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MONDAY, JULY 7, 2003

Canada's Department of Indian and Northern Affairs is defending its campaign to overhaul the way First Nations are governed.

Documents obtained by CBC News show that federal officials traded "intelligence" about a May protest that drew 1,000 Natives. Separately, the New Democrat Party has a document that shows a Native women's group was created and given $1 million in federal funds after another group opposed the legislation.

The proposed First Nations Governance Act prompted Roberta Jamieson to enter the race for chief of the Assembly of First Nations. Jamieson, the first Aboriginal woman in Canada to earn a law degree, is the chief of the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario.

The AFN election is July 16. Incumbent chief Matthew Coon Come and former AFN chief Phil Fontaine are in the running.

Get the Story:
Art Coulson: Indians mascots must go (The Grand Forks Herald 7/5)
Jamieson shakes it up in race for top aboriginal political job (CBC 7/6)

Relevant Links:
First Nations Governance Act, CBC - http://www.cbc.ca/news/features/indian_act.html

Related Stories:
First Nations protest changes in federal policy (04/29)
Aboriginals protest lack of consultation (4/28)
Canadian tribal leaders to meet (07/15)
Indian policy changes opposed (06/18)
Indian affairs overhaul faces delays (6/14)
Consultations halted on Indian policy changes (8/1)