September 15, 1995
Vancouver, B.C. - Native and non-native activists in Vancouver today formed the Aboriginal Sovereignty Support Committee (ASSC) at a meeting held at the Britannia Community Centre. The group plans to educate the public about the long standing historical injustice against traditional native nation governments.
What is behind the Gustafsen Lake standoff and other confrontations across Canada is a long standing historical injustice which is related to the European invasion of North America and agreements made by European governmentswith native governments along the way - the legal logic of which is: if the British government (sometimes referred by native people as "the British Crown") entered into binding agreement with, or passed laws which directly affected,or set upa legal precedent involving native governments; these legal instruments are still in effect. If Canada's legal system and law originated from British Law, why and at what point did Canada stop following and upholding British Law?
At particular issue is the Royal Proclamation of 1763.
Further complicating the issue is the Canadian Indian Act which set up "band councils" in native nations paid for by the Canadian Government.
When traditional native governments resisted they were ignored, arrested and assets seized, and in some situations hanged and otherwise killed (please contact us for specific examples). If any money is channelled to native people it is only channelled through the Canadian government setup native band councils or native tribal councils. When jurisdiction and land claim talks are entered into by Canadian federal or provincial goverments with native people it is only through the native band councils or native tribal councils set up by the Canadian government, in effect with native persons on the Canadian governments's payroll. Some traditional native governments have miraculously withstood this and are beginning to re-assert their authority.
So we ask: is there controversy and struggle within native nations? And who is perpetuating this and who is ultimately responsible?