11th annual
Indian-Metis
conference

@
FROM PAGE 5

In a panel meeting I attended
the question of education was
discussed. Most of those parti-
cipating in this panel lived only
about 100 miles from Winnipeg.
Some things had improved, they
said—roads, schools, a nearby
hospital; and lately a nurse
visits the school regularly. The
schoolteacher is well liked.

But the discussion shdwed
that students have to leave
school at an early age. Speak-
ing hesitantly and _ self-consci-
ously, one delegate described
why his children, off the re-
serve, can’t go to higher schools
because they don’t have the
clothes to wear.

The schools from Junior High
up provide lunches, he added,
but most families: can’t afford
them.

. Asa result of these pressures
the pupils quit school to go
trapping, hunting, wood cutting,
or leave to seek jobs in the
cities. Most of the time they
come back broke, destitute, dis-
heartened and without any hope
for a future for themselves.

Fine speeches were made by
senior representatives in the
province on the importance of
an education as a step in the
direction of fitting into the
community at large.

"But the chairman of the Inter-
Lake panel, of Indian descent
himself and obviously put out
by all the “talk”, came down
on the need for assistance to
needy Indian and Metis families.
No amount of lecturing will em-
phasize the need for schooling
if. the families can’t afford

lunches for the pupils or pro-
vide them with clothing.

Chief George Barker of the
Hollow Water Reserve, 50 miles
north of Pine Falls, Manitoba,
told the conference that the
government claims there is no
money for schools, more wel-
fare, greater services.

But when Pearson got into
office “the first thing he did was
to raise the salary of Members
of Parliament to $18,000 per
year and there was no question
of no money.”

_The chief could also have
noted that Canada today spends
close to $300 per family per
year on military preparations,
some of it, like the $400 million
on the Dew Line, obsolete be-
fore it is completed.

In one of the large halls of
the Royal Alexandra Hotel there
was a display of Indian handi-
crafts, art, and photos.

The handicrafts and art show
the depth of these people’s
talents. Such work, however, is
given little encouragement by
the government, while there is
still competition from souvenir
totem poles, mocassins and
other items “Made in Japan”.

I was struck by photos of
“houses” Indians still live in,
especially in more isolated
areas. They are primitive log
shacks, often hewed by hand.

In more settled areas some
progress has been made in
building -houses. But in too
many cases a whole family lives
in one room.

The most damaging factor in
the lives of the Indians and
Metis is prejudice and_discri-
mination. It is met in jobs,
hotels, in social and recreational
life, in law and in the com-
munity.

The depth of this prejudice
was revealed in a survey in the
Portage La Prairie district in
1958. It showed that 47.3 per-
cent of the people interviewed
had deep prejudices against the
Indians and Metis on_ the
grounds that they could not be
trusted in jobs, that they were
lazy, _ shiftless, drunks and
cheats.

. About 67 percent showed dif-
ferent degrees of prejudice. A
large percentage of the 1emaind-
er had no opinions. Those who
were ready to accept out Native
people into our society were
predominantly higher educated
and had dealings with them.

Relations between the Indian

and Metis people and the rest

‘Six Nations Indians from Brantford are shown in a dance
they performed at the Labor Festival in 1960. The writer says a
proper government policy can help to preserve the beautiful
folk heritage of the Nativ peoples.

of Canadians were not helped
when the Indian-Metis Centen-
nial offices were closed in To-
ronto “for lack of funds’. The
government had apparently al-
loted $16,000 to aid these peo-
ple to prepare for Canada’s
centennial. When that was gone
the offices were closed.

After protests and public
pressure on the government it
was announced at the Winnipeg
Conference that plans are now
underway to open a new’ cen-
tennial office for Indians and
Metis in Winnipeg.

There are hundreds of sincere
workers in welfare departments,
friendship councils and other
groups, Indian-Metis councillors,
teachers in settlements and on
reservations, who do pride to all
Canadians because of their ef-
forts to aid the Native people.

But the problems they have
to overcome are often insur-
mountable. A change in govern-
ment policy is needed so that
the basic problems can be
tackled — problems of econo-
mics and those of equality.

A program of road building,
development of industry which
lends itself to the type of work
Indians and Metis are used to,
especially forestry, encourage-
ment of crafts and art, would
make the job of many social
workers many times easier.

But as long as present eco-
nomic standards are left un-
touched and as long as preju-
dice is not tackled, the problems
cannot be solved.

