As the Canadian Government, the Provincial Government and five First Nation groups of their choice meet in Kelowna to sign a ten-year Deal amid a flurry of corporate and government media coverage, a small parallel conference of First Nation people are beginning to organize a new coalition; based on their history and teachings, their culture, and their own experience of conditions they face. A diverse group from over 8 Nations around Canada is represented, both urban and rural, including elders, youth, and children.

While the agreement being signed in Kelowna by the Prime Minister, Provincial representatives and five national First Nations organizations could result in up to five billion dollars for social funding; here is a brief statement from the Grassroots Peoples' Meeting:

The Grassroots Peoples have not been involved in the negotiations of the 10 year national deal that Phil Fontaine (the leader of Assembly of First Nations, a national First Nations group funded by the government) intends to sign, which helps Canada off-load its responsibilities to the Provinces.

Meanwhile, Our Aboriginal Rights, Title, Treaties and Self-Determination have been sidelined and are being ignored.

The historic theft of Our Lands and Resources by federal and provincial governments still continues despite court victories. THIS IS WHY WE ARE IMPOVERISHED!

-How is there any guarantee the money will reach the people really in need?

-Is their any guarantee the agreement for the money will pass through hurdles in the political process and actually be implemented?

-Why did the government choose which organizations and individuals to meet with, instead of making the process open and democratic to all interested First Nations groups and individuals?

-Do the five First Nations groups meeting with the government have any mandate to sign on behalf of the First Nations people?

-Can the five First Nations groups meeting with the Government really act independently of the government if they are funded by it?

-Why does this meeting ignore and sideline the issue of First Nations Title and Rights, when the Liberal Party electoral platform of 1993 identified the loss of land as the root cause of poverty and disfunction among First Nations people?

-Will providing this money in a top down process make First Nations people be economically, politically, and culturally independent of the government?

-Wouldn't returning title and land rights and the resources that flow from it be the easiest and most permanent way to First Nations Peoples to deal with housing, poverty and related issues?

The Grassroots People's Coaltion is planning a demonstration to co-incide with the First Minister's meeting at the Okanagan Hotel in Kelowna.

Contact: Arthur Manuel Spokesperson, Grassroots Peoples’ Meeting, (250)-319-0688 email: aman...@telus.net