CHIEFS ACCUSE CHASE COUNCIL OF RACISM

Kamloops - Chiefs of three Shuswap bands have leveled accusations of
racism at Chase council over comments made at a recent meeting about a
harm reduction strategy for youth.

The three chiefs, Neskonlith's Judy Wilson, Little Shuswap's Felix
Arnouse, and Adams Lake band chief Nelson Leon, took offence at
comments made at the council meeting.

"It is of great dismay that (Chase) council takes the view that First
Nations youth should stay on their side of the river," states the letter.

"This racist attitude sets out our communities back into a dark era.."

But Chase mayor Harry Danyluk and rookie councillor Diane Overton -
whose comments appear to have caused the offence - said Tuesday nothing
offensive was said in the furor over a Friday hot dog night for kids.

"I didn't approve of kids running around until 2 a.m.," Danyluk said
of the late hours for the harm reduction program operated by the
Kelmuc Friendship Society.

Unofficial notes of the May meeting taken by an observer and provided
to The Daily News state that Overton asked a Kelmuc representative
"why we do not hold these hot dog nights on the Adams Lake reserve?
That way the First Nations youth are not always over town drinking and
doing drugs."

But Overton denied the paraphrase is accurate.

"I would never have said it that way," she said.

Overton said she asked questions of presenter Carla Grinder-Leon, the
wife of the Adams Lake's chief, and suggested the event currently held
Fridays in summer at the outdoor arena be moved around among the
village and area reserves.

"I said I wanted it distributed to all areas."

Overton and Danyluk said council supports the program aimed at
ensuring kids spend time around responsible adults and social workers.

But the mayor said it must shut down by 11 p.m. and he doesn't want
drunks to be fed.

"You come in sober and we'll gladly do it," he said.

The program was championed in past years by two former Chase
councillors voted out of office after becoming embroiled in a public
fight with Danyluk.

Grinder-Leon said she took offence at comments made by Overton, which
she summed up as "'why don't you have it over on the reserve? That way
First Nations don't hang around downtown.'"

But she said youth are not strictly First Nations and attempts to hold
it on Adams Lake reserve have not been successful because "we don't
have many kids show up."

Grinder-Leon said program has never turned down young people wanting a
hot dog and a chat, whether drunk, stoned or sober.

The hot dog nights have been moved to the friendship society's
storefront in downtown Chase, which remains operating past 11 p.m.

Danyluk said council voted to send a reply to the chiefs advising them
the mayor is willing to sit down to explain the issue. He said he's
hoping to return to better relations after an already scheduled
community-to-communify forum in September.