sNok signflz AUGUST 15, 2023 11 No other Tribe’s treaty rights will be affected RIGHTS continued from page 10 other Tribes in western Oregon. She also noted that this furthers government-to-government rela- tionships between Tribes and the state. “The commission’s mission is to protect and enhance wildlife, and their habitats for the use and enjoyment by present and future generations,” she said. “This mis- sion aligns with growing our part- nership with Tribal governments, and their knowledge of maintaining functioning habitats for fish and wildlife. It is to our benefit as a state to support them.” The agreement is limited to sub- Photo by Michelle Alaimo sistence and ceremonial harvest. From left, Natural Resources Department Fish & Wildlife Program Manager The Tribe will not be able to im- Kelly Dirksen, Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy and Natural plement any commercial harvest Resources Department Manager Colby Drake testify during the Oregon opportunities. Department of Fish & Wildlife Commission meeting in Salem on Friday, Aug. “The Oregon Department of Fish 4. Up for vote was a memorandum of agreement for the Tribe to expand its and Wildlife and Grand Ronde have ceremonial and cultural hunting and fishing areas on off-Reservation and a shared interest in how fish and non-trust lands and allow the Tribe to co-manage this for its members with the wildlife, and their habitats, are state. On the right is ODFW Acting Land Resources Manager Davia Palmeri. managed in Oregon and seek to pro- actively and voluntarily coop- erate to establish a framework SEE MORE OF THIS STORY TO SEE MORE PHOTOS under which Grand Ronde’s members may participate in hunting, fishing, trapping and @CTGRsmokesignals @SmokeSignalsCTGR gathering off-reservation in a culturally relevant way,” an the proposed MOA,” she said. “The frustrated that neither ODFW nor ODFW background summary states. broad scope of this agreement has the Grand Ronde Tribe contacted Representatives of Tribes that a real potential to affect our treaty any of the Treaty Tribes while the opposed the agreement reiterated rights. … The right to take fish MOA was being negotiated.” that their stance hasn’t changed. includes a right to cross private Warm Springs Tribal Chairman Umatilla Tribal Board of Trust- property to access those areas. It is Jonathan Smith expressed similar ees member Corinne Sams said also well-documented that the trea- sentiments. that the state had failed in its ty Tribes have historic and current “I’m in opposition to the Grand Tribal consultation efforts. In ad- close ties to the Willamette Valley, Ronde MOA and urge you to take dition to serving on the board, she including fishing at Willamette no action because it is premature also chairs the Columbia River Falls, and the lower Columbia to do so,” he said. “We have raised Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. River. … We are astonished and objections because this agreement “I urge you to take no action on could affect our ability to hunt, fish and gather.” In an earlier letter to the com- mission, Smith said that the Grand Ronde Tribe also “refuses to acknowl- edge our sovereign and treaty-re- served interests at Willamette Falls.” “Our ancestors have fished, hunt- ed and gathered around Willamette Falls and the surrounding area since time immemorial, and our members continue to do so,” he said. “There can be no doubt that the Willamette Falls area is one CDL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND TRAINING of our treaty-reserved, usual and accustomed areas where our mem- bers fish at sites, which have been The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde TERO Department passed down through generations for subsistence and ceremonial is looking for Tribal members with CDLs who are interested in harvest purposes.” current employment opportunities or Tribal members who are Kennedy and other Tribal Coun- interested in obtaining their CDL for future employment. cil members firmly maintain that any claims of a lack of consultation • Must be 18 years or older. or potential treaty violations aren’t • Must obtain your CDL permit before you register. factual. VISIT US ON TRIBAL EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS OFFICE Additionally, the agreement states that no other Tribe’s treaty rights will be affected and that the agreement is limited to sustenance and ceremonial harvest. “No additional Tribal legal or treaty entitlement is created, con- veyed, implied or diminished, nor is any existing agreement, trea- ty or court decree modified by the adoption of these rules or the above referenced Memorandum of Agreement,” the agreement states. “Nothing in the above referenced Memorandum of Agreement shall be construed as affirming, recogniz- ing or limiting the rights or claims of any other Tribe within the geo- graphic scope of that agreement.” All nine Tribal Council mem- bers attended the hearing, and approximately 90 Tribal and staff members. Many testified before the commis- sion, including Elder and past Trib- al Council Chairman Reyn Leno, Cultural Resources Department Manager David Harrelson, Cultur- al Advisor Bobby Mercier, Tribal member Jade Unger, Cultural Pol- icy Analyst Greg Archuleta, Higher Education Manager Bryan Langley and Tribal Lobbyist Justin Martin. Tribal Council members who tes- tified included Kennedy, Langley, Kathleen George, Jon A. George, Michael Cherry, Lisa Leno and Vice Chair Chris Mercier. “I’m in my 18th year of doing this and I don’t recall ever seeing this kind of opposition like I’ve seen today,” Mercier said. “I came here expecting more of a celebratory environment. But if people feel the need to speak their peace and if it’s in opposition, they have the right to do that. However, I do feel part of my testimony has to be in response to a lot of things that you’ve heard here today. Nothing in this agreement affects any treaty rights and additional changes to the agreement make clear there wouldn’t be an impact in the Columbia River.” Grand Ronde has been working for years to have its hunting and fishing rights restored after being forced into a consent decree with the state to get its Reservation ap- proved. During the Tribe’s efforts to secure Reservation lands, the only path forward at the time was to sign the decree. The Tribe’s Natural Resources Department and the state are working cooperatively to final- ize details of the agreement and that will be published in Smoke Signals when it is complete. For more information, contact natu- ralresources@grandronde.org or 503-879-2424. • Must show proof of completed ODOT physical and other requirements. • Four weeks to complete. TRIBAL EM OFFICE • Employment opportunities available now. TS • TERO will assist with funding CDL course. YMENT RIG H P LO • Schedule courses when you are ready. Contact Jacob Boekhoff at 503-879-2146 or e-mail Jacob.Boekhoff@grandronde.org Ad by Samuel Briggs III Clothes Closet open The Clothes Closet is open from 9 a.m. to noon Friday on the Tribal campus near the Elders Activity Center at the end of Blacktail Drive. The Clothes Closet accepts clothing, small appliances and pieces of furniture, electronics and household goods that are clean and in good condition. It does not accept books, large TVs or furniture, but there is a community board where people can post those items. For more information or emergency clothes, contact Lori Walker-Her- nandez at 559-847-7565.