Talks don't resolve urban Native issues

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Whether urban-self government should recognize distinctive Native groups or

be "status-blind" will be a key issue in off-reserve constitutional development. And the debate promises to be long and hard.

More than 100 delegates met recently in Edmonton to discuss the needs of Canada's growing off-reserve population around round table meetings sponsored by

the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.

But after two days of workshops and panel discussions on issues like health, government and economics, no clear consensus emerged on how those demands will be met or implemented.

"If we get into that melting pot, what are we going to have? Drumming one night and jigging the next," said one woman, who feared putting urban government under one umbrella would erode cultural identities.

But positions advocating separate services were quickly countered by others who believe collective governments will strengthen the off-reserve position.

"We are not trying to create a melting pot. We are trying to set up organizations that will help us all," said Winnipeg delegate Dan Wilson. "We aboriginals living in urban centres believe we can solve our own problems by not being divided up."

During the round table on urban Natives, commission members discussed urban issues with representatives from cities across Canada. The talks, held in a series of small workshops, covered concerns like health, government, services and economic development.

The workshops were meant to focus on ways to deliver self-government to Natives living in urban centres. But there were few points of agreement when delegates were called back.

Throughout, delegates agreed that there is a pressing need to develop off-reserve services and recognize off-reserve rights.

"There is no level playing field out there," said Larry Desmeules, president of the Metis Nation of Alberta.

At the end of the conference, commission co-chair George Erasmus said the commission is being pulled in different directions over off-reserve issues. He said the commission is hearing different arguments on whether urban self-government should ignore status issues or be organized along status lines.