SAULT TRIBE FACTS - If it is not a fact it must be fiction................................

We are looking for input on the current problems Tribal Hunters and Fishers are currently experiencing with our Tribe and the Federal Govt. Fell free to post anonymously if you feel in fear of retribution. Yes retribution still exists.

Mon., April 3, 2006

The 5 Tribes in the 1836 Treaty - the Sault, Bay Mills, Little River, Little Traverse & Grand Traverse - are in settlement talks with the State of Michigan at this time, with hopes of negotiating a settlement and avoid going to court to fight for our rights under our treaty.

Well, after 9 months of talks and an extension of the January court date, the talks continue, with one Tribe no longer present because of disgust with what the state wants the Tribes to give up.

This agreement, if agreed upon, is FOREVER, and what ever is given up our people will LOSE FOREVER!!

Our people at these talks cannot speak openly as there is a gag order placed on what is going on.

Our Inland Committee is opposed to further talks and they are asking our people to call all of our leaders, including the Chairman and Board members, and tell them "DO NOT GIVE UP OUR TREATY RIGHTS AND LET US FIGHT TO KEEP OUR RIGHTS FOREVER!!"

We, the Tribal Members, are the Tribe, and We, the Members, should decide by a referendum / a vote of our People if they want to give up our Treaty rights forever or FIGHT FOR OUR TREATY RIGHTS AND KEEP THEM FOREVER!!

Concerned Tribal Member
Miigwetch

PLEASE CALL OUR LEADERS NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

Visit the Saulttribefacts for a list of email addresses. Continue to advocate our rights by making your voice heard.

Dear Niigii,

Tell the State that the 1836 Treaty was FOREVER! We don't need a new agreement!

Who gave the Tribes authority to hold secret meetings with the State of Michigan regarding memberships Federal Treaty Rights? No wonder there is a gag order. All those Tribal representatives that are involved in this will be removed! LOOK OUT FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!!!!

The membership should be kept in the loop on our fishing and hunting rights. Is there a gag order on this issue? Who ordered that and why? PAYMENT? This closed door crap has to stop!

Razor!

This reminds me of Tecumseh when certain groups of Indian chiefs were signing the Greenville Treaty (like the Sault Tribe for example), which sold 3 million acres of Shawnee land in Indiana. He said, "No one has the right to sell Indian land.......I will find out who these chiefs are and slit their throats from ear to ear." It is the same for our Treaty Rights. Our leaders better be careful what they are doing.

Leave the 1836 Treaty alone...Our ancestors brought the Creator into their decisions and made that Treaty for our People forever.

I agree. Our parents, grandparents and generations past have all faught for our rights. We as a people must continue to do so. No more closed meetings! The public needs to be made aware of what is going!

The State Of MI never recognized Our Tribal Rights, that is why the meetings are being held, to force them to acknowledge Our treaty. Going to court will asuredly cement those rights. Then would be the time to have meetings with the State, when we have our rightful recognition, and the advantage. Not now when the State thinks they have the edge, and will try to manipulate us with intimidation and threats. Let us go to court and then deal with the State. It is the right way.

