Treaty Six First Nation says 'No' to Canada's laws violating Indigenous rights

GOVERNMENT ENACTED LAWS WHICH HAVE NOT MET THE LEGAL DUTY TO CONSULT AND ACCOMMODATE FIRST NATIONS WILL NOT BE RECOGNIZED ON FIRST NATIONS RESERVE AND TRADITIONAL LANDS

Press statement
Posted at Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

UPDATE IDLE NO MORE - Consulate General of Canada San Francisco - RALLY IN SOLIDARITY WITH CANADIAN FIRST NATIONS TIME TO RALLY CALIFORNIA: WHAT: Rally in front of Consulate General of Canada - San Francisco WHERE: 580 California Street, 14th floor, San Francisco, CA 94104 e-Mail: sfran-gr@international.gc.ca WHEN: Friday Dec 21st at 12:00pm WHY: to protest the legislation being proposed by Canadian Prime Minister Harper's government that will essentially finalize the genocide and assimilation of the Indigenous peoples of Canada. UNIFY TURTLE ISLAND!

EDMONTON, Alberta, Treaty Six Territory, December 17, 2012 – As Indigenous Nations, the Confederacy of Treaty No. 6 First Nations do not recognize laws and enactments of the Government of Canada, including but not limited to Bill C-45, which do not fulfill their constitutionally recognized and affirmed Treaty and Aboriginal rights; as well as the Crown’s legal obligations to meaningfully consult and accommodate First Nations. When all the conservatives legislation regarding or affecting First Nations is considered as a whole, it is clear sweeping changes are being introduced with scant consultation and sometimes with no consultation at all which will impact on how First Nations governments work and how our lands and waters are governed.

Grand Chief Craig Makinaw stated, “Harper’s government is not acting in good faith and is acting in a way that brings dishonour to the Crown. The Confederacy of Treaty No. 6 First Nations Chiefs call on the the Government of Canada to bring back the honour of Crown to the process and fulfill the legal duty to consult First Nations prior to any legislation or enactment which would impact on First Nations Treaty, Inherent and Aboriginal rights.”

An example of the violation of Indigenous and Treaty rights can be found in the parliamentary process on Bill C-45. On the 18th of October 2012, the Minister of Finance tabled Bill C-45. In the legislation were sections relating to changes to the Indian Act, the Fisheries Act, and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, and the Navigable Waters Act. The Chiefs received a letter from Minister Duncan on October 22nd, 2012 advising of these changes. “There was no prior discussion. There were no meetings. There was no request from the Treaty Peoples for these changes and we view these actions to be violations of the laws of Canada as it relates to Treaty Peoples,” stated Grand Chief Craig Makinaw.

The Chiefs are alarmed that the Government of Canada has greatly diminished the need to consider environmental impacts on First Nations water resources through changes to the Navigable Waters legislation within Bill C-45. Pipelines will now be able proceed across hundreds, even thousands of water course crossings without the necessary environmental scrutiny. These changes will increase the impact of development on First Nations Reserve lands, many of which rely on rivers and lakes to practice their Treaty rights to hunt, fish, trap and continue a traditional way of life. “How many rivers and lakes have to be spoiled before Canadians start to care?” continued Makinaw.

In addition, Bill C-45 is a budget bill. However, it contains nothing to address the $4.7 billion dollar need identified by the independent national engineering assessment that is required to ensure that First Nations are able to enjoy the same safe drinking water services as other Canadians. “The silence on Bill C-45 on this issue is a very loud and clear statement that the Conservative government is content to allow third world water and sanitation systems to continue on Indian Reserves,” said Makinaw.

The Chiefs of the Confederacy of Treaty No. 6 First Nations unanimously passed on resolution on November 29th, 2012 opposing all federal legislation, regulations and policy changes stating the Federal Government has failed to meaningfully consult with First Nations for shared decision-making on issues that have a direct impact on them through consideration of their Aboriginal and Treaty rights and the legal principles of free, prior and informed consent and called on the Government of Canada to provide First Nations the opportunity and resources to participate in a meaningful consultation process with respect to jurisdiction on our lands and resources and protects our ability to practice our Indigenous and Treaty rights freely.

The Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations represents the 18 First Nations in Treaty No. 6 Territory in what is now known as the province of Alberta.

###

For further information please contact:
The Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations
Carolyn Buffalo, Director of Operations
Phone: (780) 984-7316 Email: cbuffalo@treatysix.org
www.treatysix.org

Russia plans meeting with Native American and First Nation leaders

Russia's Indigenous Peoples

Russia announces meeting of US and Canadian Native leaders in Russia in January, and another meeting with 'Sioux chiefs' this week

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

Russia will meet with Native American and First Nation leaders in Russia in mid-January, in the first ever gathering of Indigenous from the three countries. Russia also announced that one of its officials will meet with "Sioux chiefs" this week.

The announcement comes as Russia's Indigenous in Siberia, fighting oil and gas drilling in the Arctic and mineral mining in their homelands, face harsh repression as they seek to defend nature. Last month, the government of Russia shut down Russia's leading Indigenous organization, RAIPON, for six months. Natives defending the land, water and air in the US and Canada are questioning who Russia will meet with, and whether they are the Natives on this continent struggling to defend the land, water and air.

Meanwhile, Russia said the meeting of Native American chiefs from the US and Canada will begin in Moscow in mid January, according to Russia's government radio station Voice of Russia.

It will be the first time that Indigenous Peoples of Russia will meet with Native leaders from the US and Canada, said Pavel Sulyandziga, chairman of the working group for the development of the North, Siberia and the Far East at Russia Public Chamber.

Sulyandziga said, "I am currently working on the visit to Russia of a number of Native American chiefs from the USA and Canada, as well as the leaders of indigenous people from other countries."

"Willie Littlechild, the Honorary Chief of the Crees from the Canadian Province of Alberta, Aali Kirskitaua, vice president of the Sami parliament, Henry Harrison, chief of the Thabas tribe from Alaska have already confirmed their visit. They will come to Russia in mid-January and meet with the indigenous peoples for a joint discussion of the problems and cooperation. We are planning a press conference in Moscow and then will go to Lake Baikal," Sulyandziga told Voice of Russia.

Mohawks respond concerning meeting in Russia

In Canada, Mohawks are among those questioning who the Native leaders are in Canada and the US that Russia will be meeting with, and whether or not  those Native leaders are fighting mining and drilling.

Mohawks said, "Canada and the US are sending 'their corporate Indians' there to sign deals on our behalf. They know we won't do it. The band councils, AFN and Iroquois caucus are scared of the backlash from us. Harper is in Russia signing a deal with China! Willie Littlechild is a lawyer who pushes Canadian laws on us.  He represents his masters, that's for sure. The deal being signed between Canada and China in Russia is a 'secret' deal."'

Russia's meeting with 'Sioux chiefs' this week

In Russia's radio interview, Sulandziga said he will speak with "Sioux chiefs" this week.

"Yes, we are talking about the annual meeting of the Sioux tribe chiefs, which is one of the largest Native American tribes in the USA. Our association of the indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East has been seeking contacts with them for a long time in order to work jointly. And now, for the first time ever, they have invited an outsider to their Council of the chiefs to take place on December 21-22."

 

"I plan to speak on two issues: first of all, on establishing our cooperation and joint activity. The thing is I am currently the chairman of the working group on the international cooperation between the indigenous peoples of Russia and other countries of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation. There are a number of directions that our group works in that are related with the development of the indigenous peoples. This includes the issues of education, the issues of the youth, the issues of self-government, the issues of the development of the culture and other issues. That is why I would like to raise these issues in a joint discussion."

So far, Censored News does not have more information on the Sioux chiefs meeting that Russia is planning to attend. Censored News has been unable to identify the 'Thabas' tribe in Russia's announcement.

