Penticton Indian Band Chief Jonathan Kruger is wondering why a letter sent to the four host nations expressing concern over the Olympics is generating national attention.
At the heart of the matter is a letter sent to the Four Host Nations Society, representing the Lil’wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, in whose traditional territories the 2010 Olympics are being held.
“We wrote a letter to the four host nations, not to Canada,” said Kruger. “It was a respectful letter saying we don’t support the Olympics.”
Response to the letter was immediate, with the Penticton Indian Band’s name being removed from the list of communities on the official torch relay route.
Kruger said he doesn’t know why they did that, adding that while the PIB wasn’t supporting the Olympics, the torch relay was supported by the Okanagan Nation overall, confirmed by a vote of Okanagan chiefs.
“We respectfully accept that, so I don’t know what the big deal is. Then the Globe and Mail labels us like we’re part of the militants,” referring to an article in the national paper listing the PIB along with other, more aggressive groups opposing the Olympics.
“I don’t know anyone in our community that’s planning to block any roads,” he said. “I really didn’t like the fact they tried to smear our community’s name as a militant band towards the Olympics.”
Kruger thinks the band is getting national attention because they are the only First Nations band to have written such a letter. The letter expressed concern over Canada not supporting the UN declaration on indigenous peoples, B.C failing to follow through on the new relationship and the fact that while the four host nations shared in 2010 legacy funding, other communities in B.C. didn’t.
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