Dear Fellow Tribal Members;
I have something very important to tell you....On Tuesday, 5-16-06, at the Board of Directors (BOD) meeting in Manistique, the following occured: there was a resolution in hand by the Chairman to allow the three (3) negotiators to finalize the talks with the State of Michigan on our INLAND HUNTING, FISHING AND GATHERING RIGHTS of our 1836 Treaty. (The 3 are Chairman Aaron Payment, and Council members Fred Paquin and Vic Matson.)
The Agreement in Principle (AIP), 72 pages in length, was presented to our BOD just two hours prior to this.
Although our Board has had some updates as to how the talks with the State were progressing, this is the first time that the complete AIP had been presented to the Board. All they have been hearing is that the talks were progressing well.
OK, the Board finally has the AIP in front of them for them to look at and see what is in this agreement, but remember they had just gotten this agreement two hours prior, and there is no way one could possibly cover this much material and its great impact on our People in this time frame. But the Chairman was very adament that he needed a decision to finalize or go to court, NOW, as time was running out and the talks with the State were about done.
There was another resolution presented by Denise Chase of Unit 4 stating that before the Board could approve the AIP with the State, it (the AIP) had to be reviewed by the entire BOD, lawyers, and sub-committee members first. There were some other issues also to be reviewed on the resolution (members in attendance did not get copies) but the main point was that the BOD had to review the AIP before they could approve it.
Todd Gravelle, council Unit 1, supported this resolutiuon and it went to a vote of the BOD and passed 6 to 4, which was a small victory for our People. Now the AIP with the State of Michigan was going to be reviewed by our governing body, the BOD.
This outcome was not taken well by our Chairman, Aaron Payment, nor councils Fred Paquin and Vic Matson, the negotiators for our Tribe with the State of Michigan; they wanted things their way.
Council Fred Paquin openly suggested that the Tribe take monies from a building that the Tribe is selling, which monies from this sale were earmarked for the Escanaba Seniors building, and put this money towards the $3 million dollars the Chairman says it is going to cost us to fight for our rights in court (is this how it is Fred, you will strike out at our people when you don't get your way?).
This all was in open meeting forum thanks to Council member, Unit 1, Todd Gravelles' insistance that it not be in closed session as it had been planned for.
Well, the meeting's over and yes, we were feeling better because our cries that this deal with the State is not good had finally seemed to be heard, and now the Board is going to review it before giving up our rights. And yes, the Board was thanked for this vote for our people.
Wednsday, the next morning; things can change quickly sometimes, can't they? It is brought to our attention that the Board reconvened after the Tuesday night meeting in closed session and reversed the decision they had made just minutes before in open meeting forum.
To say this is a setback is an understatement, as now the Board has said that the negotiating team of Chairman Aaron Payment, and Councils Fred Paquin and Vic Matson have the authority to finalize the agreement with the State of Michigan.
That is to say that the Board does not have to review the AIP with the State prior to settlement. The Board is saying everything the negotiating team of Payment, Paquin and Matson is telling them is good enough and they don't have to protect the rights of our People.

We,the Inland Committee consisting of Tribal members Billy Perry (myself) and Henry Grondin, have voiced our concerns and beliefs that this agreement is not good for our People and we have lobbied to get the AIP with the State to our BOD on a regular schedule, throughout the talks,so they could keep up and know what was going on with our Treaty Rights. There was great resistance by our Chairman Aaron Payment, Council Fred Paquin, and our hired lawyer for the Inland Rights talks Bruce Green, as they said our Board could not have this as it was confidential, and if they asked questions they could stop the deal.
Council Todd Gravelle, Unit 1, proposed at the Tuesday meeting that the issue of this AIP go to the People of our Tribe in a referendum vote.
The Inland Committee also believes this should go to our Tribal members for a referndum vote.
THIS DEAL IS FOREVER!!!! and our People should decide what's good for them forever. Our ancestors gave up 13.9 million acres to the US Government in 1836, yet they retained their hunting, fishing, and gathering rights forever on these lands. We need to protect these rights and pass them on to our young and they to their young forever.
For many years our Elders told us that some day we will be strong again, and we will be able to fight for our Treaty Rights that the State has denied our People. Now we are stronger than we have ever been in our time. Let us fight for our Treaty Rights and retain our Sovereignty.
The Inland Committee believes that the Tribe should have a safe, allowable harvest of the resourses and be self-regulated by our Tribe to protect our resourses.
There are 2 ways we can lose our rights;
1. Give them away; or
2. Abuse the resourse & have them
taken away.
We will do neither, but protect our Rights and Resourses forever.
If this deal is as good as our Chairman Payment, and Councils Paquin and Matson say it is, why fo they keep it from our People?
Why do they hide in closed sessions and undo what they do in open meetings with our people?
The Grand Traverse Tribe has decided this deal is no good and has chosen to go to court and fight for their Treaty Rights & Sovereignty.
Please call our Chairman and Council Mambers and tell them to not give in, to let us fight to keep our honor and our rights, to let our Tribal Members voices be heard...to let us vote on this important issue concerning our Tribal Rights.
Our Ancestors gave up 13.9 million acres of our land but protected the hunting, fishing and gathering rights for our People forever.
WE NEED NOT GIVE UP ANY MORE.
SAY NO...LET US VOTE!! LET US FIGHT!!!
God Bless you all and the Sault Tribe.
Miigwetch
Billy Perry
IT'S TIME TO STAND UP

Petition for a referendum. Email me at saulttribefacts@yahoo.com ASAP I can help you.

Petition for a referendum. Email me at saulttribefacts@yahoo.com ASAP I can help you.

