land § hich they believed ‘Had been registered to
the'Gonzales family name with the Department
f Indian Affairs (INIA), no longer was.

Instead, one lot was now registered to the
§ quamish ‘Nation, other lots seemed to have dis-
appeared after boundaries were redrawn and
there was now a road where there had previous-
ly been family land. Even more disturbing —
according to DIA records —~ che family did nor
have any Certificates of Possession (CPs) for their
land. On the Sguamish reserves, band members
are allocated Cis that are similar to fee simple
property titles.

“This is what happens when there are no laws
or regulations,” said Gonzales’ present husband,
Frank Baker. “It’s rouble, trouble, trouble.” —

But the real trouble, worries Gonzales and
Baker, may have only begun, In May, the House
of Commons passed Bill C-49, a bill designed to
provide 14 of Canada’s first nations, including
the Squamish Nation, with “authority to manage
their lands at the community level and to pass

controlled study.
* Reimbursement for gua ied

REQUIREMENTS:

tion

laws for development.”

“The bill gives the band total control of

reserve residential properties,” said Baker.
Properties without tide can be used tor whatever
the band council deems important. And under
clause 28 of the bill, the band has the right to
expropriate land that. “in the opinion of ie coun-
cil, is necessary for conununity works or other
first nation purposes.

Most band members, it seems, don’t have a
CP. In 1988, the Squamish Nation Council
passed a motion that members would have to go
through the council ottice to register their land,
rather than direetly with DIA,

“When you try to get a CP, you're told “None
are forthcowing.’ You just can’t get one,” said
Phili¢ Findlay, 2 2 Capilano Reserve resident.

He said many band members are terrified of
losing their family homes, and that most of them
knew nothing about Bill-C49 — even though ir
May, Chief Joe Mathias assured a standing
Senate committee in Ottawa that he would
return home and have an open discussion with

“band members about the ‘bill, The next four

875-5555.
~ EXT. 63712

scheduled general meetings were cancetied.

“That's what's got us really PO'd,” said
Findlay. “He went there representing as, ang said
he would have discussions with as about it ... and
then ail the meetings get cancelled until the dust
settles and Bill C-49 was law.”

Bill C-49 and the mystery surrounding land
title is jus¢ part of the problem. A petition signed
by 84 band members alieging that sume mem-
bers of council are guilty of financial mismanage-
ment, fraud and corruption is currently being,
reviewed by the Department of Indian Affirs.

No members of the Squamish Nation
Council could be reached to press time.

trimmines out f

(up to. the final day of No ernk

iiawa

NV gets their man

From page 1

Ontario while a North Vancouver RCMP
sergeant went to pick him up. The sergeant is
new to the detachment and did not work with
Simpson. Simpson was expected te be in jail at
his former workplace on Friday.

North Vancouver RCMP Const. Heidi
Hoffman said in an carlier News story that the
Simpson allegations and his court non-appear-
ance has been an embarrassment to the detach-
ment. She said the allegations have been detri-
mental to the Iecal Mounties’ school fiaison
program. Si:npson is a 12-year RCMP veteran
who worked on patrol in North Vancouver for
four years.

tei

the North ‘Shore Recycling ‘Drop- ff Déhot yea F-roun Gs

‘moriey ordér ONLY please - we cannot acce
‘credit cards). Call the Depot at981.3424 for.operating: