Treaty 6 Forum examines issues

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BEAVER LAKE RESERVE - An excellent organized meeting, highlighted by a lively and co-operative sharing of information, was held at the Treaty Six Forum at the Beaver Lake Indian Reserve.

Delegates examines the issues of Indian government, Treaty rights, Band membership codes, and the Rupertsland Claim and heard a presentation by the Miskito Indian organization of Nicaraugua.

"These meetings are getting stronger, we have people coming from far away, because we are doing them in the traditional manner," said hosting Chief Al Lameman.

"I have sat together with Chiefs and elders here to make a strong (Treaty Indian) stand on issues and to send a message to government," said Lameman.

The Treaty Six Forums are a series of meetings held to deliberate on issues of direct importance to Treaty Indians belonging to the 50 bands in the Treaty Six area, which extends over central Alberta and parts of Saskatchewan.

The Cold Lake First Nations dispute with Alberta Fish and Wildlife over a fishing ban imposed on 22 Alberta lakes was of immediate concern to Alberta Treaty Indians present at the meeting.

Cold Lake delegates reported that they stand on the principal that fishing is a Treaty right which has to be recognized by both the provincial and federal governments.

The Alberta Fish and Wildlife department recently imposed a ban on fishing on certain lakes, including Gregoire Lake, Beaver Lake, Kehewin Lake and Buck Lake. The enforcement of this ban resulted in charges being laid against seven Cold lake Indians, including former chief Marcel Piche, for fishing in waters set aside for propagation on certain species of fish.

This issue opened debate on the whole question of the province of Alberta imposing regulations that restrict Treaty rights of the Indian people of Alberta.

"This matter affects all Treaty Indians, this is one way the government attempts to erode and whittle away what rights we have left to exercise," said Piche.

The fishing rights issue also prompted questions on hunting and trapping rights of Treaty Indians. It was reported that hunting ducks and other types of hunting have been illegal for the past two years. Confiscation of moose meat, hides, guns and fish nets was also reported.

Beaver Lake representatives reported that their people were blamed for over-fishing in Beaver Lake. "It is not us who fish out our lake; the government is saving the lakes for sport and commercial fishermen," declared Chief Lameman. He pointed out the annual fish derby held in nearby Lac La Biche, as an example.

Wildlife officials had suggested Indians go fish in other lakes and had also offered to supply fish and game to Indian people, which Piche reported his people rejected as not addressing the real issue of recognizing fishing, hunting and trapping as Treaty rights.

Cold Lake saw the offer of supplied fish as another form of welfare and the suggestion of fishing other lakes as impractical to many of their residents," explained Piche.

At the centre of this issue is that provincial laws and actions are seen by Treaty Indians as encroachment on rights that are recognized by Treaties made with Britain.

The government of Canada transferred federal jurisdiction over natural resources to the provinces with the Natural Resources Transfer Act of 1930.

With that transfer of power, Treaty Indians charge, Alberta has been trying to slowly do away with Treaty rights and that the federal government has been attempting to transfer Treaty obligations it inherited from Britain, over to the provinces.

Dennis C. Surrendi, assistant deputy minister of Alberta Fish and Wildlife division, came to the meeting to explain the government side of the dispute and to defend the actions of Wildlife officers.

"The fishing ban was purely to protect walleye and trout fish stocks," said Surrendi. He admitted that there was "a lack of understanding of the implications to Treaty Indian people.

"We did not do a good job of consulting with Indin people," said Surrendi. It seems that Wildlife officials thought they were consulting with all Treaty interests through a representative of the Indian Association of Alberta. The Treaty Six Alliance does not recognize any other Native organizations speaking on behalf of their members. Surrendi recognized that this will require a change in the way government communicates with local Indian communities.

During his talk, Surrendi said that recreation fishing had the greatest impact on fish stocks. He added that he now knows of examples of abuse, such as fish and carcasses of game animals being left wasting in garbage dumps.

"There are a lot of things we should be doing together in the area of fish and wildlife," said Surrendi, as he tried to impress upon the delegates that the Fish and Wildlife department are on the same side with Indians regarding conservation of fish stocks.

Surrendi reminded his audience that there are Alberta laws that do apply to Indians. He also suggested that Indians get involved in the political process, mindful that a provincial campaign was currently in progress.

This was not accepted as a viable option, since Treaty Indians have a bilateral relationship with the federal government.

"Hunting, fishing and other Treaty rights cannot be negotiated, but we can talk about the management of what resources we have left," said Chief Sam Bull of Goodfish Lake.

Chief Bull proposed that game wardens recognize the Treaty numbers of Indian hunters and fishermen. Chief Eugene Houle of Saddle Lake supported his fellow Chief by adding that "licenses should not apply to Indians; Treaty numbers should be acceptable."

The present fees for licenses are $10 for fishing and $25 for hunting.

The proposed Lakeland Resource Plan is aimed at conserving fish and game resources in the area between Lac La Biche and Athabasca, from the impact of development and agricultural expansion . Delegates questioned why there has been so little information or communicatio to Indian communities in the area regarding the Plan.

Surrendi took note of this concern and again urged Indians to make their views known to the government agencies involved in the Lakeland Resource Plan.

Allan Jacob of the Cold Lake First Nation emphasized that this meeting was for information only and must not be mistaken as negotiation.

The verbal exchange over the fishing dispute ended with Surrendi saying that only the Attorney General department had the authority to drop charges against the Cold Lake fishermen, and asked for "no further confrontation" from Indians.

The reply from the Indians present was that they will continue to exercise their Treaty rights to fish and hunt.