Mailing address:
3536 - 106 Street
Edmonton, AB T6J 1A4
403-436-5652
FAX: 403-437-0719
November 29, 1991
Enclosed for your information is an article providing a good summary of the
Lubicon situation as of the end of November 1991.
* * * * *
THE CANADIAN TRIBUNE, November 25, 1991
LUBICON MAINTAIN STAND AGAINST LOGGING
By Paul Ogresko
Winter has set in around Little Buffalo Lake in northern Alberta and for
now everything is quiet. It is, however, an uneasy calm in woods which
have seen much confrontation in the past. For more than 50 years the
Lubicon Cree have been fighting for recognition of their land and of their
rights. The past 15 of them in the face of massive development of oil and
gas on their lands -- development that destroyed a hunting and trapping
society. During one 16 month period following the 1979 explosion of
resource development there were 22 deaths as the small community went
through the convulsions of a world turned upside down.
But the community has fought back for the recognition of the 10,000 square
kilometres of their unceded, traditional land. They have garnered world-
wide support, have set up blockades, and have initiated Olympic boycotts.
Bernard Ominayak, the soft-spoken Chief of the Lubicon Lake Cree, in his
early 40s, is still a relatively young man. A former trapper, he has been
Chief of the Lubicon Lake Cree since 1978 and has seen his people try to
respond to the changes taking place around them. He has also become a
skilled veteran in the frustrations of negotiating with both the federal
and provincial governments along with the corporations who see the Lubicon
land as a source of profit.
"Until we have a signed agreement with both levels of government all this
land is still in question," Ominayak told the TRIBUNE. "The ball is really
in their courts. We have given our proposals to them and we are waiting to
see how they respond."
During a recent meeting federal Indian Affairs Minister Tom Siddon had told
Ominayak that he would like to see the situation settled before Siddon's
term in office came to an end. Having listened to many unfulfilled
promises before, Ominayak remains sceptical.
"We certainly hope that at some point we get a fair and just settlement
but," he cautions, "it may take another (federal) government to be able to
deal with these kinds of situations. We certainly aren't going to go away
and the sooner the governments understand that it will make it easier for
everybody."
And while Ominayak awaits a government response to the Lubicon Lake Cree's
proposals, the community is also keeping a wary eye on Daishowa Canada and
its plans to begin logging activities on the disputed land. In 1988 the
Alberta provincial government granted Daishowa, Japan's second largest
paper manufacturer, a lease to log 29,000 square kilometres of northern
Alberta, including the Lubicon territory.
After the signing of the lease Ominayak met with Daishowa officials and
obtained a commitment from the company that logging would not take place on
the disputed land. Then, in November 1990, Buchanan Lumber, a subsidiary
of Daishowa Canada, began clear-cutting trees on the disputed land.
Sixteen days later, the logging equipment of Buchanan Lumber went up in
flames. Thirteen Lubicon band members were charged with arson and other
offenses while Ominayak warned Daishowa that any further logging on the
disputed territory could "result in a dangerous and potentially violent
confrontation between your people and ours."
The potential for further conflict surfaced again this fall when Brewster
Construction, another Daishowa subsidiary, announced its plans to log in
the area. But, in the face of mounting pressure from national and
international Lubicon support groups and a threatened boycott of its
products, Daishowa seemed to reconsider.
In a November 8 letter addressed to the Friends of the Lubicon support
group in Toronto, James Morrison, the General Manager of Daishowa's
Edmonton office wrote that "Daishowa Canada (and its subsidiaries) have
elected to avoid the area of concern to the Lubicons this winter."
Ominayak confirms that so far there has been no movement by any logging
company to infringe on the traditional area.
However, Ominayak says, the community is still waiting for a firm, public
commitment from Daishowa that there will be no logging on Lubicon territory
till after a settlement is reached. If there is any attempt to log on the
territory this winter Ominayak says the Lubicon Cree will do what is
necessary to stop it.
"As long as this matter remains unresolved we certainly do not want any
logging whatsoever to take place," he said. "And even if a settlement is
reached between the Lubicon Cree and the two levels of government, the
question of the environment and wildlife remains."
For their part the international support networks that have built around
the Lubicon case are determined to proceed with their boycott campaign
unless Daishowa makes a public statement that it will not log on the
territory in question until after a settlement. For the economically-
troubled Daishowa, which is currently trying to unload its Peace River pulp
mill to the tune of $1-billion, a successful boycott could be economically
devastating. In Ontario Daishowa paper bags and cartons are used by the
Liquor Control Board, Pizza Pizza, Cultures and the Ho-Lee-Chow fast food
chains.
Only when agreement is reached with the two governments will the community,
according to Ominayak, be ready for the next stage in the process. That
stage will likely be the negotiating of a harvesting agreement between
Daishowa and the Lubicon Cree. Such an agreement would need to encompass
Ominayak says, not only the question of economic justice but also the
environmental health of the land.