At the June 6th Board of Directors (BOD) meeting in Escanaba the following was presented to the BOD by the Inland Committee;
SUBJECT---Inland Hunting, Fishing & Gathering Settlement talks with the State of MI.
Our latest Tribal paper, June 1st, had an article stating the Tribes' position---that the MEMBERSHIPS' DESIRES of how to exercise & preserve our Treaty Rights would be upheld.
Our Chairman says the opportunity of a referendum vote by our People is possible if our Board can figure out a way to undo the confidentiality clause and let our People see the 90 page agreement in principle (AIP).
THE INLAND COMMITTEE ASKS THE BOARD TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN!!
DO NOT DIVIDE OUR PEOPLE; UNITE OUR PEOPLE!!
The Inland Committee opposes this AIP as we feel this agreement is not in the best interest of our People and is a violation of their desires to self regulate & have a safe and allowable harvest under conservation standards administered BY OUR OWN NATURAL RESOURSES DEPARTMENT.
But it IS NOT WRONG that we disagree.
But it IS WRONG to not let our People know what is in this AIP of 90 pages with the State of MI and let them vote on it, because it is forever, and what we give up now we will never, ever recover, and we must keep our sovereignty!
We ask the Board and our Chairman to do our People RIGHT!! and let the people decide!
Megwetch!
Inland Hunting, Fishing & Gathering Committee,
Billy Perry, Charles Matson, Henry Grondin

In the 1836 treaty, our Ancestors ceded 13.7 million acres of land to the United States, and in return retained the right to hunt, fish and gather on these lands forever, or until these lands were needed for settlement (Article 13 in our Treaty).
This is the point the state of Michigan is saying; in their judgement, that all the lands are settled and therefore the Tribes have lost their rights. THIS IS THE WHOLE POINT OF THE TRIAL!!!
Do we have the right? What do you think? Are all of these lands settled?
NO, there are vast amounts of Federal & State lands that are not settled and there are large tracts of forest land in the CFA Program (Heartland, Plum Creek, and others)that are open to the public that we believe we will win, because the Tribes to our west have already settled their Treaties and they can exercise their rights on these lands.
Private lands we concede; you need permission. We do not argue this.
This Agreement in Principle (AIP)with the State of Michigan will define the extent of out rights. It has stipulations, limitations, and restrictions, and violates our sovereignty.
It diminishes and compromises our superior rights to govern and regulate ourselves that we were granted in our Treaty by the U.S. Govt. in 1836.
I ask our council to listen to our people; the spirits of our ancestors are with us, and they want us to fight. The gag order and confidentiality of these talks is wrong!
The talks with the State started in July 2005, over a year ago, and our people have not been allowed to know anything about what is going on in the negotiations / settlement talks with the state. Now the talks are over and the majority of our council have given our chairman Aaron Payment and Council Fred Paquin, the negotiators for our Tribe, the authority to finalize the deal with the State. Their beliefs are that this is a good deal for our People and that this is what our People want! We, the Inland Committee, STRONGLY OPPOSE this so called "good deal"!
OUR TREATY RIGHTS SHOULD NEVER BE DIMINISHED OR COMPROMISED! It would be disrespectful to our Ancestors and our People. It would be like taking our hearts and souls and throwing them to the ground. Our Treaty Rights are our Treasure, and we must protect them as we do our children, and pass these rights on forever to our People.
We only want a safe, allowable harvest of the resourse under conservation standards, and regulate ourselves, and co-manage with the State of Michigan.
But the State says NO, they are the managers of the resourse and we must accept these restrictions in this deal.
We, the Inland Committee, will tell you, our People, right out, this deal has too many giveaways and nothing in return, and we believe giving up our sovereignty and our right to regulate and co-manage with the state is simply wrong.
But we, the Inland Committe, believes all of our People should have the right to read this entire 80 page deal (AIP) as we have and make up your own minds on how good you believe this deal is. Then you can vote on it. This will show our council and chairman how you feel about giving up your rights:
You vote to accept the deal with the state, OR you vote NOT to accept this deal with the state.
And if our People vote not to accept this deal with the state, we will go to Federal Court and fight the State of Michigan on the fact....Do we have the right to hunt, fish and gather? Or is the land all settled as the State of Michigan would have you believe?
The Federal Govt. is behind us and is standing with us in this court case if it happens. The Federal attorneys assigned to us have been great and will be a tremendous advantage in court as our treaty is with the U.S. and they must protect us and our Treaty under the laws of the Treaty of 1836.
The Federal attorneys have not been a part of the settlement talks with the state and the Tribes (only as observers) in the pre-settlement talks.
If this deal is so good, why doesn't our chairman & council show it to our People? Our chairman & council say they know what our People want, but they don't listen to our People when we talk.
The results of the Inland Hunting, Fishing and Gathering Survey that our Tribe passed out to our members last fall have not been released. Though this survey has some problems in how the questions were asked, it showed strong points of interest by our People.
This agreement with the State of Michigan violates some of the issues that our members showed strong feelings for in the survey.
The Inland Committee has been fighting, along with others in our Tribal Community, to get this issue to the People for a vote. But we have been beaten back at every attempt.
We feel that protecting our Treaty Right is by far the most important matter that has come in our time.
Our People have to stand up with us, or we will lose.
We, our People, need you to call our Chairman and the following council members NOW!!! as these are the ones that say this is a good deal and will not let our People see the entire deal and vote on it:

