Native American Press / Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 2004-05-21

              INDEX
NEWS AROUND INDIAN COUNTRY 2
NEWS BRIEFS 3
COMMENTARY/EDITORIALS 4
CLASSIFIEDS 7
Report of
sentencing of Red
Lake man wrong
page 4
Leech Lake member
endorse Chairman White
page 4
Strib's Oakes just
wants to make a buck
(and a half)
page 5
The big lie at
Leech Lake
page 4
Less than half
Red Lake voters
team shows up
for game
page 4
Red Lake Tribal Council surveys tribe about future
of the Red Lakes
VOICE      OF      THE      PEOPLE
By Bill Lawrence
The Red Lake Tribal Council, assisted by a research team
from Bemidji State University,
is seeking input concerning future harvest and management of
walleye fishing at Red Lake. A
cover letter dated 5/18/04 invites
all Band members over 18 years
of age to participate in decision
making regarding die future of
the Lakes.
A survey solicits members'
views "on how walleye and odier
fish populations should be harvested and managed at Red Lake
in 2006 and beyond. The survey
booklet contains 25 specific
questions and invites written
comments as well on die majority of the questions.
The Tribal Council offers prizes as an incentive for completing
and returning die survey. The
prizes will include a 32" television, DVD player, overnight
packages and gaming coupons
for die 7 Clans Gasino, and wild
rice products.
A unique numbering system
guarantees confidentiality by
identifying each survey vvidiout
using the respondent's name.
Questions deal with member
opinions regarding ideas for
economic development, for
example, which facilities to develop—retail sales, dock space,
boat ramp, resorts, museums,
casinos, etc.  The survey asks
whedier non-members should be
allowed to sport fish, when and
under what conditions. Further
questions ask if the number
of licenses should be limited,
whether diere should be limits
on die harvest, should fishing be
limited to walleye, where should
fisliing be allowed.
There is a series of other
questions deal widi commercial
fishing possibilities, asking if
the tribe should develop its own
set of regulations to manage
the lake, asking what methods
should be allowed (gill nets,
alternative life capture), what
percentage of commercial fishing should be permitted. One
question poses die possibility of
a lottery system which would
allow fewer fishermen to make
a living of fisliing as opposed to
an unlimited entry system where
everyone fisliing would make a
smaller sum.
The survey asks about members fisliing patterns, for example, how many times a year does
one hook-and-line fish, how
many times does an individual
ice-fish.
Most interesting, the booklet
asks respondents to indicate
what diey believe was die major
reason(s) for the walleye fishing
collapse. Participants are asked
to circle all of die following possibilities that apply: Over-harvest
by State anglers; Over-harvest
by commercial fishermen; Lack
of enforcement; Greed; Red
Lake Dam; Other.
The questionnaire also asks
who was responsible for suspending commercial fishing on
die lakes in 1997. Participants
are asked to circle all of die following answers that apply: Red
Lake Fisheries Association; Red
Lake DNR; Minnesota DNR;
Tribal Council; Odier.
The response to die above two
questions wdl be enlightening
and will give an indication of
what public opinion lias been regarding die why and who of die
collapse of fishing on Red Lake.
Stately vs.
Jourdain in
July Red Lake
run-off election
By Bill Lawrence
The Red Lake Election to
choose a new Tribal Chair and
five District Representatives
was held May 19,2004. The
election narrowed a field of
diirty five candidates to ten.
Little Rock Representative
Richard Barrett was the single
candidate to receive a majority
of his constituents' votes; he
therefore will not be required to
ran in the July election.
Roman (Ducker) Stately will
vie for die Chairmanship against
Floyd (Buck) Jourdain. Rose
1\ f. Barrett and Donald E. Desjarlait will compete for the Red
Lake District two year term.
Kevin F. Cook and Donald J.
(Dudie) May are contenders for
die Red Lake four year term.
In Ponemali die candidates
are Barbara M. Thomas and
Linda J. Martin . Allen D. Pemberton faces a challenge by Vernon D. Clark for the Redby seat.
Yes votes prevailed on both
referendum questions.
