By Lloyd Dolha

A three-day BC First Nations Mining Summit in Prince George has produced a comprehensive BC First Nations Mineral Exploration and Mining Action Plan.

B.C. aboriginal leaders put together the plan to work with the provincial government and the mining industry on future mining projects.

Along with noted B.C. First Nations leaders, guest speakers included Minister of State for Mining Gordon Hogg, President of the Mining Association of B.C. Dave Parker, Executive Director of the Canadian Boreal Initiative Larry Innes, Vice-President of the Mining Association of Canada Rick Meyers, Deputy Grand Chief of the Innu Nation Peter Penashue, and former NWT Premier Stephen Kakfwi

First Nations Summit Grand Chief Edward John said aboriginal leaders wanted to find a way to incorporate court rulings on native title and rights into mining laws and activities in order to generate economic development that benefits everyone and respects the environment.

John told a gathering of about 300 people this week that mining of aboriginal territory has created mercury contamination of Pinchi Lake north of Fort St. James.

The lake is part of the Tl’azt’en Nation’s traditional territory where John is hereditary chief.

First Nations say until now, they’ve been forced to resort to legal action to ensure that their rights are protected.

Regional Chief Shawn Atleo said the plan will provide an opportunity for First Nations, government and the mining industry to work together rather than rely on the courts.

According to the First Nations Summit, mineral exploration in B.C. this year was worth $220 million, up 660% from 2001.

Dozens of proposed mining projects are on the books in northern B.C.

They include Terrane Metals’ $916-million gold and copper mine about 150 kilometres northwest of Prince George.

Kaska Nation leader Dave Porter told delegates a system that allows any company with a miner number, Internet connection and a credit card to stake land for a mineral exploration needs to be addressed.

“It is fundamentally a wrong notion that in our traditional territory somebody can fly in from Argentina, stake a claim and now have more rights than we do,” Porter said.

A draft action plan circulated to summit delegates that included a call for a First Nations declaration to prevent natural water bodies being used as mine tailings and waste pumps.

First Nations also want to establish a mining research fund that would benefit them, along with a model for profit and equity sharing in mining and exploration projects.

The draft also called for legislation that would require impact-benefit agreements between First nations and companies before environmental assessments start.

But the industry does not have a good record of past management of mines in BC. As of 2003, there were 1,887 closed or abandoned mines in BC, of which 1,171 are of environmental concern and present public health and safety issues. This record and the risk of it being repeated has been the source of conflict between First Nations and the mining industry.

The situation is exacerbated by BC’s free entry tenure system for mineral staking, in which prospectors acquire mineral rights by registering lands as mineral claims. There are now many thousands of these claims.

The BC First Nations Mineral Exploration and Mining Action Plan will not be publically released until it has gone through a process of community review by First Nations and ratified by First Nations in a special assembly.

By CLINT BUEHLER

EDMONTON – Renowned Aboriginal has added the first annual $50,000 Alberta Visual Arts Award to his many honours.

It’s well-deserved recognition for a lifetime of ground-breaking and prolific artistic achievement.

Also this year, Janvier received the Governor’s General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts and an Honourary Doctorate from the University of Alberta. In 2007 he was made a member of the Order of Canada, and in 2005 he received the Alberta Centennial Medal for outstanding service to the people and province of Alberta.

In 2002, Janvier received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, in 2001 the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tribal Chiefs Institute, and in 2001 the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Cold Lake First Nation.

Janvier has painted a number of murals across Canada, had his work exhibited across Canada and internationally, and his thousands of painting are in public, corporate and private collections around the world. He may be best known, however, for “Morning Star,” the massive (covering 450 square meters) circular mural he painted in 1993—with the help of his son, Dean—on the dome of the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec. That led to him often being referred to as the “Indian Michaelangelo,” and “Alexangelo.”

Alex Janvier was born in 1935, of Dene Suline and Saulteaux descent, on the Cold Lake reserve in Northeastern Alberta, where he was raised until, at eight years old, he was uprooted from his home and sent to the Blue Quills Residential School near St. Paul.

He says he had creative instincts as long as he could remember, but it was there that he not only found the tools to create his first paintings, but was encouraged by Father Rolande.

One of the first Aboriginal artists to receive formal training, Janvier graduated with honours from the Alberta College of Art in Calgary in 1960 and was immediately hired to teach art at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.

