’WPC• 5SO¤eŌŚŠŃÆXµ"s²-5$÷OČh’pR'!’µĮ5¹iȝ7ĖBÄj•Ź{ńL°ąZ_}ƒ?ęµd~ž£–0‘šŁ×™}I³”“C_×tŹāķj#-Éįƒ7–ƒ7¼ø Ž7£‰»Č©šy:4gō§ŲHe IE‘@Źq;ŗØ4ˆóOĀ4'+Qb H-OyhAßzk։¼ ®Ć„zx“o,ÜėØdŠAŸŌ3 2ˆĶ8:gv×Ŗœv@ ÓČ5žąJ°łwŪъ@rq”zvd™sJ©ŲU2ńĪœ¹ZŅ[#Ō¤Ń“AĀ¤)Ģ7~ ,‚¾” ×¢Åī9v“ńźõTĘé¾,^«1ŽŖ2ŸąŸŅßC¦¶<æä~:}ŃŁ×vDžļ „~ ‰»3gĶsJ†ģēBk?ų:0" E<ÄŖł˜cćķŻžēś!ł6ēĘčAØŚ8Į%Ō)\yœŠiŪ”’]††Ģ•ķŲuO™o»±Xś#œ!“ ‚Ā\-v`ūö…GH{^°=6B³SCėvźd³ĒņŖ-½½ą¢P—-§å½wČ i›ÅĀ®‰ś…h’G*¹ĪV’aAōk‰†€£ÉH{;®„o<‘é–#U>źĢ( 0µō 0<© 0Yå 0_> 0i 0P 0TV ĘŖ 0įp 0(Q D+y AM¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ń 0N 0ĘO #Į UNÖ %$M*(.NV^ Xwd4h| m~ō\  `‹&Times New Roman' Lubicon Lake Band v. Canada, Communication No. 167/1984 (26 March 1990), U.N. Doc. Supp. N40), U.N. Doc. Supp. N"Angie Dituri"0Angie Dituri .   6F , ’’4Heading 3Ō S ŌÓ p^SÓŌ€£££Ōņ ņŌ  ŌŌ  ŌŌ€XXXŌó óÓ p^SÓ<’’:Default Para6’’4HyperlinkóóņņŌ ’ ŌóóŌ  Ō<’’:FollowedHypeóóņņŌ  ŌóóŌ  Ō< ’’:Normal (Web)Ō S ŌÓ =jSÓÓ =jSÓ0’’.Strongņ ņŌ  Ōó óŌ  Ō4’’2EmphasisņņŌ  ŌóóŌ  Ō Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5(¹2ŻV$££Ż ƒ/!ŻŅÜ°ŅŅÜ°ŅŌ..ŌŌ  ŌŌ  ŌÓ  ÓŌ€XqåXXXŌŌ€XqåXXXqåŌŌŌŻ  Ż(’’$’’'dxd A<< c’’#|x(ĶO$——Ō’ŌņņóóŌ’Ō(ž/$””ŅÜ°ŅŅÜ°ŅŌ..ŌŌ  ŌŌ  ŌÓ  ÓŌ€XsÅXXXŌŌ€XsÅXXXsÅŌŌŌ˜HP LaserJet 4000 Series PSČŚŲŚŚŲČŚ0(ČhH  Z‹6Times New Roman RegularXV‹<) č’.)c(„³Corel’U‹’ĄĄĄŻ ƒ/!ŻŅÜ°ŅŅÜ°ŅŌ..ŌŌ  ŌŌ  ŌÓ  ÓŌ€XqåXXXŌŌ€XqåXXXqåŌŌŌŻ  ŻŌ_Ōņ ņHUMAN€RIGHTS€COMMITTEEŠ ° ŠĢņņŌ_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€v.€CanadaóóŠ |Ģ ŠĢCommunication€No.€167/1984Š H˜ ŠĢ26€March€1990Š  d ŠĢĢVIEWSó óŠ Ę   ŠĢĢņņņņSubmitted€by:óó€Chief€Bernard€Ō_ŌOminayakŌ_Ō€and€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€(represented€by€counsel)Š xČ  ŠņņĢAlleged€victim:óó€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€BandŠ D”  ŠņņĢState€party€concerned:óó€CanadaŠ ` ŠņņĢDate€of€communication:óó€14€February€1984€(date€of€initial€letter)Š Ü, ŠņņĢDate€of€decision€on€admissibility:óó€22€July€1987óóŠ Øų ŠĢĢņņÓ  ÓThe€Human€Rights€Committee,€óóestablished€under€article€28€of€the€International€CovenantŠ ZŖ Šon€Civil€and€Political€Rights,Š @ ŠĢņņMeetingóó€on€26€March€1990,Š  \ ŠĢņņHaving€concluded€óóits€consideration€of€communication€No.€167/1984,€submitted€to€theŠ Ų( ŠCommittee€by€Chief€B.€Ō_ŌOminayakŌ_Ō€and€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€under€the€Optional€ProtocolŠ ¾ Što€the€International€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights,Š ¤ō ŠĢņņHaving€taken€into€account€óóall€written€information€made€available€to€it€by€the€author€of€theŠ p!Ą  Šcommunication€and€by€the€State€party,Š V"¦! ŠĢņņAdoptsóó€the€following:Š "$r# ŠÓĄÓĢĢÓ  Óņ ņņņViews€under€article€5.€paragraph€4.€of€the€Optional€Protocol*/óóó óŠ Ō&$"& ŠÓžÓĢĢÓ  Ó1.€The€author€of€the€communication€(initial€letter€dated€14€February€1984€and€subsequentŠ †)Ö$) Šcorrespondence)€is€Chief€Bernard€Ō_ŌOminayakŌ_Ō€(hereinafter€referred€to€as€the€author)€of€theŠ l*¼%* ŠŌ_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band,€Canada.€He€is€represented€by€counsel.Š R+¢&+ ŠĢ2.1€The€author€alleges€violations€by€the€Government€of€Canada€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band'sŠ -n(- Šright€of€self„determination€and€by€virtue€of€that€right€to€determine€freely€its€political€statusŠ ° Šand€pursue€its€economic,€social€and€cultural€development,€as€well€as€the€right€to€disposeŠ –ę Šfreely€of€its€natural€wealth€and€resources€and€not€to€be€deprived€of€its€own€means€ofŠ |Ģ Šsubsistence.€These€violations€allegedly€contravene€Canada's€obligations€under€article€1,Š b² Šparagraphs€I€to€3,€of€the€International€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Ō_ŌPollticalŌ_Ō€Rights.Š H˜ ŠĢ2.2€Chief€Ō_ŌOminayakŌ_Ō€is€the€leader€and€representative€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band,€a€CreeŠ  d ŠIndian€band€living€within€the€borders€of€Canada€in€the€Province€of€Alberta.€They€are€subjectŠ ś J Što€the€jurisdiction€of€the€Federal€Government€of€Canada,€allegedly€in€accordance€with€aŠ ą 0 Šfiduciary€relationship€assumed€by€the€Canadian€Government€with€respect€to€Indian€peoplesŠ Ę   Šand€their€lands€located€within€Canada's€national€borders.€The€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€is€a€self„Š ¬ ü  Šidentified,€relatively€autonomous,€Ō_ŌsocioŌ_Ō„cultural€and€economic€group.€Its€members€haveŠ ’ā  Šcontinuously€inhabited,€hunted,€trapped€and€fished€in€a€large€area€encompassingŠ xČ  Šapproximately€10,000€square€Ō_ŌkilometresŌ_Ō€in€northern€Alberta€since€time€immemorial.€SinceŠ ^®  Štheir€territory€is€relatively€inaccessible,€they€have,€until€recently,€had€little€contact€with€non„Š D”  ŠIndian€society.€Band€members€speak€Cree€as€their€primary€language.€Many€do€not€speak,Š *z  Šread€or€write€English.€The€Band€continues€to€maintain€its€traditional€culture,€religion,Š ` Špolitical€structure€and€subsistence€economy.Š öF ŠĢ2.3€It€is€claimed€that€the€Canadian€Government,€through€the€Indian€Act€of€1970€and€TreatyŠ Ā Š8€of€21€June€1899€(concerning€aboriginal€land€rights€in€northern€Alberta),€recognized€theŠ Øų Šright€of€the€original€inhabitants€of€that€area€to€continue€their€traditional€way€of€life.€DespiteŠ ŽŽ Šthese€laws€and€agreements,€the€Canadian€Government€has€allowed€the€provincialŠ tÄ Šgovernment€of€Alberta€to€expropriate€the€territory€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€for€the€benefitŠ ZŖ Šof€private€corporate€interests€(e.g.,€leases€for€oil€and€gas€exploration).€In€so€doing,€CanadaŠ @ Šis€accused€of€violating€the€Band's€right€to€determine€freely€its€political€status€and€to€pursueŠ &v Šits€economic,€social€and€cultural€development,€as€guaranteed€by€article€1,€paragraph€1,€of€theŠ  \ ŠCovenant.€Furthermore,€energy€exploration€in€the€Band's€territory€allegedly€entails€aŠ ņB Šviolation€of€article€1,€paragraph€2,€which€grants€all€peoples€the€right€to€dispose€of€theirŠ Ų( Šnatural€wealth€and€resources.€In€destroying€the€environment€and€undermining€the€Band'sŠ ¾ Šeconomic€base,€the€Band€is€allegedly€being€deprived€of€its€means€to€subsist€and€of€theŠ ¤ō Šenjoyment€of€the€right€of€self„determination€guaranteed€in€article€1.Š Š Ś ŠĢ3.1€The€author€states€that€the€same€matter€has€not€been€submitted€for€examination€underŠ V"¦! Šanother€procedure€of€international€investigation€or€settlement.Š <#Œ" ŠĢ3.2€With€respect€to€the€exhaustion€of€domestic€remedies,€it€is€stated€that€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€LakeŠ %X $ ŠBand€has€been€pursuing€its€claims€through€domestic€political€and€legal€avenues.€It€is€allegedŠ ī%>!% Šthat€the€domestic€political€and€legal€process€in€Canada€is€being€used€by€government€officialsŠ Ō&$"& Šand€energy€corporation€representatives€to€thwart€and€delay€the€Band's€actions€until,Š ŗ' #' Šultimately,€the€Band€becomes€incapable€of€pursuing€them,€because€industrial€developmentŠ  (š#( Šat€the€current€rate€in€the€area,€accompanied€by€the€destruction€of€the€environmental€andŠ †)Ö$) Šeconomic€base€of€the€Band,€would€make€it€impossible€for€the€Band€to€survive€as€a€peopleŠ l*¼%* Šfor€many€more€years.Š R+¢&+ ŠŌ_ŌĢ3.3€On€27€October€1975,€the€Band's€representatives€filed€with€the€Registrar€of€the€AlbertaŠ -n(- Š(Provincial)€Land€Registration€District€a€request€for€a€caveat,€which€would€give€notice€to€allŠ ° Šparties€dealing€with€the€caveated€land€of€their€assertion€of€aboriginal€title,€a€procedureŠ –ę Šforeseen€in€the€Provincial€Land€Title€Act.€The€Supreme€Court€of€Alberta€received€argumentsŠ |Ģ Šon€behalf€of€the€Provincial€Government,€contesting€the€caveat,€and€on€behalf€of€the€LubiconŠ b² ŠLake€Band.€On€7€September€1976,€the€provincial€Attorney€General€filed€an€application€forŠ H˜ Ša€postponement,€pending€resolution€of€a€similar€case;€the€application€was€granted.€On€25Š . ~ ŠMarch€1977,€however,€the€Attorney€General€introduced€in€the€provincial€legislature€anŠ  d Šamendment€to€the€Land€Title€Act€precluding€the€filing€of€caveats;€the€amendment€wasŠ ś J Špassed€and€made€retroactive€to€13€January€1975,€thus€predating€the€filing€of€the€caveatŠ ą 0 Šinvolving€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band.€Consequently,€the€Supreme€Court€hearings€wereŠ Ę   Šdismissed€as€moot.Š ¬ ü  ŠĢ3.4€On€25€April€1980,€the€members€of€the€Band€filed€an€action€in€the€Federal€Court€ofŠ xČ  ŠCanada,€requesting€a€declaratory€judgement€concerning€their€rights€to€their€land,€its€use,€andŠ ^®  Šthe€benefits€of€its€natural€resources.€The€claim€was€dismissed€on€jurisdictional€groundsŠ D”  Šagainst€the€provincial€government€and€all€energy€corporations€except€one€(Petro„Canada).Š *z  ŠThe€claim€with€the€federal€Government€and€Petro„Canada€as€defendants€was€allowed€toŠ ` Šstand.Š öF ŠĢ3.5€On€16€February€1982,€an€action€was€filed€in€the€Court€of€Queen's€Bench€of€AlbertaŠ Ā Šrequesting€an€interim€injunction€to€halt€development€in€the€area€until€issues€raised€by€theŠ Øų ŠBand's€land€and€natural€resource€claims€were€settled.€The€main€purpose€of€the€interimŠ ŽŽ Šinjunction,€the€author€states,€was€to€prevent€the€Alberta€government€and€the€oil€companiesŠ tÄ Š(the€"defendants")€from€further€destroying€the€traditional€hunting€and€trapping€territory€ofŠ ZŖ Šthe€Lubicon€Lake€people.€This€would€have€permitted€the€Band€members€to€continue€to€huntŠ @ Šand€trap€for€their€livelihood€and€subsistence€as€a€part€of€their€aboriginal€way€of€life.€TheŠ &v Šprovincial€court€did€not€render€its€decision€for€almost€two€years,€during€which€time€oil€andŠ  \ Šgas€development€continued,€along€with€rapid€destruction€of€the€Band's€economic€base.€OnŠ ņB Š17€November€1983,€the€request€for€an€interim€injunction€was€denied€and€the€Band,€althoughŠ Ų( Šfinancially€destitute,€was€subsequently€held€liable€for€all€court€costs€and€attorneys'€feesŠ ¾ Šassociated€with€the€action:Š ¤ō ŠĢ3.6€The€decision€of€the€Court€of€Queen's€Bench€was€appealed€to€the€Court€of€Appeal€ofŠ p!Ą  ŠAlberta;€it€was€dismissed€on€11€January€1985.€In€reaching€its€decision,€the€Court€of€AppealŠ V"¦! Šagreed€with€the€lower€court's€finding€that€the€Band's€claim€of€aboriginal€title€to€the€landŠ <#Œ" Špresented€a€serious€question€of€law€to€be€decided€at€trial.€None€the€less,€the€Court€of€AppealŠ "$r# Šfound€that€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€would€suffer€no€irreparable€harm€if€resource€developmentŠ %X $ Šcontinued€fully€and€that€the€balance€of€convenience,€therefore,€favoured€denial€of€theŠ ī%>!% Šinjunction.Š Ō&$"& ŠĢ3.7€The€author€states€that€the€defendants€attempted€to€convince€the€Court€that€the€LubiconŠ  (š#( ŠLake€Band€has€no€right€to€any€possession€of€any€sort€in€any€part€of€the€subject€lands,€which,Š †)Ö$) Šlogically,€included€even€their€homes.€In€response,€the€Court€pointed€out€that€any€attempt€toŠ l*¼%* Šforce€the€members€of€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€from€their€dwellings€might€indeed€promptŠ R+¢&+ Šinterim€relief,€as€would€attempts€to€deny€them€access€to€traditional€burial€grounds€or€otherŠ 8,ˆ', Šspecial€places,€or€to€hunting€and€trapping€areas.€In€its€complaint,€the€Band€alleged€denial€ofŠ -n(- Šaccess€to€all€of€these€areas,€supporting€its€allegations€with€photographs€of€damage€and€withŠ ° Šseveral€uncontested€affidavits.€Yet,€the€Court€overlooked€the€Band's€evidence€and€concludedŠ –ę Šthat€the€Band€had€failed€to€demonstrate€that€such€action€had€been€taken€or€indeed€threatenedŠ |Ģ Šby€the€defendants.Š b² ŠĢ3.8€The€author€further€states€that€the€legal€basis€for€the€Court€of€Appeal's€decision€was€itsŠ . ~ Šown€definition€of€irreparable€injury.€This€test€was:€injury€that€is€of€such€a€nature€that€no€fairŠ  d Šand€reasonable€redress€may€be€had€in€a€court€of€law€and€that€to€refuse€the€injunction€wouldŠ ś J Šbe€a€denial€of€justice.€The€author€submits€that€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€clearly€met€this€testŠ ą 0 Šby€demonstrating,€with€uncontested€evidence,€injury€to€their€livelihood,€to€their€subsistenceŠ Ę   Šeconomy,€to€their€culture€and€to€their€way€of€life€as€a€social€and€political€entity.€Yet,€theŠ ¬ ü  ŠCourt€found€that€the€Band€had€not€demonstrated€irreparable€harm.Š ’ā  ŠĢ3.9€On€18€February€1985,€the€Band€presented€arguments€to€a€panel€of€three€judges€of€theŠ ^®  ŠSupreme€Court€of€Canada,€requesting€leave€to€appeal€from€the€judgement€of€the€AlbertaŠ D”  ŠCourt€of€Appeal.€On€14€March€1985,€the€Supreme€Court€of€Canada€refused€leave€to€appeal.Š *z  ŠGenerally,€the€author€states,€the€criteria€for€granting€leave€to€appeal€are:€whether€theŠ ` Šquestions€presented€are€of€public€importance,€whether€the€case€contains€important€issues€ofŠ öF Šlaw€or€whether€the€proceedings€are€for€any€reason€of€such€a€nature€or€significance€as€toŠ Ü, Šwarrant€a€decision€by€the€Supreme€Court€of€Canada.€He€states€that€the€issues€presented€byŠ Ā Šthe€Lubicon€Lake€Band€involved€such€questions€as€the€interpretation€of€the€constitutionalŠ Øų Šrights€of€aboriginal€peoples,€the€existence€of€which€was€recently€confirmed€by€theŠ ŽŽ ŠConstitution€Act,€1982;€the€remedies€available€to€aboriginal€peoples;€the€rights€of€aboriginalŠ tÄ Špeoples€to€carry€out€traditional€subsistence€activities€in€traditional€hunting€and€trappingŠ ZŖ Šgrounds;€the€legal€regime€applicable€to€a€large€area€of€land€in€northern€Alberta;€conflictsŠ @ Šbetween€Canada's€traditional,€land„based€societies€and€its€industrial€society;€public€interestsŠ &v Šand€minority€interests;€the€competing€rights€of€public€authorities€and€individuals;Š  \ Šconsiderations€of€fundamental€and€equitable€justice;€equality€before€the€law;€and€the€rightŠ ņB Što€equal€protection€and€benefit€of€the€law.€The€author€submits€that€at€least€the€first€fourŠ Ų( Šquestions€have€not€yet€been€adjudicated€by€the€Supreme€Court€of€Canada€and€that€theyŠ ¾ Šundeniably€fall€within€the€criteria€for€granting€leave€to€appeal.Š ¤ō ŠĢ4.€By€decision€of€16€October€1984,€the€Working€Group€of€the€Human€Rights€CommitteeŠ p!Ą  Štransmitted€the€communication€under€rule€91€of€the€rules€of€procedure€to€the€State€party,Š V"¦! Šrequesting€information€and€observations€relevant€to€the€question€of€the€admissibility€of€theŠ <#Œ" Šcommunication.