"Peterson Asked To Interview on Behalf of Native People"

Six Nations Chief Coun. William Mountour said he received some satisfaction Wednesday during a brief meeting with Premier David Peterson.

"I just want to know what they are going to do about the aboriginal question in Ontario if they are re-elected," he said after stepping off the premier's campaign bus during a stop in Brantford.

"He (the premier) said he is going to work on it. He said if he gets re-elected he is going to look at different ways of looking at the Indian question in Ontario.

"The positive thing about what David Peterson said is that we have to look at attacking this from a different angle, because the angles we are attacking now are not working."

The chief councillor said the premier did not provide any specifics.

"He is going through an election. He can say nothing. He may not even get in."

Chief Coun. Montour said he wants Mr. Peterson to use his influence with the federal government on behalf of natives.

"David Peterson has the respect of the federal government. I want him to go and talk to these people.

"This is a provincial government, is it not? Don't they have a relationship with federal government? Why is the federal government sitting on their ass?"

The chief councillor said native problems go beyond the situation at Oka and blockades.

"Forget Oka and the blockades at Six Nations. We have to come up with a long-term way of dealing with the aboriginal question in Ontario, because there is a lot of unfinished business here that has never been addressed. We got doors slapped in our faces with Meech Lake. We can't have doors slapped in our faces any more. That is why blockades are up, because people are frustrated."

He said part of the frustration comes from dealing with bureaucrats instead of elected officials.

"I'm sick of dealing with janitors. I don't want to talk with bureaucrats" who cannot make decisions, he said, adding that the provincial government's record on native issues has not been very good. "I don't think anyone in the Ontario government is too familiar with the aboriginal question. But let us into the room. Let us educate them."

Asked why local protests are being staged in Ontario instead of Quebec, the chief councillor said: "That is kind of a stupid question."

"The Mohawks at Oka are our people, they are Mohawks. We have 10,000 Mohawks at Six Nations. We are all family."

As for the local blockades, Chief Coun. Montour said the decision on when they come down is up to the native community.