His distinctive painting style, with its intertwined curvilinear lines soon began to attract attention. While he admits his work is influenced by the Russian artist Wassily Kandinski and the Swiss artist Paul Klee, he also credits the beadwork and birch bark basketry of his mother and other relatives.

Many of his masterpieces use both abstract and representational images, incorporating a strong palette, and deal with issues affecting Native people as well as the challenges and celebrations of his own life.

The early success of his unique vision led to his first commission, a mural for the Indian Pavilion at Expo ’67 in Montreal. Many more would follow.

In 1973, Janvier joined forces with Norval Morrisseau, Daphne Odjig, Carl Ray, Jackson Beardy, Eddy Cobiness and Joseph Sanchez to create Professional National Indian Artists Inc., designed not only to promote their own work, but to provide support and encouragement to emerging young Native artists.

A Winnipeg newspaper reporter soon dubbed them the “Indian Group of Seven,” although the fact there were seven of them was happenstance, and not intentional. The name stuck.

They joined together for a initial group exhibition in Winnipeg, and subsequent shows in Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal before dissolving the group to pursue their individual careers.

While Norval Morrisseau’s stunning success a decade earlier had broken the barrier to bringing Native art into the mainstream, Janvier and his colleagues would open the door of opportunity to a second wave of Native artists emerging in the 1980s.

Neither age nor health problems have slowed Janvier down much. As he continues his prolific creative output, he not only continues to exhibit successfully in commercial galleries across the country, but has opened his own gallery and museum in Cold Lake, which he runs with the assistance of his family.

By Bernie Bates

Have you ever had one of those songs in your head that you find yourself happily humming all day long? Well, that type of happiness is happening to me more often than not, these days. I have a song in my heart, silver in my hair and the gold that I hold is the love of a good women. Hmmmm!

On the twenty second day of September at five o’clock sharp, my Pooposie and I well celebrate our twenty-fifth anniversary of screaming, fighting, drinking, swearing, tears, heartache, hate and love. To all of those young couples out there, in newspaper-land, who may be planning your nuptials – I have some advice for you. There is a thin line between love and hate. Right now your relationship is all cuddling, cooing and courting. But, once you stop holding hands and familiarity sets in, that’s when you really start to pay your ‘union dues.’

Routine, is the kill-joy of a lot of relationships. It’s like rust on the bottom of a boat, if you don’t get rid of it, you’re doomed to sink. Don’t have sex only on Wednesdays and stop spending all day Sunday staring at sports. Try coming home with flowers, go for a romantic drive, cook a favorite food, maybe an unexpected kiss or start holding hands again.

Before you tie the knot, make sure you share some of the same interests, like food, music even your sense of humor – are you the slip on a banana peel type or are you punny? It’s the little things that get to a person after awhile: the cute way they laugh at silly little thing. After a few years, it ain’t so cute anymore – ya just want to smack them with a rolled up newspaper. Not that I’m promoting violence in any way shape or form, but, simply thinking about it can be a safe and therapeutic outlet.

My sweet wife, Janet, always gives me the larger slice of pie. She thinks of me before herself and therein lies the secret to a good marriage. A person has to be selfless, giving and considerate, to a fault. And it’s a two way street – if one is a giver and the other is a taker – your boat is leaking.

This paragraph is directed at just the men. Pretend like your playing a game of high stakes poker. Take the time to listen to the tone of your wife’s voice, watch for her body language and most importantly, think before you bet … I mean, speak. You’ll learn over the years when you can get away with a bluff, when to hold’um or when to fold’um. And if you get really good at it, you just may win a big argument … I mean, an exchange of ideas.

This part is directed just at the ladies. Pretend your trying to teach an ape to play the piano. Trust me or better yet ask my wife, it ain’t goin’a happen over night. This will help you ladies understand why we men are so hard to civilize – there’s an actual medical condition where men slowly begin to lose the ability to hear the pitch of their wife’s voice. To this day I still do crap that ticks my wife off, but, she’s patient and one day I hope to play chop sticks for her.

As in all combat sports where must be rules of engagement. Then you have that big fight – and you will – you must try to keep your cool. You may say things in the heat of the moment, that you can never take back. Things that you instantly regret saying and in the end, you can only hope for your spouse’s forgiveness. What ever you do never bring up past lovers, what might have been or use emotional blackmail.

Over the years my lady love and I have had some nuclear sized blow-ups, but, we’ve always worked things out. Unfortunately, there have been times when Poopsie has simply become impossible to reason with and I’ve had no chose but to become physical. First, I’ll warn her, “I’m going to spank you!” The only problem is, once I get her pants down, I forget what we were fighting about.

