Traditional protocols to continue

The traditional protocols employed during Grand Council Treaty #3’s chief assemblies will no longer be fully funded by the federal government due to funding cutbacks.
“That’s been time immemorial, but they’re not going to destroy our culture,” said Treaty #3 Ogichidaa Warren White during the Treaty #3 Chiefs Fall Assembly, held Oct. 22-24 in Lac Seul. “We’re going to keep it up and the chiefs have endorsed and supported some funding to keep them in our chiefs’ circle.”
White said the traditional protocols include “ceremonies through our drums and our eagle staffs and our Elders,” which are one of the fundamental aspects of Treaty #3.
“We were just told two days ago about what our funding limits are going to be, what was cut,” White said. “There was a lot of cuts — 50 per cent in a lot of the areas they fund. But as you can see, the chiefs are still behind the Anishinabe nation and the Ogichidaa’s political office. We will come through; we will work together and support one another and also support the nation.”
White plans to consider some of the chiefs’ recommendations, including charging companies and government officials for meetings, suggested during the assembly to provide funds for the organization.
“That’s a difficult decision, but I’m in demand all over the place,” White said. “Now that there is some guideline or direction we must take, we will do it.”
White said the chiefs are “adamant” that they want to keep the Treaty #3 political office operating to protect and preserve their treaty rights.
“I believe they are trying to silence the political movement of our national leaders, our regional chiefs and also our grand chiefs,” White said.
When asked for information, an Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada official referred to a September 2012 press release that contained a quote from the former minister.
The press release stated that Regional Aboriginal Representative Organizations will either have funding reduced by 10 per cent or have a ceiling up to $500,000 applied to their core funding. Reductions are based on current 2012-2013 funding levels. Treaty #3’s current core funding is $245,331 and its 2014/2015 funding will be $220,798, according to an AANDC backgrounder.
AANDC also indicated there would also be gradual reductions in the amount available for proposal-based project funding.
Lac Seul Chief Clifford Bull said the federal government funding cutbacks indicate it is important for all First Nation provincial territorial organizations to become more self-sustaining rather than relying on governments.
“We need to be self-sustaining, self-sufficient at our political offices,” Bull said. “If someone wants to meet with the grand chief, the government or whoever, his expenses (should be) paid for by the person who wants to meet him.”
Bull said it is important to keep meeting and negotiating with governments.
The chiefs also recommended that Treaty #3 should lobby the World Trade Organization and the United Nations.
“We signed a treaty to share and live in peace and harmony and share the resources,” White said. “The time has to come when we have to stand up.”
Attended by 22 of the 28 Treaty #3 chiefs, the assembly was held in the Lac Seul Events Centre, which was officially opened this past August.
“Every community in Treaty #3 should have a building like this,” White said.