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Call us - We are Thursday, Novamber 6, 1979 * 20c Volume 73 No. 216 Open NGaamad pam Sally except Sunday \_- oped Mon. thrangh Sat., 8 a.m.-5 p.m. \ WAN mee / LAND CLAIMS ISSUE Epp wants to deal By ED YUDIN Herald Staff Writer ‘The federal department of Indian affairs. is attempting to delegate further responsibility to local band councils, Jake Epp, the minister of ’ Indian affairs, said at a news conférence in Terrace on Wednesday. “Hf we are going to have human potential, social and economic development, the authority has eo reside at the band level,” the minister 8 + JAKE EPP..here totalk Epp wouldn't spell out the exact form of band or tribal government he envisaged, but noted “we are moving as quickly as we can to develop those responsibilities from Ottawa to those areas where we have strong band or tribal councils.” He qualified his statements by emphasizing “the federal presence’’ which must still exist in a municipally-styled band government. In order to push for increased native aid programs, he announced he will hold a 2% day . conference in Otlawa next week with provincial * officials. The regional director-gererai of B.C. will be among those attending. Epp will be asking for programming which ha received favourable response from native councils, “There is no question that we have been failing in terms of the socio-economic plans of the department,”’ Epp said. The minister announced. a one-year con- tingency plan to replace the funds cut off with the end of the Canada works program. “For this year the department of employment and immigration will accept Canada Works-type applications from indian Bands under the LEAP auspices,” he said. LEAP, the local employment assistance program, is especially vital in housing development funding. Epp criticized the Canada Works program for its ineffectiveness in promoting long term programming. B.C. might sit in By ED YUDIN Herald Staff Writer Jake Epp, the federal minister of Indian af- fairs, said in Terrace Wednesday he will try and convince the B.C. government to negotiate native land claims. Speaking at a news conference at. the Lakelse Hotel, . Epp.. reiterated. .the..gaverment: : stand: supporting tri-party negotiations, with native leaders, the provincial government and his department. He says he will be making representations in the near future to Alan Williams, the B.C. labour minister who is responsible for Indian affairs. “T hope with a new government and a new approach we might be able to make a breakthrough.” Epp is making a tour of the northwest region andis having talks with numerous tribal groups. and councils. Wednesday he met with representatives of Kitimaat village, the Nor- theoast District Council and the Nishga Tribal Council, - On the matter of land claim negotiations, Epp is attempting to establish a time parameter. He ““Hidicated’ 4 ciirrent six-indnth guideline being” ” used for the ongoing negotiations in the Yukon : could be a possibility, Epp noted a formula for settling claims con- cerning cutoff lands should be finalized within the nextfew weeks. Cutoff claims.involved 33,000 acres of Jand that has been taken from B.C, reserves al various times. The settlement will come in the form of some returned lands and a cash settlement. . . Nishga hold cards BY GREG MIDDLETON Native Indian leaders in the Pacific Northwest were cautious but receptive Wednesday to overtures by Jake Epp, the federal Indian affairs , minister, to negotiate land claims and they see resource development as the tool that can be used to bring the province into the negotiations. James Gosnell, the president of the Nishga Tribal Council, said Epp told the Nishga the federal government recognizes the land claim and would “negotiate it honorably and settle it honorably.” Gosnell described this as a move forward but he still sees a reluctance on the part of the provincial government to negotiate, ~ “The province has continually denied the question of aboriginal title,” Gosnell said. "I can't see how we can settle without the provincial government,” he said, commenting that the Social Credit government had backed away from an earlier position of being willing to negotiate, ; Gosnell, leader of the 3,000 strong Nishga people, indicated that development of resources in the area might be the key to bringing the province to the negotiating table. As well as meeting with the: Indian affairs minister, members of the Nishga Tribal Council met with representatives of the company developing a mining operation in Climax Molybdenum Cor- poration,Kitsault, 120 kilometres north of Terrace. The Nishga, who are leaders in the Jand claims negotiations, brought the precedent setting case to court in which aboriginal rights were first recognized. They have been dealing with the questions of such rights for nearly 100 years. As part of the settlement of the land claims issue, they see the native people having a say in development of the resources of the area. “We're not talking about a few bucking jobs for Indians,” Gosnell said, “‘We want to share in the profits,’” The Nishga, who are close to self-government now and run their own school district, see a new interest on the part of the federal government to consult with native peoples and approve of the trend. Gosnell gave as an example of govern- ment agreement with the Nishga position on land claims, government approval for a feasibility study relating to improving health services in the valley. One of the 21 points in the Nishga land claims is native control of health care, in effect a native-run health board. Gosnell, approving of the federal govern- ment's apparent interest In consulting with the native people, also sees the interest of the mining company as another positive step toward’ the settlement of land claims. He sees the