Peace, love and joy – from the corner of bliss and happiness.

THE END

Dear reader: Please feel free to contact, B. H. Bates at: beeinthebonnet@shaw.ca

By Lloyd Dolha

A group of western Canadian First Nations is seeking to raise $200,000 to build a world-class treatment facility for the treatment of preventable complications of diabetes among First Nations communities across Canada.

The new centre will utilize the techniques of internationally-acclaimed podiatrist/foot surgeon Dr. Kham Vay Ung in the treatment of preventable lower-limb amputations that arises from the long-term complications of diabetes.

Fishing Lake Health director Jim Ramsay said the centre has been established on small scale for the last three years in association with the Samson Cree, the Erminskin and the Louis Bull First Nations and operates out of the Fishing Lake Health Clinic.

“We’ve established a regular process in which we can intervene to attack the problem of diabetes and prevent unnecessary amputations,” said Ramsay. “We’ve seen hundreds of patients and we’ve bettered the health of our people, than if they had stayed in the existing system.”

In the late 1990’s, a number of First Nations in western Canada sought to directly intervene in the prevention of diabetes and its complications utilizing the life-saving techniques of Dr. Ung.

Initiated by the Fishing Lake First Nation of south eastern Saskatchewan, and joined by the Samson Cree Nation of Alberta, the First Nations are seeking to raise the money for the establishment and building of a new Anishnabe Healing Centre for the treatment and prevention of foot amputations among First Nations people.

The group of First Nations formed the First Nations Diabetes Coalition to promote the work of Dr. Ung though workshops across Canada. Rejected by Health Canada and the government of Saskatchewan for funding following years of attempts at communications, Fishing Lake First Nation councillors Milton Paquachan and Ron Smoke approached the elders of ten Saskatchewan Saulteaux First Nations who were appointed to Saulteaux Retention Committee by their communities. In August 2002, the elders gave their permission for the codification of a health law under traditional tribal authority to establish a community health jurisdiction protected by their inherent rights.

Paquachan and Smoke were joined by Samson Cree Nation councillor Emile Cutknife. They formed a leadership team that sought to develop a community-based approach for the treatment of long-tern complications of diabetes.

An elders consultation process was initiated and resulted in the codification of the law, Anishnabe Onushwaywin, in 2004.

According to Ramsay, the establishment of the traditional Saulteaux health authority, under tribal law has enabled Dr. Ung to travel freely across the Canada/US border to promote his work to First Nations.

A diabetes consultation service was initiated. The service provides consultation and focuses on the prevention of diabetes with a special emphasis on the prevention of limb amputation.

Medical studies have shown that the vast majority of diabetic limb amputations are avoidable with simple and appropriate primary care. Those same studies have shown that a limb amputation is often a death sentence.

Since the initiation of the consultation service, hundreds of members from some 20 First Nations across Alberta and Saskatchewan have received the benefits of the life-saving initiative.

The First Nations Diabetes Coalition has since made presentations of Dr. Ung’s work to the Assembly of First Nations and many other First Nations organizations across Canada.

“The great tragedy is that diabetes is preventable and limb amputation should not be an option,” says Fishing Lake councillor Milton Paquachan. “Yet resources in the various provincial and federal health systems across Canada continue to be utilized in ways that are proven to be both ineffective and harmful to our people.”

According to Ramsay, despite the international recognition of Dr. Ung’s work and their intervention in promoting primary care for the prevention of unnecessary amputations, Health Canada and the government of Saskatchewan still refuse to assist them in their efforts to establish the new Anishnabe Healing Centre.

“Our next step is to build a treatment facility so that Dr. Ung can carry out his life-saving procedures and techniques on First Nations territories in Canada,” said Ramsay.

By Malcolm McColl

Economic development is a promising direction for First Nations in Canada, especially since the process has come under close scrutiny from coast to coast. Earlier this year, the University of Toronto Law School hosted a unique forum on First Nation economic development. “I think the most important thing is that everyone recognizes First Nation economic development is a political matter,” said the event moderator.

Holding an economic development conference at a law school should come as no surprise. Commercial law in Canadian life is huge, and until now, seemed strangely inconsequential to First Nations.

Professor Doug Sanderson and other law faculty attended an intriguing luncheon address on day two of the conference highlighted by a speech delivered by Hon. Michael Bryant, Aboriginal Affairs minister, who suggested the need to create commercial law courts for First Nation reserves.