Chairman Payment 1-888-942-2766

and council memebers:
Unit 1;
Cathy Abramson 635-3054
Joe Eitrem 633-8567
DJ Hoffman 1-866-598-5804
Dennis McKelvie 632-7267
Unit 2;
Lana Causley 484-2954
Bob Lapoint 493-5311
Unit 3;
Keith Massaway 643-6981
Fred Paquin 643-8878
Unit 4;
Tom Miller 644-3334

Call them all!! Tell your family and Tribal friends & community!
The Grand Traverse Tribe has decided to go to court & protect their Treaty Rights.
If our People are given the right to vote, and decide to give up our rights, we will walk with you! You are our People.
Megwetch and God Bless you all.
Billy Perry, Henry Grondin, Charles Matson, Inland Committee

I STRONGLY believe we should start HAMMERING the Tribal Board of Directors on the Hunting, Fishing and Gathering Rights! It is a signature away from stripping thousands of Anishinabek from some of these rights. These rights have been in place since the 1836 Treaty and are about to change FOREVER! It is time to stand together and stop this from taking place. Who on the Tribal Board of Directors is going to be the one that seals their political career with their signature? This is a very serious situation and should be taken to those who negotiated this bullshit with the STATE!

Just my opinion!

With all respect to my Uncle Ken McCoy, I know he would be standing in front to protect these rights and not give in an inch. He cherished hunting and fishing in the Anishinabek way, spearing at night, setting nets, sharing his catch with all family and those in need and taught his children, nephews and nieces how to be successful in the hunt for deer. Miigwetch to my Uncle Ken, as he left me a part of his spirit in a traditional way that I will always know.

Jack Biron

Board members and the chairman preach about the retention of our sovereignty, and how important it is that we not allow a breakdown, with union protection for our workers. Where in the hell are these people when the real traditional value of Gathering Rights are about to be altered and eventualy taken away?
Spend millions on personal revenge issues with no resolve and millions on a casino that benefits the city of Detroit and inhances those communities. The recognized districts continuously are threatened with cut back in programs and layoffs if we spend a few million to fight for sovereignty.
To bad this corporate structured tribe seems to have lost its heart and traditional values and what they stand for as Anisihinabek people. Put on a show ever so often to make us look like Indians and sponsor a few real Anishinabek conferences that bring in the real Anishinabek, but as soon as it is over, back to being emporers and dictators and and corporate curators. The Leadership have to set the example, as they have total control of Sault Tribe sovereign recognition and retention of sovereign Rights. Give in now, and it gets a whole lot easier just to give it away completely.
My opinions, John

John,

It is my understanding that there were some motions made on the AIP at the last meeting. It is also my understanding that they were purposely made and voted on by "Motion" instead of resolution because a "Motion" cannot be acted upon by referendum petition. Our veteran BOD should have refused to vote on the basis that the membership was purposely being excluded from the decision making process. Special meeting coming up and I strongly suggest our Veteran BOD members rectify this travesty. This is an all-time low in the history of our leaders. We need to let it be known that ANY BOD that voted on this motion committed crimes against the membership. We need the video of this Barnum & Bailey meeting.

TG

I really don't think Director McKelvie would let us down, but I said that about Sleeping Bear also??????? As one veteran to another I feel Dennis has to much pride to let himself fall to the likes of Payment. Aaron tried early on to buy Dennis and it didn't work.

One only has to watch the video of the last BOD meeting to see that we are at an all time low. I challenge anyone to view the video and tell me what they see is responsible. At first there were some good things that happened but I have to wonder how supposed responsible individuals can turn a BOD meeting into a Circus. The BOD can now call special meetings but if they are conducted the way the last one went why call them. I wonder why BOD phone records can't be traced anymore?????? Could it be that Fast Freddies records are out there for review????????? Sure were alot of calls from his phone to Manistique last fall??????

A BOD member called me and we discussed the e-mail I sent out about a "Motion" being made instead of a resolution at the last meeting. The BOD member reminded me that is was a "Motion" to designate someone to sign the already approved AIP, Payment is chicken to sign it (my opinion). Thank the Creator nobody else would either. The AIP was approved by the prior BOD. The BOD member was concerned about the message it sent to vote on a "Motion" for the reason of keeping the members from petitioning a referendum. We have to wait and see if the BOD acts to correct that issue.

