Ato - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, December 18, 1996 “Personal responsibility” wanted Treaty talks roasted ONE WOMAN’s questions about how — land — claims treaties are negotiated gen- erated some. empassioned responses al a public forum last Wednesday. Kathy Penner was one of about 20 people - who showed up fora public briefing session on Tsim- Shian treaty talks at Kitsum- kalum Community Hall. Penner says many people she knows have doubts that land claim settlements will end ever-increasing native reliance on governments. “That's the concem of everybody,’’ she-~ said: “How long are we going to pay?”’ She said she believes in “personal —respansibility”’ and expressed disbelief that native people haven’! been able to take charge of their own affairs and look after themselves — as pionecrs did decades ago, In response to Penner’s could have built (heir own schools and institutions. if they’d had the drive of the pioneers, Tsimshian teacher Susan Spalding said tradi- tional native society broke down because of the policies of white govern- meiits. Schools, in particular, were “‘tools of assimila- tion”, she said, Governments believed that the church-run residential schools ~ could gradually ‘civilize’? natives, Spalding said it’s clear the churches and governments thought they were doing the right thing. But the effect was that na- tive society broke down, the languages were Cx- terminated, and the result has been dysfunction. She said it was mandatory for children to attend residential schools, where native languages and culture were stamped oul. white people continue to sce the alcoholism and despair of natives as a way to vali- date their beliefs that natives are inferior, “I’m not a drunk,” she said. “I’m a person. I’m an educator and I want to see my identity maintained,’ “When the government sent kids away to the residential schools, there was an agenda there,’ added Brenda Wesley- Bryant. ‘‘It wasn’t to edu- cate them — if was to as- similate them,"” Penner also asked where the billions of dollars spent each year by the Department of Indian Affairs po. ““We ask that same ques- tion as well,’ responded Tsimshian negotiator Gerald Wesley, adding natives be- lieve self-government will allow them to make more efficient use of the money than federal bureaucrats do Row, Gerald Wesley up received an update on the status of the Tsimshian talks from the three negotiating teams. Tsimshian negotiator Gerald Wesley predicted non-natives won't experi- ence significant changes from the treaty, and that any changes will likely be posi- Make This Christmas suggestion that natives —_ Spalding said too many The people who showed tive. Nisga’a get resource use say THE NISGA’A have been given more of a say concerning proposed developments on their lands leading up to a final treaty. This is happening through an interim protection measures agreement (IPMA) signed as part of the package of rules setting out how the treaty talks are to be con- dneted, It replaces a more limited one that was in effect during negotzations leading to the tentalive Nisga’a treaty signed this spring. The new document doesn’t give the Nisga’a outright veto rights over developments, but it does guarantee a seat on commissions overseeing environmental assessments for projects in their area. And the province guarantees not to sell any Crown land within Nisga’a lands while negotiations continue, It also ensures a greater range of activities — like an- ALL YOU NEED ATOZ A - Abrasives B - Batteries Chokers Cable Clamps Coveralls Come A Longs Chains Chain Saws Chisels Carburetors Car Ramps Compression Testers Cotter Pins Clothing Crayons Carpenter Tools Circuit Testers eee aera a 4427 EWY 16, TERRACE TEL. 635-7383 * FAX 635-4075 gling guide licence and guide-outfitter licence applications —— are also referred to the Nisga'a for comment, Under the IPMA, B.C. will give the Nisga’a $148,000 to pay for the tribal council’s costs in handling interim measures referrals. That sum was for the 1996 fiscal year, and the agreement indicates further grants for future years will be negotiated. The agreement also paves the way for the tribal council to get silviculture contracts worth $820,000. Tt also takes aim at unregulated tree-planting and mushroom-picking camps that spring up seasonally in the Nass. Fhe agreement says the forest service and B.C, Environ- ment will ‘‘use all reasonable efforts to limit random un- organized siting’ of such camps, and that an environmen- tal protection committee, with Nisga’a reps, will determine acceptable sites and conditions for approved camps. Prices so good, We're causing a stampede See our Great Selection Wee of Mens, Ladies & Boys shirtson sale NOW FOR CHRISTMAS ys Also in stock are boots, — belts, jeans, hats, jewelery, K- tack and much more! If we don’t have what you want, there's still time to order the right size and colour for Christmas. 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