Eastern Door Volume 8 Number 11

Volume 8 Number 11

April 9, 1999

Posters Revive Banishment Issue
Meeting Tuesday To Deal With Drugs in Kahnawake
By: Kenneth Deer

In the aftermath of a rash of drug-related incidents, a poster campaign has begun to raise the issue of banishment for drug dealers, gun runners and other criminals.

The posters are just one indication of the outrage at the rampant use of drugs by Kahnawakero:non. A public meeting has been scheduled on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. at the KSCS building for all interested people who want to have something done about the situation.

The posters were put up by Selma Delisle. "I had these posters for two years. We had meetings back then with concerned people over the amount of drugs in town and people selling guns and stolen goods. We had band councilors and Peacekeepers attending. But the group became bogged down in bureaucracy and lost its energy," said Delisle.

"I was waiting for the right time, and I think this is the time," said Delisle. "Why should we wait until we line up and walk behind a casket to the cemetery? Does it have to come to that?"

Delisle hopes that the posters will cause people to discuss the use of drugs in Kahnawake but is not optimistic that anything will change.

"I don't expect anything to happen because every household is affected. Either the parents or the kids or an aunt or uncle are using or selling drugs. Some parents smoke up in front of their young children.

Nothing is going to happen because this is the way the town is today. There is only few people who are willing to do anything and that's not good. We are in big trouble. Maybe something will happen after we bury a young child," said Delisle.

"When we evicted that woman years ago, the following week people wanted the decision reversed. We marched from the tunnel to the Knights of Columbus Hall, with some of these same kids in strollers at the time, to stop the overturning of the decision. The march stopped it but the band council said that they would take care of the situation from now on. We are still waiting for that to happen."

Delisle says that the kids are using drugs at younger age with each passing generation. They get the impression that adults are condoning drug use. She says that there are men from Kahnawake who were convicted of drug crimes in the US and they will be returning here soon.

Delisle concludes with these words, "We are burying our heads until we bury our own!"

Parents encouraging participation

Lyn Diabo McGregor, who's son was recently involved in a drug overdose, hopes that people will show up in force at the Tuesday night meeting at KSCS. The meeting is open to anyone interested in the drug issue.

"I would encourage as many kids as possible to attend because it affects them the most," said McGregor. "Drugs are so easy to get. You just have to go down the street. You don't have to leave town or anything. Even minors are selling drugs."

Her son spent two hours in the hospital after passing out near Lafleur's Market a few days ago. Doctors speculate that the marijuana he used was laced with something in order for him to pass out that way. The extra ingredient could not be identified.
"I want more for my kids than this," said McGregor.
The meeting is organized by Michael Stalk and Timmy Norton. Lyn McGregor and Selma Delisle will be on the K103 talk show on Tuesday afternoon.

Peacekeepers to participate.

Chief Peacekeeper Warren Lahache stated that they will be attending the meeting along with representatives of KSCS and the ABC Board.

"We are ready to take a direct approach to this problem," said Lahache. "We are on line if a Mohawk Law is adopted which we can enforce. There is a law developed in Akwesasne that uses banishment for such crimes. We are not satisfied with outside laws, they don't suit our needs but we have no alternative at this point."

In the meantime, the Peacekeepers say that they are committed to do their part in combating the drug situation in Kahnawake.

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Feast Becomes Fast In The Forest
By: Kenneth Deer

The Feast in the Forest, the attraction that was to herald in the tourist trade to Kahnawake, has been postponed indefinitely. According to Linda Delormier, Executive Assistant to the Mohawk Council, the decision to put a hold on the Feast came as a result of a deadlock in the negotiations on the lease of the Kateri Hall.

Last year, there was no lease for the premise but, for 1999, the Catholic Church Committee wanted a rental agreement. The Committee presented the MCK with their requirements for a lease and the MCK requested changes. The sticking issue was not the serving of alcohol in the Kateri Hall. The Committee could not be budged on this issue and the MCK agreed to withdraw their request. No details were released on what the concrete issues of contention were.

The cancellation of the Feast will result in the loss of 20 seasonal jobs and other spin-offs such as suppliers. The local area around the Kateri Hall will lose tourist traffic which probably means less revenue for the Catholic Church Gift Shop and 5 Nations Boutique.

