Opinion

Carter Cates: Maine governor doesn't want to hear from tribes

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

A sign to Indian Township, one of the reservations of the Passamaquoddy Tribe in Maine. Photo from Maine Encyclopedia

Carter E. Cates takes Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) to task for signing an executive order that rescinds a tribal consultation and tribal liaison policy:

I am a Native person. I was born into the Penobscot Nation and the Passamaquoddy Tribe, and take an affirmed pride in my culture and my people.
I have lived in Maine for 29 years and eternally love this state. Until recently, I hadn’t shared many people’s outrage at Gov. Paul LePage and the way he has taken to running it.
I have time and again defended the governor to people who have spoken out against him in my presence, even though I consider myself to be liberal minded.
I defended him because he had done several things to help better the relations between the tribes and the state, including issuing the August 2011 executive order that states “the unique relationship between the State of Maine and the individual Tribes is a relationship between equals.”
The governor’s actions these past few days seem abrupt, like those of an angry child so quick to take away something that was given. The reasoning appears to be because he can’t handle that our nations are trying to push for conditions to be met, and our voices to be heard.

Get the Story:
Carter E. Cates: LePage abrupt action hurtful to tribes (The Kennebec Journal 4/28)

Also Today:
Maine Tribes Want Deal With State on Fishing (AP 4/28)