Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice has quietly defused the most likely hot spot of aboriginal protest this summer, adding 75 acres of new reserve land to the Manitoba community that threatened rail blockades and economic havoc.
Chief Terry Nelson of the Roseau River First Nation said his community decided Tuesday evening to call off the planned blockade of a CN rail line, specifically because of the minister's decision.
The land is about 20 minutes northwest of downtown Winnipeg and Mr. Nelson said there will likely be a gas station, cigarette shop and video-lottery terminals in place by fall. Most of the land is currently used for farming, but the community intends to develop at least 10 acres of the property.
Longer-term plans, for what Chief Nelson describes as an urban reserve, include office space, a hotel and conference centre and a car dealership.
"We're saying to Jim Prentice: You've done the right thing, we commend you for doing that, and we will not block the rail line," said Chief Nelson.
For Mr. Prentice, the move is just the latest in a string of announcements that have addressed some of the most pressing grievances of aboriginals.
Earlier this month, the government pledged $250-million a year to resolve specific land claims and $125-million was offered to end the volatile standoff in Caledonia.
The minister has involved himself personally in the land-claims file, crossing the country for a host of face-to-face meetings with native leaders that led to these and other land-claims announcements. Many native leaders say the minister's plan for an independent land-claims commission has been generally well received in their communities and most chiefs predict a planned June 29 "day of action" will be largely peaceful.
Given the level of frustration expressed by natives just a month ago, as talk of blockades heated up, it will be a major accomplishment for the minister, should the following weeks pass without major conflict. Amid the recent praise for the minister's handling of the land-claims file, however, some say Mr. Prentice is taking a risk.
In negotiating offers for two of the most aggressive native communities - Roseau River and Caledonia - some are questioning the message being sent to the more than 600 other reserves in the country.
"The perception out there can be that the louder you are, the more vocal you are, the opportunities are there for Minister Prentice and perhaps other departments to deal on the side so they can redirect some of that protest," said Chief Charlie Weasel Head, who represents the Treaty 7 First Nations Chiefs Association. "A lot of us still want to negotiate, to sit with the government and iron out the big issues."
Liberal MP Anita Neville said Mr. Prentice seems to be making last-minute deals to avoid major protests.
"There are many, many other first nations out there who are not threatening blockades, who are not threatening disobedience, and I hope Mr. Prentice will give them the same attention that he gave Terry Nelson," she said.
In an interview yesterday, Mr. Prentice said he's been focused on land-claims issues since the Tories formed government, but a lot of that behind-the-scenes work is just starting to bear fruit.
He noted that Roseau River had a 1996 agreement with Ottawa that it could purchase land and convert it to reserve status, but the three previous Liberal Indian Affairs ministers held up the process.
The minister said his background in negotiating land claims before entering politics made it a natural that he would focus his efforts in this area. The minister said he's worked on land claims across the country, not just those that have attracted attention through threats and confrontations.
"It's not only Terry Nelson's situation that I've been personally involved in," he said