isga’ leader passe: away vies r co SC ee ase ach cid Lithaeiedl Vest ae » the Nisga’a quest fora land claims treaty. : oe ae —— last week in recalling a ‘lationship 0 of, more than” E p25.years. ‘eon . ; for out of the Nass: Valley.”': t tor in:the years:leading up to the Nisga‘a treaty. “| mentary committee meetings,” Fulton said. be ' : was well-known in the faith. communily.” ae Similar accolades ¢ came out at.a Dec.5: rhemo- a fs rial service in the New Aiyansh Recreation Centre “standata ‘funeral at the Holy. Trinity¢ Church in New : } Aiyansh the following day. ; tlément feast thal. followed the funeral’ service: 92 Born'in-1930 int ‘Gitlakdamix: (New Aiyansh) ta: ‘George Henry. ‘Robinson: and Pauline Mary: ‘Rob- a 4 of his. “generation, was. Sent t away ‘to residential or i school.” ; t “Upon his return. io ‘the’ Nass Valley, Tribal Council, which, Feplaced the Nisga’a Land: + Committee. 2 = * fe » The land: comurillieé dated -back? to” the. ‘late ‘ advancing Nisga’ a ‘and title arid self government.: Robinson became a vice président of the:tribal “couincil i in 1973, leaving that post to, become. its ex-. ‘ecutive director:in 1981. before reti "was during histenuie as executive director that the tri bal council. succeeded in starting and concluding Ls ‘tiegotiations fora land claims treaty. ° te : Skeéiia,- remembers ‘first “meeting Robinson. and other -Nisga’a in. Ottawa.in the early. 1960s. “ing aboiil an account. that: was set’ up.in ihe 1920s; om: special B B. Cc ‘rant, by. a ‘committee > which said ; *ROD ROBINSON, ‘who died at his New. ‘Sivan. he 7 Ehome, on Noy: 30 at the age of 74-after a lengthy: E i z illness, is being called the determined force behind + y “Ethink it's fair:to say Rod Robinson seis ths e F political. and’ organizational : giant of the Nisga’a’. “* nation,” said former.Skeena NDP-MP Jim-Fulton: a “He was one of the Tost onergetic ‘people to: Bh “Rod lead. relentless numbers:of ‘delegations | to. [ meet: ministers, Prime: Ministers, to attend” Parle, 7 -“He not only. pursued the’treaty, but was. very : “Wise about fisheries; the forests, human. rights and AN EARLY 1960s photo, above, shows Rod Robinson, far right; and Frank Calder, far left, - flanking’ Skeena NDP: Member. of Parliament: Frank ‘Howard, Robinson; Calder and: other - _Nisga’a leaders made countless trips-to Ottawa over, decades | in: pursult, of a Nisa! a treaty. Large crowds attended both services and’ a sel in essence: that while native ‘people did: not have’. “-@ case for'land claims, hiere was some money, "Howard recalls.’ ison,” “Rod- ‘Robinson, as was ihe case with many ., the “grant was’ sét up: in effect: recognized there, : --- Were land’ claims," Howard recalls: Robinson : t took.up commercial: fishing and logging: His con-:: -. nection ‘to: the Nisga’a. treaty’ was’ cemented. in: : ay the-early 1950s ‘when he joined the ‘new. ‘Nisga'a “spearheaded: ‘the: treaty: issue “beginning: in “the - “1950s.-James-Gosnell, who became a president of a » Whose flame :ivas Atlached to the now-famous 1976 7 Supreme. Court: of Canada ease, which. “helped” a) 1800s and: was formed with the explicit purpose of |-Nisga’ a treaty in 2000: - in his home: village of Giilakdamix anda founding ‘ing in. 1999, It: “and the valley's health board i in addition to holding »“ Woodworkers of America ‘union... “Frank: Howard, another former: NDP. MP: for vs * Nelson Leeson was, a teetiager: when-he“fir - Robinson. © : . “They were there to ‘speak to-a joint: House of, : _. Commons and: Senate committee, which was pret-’ : ty: Tare, ‘on Indian affairs: I.remember them speak=. council and: Leeson said he. learned much. . Fultan noted that Robinson: was-a ‘iretess work: on eee - er as the Nisga’ a Tribal’ Council’ S execulive diree- «1, On the right.is a’ more-contemparary. portrait: . “He was. “the. paint man: He. was: is the person we . new’ we could send:out to stiake spe ches. He was ce es ~a fantaslic, speaker, an amazing orator,” “Leeson... “Rod and the‘others argued’ that. the: very" fact ~“said:“He had: the advantage of. being educated in Wester soc ely and in our world,”” -. we Following: his. retirement; Robiriscin Was ap. - pointed the first’ Ambassador. of the: Nisga’ ‘a Lisims - Govérnment.and was elected ‘chair. of its Council 7 f Elders ‘1.2000. = : - He was alsoa deacon of the Holy Trinity ‘Angli- ‘ean Churelrin- New Aiyansh andthe Canon ‘of St... ‘Andrews Cathedral: i in: Prince. Rupert. Robinson’s . ‘Nisga’ a name was, Sim’ “oogit: Mince’eskw and he 7 as-a-hereditary chief of the Eagle clan... ~ ao Too ill to-make the trip to: Oltawa earlier this ‘year to-accept an Order of. Canada,. it.was present- ‘cdl {0 him’ by:Governor. General. Adrienne Clarkson hen she-visited the Nass this, past October. On" Married to" Marjorie, ‘they: “had” “seven sons ‘an executive position with the old: nternatiqnal ~ Gerald, Roderick Jr., Reginald, “William, Henry : ~ » (Hank), Wake eld aind Ralph’. and three daugh: Current Nisga’ a‘Listms: Governineit president ~ters,: Faith ‘Fait; Georgia Cl dyton, ‘Daphne; P. Rob--: “ inson. .A® fourth daiighter, Mari¢: Crier, . was ad Robinson Was ‘one ‘of four young N Nisga’ a who ; the tribal council, passed away 1988: °°. -.. . Left. are- Hubert “Doolan and, ‘Frank. Calder, launch: the negotiations: ultimately leading: lo" the” Robinson was.also an “elected chief’ councillor: member. of .both the Nass Valley. School Distric “TE “Was, intirnidated. ; Here. was a: ver ar | ing guy,.a good ‘looking. fellow, with his: fingers. ri through: this big belt buckle,” said Leeson: : a ‘They. worked together years later on the tribal — the: House of: Minec* eskiv.e oe a Robinson's eulogy: was ead d by’ can Pas, a matemal nephew. : of Santa indicates % ‘that he will be in E MIGHT SHOPPING | HOURS « . DECEMBER 2004 neva . LATE NIGHT: SHOPPING! « Coming Friday, December 17th. Get your entry forms from any of our participating merchants, fill in your wishes “up toa value of $1,000 and drop.it j in the draw box located in the centre of the mall. mI December 17th at 9:00 p-m. “B Lucky, people will win ‘everything. on their - $1,000. wish list. *Open until 11p.m.* : The Tt errace Standard, ; Wednesd ay; December 82004 - AB : :