What are they looking for?

Page 5

Dear Editor:

It disturbs me greatly that CSIS thinks the activities in Indian Country are worth recruiting Native folks to monitor their fellow citizens ("Good times with CSIS and me" by Taiaiake Alfred).

Native activists don't need to hide their work to where it merits Canada's intelligence service looking into their affairs. I mean, it's all about being public and vocal anyway, isn't it? The goal is, after all, about getting noticed. It's akin to yelling on the street corner 'Hey, everybody, look at us! We have issues that need addressing now!'

The only thing that CSIS really needs to monitor is itself. I mean, what are their bosses admitting to when they think there is something so bad happening out there that it requires a clandestine operation of intelligence gathering?

What exactly are they trying to protect or uphold that would make Native people so pissed off as to start whispering amongst themselves? No signed treaties in British Columbia? The Indian Act? The comprehensive claims policy? Well, guess what CSIS? Everybody knows about these and how destructive these policies are. And Native folks aren't whispering amongst themselves in order to change them.

They're in the courts, on the streets, in the politicians' offices, and in the media yelling at industry to change them.

Unless, of course, there is something else out there even more sinister than these policies that people don't know about. Wait a minute. Maybe we should all be peering over Canada's shoulder to see into their subversive designs?

In any case, let this letter be a recruitment call to all people who know of sinister behavior in the Canadian and provincial governments of this country to reveal publicly any evil plans by those who possess too much power for anyone's good.

And to CSIS, if you want to help in this process, please do. Otherwise, leave people alone to make noise as they see fit.

Kevin Ward

Prince George, B.C.