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Khwe Akwataru,

We have input on the current issues on Wendake from more than one source. Presented below is a differing viewpoint to the one presented in our August 13, newsletter.

You are invited to comment.

Ishgooda

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Ishgooda wrote:

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ANNOUNCEMENT AND BACKGROUND INORMATION: WENDAKE, QUEBEC

On Wednesday, the band council of Wendake will announce in a public council, the government of Quebec's proposal concerning the Quarante Arpent land claim.

The Quarante Arpent was sold illegally (without a referendum) by the band council chief and by the government of Canada in 1904. On this reserve near Quebec there were 30 traditional families living on farms. Ten years ago, some traditional people were successful in being elected to the band council of chiefs and they then claimed 3 pieces of land taken away from us in the past years.

The traditional chief of Quarante Arpent was Staniclas Sioui, who opposed for 1 year the sale of his reserve by the band council chiefs of Wendake. Ten years later, the court has recognized that the Quarante Arpent was sold illegally.

Now the same political council ( band council) is re-negotiating the price for this land. According to some people the government is offering 9 million dollars for this land as compensation for the land we have lost. Today, Quarante Arpent is occuied by a town called Val Belair near a Canadian Army base. The traditional people, descendants of these 30 families are upset to see their grand-father land sold again for money by the same political structure.

We do not need money; but, we DO need land. The traditional people hope the band council will keep this in mind.

We are 3000 Huron and the land left to us to live on is about one mile square. Half of the population has to live outside of the reserve because of our lack of land.

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NOTE: The above was received from the traditional Wolf clan leader of the Longhouse in Quebec. - Ishgooda

More news about this will be available as events unfold.

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******THE FOLLOWING IS A NOTE THAT REPRESENTS THE PERSONAL OPINION OF ONE PERSON AND DOES NOT MEAN TO IMPLY ANY SUPPORT OF ANY KIND OF THE HURONS OF WENDAKE!!!********

Kwe

In all fairness I think that your statement lacks certain FACTS!

Fact#1

To begin with the lands in question were "given" to the Hurons by the Jesuits AFTER they were relocated (REMOVED) from Ilse D'Orleans (as far as I can gather there was no mention of the word "reserve")

(MODERATORS COMMENT: The Jesuits as guests of the people who already inhabited this land were in no position to give the people what already had been given by the Creator)

Fact#2

The offer that has been received from the Government is for 13 Million dollars (12 million for the land in question PLUS 1 million for infrastructure)As reported in Le Soleil newspaper.

(MODERATORS NOTE:Original figures were "according to some to be")

Fact#3

NO DEAL has been made! The Wendake Band council intends to put this OFFER to the people of the Huron Nation for a vote. If it is decided in a REFERENDUM by the people (a most important fact that the "traditional?" Wolf Clan leader has conveniently forgot to mention!)then maybe something might happen!

(This was reported accurately in Le Soleil newspaper in Quebec City on August 16, 1996)

(MODERATORS COMMENT: "band council of Wendake will announce in a public council, the government of Quebec's proposal..." THE ORIGINAL news does not state anything has been decided, but that the proposal has been put to the people in a public forum. This is placed the people now, because of a failure to get a referendum at the time of the first sale, hence deemed illegal by the courts)

Fact#4

The reference to Val Belair as "occupying the lands: Let's be FAIR!

The amount of lands contained in the Quarante Arpent is a very tiny, thin slice of Val Belair.

Do we ALL understand that an "arpent" is approximately .25 of acre so by using the fabulous computing powers of my Pentium I figure that we're talking about roughly 10 acres of land! That works out to around 1.3 million dollars per acre!!!!

Now for something on a personal note:

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The "traditional?" Wolf Clan Leader repeatedly refers to the Leaders of the Huron Nation as the "political council".

Let's point out that this council was ELECTED by the people to represent them as a NATION.

These ARE your leaders and the people that YOU ELECTED to SPEAK for you. If you are so concerned about respect why not begin by respecting your LEADERS.

You (whoever you might think you are) as the so called "Wolf Clan Leader" are trying to present to the non-aboriginal public that there are TWO separate bodies that speak for the Huron Nation.

Nothing could be further from the truth! You DO NOT speak for the Hurons!

If you are in fact a "leader" then perhaps a good beginning would be to talk to your Huron Brothers and Sisters. You just might find, as I have, that on the whole, the vast majority of the Hurons in Wendake are satisfied with the Council's leadership or have you failed to notice the election results over the past 30 odd years? A fact that goes conveniently unoticed by you!

Why not co-operate with the rest of the Huron Nation and try to SOLVE the problems that exist instead of consistently being opposed to the wishes of the Huron people as a MAJORITY!!!

Join with your Huron Brothers and Sisters who are more concerned with getting the job done than century old POWER struggles that have NOTHING to do with the complex issues of TODAY!

It's all fine and dandy to have an opinion but let's stop living in the past and join the 20th Century...it's almost OVER.

If you're not happy then you can always exercise your RIGHT TO VOTE!

Tiawenk!

Gary

Exactomundo!!!! GARY

> (MODERATORS NOTE:Original figures were "according to some to be") I was commenting on the original writers text :-) ISH

Correct again! GARY

I appreciate your comments....you sound like a fair person.... I have been lurking for a while now and because I am not a Huron.... I am married (traditional Huron I might add) to a beautiful Huron and I have been reluctant to comment on the situation here in Wendake. I have known my wife's family for over 25 years so I feel I do have an insight on the scene here in Wendake. It irritates me that there are always people crying "foul" when it comes to the negotiations that have been undertaken on behalf of the Huron Nation by the Council who generally try to take in the concerns of the majority. I might add that these people who are always blaming the Council for everything are the same people who have chosen NOT to live in the village or to participate in any of the goings on here!

I'm sure that this is similar to what goes on throughout the reserves no matter where they be.

You will always have self-appointed spokespeople for any particular group no matter what their ancestry who will always present their point of view as the "Truth". It is always the "FEW" that will try undermine the advancement of the "MAJORITY"

Tiawenk!

Gary

Ishgooda wrote:

shortened

Tiawenk!

Gary

FROM GORDON THOMPSON:

You have this lady well figured out, and the situation there is the same as at every Rez I am familiar with. The mention of money or land, no matter how small the bone, the Jackals begin to circle the camp, and snipe at everything that moves.

On the other side, corruption and fear begin to take their toll and the various mini bands within the bands arise and hide. Menawhile, the band or tribe close to all outside contact. They claim they don't but they do, and suddenly centuries old injuries are today's reason to fear or disagree with all outside the immediate circle.

The easiest way to destroy what is left of the NA people is give them small pieces of land or money for the land, and sit back while they ruin themselves. Sad, but true.