The Tourism program will now concentrate on planning for next year. Morgan Phillips, who was just recently hired to manage the Feast, will now focus on the year 2000 and the larger project of a Cultural Center/Lodge/Dinner Theatre.

A member of the Catholic Church Committee stated that it was too bad the MCK couldn't agree to their terms and the MCK stated that they have exhausted all efforts to come to an arrangement.

"It is disappointing for all those who would have worked there as cooks, waiters and dancers," said Greg Horn who worked at Tourism and the Feast last year. "This will damage the reputation of Kahnawake to sustain a quality tourist attraction. Tour organizers will begin to doubt our abilities and lose confidence as a stable destination for their tours."

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Bench-clearing Brawl Ends Glorious Season
By: Al Briand

The Midget B Kahnawake Mohawks were expecting a good, hard fought game against Beauharnois in the regional championship finals Saturday, April 3 at the LaSalle Recreation Centre.

The many people watching were horrified to see what transpired on the ice.

With only 3:11 left in the game, and with Beauharnois leading 4-0, all hell broke loose.
The play was in the Beauharnois zone and one of their players took a run at a Mohawk player. Three Beauharnois players who had been in the penalty box jumped onto the ice to help out in the melee.

That's when Mohawk head coach Frankie McComber took action.
"I had to do something, and in order to defend ourselves, I unloaded our bench. We had to do this as a team," said the very angry coach.

The onslaught of punches didn't let up for a good 15 minutes, which seemed for many as an eternity. Some of the Mohawk players used their own helmets to go after their opponents.

It got really out of hand when a Mohawk player became so irate that he launched his stick into the Beauharnois crowd, injuring a number of spectators.

After that point, the MUC police were called in to break up the tension that was ensuing, not only on, but off the ice. Fans from both sides were literally at each other's throats, attempting to climb over the plexi-glass partition to get at each other.

Pepper spray was used by the authorities, which got into the eyes of several fans, including children, from Kahnawake as well as Beauharnois.

While the bedlam and mayhem was going on, the Kahnawake Mohawk players were told to leave the ice by their coach as well as the referees.

Then another ugly incident took place.
"I went to go pick up some of our equipment that was lying on the ice. All of a sudden I was sideswiped by a punch from a Beauharnois player from behind. That's when I lost it," exploded coach McComber.

The crowd was dispersed by the 16 MUC police officers, and was asked to leave.
It was learned after the fans left the arena that a call was placed to the MUC riot squad, and that they were on their way when the fans were leaving. No arrests were made.

McComber said that the officiating was fair in the first period but then the referees decided to put their whistles away and let anything and everything go in the next two periods.

A regional zone meeting is to be held sometime after the provincial championships which take place this weekend, to decide what sanctions and fines will be levied for next season.

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Agreement On Consumer Goods and Services

Below is the complete text of the Agreement on Consumer Goods and Services between the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake and the government of Quebec. All ten agreements are structured in a similar fashion. Because of space restrictions, small type had to be used to fit on our pages.

WHEREAS Quebec and Kahnawake have signed a Statement of Understanding and Mutual Respect and a Framework Agreement which provides for the negotiation of sectoral agreements in a number of areas, including fiscal matters;

AND WHEREAS the Mohawks of Kahnawake have the right to the tax exemptions described in the Indian Act (R.S.C. (1985) c. 1-5).

AND WHEREAS the present situation with regard to taxation of consumer goods and services is not satisfactory and has resulted in misunderstandings which have caused conflicts between the parties;

AND WHEREAS the parties wish to conclude an agreement for the purpose of establishing certain principles and procedures that will resolve these misunderstandings and avoid future conflicts between themselves;

AND WHEREAS the parties are intended to sign a complementary agreement on fiscal matters related to tobacco, petroleum and alcohol products;

NOW THEREFORE THE PARTIES AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING:

Part 1 OBJECT OF THE AGREEMENT
1. The purpose of this Agreement is to identify the principles and procedures that will define the relationship between the parties in fiscal matters regarding consumer goods and services.

2. The Territory of Kahnawake (hereinafter referred to as the <<Territory>>) is, for the purpose of this Agreement, the territory over which the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (hereinafter referred to as the <<Council>>) has jurisdiction.

