#1 - PanAmGames.Net - The Pan American Games, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada 1999

High risk investment?

In the next fifteen years Canada will generate a minimum revenue of 2 trillion, 665 billion, 150 million dollars from the use and benefit of the land.

In Alberta, the largest oil producing province in Canada, First Nations have launched lawsuits against the 1930 Natural Resource Transfer Act.

While the Canadian government doesn't want foriegn investors to panic, the reality is that the Canadian courts in a recent decision called Delgamuukw have recognized what amounts to an indigenous right to property.

The First Nations in Alberta signed treaties which recognized their retained land base at four times what was recognized in Manitoba.The situation in Alberta is different than Manitoba. Alberta First Nations are suing for a share of resources in "off reservation" lands, in conditionally ceded territory.

Manitoba lawsuits expanding reservation lands by 2156% would create instability. Where is the new reservation lands going to be? Perhaps in logging areas, mines, etc. Are mining and forestry companies going to be included in the lawsuits.Will lawsuits tie up company assets and company profits? The connection between business profit and indigenous rights isn't something new.

In January of 1994, an uprising of Mayan Indians in Chiapas Mexico caused panic in investment circles. The American dollar tumbled. It took the President of United States Bill Clinton to calm down matters with a 30 billion dollar loan to Mexico. International investors knew that American companies were heavily invested in Mexico. What about Canada, the United States largest trading partner. How much is the American economy dependant on Canada.

Remember Sarajevo, Yugoslavia! During the Olympics in Sarajevo human rights were never bought up, it wasn't even an issue. Today "ethnic cleansing" related to Yugoslavia is known world wide. In 1994, Canadian and United States had a military plan to invade three Mohawk territories with over ten thousand of soldiers and police. Imagine the First Nation reaction! So Americans, how much do you know about your "gentle neighbour"?