Attached is picture of two Vets that attended the 3rd Annual Youth Enpowerment Pow Wow Saturday.

TG

The dancers look very familiar, great work. Hopefully you are right about Director Mckelvie. It seems to me there is the greatest chance we have ever had to turn this tribal governance into a democracy rather than a socialistic one. The Gathering rights issue is a no brainer, as everything we stand for is based on those traditional practices and values. We are recognized as a sovereign nation so that we can retain our culture, and practice our traditional ways. Every tribal member should be well informed and have a say in this matter.
John

Aaron Payment is afraid to sign the AIP by himself. He is attempting to reel in other Board Members to take responsibility for him and Fred Paquin approving the AIP on their own. He distributed copies of the AIP to all Board Members under confidentiality. None of the Board Members were allowed to confide in the Membership. He broke the gag order and that should be a removable offense.

Why did the Chairman and some of the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians Board of Directors keep this issue away from the membership?

Why did the Chairman and some of the Tribal Board keep this issue from going to a Referendum?

Why did the Chairman and some of the Tribal Board of Directors along with the State put a Gag Order on this issue?

What was in this agreement with the State that the Chairman and some of the Tribal Board of Directors did not want the Membership to see or know?

Were the Chairman and some of the Board of Directors acting in the best interest of the Membership?

You be the Judge! Go to the site listed below and become a member of the site. The whole AIP is downloaded to this site, under the Files section. The AIP consist of 77 pages of the agreement with the Sault Tribe and the State.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SaultTribeFacts/

Read the Hunting, Fishing and Gathering Rights also known as the AIP. Then decide for yourself if the Chairman and some of the Board of Directors were acting in the best interest of the Membership.

Keep in mind that some of these Rights that are being stripped from the Membership, were given to Tribes under the 1836 Treaty FOREVER! Other Tribes are taking the State to Court over these issues.

Also keep in mind that there was only three of the Sault Tribe Board Members who originally decided to go along with this agreement with the State. The three Board Members that decided to go along with this agreement for the entire 33,000 Tribal Members were:

Aaron Payment
Fred Paquin
Todd Gravelle

Keep these three in mind when their terms comes up in the next elections.


SAULT TRIBE FACTS POLL:

HUNTING AND FISHING

Should the Entire Tribal Membership Have the Final Word on Hunting, Fishing and Gathering Rights?

YES
NO


Current Poll Results:

SAULT TRIBE FACTS

Should the entire Tribal Membership have the final word on Hunting, Fishing and Gathering Rights?

Total votes 375

YES....(372)....99%
NO........(3).....1%

Sault Tribe Facts

Insid!

Tribal members on the net should count and save each message sent from our Board members before and after each meeting. We can pull up their monthly reports and other items of our own interest very easily. This would require us to read less than 100 reports per 4 year term and we would still know what they have done about our best interests. In the case some people cannot read that much it would suffice to check quarterly to see what accountability information Board members are sharing in a timely fashion. The specifics of our business health and illnesses, and community development plans for each unit are the only two items we really need to know about. If our elected officials cannot share even that much information, then a discussion of gag orders is a moot iissue.

By definition, gagging is involuntary. But the case here is quite voluntary. Withholding of vital information about important issues until after they get what they want accomplished is the norm, not an affliction they somehow caught while working for us. Furthermore, they don't even respond after they have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar so why are we wasting our time with this debate. They are crooks, plain and simple. Crooks steal and cheat and lie and hurt others to get what they want. We should be discussing what penalty they deserve after we conduct a forensics audit and have all of the indisputable evidence required to put them behind bars for their crimes against this tribal community, especially the theft of resources we hoped would be there for our children and for the future generations.

It is simple logic to see how much each prior Borad member and their families have taken. Try to find them in our community. They have either flown the coop or have siphoned enough money off the top to hire lawyers to protect them under the guise of sovereignty. Think about it as a safety net. ENRON had one too but even the best criminals in that organization got caught so we should have some hope. The problem is that like ENRON community members, the losses will never be recouped. Their plans for the future, like ours, were stolen while they continued working to support their leaders who sold them out and stole the rest while they were hard at work.
In Stephen King's "Survivor Type," a doctor with no morals or conscience is shipwrecked on a deserted island. Because of his illicit activities, he has a valise of heroin with him. When he breaks his ankle he uses the heroin for an anesthetic, then cuts off his own foot and eats it. He continues to cut off body parts to fend off starvation, finally cutting off his left hand. The diary he keeps ends there. It is poetic justice that the means and skills he used in a lifetime of harming others become the instrument of such horrendous suffering inflicted upon himself. WIKOPEDIA

