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gambling in alberta - Research Services - University of Lethbridge

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HISTORY OF FIRST NATIONS COMMERCIAL GAMBLING<br />

Alberta First Nations entry <strong>in</strong>to the prov<strong>in</strong>cial <strong>gambl<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry dates to 1993 when prov<strong>in</strong>cial<br />

<strong>of</strong>ficials granted the Tsuu T’<strong>in</strong>a First Nation (southwest <strong>of</strong> Calgary), and the Enoch Cree First<br />

Nation (west <strong>of</strong> Edmonton) licenses to hold super-b<strong>in</strong>gos with jackpots exceed<strong>in</strong>g $10,000. The<br />

Tsuu T’<strong>in</strong>a pr<strong>of</strong>its <strong>of</strong> $100,000 led to calls for the creation <strong>of</strong> an <strong>in</strong>dependent First Nations<br />

Gam<strong>in</strong>g Commission (Stewart, 1993). First Nations leaders developed a tentative policy model<br />

that ensured all bands would benefit equally from any reserve cas<strong>in</strong>o developments. They also<br />

sponsored a Chiefs’ Summit <strong>in</strong> November 1993 attended by several prov<strong>in</strong>cial m<strong>in</strong>isters and<br />

<strong>of</strong>ficials, the M<strong>in</strong>ister <strong>of</strong> Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), and all prov<strong>in</strong>cial First<br />

Nations chiefs. Although little came from the meet<strong>in</strong>g, a second Summit held <strong>in</strong> March 1995<br />

witnessed the M<strong>in</strong>ister <strong>of</strong> Family and Social <strong>Services</strong>, Mike Card<strong>in</strong>al, encourage First Nations<br />

leaders to “take a lead<strong>in</strong>g role” to determ<strong>in</strong>e “if a cas<strong>in</strong>o <strong>in</strong>dustry will exist.” If this support was<br />

not sufficient, he added, “I th<strong>in</strong>k Native leaders should propose what they’d like to see <strong>in</strong><br />

Alberta and then we’ll negotiate” (Edmonton Journal, 1995).<br />

The third Summit held <strong>in</strong> November 1995 led to the ‘Understand<strong>in</strong>g on First Nations-Canada<br />

Relations’ signed by M<strong>in</strong>ister <strong>of</strong> Indian Affairs Ron Irw<strong>in</strong> and the Chiefs <strong>of</strong> Alberta, to which<br />

recently elected Premier Ralph Kle<strong>in</strong> and M<strong>in</strong>ister Card<strong>in</strong>al later added their signatures. The<br />

agreement was somewhat surpris<strong>in</strong>g, consider<strong>in</strong>g that 2 months earlier the First Nations<br />

Gam<strong>in</strong>g Congress, represent<strong>in</strong>g all Alberta bands, had demanded $100 million from the<br />

prov<strong>in</strong>cial government <strong>in</strong> exchange for halt<strong>in</strong>g their construction <strong>of</strong> cas<strong>in</strong>os. Later that<br />

December Tsuu T’<strong>in</strong>a band members voted 73% <strong>in</strong> favour <strong>of</strong> cas<strong>in</strong>o development prompt<strong>in</strong>g a<br />

January 1996 meet<strong>in</strong>g between Premier Kle<strong>in</strong>, Alberta Lotteries Review Committee chair Judy<br />

Gordon, Chief Roy Whitney, and the Tsuu T’<strong>in</strong>a band council, at which time all parties agreed<br />

that f<strong>in</strong>al arrangements about “cas<strong>in</strong>o size, location, construction dates, and revenue-shar<strong>in</strong>g<br />

possibilities still needed to be discussed” (Calgary Herald, 1996, A6).<br />

A prov<strong>in</strong>cial First Nations gam<strong>in</strong>g policy was announced <strong>in</strong> 1997. The new policy permitted the<br />

construction and operation <strong>of</strong> 4 cas<strong>in</strong>os to be located on First Nation reserves. With the<br />

exception <strong>of</strong> be<strong>in</strong>g located on reserves, the First Nations cas<strong>in</strong>os were expected to operate<br />

under the same charity model and have the same revenue distribution as non-First Nations<br />

cas<strong>in</strong>os (i.e., the majority <strong>of</strong> revenue go<strong>in</strong>g to the Alberta Lottery Fund rather than be<strong>in</strong>g<br />

reta<strong>in</strong>ed by the First Nation community).<br />

First Nation leaders were not pleased with this proposal, argu<strong>in</strong>g that the standard charity<br />

cas<strong>in</strong>o model would provide them with <strong>in</strong>sufficient revenue retention to attract the <strong>in</strong>itial<br />

capital <strong>in</strong>vestment needed to develop a cas<strong>in</strong>o. They also po<strong>in</strong>ted out that they have not<br />

shared <strong>in</strong> the oil and gas revenue that has benefited the rest <strong>of</strong> Alberta. Enoch and Louis Bull<br />

First Nations, 2 communities that had plans <strong>in</strong> place to develop large dest<strong>in</strong>ation-type cas<strong>in</strong>os,<br />

ended their relationships with a Las Vegas developer. Tsuu T’<strong>in</strong>a <strong>of</strong>ficials also temporarily<br />

halted their cas<strong>in</strong>o plans. Other First Nations threatened to ignore the proposed prov<strong>in</strong>cial First<br />

Nations gam<strong>in</strong>g policy and simply build and operate their own cas<strong>in</strong>os and b<strong>in</strong>go halls. Enoch<br />

73

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