Fonds 023 Lubicon Lake Indian Nation Research collection

Letter describes in detail the promise the federal government gave to Lubicon Lake Cree 45 years prior for reserve lands which the government broke. Letter also describes the impact the Oil industry has had on their traditional hunting and trapping territory. Letter is written by Kenneth John Gilmour.

Letter is to Canadian Indian Affairs Minister Bill McKnight from the Austria Association for Endangered Peoples. The letter contains copies of signed petitions concerning the ongoing situation of the Lubicon Lake Cree. The letter also mentions that this group strongly supports the boycott of the Olympic Winter Games in Calgary.

Letter was written by Rev. Peter Hamel, Chairperson of an interchurch coalition concerned with Indigenous rights in Canada called Project North, and sent to museums around the world. It gives an overview of the situation at Lubicon Lake and request that they consider refusing to loan Indigenous artifacts to the Glenbow Museum for display during the Calgary Winter Games.

Presentation by Chief Ominayak before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs discussing the termination of the Fulton Inquiry and the break-down in negotiations. Two days before Chief Ominayak was scheduled to appear the Band lawyer received a letter from federal Indian Affairs Minister Bill McKnight urging the Band to return to the negotiating table. That letter is included in this document.

Written by Fred Lennarson of the Mimir Corporation. Document states that the Lubicon people have received reliable information concerning Indigenous representation in the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. The last 15 minutes of the opening ceremonies would have chuck wagons chased into the arena by “Indians ‘in full war party regalia’” who would then attack and torch the wagons.

Copy of a letter sent to Prime Minister Mulroney by The Lubicon Lake Support Group in the Netherlands about the First-Minister Conference of Aboriginal Rights.

Copy of a letter sent to Duncan Cameron, Director of the Glenbow Museum, from the Museum Voor Volkenkunden Rotterdam stating that they have received many letters of support for Lubicon Lake. After a discussion between European museums at the ICOM-convention about this subject, they will not be loaning a Salish rattle to the Glenbow for Exhibition.

Copy of a letter sent the Prime Minister Mulroney from the Chiefs and Councils of the Portage Band regarding the Lubicon Lake situation. Enclosed is a resolution about Lubicon Lake that was passed by them.

Copy of a letter sent to Pope John Paul II from the Grand Chief of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake stating that they object to the Vatican’s proposed loan of three artifacts to the Glenbow Museum’s Exhibition. They say that the Vatican should not participate in such a controversial event.

Copy of a letter sent to the Federal Minister of Indian Affairs, Bill McKnight, from Kathleen Skerrett. In this letter she expresses her concerns for the Lubicon Lake Band and she urges him to reconsider the government’s position and to resume negotiations with the band.

Copy of a letter or newsletter written by Fred Lennarson of the Mimir Corporation. This document discusses a situation at the Paris Museum of Man. The curators were prepared to recommend that their museum support the Lubicon boycott of the proposed Glenbow exhibit. After political pressure, the new Director of this museum decided to proceed with loaning artifacts to the Glenbow. Lennarson asks that supporters of Lubicon write to France’s Minister of Culture, Francois Leotard, asking that the Paris Museum of Man respect the boycott and refuse to loan artifacts to the Glenbow for this exhibit.

Copy of a letter to Federal Indian Affairs Minister Bill McKnight from John Bud Morris, Chief of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake, urging McKnight to accept Chief Ominayak’s proposal and return to the negotiation table while including a third party mediator, Mr. Fulton.

Transcript of a radio program, produced by Valerie Jean Fisher for Monitoradio in Seattle, WA. It aired on April 24, 1987. The program contains some words from Edward Laboucan, elder and trapper, in Cree which was translated by Chief Bernard Ominayak, an interview with Chief Ominayak, a statement from Bill McKnight, and from Duncan Cameron who was the Director of the Glenbow Museum.

Copies of an exchange of letters between an official of the Canadian Department of External Affairs and a Canadian citizen (Kurt Klingbeil) concerned about the Lubicon situation.

Copy of a press release made by new democrat MP Jim Manly, and a letter Manly wrote to Prime Minister Mulroney. The press release calls upon the Prime Minister to intervene in the outstanding Lubicon land claim following a recent decision of the United Nations Human Rights Committee.

Copy of an editorial on the Lubicon situation which appearing the in July 28, 1987 edition of the Calgary Herald. The headline for the editorial was “Lubicons risk backlash”. This item also contains a letter to the editor written by Chief Bernard Ominayak dated August 12, responding to the editorial of July 28.

Copies of an exchange of letters between Chief Ominayak and Indian Affairs Minister Bill McKnight regarding Ominayak’s May 18th letter. On July 31 Bill McKnight responded thanking the Chief for willingness to resume negotiations. The response of Ominayak on August 6th questions McKnight’s response time and reiterates wanting to involve Mr. Fulton in the negotiations. There is a CKUA Radio News Transcript from August 7. Lastly, there is two newspaper articles about the whole situation.

Copy of the decision from the UN Human Rights Committee regarding the admission of the Lubicon U.N. complaint. It summarizes the debate between the Lubicon people and the Government of Canada since 1984.

Copy of a letter sent to the publisher of the Calgary Herald by Roy Piepenburg regarding a Rodewalt cartoon entitled “Prophecy Over an Ancient Lubicon Campfire” that appeared in the October 23 edition of the Calgary Herald.

Report from Fred Lennarson indicating that Chief Ominayak will be honored with an “outstanding service award” by the New York based Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO) on December 5, 1987.

