Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services

Fort Resolution ( Jun 12/00) - Organizers of the Treaty 8 centennial celebrations say they've been snubbed.

The Deninu Ku'e Treaty 8 Centenary Committee application for funding from the federal Millennium Bureau, set up by the federal heritage ministry, has been rejected. Word came in letters from Heritage Minister Sheila Copps and the Millennium Bureau.

The committee did not take the rejections lightly.

In a press release, they stated, "Canada has ... disregarded ... their treaty responsibilities over the last 100 years ... is this going to carry ... into the millennium?"

Paul Boucher, Deninu Ku'e committee co-coordinator said the lack of funding is tough to take.

"We've worked so hard putting proposals together and rasing funds," he said.

News/North contacted the Department of Heritage but it did not comment on the reasons for the rejection.

In a letter addressed to Boucher, Gilles Pineau, Senior Policy Advisor for the Department of Canadian Heritage said, "the minister appreciates being made aware of this historical event ... (but we) do not have a program to fund endeavours of this type."

Marcel Guamond, public relations officer with the Millennium Bureau of Canada said proposals get turned down all the time. It's just part of the system.

"We received over 10,000 applications," he said. "We only approved 1,700."

The centennial treaty anniversary celebrations are to be held from July 20-29.

Despite the set-back, Boucher said the event will go on as planned.

"We're going to go ahead," he said. "We're just going to have to push harder for sponsorships from corporations and the First Nations.

"This event is very important. It's a once-in-a-lifetime event."

The Millennium Bureau of Canada has approved 16 projects in the NWT in Lutsel K'e, Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Inuvik, Hay River, Tsiigehtchic and Norman Wells.