Mailing address:
3536 - 106 Street
Edmonton, AB T6J 1A4
403-436-5652
FAX: 403-437-0719
December 04, 1991
Enclosed for your information is a copy of a letter on the Lubicon
situation written to the Editor of the Edmonton Journal by Federal Indian
Affairs Minister Tom Siddon. Enclosed also is a copy of Lubicon Chief
Ominayak's letter of response.
* * * * *
THE EDMONTON JOURNAL, Monday, December 2, 1991, Letters to the Editor
GOV'T WILLING TO TALK WITH BAND
Your editorial states that Canada has "dusted off a three-year old offer,"
thrown it on the table, and said "take it or leave it" and that I am
"stubbornly waiting for capitulation from Chief Bernard Ominayak (The
Lubicons still waiting, THE JOURNAL, Nov. 11).
It makes good copy, but you know it is untrue. I met with your editorial
board to explain the federal position. I recognize your newspaper's right
to reject the government's approach, but you have a responsibility to
present it accurately. As I told you at our meeting, we believe we have
made a fair offer. The United Nations Human Rights Committee agrees that
our offer is appropriate. We are ready to return to the table to work out
a settlement with Chief Ominayak.
Your editorial says "true negotiations require both sides to move toward a
compromise." I asked the chief to meet me in Alberta and urged him to sit
down with Canada's negotiators. We have already offered a land settlement
which would make the Lubicon reserve the sixth largest in Alberta, even
though the band is 29th in population size. We have offered millions of
dollars to build a community, and millions more for socio-economic
development. We have offered resource rights on potentially some of the
richest oil and timber land in the province.
Negotiation takes two parties sitting together to talk and compromise.
Canada is ready to negotiate with any Indian group in northern Alberta who
was overlooked when Treaty 8 was signed. You see this as being
manipulative. I see this as honoring Canada's treaty obligations.
Tom Siddon, Minister of Indian Affairs, Ottawa, Ont.
* * * * *
December 4, 1991, letter from Chief Ominayak to the Editor of the Edmonton
Journal
Dear Sir/Madam:
In his December 2nd letter to the Editor entitled "Gov't willing to talk
with Band", Federal Indian Affairs Minister Tom Siddon once again puts on
display the reason why the Mulroney Government has so little credibility.
They deserve little credibility.
Mr. Siddon denies that the Federal Government has "dusted off a three-year-
old offer, thrown it on the table and said take-it-or-leave-it". However
that's exactly what the Federal Government has done, as Mr. Siddon makes
crystal clear with his repeated public statements that the Federal
Government's three year old "take-it-or-leave-it" offer stands and won't be
changed.
Mr. Siddon claims that "the United Nations Human Rights Committee agrees
that (the Federal Government's "take-it-or-leave-it") offer is fair".
That's not what the UN Human Rights Committee Lubicon decision says, nor,
according to reliable reports, is it what Committee members intended.
Mr. Siddon claims that the Federal Government has "already offered a land
settlement which would make the Lubicon reserve the sixth largest in
Alberta, even though the band is 29th in population size". That's not true
nor is it even particularly relevant. What's true, according to the latest
Federal Government figures, is that the Lubicons are the 23rd largest Band
and would have the 11th largest reserve. What's relevant is that
historically all Indian reserves in Alberta have been calculated on exactly
the same basis; namely, 128 acres of land per person counted at the time of
first (reserve) survey. (Bands who currently have less than 128 acres per
person have either increased in size, been cheated out of their full
reserve land entitlement or lost reserve land typically through outright
theft by non-aboriginal people working in collusion with non-aboriginal
governments.)
Mr. Siddon says that the Federal Government has "offered (the Lubicons)
resource rights on potentially some of the richest oil and timber land in
the Province". That's not only untrue but offensive. There is no
particularly valuable timber on proposed Lubicon reserve lands nor any
known oil deposits of any great significance. Moreover the land in
question is not the Federal Government's to "offer". The land in question
belongs to the Lubicon people who've never ceded it to anybody in any
legally or historically recognized way. The entire purpose of Lubicon land
negotiations is for the Canadian Government to obtain proper rights to
unceded Lubicon lands.
Lastly Mr. Siddon does at least get one thing right. He says that "Canada
is ready to negotiate with any Indian group in northern Alberta who was
overlooked when Treaty 8 was signed". While Canadian Government
"readiness" to negotiate is unfortunately pretty questionable, the Lubicon
people didn't sign Treaty 8 and it's nice for Mr. Siddon to finally admit
it publicly.
Sincerely,
Bernard Ominayak, Chief
Lubicon Lake Indian Nation