Topic: Nisga'a information
I am a Nisga'a living in Terrace. I was asked to help from our Terrace membership to get some answers regarding our finances in Terrace approximately 2 years ago. I did not realize how serious and widespread the problem was. This is one of the recent correspondences regarding the problems we have had with the financial accountability of our Nisga'a Lisims government leaders. The Terrace financial fiasco is now in the hands of the auditors, RCMP, Prince George fraud squad, and possibly crown counsel. The latest fiasco was our botched elections.
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High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations
RE: The Constitution of the Nisga?a Nation or rather the blueprint of what laws the Nisga?a mafia had enshrined for complete control of their people and used as a great fiction play for all societies
It appears that we have no tangible rights under our Nisga?a Constitution and that there are no Canadian sources of assistance. It is detrimental that we get some help with the injustice that we are dealing with - Most important reason is that enough of our young people had committed suicide since self government (6) which does not include the numerous attempts that are being kept quiet. The two (2) letters included are an important window into our youth?s sense of despair and hopelessness ? which is a reflection of many of our general population?s sense of resignation to the belief ?we can?t do anything about what we are experiencing, hearing, and seeing.?
Approximately 2 years ago Nisga?a government wrote in the HaKaka?a that they are negotiating with the Canadian government for money to establish a Drug and Alcohol treatment center. It is absolutely appalling that our Nisga?a government has no money for something like that but there seems to be plenty of money for ?dummy? corporations so they could pay themselves even more than their astronomical governmental salaries and also pay friends and families. Personally, I do not think that it will make any difference - even if treatment centers are built behind every tree in the Nass Valley. You can live for so long with this kind of mismanagement, but when there is no hope of change as demonstrated in these 2 letters (not much change) I?m including from our young people then it does not matter how many treatment centers you build ? nothing will change. We have for show and tell ? our million dollar government building, million dollar health center (to provide an efficient route to die and to pronounce us legally dead), New police station, etc. etc. etc. Our medical is so bad that many people can?t get their glasses, dentures, as we have to pay up front as our medical money has been also mismanaged to where many businesses will not accept a Nisga?a Valley Health Contract to pay. Now we hear from January 2005 Nisga?as will have to pay for prescription medication as apparently there is no money to be had, but by a miracle money for Nisga?a Lisims Government were not mismanaged ? it still flows. Salaries possibly approved by the Canadian Government, not by the Nisga?a Nation are being honored without any problems of any short fall.
The negotiation for treatment are going so long, because that?s extra per diems, also I had the feeling that the major stumbling block is transfer payments for running the treatment center and to have left over to finance private accounts.
In the Winnipeg Free Press approximately April 14/00, Mr. Gosnell said: The legal wrangling with Ottawa that began in earnest 20 years ago has cost the Nisga?a about $50 million To this day I don?t believe any of our people has had the privilege that is reserved for a select few ? that is to view source documents of how exactly all this money was dispersed. With all due respect to those not involved; but, when was the Nisga?a Mafia established and how much did the Governments of Canada know as they had to foot the bills. That would explain the inaction of the Canadian government.
Our Nisga?a constitution ? we the Nisga?a people living outside of the reserve lands are being discriminated against by Nisga?a Lisims Government. (Page 10 District 1 ? 8) as you can see there was 33% of all Nisga?a living in the Nass Valley but as you can see they elected the majority of our government. In election of 2004 (which is still in dispute) New Aiyansh - 8 elected, Gitwinksihlkw - 6 elected, Lxgaltsap - 7 elected, Gingolx - 6 elected. Urban locals Prince Rupert - 2 elected, Terrace -2 elected, Vancouver - 2 elected.
I am asking you, the United Nations, for financial assistance or any legal assistance even before I receive any answer from any Canadian Government elected representatives because to this day no help has been promised. I am sending you the disc of documented correspondence seeking assistance with all levels of government including Nisga?a Lisims Government since May 2003 ? the disc also includes scanned responses. Only one of our elected politicians, Mr. Andy Burton, MP for Skeena (00-04) made a suggestion to contact Department of Northern and Indian Affairs. When we did we were told they could not do anything because we are (Nisga?a) self government.
These are some of the agencies who used our Nisga?a self government excuse for not being able to help us ? regarding the mismanagement of our monies in Terrace and the abuse of our people:
B.C. Ombudsman
B.C. Registry of Societies
Honorable Judge in Terrace
Elections Canada (December 2, 2004)
And definitely no help from Nisga?s Lisims Government
What was even more inconceivable was that Mr. Roger Harris elected Liberal for B.C. Government met with Mr. Charles McKay and Mr. Martin Adams, but did not give us the same courtesy.