The results are unofficial
until die expiration of the challenge period and until die vote
count is certified bv the Tribal
Council. Only 2980 of die approximately 6600 eligible voters
participated in the election; diat
represents just slightly more
than 45% of the voter population. The full results of the
election are printed on page 3.
Leech Lake financials
By Diane E. White
CASS LAKE, MN-The
Leech Lake Bmid of Ojibwe's
financial statement has been a
topic of considerable discussion since Chairman Pete Wliite
mid Secretary-Treasurer Arthur
"Archie" LaRose executed Executive Orders directing financial managers to limit access to
financial data from the District
Representatives. Those Executive Orders were rescinded on
April 24 by Chairman Wliite in
an effort to placate the petitioners who are demanding he and
Wilson be censured.
On Tuesday, May 17, the
Tribal Court heard die case
Wilson v. LaRose involving a
dispute between LaRose and
District Representative Burton
"Luke" Wilson who requested
to have die financial data released to him. According to
Judge Margaret Treuer's first
court order, LaRose was allowed to provide Wilson a copy
or cotdd allow Wilson to review
die data in his presence. In die
first court hearing, bodi parties
represented themselves because
they were both on the Tribal
Council; however, in today's
court hearing, Tribal Attorney
Frank Bibeau argued for and
was allowed to provide legal
counsel to LaRose. Wilson is
the oidy committeeman fighting
to see the financial data, which
was abruptly halted after he
filed a Restraining Order against
LaRose for an altercation at the
first meeting he was allowed
to see financial data. Later this
week, Treuer ruled that LaRose  :
does not have to provide the
Committeeman with copies
of financial data, allowing the
Secretary-Treasurer to provide a
reasonable about of time for the
Committeeman to be observed
by him as diey review requested
financial data.
This will have an effect
throughout the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, "All expenditures
of Reservations funds under
the control of the Reservation
Business Committees shall be
in accordance with a budget,
duly approved by resolution in
legal session, and the amounts
so expended shall be a matter of
public record at all reasonable
times." (MCT Constitution).
On Monday, May 17, Wilson
received a Restraining ()rder
from Cass Comity Court Judge
John Smith after LaRose did not
show for court. Bodi court orders have not been received by
the PRESS/ON as of press time.
In response to an earlier
memo from Wilson requesting
financial data, Executive Director Gerald White responded
(memo dated April 8, 2004 to
Wilson) that Wilson's financial
analysis was "inaccurate and
misleading." Wilson questioned
the total amount of debt, including Si394,000 borrowed from
the employee medical healdi
insurance in fiscal year 2003.
White responded "This was
already included in the 2003
audit and should not be added to
your most recent analysis. You
FINANCE to page 3
Political courts, political oaths, and political oops
By Miss Mindy Jones-Ruby
The widely held belief of the
majority of MCT Members that
the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe
is run by the Executive Director
and the purported MCT Attorneys has once again been proven
true at least on the Leech Lake
Reservation,
Although both die Chairman
and Secretary Treasurers of die-
six members reservations of the
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe are
alleged to occupy a seat on a
Committee that has governing
authority over the entire membership of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe in the end as always
die attorneys make the decisions
and the TEC appears to rubber-
stamp the schizophrenic decisions which result in interpretations and official rulings (hat
ensure chaos continues, on each
of the six reservations.
What is a Constimtional Violation? Any agenda item turned
into an action item that does not
follow die procedures oudined
in the governing document.
Contrary to die TEC published
belief diat die dismal financial
situation that has been created
on die Leech Lake Reservation
during die last year and half is
strictly an internal matter is incorrect.
The Minnesota Chippewa
Tribe Charter was created to
ensure diat the Federal Government of the United States of
America would have an official
entity to make the yearly annuities payments to. Thus the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe was created by the Federal Gov eminent
to handle the financial matters
for the Chippewa people of
Mnnesota, for the TEC to now
say it has no authority concern
ing the financial crisis created
on the Leech Lake Reservation during die last 18 mondis
indicates that die TEC does not
know its own creation story.
The MCT Revised Constitution and By-laws clearly
instructs how business must
be conducted, in order for that
business to be considered legal and binding. When a RBC
conducts business not specifically outlined in its governing
documents it is illegal, thus a
violation of the governing constitution.
