BY DRUM STAFF

The leaders of Manitoba's three major Aboriginal political organizations travelled to Ottawa to launch a concerted lobbying effort against Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault's proposed governance legislation.

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Dennis White Bird, Southern Chiefs Organization Grand Chief Margaret Swan and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Francis Flett made the trip in late-March to meet with various cabinet and party caucus members to relay their views and concerns about the governance process.

Among the people the delegation met with were Liberal MPs John Harvard, Rick Laliberte and Larry Bagnell, as well as the NDP Caucus.

"The MPs clearly understood our concerns that this process responds to the Minister's interests and not to first nations needs and aspirations," said White Bird. "They agreed that any process of this nature should be first nations driven in order to ensure that our concerns and interests are at the forefront of any initiative."

Swan also presented a petition against the legislation, which has so far amassed close to 1,000 signatures from Southern Manitoba first nations' citizens. The petition was later presented in the House of Commons by NDP Aboriginal Affairs Critic Pat Martin.

In the coming weeks, lobbying efforts will also be made to churches, labour groups, political parties and other interest groups.

The trip was borne out of the recommendations from "The Protection of Treaty and Inherent Rights Gathering", held in Winnipeg earlier in March; one specific stategy was to intensify lobbying efforts against Nault's initiative, as well as to form a National Political Action Committee.

In a recent joint press release from the three Manitoba political organizations, the chiefs said they viewed Nault's initiative as another of "Canada's latest attempts to erode first nations' inherent and treaty rights."