RadioActive 7/25/19: Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Land Claims Settlement Act & Interview w/ Chief Francis

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

First Meeting of Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Land Claims Settlement Act and Interview with Chief Kirk Francis

a) Almost forty years after the settlement of the Maine Indian Land Claims, the Wabanaki Tribes in Maine struggle with oppressive State interpretations of jurisdictional issues folded into the Settlement Act which has put the Tribes in a category separate from other federally recognized Tribes throughout the country in regards to their sovereignty and the applicability of federal legislation.
b) In attempts to address this, the Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Land Claims Settlement Act, which held it’s first meeting Monday, July 22, 2019, at the Augusta State House. The charge of the task force is to review the 1980 Act to Implement the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act and the 1989 Micmac Settlement Act, and to make recommendations for changes through legislation.
The Task Force is comprised of the Chiefs of the Penobscot, Passamquoddy, Micmac and Maliseet Tribes, two Maine Senators, three Maine Representatives and ex offico representation from the Governor’s Office, Maine Attorney General’s Office and the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission.
c) Today we hear some of the opening remarks by Chiefs, a Vice- Chief, and the Task Force Legislative co-chairs, and we interview Chief Kirk Francis of the Penobscot Nation.

Guests:
a) Senator Michael Carpenter, Senate Chair
b) Representative Donna Bailey, House Chair
c) Chief Edward Peter-Paul, Aroostook Band of the Micmacs
d) Chief Clarissa Sabattis, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians
e)Chief Kirk Francis, Penobscot Nation
f) Vice-Chief Maggie Dana, Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik
g) Chief William Nicholas, Sr, Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township, Motahkomikuk

Video and transcripts of the entire meeting can be viewed at www.sunlightmediacollective.org
Today’s program was produced with the Sunlight Media Collective.