 

Greenpeace supports RAIPON

Meanwhile, Greenpeace has joined in the support of Russia's Indigenous in the defense of nature. Greenpeace said, "One day before the opening of the Arctic Council meeting in Sweden, Russian authorities moved to suspend the activities of RAIPON, the country’s main organisation representing the Indigenous Peoples of the Russian North. Basing their decision on an interpretation of inconsistencies in the organisation’s bylaws, this seems to be a thinly veiled attempt by the Russian government to silence the voices of Indigenous Peoples who are speaking out against the dangers of drilling for oil in the Russian Arctic."
http://www.raipon.info/en/raipon.html

The Nunatsiaq News reports The Nunatsiaq News reports, "The Arctic Council’s senior Arctic officials and permanent indigenous participants have criticized a move by Russia’s ministry of justice to suspend the operations of the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and Far East."Known as RAIPON, the association represents 41 indigenous groups and more than 250,000 indigenous people across the Russian Arctic and sits as a permanent indigenous participant in the Arctic Council, along with the Inuit Circumpolar Council, the Saami Council, the Arctic Athabaskan Council and the Gwich’in Council International.
http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674arctic_council_calls_for_russian_indigenous_orgs_return/
The Arctic Council has called for the reinstatement of RAIPON.
http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674arctic_council_calls_for_russian_indigenous_orgs_return/

Alaska Dispatch reports on the harsh repression of Indigenous in Russia

Alaska Dispatch reports on the harsh repression that continues of the Indigenous Peoples of Russia's Arctic region. The way of life, which includes reindeer herding, is now faced with oil and gas drilling, the mining of minerals and continuation of the fur trade.
An article from Novaya Gazeta quoted Rodion Sulyandziga, Vice President of RAIPON, as saying, "There is a new round of extensive industrialization of the northern territories. RAIPON is one of the last barriers to companies and states to the extraction of these resources, and [it is] easier to use of force, using selective justice, so as not to distract the extra energy, time and resources to negotiate with some indigenous [peoples]."
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/analysis-why-did-putin-suspend-key-russian-indigenous-group

Russia recognizes Bolivia President Evo Morales' defense of Mother Earth

In the announcement of the meetings, the Voice of Russia also recognized the ongoing efforts of Bolivia to defend Mother Earth. "In the light of all the noise raised by the international and Russian mass media in relation to the notorious end of the world scheduled for December 21, Pavel Sulyandziga’s assessment of the upcoming international conference entitled 'The beginning of the era of harmony and becoming one with nature' to take place in Bolivia appears to be quite valuable: 'In the last few years Bolivia has become one of the main initiators of the process to defend Mother Earth, which in spirit is very close to what the indigenous people of the world believe in – becoming one with nature, the ties that bind with the environment.'"

Support Russia's Indigenous at RAIPON with letters

Nunatsiaq News said the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North is asking concerned people and organizations around the world to send letters of support to Russia’s president, prime minister and justice minister.
http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674russian_indigenous_seeks_letters_of_support
 

Native newspapers using non-Indians when Native reporters are unemployed

Native newspapers using non-Indians when Native reporters are unemployed

By Brenda Norrell

Censored News

http//www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

 

There are many unemployed Native American journalists. Still, the major Native newspapers continue to use non-Indians to write their headline news stories.
They're not just non-Indian "reporters," but armchair journalists who drive out to Indian land, make a
couple of phone calls, churn out a story, collect their paycheck, and then leave.
What happened to the Navajo preference law?
Other non-Indian 'reporters' for the national Native newspapers never even leave their house. They just make a couple of phone calls from home, plagiarize others hard work for background, and collect their paychecks.
The third category of fraud reporters in Indian country are the wannabes, including those who suddenly decide they are "Indians" late in life when they realize it will be lucrative to their careers, by way of fame, fortune, career status, non-profit grants or college funds.
Examine the articles and question who the reporters are.
Non-Indians are not the only ones who are armchair journalists and plagiarizers. For decades, Indian Country Today has used a "reporter" in the Southwest that I haven't seen out on a news story in the past 30 years. I have seen her plagiarize.
What happened to ethics in journalism?
Reporters all over the world are dying and being jailed to report the truth, and in the US, many reporters for the Native American media are doing as little as possible to get a paycheck.
--Brenda Norrell, Censored News

Democracy Now! After Clinton rebuff, actor Peter Coyote pushes for Peltier clemency

After Rebuff by Clinton, Actor Peter Coyote Joins New Push to Sway Obama on Leonard Peltier Clemency

Read transcript http://www.democracynow.org/2012/12/13/after_rebuff_by_clinton_actor_peter