3. The Preamble is an integral part of this Agreement.

4. The following Schedules are an integral part of this Agreement:
1. Definitions;
2. Monitoring of the general level of prices;
3. Reimbursement process and record keeping;
4. List of tax-exempt goods.
5. The taxes covered by this Agreement are the Quebec sales tax (QST) under Title I of the Act respecting the Quebec Sales Tax (R.S.Q, c. T-0.1) and the Goods and Services tax (GST) under Part IX of the Excise Tax Act (R.S.C. (1985) c.E-15), hereinafter referred to collectively as << sales taxes >>;

If an agreement cannot be concluded with Canada for the inclusion of the GST in this Agreement, the parties reserve the right to review this Agreement.

6. The parties agree that the fiscal regime defined in this Agreement applies only to Mohawks of Kahnawake who ordinarily reside on the Territory, hereinafter referred to individually or collectively as << beneficiary>> or <<beneficiaries>>.

Part 2 PURCHASES MADE BY BENEFICIARIES

Supply of Goods and Services on the Territory

7. The supply on the Territory to a beneficiary of goods for personal use or consumption or of services remain exempt from sales taxes at the time and place of supply.

Supply of goods outside the Territory

8. The supply outside the Territory to a beneficiary of goods for personal use or consumption in the Territory is exempt from sales taxes at the time and place of supply, on the mandatory presentation to the merchant of the identification card the form and content of which will be acceptable to the parties.

9. The goods covered by section 8 are those coming within the categories listed in Schedule 4.

This Schedule may be amended with the consent of the parties.

10. The parties may agree to set maximum amounts or other limits for the goods supplied outside the Territory and beyond which the identification card referred to in section 8 cannot be used.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties may agree on a process for reimbursing the sales taxes paid by a beneficiary on the supply of goods for personal consumption in the Territory and for which the card referred to in section 8 cannot be used because of the application of the first paragraph.

Supply of Services Outside the Territory

11. The sales taxes paid on the supply outside the Territory to a beneficiary of services designated by the parties or which are related to a personally owned moveable or immovable good, situated in the Territory, may be reimbursed under the terms and conditions agreed upon by the parties.

The parties may also agree that the supply of certain designated services shall be exempt from sales taxes at the time and place of supply on the mandatory presentation of the identification card referred to in section 8.

Part 3 PURCHASES MADE BY NON BENEFICIARIES

12. The parties agree that in the event the retail price of the goods or services supplied in the Territory to persons who are not beneficiaries are not within the prevailing market prices in the surrounding region, it shall not be attributable to the operation of this Agreement.

13. For the application of sections 12 and 20, the Council may replace the sales taxes by a charge or fee the proceeds of which shall remain in Kahnawake, and the amount of which shall be harmonized with the amount of the QST and the GST.

Part 4 RETAIL BUSINESS

14. A supply of goods or services made to a recognized Mohawk merchant for the purpose of use, consumption or supply in the course of that Mohawk merchant's retail business in the Territory, is exempt from the sales taxes.

For the purposes of this section, Kahnawake agrees to implement a procedure for identifying all Mohawk merchants carrying on retail businesses in the Territory and differentiating them from the Mohawk merchants carrying on wholesale or manufacturing businesses in the Territory.

Part 5 PURCHASES BY COUNCIL

15. Goods and services supplied for its own use to the Council or to an entity of the Council to which the latter has delegated powers, or to any other entity of a public nature jointly designated by the parties, shall be exempt from sales taxes at the time and place of supply.

Part 6 ASSESSMENT MECHANISMS

Establishment of an Office

16. Kahnawake will establish and maintain an Office (hereafter referred to as the <<Office>>) to manage the identification card system and the reimbursement process.

17. Quebec recognizes the Office as a Kahnawake Mohawk institution charged with the implementation of this Agreement, including the administration of reimbursement demands.

Use of Identification Card

18. Kahnawake shall provide for regular controls of the identification card system.

19. A list of all Mohawks to which this Agreement applies shall be transmitted to the Minister of Revenue for his information. This list shall identify the beneficiaries who are temporarily absent from the Territory and shall be updated on a regular basis.

The Minister of Revenue shall keep this information strictly confidential and shall not use it without the consent of the Council for any purpose other than matters identified in this Agreement.