“How much of law in Canada is commercial law, Doug?” Bryant asked.

“Oh, about 60 percent or more,” Professor Sanderson replied. It is this type of law that sews up jurisdictional economics, and it is this law that is unavailable to aboriginal people.

Aboriginal people are born under a completely different set of rules. Does not a single realization come to light that the Indian Act excludes a race of people from the economy by depriving access to commercial law?

First Nation economic development is, in reality, written out of the realm of mainstream economics. A system of trusteeship holds all wealth, and monitored activity on an Indian Reserve has to be decided by a Minister of Indian Affairs. 122 sections of the Indian Act to make this potentate’s role very clear in the lives of aboriginal people. They are not allowed to have money.

Aboriginal economic development became a legal academic exercise with a national focus because the minster of Aboriginal Affairs in Ontario was arresting and jailing elders from Kitchenaumaykoosib Innunwig who protested Platinex Mines. Perhaps, it was out of frustration that the minister spoke to the matter as one of commercial rather than criminal concern. He called for a system to be put in place to accommodate the legal concerns of the stakeholders.

This is a fact of law, that a political document (the Indian Act) apparently deprives First Nations of a legal framework to possess money. The session’s moderator said solutions to these substantial concerns of legality are currently being sought. He believes people are only beginning to meet to address economic matters at the political level. Sanderson added that the situation is made even worse because a “settler versus native” attitude prevails and political issues remain unresolved. He noted the situation at Caledonia (and could have included the mind-boggling threat to personal security undergoing Mohawk people when they go to the store).

Sanderson said, “There are many ways for First Nations and corporate Canada to act together. . .The current political reality demands that thought and speech gravitate around ways to do economic development.” Sanderson also suggested that the best example for a way forward was cited in Minister Bryant’s speech when Bryant raised the subject of the Chocktaw Tribal Council (CTC) in the USA. The CTC has a federally-constituted commercial law court that governs activities under their jurisdiction along the Mississippi. They have American Indian judges and Chocktaw commercial law.

By Malcolm McColl

Theresa Gladue is the Aboriginal Woman of Distinction in Northern B.C. this year. A collection of women were feted and awarded at a banquet and presentation ceremony held Oct 3, 2008. Theresa was honoured out of five nominees for her category at the annual Today’s Women Awards of Northern B.C., a production held at the Coast Inn of the North in downtown Prince George.

Theresa is the Aboriginal Education Coordinator at Northern Lights College in Dawson Creek. Her office is at the college and her goal is to keep students engaged in the learning process. Students come in all age groups, attending the school in a variety of programs. Theresa noted, “A lot of the women study social work, and most of the men go into trades at the college.”

Social work employment for graduates, Theresa explained, is found in South Peace Community Resources and other social organizations surrounding Dawson Creek. Trades employment is found in the busy oil and gas developments that are booming in the region. “Most of those who stay at their program,” said Theresa, “are definitely getting jobs when they graduate.” More interesting to Theresa is the number of students pursuing further education. “They get the education bug and start looking for higher education opportunities.” Some enter two-year diploma and educational outreach programs through video conference classrooms or the internet.

Theresa was born in Grande Prairie, Alberta and was raised at Sturgeon Lake in Alberta.

“So you are a Cree woman?” I asked.

“Yes,” she replied, “definitely a Cree woman.”

“And how do you like the new job?”

“I love the job,” she replied. Theresa spent a number of years in the South Peace Community Resource Centre before taking the job at the college.

Northern Lights College is producing graduates in Ft. Nelson, Ft. St. John, Chetwynd, and Dawson Creek. Among the campuses, Dawson Creek is unique in serving a primarily Metis population from Kelly Lake Metis Settlement. The other campuses are also located near First Nation reserves.

Theresa sees a lot of enthusiasm among students, and they are especially motivated in Adult Basic Education. Other programs such as esthetics and social work are also popular within the Dawson Creek campus, where women clearly outnumber men. “Our society is changing,” said Theresa,” and we need education, meanwhile funds are depleting. A lot of these students are there to seize the opportunity while it still exists.”

Theresa’s active nature in the community has led to other awards, including Aboriginal Woman of the Year in Dawson Creek where she is currently exploring the world of local politics. The city council election is Nov 15, 2008, and Theresa is genuinely excited at the prospect of serving Dawson Creek. “I am the first aboriginal woman to run for city council,” she said. “It seems like I have the support.”