Censored 2012: Thai activist says UN Rapporteur caused extensive harm to the people

Matthew McDaniel: "In this photo of James Anaya in Thailand,
Anaya makes no mention of the only case from that part
of the country that is already in process at the UN. This guy was
chosen because he is useless, no threat to any country."
(Photo Asia Pacific Human Rights Center)

Censored 2012: Thai activist says UN Rapporteur caused extensive harm to the people

 

SR Anaya and Wasted Time

The Akha of Hooh Yoh and Pah Nmm Akha vs. the Queen of Thailand

By Matthew McDaniel

Censored News

http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

The following statement is in response to 'Censored 2012: Mohawk John Kane says the truth about UN Rapporteur James Anaya was the most censored issue in 2012.'
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2012/12/mohawk-john-kane-most-censored-issue.html
 

My name is Matthew McDaniel.

I have worked with the Akha people of SE Asia for more than 20 years as a volunteer advocate for human rights.

In 2003 the Akha people of Hooh Yoh Akha village cluster asked me to help defend their land from a take over by the Queen of Thailand's Royal Project. The Royal Project was staking out a claim to 8,000 rai of land, pretty much all of the farming land of 1500 Akha and Lahu villagers. Informed consent was no part of the picture. Project managers brought in army personnel, dogs and began building structures on the land they staked out. The Akha would have nothing left at all and would be reduced to working for what ever wages the project paid for a limited number of people from the village. Their decades of investment in the land would be lost.

http://www.akha.org/content/forestry/hoohyoh.html

As a result of taking on this case I was expelled from Thailand after living with the Akha people for 13 years. It took me a year and a half to get my wife, who is Akha, and our children out of the country. The Akha paid a very high price for this case. I and my family paid a very high price for this case. It is impossible for anyone in Thailand to make a direct accusation against the royalty.

But two weeks after leaving Thailand for good, I presented the Akha case at the UN in New York. This was the first time anyone had spoken the name of the Akha people at the UN. Over time I was able to build the case of the Akha and present it to Special Rapporteur Rudolfo Stavenhagen. He was willing to assist the Akha case.

We made extensive progress at the UN with Special Rapporteur Stavenhagen. We were able to get the Thai government's attention with a high level "Letter of Allegation" filed against them over land the Queen of Thailand took from two large village groups, driving them into poverty and desperation.

The Thai Government was shocked and would have to respond. And they did. Full on denials of what had obviously occurred.

Former Rapporteur Stavenhagen's help was tremendous. But he left, and the case fell directly to SR Anaya. This man has refused to make any accurate responses to our inquiries or replies to the Thai rebuttal. He is an absolute disaster, incompetence at the highest level, total disrespect for the very hard and dangerous work of other people to expose violations and protect the rights of indigenous people. This case was handed to him on a silver platter. Instead of engaging the Thai government with our formal "point by point" reply to their denials, he totally ignored the case and would not discuss it with us at all.

Further, he never informed us that he had gotten a response from the Thai government. We had to discover this on our own. When we sent our itemized reply to all of his offices, office staff denied they received them. We sent them several times, only to be told that such discussions and actions were totally confidential so there was no need for Anaya to discuss the case with the very people who had filed the case. Somehow, just now coming to the UN he has much more information on the Akha case than we did.

Many Akha put their names and lives on the line in the battle for this village land. SR Anaya let them completely down. He accepted the Thai denials no questions asked. This was his reward to the courageous Akha who stood up for their rights.

Not ever having heard of the Akha before, he is so competent that he has in fact done nothing with the case and even at an indigenous meeting in Chiangmai, Thailand, informs no one, says nothing, communicates with no one and still has his job.

The guy is a joke, an impostor, a loser, hardly a defender of indigenous causes before nation state governments.

Matthew McDaniel

The Akha Heritage Foundation

http://www.akha.org

Colville members outraged over millions in missing claims settlement

 

Students describe extreme hardship in getting their
education.

Justice for Colville members:

2,606 signatures on a petition to the Colville Business Council asking them about $96 Million

By Yvonne L. Swan
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

Scroll down for Dec. 13, 2012 statement
(Dec. 9, 2012) Tomorrow morning Colville tribal elders and members will gather at the Administration building at the Colville Indian agency campus at Nespelem, Washington to deliver a Petition bearing 2,606 signatures asking the Business Council once again for the remaining 50% of $193 Million claims Settlement.