On April 22,2004 during the
MCT Legislative Sub-Committee Meeting held at Wliite
Earth's Shooting Star Casino
the infamous Tribal Executive
Committee was handed a file
containing hundreds of pages of
documents which outlined over
1500 constimtional violations
put into place by Leech Lake's
current Chairman and Secretary-Treasurer.
However in die opinion of
Tribal Attorney Mark Anderson
these 1500 constimtional violations are "internal Leech Lake
matters" which somehow in the
TEC opinion makes die violations invalid.
The phrase "Internal tribal
matters" has always been the
wording of choice to silence
anyone who has the audacity
to expect that the MCT/TEC
follow die Constiuition and
Bylaws of die Minnesota Chippewa Tribe to its reading, thus
allowing illegalities to re-surface again and again.
The file contained a 28-paged
tape transcript of the February
21, 2004 meeting between the
full LLRBC and the National
Indian Gaming Commission
Field Investigator John Gerber.
This transcript clearly shows
the intention of the NIGC is to
not enforce federal regulations
but instead teach the Leech
Lake RBC how to cover-up
their illegal activities that have
taken place. It appears that the
NIGC's only focus is in the protection of Indian Gaming in the
State of Minnesota.
The NIGC also uses die tenn
the "tribal politics" as a means
to overlook the illegal activities
of the LLRBC. Gerber focused
his attention on how the RBC
members may continue to receive concert tickets, jackets,
and other items free as long as
the some other reservation program is directed to pay for these
items.
As for the $6,784.00 2003
Moon Dance Jam weekend long
party of Chairman Wliite and
Secretary-Treasurer LaRose
the use of the word "COMP"
appeared to be the oidy point
of contention. Once Chairman
Wliite ordered a check issued
from the government side of
Leech Lake in die amount
of $6,784.00 to the Northern
Lights Hotel, and instructions
to die Hotel staff to remove the
word "COMP" from die bill the
matter as far as die NIGC was
concerning the irregularities
which appeared by the use of
the word "COMP" was taken
care of.
Never mind that those dollars were siphoned from the
funds of a federal poverty-
program meant to service the
poorer members of the Leech
Lake Reservation. What appears most important was that
COURTS to page 3
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American
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Founded in 1988
Volume 16 Issue 48
May 21, 2004
(AP Photo/The Saginaw News, Melanie Maxwell)
A Potawatomi beaded shirt, along with various other Native American regalia, is part of the Caleb
E. Calkins Collection at the Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabe Culture and Lifeways in Mount Pleasant,
Mich., May 6, 2004. The center, which is scheduled to open Saturday, May 22, 2004, represents the
first opportunity for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe to tell its story in its own words, says Director
Bonnie Ekdahl.
Governor Granholm, Michigan Tribes sign water
accord: Tribes, state pledge to protect Great Lakes
By Jean Pagano
Reporting from Detroit
Governor Jennifer Granholm and tribal leaders from
the 12 federally recognized
Indian tribes in Michigan
signed an accord pledging
dieir support and cooperation
in preserving mid protecting
Michigan's ecosystems. The
accord, signed late last week,
presents a unique opportunity
for Native peoples and die
government of Michigan to
work togedier to preserve, restore, and enhance die Great
Lakes ecosystem. The State
of Michigan is surrounded
by 4 of die 5 Great Lakes:
Michigan, Superior, Huron,
and Erie.
Governor Granholm staled
"Native Americans are die
suite's original environmentalists, and collectively,
diey have an unparalleled
appreciation for our natural
resources." Representatives of tribal leaders mid die
Governor's office will meet
twice a year to evaluate and
review issues relating to water quantity and quality and to
devise strategies for protecting diis valuable resource.
The evaluation process is
expected to produce legislative recommendations on the
tribal, federal, and state level.
.Additionally, die meetings
will provide opportunities for die
state and tribes to work togedier
in enforcing water protection
laws.