Theresa has earned much support through hard community-oriented work. “I have a production company, and we raise money for non-profit organizations.” Her company is called Oma Productions; “oma” means “this” in Cree. She also has a radio show called “Theresa’s Variety Hour” running on Chetwynd’s Peace FM. “I am on once-a-week with aboriginal musicians, artists, and others. I have interviews with artists like Carl Quinn, Earnest Monias, and Art Napoleon, and we introduce new musicians and original songs.” Theresa suggests to readers, “Google me. I am also a short story writer. I wrote a story called ‘The Epidemic’ that we turned into a play.”

Special Event Creations produces Today’s Women Awards in Northern B.C., and Theresa Gladue was awarded as “A woman of aboriginal descent who has excelled within the aboriginal community.” The four other nominees in her category also deserve an honourable mention: Marian Kotowich-Laval, Michelle Irwin, Candice Tiffany George, and Shannon Wright.

By Morgan O’Neal

The slate is put together in the back room, behind closed doors, after discussion and debate results in a consensus of dutiful mutual compromise so as to appear publicly in agreement on major campaign issues. If this process reminds us of direct participatory democracy, it is because Canada has a long tradition of participatory governance, one especially enshrined in the history of our First Nations. In studies of the standard procedures and principles of aboriginal governance, it is shown that the operative rules were consensus and participation. In the back room, maneuvering for people to line up on a Vision “slate,” Ken Clement apparently had some good luck. Good things sometimes happen to good people. Wild Wester Sharron Gregson topped the school board polls, and Ken Clement squeaked ahead of his nearest rival into the last slot on the ballot six votes.

Clement is a survivor. At the tender age of five or six, he was dragged kicking and screaming off to residential school for “nine f—ing years,” a virtual prison where his every action was met with a disproportionate ecclesiastical reaction from habited nuns known to Native students as “penguins.” An infinite number of lines they must have written on the blackboard slate: “I will not call the nuns a penguin, for if I do I won’t go to heaven.” Ken’s mother encouraged him to continue his education, and before he knew what hit him he had (in the relative freedom of the public school system) completed Grade 12 in Nelson and earned himself a degree in social work at UBC. He was well ahead of his time in these achievements and doesn’t remember running into many, if any, other indigenous Brothers and Sisters, let alone an aboriginal faculty member who could have intervened as a scholarly mentor.

First Nations People, then as now, make up about three percent of Canada’s population but a tragic twenty percent of prison inmates. They are also statistically prominent in other underclass populations such as the homeless, the unemployed, the drug addicted, and (most dishearteningly) women missing, murdered, or made vulnerable by the tragedy of domestic violence and the struggle to make ends meet on the street through work in the sex trade. As a member of the Ktunaxa First Nation and former residential school student and survivor, Clement’s personal experience informs how he sees his role as an activist. “It gives me an understanding of how we can overcome challenges, while at the same time respecting our differences within a dominant society.” Clement couldn’t recall any other First Nation politician elected to a civic position in Vancouver in recent history, but if elected to the School Board, he told the First Nations Drum he wants students to be introduced to the history of the First Nations in Canada. Such courses in history would only begin to try and rebuild the knowledge once passed down from generation to generation through oral tradition in Native communities before being aggressively interrupted by the dogma of Residential Schools.

His primary goal will be to get the voices of aboriginal students and parents heard and to incorporate understanding of cultural differences into the school system. “It’s a long journey in terms of educating people on both sides of the fence,” he said, noting that the rates of success for aboriginal graduates are abysmal. The most recent study by the Vancouver School Board shows that for children in Grade 4, the percentage of aboriginal children failing to meet expectations in reading, writing, and numeracy is double that of the general population. According to that same report, figures regarding children between grades 8 and 12 “clearly state that aboriginal students began to decline in progress upon entering Grade 8 . . . [and] the gap between aboriginal and non-aboriginal students increases as students progress through Grade 8 to Grade 12.” This dismal diagnosis threatens young aboriginals in the same educational “hospitals” meant to cure illiteracy and prevent the prognosis of failure after failure from becoming a reality. This self-fulfilling prophecy is the dark, ever-darkening legacy of the annihilation of indigenous cultural bonds and basics, the suppression of Native languages and traditions, and the literal destruction of aboriginal families and communities. Clement has pledged to work for increased support for vulnerable youth, which could be good news for proponents of an aboriginal youth centre in East Vancouver.

