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Agreement protects river (Continued from front page) thing they can to keep the river clean, but we haven't had a hell of a lot of success with these guys up river. But we hope everybody can see the value of having a good clean watershed where we can swim, and the fish men't contami- nated." Minister of Indian Affairs, Jane Stewart told the group how "proud" she was to be the Member of Padiament for an aiea that has a "unique" and "historic" agreement in place. "I hope you understand that what you've got here is unique in the country of Canada," she said. She said the agreement is the first of its kind in Canada and is being used as a model for other IIIUDici- palities and aboriginal communi- ties to use in woddng with each othet Stewart said the early days of the negotiations were difficult for both Six Nations leaders and their municipal neighbours. She said Br.mtford's pJan to drill under the Grand River to place sewer lines for future industrial development, triggeml a reaction from Six Nations that set the groundwodt for the agreement. ·eo~ were being raised by our neighbours to the south and there was no real process, no way of dealing with them," she said. "We started out with some very strong words that clearly indicated we didn't know each other very well. Thank goodness wise seme prevailed." The Indian Commission of Ontario spokesman Michael INAC miDJster Ja.ae S*wm a/Jowa otr t/Je brud lpllOkflfl on, M/uisuuga 'a of t/Je New Credit poster. T/Je post«' Wff pnwat«I by C/Jlef Caro/y.a KJ.ag at t/Je aig.ai.ag Friday. A lo.ag Ihle of copJea of t/Je Gra.ad River Not/Rcatlo.a agreement Coyle, who mediated the agree- Dunnville Mayor Lorraine Jilled a Jo.ag table Friday. Eaci, copy bad to /Jave a.a orig/Dal aig.al- ment, said he has received a mun- Beigsttand said she was opposed tun for a/I ti# po/Jtlca.aa to rece/V& ber of requests by native groups to the 1 agreement more than the r-----------------------...J for copies of the. agreement to use others because she feared it would a model in their own disputes. thleaten landclaim negotiations Steward said part of the problem between First Nations and higher has alw;1ys been that fear and mis- levels of government but now says understanding are still prevalent she supports it as a document of among First Nations and sur- co-operation. rounding communities from the Friel said the agreement has heart of wban British Columbia, helped smooth negotiation to northern Manitoba and between Six Nations/New Credit Saskatchewan and in the Atlantic -and Brantford. provm:es. New Credit Band Council Chief "This is something I can 'Use in Carolyn King said while her com- my box of tools as Minister of munily doesn't border the Gland Indian Affairs. that is a real expe- River and is the smallest to be a rieDCe, that says it doesn't have to part of the agreement, "we're look- be this way,• she said. ing to develop too.•