At the February conference
one could sense a spirit akin to
that of the liberation movement
in colonial countries blowing
over the deliberations.

There were indications of a
desire to act, struggle instead of

‘ continuing the “cap -in- hand”

begging for things.

But there was little hope
among those taking part in dis-
cussions that, as things go now,
anything will be gained by con-
ferences which are supervised
and agendas limited, and Indian
dnd Metis delegates lectured on
how to do this and that.

The chance to get things off
your chest once a year in the
swank surroundings of a modern
hotel doesn’t meet the needs of
the Indians and Metis either.

* At this year’s conference 100
chiefs and councillors from
Indian and Metis reservations
and settlements met to discuss
how they could call conferences
of their own. “Run our own
show,” is the way one chief
described it.

They feel this. would allow
freer expression, bolder discus-

sion and could lead to more -

practical measures of action.

-In any overall examination of

the problems of our Native
peoples it has to be noted that
while the federal government
is responsible for Indian affairs,
the provincial governments could
do much more to fight discri-
mination and prejudice and to
help provide jobs.

Above all, a fight is needed
by all democratic-thinking Cana-
dians against the discrimination
meted out to the Native peo-
ples. Special efforts must be
made to help these people fit
into the community in general,
to transform their settlements
into modern communities and
to overcome any degrading out-
look toward them.

Population up

T.1S probable that North America’s Indians and Eski 4
came from Asia between 20000 and 15000 B.C. ove’
newly-formed Bering Strait.

At the time European explorers first made contact
the Native Indians and Eskimos in Canada they num#
an estimated 204,000. Most of the numerous tribes?
living at the New Stone Age level.

With the exception of some West Coast tribes, which
an economy of relative plenty by primitive standards {
standards were very low. In relation to the econom
(hunting) Canada was close to its limits of populat

Contact with white settlers led to a rapid decline in
Native Indian population, due to a number of fa
lack of immunity to smallpox, typhus, tuberculosi
the ravages caused by alcohol and the denudin
certain hunting grounds by the white traders (the
buffalo hunts on the prairies, for example).

By 1900 the Native Indian and Eskimo population pad
cut in half; in 1901 it reached its lowest ebb at 1060"

Since then the rise has been rapid, due not only to 7
birth rate, but primarily because mortality rates have
drastically reduced. In 1961 the Indian population ©
298,300; the Eskimo, 11,800.

What could
be done... EE

fas

HE COMMUNIST Party's proposals on the problems!
TP ccasae "s Native people were outlined in a brief i
joint Senate-Commons commission in 1961. The! —
cluded:

A PROGRAM of economic and social measures to 0

| ar

come conditons (in housing, health, employment) a 4h
discriminate against the Indians, and to provide 9~ | R,
for equality of opportunity. It should include: — 4q
ov, Ve

a) Large-scale credits to come from a special fund !0 by
considered as compensation by Canada’s governme” | i Tr
lands lost to the Indian community through frau@ | a
legalized plunder. f iB
se

b) This plan of development to be worked out in ou dy
tation with the Indian people and administered a”
trolled by them. jo
ins

c) No restrictions on the adoption, where so desi by
cooperative economic projects, in line with Indian tr@ ie an

of cooperative relationships. © o

d) An investigation into the relations of the Hudson's ‘4 E
Company and Indian trappers. q

of Ne
EDUCATION: a) A survey of existing facilities and P of
sion of facilities comparable in scope and quality de
those in. non-Indian communities. a FE
Ce
b) Enlargement of teacher-training facilities—the ao by
to be under Indian supervision and enlisting U Si
assistance if needed. Be
lt
c) Separation of Church and state in education.

d) Redevelopment of the educational program undriot :
control of the Indians themselves, so that the tr oF Of
language and culture of the Indian communities - “aio St

proper place in the curriculum. Industrial, profess! fe
and trades training in line with opportunities to be %F | yx
up by a program of economic development. |
: fom 8
POLITICAL STATUS AND RIGHTS: a) Outlawing all i FO
of discrimination; education among non-Indians t? ee
cate respect fob the rights, identity and dignity ° i
Indian people. qa of

st
b) Abrogation of the Indian Act together with the Stoll 3
engendered by it and its replacement by a constit et >
enactment recognizing the identity of the Indian P og
reaffirming their rights as embodied in the Treaties até? “8

proclaiming their right of self-government in 4 ‘ofl Yc
where they comprise a majority of the local populatl®

4g
April 2, 1965--PACIFIC TRIBUNE—PO9? |