€The€main€points€reflected€in€the€information€and€observations€received€fromŠ "$r# Šthe€State€party€are€set€out€in€paragraphs€5.1€to€5.7€and€6.1€to€6.4€below.Š %X $ ŠĢņņExhaustion€of€domestic€remediesóóŠ Ō&$"& ŠĢ5.1€In€its€submission€dated€31€May€1985,€the€State€party€contends€that€the€Lubicon€LakeŠ  (š#( ŠBand€has€not€pursued€to€completion€domestic€remedies€commenced€by€it€and€thatŠ †)Ö$) Šresponsibility€for€any€delays€in€the€application€of€such€remedies€does€not€lie€with€theŠ l*¼%* ŠGovernment€of€Canada.€The€State€party€recalls€that€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band,€suing€in€its€ownŠ R+¢&+ Šlegal€right,€and€Chief€Bernard€Ominayak,€suing€in€his€personal€capacity,€and€with€otherŠ 8,ˆ', ŠBand€councillors€in€a€representative€capacity,€have€initiated€three€different€legal€proceduresŠ -n(- Šand€points€out€that€only€the€litigation€concerning€the€caveat€filed€by€the€Band€has€beenŠ ° Šfinally€determined.€Two€other€legal€actions,€one€in€the€Federal€Court€of€Canada€and€one€inŠ –ę Šthe€Alberta€Court€of€Queen's€Bench,€were€said€to€be€still€pending.Š |Ģ ŠĢ5.2€With€regard€to€the€Federal€Court€action€referred€to€in€the€communication,€the€State€partyŠ H˜ Šrecalls€that€the€Band€and€its€legal€advisers,€in€April€1980,€sought€to€sue€the€Province€ofŠ . ~ ŠAlberta€and€private€corporations€in€proceedings€in€the€Federal€Court€of€Canada.€It€isŠ  d Šsubmitted€that€in€the€circumstances€of€this€case,€neither€the€province€nor€private€entitiesŠ ś J Šcould€have€been€sued€as€defendants€in€the€Federal€Court€of€Canada.€Rather€than€reconstituteŠ ą 0 Šthe€proceedings€in€the€proper€forum,€the€State€party€submits,€the€Band€contestedŠ Ę   Šinterlocutory€proceedings€brought€by€the€defendants€concerning€the€issue€of€jurisdiction.Š ¬ ü  ŠThese€interlocutory€proceedings€resulted€in€a€determination€against€the€Band€in€NovemberŠ ’ā  Š1980.€An€appeal€by€the€Band€from€the€decision€of€the€Federal€Court€of€Canada€wasŠ xČ  Šdismissed€by€the€Federal€Court€of€Appeal€in€May€1981.Š ^®  ŠĢ5.3€Following€the€interlocutory€proceedings€relating€to€the€jurisdiction€of€the€Federal€Court,Š *z  Ša€new€action€was€instituted€on€21€February€1982€against€the€province€and€certain€corporateŠ ` Šdefendants€in€the€Court€of€Queen's€Bench€of€Alberta.€As€indicated€in€the€communication,Š öF Šthe€Band€sought€an€interim€injunction.€In€November€1983,€after€extensive€proceedings,€theŠ Ü, ŠBand's€interim€application€was€dismissed€by€the€Court€of€Queen's€Bench€based€on€the€caseŠ Ā Šof€ņņErickson€v.€Wiggins€Adjustments€Ltd.€(1980)€6€W.R.R.€188,€óówhich€set€out€the€criteria€thatŠ Øų Šmust€be€present€for€a€court€to€grant€an€interim€injunctlon.€Pursuant€to€that€case,€an€applicantŠ ŽŽ Šfor€an€interim€injunction€must€establish:Š tÄ ŠĢ(a)€That€there€exists€a€serious€issue€to€be€tried;Š @ ŠĢ(b)€That€irreparable€ham€will€be€suffered€prior€to€trial€if€no€injunction€is€granted;Š  \ ŠĢ(c)€That€the€balance€of€convenience€between€the€parties€favours€relief€to€the€applicant.Š Ų( ŠĢThe€State€party€points€out€that€the€Alberta€Court€denied€the€Band's€application€on€theŠ ¤ō Šgrounds€that€the€Band€had€failed€to€prove€irreparable€ham€and€that€it€could€be€adequatelyŠ Š Ś Šcompensated€in€damages€if€it€was€ultimately€successful€at€trial.Š p!Ą  ŠĢ5.4€Rather€than€proceed€with€a€trial€on€the€merits,€the€Band€appealed€against€the€dismissalŠ <#Œ" Šof€the€interim€application.€Its€appeal€was€dismissed€by€the€Alberta€Court€of€Appeal€of€11Š "$r# ŠJanuary€1985.€The€Band's€application€for€leave€to€appeal€the€dismissal€of€the€interimŠ %X $ Šinjunction€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€Canada€was€refused€on€14€March€1985.€Almost€twoŠ ī%>!% Šmonths€later,€on€13€May€1985,€the€State€party€adds,€the€Supreme€Court€of€Canada€deniedŠ Ō&$"& Šanother€request€by€the€Band€that€the€Court€bend€its€own€rules€to€rehear€the€application.€Thus,Š ŗ' #' Šthe€State€party€states,€the€Court€upheld€its€well„estab1ished€rule€prohibiting€the€rehearing€ofŠ  (š#( Šapplications€for€leave€to€appeal.Š †)Ö$) ŠĢ5.5€The€State€party€submits€that,€after€such€extensive€delays€caused€by€interim€proceedingsŠ R+¢&+ Šand€the€contesting€of€clearly€settled€procedural€matters€of€law,€the€author's€claim€that€theŠ 8,ˆ', Šapplication€of€domestic€remedies€is€being€unreasonably€prolonged€has€no€merit.€It€submitsŠ -n(- Šthat€it€has€been€open€to€the€Band€as€plaintiff€to€press€on€with€the€substantive€steps€in€eitherŠ ° Šof€its€legal€actions€so€as€to€bring€the€matters€to€trial.Š –ę ŠĢņņAdditional€remediesóóŠ b² ŠĢ5.6€The€State€party€submits€that€the€term€"domestic€remedies",€in€accordance€with€theŠ . ~ Šprevailing€doctrine€of€International€law,€should€be€understood€as€applying€broadly€to€allŠ  d Šestablished€municipal€procedures€of€redress.€Article€2,€paragraph€3€(b),€of€the€Covenant,€itŠ ś J Šstates,€recognizes€that€in€addition€to€3udicial€remedies€a€State€party€to€the€Covenant€can€alsoŠ ą 0 Šprovide€administrative€and€other€remedies.€Following€the€filing€of€its€defence€In€the€FederalŠ Ę   ŠCourt€action,€the€federal€Government€proposed€late€in€1981€that€the€claim€be€settled€byŠ ¬ ü  Šproviding€the€Band€with€reserve€land€pursuant€to€the€treaty€concluded€in€1899.€TheŠ ’ā  Šconditions€proposed€by€the€province€(which€holds€legal€title€to€the€lands)€were€notŠ xČ  Šacceptable€to€the€Band€and€it€accordingly€rejected€the€proposed€resolution€of€the€dispute.Š ^®  ŠĢ5.7€The€Band's€claim€to€certain€lands€in€northern€Alberta,€the€State€party€submits,€is€part€ofŠ *z  Ša€complex€situation€that€involves€competing€claims€from€several€other€native€communitiesŠ ` Šin€the€area.€In€June€1980,€approximately€two€months€after€the€Band€commenced€its€actionŠ öF Šin€the€Trial€Division€of€the€Federal€Court,€six€other€native€communities€filed€a€separate€landŠ Ü, Šclaim€with€the€Department€of€Indian€Affairs€asserting€aboriginal€title€to€lands€that€overlapŠ Ā Šwith€the€property€sought€by€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band's€claim.€Subsequently,€in€June€1983,€theŠ Øų ŠBig€Stone€Cree€Band€filed€a€claim€with€the€Department€of€Indian€Affairs€„€this€time€claimingŠ ŽŽ Štreaty€entitlement€„€to€an€area€that€also€overlaps€with€land€claimed€by€the€Lubicon€LakeŠ tÄ ŠBand.€The€Big€Stone€Cree€Band€allegedly€represents€five€of€the€native€communities€thatŠ ZŖ Šfiled€the€June€1980€claim€based€on€aboriginal€title.€To€deal€with€this€very€complex€situation,Š @ Šin€March€1985€the€Minister€of€Indian€and€Northern€Affairs€appointed€a€former€judge€of€theŠ &v ŠBritish€Columbia€Supreme€Court€as€a€special€envoy€of€the€Minister€to€meet€withŠ  \ Šrepresentatives€from€the€Band,€other€native€communities€and€the€province,€to€review€theŠ ņB Šentire€situation€and€to€formulate€recommendations.€The€State€party€submits€thatŠ Ų( Šconsideration€of€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band's€claim€in€isolation€from€the€competing€claims€ofŠ ¾ Šthe€other€native€communities€would€jeopardize€the€domestic€remedy€of€negotiated€settlementŠ ¤ō Šselected€by€the€latter.Š Š Ś ŠĢņņRight€of€self„determinationóóŠ V"¦! ŠĢ6.1€The€Government€of€Canada€submits€that€the€communication,€as€it€pertains€to€the€rightŠ "$r# Šof€self„determination,€is€inadmissible€for€two€reasons.€First,€the€right€of€self„determinationŠ %X $ Šapplies€to€a€"people"€and€it€is€the€position€of€the€Government€of€Canada€that€the€LubiconŠ ī%>!% ŠLake€Band€is€not€a€people€within€the€meaning€of€article€1€of€the€Covenant.€It€thereforeŠ Ō&$"& Šsubmits€that€the€communication€is€incompatible€with€the€provisions€of€the€Covenant€and,Š ŗ' #' Šas€such,€should€be€found€inadmissible€under€article€3€of€the€Protocol.€Secondly,Š  (š#( Šcommunications€under€the€Optional€Protocol€can€only€be€made€by€individuals€and€mustŠ †)Ö$) Šrelate€to€the€breach€of€a€right€conferred€on€individuals.€The€present€communication,€the€StateŠ l*¼%* Šparty€argues,€relates€to€a€collective€right€and€the€author€therefore€lacks€standing€to€bring€aŠ R+¢&+ Šcommunication€pursuant€to€articles€I€and€2€of€the€Optional€Protocol.Š 8,ˆ', ŠŠ -n(- Š6.2€As€to€the€argument€that€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€does€not€constitute€a€people€for€theŠ ° Špurposes€of€article€I€of€the€Covenant€and€it€therefore€is€not€entitled€to€assert€under€theŠ –ę ŠProtocol€the€right€of€self„determination,€the€Government€of€Canada€points€out€that€theŠ |Ģ ŠLubicon€Lake€Band€comprises€only€one€of€582€Indian€bands€in€Canada€and€a€small€portionŠ b² Šof€a€larger€group€of€Cree€Indians€residing€in€northern€Alberta.€It€is€therefore€the€position€ofŠ H˜ Šthe€Government€of€Canada€that€the€Lubicon€Lake€Indians€are€not€a€"people"€within€theŠ . ~ Šmeaning€of€article€1€of€the€Covenant.Š  d ŠĢ6.3€The€Government€of€Canada€submits€that€while€self„determination€as€contained€in€articleŠ ą 0 Š1€of€the€Covenant€is€not€an€individual€right,€it€provides€the€necessary€contextual€backgroundŠ Ę   Šfor€the€exercise€of€individual€human€rights.€This€view,€it€contends,€is€supported€by€theŠ ¬ ü  Šfollowing€phrase€from€the€Committee's€general€comment€on€article€1€Ż‚ ’’’ŻņņŌŌŻ  Ż(CCPR/C/21/Add.3,Š ’ā  ŠŻ‚ ’’’ra4„ŻóóŌŌŻ  Ż5€October€1984),€which€provides€that€the€realization€of€self„determination€is€"an€essentialŠ xČ  Šcondition€for€the€effective€guarantee€and€observance€of€individual€human€rights€and€for€theŠ ^®  Špromotion€and€strengthening€of€those€rights".€This€general€comment,€the€State€party€adds,Š D”  Šrecognizes€that€the€rights€embodied€in€article€I€are€set€apart€from,€and€before,€all€the€otherŠ *z  Šrights€in€the€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights€and€the€Covenant€on€Economic,€SocialŠ ` Šand€Cultural€Rights.€The€rights€in€article€1,€which€are€contained€in€part€I€of€the€Covenant€onŠ öF ŠCivil€and€Political€Rights€are,€in€the€submission€of€Canada,€different€in€nature€and€kind€fromŠ Ü, Šthe€rights€in€part€III,€the€former€being€collective,€the€latter€individual.€Thus,€the€structure€ofŠ Ā Šthe€Covenant,€when€viewed€as€a€whole,€further€supports€the€argument€that€the€right€of€self„Š Øų Šdetermination€is€a€collective€one€available€to€peoples.€As€such,€the€State€party€argues,€itŠ ŽŽ Šcannot€be€invoked€by€individuals€under€the€Optional€Protocol.Š tÄ ŠĢ6.4€The€Government€of€Canada€contends€that€the€Committee's€jurisdiction,€as€defined€by€theŠ @ ŠOptional€Protocol,€cannot€be€invoked€by€an€individual€when€the€alleged€violation€concernsŠ &v Ša€collective€right.€It€therefore€contends€that€the€present€communication€pertaining€to€self„Š  \ Šdetermination€for€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€should€be€dismissed.Š ņB ŠĢ7.€In€a€detailed€reply,€dated€8€July€1985,€to€the€State€party's€submission,€the€authorŠ ¾ Šsummarized€his€arguments€as€follows.€The€Government€of€Canada€offers€three€principalŠ ¤ō Šallegations€in€its€response.€It€alleges,€first,€that€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€has€not€exhaustedŠ Š Ś Šdomestic€remedies.€However,€the€Band€has,€in€fact,€exhausted€these€remedies€to€the€extentŠ p!Ą  Šthat€they€offer€any€meaningful€redress€of€its€claims€concerning€the€destruction€of€its€meansŠ V"¦! Šof€livelihood.€Secondly,€the€Government€of€Canada€alleges€that€the€concept€of€self„Š <#Œ" Šdetermination€is€not€applicable€to€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band.€The€Lubicon€Lake€Band€is€anŠ "$r# Šindigenous€people€who€have€maintained€their€traditional€economy€and€way€of€life€and€haveŠ %X $ Šoccupied€their€traditional€territory€since€time€immemorial.€At€a€minimum,€the€concept€ofŠ ī%>!% Šself„determination€should€be€held€to€be€applicable€to€these€people€as€it€concerns€the€right€ofŠ Ō&$"& Ša€people€to€their€means€of€subsistence.€Finally,€the€Government€of€Canada€makes€allegationsŠ ŗ' #' Šconcerning€the€identity€and€status€of€the€communicant.€The€"communicant"€is€identified€inŠ  (š#( Šthe€Band's€original€communication.€The€"victims"€are€the€members€of€the€Lubicon€LakeŠ †)Ö$) ŠBand,€who€are€represented€by€their€unanimously€elected€leader,€Chief€Bernard€Ominayak.Š l*¼%* ŠĢ8.1€By€interim€decision€of€10€April€1986,€the€Committee,€recalling€that€the€State€party€hadŠ 8,ˆ', Šinformed€it€that€the€Minister€of€Indian€and€Northern€Affairs€had€appointed€a€special€envoyŠ -n(- Šand€given€him€the€task€to€review€the€situation,€requested€the€State€party€to€furnish€theŠ ° ŠCommittee€with€the€special€envoy's€report€and€with€any€information€as€to€recommendationsŠ –ę Šas€well€as€measures€which€the€State€party€had€taken€or€intended€to€take€in€that€connection.Š |Ģ ŠĢ8.2€In€the€same€decision€the€Committee€requested€the€author€to€inform€it€of€anyŠ H˜ Šdevelopments€in€the€legal€actions€pending€in€the€Canadian€courts.Š . ~ ŠĢ9.1€In€his€reply,€dated€30€June€1986,€to€the€Committee's€interim€decision,€the€author€claimsŠ ś J Šthat€there€has€been€no€substantive€progress€in€any€of€the€pending€court€proceedings.€HeŠ ą 0 Šreiterates€his€argument€that:Š Ę   ŠĢ"The€Band's€request€for€an€interim€injunction€to€halt€the€oil€development,€which€hasŠ ’ā  Šdestroyed€the€subsistence€livelihood€of€its€people,€was€denied€and€the€Supreme€Court€ofŠ xČ  ŠCanada€refused€to€grant€leave€to€appeal€the€denial€...€The€development€and€the€destruction,Š ^®  Štherefore,€continue€unabated.€The€Band's€attorney€is€continuing€to€pursue€the€claims€throughŠ D”  Šthe€courts€despite€the€fact€that€the€Band€is€unable€to€provide€financial€support€for€the€effortŠ *z  Šand€that€there€is€no€possible€hope€of€resolution€for€the€next€several€years.€Therefore,€theŠ ` ŠBand€has€no€basis€for€altering€its€previous€conclusion€that,€for€all€practical€purposes,€itsŠ öF Šdomestic€judicial€remedies€have€been€exhausted."Š Ü, ŠĢ9.2€The€Band€also€points€out€that€the€Federal€Government's€special€envoy,€Mr.€E.€DavieŠ Øų ŠFulton,€was€relieved€of€his€responsibilities€following€the€submission€of€his€"discussionŠ ŽŽ Špaper".Š tÄ ŠĢ"In€the€discussion€paper€...€Mr.€Fulton€reached€much€the€same€conclusion€as€the€Band€itself,Š @ Šthat€the€Canadian€Government€must€bear€the€blame€for€the€situation€at€Lubicon€Lake€andŠ &v Šthat€the€resolution€of€the€problem€is€up€to€the€Federal€Government.