Lets put this in tribal leadership perspective. Say one of our leaders had a valise of cocaine and was stranded out on a limb until the coast became clear enought to return back to the scene of the crime. What has really changed? Nothing, except the fact that the individual now has to find a new means to survive. Cocaine could kill the pain of the ordeal for a while but that is what created the problem. What did change is the awareness of the problem by tribal members and others. Even though the coast is now seemingly clear enough to return to the scene of the crime and remain free the evidence remains a matter of fact on the record. So, the similarity to Steven Kings horror novel should be noted by tribal members. Even though many have dismissed the case, the facts remain as part of the record and as a set of factors affecting this individuals life. As time goes by we will hear and see much, much more about this case even if we do not want to.

Poetic justice is a literary device in which virtue is ultimately rewarded or vice punished, often in modern literature by an ironic twist of fate intimately related to the character's own conduct. The stricture of poetry, prose, and drama to have justice originates in Aristotle's Poetics. Aristotle says that poetry is superior to history in that it shows what should or must occur, rather than merely what does occur. English drama critic Thomas Rymer coined the phrase in The Tragedies of the Last Age Considered (1678) to describe how a work should inspire proper moral behavior in its audience by illustrating the triumph of good over evil. The demand for poetic justice is consistent in Classical authorities and shows up in Horace, Plutarch, and Quintillian, so Rymer's phrasing is a reflection of a commonplace. Philip Sidney, in Defense of Poetry, argued, like Aristotle, that poetic justice was, in fact, the reason that fiction should be allowed in a civilized nation. ibid

And that is my reason for this presentation. We must debate the real issues rather than argue about moot issues that do not allow our participation. Our ideas are extremely valuable so please share them openly and without fear of reprisal. This environemnt was there when Bernard ruled and it has been brought to new heights by the little prince among his band of thieving associates. While they must act this scenario out in order to make sense of their lives we cannot because we are not part of it. We must act upon our own issues and speak out with true and loud voices, especially of the lack of tribal leadership accountability.

There was a crooked chair who had a crooked smile,
He took over a crooked administration and paid off his friends who now live in style.
He got crooked lawyers, some caught up doing crooked deals.
And they all plot together while sharing paid per diem crooked meeting meals.

I are anyone else should ignore the agreement Payment, Paquin, and Schlehuber made with the State. Has being Sovereign we should not have to recognize the State.

The postings on the blog are currently being moderated. Some off the wall faction keeps posting vulgar and inappropriate posts that are non-factual. Sorry for any inconvience this may cause.

