The ability under the Indian Act to create new bands is not something that
should be done away with; the pressures of population and the freedom
of association and organization make this a good and
necessary thing. It should, however, be the choice of those Indians
wishing to do so; and under the Act, rightly so, they can be the sole
arbiters of who their membership will consist of.
It is disheartening - more than that, unforgivable - that the creation of
a new band should be used as a means of diminishing an elder one. But the
creation, per se, is not wrong. It does redress considerable wrong against
the disenfranchised.
It is inevitable in Indian societies, as in others, that there will be
differences of opinion and priorities. It is indeed sad when those who had
less are manipulated into being pitted against those who had a pittance more.
The honorable thing, of course, would be to settle the Lubicon claim by
returning at least the land claimed by that band, if not more, along with a
separate but equally justly viable territory for the Woodland Cree. The
creation of another band should increase the total land settlement, not
decrease it.
Must Indians adopt the European habit of establishing enclaves equivalent
to "private clubs" where those who don't have the "proper credentials" of
exclusivity, clique or sex are second class citizens? It is hypocritical,
believe me, to question the Indian legitimacy of Woodland Cree members,
when we could point to any number of bands, including Lubicon, who have
genetically diluted Indian members, including some in leadership positions.
It is also the case that some still disenfranchised persons are more
genetically Indian than those of their people who have been recognized and yet
decry their attempts to achieve the same.
The UN has documentation about the abuses of the European Canadian government
against the Lubicon; it is reprehensible that should become a mask for
justifying another human rights abuse that came before the UN and
embarrassed both the Canadian and Indian governments - the disenfranchisement
of Indian women and children and others who were denied recognition of
citizenship of their own First Nations, and became the victims of terrorism
in their own communities when they protested. Bill C-31 was a positive
step at beginning to redress that situation.
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Peshewegunzh
peshe%mamia.UUCP@mthvax.cs.miami.edu
mthvax.cs.miami.edu!mamia.UUCP!peshe
peshe@mamia.UUCP
mthvax!mamia!peshe
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