The people will arrive at 8:30 a.m. or earlier, hopefully to get a seat in the Business Council meeting room before the Business Council convenes for Special Session at 9:00 a.m.

This action is a culmination of an on-going 10-month attempt by tribal members at convincing the Business Council to provide a proper forum to answer their questions, listen to their concerns, and adequately include them in the decision-making process over this important subject matter.

Considering the contempt and disregard for their rights in the past months, it is unknown what exactly will take place tomorrow. Members are rightfully upset.

Summary of Dispute between tribal members and elected representatives over decisions regarding handling of the $193 Million claims Settlement

by tribal member Yvonne L. Swan December 9, 2012

Until February 2012 not every member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation knew that in 2005 former Business Council members filed a claim known as CCT v. Kenneth Salazar, Secretary of the Interior, et al, through US District Court, No.: 1:05-cv-02471-TFH for the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ mismanagement of the Tribes’ natural resources and, to date, tribal members are still trying to understand how this came about and how the Business Council reached an out-of-court compromise that granted the members of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation $193 Million.

Members first learned about the claims settlement one afternoon at the end of February when the then Chairman of the Business Council, Michael O. Finley, received official news of the $193 Million settlement and happily began spending the money by granting all tribal employees a 2-hour Administrative Leave with pay.

Instead of calling the members together to discuss this issue in a General Membership meeting as they were accustomed to in the past by considerate former tribal leaders, Finley began communicating plans for the money to the members through the news media. In late February he issued a press statement that was carried in the Omak Chronicle as “Tribe settles trust suit” on February 26, 2012 written by Dee Camp and that is how members began hearing of it. Time went by and still there were unanswered questions.

Then on April 11, 2012 the U.S. Department of the Interior through Secretary Salazar and Attorney General Holder issued a News Release announcing the “1 Billion Settlement of Tribal Trust Accounting and Management Lawsuits Filed by More Than 40 Tribes”. Contacts listed on the News Release were Adam Fetcher, (DOI) 202-208-6416; Department of Justice, 202-4114-2007.

Tribal members were dissatisfied with the Business Council decision and were upset that they were not getting complete and truthful information, so in May they started a petition drive asking the Business Council for another 30% of the Settlement. The petition in circulation also asked that the issue be put to a Referendum Vote. In the months of June and July the Business Council boycotted meetings to avoid answering questions and continued to scare the members with the threat of imposed income tax by the U.S. and interruption of their Social Security and other assistance like Temporary Aid for Needy Families. The scare tactics prevented some members into not signing the petition. The members wanted the Business Council to call a General Membership meeting for discussion and they refused. On July 4, the members met at the Nespelem July Grounds and the petition drive continued. It was turned in to former Business Council member Ricky Gabriel who was then Chair of the Tribal Government Committee. The count of the signatures took several days by the Elections Committee and signatures totaled 1,706.

Gabriel took the petitions to the Business Council meeting at Nespelem Community Center along with a Recommendation sheet for a vote on July 12th and, prior to the swearing in of the newly-elected Business Council, they voted to accept it and to set up a Referendum. In August the Referendum passed and each member received another $6,000 of the Settlement. Wait…

…not every member received $6,000. Some members received the whole amount, some a portion of it, and some, including elders, received nothing at all. The Business Council was upset over having to give the members another 30% and told tribal programs that included Tribal Court and Colville Indian Housing Authority to hold money owing them by tribal members.

The members argued this to no avail and another Petition was drawn up asking the Business Council for the remaining 50% which would bring the total disbursement to the membership to 100%. Many members felt the 100% distribution should have been done in the first place insisting that claims monies belong to the entire membership, not just fourteen elected Business Council.

Members felt the holds on some of the members’ share of the Settlement was arbitrarily unjust and by October a total of 1,393 signatures were collected. Although this was less than the signatures formerly acquired the people sent a delegate to present them to the Business Council’s Tribal Government (TG) Committee. This time the people had to face a new Chairperson Luana Boyd Rowley who was not so accommodating. In fact, the day before the Thursday, September 27th TG meeting the member delegated to present the Petition was taken off the agenda.

