Legislature to meet soon on treaty deal EXPECT THE provincial legisjature to be recalled before Christmas to begin debating the Nisga’a treaty. And if all goes according to Premier Glen Clark’s plan, legislation bringing the treaty into effect will pass early in the new year. He made the announcement during a quick visit to Ter- race last week to promote the Nisga’a treaty. - Clark said he’ll be meeting with the NDP caucus this weck to confirm dates. b He ala add the legislature will adjourn for a Christmas reak. “The number of undecided people has dropped dramati- cally and there’s overall support for the treaty process,”’ said Clark of his reasons behind calling the legislature back into session to debate the treaty. The premier has already said there will be a free vote — one in which MLAs won't have to follow party lines — on the Nisga’a treaty. He couldn’t say how long the treaty debate will continue, adding that the length and content of parliamentary debates is often up to the opposition and the kinds of tactics it might employ. Although the premier did at one time suggest he might ask the Supreme Court to decide if the treaty did change the constitution, which would then cause a referendum, he’s now decided against the move, That would play into the hands of provincial Liberals who, said Clark, are determined to play politics with the treaty process. Clark aiso repeated previous statements that there won't be a provincial referendum on the treaty. To now announce a referendum ‘would be a betrayal of the process and how a great lack of respect for the negotia- tions,’’ he said. Yet Clark did have every confidence that if a referendum were held, it would pass. “The polling we're doing shows a majority support for the treaty,”’ he said. Clark did condemn opposition leader Gordon Campbell’s questioning of how the Nisga’a ratification vote was held. Treaty passes by 61 per cent THE NISGA’A treaty passed the referendum test with 61 per cent of eligible Nisga’a voting yes. Official results released Noy, 13 show that out of 2,376 eligible for the Nov. 6-7 vote, 1,451 voted “yes’, 558 voted ‘no’ and 356 didn’t show up to vote — resulting in them also being counted as ‘no’ votes, Eleven spoiled ballots were Tejected. , The referendum required support from 50 per cent plus one of all cligible voters in order to pass. It took almost a week be- fore official results were tallied, raising suspicions of irreguiarities from provin- cial Liberal leader Gordon Campbell, Reform MP Mike - Scott, and internal Nisga’a treaty opponents. “T had to laugh at that one,’’ responded referendum commission worker Esther Adams. ’ She said the delay in tabulating votes —- which prompted conflicting reports on the outcome all last week — came from the need to determine the eligibility of nearly 500 Nisga’a who reg- istered at the polls, *'We had to wait for con- firmation of eligibility of those people,”’ Adams said. An eligible voter involved determining if the person’s mother was Nisga’a or that they were an adopted Nisga’a. “It’s pretty technical stuff,’’ said Adams. ‘‘And when you start getting into . the non-resident population: you really have to ask your- self a lot of questions in regard to the applicant.”’ An enrolment committee convened long hours all last week to process the new ap- plicants, In Tertace, she said, 86 people voted yes and 35 voted no. In New Aiyansh, 208 voted yes and 36 voted no. And even in the village of Kincolith, where the most vocal internal opposition has emerged, 98 pcople voted yes and 38 voted no. Those numbers don’t in- clude the people who didn’t show.up and were counted as no votes, but Adams said they fit the general pattern of the vate. The Nisga’a were also voting on the constitution that will govern them. That passed by a much slimmer margin — 73 per cent — than the treaty itself, The constitution, which has not yet been publicly released, had to be passed by 70 per cent of those who voted. The final result was a yes vote by 1,480 people, a no vote by 525, or 26 per cent, and 12 spoiled ballots. Skeena Reform MP Mike ‘Scott said the referendum result can’t be trusted be- cause it was overseen by Nisga’a people who sup- ported the treaty and there were very few independent observers monitoring the vote. ‘Canada sends observers for clections in countries all around the world, yet we did not have Blections Canada or Elections B.C. to oversee this process,’’ Scott said. He said one federal De- partment of Indian Affairs official was on hand, but could not have monitored polling places in different locations. PREMIER GLEN Clark told reporters in Terrace last week there won't be a referendum on the Nisga’a treaty but that the legislature will be recalled before Christmas for a debate and vote. “Would Mr. Campbell make this assert or allegation if it wasn’t aboriginal people?, ”? he said. **This is for me in many ways one of the most offensive of all the criticisms of the treaties for me in some ways,” said Clark. ‘What he’s saying implicitly here is the Nisga’a aren’t capable of holding a referendum of their people or is questioning the validity of the process that took place without any allegations or substance.”’ “‘He’s simply putting out there for the public record un- founded allegations and I just think it proves, if you will, this is about politics, “There’s no evidence to put forth what he’s saying,”’ said Clark. ‘In a letter to federal Indian affairs minister Jane Stewart, Campbell last week asked her a series of questions relating to how many Nisga’a there are over the age of 18 who were eligible to vote. ‘Are you satisfied that all facets of the Nisga’a referendum, including the preparation of the voters’ Jist,. the voting, and the vote validating and counting, are ac- ceptable in all respects,”’ said Campbell in the letter. Nisqa’a referendum result: Yes 1,451 61% No 558 23 % Votes not cast 356 15% (counted as No) Spoiled ballots 11 1% _(in Terrace, 86 people voted ‘yes’ and 35 people voted ‘no’. In New Alyansh, 208 voted ‘yes’ and 36 voted ‘no’,) Gov't video withheld A GOVERNMENT video on the Nisga’a land claim won't be part of an educa- tional package for schools, but it will be available in their Libraries. The 17-minute video was excluded from optional edu- cation material last week after education minister Paul Ramsey accepted recommendations from a review committee, Instead, the ministry is purchasing approximately 1,700 videos of a documentary-style produc- tion on the Nisga’a treaty done by Skeena Broad- casters. Total purchase cost is approximately $30,000. The video will be part of a package that includes the treaty itself, supporting doc- umeuts and information for teachers, Education ministry spokesman Paige MacFar- lane said the government's own video is being sent to schools as part of the overall effort to spread information about the Nisga’a treaty. it had been criticized for selling the treaty as opposed to giving information on the document's contents. “It's available for op- tional use should teachers wish but it is being regarded as one side of the equa- tion,” she said. “If teachers want to use it, that’s fine as long as it is balanced out,’? MacFarlane added. The approved education ministry package is optional for instruction to students in Grades 4, 9,10 and 11. The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, November 18, 1998 - A11 Annual General Meeting Planned Porenthood Association of Terrace invites you to their Annual General meeting at their office in the back of the Northwest Health Services Building (across from the Court House) The meeting will be held on Monday November 23 at 7PM. Volunteers are needed for the Board and the Clinic. For further information call the Planned Parenthood Office 638-2027. SADELITE HIGH INTENSITY LIGHT For Seasonal Affective Disorder (Winter Depression) RENT OR PURCHASE AT: Northern Healthcare in the Park Avenue Medical Building, Terrace Medical Equipment Loan Service In Your Home, In Your Community. DR. DAVIS LINDSAY, BSc, D.C. WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THE OPENING OF HIS CHIROPRACTIC OFFICE IN TERRACE EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 2, 1998, Office Hours: 8a.m. until 6 p.m. Mon-Friday Open until 7 p.m. Mon & Wed 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturdays No referral necessary. New patients welcome. Custom-fit prescription orthotics available. ge Canadian Red Cross f ee FM; HRC For appointment call: 638-8800 The government is misleading you about the Nisga’a Treaty. A Free Vote Aten evle ap yune elected wy ntatiees dis do held ithe BC, ceglelotiye, Tals als of 6 menibers teceate ells Ohelr cite inte, det ately pony lings, A tole wrt isa bee helo dae ipa Vederut i adllaine tit 2 MEM. Tae Miggety porepde eel ei tied ew conlfa this rote, “They had to be officially tevlewed by the entire com- mittee,” Adams added, “You couldn’t just push them through.” Only 13 people who tried to vote were determined to They say there will be a free vote to ratify the Treaty, “A free vote by your “a elected representatives. will be held in the B.C. Legislature. This allows all. be ineligible, she added. a members to vote with their conscience, not along party lines.’ The referendum eo ae 7 organizers were also queried as to why only 2,376 people NOT TRU were eligible to vote when estimates indicated a higher number. But not all Nisga’a who were cligible to vote en- +The nature of the Legislature is such that parties usually vote as a block, Iti is unredlistic lo expecta genuine a free vote to be held in the B.C, Legislature when the Government has committed itself: so strongly to the - - Passage « of the Nisga’a Treaty. ; Be NA a ee : +The SO: -called free vote will be taken by a show of hands, hot a secret ballot. - eh ue Cyaan ou cet ele are regis: *The Nisga’s a have worked hard to educate their people about the Treaty, They will hold a elerendum of all of o terd yet,” maid Adams, pees sae ‘their people as to whether they should accept it. . (‘People are still going to econ nomi — «The B.C. Government has tried to sell the Treaty to its citizens with unbalanced advocacy advertising. It will have the crpertanity to en eee not allow a referendum by its citizens. treaty a, Adams said a voter break- down by village and by ur- ban Nisga’a shows support for the trealy is broad-based. If you are concerned about this treaty, call or-write your local MLA and demand they support a referendum. . SPONSORED BY BLACK PRESS, THE! CITIZEN'S VOICE ON NATIVE CLAIMS; HELPEC (1-B8B- 703-5553), B. Cc. FISHERIES SURVIVAL COALITION .