On 8-15-06, at the Newberry BOD meeting, the AIP with the State of MI again took center stage. Yes, there were other very sensitive issues on the agenda that night, but the AIP, "THE DEAL WITH THE STATE", giving up our Treaty rights, is by far the most important issue of our time.
Looking back to July of 2005 when our attorneys presented the first draft of the agreement to the negotiating team of the Tribes; in this draft it listed several issues that the State wanted to address, and the Tribes agreed to give these issues up. When we asked our attorney about this, he told us it was done in good faith to get the State to the negotiating table, and that if this wasn't done, the negotiations were over.
So you see the deal was made July 2005 by our attorneys and the stage was set for the State to diminish our Treaty rights. And one issue after another, our leaders gave in to the States demands. Our chairman told us the negotiating team, (himself, Fred Paquin, Vic Matson Sr., Bruce Green) knew what was best for our People and they would give up what our People could live with.
Well, every issue became a deal closer, and no way were our leaders going to jeopardize this deal with the State of MI so they gave in to everything that the State wanted. At the end the State could see it all coming together their way and they kept asking for more and our leaders gave in to their demands.
Back to the 8-15-06 meting in Newberry;
Our attorney on the Inland Hunting, Fishing, Gathering Settlement talks with the State, Mr. Bruce Green, was present to give a presentation to our council prior to their voting on whether to send the AIP matter to our members for a vote of approval to accept this deal with the State.
In Mr. Greens' presentation, HE TOLD OUR COUNCIL IN OUR TYPE OF GOVERNMENT, THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE TO LISTEN TO OUR PEOPLE!
He also told them that if we went to court instead of settling with the State we would have to come back and deal with the State again anyway.
He also said it was going to cost a lot of money to fight this in Federal Court.
Well, as you can believe, we were steaming listening to these lies and half truths. And we were ready to respond, and I asked our chairman for permission to respond, but he told me they had heard everything I had to say. I told him yes, they had, even though at the five o'clock open public session I was told to hold it short. But this issue of Mr. Greens' comments needed to be responded to and I asked for permission to talk to the Council.
Our chairman again said NO, and there was a call for a vote. I asked the chairman why is it that a non-tribal member would have the last words with our council before a vote (no reply).
Well, here is my response to Mr. Greens' comments:
1. In our type of government, our council does not have to listen to our People??????
Well, our Council is selected by our Members and yes, they do have to answer to our People.
2. We will need to deal with the State even after we win in Federal court???
Yes, we will be back with the State in negotiations after the trial, but we will be EQUAL PARTNERS in the management of the resourse and we will not have to give up anything, but there will be management tools implemented to protect the resourse for everyone.
3. He told them it was going to cost a lot of money????
I heard upward of 3 million, but I don't know. Sounds cheap to me! Three million divided by forever = cheap!!!
I remember last fall in St. Ignace at a community meeting of the Inland Hunting Fishing & Gathering sessions a member asked the question how much and how far is the Tribe willing to go. Our chairman, council members Fred Paquin, Vic Matson Sr, Rob Lambert, Lana Causley, and I believe there were others members present, their voices echoed all the way...MONEY NO FACTOR IN TREATY RIGHTS. THE TRIBE WOULD FIGHT TO RETAIN OUR TREATY RIGHTS AT ALL COSTS!!
Well, things change don't they? These same council members and our chairman changed their positions on spending money to fight for our Treaty rights. After attorney Greens' talk at the Newberry BOD meeting 8-15-06, and after the Inland committee was refused the request to reply to attorney Greens' statements, the council voted on the resolution presented by Todd Gravell to let the membership vote on this most important issue of diminishing and giving up sovereignty in our Treaty rights in this AIP deal with the State of MI, or go to Federal Court and fight to retain all of our Treaty rights.
Our Council voted.
Voting YES would let the membership vote.
Voting NO would take that right to vote away from the membership.
Here is how they voted:
Unit 1;
Dennis McKelvie--632-7267...NO
Cathy Abramson--635-3054....NO
Joe Eitrem---632-8567.......NO
DJ Hoffman---635-6945.......NO
Unit 2;
Lana Causley--484-2954......NO
Unit 3;
Keith Massaway--643-6981....NO
Fred Paquin---643-8878......NO
Unit 4;
Tom Miller---644-2527.......NO
Unit 1;
Todd Gravell---635-5740.....YES
Unit 2;
Bob Lapoint----493-5311.....YES
Unit 4;
Denise Chase---341-6783.....YES
Unit 5;
Shirley Petosky-387-2101....YES
Final vote.. eight (8) NO
four (4) YES
THE RESOLUTION TO LET THE MEMBERS VOTE FAILED.
Everyone should call the Council member who voted NO and let them know that they violated our ways and our People by not allowing our membership to vote on this most important issue of our Treaty rights.
This deal with the State is forever and it looks like it is a done deal.
In the end the majority of our Council bought into the AIP. The only ones that did not sign this deal were Todd Gravell, Unit 1, Denise Chase, Unit 4, and Shirley Petosky, Unit 5.
Looking back, how did this happen? A little insight is the attorneys. As I told you the attorneys were having pre-settlement talks with the State of MI prior to the start of negotiations. There was deals made; our attorneys told us we had to give up major concessions for the State to agree to come to the negotiating table. Our Chairman abd the negotiating team agreed to these demands by the State. Now the stage was set for the Tribes to give up our sovereignty and diminish our Treaty rights.
THINK ABOUT THIS; our lead attorneys for the Tribes are not Native and do not share our values. But they know how to deal. And yes, they sold this deal to our leaders. The longer the settlement talks went on with the State of MI the worse it got for the Tribes, as our leaders at the table were giving the State everything it asked for.