The delegate tried to find out the reason she was bumped to no avail so, on the day of the TG Committee meeting, she arrived in chambers at ten minutes to 9:00 a.m. before the meeting was to begin and attempted to give the Petition to Boyd-Rowley. In front of eight (8) other Business Council members and an elder, Boyd-Rowley became upset and refused to take the Petition. When the delegate tried to explain that the Petition she was carrying were voices of several members Boyd-Rowley still refused to take the papers.

The delegate told Boyd-Rowley that by her refusal to accept the Petition she was committing political suicide and Boyd-Rowley angrily shouted at the tribal member asking “Are you threatening me?!” and ordered a secretary to call the police. The tribal member was attempting to conduct tribal business which was her right according to the CCT Constitution and was wrongfully blocked. Further, not one of the other Business Council members intervened.

The delegate left Business Council chambers peaceably and met a tribal officer outside and gave a statement along with the witnessing elder and in front of a former Business Council member who was delivering more signatures for the Petition. To date, the police report has not been given to the delegate or the elder. After they left, the Business Council went into closed session.

Since the Chair of the TG Committee blocked her, the delegate took the Petition bearing 1,393 signatures to the annual General Membership Meeting on Saturday, October 13th and in the afternoon handed them to the new Business Council Chairman John Sirois. In front of at least 50 witnesses he and Business Council Secretary N. Lynn Palmanteer-Holder apologized to the delegate for TG Committee Chair’s ill treatment. However, on a Recommendation Sheet immediately drawn up to accept the Petition was voted down.

Days later another member called Management & Budget Chair Billy Nicholson and realized the number of signatures (1,393) was not nearly equal to 1/3 the number of eligible voters at the last election and during the discussion was led to believe that, if more members signed the Petition, it could be turned in for approval by the Business Council. Thus, circulation of the Petition for the remaining 50% was resumed.

In early December tribal members were satisfied they had well over their goal of getting 900 more signatures, thus bringing the total to more than the overall goal of 2,400 signatures and decided to submit the Petition to the next scheduled TG Committee meeting; but, when the delegate filled out the application to get on the agenda for the upcoming Thursday, December 13th TG Committee meeting Luana Boyd Rowley denied the delegate’s request.

As of now, we have a total of 2,606 signatures which is more than 1/3 of the number of eligible voters at last June’s General Election and so as not to be chased away by the TG Chairwoman, we plan to approach the Business Council during Special Session tomorrow.

Yvonne L. Swan 

Dec. 13, 2012

To the Office of the Reservation Attorneys, through the news media, on behalf of Colville Indians for justice.

In light of precedents set by former Colville Business Council who in the 1950s and 1990s immediately informed tribal members of claims settlements, called general membership meetings, and in the 1990s put the issue to a vote, I and other elders expected this example to be followed by current Colville Business Council regarding the recent (2012) $193 Million claims settlement.

Also in the light of the above-mentioned decisions by leaders of the governing body of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation we elders had questions of the Business Council as to why we were not given a general membership meeting and why we were told through the news media that we would get only a portion (20%) of the money.

Our questions went unanswered and we elders endorsed the petition launched by younger tribal members asking the Business Council to disburse another portion (30%) of the funds.

In August 2012, when the majority of votes in the ensuing Referendum were for the 30% disbursement, we elders were appalled that the Business Council gave tribal programs the authority to withhold money from tribal members responsible for certain debts. Such holds were to be put on their share in the 30% disbursement.

These holds placed against the members’ share of the claims settlement were held without fair notice which brought hardship on elders and other members. They also went against the previous precedents set by tribal government leaders and were not acceptable to us.

Therefore, we not only sanctioned the initiation of another petition, this time for the remaining 50% of the claims settlement money totaling 100% distribution to the members, but we helped circulate it and present it to the Business Council in two parts on October 13, 2012 and December 10, 2012.

We do not accept another news release (December 10, 2012) issued by the Business Council as a response to our petition, and we reiterate on behalf of all who signed that we want full distribution of the rest of the $193 Million claims settlement.

In the spirit of inherent rights as shareholders of the Colville Reservation,