€His€report€also€suggestedŠ  \ Ša€land€settlement€based€on€the€Band's€current€population€and€recognized€the€importance€ofŠ ņB Šproviding€the€Band€with€wildlife€management€authority€throughout€its€hunting€and€trappingŠ Ų( Šterritory.€The€land€settlement€proposed€by€Mr.€Fulton,€which€would€result€in€a€reserveŠ ¾ Šsignificantly€larger€than€the€25€square€mile€reserve€the€Band€was€promised€in€1940,€isŠ ¤ō Šconsistent€with€the€position€of€the€Band€with€regard€to€this€issue€...€Mr.€Fulton€alsoŠ Š Ś Šrecommended€that€Alberta€compensate€the€Band€for€damage€caused€by€the€unrestricted€oilŠ p!Ą  Šand€gas€development€for€which€it€has€issued€leases€wlthin€the€Band's€territory.€In€additionŠ V"¦! Što€relieving€Mr.€Fulton€of€his€responsibility€in€the€matter,€the€Federal€Government,€to€date,Š <#Œ" Šhas€refused€to€make€his€discussion€paper€public."Š "$r# ŠĢ10.1€In€its€reply€to€the€Committee's€interim€decision,€dated€23€June€1986,€the€State€partyŠ ī%>!% Šforwarded€the€text€of€Mr.€Fulton's€report€and€noted€that€it€had€appointed€Mr.€Roger€TasseŠ Ō&$"& Što€act€as€negotiator.€Furthermore,€it€informed€the€Committee€that€on€8€January€1986€theŠ ŗ' #' ŠCanadian€Government€had€made€an€ņņex€gratiaóó€payment€of€$1.5€million€to€the€Band€to€coverŠ  (š#( Šlegal€and€other€related€costs.Š †)Ö$) ŠĢ10.2€In€a€further€submission€of€20€January€1987,€the€State€party€argues€that€following€theŠ R+¢&+ Šrejection€of€the€Band's€application€for€an€interim€injunction:Š 8,ˆ', ŠŠ -n(- Š"The€Band€should€then€have€taken€steps€with€all€due€speed€to€seek€its€permanent€injunctionŠ ° Šbefore€seeking€international€recourse.€The€Band€alleges€in€its€submission€...€that€the€delayŠ –ę Šin€the€litigation€will€cause€it€irreparable€harm.€Its€action€for€a€permanent€injunction€would,Š |Ģ Šif€successful,€permanently€prevent€that€harm."Š b² ŠĢ11.1€In€submissions€dated€23€and€25€February€1987,€the€author€discussed,€ņņinter€aliaóó,€mattersŠ . ~ Šof€substance,€such€as€the€Fulton€discussion€paper,€and€argued€that€"Canada€has€abandonedŠ  d Škey€recommendations€contained€in€the€Fulton€discussion€paper",€and€that€"Canada€isŠ ś J Šattempting€retroactively€to€subject€the€Band€to€a€law€which€this€Committee€has€held€to€beŠ ą 0 Šin€violation€of€article€27€of€the€International€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights€andŠ Ę   Šwhich€Canada€amended€in€accordance€with€the€findings€of€this€Committee".Š ¬ ü  ŠĢ11.2€With€regard€to€the€pending€litigation€proceedings,€the€Band€contends€that€a€permanentŠ xČ  Šinjunction€would€not€constitute€an€effective€remedy€because€it€would€come€too€late,Š ^®  Šexplaining€that:Š D”  ŠĢ"The€recognition€of€aboriginal€rights€or€even€treaty€rights€by€a€final€determination€of€theŠ ` Šcourts€will€not€undo€the€irreparable€damage€to€the€society€of€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band,€willŠ öF Šnot€bring€back€the€animals,€will€not€restore€the€environment,€will€not€restore€the€Band'sŠ Ü, Štraditional€economy,€will€not€replace€the€destruction€of€their€traditional€way€of€life€and€willŠ Ā Šnot€repair€the€damages€to€the€spiritual€and€cultural€ties€to€the€land.€The€consequence€is€thatŠ Øų Šall€domestic€remedies€have€indeed€been€exhausted€with€respect€to€the€protection€of€theŠ ŽŽ ŠBand's€economy€as€well€as€its€unique,€valuable€and€deeply€cherished€way€of€life."Š tÄ ŠĢ12.€In€a€further€submission,€dated€12€June€1987,€the€author€states€that:Š @ ŠĢ"The€Lubicon€Lake€Band€is€not€requesting€a€territorial€rights€decision.€Rather,€the€BandŠ  \ Šrequests€only€that€the€Human€Rights€Committee€assist€it€in€attempting€to€convince€theŠ ņB ŠGovernment€of€Canada€that:Š Ų( ŠĢ"(a)€The€Band's€existence€is€seriously€threatened€by€the€oil€and€gas€development€that€hasŠ ¤ō Šbeen€allowed€to€proceed€unchecked€on€their€traditional€hunting€grounds€and€in€completeŠ Š Ś Šdisregard€for€the€human€community€inhabiting€the€area;Š p!Ą  ŠĢ"(b)€Canada€is€responsible€for€the€current€state€of€affairs€and€for€co„operating€in€theirŠ <#Œ" Šresolution€in€accordance€with€article€1€of€the€Optional€Protocol€to€the€International€CovenantŠ "$r# Šon€Civil€and€Political€Rights."Š %X $ ŠĢ13.1€Before€considering€a€communication€on€the€merits,€the€Committee€must€ascertainŠ Ō&$"& Šwhether€it€fulfils€all€conditions€relating€to€its€admissibility€under€the€Optional€Protocol.Š ŗ' #' ŠĢ13.2€With€regard€to€the€requirement,€in€article€5,€paragraph€2€(b),€of€the€Optional€Protocol,Š †)Ö$) Šthat€authors€must€exhaust€domestic€remedies€before€submitting€a€communication€to€theŠ l*¼%* ŠHuman€Rights€Committee,€the€author€of€the€present€communication€had€invoked€theŠ R+¢&+ Šqualification€that€this€requirement€should€be€waived€"where€the€application€of€the€remediesŠ 8,ˆ', Šis€unreasonably€prolonged".€The€Committee€noted€that€the€author€had€argued€that€the€onlyŠ -n(- Šeffective€remedy€in€the€circumstances€of€the€case€was€to€seek€an€interim€injunction,€becauseŠ ° Š"without€the€preservation€of€the€status€quo,€a€final€judgement€on€the€merits,€even€ifŠ –ę Šfavourable€to€the€Band,€would€be€rendered€ineffectual",€in€so€far€as€"any€final€judgementŠ |Ģ Šrecognizing€aboriginal€rights,€or€alternatively€treaty€rights,€[could]€never€restore€the€way€ofŠ b² Šlife,€livelihood€and€means€of€subsistence€of€the€Band".€Referring€to€its€establishedŠ H˜ Šjurisprudence€that€"exhaustion€of€domestic€remedies€can€be€required€only€to€the€extent€thatŠ . ~ Šthese€remedies€are€effective€and€available",€the€Committee€found€that,€in€the€circumstancesŠ  d Šof€the€case,€there€were€no€effective€remedies€still€available€to€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band.Š ś J ŠĢ13.3€With€regard€to€the€State€party's€contention€that€the€author's€communication€pertainingŠ Ę   Što€self„determination€should€be€declared€inadmissible€because€"the€Committee's€jurisdiction,Š ¬ ü  Šas€defined€by€the€Optional€Protocol,€cannot€be€invoked€by€an€individual€when€the€allegedŠ ’ā  Šviolation€concerns€a€collective€right",€the€Committee€reaffirmed€that€the€CovenantŠ xČ  Šrecognizes€and€protects€in€most€resolute€terms€a€people's€right€of€self„determination€and€itsŠ ^®  Šright€to€dispose€of€its€natural€resources,€as€an€essential€condition€for€the€effective€guaranteeŠ D”  Šand€observance€of€individual€human€rights€and€for€the€promotion€and€strengthening€of€thoseŠ *z  Šrights.€However,€the€Committee€observed€that€the€author,€as€an€individual,€could€not€claimŠ ` Šunder€the€Optional€Protocol€to€be€a€victim€of€a€violation€of€the€right€of€self„determinationŠ öF Šenshrined€in€article€I€of€the€Covenant,€which€deals€with€rights€conferred€upon€peoples,€asŠ Ü, Šsuch.Š Ā ŠĢ13.4€The€Committee€noted,€however,€that€the€facts€as€submitted€might€raise€issues€underŠ ŽŽ Šother€articles€of€the€Covenant,€including€article€27.€Thus,€in€so€far€as€the€author€and€otherŠ tÄ Šmembers€of€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€were€affected€by€the€events€which€the€author€hasŠ ZŖ Šdescribed,€these€issues€should€be€examined€on€the€merits,€in€order€to€determine€whether€theyŠ @ Šreveal€violations€of€article€27€or€other€articles€of€the€Covenant.Š &v ŠĢ14.€On€22€July€1987,€therefore,€the€Human€Rights€Committee€decided€that€theŠ ņB Šcommunication€was€admissible€in€so€far€as€it€might€raise€issues€under€article€27€or€otherŠ Ų( Šarticles€of€the€Covenant.€The€State€party€was€requested,€under€rule€86€of€the€rules€ofŠ ¾ Šprocedure,€to€take€interim€measures€of€protection€to€avoid€irreparable€damage€to€ChiefŠ ¤ō ŠOminayak€and€other€members€of€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band.Š Š Ś ŠĢ15.€In€its€submission€under€article€4,€paragraph€2,€dated€7€October€1987,€the€State€partyŠ V"¦! Šinvokes€rule€93,€paragraph€4,€of€the€Committee's€provisional€rules€of€procedure€and€requestsŠ <#Œ" Šthe€Committee€to€review€its€decision€on€admissibility,€submitting€that€effective€domesticŠ "$r# Šremedies€have€not€been€exhausted€by€the€Band.€It€observes€that€the€Committee's€decisionŠ %X $ Šappears€to€be€based€on€the€assumption€that€an€interim€injunction€would€be€the€only€effectiveŠ ī%>!% Šremedy€to€address€the€alleged€breach€of€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band's€rights.€This€assumption,Š Ō&$"& Šin€its€opinion,€does€not€withstand€close€scrutiny.€The€State€party€submits€that,€based€on€theŠ ŗ' #' Ševidence€of€the€Alberta€Court€of€Queen's€Bench€and€the€Court€of€Appeal€„€the€two€courtsŠ  (š#( Šwhich€had€had€to€deal€with€the€Band's€request€for€interim€relief€„€as€well€as€the€socio„Š †)Ö$) Šeconomic€conditions€of€the€Band,€its€way€of€life,€livelihood€and€means€of€subsistence€haveŠ l*¼%* Šnot€been€irreparably€damaged,€nor€are€they€under€imminent€threat.€Accordingly,€it€isŠ R+¢&+ Šsubmitted€that€an€interim€injunction€is€not€the€only€effective€remedy€available€to€the€Band,Š 8,ˆ', Šand€that€a€trial€on€the€merits€and€the€negotiation€process€proposed€by€the€FederalŠ -n(- ŠGovernment€constitute€both€effective€and€viable€alternatives.€The€State€party€reaffirms€itsŠ ° Šposition€that€it€has€a€right,€pursuant€to€article€5,€paragraph€2€(b),€of€the€Optional€Protocol,Š –ę Što€insist€that€domestic€redress€be€exhausted€before€the€Committee€considers€the€matter.€ItŠ |Ģ Šclaims€that€the€terms€"domestic€remedies",€in€accordance€with€relevant€principles€ofŠ b² Šinternational€law,€must€be€understood€as€applying€to€all€established€local€procedures€ofŠ H˜ Šredress.€As€long€as€there€has€not€been€a€final€judicial€determination€of€the€Band's€rightsŠ . ~ Šunder€Canadian€law,€there€is€no€basis€in€fact€or€under€international€law€for€concluding€thatŠ  d Šdomestic€redress€is€ineffective,€nor€for€declaring€the€communication€admissible€under€theŠ ś J ŠOptional€Protocol.€In€support€of€its€claims,€the€State€party€provides€a€detailed€review€of€theŠ ą 0 Šproceedings€before€the€Alberta€Court€of€Queen's€Bench€and€explains€its€long„standing€policyŠ Ę   Što€seek€the€resolution€of€valid,€outstanding€land€claims€by€Indian€Bands€through€negotiation.Š ¬ ü  ŠĢ16.1€Commenting€on€the€State€party's€submission,€the€author,€in€a€letter€dated€12€JanuaryŠ xČ  Š1988,€maintains€that€his€and€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band's€allegations€are€well€founded.Š ^®  ŠAccording€to€Chief€Ominayak,€the€State€party€bases€its€request€for€a€review€of€the€decisionŠ D”  Šon€admissibility€on€a€mere€restatement€of€the€facts€and€is€seeking€to€have€the€CommitteeŠ *z  Šreverse€its€decision€under€the€guise€of€substantiation€of€its€previous€submissions,€withoutŠ ` Šadducing€any€new€grounds.€Recalling€the€Committee's€statement€that€the€communication€isŠ öF Šadmissible€in€so€far€as€it€raises€issues€under€article€27€"or€other€articles€of€the€Covenant",€theŠ Ü, Šauthor€spells€out€which€articles€of€the€Covenant€he€considers€to€have€been€violated.€First,€heŠ Ā Šclaims€that€Canada€has€violated€article€2,€paragraphs€1€to€3,€of€the€Covenant:€paragraph€1,Š Øų Šbecause€the€State€party€has€treated€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€without€taking€into€considerationŠ ŽŽ Šelements€of€a€social,€economic€and€property€nature€inherent€in€the€Band's€indigenousŠ tÄ Šcommunity€structure;€paragraph€2,€because€it€is€said€to€continue€to€refuse€to€solve€someŠ ZŖ Šissues€complained€of€by€the€Band€for€which€there€remain€means€of€redress;€and€paragraphŠ @ Š3,€because€it€is€said€to€have€failed€to€provide€the€Band€with€an€effective€remedy€with€regardŠ &v Što€its€rights€under€the€Covenant.Š  \ ŠĢ16.2€The€author€further€alleges€that€the€State€party,€through€actions€affecting€the€Band'sŠ Ų( Šlivelihood,€has€created€a€situation€which€"led,€indirectly€if€not€directly,€to€the€deaths€of€21Š ¾ Špersons€and€[is]€threatening€the€lives€of€virtually€every€other€member€of€the€LubiconŠ ¤ō Šcommunity.€Moreover,€the€ability€of€the€community€to€[survive]€is€in€serious€doubt€as€theŠ Š Ś Šnumber€of€miscarriages€and€stillbirths€has€skyrocketed€and€the€number€of€abnormal€birthsŠ p!Ą  Š...€has€gone€from€near€zero€to€near€100€per€cent".€This,€it€is€submitted,€constitutes€a€violationŠ V"¦! Šof€article€6€of€the€Covenant.€Furthermore,€it€is€claimed€that€the€appropriation€of€the€Band'sŠ <#Œ" Štraditional€lands,€the€destruction€of€its€way€of€1lie€and€livelihood.€and€the€devastationŠ "$r# Šwrought€to€the€community€constitute€cruel,€inhuman€and€degrading€treatment€within€theŠ %X $ Šmeaning€of€article€7€of€the€Covenant€for€which€the€State€party€must€be€held€accountable.Š ī%>!% ŠĢ16.3€The€author€raises€further€questions€about€the€State€party's€compliance€with€articles€14,Š ŗ' #' Šparagraph€1,€and€26,€of€the€Covenant.€He€recalls€that€the€domestic€court€proceedingsŠ  (š#( Šinstituted€by€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band,€founded€on€aboriginal€rights€and€title€to€land,€challengeŠ †)Ö$) Šcertain€of€the€State's€asserted€powers€and€jurisdiction,€which€he€contends€are€"inherentlyŠ l*¼%* Šsusceptible€to€precisely€the€types€of€abuses€that€articles€14,€paragraph€1,€and€26€are€intendedŠ R+¢&+ Što€guard€against".€In€this€context,€he€claims€that€"the€bias€of€the€Canadian€courts€hasŠ 8,ˆ', Špresented€a€major€obstacle€to€the€Band's€attempt€to€protect€its€land,€community€andŠ -n(- Šlivelihood,€and€that€the€courts'€biases€arises€from€distinctions€based€on€race,€political,€socialŠ ° Šand€economic€status".€He€further€claims€that€the€economic€and€social€biases€the€Band€hasŠ –ę Šbeen€confronted€with€in€the€Canadian€courts,€especially€in€the€provincial€court€system€inŠ |Ģ ŠAlberta,€have€been€greatly€magnified€by€the€"fact€that€several€of€the€judges€rendering€theŠ b² Šdecisions€of€these€courts€have€had€clear€economic€and€personal€ties€to€the€parties€opposingŠ H˜ Šthe€Band€in€the€actions".Š . ~ ŠĢ16.4€In€addition€to€the€above,€it€is€submitted€that€in€violation€of€articles€17€and€23,€paragraphŠ ś J Š1,€of€the€Covenant,€the€State€party€has€permitted€the€members€of€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€toŠ ą 0 Šbe€subjected€to€conditions€that€are€leading€to€the€destruction€of€the€families€and€the€homesŠ Ę   Šof€its€members.€The€author€explains€that€in€an€indigenous€community,€the€entire€familyŠ ¬ ü  Šsystem€is€predicated€upon€the€spiritual€and€cultural€ties€to€the€land€and€the€exercise€ofŠ ’ā  Štraditional€activities.