All Nisga?as had voted for President, Chairperson, Secretary-Treasurer, Chairperson for the Council of Elders. Nass Valley 27 members elected for Government and urban locals 6 elected ? plus 4 that could have been elected from urban locals or Nass Valley. If we leave the 4 out for the moment then a population of 33% elected 82% of our Government; however, if 4 are added to the Nass Valley total 31 elected then 33% population has representation of 84%, 4 added to locals then 33% population has still 73% of Government representation. It almost appears that the ?old boys club? had decided when the constitution was drafted how many position was needed so all chiefs would have a position in Government. Which reminds me ? why do we not have one single lady chief ? are we that inferior? These are untaxed salaries of elected officers who ? who approved these? How many Canadian cities with 6000 people have 37 councillors and have salaries of approximately $1,850,000 and per diems (as per letter from Greenville) another $1,032,000 ? no wonder we can not afford medical and any thing else (copy of salaries for TNS attached) Since Nisga?a Lisims Government financial statements are inaccessible, I am basing their tax exempt salaries (benefits for NLG executives for self government) on Terrace executives which is listed in my letter in November 25, 2003 (page 9) email and no response from any Canadian Government.
Because we live off reserve we have to pay taxes and we for unknown reasons do not qualify for money for off reserve housing. I do not understand why we have Section 24 social and economic goals of the Nisga?a Nation. The Nisga?a Nation expects Nisga?a to pursue, amongst other goals ( c) that Nisga?a citizens have access to housing ? only in the Nass Valley and some people in Vancouver until it was deemed a mistake ? yet apparently they kept the houses in Vancouver. During the voting for the treaty ? all our votes wee supposedly counted. Now that monies are coming in ? only a select few from 33% are getting benefits
We are discriminated by section 26 which basically amounts to dictatorship.
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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE NISGA?A NATION
26. Representation of Nisga?a citizens in urban areas
(1) There is a Nisga?a Urban Local in each Nisga?a Urban Local Area.
(2) Subject to a Nisga?a law made under subsection 26(5), there are
Nisga?a Urban Local Areas in:
(a) Vancouber;
(b) Terrace;
(c) Prince Rupert/Port Edward; and
(d) any other Nisga?a Urban Local Area determined in accordance with Nisga?a law;
(3) The Nisga?a Nation recognizes that Nisga?a citizens ordinarily residing within each Nisga?a Urban Local Area have organized themselves in
Nisga?a Urban Locals to, among other things;
(a) provide liaison and contact between Nisga?a Government and citizens ordinarily residing within the Nisga?a Urban Local Area; and
(b) inform Nisga?a Government about the view of Nisga?a citizens within the Nisga?a Urban Local Area.
(4) Nisga?a citizens ordinarily residing within a Nisga?a Urban Local Area are entitled to elect at least one individual to serve as a representative from that Nisga?a Urban Local to Nisga?a Lisims Government.
5) Wilp Si?ayuuklh Nisga?a must make laws establishing;
(a) the number of representatives to Nisga?a Lisims Government to which each Nisga?a Urban Local is entitled;
(b) the boundaries of each Nisga?a Urban Local Area; and
(c) procedures to be followed before a Nisga?a Urban Local is established, changed or dissolved.
Section 36 because determined under section 26.
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE NISGA?A NATION
36. Nisga?a Lisims Government Executive
The Nisga?a Lisims Government Executive consists of:
(a) the President, the Chairperson, the Secretary-Treasurer, the Chairperson of the Council of Eleders, and any other Officer of Nisga?a Lisims Government;
(b) the Chief Councillor of each Nisga?a Village Government; and
(c) one representative from each Nisga?a Urban Local, as determined in accordance with a law made under section 26.
Obviously section 42 does not apply to us
42. Composition of Nisga?a Village Governments
(1) Each Nisga?a Village Government is composed of the following individuals:
(a) a Chief Councillor; and
(b) the number of Village Councillors determined in accordance with the following table:
Residents of the Valley Number of Councillors
-201 Less Than 4
201 to 400 Less Than 5
401 to 600 Less Than 6
601 to 800 7
Over 800 8
(2) The Chief Councillor and each Village Councillor of a Nisga?a Village Government must be elected by the Nisga?a citizens residing in the Nisga?a Governed by that Nisga?a Village Government.
(3) Only a Nisga?a citizen ordinarily residing in a Nisga?a Village may be nominated for election as Chief Councillor or Village Councillor of the Nisga?a Village Government of that Nisga?a Village.
(4) During their respective terms of office, the Chief Councillor and every Village Councillor of a Nisga?a Village Government must ordinarily reside in the Nisga?a Village governmed by that Nisga?a Village Government, and a person ceases to
Be the Chief Councillor or a Village Councillor if they cease to ordinarily reside in The Nisga?a Village.
(5) Each Nisga?a Village Government must elect one of its members, other than the Chief Councillor, to be the Deputy Chief Councillor;
(a) at its first sitting after a regular election; and
(b) thereafter if the position of Deputy Chief Councillor becomes vacant.
(6) When a vacancy occurs in the psotion of Chief Councillor of a Nisga?a Village Government, the Deputy Chief Councillor must act as Chief Councillor until a Person is elected to that position in accordance with Nisga?a law.
Constitution failed under section 14.
14. Access to information Nisga?a Lisims Government must make laws in respect of access to information
Held by Nisga?a Institutions.
Letter sent to Kincolith Government under freedom of information ? copy included - to this date ? no reply. I had requested information as I was interested in the particulars of the petition for removal ? ie. harassment of employee for denial of loan, negotiations on Red Bluff, etc.