Price Structure Monitoring

20. The parties agree to set up a joint mechanism for the monitoring of the general price levels in the Territory and in the surrounding region as provided in Schedule 2.

Exchange of Information

21. The parties agree regularly to exchange all the information, data and statistics required for each party to be in a position to appraise the implementation of this Agreement. Each party will respect the confidentiality of such information and use it, in accordance with applicable laws, for no other purpose than matters identified in this Agreement.

22. In the event the parties cannot agree on the nature of the information, data or statistics to be exchanged, the matter will be submitted to the Liaison Committee referred to hereinafter.

Part 7 COOPERATION

23. The parties to this Agreement recognize the need to cooperate and to combine their efforts to achieve the purposes of this Agreement.

24. Quebec will assist the Office, its members and the employees charged by the Council to implement this Agreement in order to facilitate the application of the tax exemption and reimbursement system contemplated in this Agreement.

Implementation

25. The chief of the Office and the deputy-minister of Revenue are responsible for the application and implementation of this Agreement. Each of them may delegate to any person of the Office or the Department the power to implement any section of this Agreement.

26. Quebec agrees to take, as quickly as possible, whatever measures are necessary to ensure the implementation of this Agreement.

27. Kahnawake agrees to take, as quickly as possible, whatever measures are necessary to ensure the implementation of this Agreement.

Liaison Committee

28. A Liaison Committee is formed as an advisory body in charge of supervising the application of this Agreement and of a complementary agreement on the taxation of tobacco, petroleum and alcohol products.

29. The Liaison Committee shall be composed of an equal number of representatives from each party.

30. The Liaison Committee shall meet as often as required.

31. The Liaison Committee shall have the power to make joint recommendations to the parties concerning any matter relative to the implementation of this Agreement.

Part 8 FINAL PROVISIONS

Duration of the Agreement

32. This Agreement shall take effect on the date of its signing by both parties and remain in effect for a period of five years, subject to the provisions of this Agreement.

However, section 8, 12, 13, 14,16, 18 and 20 shall come into effect on the date agreed upon in writing by the parties.

33. The parties may agree on an agenda for the progressive implementation of this Agreement and, if necessary, on transitional arrangements.

Amendment of the Agreement

34. The parties may, by written agreement, amend this Agreement or conclude supplementary agreements by an exchange of letters with respect to the implementation of this Agreement on matters not specified herein.

Difficulties of application

35. The parties agree to submit to the Liaison Committee any disagreement or situation that may hinder the application of any or all the provisions of this Agreement.

36. Should the difficulty remain unresolved at the expiry of a delay of thirty (30) days from the date it was submitted to the committee, the party that submitted it may address the other party a written resiliation notice as provided in section 37.

Cancellation of the Agreement

37. This Agreement is canceled at the expiry of a delay of sixty (60) days from the date a written resiliation notice is forwarded by either of the parties, unless the parties agree on different terms before the end of such delay.

38. In case of cancellation, the Liaison Committee shall recommend to the parties the transitional or final arrangements to be made.

Renewal of the Agreement

39. This Agreement is renewed automatically unless one of the parties gives the other a written notice of termination. This Agreement remains in effect for a maximum period of sixty (60) days after its expiry unless the parties agree otherwise.

In the event of non renewal of this Agreement, section 38 applies.

40. This Agreement is not intended to be an agreement or a treaty as contemplated in section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 nor is it to be interpreted in any way as abrogating, derogating, negating or recognizing any aboriginal, treaty or other rights, except to the extent that it recognizes the right of the Mohawks to tax exemptions.

41. Nothing in this Agreement affects the rights of a person who is not a beneficiary to benefit from the tax exemptions provided for in the Indian Act

42. Should any provision of this Agreement be declared null or void by a competent tribunal, the parties undertake to remedy this nullity or invalidity as quickly as possible so that the purposes of this Agreement can be achieved.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties have signed this day of

1 999:
On behalf of Quebec,
Guy Chevrette
Ministre delegue aux affaires autochtones

On behalf of Kahnawake,
Joseph Tokwiro Norton
Grand Chief
Mohawk Council of Kahnawake

Rita Dionne-Marsolais
Ministre du Revenu

Bernard Landry
Vice-Premier ministre
Ministre d'Etat a l'economie et aux finances
Ministre de l'lndustrie et du Commerce
Ministre des Finances

Schedule 1

DEFINITIONS

1. <<Mohawk>> or <<Mohawk of Kahnawake>> means a person who is defined as a member of the Mohawks of Kahnawake under the Kahnawake Custom Code on Membership, as adopted by the Council and as amended from time to time, and who ordinarily resides in the Territory.

