An uneasy gathering is expected on Thursday, February 13 when Wisconsin legislators and tribal leaders gather for the State of the Tribes address. The keynote address will be delivered by Menominee Nation Chairman Craig Corn, who still is waiting for Governor Scott Walker to
approve his tribe’s proposed off-reservation casino in Kenosha—which the Forest County Potawatomi and Ho-Chunk Nation strongly oppose. Both operate successful casinos in the state. Scott has made the agreement of all 11 of the state’s tribes one of his criteria for allowing the casino.
Corn said he will talk about the economic boost the casino would provide for his tribe as well as the state. “They’re our fellow tribes and we try to help each other and try to pick each other up That message won’t change with this address or this casino. We’re going to keep it positive,” he said.
Corn added his request to the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council to give this year’s speech had nothing to do with the casino issue. The speech rotates among the state’s tribes and last year the Menominee gave their turn to the Lac Courte Oreilles, whose chairman slammed Republican legislators and state officials, causing one lawmaker to storm out in a huff.
Potawatomi spokesman George Ermert said the tribe does not have a problem with Corn giving the speech as long as it focuses on broad issues.
“The speech is meant to talk about the pressing issues for all the tribes in Wisconsin. It’s not meant to be what one specific tribe is dealing with. It’s never been about what one specific tribe wants,” Ermert said.
Still, Patty Loew, a member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and communications professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison specializing in American Indian culture, said, “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the relationship between the state and the Indian nations here so tense. She added the casino issue is sure to hang over the speech but Corn cannot afford to alienate lawmakers, Walker or the Ho-Chunk and the Potawatomi.