development of the resources in the Northwest as inevitable and necessary but says the native people will oppose any development until the land claims issue is settled, ‘We're opposing it because we're not involved in it," he stated. Rod Robinson, a vice-president of the Nishga Tribal Council, said the developers and the native peoples were on a collision course. He and Gosnell see pressure from companies wishing to exploit resources in the nearly 6,000 square miles the Nishga note in their land claims as a way of reaching development conscious Socreds. . Bul while the Nishga were favorable towards Epp’s consideration of the comprehensive lind claims issue, one he says negotiations could begin on as scon as there is a settlement on lands removed from reserves in other parts of B.C., there are still differences. Epp sees a continued role for the Indian.affairs department, Gosnell says they will be needed as advisors only and that the goal of the native people is to do away with the department. neo JAMES GOSNELL...want toshare a os, T EY WANT THE SHAH Hostage paraded before shouting Iranian erowd TEHRAN (CP) — A US. hostage was paraded before chanting demenstrators in the grounds of the US, Embassy today because, his Iranian captors said, he refuses to give them his name, The man, in his 405, waa blindfolded and hed his hands tied behind his back. As he was brought toward the railings of the compound, hundreds of demonstrators surged farward chanting, in English, “Death to Carter," and ‘Yankees go home," The demonstrators were outside the locked gates of the compound and the man was held about 20 metres away from them. One of the. man’s captora told Reuters news agency: “We've brought him out because he refuses to give us his name, We brought him to listen to the shouts so he'll realize we're not alone," The man was held in front of the crowd for about five minutes before being returned to the embassy building. He was the first hostage ta be produced in front of the crowd oulside the embassy since it was taken over last Sunday, WANTS SHAH BACK An estimated 60 U.S, -eltizens are among about 100° persons held there by Moslem students who, with the support of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, are demanding that the United States send the deposed shah back to Iran. The shah is in hospital in New York City. Khomeini rejected a special peace mission from President Carter, leaving the Palestine Liberation Organization the only ap- parent hope for the release Soon of the hostages, AUS. official =sin Washington said the US. hostages were ‘pushed around, abused, intimidated and mishandied."’ Tehran Radio said before any talks can be held with Carter's peace emissaries, the U.S. government would have to surrender Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to Tran to face trial a8 a war criminal, something Washtington has refused to 0. : “The U.S. government, by keeping the shah, has declared its open opposition to Iran,” said the broadcast monitored in London and Kuwait, “The U.S, Embassy In Tran is our enemies’ centre of esplonage against our sacred Islamic movement. It is therefore not possible; under any circumstances, for the special representatives to meet us.”” "It ie our hope that they will be able to proceed with their mission at the earliest cpportunity,”” said Carter. Meanwhile, two top aides to PLO chief Yasser Arafat flew from Beirut to Tehran Wednesday to try to negotiate the release of the embassy hostages. Arafat's envoys were Abu Jihad, who heads PLO forces In Lebanon, and Abu Walid, who heads the organization's military operations headquarters. Although Khomeini rebuffed Carter's Tepresentatives, he and his Revolutionary Council are expected to receive Arafat's because of the close relationship they forged as soon «=e aas)—Ss Khomeini’s revolution was victorious last February. Another U.S. official in Washington who asked not to be identified said the ap- proximately 60 Americans held hostage by students in the Tehran embassy are being pushed around and their captors have brought in U.S. asking for PLO help WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. mediator Ramsey Clark is holding talks in Turkey with an official of the Palestine Organization in an effort to “negotiate the release of same 60 American hostages in Iran, it was learned today. A U.S. official, who in- sisted he not be identified, said Clark met with the PLO representative in Istanbul on Wednesday and met with him there again today, The PLO has offered to intercede with Iranian authorities to try to gain the release of the hostages, held since Sunday in the U.S. embassy in Tehran. But as a pre-condition, the PLO demanded that the United States ask directly for its help. Official U.S. policy prohibits direct negotiations with the PLO until the group recognizes Is- Tael's right to exist in peace in the Middle East, In response to the demand, discussed by Clark with the PLO official, the U.S. state department volunteered a statement to reporters in Washington this morning. KEMANO TWO Liberation. It said: ‘If they (the PLO) are moving to help release the Americans, It would be a highly responsible action in a situation where they may have some influence, and we welcome auch” adaistance.”” Meanwhile, Represen- tative Paul Findley (Rep. DL), who maintains close contact with PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, sent a telegram to President Carter urging him to send a per- sonal message to Arafat stating his personal ap- preciation for any PLO effart in behalf of the hostages. es Spying ..