€Once€these€have€been€destroyed,€as€in€the€case€of€the€Band,€theŠ xČ  Šessential€family€component€of€the€society€is€irremediably€damaged.€Similarly,€it€is€allegedŠ ^®  Šthat€the€State€party€has€violated€article€18,€paragraph€1,€of€the€Covenant€since,€as€aŠ D”  Šconsequence€of€the€destruction€of€their€land,€the€Band€members€have€been€"robbed€of€theŠ *z  Šphysical€realm€to€which€their€religion€„€their€spiritual€belief€system€„€attaches".Š ` ŠĢ16.5€With€respect€to€the€requirement€of€exhaustion€of€domestic€remedies,€the€author€rejectsŠ Ü, Šthe€State€party's€assertion€that€a€trial€on€the€merits€would€offer€the€Band€an€effective€recourseŠ Ā Šagainst€the€federal€Government€and€redress€for€the€loss€of€its€economy€and€its€way€of€life.Š Øų ŠFirst,€this€assertion€rests€upon€the€assumption€that€past€human€rights€violations€can€beŠ ŽŽ Šrectified€through€compensatory€payments;€secondly,€it€is€obvious€that€the€Band's€economyŠ tÄ Šand€way€of€life€have€suffered€irreparable€harm.€Furthermore,€it€is€submitted€that€a€trial€onŠ ZŖ Šthe€merits€is€no€longer€available€against€the€federal€Government€of€Canada€since,€in€OctoberŠ @ Š1986,€the€Supreme€Court€of€Canada€held€that€aboriginal€land€rights€within€provincialŠ &v Šboundaries€involve€provincial€land€rights€and€must€therefore€be€adjudicated€before€theŠ  \ Šprovincial€courts.€It€was€for€that€reason€that,€on€30€March€1987,€the€Lubicon€Lake€BandŠ ņB Šapplied€to€the€Alberta€Court€of€Queen's€Bench€for€leave€to€amend€its€statement€of€claimŠ Ų( Šbefore€that€court€so€as€to€be€able€to€add€the€federal€Government€as€a€defendant.€On€22Š ¾ ŠOctober€1987,€the€Court€of€Queen's€Bench€denied€the€application.€Therefore,€despite€the€factŠ ¤ō Šthat€the€Canadian€Constitution€vests€exclusive€jurisdiction€for€all€matters€concerning€IndiansŠ Š Ś Šand€Indian€lands€in€Canada€with€the€federal€Government,€it€is€submitted€that€the€Band€cannotŠ p!Ą  Šavail€itself€of€any€recourse€against€the€federal€Government€on€issues€pertaining€to€these€veryŠ V"¦! Šquestions.Š <#Œ" ŠĢ17.1€In€a€submission€dated€3€March€1988,€the€State€party€submits€that€genuine€and€seriousŠ %X $ Šefforts€continue€to€be€made€with€a€view€to€finding€an€acceptable€solution€to€the€issues€raisedŠ ī%>!% Šby€the€author€and€the€Band.€In€particular,€it€explains€that:Š Ō&$"& ŠĢ"On€3€February€1988,€the€Minister€of€Indian€Affairs€and€Northern€Development€deliveredŠ  (š#( Što€the€Attorney€General€of€Alberta€a€formal€request€for€reserve€land€for€the€Lubicon€LakeŠ †)Ö$) ŠBand.€In€this€request,€he€advised€Alberta€that€a€rejection€of€the€request€would€require€CanadaŠ l*¼%* Što€commence€a€legal€action,€pursuant€to€the€Constitution€Act,€1930,€to€resolve€the€disputeŠ R+¢&+ Šas€to€the€quantum€of€land€to€which€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€is€entitled.€In€any€event,€theŠ 8,ˆ', ŠMinister€of€Indian€Affairs€and€Northern€Development€asked€Alberta€to€consider,€as€anŠ -n(- Šinterim€measure,€the€immediate€transfer€to€the€Band€of€25.4€square€miles€of€land€...€withoutŠ ° Šprejudice€to€any€legal€action.Š –ę ŠĢ"By€letter€dated€10€February€1988,€the€federal€negotiator€advised€counsel€for€the€Band€of€theŠ b² Šabove€developments€and,€as€well,€sought€to€negotiate€all€aspects€of€the€claim€not€dependentŠ H˜ Šon€Alberta's€response€to€the€formal€request€...€The€communicant,€by€letter€dated€29€FebruaryŠ . ~ Š1988,€rejected€this€offer,€but€indicated€that€he€would€be€prepared€to€consider€an€interimŠ  d Štransfer€of€25.4€square€miles€without€prejudice€to€negotiations€or€any€court€actions.€As€aŠ ś J Šconsequence€of€the€above€developments,€negotiators€for€the€federal€and€provincialŠ ą 0 ŠGovernments€met€on€I€and€2€March€1988€and€concluded€an€interim€agreement€for€theŠ Ę   Štransfer€of€25.4€square€miles€as€reserve€land€for€the€Band,€including€mines€and€minerals.Š ¬ ü  ŠThis€agreement€is€without€prejudice€to€the€positions€of€all€parties€involved,€including€theŠ ’ā  ŠBand€..."Š xČ  ŠĢ17.2€With€respect€to€the€effectiveness€of€available€domestic€remedies,€the€State€party€takesŠ D”  Šissue€with€the€author's€submission€detailed€in€paragraph€16.5€above,€which€it€claimsŠ *z  Šseriously€misrepresents€the€legal€situation€as€it€relates€to€the€Band€and€the€federal€andŠ ` Šprovincial€Governments.€It€reiterates€that€the€Band€has€instituted€two€legal€actions,€both€ofŠ öF Šwhich€remain€pending:€one€in€the€Federal€Court€of€Canada€against€the€federal€Government;Š Ü, Šthe€other€in€the€Alberta€Court€of€Queen's€Bench€against€the€province€and€certain€privateŠ Ā Šcorporations.€To€the€extent€that€the€author's€claim€for€land€is€based€on€aboriginal€title,€asŠ Øų Šopposed€to€treaty€entitlement,€it€is€established€case€law€that€a€court€action€must€be€broughtŠ ŽŽ Šagainst€the€province€and€not€the€federal€Government.Š tÄ ŠĢ17.3€The€State€party€adds€that€in€the€action€brought€before€the€Alberta€Court€of€Queen'sŠ @ ŠBench:Š &v ŠĢ"The€communicant€sought€leave€to€add€the€federal€Government€as€a€party€to€the€legalŠ ņB Šproceedings€in€the€Alberta€Court€of€Queen's€Bench.€The€Court€there€held€that,€based€onŠ Ų( Šexisting€case€law,€a€provincial€court€is€without€jurisdiction€to€hear€a€claim€for€relief€againstŠ ¾ Šthe€federal€Government;€rather,€this€is€a€matter€properly€brought€before€the€Federal€CourtŠ ¤ō Šof€Canada.€The€plaintiff€has€in€fact€done€this€and€the€action€is,€as€already€indicated,€currentlyŠ Š Ś Špending.€Therefore,€recourse€against€the€Government€of€Canada€is€still€available€to€the€Band,Š p!Ą  Šas€it€has€always€been,€in€the€Federal€Court€of€Canada.€Moreover,€the€communicant€hasŠ V"¦! Šappealed€the€decision€of€the€Court€of€Queen's€Bench€to€the€Alberta€Court€of€Appeal".Š <#Œ" ŠĢ17.4€Finally,€the€State€party€categorically€rejects€most€of€the€author's€allegations€detailed€inŠ %X $ Šparagraphs€16.2€and€16.3€above€as€unfounded€and€unsubstantiated;€it€submits€that€theseŠ ī%>!% Šallegations€constitute€an€abuse€of€process€that€should€result€in€the€dismissal€of€theŠ Ō&$"& Šcommunication€pursuant€to€article€3€of€the€Optional€Protocol.Š ŗ' #' ŠĢ18.1€In€a€further€submission€dated€28€March€1988,€the€author€comments€on€the€State€party'sŠ †)Ö$) Šoverview€of€recent€developments€in€the€case€(see€para.€17.1)€and€adds€the€following€remarks:Š l*¼%* Š(a)€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€was€not€a€party€to€the€negotiation€of€the€settlement€offer;€(b)€theŠ R+¢&+ Šsettlement€offer€rests€on€a€"highly€prejudicial"€view€of€the€Band's€rights€under€Canadian€lawŠ 8,ˆ', Šand€an€equally€prejudicial€determination€of€Band€membership;€(c)€the€federal€GovernmentŠ -n(- Šwould€negotiate€non„land€issues€such€as€housing€with€fewer€than€half€of€the€Band€members;Š ° Š(d)€Canada€has€leased€all€but€25.4€square€miles€of€the€Band's€traditional€lands€forŠ –ę Šdevelopment,€in€conjunction€with€a€pulp€mill€to€be€constructed€by€the€Daishowa€CanadaŠ |Ģ ŠCompany€Ltd.€near€Peace€River,€Alberta;€(e)€the€Daishowa€project€frustrates€any€hopes€ofŠ b² Šthe€continuation€of€some€traditional€activity€by€Band€members;€and€(f)€the€ParliamentaryŠ H˜ ŠStanding€Committee€on€Aboriginal€Affairs,€the€oversight€committee€of€the€CanadianŠ . ~ ŠParliament€with€respect€to€such€matters,€does€not€support€the€approach€to€negotiatedŠ  d Šsettlement€being€taken€by€the€Minister€of€Indian€Affairs€and€Northern€Development.Š ś J ŠĢ18.2€The€author€reaffirms€that€the€essential€part€of€the€court€actions€initiated€by€the€BandŠ Ę   Šrelates€to€aboriginal€rights€claims€and€that,€with€the€decision€of€the€Alberta€Court€of€Queen'sŠ ¬ ü  ŠBench€of€22€October€1987€and€in€the€light€of€recent€Supreme€Court€decisions€referred€to€byŠ ’ā  Šthe€State€party,€the€Band€continues€to€be€denied€redress€against€the€federal€Government.Š xČ  ŠĢ18.3€The€author€further€rejects€the€State€party's€contention€that€the€claims€made€in€hisŠ D”  Šsubmission€of€12€January€1988€are€unsubstantiated€and€unfounded€and€constitute€an€abuseŠ *z  Šof€the€right€of€submission;€he€reaffirms€his€readiness€to€furnish€detailed€information€on€theŠ ` Š"21€unnatural€deaths€resulting€directly€or€indirectly€from€the€destruction€of€the€traditionalŠ öF ŠLubicon€economy€and€way€of€life".€Finally,€he€points€out€that€the€State€party€continues€toŠ Ü, Šdisregard€the€Committee's€request€for€interim€measures€of€protection€pursuant€to€rule€86€ofŠ Ā Šits€rules€of€procedure,€as€evidenced€by€Canadian€backing€of€the€Daishowa€paper€mill€project.Š Øų ŠThis€means€that€far€from€adopting€interim€measures€to€avoid€irreparable€harm€to€the€Band,Š ŽŽ ŠCanada€has€endorsed€a€project€that€would€contribute€to€the€further€degradation€of€the€Band'sŠ tÄ Štraditional€lands.Š ZŖ ŠĢ19.1€In€another€submission€dated€17€June€1988,€the€State€party€points€to€furtherŠ &v Šdevelopments€in€the€case€and€re„emphasizes€that€effective€remedies€continue€to€be€open€toŠ  \ Šthe€Lubicon€Lake€Band.€It€explains€that,€since€11€March€1988,€the€date€of€the€Band's€refusalŠ ņB Šof€the€Government's€interim€offer€to€transfer€to€it€25.4€square€miles€of€reserve€land,Š Ų( Šdiscussions:Š ¾ ŠĢ"have€taken€place€between€the€federal€Government,€the€Province€of€Alberta€and€theŠ Š Ś Šcommunicant.€However,€virtually€no€progress€was€made€towards€settlement.€As€aŠ p!Ą  Šconsequence,€on€17€May€1988,€the€federal€Government€initiated€legal€proceedings€againstŠ V"¦! Šthe€Province€of€Alberta€and€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€in€order€to€enable€Canada€to€meet€itsŠ <#Œ" Šlawful€obligations€to€the€Band€under€Treaty€8.€The€Statement€of€Claim,€commencing€theŠ "$r# Šlegal€action,€asks€the€Court€of€Queen's€Bench€of€Alberta€for€a€declaration€that€the€LubiconŠ %X $ ŠLake€Band€is€entitled€to€a€reserve€and€a€determination€of€the€size€of€the€reserve€On€9€JuneŠ ī%>!% Š1988€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€filed€a€Statement€of€Defence€and€Counterclaim.€On€10€JuneŠ Ō&$"& Š1988,€all€parties€to€the€dispute€appeared€before€Chief€Justice€Moore€of€the€Alberta€Court€ofŠ ŗ' #' ŠQueen's€Bench€and€agreed€that€best€efforts€should€be€made€to€expedite€this€case€with€aŠ  (š#( Špreliminary€trial€date€to€be€set€on€10€January€1989."Š †)Ö$) ŠĢ19.2€The€State€party€accepts€its€obligation€to€provide€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€with€a€reserveŠ R+¢&+ Špursuant€to€Treaty€8.€It€argues€that€the€issue€that€forms€the€basis€of€the€domestic€dispute,€asŠ 8,ˆ', Šwell€as€the€communication€under€consideration,€concerns€the€amount€of€land€to€be€set€asideŠ -n(- Šas€a€reserve€and€related€issues.€As€such,€the€State€party€asserts€that€the€communication€doesŠ ° Šnot€properly€fall€within€any€of€the€provisions€of€the€Covenant€and€cannot€therefore€form€theŠ –ę Šbasis€of€a€violation.Š |Ģ ŠĢ20.1€In€a€submission€dated€5€July€1988,€the€author€furnishes€further€information€andŠ H˜ Šcomments€on€the€State€party's€submission€of€17€June€1988.€He€identifies€"many€problems"Š . ~ Šinherent€in€the€court€action€initiated€by€the€federal€Government€against€the€provincialŠ  d Šgovernment€in€the€Alberta€Court€of€Queen's€Bench.€Among€these€are:€(a)€the€purported€factŠ ś J Šthat€it€ignores€the€Band's€aboriginal€land€claim;€(b)€the€fact€that€it€seeks€a€declaratoryŠ ą 0 Šjudgement€with€respect€to€Band€membership€"apparently€based€on€the€unique€and€highlyŠ Ę   Šcontroversial€approach€to€determination€of€Band€membership€that€has€been€discussed€inŠ ¬ ü  Šprevious€submissions";€and€(c)€the€fact€that€much€of€the€substance€of€the€issues€addressedŠ ’ā  Šare€already€before€the€courts€in€the€Band's€pending€actions.€The€author€notes€that€since€"theŠ xČ  Šaction€was€filed€in€the€lowest€court€in€Canada,€and€will€entail€subpoena€of€an€argument€overŠ ^®  Šthe€extremely€lengthy€and€complex€Lubicon€genealogical€study,€as€well€as€appeals€from€anyŠ D”  Šdecision€rendered,€there€is€no€basis€for€believing€that€the€action€will€do€anything€but€delayŠ *z  Šindefinitely€[the]€resolution€of€the€Lubicon€land€issues".€The€author€believes€that€theŠ ` ŠGovernment's€action€is€intended€to€have€precisely€this€effect.Š öF ŠĢ20.2€By€letter€dated€28€October€1988,€the€author€informs€the€Committee€that€on€6€OctoberŠ Ā Š1988,€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€asserted€jurisdiction€over€its€territory.€He€explains€that€thisŠ Øų Šaction€was€the€result€of€the€federal€Government's€failure€to€contribute€to€a€favourableŠ ŽŽ Šsolution€of€the€Band's€problems.€He€adds€that€the€State€party€has€continuously€delayed€actionŠ tÄ Šon€the€issue,€accusing€it€of€"practicing€deceit€in€the€media€and€dismissing€advisors€whoŠ ZŖ Šrecommend€any€resolution€favourable€to€the€Lubicon€people.€At€the€same€time€the€Band€hasŠ @ Šwatched€the€Province€of€Alberta€continue€to€grant€leases€for€oil€and€gas€development€andŠ &v Šnow€for€timber€development€on€the€Lubicons'€traditional€lands€...".Š  \ ŠĢ20.3€The€author€further€observes€that€the€action€of€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€has€resulted€Ō_Ōin:Š Ų( ŠĢ"a€positive€response€from€the€Alberta€provincial€government.€Alberta€Premier€Don€GettyŠ ¤ō Šnegotiated€an€agreement€with€Chief€Ō_ŌOminayakŌ_Ō€whereby€Alberta€will€offer€to€sell€to€theŠ Š Ś ŠFederal€Government€79€square€miles€of€land€with€surface€and€subsurface€rights,€to€beŠ p!Ą  Šdesignated€as€a€reserve€for€the€benefit€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band.€The€province€has€agreedŠ V"¦! Što€sell€an€additional€16€square€miles€of€land€to€the€federal€Government€with€surface€rightsŠ <#Œ" Šonly,€and€to€make€subsurface€development€on€such€land€subject€to€Band€approval.€Thus€theŠ "$r# Štotal€area€agreed€to€by€the€province€is€95€square€miles,€the€amount€to€which€the€Band€isŠ %X $ Šentitled,€based€on€its€present€membership,€under€Canadian€federal€Indian€law€....€The€federalŠ ī%>!% ŠGovernment€has€stated€that€it€is€willing€to€consider€the€transfer€of€79€square€miles€of€landŠ Ō&$"& Šfor€the€benefit€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€people.€However,€it€has€refused€to€accept€the€remaining€16Š ŗ' #' Šsquare€miles,€recommending€that€such€land€be€transferred€to€the€Band€to€be€held€in€free€title.