Lubicon Lake Indian Nation Little Buffalo Lake, AB 403-629-3945 FAX: 403-629-3939 Mailing address: 3536 - 106 Street Edmonton, AB T6J 1A4 403-436-5652 FAX: 403-437-0719 December 02, 1990 Spokesmen for the mammoth Japanese Daishowa Pulp Mill and five different logging companies with varying ties to Daishowa have since mid-August been making a number of often inconsistent and conflicting statements and claims about their intentions with regard to the logging of unceded Lubicon lands. Whatever the content of these often conflicting statements and claims, it was clear by the end of October that at least two such Daishowa related companies -- Brewster Construction and Buchanan Lumber --were in fact preparing to log unceded Lubicon lands despite an agreement between Daishowa and the Lubicon people that Daishowa would not seek to log Lubicon lands until there was a settlement of Lubicon land rights and an agreement respecting Lubicon environmental and wildlife management concerns. On November 8th the Lubicon people responded to the logging of unceded Lubicon lands by formally putting resource exploitation companies on notice that resource exploitation projects operating on unceded Lubicon territory without proper Lubicon authorization will be "subject to removal at any time without further notice". Lubicon spokesmen made clear that they were particularly concerned about logging of unceded Lubicon lands to supply the huge new Daishowa Pulp Mill. Lubicon notice regarding continued exploitation of Lubicon resources was effectively ignored by Daishowa, Brewster Construction and Buchanan Lumber -- all three of whom claimed that they were being forced to proceed in the unceded Lubicon territory by the requirements of Provincial Government licences and leases. Although public remarks by Provincial Government officials haven't been any more consistent than those made on behalf of Daishowa or the logging companies, the bottom line for the Provincial Government seems to be that it's committed to the use of force if necessary to sustain its questionable sale of Lubicon resources. The evening of November 24th a lightning surprise raid was made on a logging camp operating in unceded Lubicon territory without Lubicon authorization. The logging camp was owned by Buchanan Lumber. Logging equipment belonging to two Buchanan sub- contractors was destroyed. The value of the destroyed equipment has been estimated variously at between $20,000 to $50,000. Provincial Attorney General Ken Rostad took an uncharacteristically diplomatic line in reaction to destruction of the Buchanan logging camp, indicating that the Provincial Government was prepared "to sit down and discuss" the issues with the Lubicons "as soon as they wish". Mr. Rostad failed to mention the notable lack of progress towards settlement of Lubicon land rights resulting from such discussions, or the fact of continuing Provincial Government exploitation of unceded Lubicon lands and resources. Endlessly inventive Daishowa spokesman Jim Morrison responded to the Buchanan raid by now claiming that there'd never been an agreement between Daishowa and the Lubicons not to log unceded Lubicon lands until there was a settlement of Lubicon land rights and agreement regarding Lubicon environmental and wildlife management concerns. He claimed "There was no agreement made between Daishowa and the Lubicons in 1988". He claimed "What happened at that meeting (between the Lubicons and Daishowa) was a discussion on the negotiations going on at that time between the Lubicons and the Province". (There were of course no negotiations going on at that time between the Lubicons and the Province. There'd only been one meeting between the Chief and the Premier, during which the Premier agreed to support bilateral negotiations between the Lubicons and the Federal Government.) Contradicting his false assertion that "There was no agreement made between Daishowa and the Lubicons in 1988", Mr. Morrison then went on to claim "What was decided was that there'd be no logging in new areas". He said "Daishowa has not violated that agreement (not to log in so-called new areas)". He claimed (falsely) that "The Lubicons told Daishowa that Daishowa could continue to log in traditional logging areas". He claimed "That's what Buchanan and Brewster have been doing". On November 26th Daishowa announced that it was instructing Brewster Construction to continue logging unceded Lubicon lands despite the Buchanan raid. This was the first public admission by Daishowa that it was involved in any way in the operations of its wholly owned subsidiary. Always before Daishowa had tried to maintain the pretence that Brewster was somehow independent and therefore supposedly not covered by the agreement between Daishowa and the Lubicons. Daishowa spokesman Allan Wahlstrom said "We're certainly concerned (about the destruction of the logging camp) but we did avoid what we felt were the majority of the sensitive areas of the Lubicon". Aside from the fact that any logging in the unceded Lubicon territory clearly contravenes the agreement between Daishowa and the Lubicons, the area being logged by Brewster includes at least part of Chief Ominayak's trapline. Apparently Daishowa doesn't consider the Chief's trapline to be a particularly sensitive Lubicon area. One can only wonder what Lubicon areas are considered particularly sensitive by Daishowa -- presumably areas which are either inaccessible or contain less desirable timber resources. Alberta Provincial Forestry Minister LeRoy Fjordbotten offered his view that destruction of logging equipment is "repugnant... (and that)...it's disgusting anyone would do that". Obviously Mr. Fjordbotten doesn't experience the same degree of distress over destruction of an entire aboriginal society and the environment upon which that aboriginal society depends. Perhaps he'd feel differently if it were his friends and neighbours being destroyed, or if the people being destroyed had the same colour skin. Gordon Buchanan of Buchanan Lumber then went public with his reactions to the raid, revealing his stupefying ignorance of the Government's so-called settlement offer (undoubtedly provided to him by self-serving Provincial Government officials), echoing charges made earlier by Brewster that it's the Provincial Government that's causing the confrontation by refusing to allow his company to log elsewhere, and by making some sensational charges about the conduct of the logging camp raiders which would have likely come out earlier if they were true. And lastly -- next to the newspaper article reporting Mr. Buchanan's edifying remarks on the logging camp raid -- was an apparently unrelated newspaper article on the struggle of the Peigan Indians in southern Alberta to prevent the flooding of sacred reserve lands by construction of a Provincial Government dam on the Oldman River. Taken together these two articles offer chilling