There is evidence that the education system has come some distance in designing courses to help aboriginal children achieve a brighter future. Ken Clement’s presence on the school board would only help this urgent task get started and finished. Clement has been an organizer and activist all of his adult life. Nowhere on any slate of candidates are there credentials more legitimate in their integrity and focused energy. For this very good reason he believes he can “make a difference through positive role modeling.” Clement’s résumé lists, among other significant things, his work as President of Lu’ma Native Housing Society for nearly 20 years and his 15 years as Executive Director with “Healing Our Spirit, B.C.”, a province-wide program assisting aboriginals infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. This was a course he chose after his own brother died of the disease.

I am not in the business of endorsements but I do have two young daughters in public school, which makes it impossible for me to ignore issues that arise in relation to education. My daughters have both been enrolled in aboriginal programs that seek to complement the three R’s with field trips to learn from native elders about the life cycle of the salmon, how to build a teepee, how to discern between poisonous and other types of mushrooms, and recognition of other traditional native medicinal herbs and roots as well as just good old tasty berries off the bush. It seems to me that these and other programs like them are the programs that will be axed by reactionary politicians at every level of government. The first line of defense against such short sightedness is the local parent teacher groups that—try as they may to have some influence on the system—can do nothing if not represented at the Board level by progressive trustees.

It is just so incredibly important to have a sympathetic member of the community elected to the Vancouver Board that it defies argument. With the happy explosion of active support for Vision mayoral candidate Gregor Robertson and the team that has gathered around him and with the United Front pragmatically in place joining Vision and COPE and the Greens, we have a great opportunity to elect the perfect man for the job. “I fled the residential school system,” says Clement, who attended St. Eugene’s in Cranbrook. “I came to Vancouver in the hopes of seeing the new light of day.”

The Vancouver school district is a large multicultural district providing programs to 56,000 students from Kindergarten to Grade 12, over 3,000 adults in adult education programs and over 40,000 in continuing education. It is our responsibility as parents to ensure that we have a school board that ensures the highest quality of learning experiences for all students, and promotes a focus on student engagement, learning, and development in a safe, secure, and inclusive environment.

Ken Clement is the man for the job. I am absolutely convinced that he will put the “trust” back in term “trustee.”

By Lloyd Dolha

Shell Canada plans to continue working in remote Klappan Valley in disregard of two public calls for the Dutch-owned oil company to cease its pursuit of coal bed methane in northwestern British Columbia. A spokesperson for Shell Canada, Larry Lalonde said in an interview, “Although we are pausing our drilling plans, we are continuing some exploration activity” that includes environmental studies involving wildlife, fish, and surface water sampling. Shell’s decision to remain in Klappan Valley flies in the face of two influential resolutions passed in late September.

On Friday, September 26th, the First Nations Summit called for a 10-year moratorium on coal bed methane drilling in the province. “The coal bed methane industry is infringing on aboriginal title and rights all over British Columbia,” Wet’suwet’en executive director Debbie Pierre said in a press release. “Our wildlife and wild salmon are threatened, and we are calling on Gordon Campbell to halt all drilling until we have a better approvals system in place.”

The resolution states that coal-bed methane extraction “has caused significant harm to water, wildlife and rural economies” in other jurisdictions in North America. It notes that coal-bed methane projects are currently proposed in the Sacred Headwaters area, in the Telkwa coalfield, and near the cities of Fernie, Princeton, and Hudson’s Hope. “The areas of B.C. in which coal-bed methane development is proposed are areas of culturally, economically, and ecologically significant fish and wildlife populations, including three of North America’s most important wild salmon runs,” the resolution states. B.C. “does not consider cumulative regional impacts, the interests of downstream communities or meet the Crown’s obligation to consult and accommodate aboriginal title and rights” in assessing coal-bed methane projects. It calls for a moratorium in order to allow British Columbia to develop more rigorous regulations. After that is done, the province should proceed only with coal-bed methane development “in areas where it does not infringe aboriginal title and rights.”

The day before the First Nations Summit, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities asked the province to suspend Shell’s work in the Klappan Valley until “the majority of residents in the region are satisfied that such development does not jeopardize their values and existing economic activities.” Shell wants to drill 1,000 wells to extract coal-bed methane gas, and Fortune wants to mine 123 million tonnes of high-grade metallurgical coal. But first, they need the Tahltan’s approval. Opponents to coal bed methane development argue that the gas, which is found buried between coal seams deep within the earth, carries too many environmental risks and too few regulatory obligations. Previous attempts at coal bed methane exploration elsewhere in the province have come to naught, mainly due to public opposition.

