August 9, 1996 issue
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe's T.E.C. (Tribal Executive Committee) held its
first open meeting in almost a decade on August 8
by Jeff Armstrong
In a significant victory for the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe's
grassroots movement, the Tribal Executive Committee rescinded its
constitutional interpretation limiting the referendum process, censored
former Leech Lake secretary treasurer Dan Brown, and said Leech Lake's
decision to replace the failed five-man RBC system with a 13-member General
Council was an internal question.
But the TEC meeting, held on the Grand Portage reservation in the
remote tip of northeastern Minnesota, almost didn't get underway, as the
committee was bogged down in closed session for more than six hours. Upon
host President Norman Deschampe's announcement that the TEC would seat
White Earth Chairman Eugene (Bugger) McArthur and his appointed secretary
treasurer Erma Vizenor, several dozen supporters of former Chairman Chip
Wadena shouted down the Grand Portage chairman.
"Nobody has the right to come on to our reservation and take our
sovereignty away," said Roberta Brown, calling instead for the installation
of Tony Wadena, the former chairman's son and current RBC district rep.,
and former RBC member Paul (Poncho) Williams as acting TEC members until
proposed new election can be held in September.
Deschampe then adjourned the meeting into executive session to
discuss the issue for what he said would be about 10 minutes. As the
minutes dragged into hours, a group of about 30 tribal reform activists
marched into the closed meeting and demanded the TEC return to convene its
first open meeting in nearly a decade.
Representing Leech Lake as its spokesperson, Roxanne LaRose accused
the TEC of fostering the intratribal division evident at the meeting.
"Your action cause disunity, not only on White Earth and Leech Lake, but
throughout the whole tribe," LaRose said. "They've kept us divided for
too long. Now we're being held hostage by you."
LaRose requested TEC recognition of the newly elected Leech Lake
General Council and censure the former secretary treasurer an Brown, who
remained silent throughout the meeting. Deschampe said Leech lake must
determine its own form of government, declining to take a position either
way.
A motion by Hunt to censor Brown passed without dissent, reversing
a May 17 TEC vote against censure in which Leech Lake "acting chairman"
Myron Ellis [also a convicted felon] cast a decisive vote in a 5-4 tally.
Members of the Fond du Lac Reservation requested recognition of a
petition requiring a referendum on the RBC's $10 million tribal center
construction project. Although the RBC acknowledged that the petition
garnered the required 20% of on-reservation eligible voters, it nixed a
vote on the issue by citing a TEC constitutional interpretation.
Petition organizer Kelly Smith said the TEC is obliged to uphold
the integrity of the referendum process. "If they believe they acted in
the interest of the Fond du Lack people, let's put it to the test in a
referendum," said Smith. "You own us a vote. You own us a referendum."
Milles Lacs TEC rep David Matrious defended constitutional
interpretation #5-95, which created a number of rationales for denying
referendum petitions. "The constitutional interpretation reserves some
authority to the RBC. The reasoning behind it is if they have to consider
every petition that any group brings before the RBC, they would be tied up
in listening to these petitions all the time," Matrious said.
But Smith's mother, who said she has been harassed by the RBC for
her son's activism, was unimpressed. "If you people can't be honest with
yourselves, with the creator, what are you doing here?" asked Audrey Smith.
The discussion of the TEC's claim of exclusive jurisdiction over
constitutional interpretation brought the subject back to the first such
claim. The power to interpret the constitution is not mentioned in that
document, but was instead granted to the TEC by itself in constitutional
interpretation 1-80. Several people began chanting "rescind 1-80."
At that point, The TEC redirected the discussion back to
interpretation of #5-95, which was unanimously repealed by motion of Bois
Forte chair Clint Landgren and Hunt.
But Fond du Lac secretary treasurer Pete DeFoe later implied that
the RBC may try to find some other pretext not to recognize the petition.
"We'll look at the letter we sent out and remove all references to #5-95,"
said DeFoe, speaking to the petitioners. You'll have to bring it up again
to the RBC.
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MCT letter concerning WE
To Whom it May Concern:
This letter serves to inform all interested parties that at their August 8,
1996, Regular Meeting, the Minnesota Chippewa Tribal Executive Committee
took no formal action concerning the leadership on the White Earth
Reservation.
Sincerely,
The Minn. Chippewa Tribe
Norman W. Deschampe
President
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Bernard J. Rock, Sr.
Leech Lake Pillager Band
Spotted Eagle Warrior Society
North Central Minnesota Native American Veterans
Outreach and Resource Center