Aboriginal groups divided on whether to support Olympics
 
80 of B.C.'s 203 bands refuse to participate because government and Vanoc
ignore 'horrific levels of poverty,' their leader says
 
By Kim Pemberton, Vancouver SunFebruary 6, 2010
 
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/2010wintergames/Aboriginal%20groups%20divided%20whether%20support%20Olympics/2530908/story.html
 
The head of the Four Host First Nations, Tewanee Joseph, has been
criss-crossing the country since 2003 selling the Olympics to first
nations communities. He's achieved signed agreements with more than a
dozen provincial and national aboriginal groups setting out their
involvement with the 2010 Olympic Games.
 
But despite his efforts, aboriginal groups are divided.
 
No where is that more noticeable than here at home with the Union of B.C.
Indian Chiefs, representing 80 of the 203 bands in the province, refusing
to participate in the games.
 
The union's longtime president Chief Stewart Phillip said he will not be
at Monday's opening ceremony for the Aboriginal Pavilion nor at any of the
Olympic 2010 sponsored events.
 
Instead, his goal is to make a political statement.
 
He arrived in Vancouver on Thursday to meet with organizers of the 19th
annual Feb. 14 Memorial March to commemorate women murdered or missing on
the Downtown Eastside and the Highway of Tears in northwest B.C.
 
"I can't stand alongside the premier and John Furlong [Vanoc director] at
the grand opening ceremony and give the impression that everything is
okay. It's a moral decision. I'd much rather stand with the people who
have to endure the tragic dimensions of the poverty imposed on the
aboriginal people in this province and the tragic dimensions of that
poverty in terms of our high suicide rates and homicides," said Phillip.
 
"We're deeply concerned about the concerted and aggressive marketing
campaign advanced by Vanoc which suggests the indigenous people of B.C.
and Canada enjoy a very comfortable and high standard of living. The
Disneyesque promotional materials suggests a cosy relationship between
aboriginal people of the province with all levels of government and it
completely ignores the horrific levels of poverty our people endure on a
daily basis."
 
Phillip added the Olympics will come and go "in a blink of an eye" and
aboriginal communities will still be dealing with massive unemployment,
epidemic youth suicides, terrible health care and massive housing
shortages, to name a few of the problems.
 
"If government would act on our constitutional rights, human rights, land
use we'd be directly involved and in a position to address these appalling
conditions of our people."
 
He said nat ive groups throughout B.C. and Canada are divided on whether
to support the games.
 
And while he doesn't take issue with the Four Host First Nations going
into partnership with the International Olympic Committee and Vanoc, and
benefiting economically from the event, he is concerned with how the
"government is absolutely consumed with the Olympics" and ignoring the
harsh conditions experienced in most aboriginal communities.
 
Joseph said the Four Host First Nations has never denied problems exists
in aboriginal communities and he's also heard the comment the Four Host
First Nations are "corporate sellouts."
 
His response to that is a world event is coming to their traditional
territory and "do we really want to be on the outside looking in?"
 
"We've all been poor. We've lived these issues ourselves. We come from the
same place," said Joseph. "There has been over 100 years of shameful
treatment, anger, conflict, tragedy. My late grandmother said understand
the past but don't dwell in it."
 
He added their message to all aboriginal groups is they can tell their
story at the Olympics. But he cautions "if you had one minute to tell the
story of your people worldwide, what would the picture be?"
 
Among the aboriginal groups who did sign partnership agreements with the
Four Host First Nations to be part of the Olympics celebration are the
First Nation Summit, which represents 106 aboriginal bands in B.C. and the
Yukon involved in the treaty process, Treaty 6, Treaty 7 and Treaty 8 in
Alberta, the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nation, the Assembly of
Manitoba Chiefs, Chiefs of Ontario, Grand Council of Cree, the Atlantic
Policy Congress, the Dene Nation, the Council of Yukon First Nations,
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Metis National Council, the Metis Nation of B.C.,
the Assembly of First Nations, Nisga'a Nation, Sto: lo Nation and
Tsawwassen Nation.
 
Metis Nation of B.C. president Bruce Dumont said their organization is
excited to be part of a theme day on Feb. 15 called "Metis Day" at the
Aboriginal Pavilion in downtown Vancouver.
 
kpemberton@vancouversun.com

Kim Pemberton, Vancouver Sun