Issue of communication and respect

Times Contributor      

 

The Hidden Valley Golf Resort (HVGR) Cabin Owners Association is attempting to negotiate a new lease for the Siksika land designation of the Hidden Valley Golf Resort. 

Reserve land is currently owned by the Crown and held for First Nation Peoples use, a much contested premise by First Nations Peoples. Under the Indian Act, land can be designated and leased for purposes such as the HVGR, by a vote from the First Nation tribal members. 

There are 305 cottage owners in the HVGR affected. A lease for a 50 year term ran out Dec. 2012. A referendum held on the Reserve opposed having the designation in place. The vote had a 30 per cent of voter turnout.

“It is a designation for the land, because we are under the Indian Act. In essence, all of Siksika owns the land. So therefore, one person or Chief and Council cannot make a decision on behalf of the Nation. The designation was voted on and the vote was no,” said Chief Fred Rabbit Carrier. “The vote was to extend the designation, not the lease, but the designation. We cannot go forward on the lease, until the designation is approved as a whole.”

A short term, two to three year extension lease was proposed by the negotiation committee, and Chief and Council passed a motion proposing to do a door-to-door consultation, determining whether the Siksika People want to consider another referendum.

“The Chief and Council only passed a motion to consult, as a temporary measure to see if the undecided voters will consider another referendum,” said Chief Rabbit Carrier.

Because of time constraints to conduct the poll, and reach all the people, the process could take until late October. 

The HVGR negotiation committee had hoped that a lease extension could be in place by the end of June. If there is no extension cabin owners will begin to remove their cabins from the property and evacuate between October and the end of the year.

“In our opinion, it would prove unfortunate for the Siksika Nation to simply throw away needlessly its only significant source of revenue that currently exceeds $1 million per annum. It also provides permanent employment at a guaranteed 75 per cent ratio for Siksika members (which is exceeded in actual practice year after year), free golf and other HVGR benefits for Nation members. We are prepared to discuss with Chief and Council improvements to the benefits that can accrue to the Nation from HVGR. But as you know, we cannot do that if there is no dialogue or no better option other than moving out this year. Without a plan in place, the resort will fall into disrepair and neglect unless the Nation can raise $1.3 million (being the HVGR annual operating budget) from other sources. Without the $1.3 million raised from the cottage owners on an annual basis, to manage and operate HVGR, the resort will cease to exist as we know it,” said Andrew Bear Robe, Chairman of the negotiating committee, in correspondence with Siksika Chief Rabbit Carrier and Council.

The Cabin Association Negotiating committee is considering a public relations campaign to supply the Siksika residents with as much information as possible to make a considered decision.

Dennis Burgess, resort manager, said there would be no advantage to Siksika to have the cabin owners remove their property and he said cabin owners would definitely not just abandon the cabins. Burgess said there are ways to remove the cabins from the properties. He said that should Siksika decide to take over the resort, it would be a long process, beginning with taking the matter to Indian Affairs for approval and re-designating the site to a commercial enterprise. 

Chief Rabbit Carrier said that the Siksika People could decide to run the resort as a not-for-profit, but that decision would be in the hands of the people. He could not comment whether there was enough funding in place to adequately run such an operation.

There has been some speculation that a lack of respect on both sides has hindered negotiations. An incident regarding the inappropriate disposal of a stray dog on reserve land had social media responses calling the negotiations the Dead Dog referendum. Siksika Council requested that the previous Board of Directors must resign before the Chief and Council would renegotiate with the Association. The Board complied with their wishes, considering everyone’s needs, and stepped down. A new Board will be elected at the Annual General meeting held April 30. The recent vandalism at the resort has cabin owners also feeling disrespected. There is speculation that fringe activists from the reserve are at fault; however, that has not been confirmed by police. There has also been a reference to possible legal action, if discussions break down.

There is openness from the negotiating committee and the cabin owners, to see communication lines and community relations restored. 

“As a cottage owner, I would work together with the Nation to come up with a lease that is fair and equitable to us both,” said Earl Best. “I honestly believe that if you sat the cottage owners down and the Siksika Nation members down and got everyone to talk, things would improve. Two groups of people can’t have a good relationship without communication.”

“It makes us sad and anxious. I am not angry. I just want to be there. I want my kids and grandkids to visit there because we love it there. It is just a happy place. For nobody to use it, or see it destroyed, is the worst scenario,” said Colleen Best, cabin owner. “It would be good to see relationships restored. There is a workable solution.”