canada have been asked to provide runners to carry the Olympic Torch to Calgary next winter, and so far, the response has been good, says Olympic Committee Olympique (OCO) Native liaison coordinator, Sykes Powderface.

"We have sent application forms to the 45 bands show lands the torch relay will cross through. We have received 26 completed applications so far."

The torch relay will start from Newfoundland and will cross the country and enter Alberta from the south. The relay passes through the Peigan reserve and then along to Medicine Hat, and Lloydminster before turning west through Edmonton and then shouth towards Calgary.

In an interview from his Calgary office, May 12, Powderface pointed out that the relay will not cross many Indian reserves in Alberta.

"But we do have a runner or runners from the Peigan reserve and the Ermineskin reserve. I am a little disappointed not to have heard from the Louis Bull, Samson and Montana bands," he added.

The Olympic torch relay has recently come under the spotlight after a recent report in the Calgary Herald claiming that the Lubicon Lake Cree band had "threatened" a roadblock of the relay in support of the band's boycott of the Olympic Games.

Chief Bernard Ominiyak is currently touring Europe and was unable to comment. However, Lubicon spokesman Terry Kelly pointed out that the chief has consistently denied threatening the torch relay.

At the time of going to press, no spokesman from the Louis Bull, Montana or Samson bands was available for comment.