OUR COUNCIL, when it appointed us to the Inland Committee, told us that we would be their eyes and ears at the talks with the State and that we would report back to them of our feelings and what was going on. Well, we had a hard time of communicating with our Council as there was an effort by our negotiating team to stop us from informing our Council as to what was happening and to give them regular updates.
Last spring in Lansing, when we lobbied to update the Council, Fred Paquin said NO, because of the confidentiality issue. Our Chairman said the same. Our lead attorney Bruce Green told me it would jeopardize the talks if we updated the Council.
GAG ORDERS, SECRECY, DECEPTION (SAME AS LIES).
These restrictions were all put in place by our lead attorneys and approved by our leaders.
So back in the spring of 2006 our Council was deliberatly forbidden any updates of the on-going talks with the State of MI. It wasn't until May 16, 2006, in Manistique, that our Council had the updated AIP with the State given to them.
Non-tribal attorneys drew up the deal, our negotiating team (Payment & Paquin) approved it, and they sold it to our Council. The Inland Committee spoke openly against this deal, and we still believe our People are being violated by this agreement.
OUR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SOLD OUT!!!
1. Lead attorney making deals.....
WRONG!
2. Negotiating team of Payment & Paquin buying into this deal......
WRONG!
3. Secrecy, gag orders, deception..
WRONG!
4. Our Council for not protecting our Members and letting this happen
WRONG!
The Chairmans' words echo in my ears.."we will only give up what our People can live with".
Our generation grew up with no Treaty rights, so I know what our People can live with...NOTHING!!
It was our time to get back what was taken from us. We, the Inland Committee, will continue to fight for our Members visions and dreams as they are the same as our visions and dreams.
The input from the community sessions and the Inland Hunting, Fishing and Gathering survey results showed great interest in protecting our Treaty rights and retaining our sovereignty. These factors were ignored by our attorney and our negotiating team as they did not follow what our People told us at the community meetings and the survey.
When the community meetings started, we (the Inland Committee) were told that we would go back to the communities and update our members on the progress of the settlement talks with the State. Well, the gag order, confidentiality clause changed this and we could not tell our People anything about the talks. To this day our People don't know anything about the deal with the State, as these gag orders and confidentiality clauses have not been lifted by our leaders. Our lead attorney in the Inland case is Mr. Bruce Green/non-native from Colorado. Mr. Green is one of the best Indian attorneys in the country. Mr. Green has worked with the Sault Tribe for many years. He also works on tax issues and gaming issues for the Tribe.
The deal to give concessions before talks started, to get the State to the negotiating table and the allowing of the SPORTSMANS GROUP, MUCC, MICHIGAN WHITETAILS, BEAR HUNTERS ASSOC., BAY DE NOC SPORTSMAN, SOUTH SHORE ALLIANCE (LAKE SUPERIOR), etc., etc., to be part of the talks was negotiated by our lead attorneys, and the Inland Committee believes these tactics were wrong and greatly jeopardized our position of retaining our Treaty rights.
Judge Enslen, the Federal Judge, that was set to hear the case U.S.(the Federal Govt. and the Five Tribes of the 1836 Treaty) vs. Michigan in Federal Court had ruled that the sportsmans groups were not part of the trial, only the State of MI., and the sportsmans groups would not be allowed a voice in the trial.
There is a lot we can't tell you because the gag order is still in effect.
Our People are our strength, but with how these talks were set up we could not gather the true strength of our People for our leaders to see.
One Tribe, the Grand Traverse, is going it alone. They are going to Federal Court and fight for their Members Treaty rights. We, the Inland Committee, commend them for doing right by their people. We tried petitions, referendums and resolutions, trying to get this to a vote of our People, but they were dismissed as not valid or declared not legal by our legal team, and voted down by our Council. Even though we oppose this deal, we have said we will stand by how our People vote on this most important issue of our time. But our leaders have said NO!, our Members do not have the right to vote on their Treaty rights. THIS IS WRONG!!
We stood up for what our People told us they wanted, their dreams and their visions. All over the country Indian Nations and Indian Tribes are regaining their culture and Tribal Treaty rights. It is sad to see our leaders diminishing our Treaty rights in this way of secrecy.
In the case U.S. vs Michigan, the Federal Govt. is standing with the five Tribes of the 1836 Treaty.
Our Treaty of 1836 is with the US Govt., and the US Govt. is fighting with us to retain our Treaty rights.
Indian Treaty rights would definitly be upheld in Federal Court. It is imperative that the State of MI avoid this trial for they have MUCH TO GAIN in these settlement talks....and we have MUCH TO LOSE.
OUR HEARTS ARE HEAVY FOR OUR PEOPLE
We were discredited at every corner, characterized as renegades because we did not want to give up or diminish our treaty rights but protect our treaty rights and the Natural Resourses forever by having our own season and our own bag limits, created by our own Natural Resourses Dept., under conservation standards and a safe allowable harvest and co-management with the State of Mi of the resourse. We still believe in this as this is how it should be for our people forever.
Megwetch
Inland Committee
Billy Perry, Henry Grondin, Charles Matson

My advice in this case would be to sue your Tribal Government and the State of Michigan.

It is very clear that the Committee's advice along with the peoples concerns were not even a considering factor.

Tim

Payment screwed the Conservation Committee tonight.