| Senate j joins GST debate as hearings open — page 3 CLC slate system at odds with democracy — page 8 gov MDs walkouts dramatize ‘t health underfunding — editorial, page 4 Rally backs Gitksan-Wetsuweten Gidsay wa’, otherwise known as Alfred Joseph, stresses issues in land claims case at May 7 rally. The Gitksan and Wet’suwet’en peoples need all the visible support they can get during the historic trial to claim 35,000 acres of territory in northern B.C., a sup- port rally in Vancouver was told May 7. “Every day the judge watches the door of the courtroom. He is very, very inter- ested to know who is interested in this case,” lawyer Peter Grant told supporters at a day-long demonstration on the Van- couver Art Gallery steps. The Gitksan and Wet’suwet’en land claims trial continues in B.C. Supreme Court this month and next, and is sche- duled to conclude June 30. The rally included several speakers and performers, such as Vancouver's Japanese- style drum group, Katari Taiko. Organiz- ers estimated the collective attendance at several hundred people. Supporters packed courtrooms in Smithers during four weeks of court ses- sions last month and have been doing the same since the trial moved back to Van- couver, Grant, a member of the team of lawyers representing the Natives, said. The Natives’ lawyers were to wrap up their arguments on May 14. A “show of colour and strength” featuring 30 heredi- tary chiefs was set for 8:30 a.m. at the south end of the court building, Nelson and Hornby streets. The chiefs are sche- duled to give their final statements to the court at 9 a.m., and will meet media repre- sentatives outside the courthouse at noon. Following that, the provincial govern- ment’s team is to begin their case. But it is still important that supporters of the Gitk- san and Wet’suwet’en show up for the sessions, Grant said later. The province is arguing two things: that even if the Gitksan and Wet’suwet’en had any territorial rights — and the govern- ment argues they did not — they were taken away by a series of colonial decrees between 1846 and 1871. “This is a very important part of the argument and it’s very important that we win this part of the argument,” Grant said. Grant and his colleagues are arguing that the Natives were never told their rights were being taken away, and it was never said in those words. Additionally, the government is chal- lenging the very foundations of Gitksan and Wet’suwet’en life and culture, Grant said. “Tt’s very hard for me as a lawyer work- ing with these chiefs for 10 years to believe that anyone could suggest that the clans are phoney; that they’re not really clans, they were just sort of there to help people know where they sit in the feast hall,” he told the rally. “That is the nature of the province's argument; it is to deny, to deny and to deny.” “We were told we weren’t a people, we May 14, 1990 SO Vol. 53, No. 17 <=> Votes send a warning on schools financing ; eee es School districts to raise funds during ‘weekend referendums shows the ‘warnings about the consequences of ee eto eee eat “We predicted there would be two levels of education created, and that’s what has happened,” commented the president of the B.C. Teachers Feder- ation, Ken Novakowski. Of the referendums for special edu- cation expenditures held May 5, B.C. School Trustees Association presi- tricts. Voter turnout was low most In Vancouver less than 13 per cent of the eligible voters approved by 53 per cent their school board raising $7.7 million more next year than is provided by the provincial govern- ment’s block funding. Novakowski said the intervention of Premier Bill Vander Zalm in Richmond — his home riding — might have tipped the balance in favour of the referendum which 14 per cent of the electorate approved by 57 per cent. Vander Zalm and riding mate Nick Loenen claimed govern- ment funding was adequate and the premier urged voters to reject the ref- erendum. see TWO-TIERED page 3 didn’t have a language, we didn’t have a culture, but we went ahead with the court case anyway,” said Gidsay wa’, whose other name is Alfred Joseph. Wise use of the land’s resources is a key issue, said Joseph, head of the House of Kaiyaxwanitts. ““We want to see some- thing left behind for the younger genera- tion.” Grant said the judge has had an educa- tion since he first began hearing the case in May, 1987. “He saw a bunch of Indian people, and that’s all. Now (when) he walked into the courtroom on April 2 in Smithers, he saw Gidsay wa’, he saw Delgam Uukw, and he saw all these chiefs, and they weren’t just people, they were chiefs; they were Gitk- san and Wet’suwet’en; they belong to a clan and they have territories.”