The Nisga’ a are advised to prepare for
self-government — — with or without consent

The Nisge’ a people, along with other aboriginal people in i Cenadé, should ; prepare .
- ‘to. begin asserting their rights to the land and to self-government through . civil
: disobedience, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations said Jast week i in New
~ Alyansh.

_ Ovide Mercredi was speaking at the Nisga’a Tribal ‘Council s6th. annual
convention. Wearing an eagle feather head dress, he reported quietly toa hushed
crowd at the New Atyansh community hall on his progress in talks with the federal.
government on’ the: Constitution. His

tone was not ‘optimistic. es
Although ‘it. appeared, the First
Nations had achieved : a breakthrough
earlier this year in having the right to
self-government . entrenched, . in, the.
Constitution, that hope, turned: out ny
be false, he said. “Tt. looked as though: |

there was a light in’Halifax, but.they

want to define and limit self-govern-’. |
ment; It’s another form of paternalism, . .
colonialism. We Ihave a way. to go...
before we’re treated as equals.”
Mercredi told. the . group: he ip
guided in the negotiations by the words:
of legendary Nisga’a leader James
Gosnell, who said, "Never walk away
~ from -the ° table," | ‘Although ‘ Gosnell:
‘expressed anxiety and frustration-with
government, Mercredi said, he had also:
cautioned native leaders, "When you're
dealing with the Cariadian people, deal:
with them in respect." _ :
Mercredi said that he. ‘sometimes
compares the native people of Canada.
to the Tibetans, who are exiled and.
wish to return home and reclaim their
past. "It.is not: :possible due to the Chi-
‘nese army, but’ ‘still the Dalai Lama.
[Tibetans’ spiritual-leader] has a ‘policy
‘of dealing . with the »_ oppressors with
kindness. . | :