insight into the plight of aboriginal people in Canada. Earlier this summer a group of Peigan Indians called the Lonefighters partially dredged out a ditch on reserve lands which if completed would have diverted the Oldman River around the new Provincial Government dam. The Lonefighters were stopped by the RCMP from completing the diversion ditch and a deal struck between the Provincial Government and Peigan Chief Leonard Bastien that no further efforts would be made by the RCMP to enter reserve lands until emotions cooled. On November 30th Provincial Government bulldozers guarded by scores of RCMP with attack dogs and fully automatic weapons entered reserve lands and began filling in the diversion ditch -- contrary to the Provincial Government agreement with Chief Bastien. The breaking of agreements with aboriginal people in Canada by Canadian Government is of course not new -- it's the rule. What's noteworthy about this particular event are the arrangements made by the RCMP PRIOR to moving in with the bulldozers. RCMP snipers in white camouflage suits had been hiding in the woods around the site of the diversion ditch for several days BEFORE their colleagues moved in with the bulldozers -- obviously hoping that the Peigan would respond to what was known in advance to be extreme provocation. Baiting, in the classical sense of using bait to attract one 's prey, is the word which comes most easily and readily to mind. Similarly the logging of unceded Lubicon lands by companies who say they are given no choice by the Province seems to be deliberately baiting the Lubicons, and RCMP snipers are now likely also hiding in the woods surrounding the Brewster and Buchanan logging camps. It's an image of Canada which thoughtful Canadians as well as others around the world might well ponder. Enclosed for your information are related media reports and other materials. ***************************************************************************** 15 Attachments to December 02, 1990, Lubicon Up-Date Mail-Out (only those not previously posted are included; those previously posted are noted and dated) * * * * * Attachment #1: November 24, 1990, transcript of CBC Television Broadcast (11:00 P.M.) (previously posted) ***************************************************************************** Attachment #2: November 26, 1990, Edmonton Journal article entitled "Logging Camp Torched in land-claim area" (previously posted) ***************************************************************************** Attachment #3: November 26, 1990, Edmonton Sun article entitled "Vandals hit loggers" (previously posted) ***************************************************************************** Attachment #4: November 26, 1990, transcript of CBC Radio News Broadcast (7:30 A.M.) (previously posted) ***************************************************************************** Attachment #5: November 26, 1990, transcript of CFRN Radio News Broadcast (8:00 A.M.) (previously posted) ***************************************************************************** Attachment #6: Transcript of CBC Radio News Broadcast (12:00 Noon) November 26, 1990 Krysia Jarmicka, CBC News A second logging company in northern Alberta is worried that its equipment may soon be destroyed. Over the weekend someone set fire to trucks and logging equipment that belongs to Buchanan Lumber Co. in High Prairie. The company has been logging on land claimed by the Lubicon Indians as their traditional hunting territory. Now Brewster Construction, which is working in the same area, says it's worried the same thing may happen to it. Byron Christopher, CBC News Flames lit up the northern sky Saturday night when someone torched logging equipment and a trailer. The stuff belonged to Buchanan Lumber. Buchanan was logging in a disputed area -- the Lubicons' traditional territory. It's disputed because two parties claim ownership -- the Alberta Government and the Lubicon Indians. The Government told logging companies they could clear- cut. The Indians have warned that anyone working in the area without their permission would be kicked out. It's not clear what Buchanan Lumber is going to do now. The head of the company, Gordon Buchanan, has not returned my phone call. Wood from the Lubicons' traditional territory is going to the new Daishowa pulp mill in Peace River. Buchanan Lumber isn't the only outfit in the disputed area. Brewster Construction, a subsidiary of Daishowa, has about 20 men and some heavy equipment there. A company official, Layman Brewster, says he's worried. His men are working there 24 hours a day. Brewster says he's running an extra shift and the guys are keeping a look-out. The RCMP say that no one has been charged. Byron Christopher, CBC News, Edmonton. ***************************************************************************** Attachment #7: Transcript of CBC TV Newsday Broadcast (6:00 P.M.) (previously posted) ***************************************************************************** Attachment #8: Transcript of ITV News Broadcast (10:00 P.M.) (previously posted) ***************************************************************************** Attachment #9: November 27, 1990, Edmonton Journal article entitled "Logging Ahead" (previously posted) ***************************************************************************** Attachment #10: November 27, 1990, Edmonton Journal article entitled "Logging to go on despite arson fire" (previously posted) ***************************************************************************** Attachment #11: November 29, 1990, Edmonton Journal article entitled "Lubicons warn companies against logging" (previously posted) ***************************************************************************** Attachment #12: November 30, 1990, Edmonton Journal editorial entitled "Averting an Alberta Oka" (previously posted) ***************************************************************************** Attachment #13: Transcript of CBC TV Newsday Broadcast (6:00 P.M.) Friday, November 30, 1990 Erin Carpenter, CBC Newsday Norcen Energy Resources announced today it's going to resume production at 18 oil wells located on land claimed by the Lubicon. The wells were shut down a year ago after the Band threatened to dismantle the equipment. The oil wells are owned jointly by Norcen and Petro Canada. The companies say they've lost almost eleven million dollars in revenue. The Lubicons say they plan to stop the oil company from entering Lubicon land anyway they can. ***************************************************************************** Attachment #14: December 02, 1990, Edmonton Journal article entitled "Logger with fire extinguisher scared vandals" (previously posted) ***************************************************************************** Attachment #15: December 02, 1990, Edmonton Journal article entitled "Heavily armed RCMP stand guard as Oldman diversion repaired)