Copy of notes from a speech at McGill University given by Dr. Bruce Trigger following Chief Ominayak’s own address. Dr. Trigger was an anthropologist at McGill University. He resigned as the Honorary Curator of the McCord Museum to protest the decision of the McCord Museum to loan artifacts to the Glenbow for their exhibit.

Report from the Lubicon Lake Band dated November 25, 1987 about negotiations. In early October a new Federal negotiator, Brian Malone, was appointed. Mr. Malone told reporters that he would have to consult with the Alberta Provincial Government because the land that Lubicon is claiming belongs to Alberta. Days later Mr. Malone met with Lubicon’s lawyer, Mr. O’Reilly who stated that the negotiation of land rights was exclusive to the Federal Government.

Transcript of a CBC radio broadcast from November 16, 1987. Radio interview was with Nancy Rose, a CBC TV reporter, who has created a documentary called “Lubicons’ Last Stand.” The interview is about this documentary and the situation at Lubicon.

Copy of a resolution that passed unanimously at the December 15 Confederacy of First Nations meeting showing support for the Lubicon Lake people and resolving that all First Nations be invited to hold peaceful protests at the torch relay, boycott the Glenbow exhibit, write to the oil companies to request they cease their activities until the issue is resolved, and to write the Prime Minister, M.P.’s and members of provincial legislature in support of the people of Lubicon Lake.

Document contains a statement given by Chief Bernard Ominayak proposing a settlement for Lubicon Land Rights given on December 21. This statement came after Federal negotiator, Brian Malone, claimed to have the power to announce a settlement of Lubicon land rights without consulting with the Lubicon people. Document also contains a transcript from a CKUA Radio News Broadcast on December 22 discussing this event.

Copy of a sermon delivered by Rabbi Jordan Goldson at the Temple B’Nai Tikval in Calgary on December 18, 1987. Rabbi Goldson states that as a Jew he is concerned at 95% of the Lubicon people are on Welfare, that 20% have Tuberculosis, that their traditional way of life is being destroyed. These issues should sound familiar because they are the same ones that Jews have been struggling with for 3000 years. He calls for people to support the Lubicon people and to join arms with them in their fight for their rights. “They need us because we are a people who proudly say: ‘Never Again’ will be stand idly by and let Genocide happen to ourselves or to anyone else.”

Copy of a letter to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney from Audrey McLaughlin, Member of Parliament for the Yukon. In this letter McLaughlin expresses her concern of the situation of the Lubicon people. She urges Mulroney to invite Mr. Fulton to participate and settle the matter.

Copy of a letter sent to Prime Minister Mulroney by the President of the Winnipeg Labour Council, Heather Grant. Grant writes that their Council recently witnessed a wonderful event, the Olympic Torch relay, but that it was terrible seeing members and friends of the Lubicon people protesting because of the lack of action regarding their land claim. Grant asks that the Prime Minister give this issue immediate attention and action.

Copy of Prime Minister Mulroney’s March 30th response to Chief Ominayak’s February 26 letter demanding the removal and replacement of Federal Indian Affairs Minister McKnight. In this letter Mulroney urges Ominayak to work with McKnight and Brian Malone (federal negotiator). Document also contains a copy of Chief Ominayak’s April 20th response.

Copy of letter sent to Prime Minister Mulroney by Chief Saul Terry, the President of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs regarding the Lubicon Lake situation.

Copy of letter sent to Prime Minister Mulroney by the Saugeen Ojibway Nations Territories on February 9, 1988. They support the Lubicon’s right to determine who and how many members they have in their community and ask that the government does this as well.

Transcript of a CBC Radio Edmonton A.M. commentary show from October 17, 1988. Radio segment was about the blockade by the Lubicon people and about 150 their supporters in northern Alberta. Woodrow Morrison, a consultant on International Law, spoke on this matter.

Copy of a November 2, 1988 letter to Prime Minister Mulroney from Chief Billy Tow Rivers on behalf of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake about the Lubicon Lake situation.

Copy of a November 3, 1988 letter to Prime Minister Mulroney from the Chairperson of the Advisory Council of Treaty Women, Helen Gladue. This letter is asking that the Lubicon people receive fair compensation for the natural resources removed from their land and their right to establish which persons comprise their group. They believe that the time for a just settlement of the Lubicon Lake land claim is long overdue.

Copy of a letter to the new Minister of Indian Affairs, Pierre Cadieux, from Kevin Thomas regarding a letter Thomas received from Cadieux’s predecessor Mr. McKnight about the situation at Lubicon Lake. Thomas hopes that Cadieux will be better than Mr. McKnight in his handling of this situation.

Document contains a newspaper article titled “Lubicon offer ‘a pittance’”, and a written response from Lubicon Lake Indian Nation about the settlement offer from the Canadian Government.

Document contains material that was prepared by several organization that are concerned by the Lubicon Lake situation. It includes a letter written by the group that describes the ongoing situation, asks that the reader to participate in a letter writing campaign, and directs the reader in how to support them in other ways. In addition to the letter, there is a strategy sheet, and a sample letter that readers can use to write to the Prime Minister

Copy of a letter sent to Prime Minister Mulroney by Chief Ominayak on October 28, 1989. In this letter, Ominayak informs the Prime Minister that effective November 1, 1989, Federally owned Petro-Canada and other oil companies working in conjunction with them on unceded Lubicon Land have 30 days to obtain operating permits and leases from the Lubicon people and make arrangements for the payment of royalties. The failure to meet any of these conditions will result in removal of developments on unceded Lubicon territory.