The Sacred Headwaters, named because three major salmon rivers (the Skeena, Nass, and Stikine) were born there, has become a symbol of wider conflicts in B.C. between First Nations and resource companies. Newly elected head of the Tahltan Central Council Annita McPhee said that before dealing with any proposed mines the tribal council must first find a way for everyone to express their views. “We are in the process of developing a decision-making protocol for resource development in our territory so our people can make an informed decision,” she said. McPhee also said the Tahltan Heritage Resource and Environmental Assessment Team is doing their own environmental assessment of the project, and the central council is developing its own resource development policy. “We’re very progressive when it comes to sustainable development practices,” she said.

Shell was granted tenure to explore for coal bed methane in the Klappan Valley in 2004 and drilled three test walls that year. In 2006, local residents set up a blockade on the access road into the area, resulting in the arrest of Tahltan elders. After spending millions to upgrade an abandoned provincial rail bed that serves as the only road into the Klappan, Shell Canada announced in August that it would voluntarily suspend drilling in the area while it consults with First Nations. “Essentially, that’s to allow for us to have dialogue with the newly elected members of the Tahltan First Nation,” Lalonde said. “We’re also doing it to continue our dialogue with other First Nations, municipalities, environmental groups, and other people who are interested from the region.”

There are eight mining projects proposed along Highway 37, and a recent study projected that they could generate $3.5-billion in capital investments, create 2,000 jobs, and result in more than $300-million in annual revenues.

By Lloyd Dolha

Across the nation, a number of initiatives are underway to help First Nations battle the growing epidemic of diabetes. In July, the Assembly of First Nation’s Women’s Council launched a first-time Fitness Challenge to Canada’s First Nations leadership with help of former Olympian Waneek Horn-Miller and former Pittsburgh Penguins Captain Dan Frawley to stress the positive link between healthy living and controlling diabetes.

The challenge began in August and continues to the end of October. Chiefs were challenged to set up teams of ten participants to take part in daily fitness activities and record their progress. “It was actually quite a good turnout,” said Karen Pugliese, of the AFN’s Health Secretariat, “We had quite a few groups participate.” Pugliese said some 42 teams were set up across the nation, with 19 from the province of British Columbia. AFN’s Women’s Council chair Kathleen McHugh says, “Aerobic exercise and resistance exercise can help people with diabetes better control their blood sugar levels by burning fat and glucose. Diabetics are also in a high-risk group for heart disease and stoke, and exercise can help reduce the risk.” Top performers of the national fitness challenge will be honoured at a Chief’s Special Assembly in December 2008.

Diabetes is 3 to 5 times more common among First Nations than the general population. This gap has been increasing, alarmingly so among middle-aged men and older women. Statistically, the rate of diabetes increases with age (one in 3 among those 55 years and older develop the disease) and also among those living in isolated communities, among those who did not graduate from high school, and among those speaking or understanding a First Nation language.

Many First Nations children and youth are at high risk of developing diabetes. First Nations youth are less likely than adults to eat a nutritious and balanced diet or eat traditional protein-based meats. About 42% of First Nations youth are either overweight or obese, and the rate is even higher among First Nations children. A direct correlation has been found between First Nations childhood obesity and lower family income, overcrowding, poor nutrition, reduced physical activity, and lower levels of educational achievement.

In Manitoba, researcher Paul Hackett has just launched a two-year examination of the history of diabetes in Manitoba and Saskatchewan First Nations. A geography professor, Hackett’s research is closely supported by the Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit. He said his involvement with the unit fits naturally with his interest in the area of aboriginal health. Although Hackett’s project began on Oct. 1 and he has researched only Manitoba First Nations, he’s already seeing some trends regarding the historical incidence of diabetes. “It relates to changes in diet and changes in lifestyle, so I’m interested in finding out how that varied over time,” said Hackett. He said he feels he’s “more likely to find differences between north and south and isolated versus non-isolated populations,” rather than between provinces.

Measures such as bringing more traditional foods in First Nation diets may help, but Hackett says it is a complex issue because of the increased cost of foods in more isolated communities and the issue of how to get those foods to people living off-reserve. In addition to health-care officials, he intends to get the input of elders and band officials. “There’s a lot of wisdom in the community you don’t get unless you talk to people.” Hackett hopes his research will help in tailoring health-care programs so that non-aboriginal people can also be informed about the situation.