- claimed . LONDON (AP) — Tehran radio said today the [ranians holding 60 American diplomatic personnel hostage in the U.S. embassy in the Iranian capital claim to have found documents showing the entire embassy staff was part of an in- formation and espionage unit working against Iran. new weapons, including ma- chine-guns. But he said there is no evidence any of the hostages were “beaten, stabbed or shot." Although photographs of the hostages showed them blindfolded and huddled on floors, the students told reporters outside the high- walled compound early today that they are treating their captives well and that the blindfolds are only tem- porary, The students, some armed with automatic rifles and machine-guns taken from the embassy’s marine guards, said the hostages are being held in groups in different buildings of the compound in the heart of Tehran, Well-armed = Islamic Revolutionary Guards, who did not try to prevent the students from attacking the comipound last Sunday, remained outside its walls early today. The students have threatened to kill the hostages if the United States attempts any military in- tervention to try to free them. The U.S. government has Tuled out any such ac- ion, The BBC said two US. citi- zens were taken from the Tehran Hilton to the em- bassy to join the embassy ataff members captured when several hundred students occupied the compound Sunday. A Japanese correspondent in Tehranreported the two men worked for Bell Helicopter. The same Japanese report said U.S, officials of the Iran- America Society, a cultural organization affiliated with the state department, were alep seized and taken to the embassy. The New York Times says friends of the shah told it the deposed monarch offered to leave the United States at once to ease the crisia but was dissuaded by doctors because of the seriousness of his cancer. They said he plans to return in about a month to Mexico, where he took up residence several months after Khomeini's forces deposed him in February. Fisheries may have say By ANN DUNSMUIR Herald Staff Writer Arecent ruling by the B.C. forest ministry upholds Alcan Aluminium Ltd.'s right to cut trees on the site of the proposed Kemano 2 hydro-electric project without permission of the forest aervice but that may not be the end of the resulting controversy. The ruling was made after the Houston forest service filed a trespass notice against Alean for cutting trees at an exploratory drilling site. Jack Bickart, Prince Rupert forest region menager, asked the ministry to rule whether the 1978 Forest Act superceded the wide-ranging water license issued to the company in 1950, Ministry lawyers found that the forest service cannot bill for the trees cut and cannot lay charges. Kemano 2 involves a dam on the Nanika River which will reverse the flow in Nanlka Lake and Kidprice Lake, resulting In reduced flow in the Morice River system, Alcan, however, may not yet be out of the woods, According to federal department of fisheries officials, the fisheries act could prevent the diveralon of the water system. Gus Jaltema, Prince Rupert district supervisor, said Tuesday that his department is investigating the tree-cutting Incident at the exploratory drilling site because slash and silt were deposited In the Nanika River, a major spawning area for salmon. Jaltema said whether or not charges are laid will depend on the outcome of the investigation. He said damage to fisherlea could be higher + than the $88 to $372 milllon estimated In a 1975 seven- volume federal fisheries report in connection with the Kemano 2 project, Jaltema described Morice Lake and Morice River as '‘a tremendous chinaok Bpawning area." He sald the water level will be lowered if the project goes ahead and could affect the salmon run, ' Sockey salmon spawning grounds in the Nanika River would also be affected, Jaltema said the project must be approved by the federal ministry of fisheries, “In strictly legal terms, the federal government can prevent the diversions," Jaltema said, He said the Federal Fisheries Act must be talron into account and could have veto power over Alcan’s water license, However, Forbes’ Boyd, B.C, chief of habitat Protection for the federal ministry, sald Wednesday that precedence of the fisheries act over provincial agreements has never been tested Boyd said the 1978 report made by his department under the auspices of B.C. Hydro recommended that “certain accomodations In water flow to provide for fisheries would be necessary." Boyd said the project, in his understanding, involves two entities, Alcan and B.C. Hydro which hopes to benefit from excess hydro-electric power produced. He said that, so far, the department has had no response to recom- mendations made in the report from either B.C, Hydro of Alcan. Boyd said his department will recommend that a certain water level be maintained and in a con- frontation the problem would be referred to Fisheries Minister James McGrath, Environmentalist in the area affected by the proposed project are already planning an appeal to the federal government. Ralph Smith, treasurer of the Father Morice Outdoor Recreation Society of Houston, said a strategy meeting of concerned groups in an area ranging from Prince Rupert to Prince George will be held Nov, 24, Smith, however, doesn’t place too much faith in the federal government. “They could have stopped the Bennett dam but didn’t,” Smith sald, Alcan spokesman Hans Larsen said Tuesday the company was not aware of any investigation by the department of fisheries. He said deris deposited in the river at the drilling site would be cleaned up by the company. Brian Hemingway, manager of Aican's public relations department, said recently that the company is aware the project will have environmental effects on the Nanika-Morice River system and the Nechako River and lake area, “We want to be respon- sible and do what ia practical and reasonable to alleviate these effects should the project go ahead,"* Hemingway said. He said the company has commissioned an en- vironmental impact study by Envlrocon Ltd., a Vancouver company. ~