Canada’s Oldest First Nations Newspaper - Serving Nuu-chah-nulth-aht since 1974 Vol. 28 - No. 11 - June 7, 2001
haas^i>sa "Interesting News"
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Campbell axes Aboriginal Affairs By David Wiwchar Southern Region Reporter Wasting no time on his promise to rebuild British Columbia’s provincial portfolios, B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell has axed the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, splitting it into two different parts. The Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs was primarily responsibility for treaty negotiations in B.C., and Campbell has repeatedly stated his opposition to the treaty structure formed under the previous government.
(left) Geoff Plant, new Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations and (right) George Abbott, Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services. According to the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs website, their mission was “to work with First Nations, the federal government, other provincial ministries and all British Columbians to help build a society in which; relationships between aboriginal people and all British Columbians are based on equality and respect; aboriginal people can fulfill their aspirations for selfdetermining and self-sustaining communities; all British Columbians enjoy the social and economic benefits of cooperation and certainty.” The Aboriginal Affairs portfolio will be divided into two parts: George Abbott will be the minister of a new “mixed bag” Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services, and
Attorney General Geoff Plant will also be the Minister in charge of Treaty Negotiations.
“We just took about ten giant steps backwards,” said Southern Region Co-chair Richard Watts. “They won 77 seats. They can pretty well do whatever they want. But after a few roadblocks shut things down we’ll see if their position changes at all.” According to the BC Liberal’s website, Plant is a Richmond-based lawyer who has “lectured and written extensively on aboriginal law”, and Abbott is a Shuswap berry farmer. Plant, who was the lawyer for the province in the Delgamuukw and Meares Island court cases, will be the most important provincial minister insofar as the major issues faced by Nuu-chah-nulth-aht, and leaders will be watching closely to determine if Plant is for or against treaty making in B.C.. “We just took about ten giant steps backwards,” said Southern Region Cochair Richard Watts. “They won 77 seats. They can pretty well do whatever they want. But after a few roadblocks shut things down we’ll see if their position changes at all.” Four Vancouver Island Liberal MLA’s were given portfolios: Stan Hagen (Comox Valley) Minister of Sustainable Resources; Judith Reid (Nanaimo Parksville) Minister of Transportation; Murray Coell (Sannich North and the Islands) Human Resources; and Graham Bruce (Cowichan Ladysmith) Skills, Development and Labour. Former Liberal Aboriginal Affairs critic Mike de Jong, who was rumoured to maintain the Aboriginal portfolio, was given Forests instead.
Thirty friends and family members traveled to U-C Berkeley to celebrate Dr. Charlotte Cote’s convocation. Here, Charlotte gathers in the centre holding flowers from friends, family and well-wishers.
Charlotte Cote becomes first female Nuu-chah-nulth PhD. By David Wiwchar Southern Region Reporter At a convocation ceremony on the picturesque campus of the University of California, Berkeley, Charlotte Cote became the second Nuu-chah-nulth person, and the first Nuu-chah-nulth woman to receive a doctoral (PhD.) degree.
At a convocation ceremony on the picturesque campus of the University of California, Berkeley, Charlotte Cote became the second Nuu-chah-nulth person, and the first Nuu-chah-nulth woman to receive a doctoral (PhD.) degree. Charlotte, a member of the Tseshaht First Nation, is the daughter of the late Evelyn Georg (Watts) and Jack Georg, and her grandparents are Grace and Hugh Watts. “I couldn’t have done this without my
Toquart Bay Store opens at Macoah ............................ Page 3 Fisheries Council meets at Tsaxana .............................. Page 4 Lawyer looks to help survivors ................................... Page 5 First Nations of Mexico tour Nuu-chah-nulth territories... Page 6 Mother’s Day ... Ahousaht Style ................................. Page 10 Nuu-chah-nulth Healing Project Conference ................ Page 13 NEDC Business News ................................................ Page 20
family and my community,” said Charlotte, who hosted 30 Nuu-chahnulth family members and friends at her convocation, and joined them in performing traditional dances and having an honouring prayer for all the graduates. Charlotte received her PhD in Ethnic Studies, with her thesis entitled “Rearticulating Tradition into Native Indian Communities: Nuu-chah-nulth / Makah Whaling in the 20th Century”. Charlotte has a Diploma in Broadcast Technology from BCIT, a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Simon Fraser, and her Master’s as well as her new PhD from U-C Berkeley. Charlotte chose Berkeley because a friend of hers (a Cree woman also from Port Alberni) was taking the same program, and the two became the first two Canadian First Nations women to attend the prestigious institution. “Because of Berkeley’s reputation as being one of the top research institutes, as well as their Ethnic Studies and
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