[OPIRG-EVENTS] "Lubicon Embassy" opening July 25

[Jamie Kneen <jkneen@magma.ca>]

Outaouais Lubicon Solidarity
237, rue Champlain, app 3, Hull QC J8X 3R7 - tel 819 777 3058 - fax 
613 729 1713 - ols@lubiconsolidarity.ca - 
http://www.lubiconsolidarity.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 23, 2003
Contact: Ed Bianchi 235-9956 x221

Lubicon Supporters Open Lubicon Embassy to Commemorate Federal 
Efficiency and Decisiveness

Ottawa - On July 25 supporters of the Lubicon Lake Indian Nation will 
mark the anniversary of the
federal government's 1989 decision to "create" an Indian Band by 
opening the Lubicon Embassy in
Ottawa.

"Fourteen years ago the federal government created the Woodland Cree 
Band and negotiated a land
claim settlement in a matter of months," said Outaouais Lubicon 
Solidarity (OLS) spokesperson
Lorraine Rekmans. "We are confident the Prime Minister will act with 
the same expediency and
decisiveness in keeping his 1993 promise of resolving Lubicon land 
rights, and in anticipation of that
land rights settlement we're opening the Lubicon embassy."

OLS is inviting everyone to the official opening of the Lubicon Lake 
Nation Embassy. The
opening will take place at the embassy's interim location in front of 
the Prime Minister's
residence on 24 Sussex Drive, from 2:00 - 4:00 pm.

Visitors will be able to apply for visas to visit Lubicon territory, 
pick up attractive Lubicon travel
brochures, and learn more about the Lubicons and their 64-year 
struggle to achieve recognition and
implementation of their inherent Aboriginal rights. Light snacks and 
refreshments will be served.

In July 1989, the federal government tried to draw members away from 
the Lubicon community, and
decrease any Lubicon land rights settlement, by invoking a clause of 
the Indian Act that gives the
Minister of Indian Affairs the authority to create an Indian Band. 
Ignoring the Lubicon and dozens of
other legitimate Aboriginal societies that had been waiting 50 years 
or more for recognition of their
rights, the federal government established the Woodland Cree Band, 
complete with "traditional
territory", and negotiated a land rights settlement with unprecedented speed.

Although promised a reserve in 1939, the Lubicons are still without 
land, adequate housing or running
water. An estimated $1-million in resources is extracted from Lubicon 
land each day.

In September, 2002 the Lubicons and the federal government reached 
agreement on a capital
construction package. Construction of a new community with running 
water and adequate housing is
one portion of an overall settlement agreement. Alberta joined the 
talks in October. Reserve lands,
economic development, compensation packages, and a wildlife and 
environmental management
agreement over traditional Lubicon territory, are some of the 
elements of a final settlement agreement
that will be negotiated.

- 30 -

Our campaign is endorsed by:
Lubicon Lake Indian Nation
Bruce Cockburn
OXFAM-Canada
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
OPIRG-Carleton
OPIRG-Ottawa
Hull/Aylmer Riding Association of the New Democratic Party
Graduate Students Association - Carleton University
The Raging Grannies (Ottawa)
National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE)
-
This is the OPIRG-events@ox.org list. Participatory activist events only.
To unsubscribe, send email to opirg-events-request@ox.org, and put
"unsubscribe" in the body.
Archive at: http://www.sandelman.ottawa.on.ca/lists/html/opirg-events/