Š  (š#( ŠThe€effect€of€this€would€be€to€subject€the€land€in€question€to€taxation€and€alienation,€whileŠ †)Ö$) Šreducing€the€level€of€federal€obligation€to€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€people€..."Š l*¼%* ŠĢ21.1€In€a€further€submission€dated€2€February€1989,€the€State€party€observes€that€inŠ 8,ˆ', ŠNovember€1988,€following€an€agreement€between€the€provincial€government€of€Alberta€andŠ -n(- Šthe€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€to€set€aside€95€square€miles€of€land€for€a€reserve,€the€federalŠ ° ŠGovernment€initiated€negotiations€with€the€Band€on€the€modalities€of€the€land€transfer€andŠ –ę Šrelated€issues.€During€two€months€of€negotiations,€consensus€was€reached€on€the€majorityŠ |Ģ Šof€issues,€including€Band€membership,€size€of€the€reserve,€community€construction€andŠ b² Šdelivery€of€Ō_ŌprogrammesŌ_Ō€and€services.€No€agreement€could,€however,€be€found€on€the€issueŠ H˜ Šof€cash€compensation€and€on€24€January€1989€the€Band€withdrew€from€the€negotiationsŠ . ~ Šwhen€the€federal€Government€presented€its€formal€offer.Š  d ŠĢ21.2€After€reviewing€the€principal€features€of€its€formal€offer€(transfer€to€the€Band€of€95Š ą 0 Šsquare€miles€of€reserve€land:€the€acceptance€of€the€Band's€membership€calculation;€theŠ Ę   Šsetting€aside€of€$C€34€million€for€community€development€projects;€the€granting€of€$C€2.5Š ¬ ü  Šmillion€per€year€of€federal€support€Ō_ŌprogrammesŌ_Ō;€the€proposal€of€a€special€development€planŠ ’ā  Što€assist€the€Band€in€establishing€a€viable€economy€on€its€new€reserve;€and€the€establishmentŠ xČ  Šof€a€$C€500,000€trust€fund€to€assist€Band€elders€wishing€to€pursue€their€traditional€way€ofŠ ^®  Šlife),€the€State€party€observes€that€the€Government's€formal€overall€offer€amounts€toŠ D”  Šapproximately€$C€45€Ō_Ōmi11ionŌ_Ō€in€benefits€and€Ō_ŌprogrammesŌ_Ō,€in€addition€to€a€95€square€mileŠ *z  Šreserve.€The€Band€has€claimed€additional€compensation€of€between€$C€114€million€and€$CŠ ` Š275€Ō_Ōmi11ionŌ_Ō€for€alleged€lost€revenues.€The€State€party€has€denied€the€Band's€entitlement€toŠ öF Šsuch€sums€but€has€advised€it€that€it€is€prepared€to€proceed€with€every€aspect€of€its€offerŠ Ü, Šwithout€prejudice€to€the€Band's€right€to€sue€the€federal€Government€for€additionalŠ Ā Šcompensation.Š Øų ŠĢ21.3€The€State€party€concludes€that€its€most€recent€offer€meets€two€tests€of€fairness,€namely:Š tÄ Šthat€it€is€consistent€with€other€recent€settlements€with€native€groups,€and€that€it€addresses€theŠ ZŖ Šlegitimate€social€and€economic€objectives€of€the€Band.€It€adds€that€the€communityŠ @ Šnegotiation€process€must€be€considered€as€a€practical€vehicle€and€opportunity€for€IndianŠ &v Šcommunities€to€increase€their€local€autonomy€and€decision„making€responsibilities.€TheŠ  \ Šfederal€policy€provides€for€negotiations€on€a€wide€range€of€issues,€such€as€governmentŠ ņB Šinstitutions,€membership,€accountability,€financial€arrangements,€Ō_Ōeducation,€health€servicesŠ Ų( Šand€social€development.€Based€on€the€above€considerations,€the€State€party€requests€theŠ ¾ ŠCommittee€to€declare€the€communication€inadmissible€on€the€grounds€of€failure€to€exhaustŠ ¤ō Šall€available€domestic€remedies.Š Š Ś ŠĢ22.1€In€a€further€submission€dated€22€March€1989,€the€author€takes€issue€with€the€StateŠ V"¦! Šparty's€submission€of€2€February€1989,€characterizing€it€as€not€only€misleading€but€virtuallyŠ <#Œ" Šentirely€untrue.€He€alleges€that€recent€negotiations€between€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€and€theŠ "$r# Šfederal€Government€did€not,€on€the€Government's€side,€"in€any€way€represent€a€seriousŠ %X $ Šattempt€at€settlement€of€the€Lubicon€issues".€Rather,€he€submits,€the€Government's€"formalŠ ī%>!% Šoffer"€was€an€exercise€in€public€relations,€which€committed€the€Federal€Government€toŠ Ō&$"& Švirtually€nothing.€It€is€submitted€that€the€offer,€if€accepted,€would€have€stripped€theŠ ŗ' #' Šcommunity's€members€of€any€legal€means€of€redressing€their€situation.Š  (š#( ŠĢ22.2€In€substantiation€of€these€allegations,€the€author€argues€that€the€Government's€"formalŠ l*¼%* Šoffer"€contains€no€more€than€a€commitment€to€provide€housing€and€a€school.€On€the€otherŠ R+¢&+ Šhand,€it€lacks€"any€commitment€to€provide€the€facilities€and€equipment€necessary€for€theŠ 8,ˆ', ŠLubicon€people€to€manage€their€own€affairs,€such€as€facilities€for€essential€vocationalŠ -n(- Štraining,€support€for€commercial€and€economic€development,€or€any€basis€from€which€theŠ ° ŠBand€might€achieve€financial€independence".€It€is€further€submitted€that€contrary€to€the€StateŠ –ę Šparty's€statement€that€an€agreement€had€been€reached€on€the€majority€of€issues€for€which€theŠ |Ģ ŠBand€seeks€a€viable€solution,€including€membership,€reserve€size€and€communityŠ b² Šconstruction,€no€agreement€or€consensus€had€been€reached€on€any€of€these€issues.Š H˜ ŠFurthermore,€the€author€argues€that€while€the€State€party€has€claimed€that€its€offer€wouldŠ . ~ Šamount€to€approximately€$C€45€million€in€benefits€and€programmes,€it€has€failed€to€indicateŠ  d Šthat€the€majority€of€these€funds€remain€uncommitted€and€that€without€adequate€means€ofŠ ś J Šlegal€redress€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€would€be€incapable€of€seeking€to€obtain€any€futureŠ ą 0 Šcommitments€from€the€Government.Š Ę   ŠĢ23.1€By€submission€of€30€May€1989,€the€author€recalls€that€the€Band€has€been€pursuing€itsŠ ’ā  Šdomestic€claims€through€the€Canadian€courts€for€over€14€years,€and€that€the€nature€of€theŠ xČ  Šclaims€and€the€judicial€process€involved€is€bound€to€draw€out€these€proceedings€for€anotherŠ ^®  Š10€years.€He€submits€that€the€State€party€does€not€dispute€that€court€actions€and€negotiationsŠ D”  Šundertaken€to€ensure€the€Baud's€livelihood€have€produced€no€results,€and€that€courtŠ *z  Šproceedings€addressing€the€issues€of€land€title€and€compensation€would€take€years€inŠ ` Šresolution,€if€resolution€ever€occurred.€It€is€pointed€out€that€following€the€Band's€refusal€toŠ öF Šendorse€a€settlement€offer,€which€would€force€the€Band€to€relinquish€all€rights€to€legal€actionŠ Ü, Šinvolving€a€controversy€with€the€State€party€in€exchange€for€promises€of€future€discussionsŠ Ā Šbetween€Canada€and€the€Band,€Canada€terminated€the€negotiations.€The€author€adds€that:Š Øų Š"Rather€than€continuing€to€seek€a€course€of€compromise€and€settlement,€Canada€has€sentŠ ŽŽ Šagents€into€non„native€communities€of€northern€Alberta,€in€the€area€immediately€surroundingŠ tÄ Šthe€traditional€Lubicon€territory."€Working€through€a€single€individual€who€is€said€to€retainŠ ZŖ Šsome€ties€with€the€Band€but€who€has€not€lived€in€the€community€for€40€years,€these€agentsŠ @ Šare€said€to€try€to€induce€other€native€individuals€to€strike€their€own€private€deals€with€theŠ &v Šfederal€Government.€Most€of€the€individuals€identified€by€the€agents€do€not€appear€to€beŠ  \ Šaffiliated€with€any€recognized€aboriginal€society.Š ņB ŠĢ23.2€In€substantiation€of€earlier€allegations,€the€author€explains€that€the€Band's€loss€of€itsŠ ¾ Šeconomic€base€and€the€breakdown€of€its€social€institutions,€including€the€transition€from€aŠ ¤ō Šway€of€life€marked€by€trapping€and€hunting€to€a€sedentary€existence,€has€led€to€a€markedŠ Š Ś Šdeterioration€in€the€health€of€the€Band€members:Š p!Ą  ŠĢ"...€the€diet€of€the€people€has€undergone€dramatic€changes€with€the€loss€of€their€game,€theirŠ <#Œ" Šreliance€on€less€nutritious€processed€foods,€and€the€spectre€of€alcoholism,€previously€unheardŠ "$r# Šof€in€this€community€and€which€is€now€overwhelming€it€....€As€a€result€of€these€drasticŠ %X $ Šchanges€in€the€community's€physical€existence,€the€basic€health€and€resistance€to€infectionŠ ī%>!% Šof€community€members€has€deteriorated€dramatically.€The€lack€of€running€water€andŠ Ō&$"& Šsanitary€facilities€in€the€community,€needed€to€replace€the€traditional€systems€of€water€andŠ ŗ' #' Šsanitary€management€....€is€leading€to€the€development€of€diseases€associated€with€povertyŠ  (š#( Šand€poor€sanitary€and€health€conditions.€This€situation€is€evidenced€by€the€astonishingŠ †)Ö$) Šincrease€in€the€number€of€abnormal€births€and€by€the€outbreak€of€tuberculosis,€affectingŠ l*¼%* Šapproximately€one€third€of€the€community."Š R+¢&+ ŠĢ24.1€In€a€submission€dated€20€June€1989,€the€State€party€concedes€"that€the€Lubicon€LakeŠ -n(- ŠBand€has€suffered€a€historical€inequity€and€that€they€are€entitled€to€a€reserve€and€relatedŠ ° Šentitlements".€It€maintains,€however,€that€it€has€made€offers€to€the€Band€which,€if€accepted,Š –ę Šwould€enable€the€Band€to€maintain€its€culture,€control€its€way€of€life€and€achieve€economicŠ |Ģ Šself„sufficiency,€and€that€its€offer€would€provide€an€effective€remedy€to€the€violations€of€theŠ b² ŠCovenant€alleged€by€the€Band.€However,€a€remedy€of€this€nature€cannot€be€imposed€on€theŠ H˜ ŠBand.€The€State€party€recalls€that€negotiations€between€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€and€seniorŠ . ~ Šgovernment€officials€took€place€from€November€1988€to€January€1989;€during€the€autumnŠ  d Šof€1988,€Chief€Ominayak€also€met€with€the€Prime€Minister€of€Canada.€It€is€submitted€thatŠ ś J Šthe€State€party€met€virtually€every€demand€of€the€author,€either€in€full€or€to€such€an€extentŠ ą 0 Šthat€equal€treatment€with€other€indigenous€groups€in€Canada€was€approximated€or€exceeded.Š Ę   ŠThus,€95€square€miles€of€land,€mineral€rights€over€79€square€miles,€community€facilities€forŠ ¬ ü  Šeach€family€living€on€the€reserve,€control€over€membership€and€an€economic€self„sufficiencyŠ ’ā  Špackage€were€offered€in€full€to€the€Band.€On€the€basis€of€a€total€of€500€Band€members€andŠ xČ  Ša€government€package€worth€$C€45€million€(non„inclusive€of€mineral€and€land€rights),€thisŠ ^®  Šoffer€amounted€to€$C€90,000€per€person€or€almost€$C€500,000€for€each€family€of€five.€AŠ D”  Šnumber€of€the€Band's€demands,€such€as€a€request€for€an€indoor€ice€arena€or€a€swimmingŠ *z  Špool,€were€refused.Š ` ŠĢ24.2€According€to€the€State€party,€the€major€remaining€point€of€contention€between€theŠ Ü, Šfederal€Government€and€the€Band€is€a€claim€by€the€Band€for€$C€167€million€in€compensationŠ Ā Šfor€economic€and€other€losses€allegedly€suffered.€In€an€endeavour€to€permit€the€resolutionŠ Øų Šof€the€matters€agreed€on€between€the€parties,€the€federal€Government€put€forth€a€proposalŠ ŽŽ Šthat€would€enable€the€Band€to€accept€the€State€party's€offer€in€its€entirety,€while€continuingŠ tÄ Što€pursue€their€general€claim€for€compensation€in€the€Canadian€courts.€The€State€partyŠ ZŖ Šrejects€the€contention€that€"virtually€all€items€of€any€significance"€in€its€offer€"were€left€toŠ @ Šfuture€discussions",€and€contends€that€most€of€the€Band's€claims€for€land,€mineral€rights,Š &v Šcommunity€facilities,€control€over€membership€and€an€economic€self„sufficiency€packageŠ  \ Šhave€been€agreed€to€by€the€Government.€Finally,€the€State€party€rejects€the€allegation€thatŠ ņB Šit€negotiated€in€bad€faith.Š Ų( ŠĢ24.3€On€procedural€grounds,€the€State€party€indicates€that,€since€the€Committees's€decisionŠ ¤ō Šon€admissibility,€no€clarifications€have€been€put€forward€by€the€Committee€to€enable€theŠ Š Ś ŠState€party€to€address€specific€allegations€of€violations€of€the€Covenant.€It€thereforeŠ p!Ą  Šmaintains€that€the€proceedings€have€not€progressed€from€the€admissibility€stage.€It€furtherŠ V"¦! Šsubmits€that€by€acting€within€its€jurisdiction€and€procedure,€the€Committee€should€(a)€issueŠ <#Œ" Ša€ruling€pursuant€to€rule€93,€paragraph€4,€indicating€the€outcome€of€its€reconsideration€ofŠ "$r# Šadmissibility;€(b)€if€finding€the€communication€admissible,€stipulate€the€articles€and€theŠ %X $ Ševidence€on€which€the€finding€is€based;€and€(c)€provide€the€federal€Government€with€a€six„Š ī%>!% Šmonth€period€during€which€to€file€its€observations€on€the€merits.Š Ō&$"& ŠĢ25.€By€interlocutory€decision€of€14€July€1989,€the€Human€Rights€Committee€invited€theŠ  (š#( ŠState€party€to€submit€to€the€Committee€any€further€explanations€or€statements€relating€to€theŠ †)Ö$) Šsubstance€of€the€author's€allegations,€in€addition€to€its€earlier€submissions,€not€later€than€byŠ l*¼%* Š1€September€1989.€The€State€party€was€again€requested,€pursuant€to€rule€86€of€the€rules€ofŠ R+¢&+ Šprocedure€and€pending€the€Committee's€final€decision,€to€take€measures€to€avoid€damage€toŠ 8,ˆ', Šthe€author€and€the€members€of€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band.Š -n(- Š‡26.1€In€its€reply€to€the€interlocutory€decision,€dated€31€August€1989,€the€State€party€assertsŠ ° Šthat€it€is€being€denied€due€process,€since€the€principles€of€natural€justice€require€that€a€partyŠ –ę Šbe€aware€of€the€specific€charge€and€evidence€on€which€the€accusations€of€the€author€of€theŠ |Ģ Šcommunication€are€based.€It€claims€that€since€it€was€never€informed€of€the€articles€of€theŠ b² ŠCovenant€and€the€evidence€in€respect€of€which€the€communication€was€declared€admissible,Š H˜ Šthe€principles€of€procedural€fairness€have€not€been€respected,€and€that€the€federalŠ . ~ ŠGovernment€remains€prejudiced€in€its€ability€to€respond€to€the€Band's€claim.Š  d ŠĢ26.2€In€respect€of€the€alleged€violations€of€articles€14,€paragraph€1,€and€26,€the€State€partyŠ ą 0 Šrejects€as€"totally€unfounded"€the€claim€that€it€failed€to€provide€the€Band€with€anŠ Ę   Šindependent€and€impartial€tribunal€for€the€resolution€of€its€claims:€the€long€tradition€ofŠ ¬ ü  Šimpartiality€and€integrity€of€Canadian€courts€includes€numerous€cases€won€by€aboriginalŠ ’ā  Šlitigants.€It€is€submitted€that€the€Band€has€failed€to€adduce€any€evidence€that€would€indicateŠ xČ  Šthat€the€judiciary€acted€any€differently€in€proceedings€concerning€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band.Š ^®  ŠFurthermore,€the€State€party€claims€that€the€responsibility€for€major€delays€in€the€resolutionŠ D”  Šof€the€Band's€court€actions€lies€largely€with€the€Band€itself.€Not€only€did€the€Band€fail€to€takeŠ *z  Šthe€necessary€steps€to€move€any€of€the€actions€it€initiated€forward€and€refuse€to€co„operateŠ ` Šwith€the€federal€Government€in€the€action€it€had€initiated€in€an€effort€to€resolve€the€matter,Š öF Šbut,€in€addition,€on€30€September€1988,€the€Band€declared€that€it€refused€to€recognize€theŠ Ü, Šjurisdiction€of€the€Canadian€courts,€thus€undermining€any€attempt€to€obtain€a€resolutionŠ Ā Šthrough€the€judicial€process.