Urban Indians recognized New-status rep comes aboard

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New-status Indians, who recently received status through Bill C-31 and who are predominantly urban dwellers, are to be represented on the Board of the Indian Association of Alberta (IAA) by a non-voting appointee.

A resolution was made to include "urban Indian" involvement in the association during the final day of the IAA annual assembly after several new status delegates had addressed the meeting calling upon the association to recognize their rights.

Russell White, a former Native Council of Canada (Alberta) director and founder of his own organization for new status Indian people, New Status Indian Confederation of Alberta, says he felt the resolution did not go far enough.

"This resolution does nothing for us," he said in an interview. "We are in need of off-reserve housing, full Treaty rights and other programs."

However, White added that although the resolution does not go as far as he had hoped, it was a step in the right direction.

"Next year (at the next annual assembly) you will see more involvement of new status Indians at the association. We are making inroads."

Several new status people attended the three-day assembly including Lawrence Willier and Teresa Bone, both former members of the Native Council of Canada.

Willier, who ran for the position of Board member, said he felt the resolution was a good first step.

"My band has accepted me back, but I still live in the city. There are a lot of urban Indians now and we have special problems."

Willier pointed out that the fear expressed two years ago when Bill C-31, which amended the Indian Act to include Indian people who had lost status rights, was exaggerated.

"We are all going back to our reserves and we are fitting in. There are no hard feelings and no resentment."

Willier added that he felt comfortable in the annual meeting and had in fact been nominated in a board position.

During discussion of the resolution, Blackfoot band administrator, Andrew Bear Robe, who is also the chairman of Calgary's Urban Aboriginal Affairs Committee, pointed out that the resolution would be a "good way to work toward unification."

"We at the Urban Affairs Committee have been requested by the New Status Indian Association of Alberta to try to resolve the situation of urban Indians. I think this resolution would help resolve the situation and help my committee deal with this organization."

However, Board member, Regena Crowchild felt the resolution would weaken unity within the association.

"I have no objections to meet and express opinions with urban Indians. But by splitting our board into urban and reserve Indians we are weakening our position. The Indian Association still represents our membership regardless of where they live."

However, Bear Robe replied that non-recognition of the new status urban groups would only encourage splinter groups.

"They already accuse the Association of ignoring them and they have already formed several splinter groups. This is not unity," he urged.

The resolution stated that approximately 30 per cent of Treaty Indian people live off-reserve and that the Association desires to address the unique problems of the urban Indian.

The new board member will be appointed on a trial basis and will not be given voting privileges. After a one year trial, and if the appointment "proves to be beneficial to the organization and urban Treaty Indian people" the association will consider altering the bylaws to enable permanent urban Treaty Indian representation on the board.

In an interview after the closing ceremonies, IAA President Gregg Smith said he felt the inclusion of the new board member would prove to be beneficial to the association and the membership as a whole.

"The new board will be meeting in July to appoint the new board member and we will take it from there," he says.

Smith however is cautious about the new appointee and says the one year trial period will be necessary before making the position permanent. But, wheter the appointee will be allowed voting privileges after the one year trial will be up to the board to decide he added.

The assembly of approximately 400 voting delegates voted on the resolution which passed by 53 votes for the resolution and ten votes against.

Bill C-31 was a federal bill that amended the Indian Act to give back Treaty and Indian status rights to Indian people who had lost them after marrying non-Indian people. The controversial legislation passed into law in 1985 drew criticism from several western Indian nations as it was felt that the government would not be transferring additional funds to bands who would be receiving many new members.