2. <<Personal use or consumption>> means the use or consumption by the person to whom the good or service was supplied or by his or her dependents and, except as provided otherwise, does not cover the use or consumption of goods or services for commercial purposes, particularly for resale or in the wholesale or manufacturing process.

3. <<Retail price>> means the total amount paid by a purchaser for the supply of a good or service, including any tax, charge or fee.

Schedule 2

MONITORING OF THE GENERAL LEVEL OF PRICES

Joint inquiry

1. When a party believes that a particular good or service, or a category of goods or services, is supplied in the Territory at a retail price which is substantially lower than the retail price of similar goods or services in the region surrounding the Territory, it can cause an inquiry to be set up to examine the situation.

2. The inquiry shall be carried out by appointees from each party, acting jointly.

3. The sole purpose of the inquiry shall be to establish the retail price effectively paid in the Territory and in the surrounding region, and make a report thereof to the Liaison Committee.

Examination by the Office

4. If the Liaison Committee finds that there is effectively a substantial difference in the retail price of similar goods or services in the Territory and in the surrounding region, the Office shall conduct an examination of the reasons which explain the lower price in the Territory.

5. The Office shall, within 15 days, make a report of its findings to the Liaison Committee.

Recommendation by the Liaison Committee

6. The Liaison Committee shall determine whether the retail price difference contravenes section 12 of the Agreement and, if so, shall make recommendations to remedy the situation.

Schedule 4

SUPPLIES OF
NON-TAXABLE GOODS FOR THE PURPOSES OF SECTION 9

1. Foodstuffs

- Purchases made in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, bakery shops, pastry shops, fruit and vegetable shops. - Household cleaning products. - Toiletries.

2. Furniture and Household Appliances

- Non-electric household items: rugs, carpets, curtains, wallpaper, drapes, dishes, bedclothes and mattresses. - Electric household items: household appliances (stoves, refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, sewing machines, etc.); television sets, radios, domestic computers, electrical lighting appliances (lamps). - Household furniture.

3. Clothing

- Clothing and accessories for men, women and children. - Fabrics and sewing items. - Footwear.

4. Motor Vehicles and Machinery

- Automobiles or trucks, new or used. - Automobile or truck parts and accessories, including tires. - Lawnmowers. - Hardware items, including construction materials. - Recreational vehicles (Snowmobiles, boats, canoes, outboard motors, mopeds, golf carts, motorcycles, travel trailers, trailers).

5. Miscellaneous

- Florists and garden centres.
- Film and photography equipment and supplies.
- Musical instruments and items, records, discs and magnetic tapes.
- Books, periodicals and newspapers.
- Toys.
- All other goods supplied outside the Territory for personal consumption or use exclusively inside the Territory.

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International Indigenous Friendships
The Ship For World Youth
By: Lynn Katsitsaronkwas Jacobs

The Ship for World Youth, a program in which I was honoured to participate for the last two months, was an incredible opportunity for young people from around the world to meet, exchange ideas, create networks, and develop respect and understanding for one another.

Of the 13 countries participating in the program, only six had Indigenous representation: Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and of course Tonga, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands. One of the most exciting elements as a participant was the chance to connect with these young Indigenous people to share what is happening in our respective communities.

With the other Indigenous people on the ship, I formed an Indigenous discussion group which met to talk about the histories, issues, and present problems facing our peoples. We developed close friendships as together, we examined the differences, and were continuously amazed by the incredible similarities in our cultures and histories.

Here I will introduce some of these incredible young people, and will touch upon some of the issues we addressed in relation to the Indigenous people of North America, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia.

In a later article, I will present the Indigenous voices of the Islands, whose people are now being faced with encroaching outside forces and similar problems we encountered in our own histories.

North America

As the only First Nation representative from North America, and perhaps from all of the Americas, I accepted my important role as educator. Although the task was at times daunting, I was continuously encouraged by the support network which was formed of all the Indigenous people in the program who also accepted their roles wholeheartedly.

