Musqueam Chief Ernie Campbell said the protesters took down their pickets and took the padlock off the front door of the administration building on Tuesday evening. No one spoke to him or, as far as he knew, anyone else on the band council before they abandoned their protest, he said in an interview.
A group of band members had occupied the lobby of the administration building on May 29 to protest against how the band council intended to spend more than $20-million from an out-of-court settlement with the B.C. government.
Dissident members raised concerns about toxic housing on the reserve, the lack of band support for drug and alcohol treatment programs, and the refusal to finance a facility intended to help ensure that children in need of protection remain in the Musqueam community. They also raised questions about the accountability of the band council, transparency of band business and the distribution of about $40-million.
But Mr. Campbell said yesterday he didn't think the protest would lead to changes on the reserve. Some community services were interrupted and some people were left with "hard feelings.
"But it did not have any impact on anything, as far as council is concerned," Mr. Campbell said. "We've been through worse than this. It was a minor thing."
Gail Sparrow, a spokesperson for the protest group, said the dissidents decided to stop after meeting with parents anxious to have their children return to the day-care centre in the administration building.
Emerging from a two-hour meeting with the band manager and band lawyer, Ms. Sparrow said in an interview the protest had been worthwhile. Concerns raised by the membership will now be seriously considered, she said.
The group started with 17 dissatisfied people and grew to more than 300, she said. She anticipated the protest will lead to council members being held to greater accountability and council business being more transparent.
Also, the membership will be able to consider the protesters' proposal to distribute $5,000 to each band member, she said. The council had proposed distributing only $1,000 to each member and designating the remainder of a $20-million settlement to debt repayment and band programs.
"They [the band council] are now going to listen to the people. We will give them time. If nothing changes, we will take action again," she said.