Š Øų ŠĢ26.3€The€State€party€provides€a€detailed€outline€of€the€chronology€of€the€judicial€proceedingsŠ tÄ Šin€the€Band's€case.€Three€court€actions€in€respect€of€the€Band€remain€outstanding.€The€firstŠ ZŖ Šof€these€was€initiated€by€the€Band€in€the€Federal€Court€of€Canada€against€the€federalŠ @ ŠGovernment.€This€action€has€not€moved€forward€since€1981€although,€according€to€the€StateŠ &v Šparty,€it€was€the€Band's€responsibility€to€take€the€next€step€in€Ō_Ōthis€suit.€The€second€action€wasŠ  \ Šinitiated€by€the€Band€in€the€Alberta€Court€of€Queen's€Bench€against€the€province€and€someŠ ņB Šprivate€corporations.€After€the€Band€was€denied€an€interim€injunction€in€1985,€it€did€not€takeŠ Ų( Šsubstantive€steps€in€the€proceedings€and€abandoned€its€appeal€against€the€Court's€refusal€toŠ ¾ Šadd€the€federal€Government€as€a€party.€The€third€action€was€initiated€by€the€federalŠ ¤ō ŠGovernment€in€May€1988€in€an€attempt€to€overcome€jurisdictional€wrangles,€to€bring€bothŠ Š Ś Šthe€provincial€and€federal€Governments€and€the€Band€before€the€same€courts,€and€to€finallyŠ p!Ą  Šsolve€matters.€The€Band€chose€not€to€participate€in€this€action,€despite€the€efforts€of€theŠ V"¦! ŠChief€Justice€of€the€Court€of€Queen's€Bench€of€Alberta€to€expedite€matters€„€this€actionŠ <#Œ" Šremains€in€abeyance.€For€the€State€party,€each€of€the€above€court€actions€provides€a€vehicleŠ "$r# Šby€which€the€Band€could€resolve€its€claims.Š %X $ ŠĢ26.4€In€addition€to€judicial€proceedings,€the€State€party€maintains,€the€federal€GovernmentŠ Ō&$"& Šhas€sought€to€settle€matters€with€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€by€way€of€negotiation.€Thus,€theŠ ŗ' #' Šoffers€put€forward€during€these€negotiations€(outlined€in€para.€24.1€above)€met€virtually€allŠ  (š#( Šof€the€author's€claim€in€full€or€to€a€large€extent.€The€State€party€adds€that€a€new€round€ofŠ †)Ö$) Šnegotiations€has€started€and€that€"extensive€efforts€are€being€made€in€this€regard".Š l*¼%* ŠDiscussions€between€the€Band€and€the€Alberta€provincial€government€resumed€on€23€AugustŠ R+¢&+ Š1989,€and€further€discussions€with€the€federal€Government€were€scheduled€to€start€on€7Š 8,ˆ', ŠSeptember€1989.€The€State€party€reiterates€that€its€offer€to€the€Band€remains€valid.Š -n(- Š‡26.5€In€respect€of€the€determination€of€Band€membership,€the€State€party€rejects€asŠ ° Š"completely€incorrect"€the€Band's€claim€that€"Canada€has€attempted€to€subject€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€LakeŠ –ę ŠBand€members€to€a€retroactive€application€of€the€Canadian€Indian€Act€as€it€stood€prior€to€itsŠ |Ģ Šamendment€following€the€decision€in€ņņSandra€Lovelace€v.€Canadaóó".€On€the€contrary,€the€StateŠ b² Šparty€submits,€the€Band€submitted,€in€1985,€a€membership€code€pursuant€to€the€Indian€ActŠ H˜ Š(as€amended€following€the€Committee's€decision€in€the€Lovelace€case),€which€was€acceptedŠ . ~ Šby€Canada€and€gave€the€Band€total€control€over€its€membership.€As€a€result,€the€federalŠ  d ŠGovernment's€offer€is€based€on€the€approximately€500€individuals€considered€by€the€BandŠ ś J Šleadership€to€be€members€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€community.Š ą 0 ŠĢ26.6€In€respect€of€the€alleged€violations€of€articles€17€and€23,€paragraph€1,€18€and€27,€theŠ ¬ ü  ŠState€party€rejects€as€inaccurate€and€misleading€the€Band's€claim€that€"Canada€isŠ ’ā  Šparticipating€in€a€project€by€which€virtually€all€traditional€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€lands€have€been€leasedŠ xČ  Šfor€timber€development".€It€points€out€that€the€Ō_ŌDaishowaŌ_Ō€pulp€mill,€which€is€underŠ ^®  Šconstruction€north€of€Peace€River,€Alberta,€is€neither€within€the€Band's€claimed€"traditional"Š D”  Šlands€nor€within€the€area€agreed€to€by€the€Band€and€the€provincial€government€for€a€reserve.Š *z  ŠIt€is€stated€that€the€new€pulp€mill€is€located€approximately€80€Ō_ŌkilometresŌ_Ō€away€from€the€landŠ ` Šset€aside€for€the€Band.€The€State€party€continues:Š öF ŠĢ"As€regards€the€area€available€to€the€pulp€mill€to€supply€its€operations,€the€forestŠ Ā Šmanagement€agreement€between€the€province€of€Alberta€and€the€pulp€mill€specificallyŠ Øų Šexcludes€the€land€proposed€for€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band.€Moreover,€in€the€interests€of€soundŠ ŽŽ Šforest€management€practices,€the€area€cut€annually€outside€of€the€proposed€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€reserveŠ tÄ Šwill€involve€less€than€1€per€cent€of€the€area€specified€in€the€forest€management€agreement."Š ZŖ ŠĢ26.7€Finally,€the€State€party€draws€attention€to€recent€developments€in€the€Ō_ŌCadotteŌ_ŌŠ &v ŠLake/Buffalo€Lake€community,€within€which€the€majority€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€BandŠ  \ Šmembers€reside.€In€December€1988,€the€federal€Government€was€informed€of€the€existenceŠ ņB Šof€a€new€group€within€the€community,€which€was€seeking€to€solve€the€rights€of€its€membersŠ Ų( Šunder€Treaty€8€independent€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band.€This€group,€composed€of€about€350Š ¾ Šindividuals,€requested€from€the€Government€recognition€of€its€status€as€the€Woodland€CreeŠ ¤ō ŠBand.€According€to€the€State€party,€the€group€consists€of€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€members€whoŠ Š Ś Šformally€expressed€their€intention€of€joining€the€new€Band,€former€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€BandŠ p!Ą  Šmembers€whose€names€were€removed€by€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€in€January€1989€from€theŠ V"¦! Šlist€of€Band€members,€and€other€native€individuals€living€within€the€community.€The€federalŠ <#Œ" ŠGovernment€agreed€to€the€creation€of€the€Woodland€Cree€Band.€The€State€party€adds€thatŠ "$r# Šit€recognizes€the€same€legal€obligations€in€respect€of€the€Woodland€Cree€Band€as€it€does€inŠ %X $ Šrespect€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€members.Š ī%>!% ŠĢ26.8€In€a€further€submission€dated€28€September€1989,€the€State€party€refers€to€the€tripartiteŠ ŗ' #' Šnegotiations€between€the€federal€Government,€the€provincial€government€and€the€Ō_ŌLublconŌ_ŌŠ  (š#( ŠLake€Band,€scheduled€to€take€place€at€the€end€of€August/early€September€1989;€it€claims€thatŠ †)Ö$) Šalthough€the€Band€had€undertaken€to€provide€a€comprehensive€counterproposal€to€the€federalŠ l*¼%* ŠGovernment's€outstanding€offer€and€to€provide€a€list€of€the€persons€it€represented€in€theŠ R+¢&+ Šnegotiations,€it€was€informed,€on€7€September€1989,€that€a€counterproposal€had€not€beenŠ 8,ˆ', Šprepared€by€the€Band€and€that€no€list€of€the€individuals€purported€to€be€represented€by€theŠ -n(- ŠBand€would€be€forthcoming.€The€Band€allegedly€stated€that€it€refused€to€negotiate€in€theŠ ° Špresence€of€Mr.€Ken€Colby,€a€member€of€Canada's€negotiating€team,€because€of€his€activitiesŠ –ę Šas€a€government€media€spokesman.€Thus,€owing€to€the€Band's€refusal€to€continue€aŠ |Ģ Šmeaningful€discussion€of€its€claim,€negotiations€were€not€resumed.Š b² ŠĢ27.1€In€his€comments€of€2€October€1989€on€the€State€party's€reply€to€the€Committee's€interimŠ . ~ Šdecision,€the€author€contends€that€the€State€party's€claim€of€prejudice€in€conducting€the€caseŠ  d Šbefore€the€Human€Rights€Committee€is€unfounded,€as€all€the€factual€and€legal€bases€of€theŠ ś J ŠBand's€claims€have€been€thoroughly€argued.€As€to€whether€domestic€remedies€continue€toŠ ą 0 Šbe€available€to€the€Band,€it€is€pointed€out€that€no€domestic€remedy€exists€which€could€restoreŠ Ę   Šthe€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band's€traditional€economy€or€way€of€life,€which€"has€been€destroyed€asŠ ¬ ü  Ša€direct€result€of€both€the€negligence€of€the€Canadian€Government€and€its€deliberate€actions".Š ’ā  ŠThe€author€submits€that€from€the€legal€point€of€view,€the€situation€of€the€Band€is€consistentŠ xČ  Šwith€the€Committee's€decision€in€the€case€of€ņņMunoz€v.€Peru,óó€a/€in€which€it€was€held€that€theŠ ^®  Šconcept€of€a€fair€hearing€within€the€meaning€of€article€14,€paragraph€1,€of€the€CovenantŠ D”  Šnecessarily€entails€that€justice€be€rendered€without€undue€delay.€In€that€case,€the€CommitteeŠ *z  Šhad€considered€a€delay€of€seven€years€in€the€domestic€proceedings€to€be€unreasonablyŠ ` Šprolonged.€In€the€case€of€the€Band,€the€author€states,€domestic€proceedings€were€initiated€inŠ öF Š1975.€Furthermore,€although€the€Band€petitioned€the€federal€Government€for€a€reserve€forŠ Ü, Šthe€first€time€in€1933,€the€matter€remains€unsettled.€According€to€the€Band,€it€was€forced€toŠ Ā Šbring€14€years€of€litigation€to€an€end,€primarily€because€of€two€decisions€that€effectivelyŠ Øų Šdeny€the€Band€an€opportunity€to€maintain€aboriginal€rights€claim€against€the€federalŠ ŽŽ ŠGovernment.€Thus,€in€1986,€the€Supreme€Court€of€Canada€denied€federal€court€jurisdictionŠ tÄ Šin€aboriginal€rights€cases€arising€within€provincial€boundaries€in€the€ņņJoe€óócase.€In€the€light€ofŠ ZŖ Šthat€decision,€the€Band€requested€the€Alberta€courts,€in€1987,€to€include€the€federalŠ @ ŠGovernment€as€a€necessary€party€in€the€Band's€aboriginal€rights€claim;€this€request€wasŠ &v Šopposed€by€the€federal€Government.€In€May€1988,€the€federal€Government€institutedŠ  \ Šproceedings,€which,€in€the€author's€opinion,€were€intended€to€persuade€the€Alberta€Court€ofŠ ņB ŠQueen's€Bench€that€the€Band€merely€had€treaty„based€rights€to€40€square€miles€of€land.€It€isŠ Ų( Šsubmitted€that€a€Ō_ŌfavourableŌ_Ō€decision€would,€for€the€Government,€virtually€clear€the€title€toŠ ¾ Šthe€Ō_ŌDaishowaŌ_Ō€timber€leases,€encompassing€nearly€all€of€the€traditional€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€territory,Š ¤ō Šwhile€not€rendering€"moot€issues€related€to€[the]€destruction€of€the€Band's€economic€base".Š Š Ś ŠThe€author€submits€that€the€Chief€Justice€of€the€Court€of€Queen's€Bench€recognized€thatŠ p!Ą  Šaboriginal€rights€had€to€be€determined€before€any€decision€on€the€issue€of€treaty€rights,€andŠ V"¦! Šthat€if€the€State€party€had€wanted€the€courts€to€truly€settle€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€land€issue,€rather€thanŠ <#Œ" Šusing€them€so€as€to€forestall€any€efforts€to€solve€the€matter,€it€would€have€referred€the€issueŠ "$r# Šdirectly€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€Canada.Š %X $ ŠĢ27.2€As€to€the€State€party's€reference€to€a€negotiated€settlement,€the€author€submits€that€theŠ Ō&$"& Šoffer€is€neither€equitable€nor€does€it€address€the€needs€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€community,€since€itŠ ŗ' #' Šwould€leave€virtually€all€items€of€any€significance€to€future€discussions,€decisions€byŠ  (š#( ŠCanada,€or€applications€by€the€Band;€and€that€the€Band€would€be€required€to€abandon€allŠ †)Ö$) Šrights€to€present€any€future€domestic€and€international€claims€against€the€State€party,Š l*¼%* Šincluding€its€communication€to€the€Human€Rights€Committee.€The€author€further€submitsŠ R+¢&+ Šthat€the€agreement€of€October€1988€between€the€Band€and€the€Province€of€Alberta€does€notŠ 8,ˆ', Šin€the€least€solve€the€Band's€aboriginal€land€claims,€and€that€the€State€party's€characterizationŠ -n(- Šof€the€agreement€has€been€"deceptive".€In€this€context,€the€author€argues€that,€contrary€to€itsŠ ° Šearlier€representations,€the€State€party€has€not€offered€to€implement€the€October€1988Š –ę Šagreement€and€that€if€it€were€willing€to€Ō_ŌhonourŌ_Ō€its€provisions,€several€issues€including€theŠ |Ģ Šquestion€of€just€compensation€would€have€to€be€settled.Š b² ŠĢ27.3€In€substantiation€of€his€earlier€submissions€concerning€alleged€violations€of€articles€14Š . ~ Šand€26,€the€author€claims€that€the€State€party€has€not€only€failed€to€provide€the€Band€equalŠ  d Šprotection€ņņvis„a„visóó€non„Indian€groups,€but€that€it€also€attempted€to€deny€it€equal€protectionŠ ś J Šņņvis„a„visóó€other€Indian€bands.€Thus,€with'€respect€to€the€issue€of€Band€membership,€the€authorŠ ą 0 Šalleges,€the€effect€of€the€formula€proposed€by€Canada€in€1986€for€determining€BandŠ Ę   Šmembership€would€deny€aboriginal€rights€to€more€than€half€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€people,€therebyŠ ¬ ü  Štreating€the€Band€members€in€an€unequal€and€discriminatory€way€in€comparison€with€theŠ ’ā  Štreatment€of€all€other€native€people.€It€is€submitted€that€as€late€as€December€1988,€the€StateŠ xČ  Šparty€sought€to€apply€to€the€Band€criteria€that€were€those€of€the€legislation€"prior€to€theŠ ^®  ŠHuman€Rights€Committee's€views€in€the€case€of€ņņLovelace€v.€Canada,óó€b/€which€legislationŠ D”  Šwas€found€to€be€contrary€to€article€27€of€the€Covenant.Š *z  ŠĢ27.4€With€respect€to€the€alleged€violations€of€articles€17,€18,€23€and€27,€the€author€reiteratesŠ öF Šthat€the€State€party€has€sought€to€distort€the€presentation€of€recent€events€and€engaged€in€aŠ Ü, Šmisleading€discussion€of€the€Ō_ŌDaishowaŌ_Ō€timber€project,€so€as€to€divert€the€Committee'sŠ Ā Šattention€from€"Canada's€knowing€and€wilful€destruction€of€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€society".€He€recalls€thatŠ Øų Šonly€seven€months€after€the€Committee's€request€for€interim€protection€under€rule€86,Š ŽŽ Švirtually€all€of€the€traditional€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€land€was€leased€for€commercial€purposes€inŠ tÄ Šconnection€with€the€Ō_ŌDaishowaŌ_Ō€timber€project.€The€relevant€forest€management€agreementŠ ZŖ Što€supply€the€new€pulp€mill€with€trees,€allegedly€completely€covers€the€traditional€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_ŌŠ @ Šhunting€and€trapping€grounds,€which€cover€10,000€square€Ō_ŌkilometresŌ_Ō,€with€the€exception€ofŠ &v Š65€square€Ō_ŌkilometresŌ_Ō€set€aside€but€never€formally€established€as€a€reserve.€It€is€submitted€byŠ  \ Šthe€author€that€Canada€has€acted€in€violation€of€the€Committee's€request€for€interimŠ ņB Šprotection€when€it€sold€the€timber€resources€of€the€10,000€square€Ō_ŌkilometresŌ_Ō,€allegedlyŠ Ų( Štraditionally€used€by€the€Band€and€never€ceded€by€it,€to€a€Japanese€company.