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3TuesdayAugust192014GwichindecryproposedchangestovotingrulesChangeswouldlimitvotingrightstoGwichinlivinginsettlementareaByMEAGANWOHLBERGGwichinlivingoutsideoftheirsettlementregionaredeeplyconcernedwithproposedchangestothetribalcouncilbylawsthatwouldseetheirrighttovoteinregionalelectionstakenaway.AgroupcallingitselfCommunitiesofConcernedGwichinlaunchedapeti-tionlastweekcallingforgreaterconsultationac-countabilityandtrans-parencyfromthecurrentleadershipandboardofdirectorsoftheGwichinTribalCouncilGTCafterhearingofplanstolimitthedefinitionofbeneficiarytoGwichinlivingwithintheGwichinSettlementAreaGSAgivingthoseoutsidelesservotingrights.Itwoulddamageourpo-liticalsovereigntytolimitvotingrightsfornon-GSAGwichinstatestheopenletterbackingthepetition.ByretainingourinherentvotingrightsinterestedGwichinparticipantscancontinuetorespectfullybeengagedinlocalpoli-ticsanddecisions.IndoingsowefullyacknowledgethatGwichinresourcesaremeantforGwichinpeopleanditisnotourintenttointerruptGSA-basedproj-ectsorinitiativesthatgar-nerlocalsupport.Tosaythatwearenotin-terestedornolongerGwichinorconnectedtothisregionisabsurdandfactuallyincor-rect.SimplynotlivingintheGSAdoesnotmeanwearenolongerGwichin.NoreasonforchangesTheGTChasarguedthatthechangesarerequiredundertheCanadaNot-For-ProfitCorporationsActwhichsetoutnewrulesin2011andrequiresallfed-eralnon-protstotransitionbyOct.172014orelsebedissolved.Approximately65percentofenrolledGwichinparticipantscurrentlyliveoutsideoftheGSA.OneofthoseisCrystalFraseraNorthernacademicandGwichyaGwichinorig-inallyfromInuvikandTreeLakewhosaidshehasreadthefederallegis-lationalongwiththe1992GwichinComprehensiveLandClaimAgreementandTreaty11andcanseenoreasonfortheproposedamendments.Istilldonotunder-standwhythesechangesarebeingmadeandtheargumentsputforthdonotseemlogicalorinourbestinterestshesaid.Infactthechangesbeingmadegoagainstourdemocraticstructuresagainstthewell-beingoftheGwichinpeopleandagainsttheob-jectivesofour1992LandClaimAgreement-adocu-mentthatourleadersend-lesslycontributedtoandwithEdmontonYellowknifeandWhitehorse.ThepetitionlaunchedlastThursdayhadreceived75signaturesasofpresstimeMonday.Thegroupisaim-ingtoget300signaturesbyAug.20.said.Wearesufferingfromthelossofourpresidentmen-torandcommunitymemberwhopassedawayinJune.IcontinuetothinkoftheAlexiefamilyandothersastheymourn.ButwearenowfacedwithmajorpoliticalchangesthatarehappeningattheGwichinTribalCouncil.ThoughFrasersaidshehasnotlostfaithinherlead-ersshetoowouldliketoseemoretransparencyfromtheGTC.AtthispointIthinkthattheGwichinTribalCouncilisneedingtoreleasemorein-formationtoGwichinpartic-ipants.Itistroublingtohearaboutproposedchangestoourbylaws-changeswhicharerumouredtoincludenewelectoralprocessesamongotherthingsshesaid.IwouldencouragemyfellowGwichintoedu-catethemselvesontheseissuesattendtheassemblyandtalktoourleadersanddelegates.GTCinterimpresidentNormanSnowshoewasun-availableforcomment.TheassemblyisscheduledtotakeplaceAug.19-21attheMidnightSunRecreationCentreinInuvik.Bylawamendmentsandadiscus-sionoftheelectioncodearecurrentlyontheagendaforWednesday.Thepetitioncanbefoundonlineathttpwww.thepe-titionsite.com422508520for-a-strong-united-and-transparent-gwichin-nationporedovertoensureourrightswouldbeprotected.ThoughshenowlivesinEdmontonwheresheattendstheUniversityofAlbertaasagradstudentFrasersaidtheGSAisstillherhomeandaplaceshereturnstoregularly.Ifnon-GwichinSettle-mentAreaindividualsloseourrighttovoteinourlead-ersthenwhatwillbenextWhatotherdemocraticstruc-tureswillslowlyerodeHowwilltheGTCbeaccountabletransparentandfullltheirgoalofworkinginourbestinterestTheGTCwasliter-allycreatedtomanageourmoneyourlandourrights.IamverypuzzledbyallofthisFrasersaid.AspartofthepetitionConcernedGwichinisre-questingscheduledade-quateconsultationswithGwichinintheGSAalongOtherelectoralchangesrumouredApartfromthechangestonon-GSAGwichinvot-ingrightsbeneciariesarefurtherconcernedthatmoreseriouschangescouldbeonthehorizon.Thoughuncon-firmedmembersofCon-cernedGwichinwhowishedtostayanonymoussaidtheyhavereasontobelieveelec-tionsmaybeeliminatedinfavourofanappointedlead-ershipandthatnancesarenotbeingkeptaboveboard.TheGTChasbeenintur-moilsincethedeathofitspresidentRobertA.AlexielastspringwhichFrasersaidhascauseddivisionamongGwichinpeopleandthatmanyareplanningtoavoidtheassemblybecausetheyareafraidofwhatconictcouldarise.TheseareturbulenttimesforGwichinpeopleFraserThechangesbeingmadegoagainstourdemocraticstructuresagainstthewell-beingoftheGwichinpeopleandagainsttheobjectivesofour1992LandClaimAgreement.CrystalFraserGwichinacademicPhotocourtesyofCrystalFraserCrystalFraseraGwichinacademicnowlivinginEdmontonspendstimeatherfamilysshingcampacrossfromtheTreeRiver.PoliticsFirstNations