Running Wolf

Exerts from George Manuel daily journals:

Friday, January 11, 1974
I went to the conference room and the rest of the N.I.B. Executive Council members were there, lees Dave Ahenakew, Jamie Wah Shee and John Knockwood. We had a deep and serious discussion on developing a liaison with other Indigenous people’s of the world. We discussed the possibility of getting a United Nation Non Governmental membership and a secretariat, with other Indigenous peoples of the world. I briefed the N.I.B. Executive Council on the research that I have done to date in these two areas and the positive response, I have had from (1) Indigenous peoples (2) Possible financers, (3) Interested International organizations and National organizations and Agencies. The response from my N.I.B. Executive Council, was Unconditional informal support. I expressed my deep concern about the information that leaks to the Fed Gov, in spite of the closed meetings we have had as Council. Dave Courchene told me I was making a very serious charge to the directed at Council members. If it is true, we better weed them out he stated.

Thursday, January 24, 1974
Aylmer-Ottawa Ont.-Aylmer P.Q. 8:50 AM-7PM
I spent the whole day in my office at the National Indian Brotherhood headquarters. Most of the day was not in paper work today and that was a real change first thing in the morning. I met and was interviewed by Allen Bartley last year journalist student at the University of Carleton, on my views of assessment of the Canadian Indian Youth 24 hour take over of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development at 400 Laurier, Ottawa in Aug 1973. I sat in on the meeting chaired by Clive Linklater of representative from C.L.C Pat Kerwin, Terry Ford, C.N.T.U Micheal Chartrand, Pierre Allard, Tony Clark, Guy Lavallee of Canadian Catholic Conference. Canadian Council of Churches Ernest Willie to seek their support on our struggles to acquire honest and sincere support and recognition of our Aboriginal Rights Claims for the Indians of Canada. The response to our request was positive their remain only the question of strategy and the course of action to be taken and pursued by each supporting organization, to accomplish our N.I.B objectives of a fair and just recognition and settlement of Aboriginal Right Claims of all Indians in Canada. I had an N.I.B Executive Committee meeting on my proposal to have, Marie Marule, Clive Linklater and Mike Poslum draft an N.I.B Magna Carta.

Tuesday, January 29, 1974
Washington D.C. We had an interesting day here in the Capital City of the United States. To be begin with it was a warm sunny day beautiful and no snow the green is out for this time of the year it wonderful weather. We met most of the day with Mel Tonasket President of the National Congress of American Indians and later in the day we had Charles Trimble their Director join our meeting. We talked about the many common concerns that we had as North American Indians. Especially in the areas of political lobby, Indian Education, Economic Development, Water and Land Rights, Jay Treaty, Migratory Convention Act and especially our proposal for an International preparatory and world conference of Indigenous people conference. Setting up of an International Indigenous peoples Secretariat, and a membership in the United Nations as a Non Government entity. We agreed we should exchange two staff members. We finally agreed to draft a working agreement. So Clive Linklater and Charles Trimble are to draft out a working agreement on areas of common concern and Mel Tonasket and myself would sign the part.

Tuesday, February 5, 1974
Aylmer P.Q-Ottawa Ont.-Montreal-New York City N.Y – This has been a very busy day for me. I went to my office at the National Indian Brotherhood headquarters, and signed some letters, answered some telephone calls and briefed some of my senior staff doing in line with their job duties. I met with the Honorable Mitchel Sharpe, Minister of External Affairs to brief him on our plans to hold an International Indigenous peoples conference (preparatory) in Georgetown Guyana, South America on April 8 to 12, 1974 with a long range plan of having a world’s Indigenous peoples conference, being held at a later date in Canada. I told him that our primary objective was to establish an International Indigenous peoples Secretariat. I also informed him that we have the N.I.B applied for a Non Government Membership into the United Nations. He responded by saying that they will do nothing to oppose our application for the U.N membership of the N.I.B.

Wednesday, February 6, 1974
New York City N.Y. It is kind of chilly today, but no snow. I suppose I can say to day has been the highlight on the most historical event of my life. The mile stone that could possibly lay the corner stone for Canadian Native Indian, or better still the opportunity for Indigenous Minority peoples groups organizations or associations to get involved in world politics by having their problems heard in an International forum through the United Nations, I represented the National Indian Brotherhoods application for members into the United Nations, Social and Economic Councils, Non Governmental organization. Our N.I.B application was debated by the United Nations Social and Economic Council Committee on new membership application of Non Governmental organization. I was given the opportunity to speak on the purpose of our application and I was questioned harshly by developed nation representatives on our reasons for our applications for Membership. There was a very heavy debate with the developed Nation’s delegates rejecting our application and with the Third World Nations strongly debating on our behalf and supporting the view that we were the only ones that could possibly represent our unique problems, only the person that is wearing the shoe can know where it is punching.

George Manuel