€Moreover,Š ¾ ŠCanada€is€alleged€to€portray€wrongly€the€Impact€of€the€Ō_ŌDaishowaŌ_Ō€protect€as€minimal;€theŠ ¤ō Šauthor€points€out€that€current€production€plans€would€call€for€the€cutting€of€4€million€treesŠ Š Ś Šannually,€and€that€plans€to€double€the€envisaged€annual€production€of€340,000€metric€tonsŠ p!Ą  Šof€pulp€in€three€years€have€recently€been€announced.€This€economic€activity,€if€proceedingŠ V"¦! Šunabated,€would,€in€the€author's€opinion,€continue€to€destroy€the€traditional€Ō_ŌlifegroundŌ_Ō€of€theŠ <#Œ" ŠŌ_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€community.€He€submits€that€the€fact€that€the€95€square€miles€set€aside€under€theŠ "$r# ŠOctober€1988€agreement€are€relatively€intact€would€be€irrelevant,€since€the€game€on€whichŠ %X $ Šthe€Band€members€have€traditionally€depended€for€their€livelihood€has€already€been€drivenŠ ī%>!% Šout€of€the€entire€10,000€square€Ō_ŌkilometresŌ_Ō€area.Š Ō&$"& ŠĢ27.5€Finally,€the€author€submits€that€the€State€party's€creation€of€the€"Woodland€Cree€Band",Š  (š#( Šthrough€which€it€is€allegedly€attempting€to€"fabricate"€a€competing€claim€to€traditionalŠ †)Ö$) ŠŌ_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€lands,€places€the€State€party€in€further€violations€of€articles€1,€26€and€27€of€theŠ l*¼%* ŠCovenant.€In€this€context,€the€author€claims€that€the€Woodland€Cree€Band€is:Š R+¢&+ ŠĢ"a€group€of€disparate€Individuals€drawn€together€by€Canada€from€a€dozen€differentŠ -n(- Šcommunities€scattered€across€Alberta€and€British€Columbia,€who€have€no€history€as€anŠ ° Šorganized€aboriginal€society€and€no€relation€as€a€group€to€the€traditional€territory€of€theŠ –ę ŠŌ_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€[and€that€it]€is€Canada's€most€recent€effort€to€undermine€the€traditionalŠ |Ģ ŠŌ_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€society€and€to€subvert€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€land€rights."Š b² ŠĢThe€author€adds€that€the€federal€Government€has€supported€the€Woodland€Cree€Band€bothŠ . ~ Šfinancially€and€legally,€recognizing€it€"with€unprecedented€dispatch",€thereby€bypassingŠ  d Šmore€than€70€other€groups,€including€six€different€homogenous€Cree€communities€inŠ ś J Šnorthern€Alberta€that€had€been€awaiting€recognition€as€bands€for€over€50€years.€Some€of€theŠ ą 0 Šalleged€members€of€the€"Woodland€Cree"€band€are€said€to€come€from€these€veryŠ Ę   Šcommunities.€The€author€refers€to€section€17€of€the€Indian€Act,€which€gives€the€CanadianŠ ¬ ü  ŠIndian€Affairs€Minister€the€power€to€constitute€bands€and€to€determine€that€"such€portion€ofŠ ’ā  Šthe€reserve€land€and€funds€of€the€existing€Band€as€the€Minister€determines"€may€beŠ xČ  Šearmarked€for€the€benefit€of€the€new€band.€It€is€submitted€by€the€author€that€the€powersŠ ^®  Šconferred€under€section€17€of€the€Indian€Act€are€"extraordinary€and€unconstitutional"€andŠ D”  Šthat€they€have€been€invoked€"in€order€to€create€[the]€'Woodland€Cree€Band'€and€to€dispossessŠ *z  Šthe€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€of€its€traditional€territory€and€culture".€Furthermore,€while€the€StateŠ ` Šparty€claims€that€the€Woodland€Cree€Band€represents€some€350€individuals,€the€authorŠ öF Šalleges€that€the€new€Band€has€steadfastly€refused€to€release€the€names€of€its€members,€so€thatŠ Ü, Šits€claims€might€be€verified.€He€states€that€the€federal€Government€has€recognized€that€theŠ Ā ŠWoodland€Cree€Band€members€comprise€only€110€individuals.Š Øų ŠĢ27.6€The€author€concludes€that€the€State€party€has€been€unable€to€refute€his€allegations€ofŠ tÄ Šviolations€of€articles€2,€6,€paragraph€1,€7,€14,€paragraph€1,€17,€18,€paragraph€1,€23,€paragraphŠ ZŖ Š1,€26€and€27,€as€set€out€in€his€submissions€of€12€January€1988€and€30€May€1989,€andŠ @ Šrequests€the€Committee€to€find€against€the€State€party€in€respect€of€these€articles.€In€respectŠ &v Šof€an€alleged€violation€of€article€1,€he€points€out€that€while€he€has,€as€the€representative€ofŠ  \ Šthe€Band,€signed€all€the€submissions€to€the€Committee,€he€merely€acts€in€his€capacity€as€aŠ ņB Šduly€elected€representative€of€the€Band€and€not€on€his€own€behalf.€In€this€context,€he€notesŠ Ų( Šthat€while€article€2€of€the€Optional€Protocol€provides€for€the€submission€of€claims€to€theŠ ¾ ŠCommittee€by€individuals,€article€I€of€the€Covenant€guarantees€"all€peoples€...€the€right€ofŠ ¤ō Šself„determination".€He€adds€that€"if€the€Committee€determines€that€an€individual€submittingŠ Š Ś Ša€claim€on€behalf€of€a€group,€in€compliance€with€the€provisions€of€article€2€of€the€OptionalŠ p!Ą  ŠProtocol,€may€not€state€a€case€on€behalf€of€that€group€under€article€I€of€the€Covenant,€theŠ V"¦! ŠCommittee€effectively€has€determined€that€the€rights€enumerated€in€article€1€of€the€CovenantŠ <#Œ" Šare€not€enforceable".€The€author€further€adds€that€it€"clearly€could€not€be€the€intent€of€theŠ "$r# ŠCommittee€to€reach€such€a€result"€and€that€"therefore,€the€Band€respectfully€submits€that€asŠ %X $ Ša€people,€represented€by€their€duly€elected€leader,€Chief€Bernard€Ō_ŌOminayakŌ_Ō,€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_ŌŠ ī%>!% ŠLake€Band€has€been€the€victim€of€violations€by€the€federal€Government€of€Canada€of€theŠ Ō&$"& ŠBand's€rights€as€enumerated€in€article€I€of€the€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights".Š ŗ' #' ŠĢ28.1€In€a€final€submission€dated€8€November€1989,€the€State€party€recalls€that€in€anyŠ †)Ö$) Šassessment€of€the€judicial€proceedings€in€the€case€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band,€the€StateŠ l*¼%* Šparty's€constitutional€division€of€powers€between€the€federal€and€provincial€governments€andŠ R+¢&+ Šthe€respective€jurisdiction€of€the€courts€has€to€be€borne€in€mind.€Where€provincially€ownedŠ 8,ˆ', Šlands€are€claimed,€as€in€the€case€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconsŌ_Ō,€the€Supreme€Court€of€Canada€has€held€thatŠ -n(- Šclaims€must€be€filed€in€the€provincial€courts€against€provincial€governments.€The€SupremeŠ ° ŠCourt's€ruling€clearly€defines,€the€State€party€submits,€the€proper€judicial€forum€for€theŠ –ę ŠBand's€claim€to€aboriginal€land€rights.€The€State€party€emphasizes€that€the€failure€of€theŠ |Ģ ŠBand's€representatives€to€initiate€proceedings€in€the€competent€courts€does€not€imply€thatŠ b² ŠCanadian€courts€are€either€unable€or€unwilling€to€guarantee€a€fair€hearing€in€the€case.Š H˜ ŠĢ28.2€Regarding€the€distinction€between€aboriginal€rights€and€treaty€rights,€the€State€partyŠ  d Šexplains€that€under€Canadian€constitutional€law,€aboriginal€rights€may€be€superseded€byŠ ś J Štreaty€rights.€Whenever€this€occurs,€Indian€bands€may€claim€benefits€under€the€supersedingŠ ą 0 Štreaties.€The€State€party€acknowledges€that€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€has€a€valid€claim€toŠ Ę   Šbenefits€under€Treaty€8,€which€was€entered€into€with€the€Cree€and€other€Indians€in€theŠ ¬ ü  ŠProvince€of€Alberta€in€1899.€Rights€under€Treaty€8€formed€the€basis€of€the€offers€made€byŠ ’ā  Šthe€Canadian€and€Ō_ŌAlbertanŌ_Ō€governments€to€the€Band.€The€land€offered€by€the€provincialŠ xČ  Šgovernment€under€the€October€1988€agreement€is€related€to€these€Treaty€Ō_Ōprovisions.€On€theŠ ^®  Šother€hand,€the€10,000€square€kilometres€area€referred€to€by€the€Band€in€its€submissionsŠ D”  Šrelate€to€its€aboriginal€claims,€which€have€not€been€recognized€by€the€federal€Government.Š *z  ŠThe€Band's€complaint€about€oil€exploration€and€exploitation€and€impending€timberŠ ` Šdevelopment,€refers€to€activities€on€this€wider€territory€of'€10,000€square€kilometres€„€not€onŠ öF Šlands€that€were€identified€in€proposed€settlements€between€the€Band€and€the€federal€andŠ Ü, Šprovincial€government.Š Ā ŠĢ28.3€The€State€party€refutes€the€Band's€claim€that€its€trapping€and€hunting€lifestyle€has€beenŠ ŽŽ Širretrievably€destroyed€and€points€out€that€in€areas€covered€by€timber€leases€the€forest,Š tÄ Šgenerally,€remains€intact€and€sustains€an€animal€population€sufficient€to€satisfy€thoseŠ ZŖ Šmembers€of€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€who€wish€to€engage€in€traditional€activities.€It€adds€thatŠ @ Šdisturbances€of€the€forest€ecosystems€usually€result€in€an€increase€of€the€population€of€largerŠ &v Šmammals,€as€they€increase€food€availability€in€open€areas.Š  \ ŠĢ28.4€Lastly,€the€State€party€reaffirms€the€voluntary€nature€of€the€establishment€of€theŠ Ų( ŠWoodland€Cree€Band.€It€points€out€that€a€minority€of€those€wishing€to€join€the€WoodlandŠ ¾ ŠCree€Band€were€at€one€point€in€time€full€members€of€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band.€Some€of€them,Š ¤ō Šthe€State€party€points€out,€have€since€left€the€Band€voluntarily,€while€about€30€of€theŠ Š Ś Šmembers€were€expelled€recently€by€decision€of€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band.€It€is€submitted€thatŠ p!Ą  Šmembers€of€the€Woodland€Cree€Band€petitioned€the€federal€Government,€much€in€the€sameŠ V"¦! Šway€as€members€of€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€did€prior€to€the€Band's€recognition€in€the€1930s.Š <#Œ" ŠThe€new€Band€was€recognized€because,€in€the€State€party's€view,€some€of€its€members€haveŠ "$r# Šland€entitlements€pursuant€to€Treaty€8€which€they€wish€to€assert.€The€State€party€adds€thatŠ %X $ Šit€recognized€the€Woodland€Cree€Band,€at€the€express€request€of€those€who€soughtŠ ī%>!% Šrecognition,€so€that€their€desire€to€form€a€community€could€be€realized,€and€that€theŠ Ō&$"& ŠWoodland€Cree€Band€has€not€sought€any€land€portions€also€claimed€by€the€Lubicons.Š ŗ' #' ŠĢņņSummary€of€the€submissionsóóŠ †)Ö$) ŠĢ29.1€At€the€outset,€the€author's€claim,€although€set€against€a€complex€background,€concernedŠ R+¢&+ Šbasically€the€alleged€denial€of€the€right€of€self„determination€and€the€right€of€the€membersŠ 8,ˆ', Šof€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€to€dispose€freely€of€their€natural€wealth€and€resources.€It€wasŠ -n(- Šclaimed€that,€although€the€Government€of€Canada,€through€the€Indian€Act€of€1970€andŠ ° ŠTreaty€8€of€1899,€had€recognized€the€right€of€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€to€continue€itsŠ –ę Štraditional€way€of€life,€its€land€(approximately€10,000€square€kilometres)€had€beenŠ |Ģ Šexpropriated€for€commercial€interest€(oil€and€gas€exploration)€and€destroyed,€thus€deprivingŠ b² Šthe€Lubicon€Lake€Band€of€its€means€of€subsistence€and€enjoyment€of€the€right€of€self„Š H˜ Šdetermination.€It€was€claimed€that€the€rapid€destruction€of€the€Band's€economic€base€andŠ . ~ Šaboriginal€way€of€life€had€already€caused€irreparable€injury.€It€was€further€claimed€that€theŠ  d ŠGovernment€of€Canada€had€deliberately€used€the€domestic€political€and€legal€processes€toŠ ś J Šthwart€and€delay€all€the€Band's€efforts€to€seek€redress,€so€that€the€industrial€development€inŠ ą 0 Šthe€area,€accompanied€by€the€destruction€of€the€environmental€and€economic€base€of€theŠ Ę   ŠBand,€would€make€it€impossible€for€the€Band€to€survive€as€a€people.€The€author€has€statedŠ ¬ ü  Šthat€the€Lubicon€Lake€Band€is€not€seeking€from€the€Committee€a€territorial€rights€decision,Š ’ā  Šbut€only€that€the€Committee€assist€it€in€Ō_Ōattempting€to€convince€the€Government€of€Canada:Š xČ  Š(a)€that€the€Band's€existence€is€seriously€threatened;€and€(b)€that€Canada€is€responsible€forŠ ^®  Šthe€current€state€of€affairs.Š D”  ŠĢ29.2€From€the€outset,€the€State€party€has€denied€the€allegations€that€the€existence€of€theŠ ` ŠŌ_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€has€been€threatened€and€has€maintained€that€continued€resourceŠ öF Šdevelopment€would€not€cause€irreparable€injury€to€the€traditional€way€of€life€of€the€Band.Š Ü, ŠIt€submitted€that€the€Band's€claim€to€certain€lands€in€northern€Alberta€was€part€of€a€complexŠ Ā Šsituation€that€involved€a€number€of€competing€claims€from€several€other€nativeŠ Øų Šcommunications€in€the€area,€that€effective€redress€in€respect€of€the€Band's€claims€was€stillŠ ŽŽ Šavailable,€both€through€the€courts€and€through€negotiations,€that€the€Government€had€madeŠ tÄ Šan€ņņex€gratia€óópayment€to€the€Band€of€$C€1.5€million€to€cover€legal€costs€and€that,€at€any€rate,Š ZŖ Šarticle€1€of€the€Covenant,€concerning€the€rights€of€people,€could€not€be€invoked€under€theŠ @ ŠOptional€Protocol,€which€provides€for€the€consideration€of€alleged€violations€of€individualŠ &v Šrights,€but€not€collective€rights€conferred€upon€peoples.Š  \ ŠĢ29.3€This€was€the€state€of€affairs€when€the€Committee€decided€in€July€1987€that€theŠ Ų( Šcommunication€was€admissible€"in€so€far€as€it€may€raise€issues€under€article€27€or€otherŠ ¾ Šarticles€of€the€Covenant".€In€view€of€the€seriousness€of€the€author's€allegations€that€theŠ ¤ō ŠŌ_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€was€at€the€verge€of€extinction,€the€Committee€requested€the€State€party,Š Š Ś Šunder€rule€86€of€the€rules€of€procedure€"to€take€interim€measures€of€protection€to€avoidŠ p!Ą  Širreparable€damage€to€[the€author€of€the€communication]€and€other€members€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_ŌŠ V"¦! ŠLake€Band".Š <#Œ" ŠĢ29.4€Insisting€that€no€irreparable€damage€to€the€traditional€way€of€life€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€LakeŠ %X $ ŠBand€had€occurred€and€that€there€was€no€imminent€threat€of€such€harm,€and€further€that€bothŠ ī%>!% Ša€trial€on€the€merits€of€the€Band's€claims€and€the€negotiation€process€constitute€effective€andŠ Ō&$"& Šviable€alternatives€to€the€interim€relief€which€the€Band€had€unsuccessfully€sought€in€theŠ ŗ' #' Šcourts,€the€State€party,€in€October€1987,€requested€the€Committee,€under€rule€93,€paragraphŠ  (š#( Š4,€of€the€rules€of€procedure,€to€review€its€decision€on€admissibility,€in€so€far€as€it€concernsŠ †)Ö$) Šthe€requirement€of€exhaustion€of€domestic€remedies.€The€State€party€stressed€in€thisŠ l*¼%* Šconnection€that€delays€in€the€judicial€proceedings€initiated€by€the€Band€were€largelyŠ R+¢&+ Šattributable€to€the€Band's€own€inaction.€The€State€party€further€explained€its€long„standingŠ 8,ˆ', Špolicy€to€seek€the€resolutions€of€valid,€outstanding€land€claims€by€Indian€bands€throughŠ -n(- Šnegotiations.