MISSOULA, Mont. – A new governor held a phone conference with tribal
leaders, appointed eight American Indians to his transition team and the
state legislature has eight tribal members in the ranks.

It was a good election cycle for American Indian tribes in Montana, for
Democrats as well.

The new governor, Brian Schweitzer, is a Democrat and replaced two
republican governors, whose administrations, according to tribal leaders,
were not American-Indian friendly.

“We have made good progress. I’m a little concerned about the state of
America, not pleased with the turn out, but Montana is doing well and is
started in a new direction,” said Carole Juneau, Blackfeet, a state
legislator and vice-chairperson of the state Democratic Party.

A week after election, Gov. Elect Schweitzer held good to a promise that
the tribes would be included in not only the transition, but in the future
of the state.

“I have always been concerned with tribal issues. I pledged to visit all
the nations during my time here,” Schweitzer said.

What the tribal leaders asked was to have at least two tribal members on
the transition team – they got eight. The appointed office of Indian
Affairs Advisor has been vacant for the past four years, and Schweitzer
pledged to fill that position very soon. In fact the tribes asked for a
cabinet-level position for Indian affairs, and Schweitzer said he would
consider the request.

There are many positions at high levels to be filled and Schweitzer said he
would consider American Indians to fill those positions as well.

“We are looking for the best and the brightest in this administration, and
that includes the first Montanans,” he said.

“This will truly be a new day in Montana. It will be a new day that
includes mutual respect,” Schweitzer said. He told the tribal leaders that
he would deal with then on a government-to-government basis.

Geri Small, president of the Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council told
the governor during the phone conference Nov. 9 that the tribes supported
Schweitzer fully.

“We look forward to our people sitting on different committees and in
different departments,” she said.

Schweitzer ends a 16-year drought in the governor’s office for the state
Democratic Party. The state house is now controlled by Democrats and there
is a recount pending in the Senate that could end with a tie. Juneau said
that all districts where American Indian reservations are located are
heavily democratic. On the Blackfeet Reservation she said there was a 56
percent voter turnout and 80 percent voted for Schweitzer.

But the overwhelming support for the new governor is not the only reason
the state has eight legislators from Indian country. Reapportionment
extended a friendly hand to the tribes. The reapportionment team composed
of an equal number of representatives from both parties was headed by
former Chairwoman of the Crow Tribe, Janine Pease Pretty on Top.

Juneau said reapportionment was not an easy task and gave Pease Pretty on
Top a lot of credit. When the final map was taken to the secretary of
state’s office, Juneau said, the then secretary, Bob Brown, refused to take
the plan. Brown was defeated in the governor’s race by Schweitzer. The
commission had to go to court to force Brown to accept the plan.

Juneau said there are many bills that are in the pre-legislative hopper. A
funding request for Indian education that will support the teaching of
American Indian culture in the Montana schools is on the list of bills.
Additional funding for schools on the reservations will be on the
legislative agenda and some funding for non-Indian students who attend
tribal colleges will be up for consideration. With a strong Democratic
legislature, these issues may receive a good hearing.

For the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations coal-methane development
will have an adverse affect on their air and water quality. Bills to
prevent that development will come from Indian country.

At this time every corner of the state, every reservation has a
representative at the Montana state capital.

“We have a strong caucus on certain issues. When the vote is close our vote
is important. We have built a strong relationship with other groups, labor
groups and education because we all have something in common and they
support our issues. We need those liaisons,” Juneau said.