In Ontario, the provincial government announced a $741 million investment of new funding to create a comprehensive diabetes strategy over the next four years to prevent, manage, and treat diabetes. One key element of the strategy is an educational campaign focused on First Nations to prevent diabetes by raising awareness of risk factors among First Nations.

In British Columbia, the Namgis First Nation of Alert Bay have been following a traditional diet regime set out Métis physician Dr. Jay Wortman in a year-long experiment featuring more traditional aboriginal diet (based on fats and protein) to fight obesity and diabetes. The experiment is recorded in the CBC documentary My Big Fat Diet directed by filmmakers Mary Bissell and Barb Cramner. My Big Fat Diet chronicles how the First Nation goes “cold turkey” and gives up sugar and junk food in the experimental diet study sponsored by Health Canada and University of British Columbia (UBC). Participants have all showed improved blood profiles as well as weight loss. A researcher at UBC is analyzing the results of the study.

By Lloyd Dolha

The day after a huge blockade shut down the Trans-Canada Highway in Saskatchewan, aboriginal leaders are demanding to meet with both federal and provincial officials.

The protest on Sunday, Sept. 28th, was staged over the building of oil and gas pipelines on what the chiefs of Treaty Four First Nations consider their traditional land.

The protesters say they haven’t been consulted and are demanding a share of the revenues.

“We want to put out a message that we’ve had enough, that we’re going to stand together as Indian people to make sure we get our fair share of the resources that come from our traditional lands,” said Red Pheasant First Nation Chief Sheldon Wuttunee, who led the procession.

The march concluded at the Kerrobert headquarters of Enbridge Pipelines Inc., the company behind the pipeline project.

Construction on the pipeline is currently taking place near the Red Pheasant reserve, located 85 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon. Several kilometres of top soil have been removed to prepare for trenching.

Wuttunee and several of his band members, along with supporters from the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) and First Nation bands in Manitoba, Alberta and B.C. as well as across Saskatchewan, have also set up a campsite adjacent to the pipeline path just south of Luseland.

Four teepees have been erected, including one directly on top of the pipeline path.

Enbridge is planning to send 800,000 barrels of oil per day to Wisconsin and TransCanada Pipeline is sending another one million barrels per day to the United States, said Roseau River Anishinabe (Manitoba) First Nation Chief Terrance Nelson, whose band has also had issues with Enbridge.

The chiefs say they’ve been excluded from jobs and say the governments and the pipeline companies have left them out of the loop.

“It’s years and decades and generations of frustration that’s boiling over,” said Edmund Bellegarde, Treaty Four spokesman.

The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) is blaming the federal and provincial governments for ongoing First Nations protests aimed at the pipeline industry that began Sunday.

FSIN vice-chief Morley Watson said the organization fully supports the actions near Kerrobert and Regina launched by Treaty 4 and Treaty 6 chiefs to disrupt the activities of Enbridge Inc. as it develops its “Alberta Clipper” project.

The first step to resolving the dispute — which centres around the use of traditional lands and First Nations participation in the project — is a meeting among the chiefs and the federal and provincial governments, he said.

“We believe that the governments have failed; they have failed the First Nation people by not consulting us. They have a duty to consult and accommodate us. They haven’t and again our communities are frustrated. We want what everybody else has, that’s jobs and opportunity and profitability and, unfortunately, the governments have bypassed us,”said Watson.

At the provincial legislature, Saskatchewan Party First Nations and Metis Relations Minister June Draude said she is willing to meet with the First Nations leadership and Enbridge on the issue “at any time.”

Draude said she had also tried to facilitate a meeting between the First Nations and the company 10 days ago but that was rejected by the chiefs. Treaty 4 spokesperson Edmund Bellegarde said that was because the province was narrowly focused on a contractual dispute and not the broader issues involved.

Watson called Draude’s offer to meet “encouraging” but said First Nations leadership needed to sit down with both levels of government.

He acknowledged the ongoing federal election could hamper the involvement of elected officials but noted there are senior civil servants who can attend the meeting.

Enbridge officials say they are disappointed the relationship has come to public protest.

“We would like to keep that dialogue open and get back to the discussion table to resolve this as quickly as possible,” said Glenn Herchak.

Provincial officials say they respect the right to protest and would like to sit down and discuss the issue with aboriginal leaders.

“Come and talk to us,” said First Nations Minister June Draude. “We really appreciate the fact that we have opportunities here in this province that they don’t have in other places in the world.”

FSIN officials said they want to meet with both provincial and federal officials before continuing talks with Enbridge.