° more accountable. 7 Scott, during a meeting last "2. governments. “per cent of the native ~ people,” Scott said. ~" alm at the while consultants their living from what he people on the reserves, -Teceives many coniplaints _countability on reserves ‘> would ensure more money co actually gets to the people =. Who most need it - 90 per cent of the money ‘benefitting a relatively small — northwesterners over land claims and other mat- ters continued at a public meeting here last week. The event was Reform MP Mike Scott's Nov. 15 town hall meeting at the R.E.M. Lee Theatre on his party’s newly released aboriginal policy, Reform’s themes: — equal rights for all, every- body pays taxes, and better accouatability of na- tive governments — either hit a responsive chord with non-natives or provoked frustration from Nisga’e natives there. “We've got a long way to go to get rid of this hate,”’ said local resident Darrell Bjorgaard in response to the angry words being traded... ‘Before we can do anything at all, we have to - lose the hate, And I think we should get on with it. Ra + But others said the unfaimess i in taxation, fish- ing and hunting rights, and eventually land claim setllements is what divides people and creates racism, “Til tell you you’re going to have hate. You’re going to have cynicism. You're going to have everything until] we’re ail equal,’ said Jack Hodges. He added that some non-natives have also gained benefits from the Indian Act. *"T know there’s lots of white guys that live un- -der the native act and don’t pay taxes either,’ he sald. ‘‘It just boils my rear end.”” Nisga’a Tribal Council spokesman Harry Nyce wamied Reformers to be carcful not to paint all natives and all native politicians with the same brush. He said Nisga’a leaders — both band council. chiefs and tribal council executives — are clected and get turfed out if they’re not doing a Land claims still divisive — "Caledonia Bie as DIFFERENCES BETWEEN natives and other _ _ have broadbased support of their people. ‘are Clearly problems in this riding — not with The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, November 22, 1995 - A11 good job, P resents: “‘Democracy, if it can be explained and seen, it is in the Nisga’a territory,”’ he said. Another Nisga’a, Martin Adams said he’s also annoyed by Reform insinuations about native governments being dishonest. Scott agreed that the Nisga’a leaders appears to ~ LION EL BART'S MUSICAL OLIVE FRIDAY ee December 8, 1995 >>. 8:00 p.m. He sald many people are guilty of thinking of natives as being all one group. “Every group has completely different experi- ences,’’ he said. But he said things don’t work as well in other arcas as they do in Nisga'a territory, - ; “T’m not talking about the Nisga’a, But there SATURDAY MATINEE December 9, 1995 a8 1:00 p.m. every band and not with every group, but with a significant number.” One® unidentified man, choked with rage, lashed aut about moose gut piles left in the bush Mike Scott SATURDAY by native hunters and truckloads of native-caught Bolton also said many people believe that na- EVENING fish, contending there are two sets of laws — one tives are a burden to the system and are unaware _ for natives and one for everyone else. of the social safety nets natives have created for- December 9, 1995 Another man predicted land claim scttlements themselves. 8:00 p.m. will lead to greater segregation and the creation Money is raised for needy causes by people _ * of South African-style “homelands’’. from the reserves at feasts, she said. In the R.E.M. LEE THEATRE But another questioner, Melissa Munn replied course of four recent feasts, she added, $110,000 — Ad ‘i 10 00 that such homelands already exist — they’re was raised, ults $ ; called reserves, **You have to lear about us,’ she said. “You Seniors, Students, _ A number of Nisga’a came to the microphone can’t forever be scared of us.’ Children $5.00. ~~ in an attempt to debunk myths that all natives Another woman, Joanne McKay told the ho taxes, a - ; pe! . ee have a $4,000 income tax bill at my house anes policy of assimilation is not the ans Tickets avaitable at Sight & Sound, Skeena Mall, waiting to be paid,” Tina Bolton said. “I don't ~ She said she grew up off-reserve, where she members of the cast, choir and know where you guys get the idea that we don’t wasn’t accepted by whites and was cut off from “school bands of Caledonia School office. ‘pay any taxes,” her native culture and leritage. —— Reform keys on native issues THE REFORM PARTY | Customer support, wants greater accountability our special _ Store hours Mon - "Sat 9: 00 till S:3¢ from native governments a and more opportunities for brand of magic! individual natives. These and other recom- mendations are contained in the party’s proposed policy on aboriginal affairs receni- ly released, ; The party feels that any policy on aboriginal affairs should -be- rooted in the |-- equality of. all. Canadian 3 aieR citizens, Above all, Reformers | want to eliminate the Indian Act, calling ita divisive © piece of legislation that sets natives apart from the rest of Canada, “‘Native Canadians have - been the worst victims of ra- cial divisions and stand to - rightfully gain from a new. - approach to aboriginal af- fairs,’’ says the document. It aiso calls for an end to the tax-free status for those natives who eam their fiving . on reserve land. That’s a provision under | the Indian Act and one of the reasons the Reform party wants it eliminated, “Although the party wants the Indian Act abolished, bureaucrats laid off and . money going directly to na- live governments, it wants those latter groups to be Skeena Reform MP Mike week at which the’ policy was released, said his office about the activities of native Scott argued that better ac- He says in a lot of areas, ends up in the hands of 10 people. “A lot of that money is proportion of the native ‘Reform aboriginal affairs critic John Duncan also took and bureaucrats who carn | calls ‘‘the Indian industry’? and drain money from the system that should go to the ‘The Indian industry con- tinues to grow — it is the fastest growing industry in the country,” As far as land claims are concerned, the Reform policy wants settlements to be negotiated in public. The mandate of govern- ments ‘must be ratified by. the public rather than havea .J- deal cut and ratified through | Parliament and the proviit- erlin Solutions 1 ne. q 03- 47 1 6 Lazelle Ave, Terrace, 635-3362 Paxe 635: - 1631 ois. hone Solutions Inc. ‘With the pening OF our i bay, and:our enlarged displa y area, we now offer 2250 sq. ft. dedicatec "expertise of Pendragon Computers ine in our service area, _ Pendragon Computers Inc is an authorized — - service center for COMPAQ, - | _ They are SCO Unix authorized and the Novell Gold authorized reseller i Nake Ry ae Lack mirieprecriae ao ‘nai UR v ” me and see our extensive line of Compaq models All Compaq Presarios come with both Windows '3.1, : Windows 95 and much, much more... cial legislature,” said Scott,