EDMONTON -- A group supporting the Lubicon Indians has prompted a
Toronto mall to seek other suppliers for the shopping bags it
previously got from an Alberta pulp and paper mill.
But the downtown mall, the Hudson's Bay Centre, says it merely
wants to avoid being drawn into a political debate and isn't
taking sides on the Lubicon land claim.
The mall, owned by Bramalea, also says it will first use up an
inventory of bags produced by the Daishowa mill at Peace River.
The Friends of the Lubicon has led a national boycott of Daishowa
products since November 1991 to win the Indian band better land
claim terms from Ottawa.
Daishowa's mill has logging rights in an area of northwestern
Alberta the Lubicon Cree say is theirs.
The Friends of the Lubicon released a letter earlier the same day
in which the mall's merchant association agrees to "seek out new
shopping bag supplies" once the inventory runs out.
Spokesmen for Daishowa could not be reached for comment.