A8 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, June 17, 1998

Gitanyow tackle gov't

Suit slows claims talks

TREATY negoiiations with
the Gilanyow have slowed
down as a result of the na-
tive group's legal challenge
of the pending Nisga’a
trealy.

Provincial treaty negotia-
tor Mark Stevenson said
main talks scheduled for the
last week in May for the
mast part did not take place
because there was little left
to talk about.

Most issues could not be
discussed in the event they
undermined the province's
position in court, be said.

“The Gilanyow — are
focussing now on the liti-
gallon as opposed to the ne-
gotiation,”’ Steveason
added. ‘So yes, negotia-
tions have been siowed
down.”

Gilanyow natives are
waiting for a judge to decide
on whether or not to inter-

vene 10 protect the native -

group in Nisga’a trealy ne-
gotiations,

B.C. Supreme Court Jus-
tice Paul L. Williamson
reserved judgment May 22
on the case after lawyers for
the prevince sought to have

the Gitanyow action dis--

missed.

The Gitanyow, who are
the upstream neighbours of
the Nisga’a, fear a Nisga’a
treaty will give key lands,
and rights to hunt and fish in
the area to the Nisga’a,
compromising § Gitanyow
treaty negotiations, which
are at an earlier stage in the
process.

“Our main argument was
the time is right now — be-
fore the initialling of the
final agreement — to cor-
rect any matters that need
correcting,’ Gitanyow chief
negotiator Glen Williams
said last week.

He said the Gitanyow law-
yers also argued the
Supreme Court of Canada’s
Delgamuukw ruling indi-
cates an aboriginal group
that will be impacted by a
treaty with a sacighbouring
group should be involved in
those portions of that
group’s negotiations.

The Gitanyow have long
complained they are not in-
volved in the Nisga’a nego-
tiations despite its effect on
large portions of the over-
lapping Gitanyow  tradi-
tional territory.

“We are of the opinion
that the government is not
acting in good faith by deal-
ing away 80 per cent of our
territory,”’ Williams said.

He also criticized the pro-
vince for continuing to issue
logging and mining ap-
provals in the face of the
high court’s directives that
native groups are consulted
in those decisions — and
that in some cases their con-

District
claims
fraud

COAST MOUNTAINS
School District 82 says the
company it has used for 20
years to operate school
buses in the Hazelions has
been overbilling since the
beginning.

The school district filed a
writ of summons in B.C.
Supreme Court May 22,
claiming Remillard Hold-
ings Lid. has fraudulently
inflated the actual number
of kilometers travelled by
school buses on cach route.

The writ stales the compa-
ny bas been overpaid since
assuming the contract in
May 1978.

When contacted at bis
home in Kejowna, Remil-
lard said he had not yet been
issued the wril.

“If I get it, I plan to con-
test it,’” he said.

More details will be avail-
able when the school district
ites its statement of claim.

Healthter

Future” a, oNS

PARNCPALTIAn ) ]

Sharing a

sent and payment of
royalties will be required,

“The law of the land is
Delgamuukw right tow,’’
Williams said. “But the
province seems very reluc-
tant and is not adhering to
the law in Delgamuukw.”"

“It’s business as usual for
the ministry of forests —
there’s been no change al
all.”

Federal treaty ‘negotiator

Pauline LeMothe said the
federal government has of-
fered mediation as part of
ongoing efforis to broker a
deal between the Nisga’a
and the Gitanyow to settle
their overlap.

She said it’s Canada’s
preference. that overlap is-
sucs get settled before a
treaty is’ signed, but added
native groups like the
Nisga’a offen don’t want to

have their treaty delayed be-
cause neighbours haven’t
reached the same slage of

the process.
LeMothe said there are
clauses in the Nisga’a

agreement-in-principle that
are designed to protect the
interests of neighbouring
groups, and allow for the
rcopening of portions of the
Nisga'a treaty in the event
of conflicts.

Northwest Academy of
Performing Arts
accepting

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