A16 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 7, 1998 Lovick wants fast OK for the Nisga’a treaty THE NISGA’A debate in the B.C. legislature could come .as carly as mid- November. Aboriginal affairs minister Dale Lovick hopes a special session of the legislature held solely to ratify the Nisga’a treaty could get un- _derway after Remembrance Day and go ‘“‘right up to Christmas if need be to get it done.’? The province would hold off until the Nisga’a have ratified the treaty — some- thing that could happen on Nov. 6-7 if Nisga’a people vote for the deal in suffi- cient numbers in = a referendum that weekend. The © first ratification hurdle for the treaty comes this week, however, The Nisga’a are holding a special assembly in Lakal- zap (Greenville) this week idebating issues raised in community _ consultations that took place over the last month in each village and urban local. The assembly culminates Friday in a vote on whether | Dale Lovick to send the deal to referendum in November. If that happens, the referendum will be the true test of whether the Nisga’a support the treaty, More than 50 per cent of ail Nispa’a eligible to vote — not just the ones who show np on referendum day — must cast ballots in favour for the ircaty to pass. Once that’s over, the ball is then in the court of the province and federal government. Introducing federal legis- lation to implement the Nisga’a treaty might not be as quick as what might hap- pen in Victoria, says Mal- colm Bernard, the press sec- | retary for federal Indian Af- ° fairs minister Jane Stewart. The legislation is recog- nized as a priority, but the timing of its introduction will be measured against other business being con- ducied by Parliament, he said. As it is, legal experts are not yet finished writing the legislation, Bernard added. And as with all bills, it’ require not only debate in the House of Commons but examination by a committee of MPs before it goes through a final vote. It must then be considered by the Senate and, ullimate- ly, given Royal Assent by the Governor-General. Focus groups like treaties THERE’S GENERAL sup- port for land claims setile- ments in B.C., indicates a series of focus groups con- ducted the early part.of Au- gust for the federal govern ment, Angus Reid, a national opinion research company, gathered people together. in Vancouver, Prince George, Victoria and Terrace just | days before the Nisga’a treaty was initialed Aug. 4 in New Aiyansh. Focus groups are con- ducted differently than are opinion polls. The latter are intended as a snapshot of opinion while the former . a ‘gives people a chance to speak more about a specific issue. A draft report prepared by Angus Reid indicates those in the focus groups want more information about land claims and appeared satisfied. once their ques- -tions had-beet answered. The report also suggested people don’t want a general one size fits all settlement package. Instead they prefer that specific claims be nego- tiated under — specific maidates given by the fed- ,eral government to ils nego-. tiators. And there wasn’t widespread suppart for a referendum, with people in the groups calling the issue too complex to be boiled down to one question, newspapers right in your backyard + CNA Canadian Community Newspapers Association _ Phone: 404- 689- ‘0878 ~~ James W, V. 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