Apr 17/98: NYM to re-occupy BC Treaty office

Apr 17/98: NYM to re-occupy BC Treaty office NATIVE YOUTH MOVEMENT PRESS CONFERENCE Native Youth Movement Press Release - For Immediate Release Friday, April 17, 1998 Press Conference - Native Youth Movment Where: BC Treaty Office @ 203-1155 West Pender, Vancouver, BC When: Effective Immediately What: Occupation of Treaty Office Why: Opposition of selling Land Press Release: This week, on April 15, 16, 17, 1998 the NATIVE YOUTH MOVMENT held a Provincial GATHERING. Approximately 150, people attended, from over twenty different towns and cities, representing 30 different Indian nations. We talked about many different issues concerning the future of native people; the history of colonization, residential school, the BC Treaty Process, history of resistance. This conference was organized with a budget of less than $9,000. On the other hand, on the other side of the city, the First Nations Summit met during the same time. They talked about real estate deals - selling off of ancestral territories under the pretext of cultural protocol. They also voted unanimously for a $140 a day raise - bringing their daily earnings to $1,000; more than the budget we had for a 3 day conference - providing food and accomodation. One year ago, on April 17th, 1997, the Native Youth Movment occupied the BC Treaty Commission Office for forty hours to protest the lack of informed consent of Native Youth. One year later we are still opposed to this fraudulent process of selling off Indian Land. One of the topics we discussed at the gathering was the BC Treaty process. On the final day - the resolution day the Youth decided to occupy the BC Treaty Commission Office to declare that one year later, we are still opposed to the fraud and embezzlement of our unceded Territories. -30-