Edmonton, AB. 3359-145Ave, T5Y 2E9 / ph office: 780.634.1225 Cell: 780.240.7096
NEWS RELEASE
January 2, 2012
The Papaschase Chief and Council are calling on the
Aboriginal community and supporters to attend and
participate in a site visit and protest at the Fort
Edmonton/Historical Burial Ground in Rossdale.
Objective: To govern the
affairs, to defend and
advance the treaty rights
and legitimate interests of
the Papaschase
Descendants, and to take
all necessary steps to
obtain a just settlement of
the unlawful surrender of
Papaschase Indian
Reserve #136 in 1888.
This site visit and protest is in response to the City of
Edmonton's lack of consultation with the Aboriginal
community. Stakeholder meetings haven’t been held
between the City of Edmonton and the Aboriginal
community since 2007 even though there are important issues and ongoing events that
affect the burial site.
The Low Pressure building on Epcor's property has been dismantled and the Walterdale
bridge is scheduled for replacement. The City has not consulted regarding the relocation of
the cemetery boundaries to make way for the new bridge. As legal owner of the Rossdale
cemetery, the City of Edmonton has not honored its obligation to descendants to inform
them of any boundary changes but have instead left the consultation to archaeologist
Gareth Spicer of Turtle Island Cultural Resource Management. The visit and protest will be
held at the burial site located on the southeast corner of 105 Street and Rossdale Road on
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 1 pm.
The purpose of this event is to unite and call for the City of Edmonton to properly consult
with the Aboriginal community as a whole but respect those groups and descendants who
have ancestors buried at this sacred site. It is also a call for the City of Edmonton, Province
of Alberta and the Federal Government of Canada to respect First Nations, Inuit and Metis
burial sites and to create new policy and modify existing policies to reflect a working
relationship to recognize and protect these sacred sites.
MORE INFO: CHIEF CAL VIN BRUNEAU @ (780) 634 – 1225 OR (780) 240 - 7096