VOICE OF NORTH AND

Tare

August 14, 1988 New:

WEST VANCOUVER

NEWS photo Nell Lucente

SQUAMISH Indian Band Chief Joe Mathias indicates an area included in the band’s current legal suit against the federal government. The band
decided to pursue legal action in order to resolve a long-standing dispute over 74 acres of land on the Capilano Indian Reserve at the north end of

' Lions Gate Bridye. The suit is one of several the band is contemplating pur:

FRUSTRATED OVER what

it sees as a failure of gov-

ernment process, the Squamish [ndian Band is suing the
federal government over the alleged theft of land from the
Capilano Indian Reserve in North Vancouver nearly 100

years ago.

Squamish Indian Band = Chief
Joe Mathias told reporters ata
press conference Friday morning
that the federal and provincial
governments ‘‘willingly conspired
against the Indian people’ in 1890
when they ‘stole’? 74 acres of In-
dian reserve land and gave it to
two white men known then as the

onteibuting Writer

Boullion Brothers for the Jogging
of virgin timber.

“We're alleging breach of trust,
fraud and conspiracy against the
government,’’ said Mathias.

Mathias said the Squamish Band
met three vears ago with then-
federal minister of Indian Affairs
David Crombie who promised to
give the band’s claim high priority.
Since then the band has received
no response from the government,
who Mathias charges hus ‘tburied”’
its claim.

He said the band had ‘no
choice’ but to launch court action
against. the government for the
return of the Jand, provided it is
done “without damage to third
parties.”’

“The (government) process has
failed miserably,’’ said Mathias.

, ‘

suing in the near future.

“The Tory government and its
bureaucrats are making a mockery
of the whole process. [tis lving to
the public and the Indian people
(when it says it is dealing with the
elaim).”"

Mathias said the claim invelves
tens of millions of dollars’ in
damages for the area beginning
from Marine Drive up Capilano
Road to near the Upper Levels
Highway and back down the east
bank of the Capilano River to
Marine Drive.

The area now consists tnainly of
residential und commercial
development.

Mathias said the band would ask
for another piece of Crown Jand of
equal value cither on the North
Shore or in the Squamish area,
plus compensation, if ifs original
request ‘damages third parties."

“We're not kicking anybody
out,”” he said.

The Squamish Indian Band
already controls about 440 aeres of
Capilano Reserve land in addition
to 41 acres of Mission reserve and
62 acres of Seymour Reserve land.

A court date for the proceedings
is not expected to be set for same
time.