Š ° ŠĢ29.5€Since€October€1987,€the€parties€have€made€a€number€of€submissions,€refuting€eachŠ |Ģ Šother's€statements€as€factually€misleading€or€wrong.€The€author€has€accused€the€State€partyŠ b² Šof€creating€a€situation€that€has€directly€or€indirectly€led€to€the€death€of€many€Band€membersŠ H˜ Šand€is€threatening€the€lives€of€all€other€members€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€community,€thatŠ . ~ Šmiscarriages€and€stillbirths€have€skyrocketed€and€abnormal€births€have€risen€from€zero€toŠ  d Šnear€100€per€cent,€all€in€violation€of€article€6€of€the€Covenant;€that€the€devastation€wroughtŠ ś J Šon€the€community€constitutes€cruel,€inhuman€and€degrading€treatment€in€violation€of€articleŠ ą 0 Š7;€that€the€bias€of€the€Canadian€courts€has€frustrated€the€Band's€efforts€to€protect€its€land,Š Ę   Šcommunity€and€livelihood,€and€that€several€of€the€judges€have€had€clear€economic€andŠ ¬ ü  Špersonal€ties€to€the€parties€opposing€the€Band€in€the€court€actions,€all€in€violation€of€articlesŠ ’ā  Š14,€paragraph€1,€and€26;€that€the€State€party€has€permitted€the€destruction€of€the€families€andŠ xČ  Šhomes€of€the€Band€members€in€violation€of€articles€17€and€23,€paragraph€1;€that€the€BandŠ ^®  Šmembers€have€been€"robbed€of€the€physical€realm€to€which€their€religion€attaches"€inŠ D”  Šviolation€of€article€18,€paragraph€1;€and€that€all€of€the€above€also€constitutes€violations€ofŠ *z  Šarticle€2,€paragraphs€1€to€3,€of€the€Covenant.€Š ` ŠĢ29.6€The€State€party€has€categorically€rejected€the€above€allegations€as€unfounded€andŠ Ü, Šunsubstantiated€and€as€constituting€an€abuse€of€the€right€of€submission.€It€submits€thatŠ Ā Šserious€and€genuine€efforts€continued€in€early€1988€to€engage€representatives€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_ŌŠ Øų ŠLake€Band€in€negotiations€in€respect€of€the€Band's€claims.€These€efforts,€which€included€anŠ ŽŽ Šinterim€offer€to€set€aside€25.4€square€miles€as€reserve€land€for€the€Band,€without€prejudiceŠ tÄ Što€negotiations€or€any€court€actions,€failed.€According€to€the€author,€all€but€the€25.4€squareŠ ZŖ Šmiles€of€the€Band's€traditional€lands€had€been€leased€out,€in€defiance€of€the€Committee'sŠ @ Šrequest€for€interim€measures€of€protection,€in€conjunction€with€a€pulp€mill€to€be€constructedŠ &v Šby€the€Ō_ŌDaishowaŌ_Ō€Canada€Company€Ltd.€near€Peace€River,€Alberta,€and€that€the€Ō_ŌDaishowaŌ_ŌŠ  \ Šproject€frustrated€any€hopes€of€the€continuation€of€some€traditional€activity€by€BandŠ ņB Šmembers.Š Ų( ŠĢ29.7€Accepting€its€obligation€to€provide€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€with€reserve€land€underŠ ¤ō ŠTreaty€8,€and€after€further€unsuccessful€discussions,€the€Federal€Government,€in€May€1988,Š Š Ś Šinitiated€legal€proceedings€against€the€Province€of€Alberta€and€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band,€inŠ p!Ą  Šan€effort€to€provide€a€common€jurisdiction€and€thus€to€enable€it€to€meet€its€lawful€obligationsŠ V"¦! Što€the€Band€under€Treaty€8.€In€the€author's€opinion,€however,€this€initiative€was€designatedŠ <#Œ" Šfor€the€sole€purpose€of€delaying€indefinitely€the€resolution€of€the€Ō_ŌLublconŌ_Ō€land€issues€and,Š "$r# Šon€6€October€1988€(30€September,€according€to€the€State€party),€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€BandŠ %X $ Šasserted€jurisdiction€over€its€territory€and€declared€that€it€had€ceased€to€Ō_ŌrecognlzeŌ_Ō€theŠ ī%>!% Šjurisdiction€of€the€Canadian€courts.€The€author€further€accused€the€State€party€of€"practicingŠ Ō&$"& Šdeceit€in€the€media€and€dismissing€advisors€who€recommend€any€resolution€Ō_ŌfavourableŌ_Ō€toŠ ŗ' #' Šthe€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€people".Š  (š#( ŠĢ29.8€Ō_ŌFollowlngŌ_Ō€an€agreement€between€the€Ō_ŌprovinclalŌ_Ō€government€of€Alberta€and€the€Ō_ŌLobiconŌ_ŌŠ l*¼%* ŠLake€Band€in€November€1988€to€set€aside€95€square€miles€of€land€for€a€reserve,€negotiationsŠ R+¢&+ Šstarted€between€the€federal€Government€and€the€Band€on€the€modalities€of€the€land€transferŠ 8,ˆ', Šand€related€issues.€According€to€the€State€party,€consensus€had€been€reached€on€the€majorityŠ -n(- Šof€issues,€including€Band€membership,€size€of€the€reserve,€community€construction€andŠ ° Šdelivery€of€Ō_ŌprogrammesŌ_Ō€and€services,€but€not€on€cash€compensation,€when€the€BaudŠ –ę Šwithdrew€from€the€negotiations€on€24€January€1989.€The€formal€offer€presented€at€that€timeŠ |Ģ Šby€the€federal€Government€amounted€to€Ō_ŌapproxlmatelyŌ_Ō€$C€45€million€in€benefits€andŠ b² ŠŌ_ŌprogrammesŌ_Ō,€in€addition€to€the€95€square€mile€reserve.€Š H˜ ŠĢ29.9€The€author,€on€the€other€hand,€states€that€the€above€information€from€the€State€party€isŠ  d Šnot€only€misleading€but€virtually€entirely€untrue€and€that€there€had€been€no€serious€attemptŠ ś J Šby€the€Government€to€reach€a€settlement.€He€describes€the€Government's€offer€as€an€exerciseŠ ą 0 Šin€public€relations,€"which€committed€the€Federal€Government€to€virtually€nothing",€andŠ Ę   Šstates€that€no€agreement€or€consensus€had€been€reached€on€any€issue.€The€author€furtherŠ ¬ ü  Šaccused€the€State€party€of€sending€agents€into€communities€Ō_ŌsurrounndingŌ_Ō€the€traditionalŠ ’ā  ŠŌ_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€territory€to€induce€other€natives€to€make€competing€claims€for€traditional€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_ŌŠ xČ  Šland.€Š ^®  ŠĢ29.10€The€State€party€rejects€the€allegation€that€it€negotiated€in€bad€faith€or€engaged€inŠ *z  Šimproper€Ō_ŌbehaviourŌ_Ō€to€the€detriment€of€the€interests€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band.€It€concedesŠ ` Šthat€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€has€suffered€a€historical€inequity,€but€maintains€that€its€formalŠ öF Šoffer€would,€if€accepted,€enable€the€Band€to€maintain€its€culture,€control€its€way€of€life€andŠ Ü, Šachieve€economic€self„sufficiency€and,€thus,€constitute€an€effective€remedy.€On€the€basis€ofŠ Ā Ša€total€of€500€Band€members,€the€package€worth€$C€45€million€would€amount€to€almost€$CŠ Øų Š500,000€for€each€family€of€five.€It€states€that€a€number€of€the€Band's€demands,€including€anŠ ŽŽ Šindoor€ice€arena€or€a€swimming€pool,€had€been€refused.€The€major€remaining€point€ofŠ tÄ Šcontention,€the€State€party€submits,€is€a€request€for€$C€167€million€in€compensation€forŠ ZŖ Šeconomic€and€other€losses€allegedly€suffered.€That€claim,€it€submits,€could€be€pursued€in€theŠ @ Šcourts,€irrespective€of€the€acceptance€of€the€formal€offer.€It€reiterates€that€its€offer€to€theŠ &v ŠBand€stands.Š  \ ŠĢ29.11€Further€submissions€from€both€parties€have,€ņņinter€alia,€óódealt€with€the€impact€of€theŠ Ų( ŠŌ_ŌDaishowaŌ_Ō€pulp€mill€on€the€traditional€way€of€life€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band.€While€theŠ ¾ Šauthor€states€that€the€impact€would€be€devastating,€the€State€party€maintains€that€it€wouldŠ ¤ō Šhave€no€serious€adverse€consequences,€pointing€out€that€the€pulp€mill,€located€about€80Š Š Ś ŠŌ_ŌkilometresŌ_Ō€away€from€the€land€set€aside€for€the€reserve,€is€not€within€the€Band's€claimedŠ p!Ą  Štraditional€territory€and€that€the€area€to€be€cut€annually,€outside€the€proposed€reserve,Š V"¦! Šinvolves€less€than€1€per€cent€of€the€area€specified€in€the€forest€management€agreement.Š <#Œ" ŠĢ30.€The€Human€Rights€Committee€has€considered€the€present€communication€in€the€light€ofŠ %X $ Šthe€information€made€available€by€the€parties,€as€provided€for€in€articles€5,€paragraph€1,€ofŠ ī%>!% Šthe€Optional€Protocol.€In€so€doing,€the€Committee€observes€that€the€persistent€disagreementŠ Ō&$"& Šbetween€the€parties€as€to€what€constitutes€the€factual€setting€for€the€dispute€at€issue€has€madeŠ ŗ' #' Šthe€consideration€of€the€claims€on€the€merits€most€difficult.Š  (š#( ŠĢņņRequest€for€a€review€of€the€decision€on€admissibilityóóŠ l*¼%* ŠĢ31.1€The€Committee€has€seriously€considered€the€State€party's€request€that€it€review€itsŠ 8,ˆ', Šdecision€declaring€the€communication€admissible€under€the€Optional€Protocol€"in€so€far€asŠ -n(- Šit€may€raise€issues€under€article€27€or€other€articles€of€the€Covenant".€In€the€light€of€theŠ ° Šinformation€now€before€it,€the€Committee€notes€that€the€State€party€has€argued€convincinglyŠ –ę Šthat,€by€actively€pursuing€matters€before€the€appropriate€courts,€delays,€which€appeared€toŠ |Ģ Šbe€unreasonably€prolonged,€could€have€been€reduced€by€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band.€At€issue,Š b² Šhowever,€is€the€question€of€whether€the€road€of€litigation€would€have€represented€anŠ H˜ Šeffective€method€of€saving€or€restoring€the€traditional€or€cultural€livelihood€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_ŌŠ . ~ ŠLake€Band,€which,€at€the€material€time,€was€allegedly€at€the€brink€of€collapse.€TheŠ  d ŠCommittee€is€not€persuaded€that€Ō_ŌthatŌ_Ō€would€have€constituted€an€effective€remedy€within€theŠ ś J Šmeaning€of€article€5,€paragraph€2€(b),€of€the€Optional€Protocol.€In€the€circumstances,€theŠ ą 0 ŠCommittee€upholds€its€earlier€decision€on€admissibility.Š Ę   ŠĢ31.2€At€this€stage,€the€Committee€must€also€state€that€it€does€not€agree€with€the€State€party'sŠ ’ā  Šcontention€that€it€was€remiss€in€not€spelling€out,€at€the€time€of€declaring€the€communicationŠ xČ  Šadmissible,€which€of€the€author's€allegations€deserved€consideration€on€the€merits.€AlthoughŠ ^®  Šsomewhat€confusing€at€times,€the€author's€claims€have€been€set€out€sufficiently€clearly€as€toŠ D”  Špermit€both€the€State€party€and€the€Committee,€in€turn,€to€address€the€issues€on€the€merits.Š *z  ŠĢņņArticles€of€the€Covenant€alleged€to€have€been€violatedóóŠ öF ŠĢ32.1€The€question€has€arisen€of€whether€any€claim€under€article€1€of€the€Covenant€remains,Š Ā Šthe€Committee's€decision€on€admissibility€notwithstanding.€While€all€peoples€have€the€rightŠ Øų Šof€self„determination€and€the€right€freely€to€determine€their€political€status,€pursue€theirŠ ŽŽ Šeconomic,€social€and€cultural€development€and€dispose€of€their€natural€wealth€and€resources,Š tÄ Šas€stipulated€in€article€1€of€the€Covenant,€the€question€whether€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€BandŠ ZŖ Šconstitutes€a€"people"€is€not€an€issue€for€the€Committee€to€address€under€the€OptionalŠ @ ŠProtocol€to€the€Covenant.€The€Optional€Protocol€provides€a€procedure€under€whichŠ &v Šindividuals€can€claim€that€their€individual€rights€have€been€violated.€These€rights€are€set€outŠ  \ Šin€part€III€of€the€Covenant,€articles€6€to€27,€inclusive.€There€is,€however,€no€objection€to€aŠ ņB Šgroup€of€individuals,€who€claim€to€be€similarly€affected,€collectively€to€submit€aŠ Ų( Šcommunication€about€alleged€breaches€of€their€rights.Š ¾ ŠĢ32.2€Although€initially€couched€in€terms€of€alleged€breaches€of€the€provisions€of€article€1Š Š Ś Šof€the€Covenant,€there€is€no€doubt€that€many€of€the€claims€presented€raise€issues€underŠ p!Ą  Šarticle€27.€The€Committee€recognizes€that€the€rights€protected€by€article€27,€include€the€rightŠ V"¦! Šof€persons,€in€community€with€others,€to€engage€in€economic€and€social€activities€which€areŠ <#Œ" Špart€of€the€culture€of€the€community€to€which€they€belong.€Sweeping€allegations€concerningŠ "$r# Šextremely€serious€breaches€of€other€articles€of€the€Covenant€(6,€7,€14,€para.€1,€and€26),€madeŠ %X $ Šafter€the€communication€was€declared€admissible,€have€not€been€substantiated€to€the€extentŠ ī%>!% Šthat€they€would€deserve€serious€consideration.€The€allegations€concerning€breaches€ofŠ Ō&$"& Šarticles€17€and€23,€paragraph€1,€are€similarly€of€a€sweeping€nature€and€will€not€be€taken€intoŠ ŗ' #' Šaccount€except€in€so€far€as€they€may€be€considered€subsumed€under€the€allegations€which,Š  (š#( Šgenerally,€raise€issues€under€article€27.Š †)Ö$) ŠĢ32.3€The€most€recent€allegations€that€the€State€party€has€conspired€to€create€an€artificialŠ R+¢&+ Šband,€the€Woodland€Cree€Band,€said€to€have€competing€claims€to€traditional€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€land,Š 8,ˆ', Šare€dismissed€as€an€abuse€of€the€right€of€submission€within€the€meaning€of€article€3€of€theŠ -n(- ŠOptional€Protocol.Š ° ŠĢņņViolations€and€the€remedy€offeredóóŠ |Ģ ŠĢ33.€Historical€inequities,€to€which€the€State€party€refers,€and€certain€more€recentŠ H˜ Šdevelopments€threaten€the€way€of€life€and€culture€of€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band,€and€constituteŠ . ~ Ša€violation€of€article€27€so€long€as€they€continue.€The€State€party€proposes€to€rectify€theŠ  d Šsituation€by€a€remedy€that€the€Committee€deems€appropriate€within€the€meaning€of€articleŠ ś J Š2€of€the€Covenant.Š ą 0 ŠĢĢņņNotesóóŠ ’ā  ŠĢ*€Individual€opinions€submitted€by€Mr.€Ō_ŌNisukeŌ_Ō€Ō_ŌAndoŌ_Ō€and€Mr.€Ō_ŌBertilŌ_Ō€Ō_ŌWennergrenŌ_Ō,Š ^®  Šrespectively,€are€appended.Š D”  Š€Ģa/€Communication€No.€203/1986,€final€views€adopted€on€4€November€1988,€para.€11.3.Š ` ŠĢb/€Communication€No.€24/1977,€final€views€adopted€on€30€July€1981.Š Ü, ŠĢĢÓ{Óņņņ ņÓ  ÓAPPENDIX€Ió óóóŠ ŽŽ ŠÓŚčÓÓ ÓĢņņIndividual€opinion:€submitted€by€Mr.€Ō_ŌNisukeŌ_Ō€Ō_ŌAndoŌ_Ō€pursuant€to€rule€94,€paragraph€3,€of€theŠ ZŖ ŠCommittee's€rules€of€procedure,€concerning€the€Committee's€views€on€communication€No,Š @ Š17/1984,óóŠ &v ŠĢņņB.€Ō_ŌOminayakŌ_Ō€and€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_Ō€Lake€Band€v.€CanadaóóŠ ņB ŠĢI€do€not€oppose€the€adoption€of€the€Human€Rights€Committee's€views,€as€they€may€serve€asŠ ¾ Ša€warning€against€the€exploitation€of€natural€resources€which€might€cause€irreparableŠ ¤ō Šdamage€to€the€environment€of€the€earth€that€must€be€preserved€for€future€generations.Š Š Ś ŠHowever,€I€am€not€certain€if€the€situation€at€issue€in€the€present€communication€should€beŠ p!Ą  Šviewed€as€constituting€a€violation€of€the€provisions€of€article€27€of€the€Covenant.Š V"¦! ŠĢArticle€27€stipulates:€"In€those€States€in€which€ethnic,€religious€or€linguistic€minoritiesŠ "$r# Šexists,€persons€belonging€to€such€minorities€shall€not€be€denied€the€right,€in€community€withŠ %X $ Šthe€other€members€of€their€group,€to€enjoy€their€own€culture,€to€profess€and€practice€theirŠ ī%>!% Šown€religion,€or€to€use€their€own€language".€Obviously,€persons€belonging€to€the€Ō_ŌLubiconŌ_ŌŠ Ō&$"& ŠLake€Ban