THURSDAY
DECEMBER 20, 2012
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Vol. 60, Issue 246
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Deals for wheels Fake Ktunaxa treaty maps in circulation
RBC kicks in $20,000 for wheelchairs for hospital
ANNALEE GRANT Townsman Staff
An anonymous person has distributed a number of fliers purporting to be a map of the proposed lands being offered to the Ktunaxa Nation under the ongoing Ktunaxa Kinbasket Treaty negotiations. But the B.C. Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation says they are fakes, as the province, federal government and the Ktunaxa Nation have not agreed to release any maps at this point in negotiations. “Treaty settlement lands have not been finalized at this stage,”
BARRY COULTER
With all the attention made to high tech equipment in today’s modern medical facilities, the public may be forgiven for taking something for granted that no hospital can do without. The fleet of wheelchairs at the East Kootenay Regional Hospital serves an extremely important function, but wear and tear have taken their toll. Some chairs have simply just gone missing in action over recent years. “I was attending an Operations Committee meeting and the subject of wheelchairs came up,” said Donna Grainger, Executive Director of the East Kootenay Foundation for Health. “There was an active discussion about how wonderful it would be if more chairs could be available. “As a foundation our role is to link a need to someone with a belief in that cause. With that in mind I put in a call to a very special donor.” The call went out to the Royal Bank’s RBC Foundation. Jennifer Cabeldu, Manager of Donations for RBC couldn’t have been more helpful, Grainger
BARRY COULTER PHOTO
NEW WHEELS: (Left to right) Maureen Foxworthy (Branch Manager), Amanda Lees, Brenda Thompson, Tracy Briere present a $20,000 gift to EKFH’s Donna Grainger, testing out a transport wheelchair. said. “An original request of $10,000 was actually doubled with an approved gift of $20,000 soon to be heading to EKFH to build the wheelchair fleet. The donation means there is potential to increase the number of transfer and Broda
chairs — possibly as many as 14-15 chairs — that will be available for patients entering the hospital lobby or moving through different areas of the facility. The wheelchairs are expected to arrive in the New Year. “Over the years we have been able to assist
the regional hospital in securing items that are extremely important but not so high profile,” Maureen Foxworthy, RBC Branch Manager for Cranbrook. “The purchase of these wheelchairs we know is going to make a huge difference in the quality of patient care.”
confirmed Robin Platts, communication manager for the ministry. “It sounds like an individual that doesn’t represent any of the three parties appears to have drawn a map and mailed it out.” The three stakeholders held a public meeting in October that was attended by about 50 people with Cranbrook Mayor Wayne Stetski, the Ktunaxa Nation and two negotiators presenting. The public heard that 33,458 hectares of land has been offered to the First Nation and that after 20 years of talks, the three parties are close to signing an Agreement in Principal.
The public was shown a series of maps at the meeting showing the land proposed to come under Ktunaxa governance, but they were not released to the public or media. Platts said this is not unusual at this stage in treaty negotiations and some information will remain confidential until there are more concrete details to deliver to the public. “The Agreement in Principal is under development,” he said. “A certain amount of the process is going to be confidential.”
See FAKE , Page 5
Idle No More comes to town with Friday rally
Grassroots indigenous movement protests legislation that threatens resources, environmental protection BARRY COULTER
First Nations activists are taking part in a week of rallies across the country, as a grassroots movement known as Idle No More organizes to protest Conservative government legislation. Supporters say they are upset about the effects of the Harper gov-
ernment’s policies on aboriginal communities. They want First Nations to be recognized as sovereign stakeholders in decisions affecting the country’s land and resources. The local group, Idle No More Cranbrook, has a rally planned in front of MP David Wilks’
office Friday, Dec. 21, at 1 p.m. “Idle No More Cranbrook will be unified and standing together for Indigenous Sovereignty,” said Lisa Luscumbe, main local organizers and Facebook page manager.
See IDLE , Page 5