metry Aydt why oust,

perenne ry 7 aoe wre

Terrace Review — Wednesday, October 17, 1990 “AZ

Settlement process to be public, minister says

. people of ali the Nisga’a bands,
. along with non-Indians who live in

chief negotiator in the Nisga’a

‘between the Nisga’a and Canadian

. Speaking at a press conference in

- Weisgerber said, "I am satisfied

.. Chief Harry Nyce puts his signature on the document that ended 130 years of effort to bring the B.C. government into
the negotiating process for settling the Nisga'a land question. The ceremony in Greenville Oct. 11 marked the beginning of tripartite
talks. Nyce’s-signature is witnessed by B.C. Native Affairs Minister Jack Weisgerber, Chief Abin MeKay, federal negotiator Gay

Reardon and other Nisga’a leaders.

by Ml Michael Kelly

that a settlement requires the sup-
port of the majority of British
LAKALZAP — "When the influx Columbians. That’s why the pro-

of non-Indians came, we knew it ‘cess should be open, creating an

wasn’t just to visit. They had an opportunity for. discussion to get

interest in our resources and in our the public involved and suppor-,

land,” said Chief Alvin McKay. tive.” In response to a question
"We asked governments to sit regarding the interest of third
down and discuss this question, to parties, Weisgerber said, "Some

- find an honourable and just way to would like to be directly involved

a just treatment of the question, to

in the negotiations, and some
would like for the negotiations to
be public. I find the latter to be
practical."

The issues that will occupy the
talks with the-entry of the province
are spelled out in a framework
agreement signed by the federal
government and the Nisga’a last
year, Gay Reardon said. The

agreement allowed the negotiations
to continue with provisions for the
participation of B.C, at a later
date. That later date is now ‘here,
and the original agreement expires
in 1992.

Sitting in front of a blackboard
covered with elementary school
lessons in the Nisga’a language,
the three considered the question

find a way to exist in peace.

"The answer has always been,
'no’,"

But finally, after 130 years, the
answer is now "yes". McKay was
addressing a historic gathering in
Lakalzap, registered on the white
man’s maps as the tiny village of
Greenville on the lower reaches of
the Nass River. Present were rep-
resentatives, elders, chiefs and the

the Nass valley and officials of the
federal and provincial govern-
ments.

The occasion was the signing of
an agreement that makes the B.C.
government a full participant in
negotiating the Nisga’a compre-
hensive land claim. The province
is finally at the table.

The agreement was signed by
B.C. Minister of Native Affairs
Jack Weisgerber, Chief McKay,
representatives of the four Nisga’a
clans, and Gay\Reardon, acting

talks for the federal government.
Weisgerber, who in conjunction
with the Sparrow Supreme Court
decision appears to have turned the
province’s stance on land claims
180 degrees in the past year, said
he believes the progress of negoti-
ations will by necessity become far
more public than the closed talks

TERRACE

government have been to date,

classroom on the second floor of

FINANCE RATES:
LEASE RATES:

of how long it will be until a final
settlement is in place. Weisgerber
said the province “has no time
frame", but all sides of the now-
tripartite negotiations appeared to
hope there will be a settlement
before the end of the framework
agreement. ,

When asked if the Nisga’a would
be able to last through another 17
years of negotiations, Chief Alvin
McKay was silent.

Public education also occupied
the ceremonial portion of the
events. During the introduction to
the banquet that followed the
document signing, master of cere-
monies Henry McKay gave a
recital of the Nisga’a battle for
settlement to the land question:
*The Indian Act, enacted in the
1800’s —- "We are called an ethnic
group on our own land. There are
many ethnic groups in Canada, but
they weren’t given an Act to live
by. That Act is rotten, it no longer
suits our purposes, it didn’t from
the beginning.”
eIn the early 1900’s Nisga’a repre-
sentatives went by canoe to Vic-
toria and knocked on the doors of
the Legislature, asking to be heard.
"We were told we weren’t good
enough to talk to."
°1913, the Nisga’a Petition — "We
went through the B.C. government, -
the federal government, and even
the Privy Council in England.
They turned us down, called us:
*savages’."

*1927, discussion of the “land
question” was outlawed. "Many
went to jail, but we didn’t give up

— Continued on page A4

AT FORD

.. AND MERCURY DEALERS!
.

12-24 mos.
8.9%
6%

li
25-36 mos. 37-48 mos
9.9% 10.9%
10% 12%

1991 and prior new

We listen better... and act!

OTEM FORD

4631 KEITH AVE., TERRACE, B.C., PHONE: 635-4984
CALL TOLL FREE - 1-800-772-1128

Ford or Mercury Cars and Trucks
~~ customer has option of the above Special Finance Rate
or Cash Back ranging from $500 to $1000

DL #5548

FESTIVA
ESCORT/TRACER
MUSTANG

PROBE
TEMPO/TOPAZ
TAURUS/SABRE
AEROSTAR
F-SERIES PICKUPS
RANGER

BRONCO

the village school in Greenville, L

ECONOLINE