As other Indigenous people on the ship, I represented my country in a unique way, not as a Canadian, but as a First Nation person living side by side my Canadian neighbours.

The Canadian Delegation itself was almost as diverse as the different countries represented on the boat. We came from very different cultural backgrounds, and geographically from many corners of the country. The diversity of our group provided a forum for many interesting discussions with a wide range of opinions.

When I showed the Acts of Defiance video about the Oka Crisis during the Indigenous film festival, many emotions were stirred, particularly among the Canadian Delegation which demonstrated varying reactions, from guilt and defensiveness, to regret and support. Many people, including some Canadians, had never heard of such acts of human rights violations occurring in Canada.

At one point, emotions exploded to the boiling point, and were cooled by a talking circle in which I sat and listened to "Canada" present its feelings about the controversial issues raised. It was a healing time for us, and through patience and respect, we were able to come to an understanding of each others' feelings.

As a result, our National Presentation was extremely successful, and moved many to tears by our honest portrayal of the unpleasant history of this country. We conveyed a positive future through our realization that it is possible to create solutions to the problems of this country when we take the time to truly understand our neighbours. The Ship for World Youth provided us with an opportunity to examine, on a micro scale, some very important issues present in Canada.

Japan

One of my many goals in this program was to learn more about the Indigenous people of Japan, whose traditional way of life was based on a deep connection to their environment. However, to my surprise, among the many Japanese people I met, very little was known about this ancient culture. After an initial angry reaction, I soon realized that this ignorance was not the fault of these open-minded Japanese youth, but that of a government intent on hiding a 1,400- year history of oppression.

Among the Indigenous people of Japan, are the Ainu, the Uilta, and the Nivkh, who now live mainly on the northern island of Hokkaido. No treaties were ever signed with the Ainu or with any of the other Indigenous peoples of Japan. Their land was declared uninhabited when the Japanese empire was founded in 660 B.C.

This was the beginning of a very long history of dispossession and assimilation policies. They were subjected to similar systems of reservations and residential schools with the obvious aim that they might eventually become part of the mainstream Japanese society.

Japanese schools do not teach Ainu history, and in fact, in 1980 the Japanese government declared Japan a homogeneous country. Despite the ensuing protests, it was not until 1997 that Japan officially recognized the Ainu people as indigenous.

Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to meet any Ainu people. I have been told that out of shame, many have in fact joined the mainstream Japanese society. However, there has been a resurgence of pride in the last few decades, and with the encouragement of the Pan-Indigenous movement, the Ainu people have been taking back their rightful place in society.

Aoteroa (New Zealand)

Aoteroa, the land of the long white cloud, is the Maori name for their beautiful homeland, which possesses a climate and geography similar to our own.

Kyle Popham is a Maori youth worker and outdoor adventurist, gifted with inspirational positivity, strength, and clarity. Like us, Kyle was born into the political frying pan and struggles of his people, which has shaped his path and given him the conviction to create a positive future, through his work with the Maori youth.

Through Kyle I learned of the Treaty of Waitangi in which the British claimed New Zealand and deviously provided distinctly different translations in the English and Maori versions of the treaty signed in 1840. This was the beginning of a history very similar to our own, of deception and assimilation policies by a foreign government.

Although some Maori live in their marae (traditional villages), their lands are not considered any differently from the rest of New Zealand society. The Maori are technically subject to the same laws as the mainstream society.

Despite their struggles, the Maori culture remains strong and vibrant today. Their language and traditions are alive and well, and through their own schools, the Maori youth are adding new life to their proud and beautiful culture.

Australia

Jeremy Geia is a vibrant and humorous Australian Aboriginal man of many talents and languages. He is a journalist who remembers our people well after meeting Kahnawake's M.A.D. group at the World Indigenous Youth Conference in Australia in 1994.

After living in Australia for all of 1995 to complement my Indigenous Studies Minor, I learned of their similar history of stolen land and assimilation policies, of which Jeremy is harshly aware. His grandmother was part of the 'stolen generation' who were removed from their homes and communities and placed with non-Aboriginal families.