Tribes involved in the accord
include: Bay Mills Indian Community, Grand Traverse Band of
Ottawa and Chippewa Indians,
Hannaliville Indian Community,
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Lac Vieux Desert Band
of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Litde River Band of Ottawa
Indians, Litde Traverse Band of
Odawa Indians, Match-E-Be-
Nash-She-Wish Bmid of Potawatomi Indians, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians,
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi
Indians, Saginaw Chippewa Indimi Tribe of Michigan, and Sault
Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa
Indians.
In an accord signed in late
2002, the Governor of Michigan
mid the heads of die 12 federally
recognized tribes were to meet
annually. After her appointment
to Governor, Granholm agreed to
uphold diis accord. The Executive Directive 2004-5, signed last
week by Granholm, recognizes
mid affirms die sovereign status
of federally recognized tribes
in die state of Michigan. It also
acknowledges diat die tribes
possess die authority to exercise
jurisdiction over dieir respective tribal lands mid citizens, mid
diat die tribes have the right of
self-governance and self-determi-
nation. The Executive Directive
reaffirms Michigan's govern-
ment-to-gov eminent relationship
widi the 12 federally recognized
tribes within Michigan's borders.
Executive Directive 2004-5
also designates die Governor's
Deputy Legal Counsel for Tribal-
Stale Affairs to monitor and
implement the 2002 gov enunent-
to-govemment accord widi die
tribes. Hie Deputy Legal Counsel
will organize die annual meeting/
summit between die Governor
and die tribal chairs. The Directive also dictates that the State
will consult widi die tribes, upon
written request from diem, when
proposing legislation, promulgating regulations, mid formulating
policies diat have uibal implications. This consultation may
include but is not limited lo: a) die
need for the legislation, regulation, or policy; b) alternatives dial
would limit the scope of die legislation, regulation, or policy; mid
c) die feasibility of achieve die
same ends using regulations diat
already exist widiin die tribes.
The directive attempts to keep
tribes abreast of any issue dial
arises on die state level diat may
have implications lo tile tribes. In
die event that tribes are affected,
die state will attempt to communicate widi mid advise die tribes
to further die spirit of die govem-
ment-to-govenunent accord.
Polar indicted
by grand jury
Gary Alan Polar, 28,
from die Red Lake Indimi
Reservation was indicted on
May 19 by a federal grand
jury for possessing widi the
intent to distribute, 93 grams
of crack cocaine.
According to a criminal
complaint filed in the case
on April 2,2004, Red Lake
Police stopped a vehicle diat
was being driven by Polar.
Polar was arrested for driving on a revoked license.
During a subsequent search
of the vehicle, officers found
duee one gram rocks of
crack cocaine and a .25 caliber handgun wrapped in a
hooded sweatshirt In addition, die police recovered a
shoe box located in die rear
of die vehicle. The shoe box
was found to contain marijuana mid 93 grams of crack
POLAR to page 3
Legislature readies third attempt
at oversight of compacts
By Jenny Price
Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. - Spurred
by a state Supreme Court decision, "Republican lawmakers are
seeking for a diird lime to pass a
bill giving the Legislature final
say over gaming compacts die
governor signs widi Wisconsin's
American Indimi tribes.
The Legislature's Joint Finance Committee endorsed the
bill 11-1 Wednesday. The state
Assembly mid Senate were expected to vote on die measure
later in die day.
The bill is die latest volley in
an ongoing fight between Republicans mid Democratic Gov.
Jim Doyle over the compacts.
Lawmakers have twice passed
bills to give diem oversight of
the compacts in 2003, but Doyle
vetoed diem both.
Last week, die slate Supreme
Court nullified key components
of die state's gaming compact
widi die Forest Comity Potawatomi in its ruling on a lawsuit
brought by Gard and Senate
N lajoritv Leader Mary Panzer,
R-WestBend.
The court said Doyle overstepped his authority by agreeing
to let the Potawatomi mid nine
other tribes offer Las Vegas-
style games such as craps and
roulette at their casinos. The new
compacts also had no expiration
dates, unlike past compacts diat
needed renewal. The first round
of compacts rmi for seven years
and die next for five.
The bill before die Legislature
Wednesday would require the
governor to submit any proposed
compact to die Joint Coimnittee on Legislative Organization.
The committee would draft die
proposed compact as a bill to go
before the full Legislature for a
COMPACTS to page 6