21 June 2007

From Scottish Nation to First Nation:

Scotland’s First Minister discusses Canadian Aboriginal land claims with Georges Erasmus.

Newly elected First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond held a private meeting with acclaimed First Nation leader Georges Erasmus yesterday at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. The meeting provided an opportunity for Salmon to discuss Aboriginal self-determination and self-government with Erasmus.

Salmond advised Erasmus to seek strong economic foundations in claims negotiations with Canada. "If you have to compromise, don’t do it on economic issues" he told Erasmus.

Erasmus and Salmond went on to discuss common concerns for their peoples in their mutual quest for self-determination.

Salmond’s Scottish National Party was elected with a one seat majority at the end of May. The SNP wants Scotland to become autonomous from its political ties to England.

Georges Erasmus is in Scotland to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Dundee today in a ceremony that coincides with National Aboriginal Day in Canada. Despite being one of the most eminent leaders of his generation this is the first time Erasmus has received formal international recognition for his work with First Nations on aboriginal self-determination over the last 35 years.

Contact: Professor Gavin Renwick
email: g.t.renwick@dundee.ac.uk
Phone: 011 44 7751 408 706 ( Note: 5 hours ahead of ET)

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