With the arrival of the British, Australia was declared 'terra nullius' (uninhabited). The Aboriginal people of Australia were actually part of the Flora and Fauna Act until 1967 when they were subjected to the demeaning vote to become Australian citizens. In 1992, a Torres Straight Islander named Mabo was instrumental in abolishing the terra nullius claim, and in the recognition of their rights as Aboriginal people.

From Jeremy I learned of the highly controversial amendments to the 1993 Native Title Act proposed by the Australian government, which placed extremely narrow definitions on who could claim back their land.

Conclusion

Dispossession, expropriation, genocide, assimilation policies, the arrogance of religions, stolen children, shame, and environmental destruction. These same themes have continuously appeared in my encounters with Indigenous peoples from around the world.

Together we have asked ourselves time and again, why past mistakes in history have not been learning experiences for the intruding governments who have perpetuated and are still perpetuating so many injustices on Indigenous peoples throughout the world.

The Ship for World Youth provided a forum for young Indigenous people from around the world to network, form friendships, and share solutions to our common problems. Our conclusions are not new, but they are filled with new experience and meaning. It is the role of our youth to educate ourselves about our histories, and to develop the patience and respect towards those around us, to undo the ignorance which has formed these unjust histories.

Our National Presentations, discussion groups, seminars, and personal conversations were spiced with the unique flavours of our individual Indigenous backgrounds. Through storytelling, song, dance, and discussion, we provided our own perspectives of the original inhabitants of our countries.

Most importantly, we ensured that our cultures and histories were accurately depicted to an international audience of future leaders intent on destroying stereotypes, and spreading intercultural understanding, cooperation, and peace.

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Editorial

Fast In The Forest
By: Kenneth Deer, The Eastern Door

It is unfortunate that the Feast in the Forest had to be canceled for this season. It was one of Kahnawake's most tangible efforts of the developing tourism strategy.

Last year was a learning experience for everyone involved. This year was supposed to build on that experience and to improve the product. Now an entire season to experiment with a new dinner show concept by Kevin Saylor will be lost. So will the opportunity to improve on the menu and the service.

Training of new staff will also suffer. When the full scale dinner theatre is up and running, several more skilled people will be needed than those currently with experience.

Probably most serious is the physiological effect of losing the momentum and expectations built up over the last year. The sudden and unexpected termination of this year's dinner show will diminish the enthusiasm and confidence that we have in operating a quality tourist attraction. If we can't come to an agreement over such a small event, how can we be sure we will be able to overcome larger obstacles in the full scale Cultural Center/-Lodge/Dinner Theatre?

The feast of energy and experience will now be a long fast of inactivity and decay.

If it is not too late, the MCK, who are the ones who terminated the negotiations, should reconsider and demonstrate that they are willing to continue discussions until a fair and reasonable agreement can be reached.
If they can negotiate difficult agreements with Quebec, they should be able to make one with the Catholic Church Committee.

More on agreements

Criticism of the agreements signed with Quebec are starting to surface. Meetings are being organized to consolidate those who are critical of the documents.

It is difficult to gage at this time the general consensus of the community. Our Nosy Newsman could not get anyone to answer the question, "What do you think of the Agreements signed between the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake and the Quebec Government?" We had to use a different question and we still had difficulty getting answers.

The community is till trying to absorb and understand the agreements signed with Quebec. There seems to be a fear of reprisals if one said they supported or opposed the deals.

If this community is to progress in the area of consensus building, an open and non-threatening environment is needed to discuss the implications of these agreements.

Support of the agreements should not be construed as an abandonment of one's loyalty to our heritage. Just as condemnations of the agreements should not be dismissed as the ranting of malcontents.

The agreements are very unique and offers opportunities and pitfalls depending on one's point of view. Let the people decide which it is and not let any one side bully or intimidate the other into submission. We all have a stake in this new relationship with Quebec and we all need to think clearly and not emotionally.

Meeting on Drugs

While the community mulls over tax agreements and membership, the rampant use of illicit drugs in Kahnawake has at least garnered the attention of a number of concerned citizens. The poster campaign and next weeks meeting at KSCS to discuss drugs is a small indication that some people are ready to act on an insidious disease that is infecting our community.

These people need everyone's support. Don't wait for a funeral to take notice. If everybody does their part, the reduction and even the elimination of the drug problem in Kahnawake is possible.

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Comics

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