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Published | Publi: 2013-05-30 Received | Reu: 2013-05-30 5:26 AM

THE TELEGRAM (ST. JOHN'S) PROVINCIAL, Page: A8

Harper government rejects original Qalipu agreement

Liberal MP Gerry Byrne says he was "absolutely astonished" when Prime Minister Stephen Harper Wednesday voted against an agreement he had personally signed five years ago. Byrne's Commons motion to affirm and carry on with the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band Agreement, and the enrolment criteria, was defeated in the House with 151 Conservatives and one independent MP voting against and 124 Liberal, NDP and Block MPs voting for the motion, with the Green party and one independent supporting it. "He just did it. It was made crystal clear that not only is this agreement subject to change, but the federal government is hell bent on changing it." Byrne's motion was tabled on the floor of the House close to two months ago, he said, when word got out that changes were being sought by the federal government and the Qalipu band. He said a new agreement on enrolment criteria is "a done deal" and, from what he understands, the original number of Federation of Newfoundland Indians (FNI) members will be given priority status for approval under the new criteria. When the the original agreement was signed in 2007, Byrne said, there were 7,800 members of FNI; there are currently 24,000 members of Qalipu. "Logic says 16,000 status Indians are about to lose their recognition,"said Byrne. "Not to mention the 70,000-75,000 unprocessed applicants. The rules are changed and people will be thrown out of this band and applicants will be denied their right to due process." The next step for those affected is to await a formal announcement from the federal government and then lawyer up. 'It has to be finalized by cabinet and announced until they'll accept a motion,"he said. Byrne said it could take a long time.

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