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INDIAN INDIAN SO MUCH HOPE IN THE HEART OF NATIVES (LIVING OFF-RESERVE) ANNUAL REPORT 2015-2016

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INDIANINDIAN

SO MUCH HOPE INTHE HEART OF NATIVES(LIVING OFF-RESERVE)

ANNUAL REPORT 2015-2016

Corporation Waskahegen112, avenue de l’Église, suite 204Dolbeau-Mistassini QC G8L 4W4Phone: 418 276-7551 | Fax: 418 276-8302E-mail: [email protected] | Website: www.waskahegen.com

Copyright - Bibliothèque nationale du Québec et National Library of Canada, 2016

Message from the President-Chief Executive OfficerCommunities of Native Alliance of QuebecMessage from Premier of QuébecMessage from MP for Lac-Saint-JeanMessage from the National Chief off the Congress of Aboriginal PeoplesMessage from the Building Operations DirectorMessage from the Supervisor, social and community workersMessage from the Building Operations SupervisorMessage from the Building Operations SupervisorMessage from the Lawyer, Legal DepartmentMessage from the Supervisor, Foremen2016 Goals, conclusion and AcknowledgmentsPourvoirie du lac HuskyThe Waskahegen ClassicMembers of the Board of Corporation Waskahegen

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CORPORATION WASKAHEGENCONTENTS

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PRESIDENT-CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

GILLESBÉRUBÉWhen we look back on the past, we’re faced with decisions we’ve taken up until now: the efforts made, the energy invested, the actions taken, the people involved, etc. These decisions are geared towards one and the same object: off-reserve Natives.

The Daniels judgment of April 14, 2016 leads us to believe that we can hope for anything! We must, however, be conscious that this judgment does not put off-reserve Natives on a par with Indians living on reserves. The Indian Act stands and we’re unfortunately not a part of it and this judgment doesn’t change anything in it.

But we must still see the positive side of it. Métis and non-status Indians are now included in the term “Indian” of article 91-24 of the Constitution Act, 1867. This fact also creates an obligation for the federal government to listen to us and from now on, take our pleas

seriously because it has the responsibility to do so.

Regardless of the importance of the Daniels judgment, it is crucial that we make all the efforts possible to win our cause in Quebec because our problem with the lack of recognition is in this province.

What we must remember above all is that politically, there is now an openness that we haven’t seen for a very long time. This could certainly advance our case from a legal point of view and have a positive influence in our declaratory judgment procedure before the Quebec Superior Court. Our demands are intended to make the Court recognize that NAQ members are “Indians” as René Lévesque wrote and as the preamble of the National Assembly’s resolution of 1985 recognizing the First Nations of Quebec confirms.

SO MUCH HOPE IN THE HEARTS OF NATIVES (LIVING OFF-RESERVE)

So, this year’s report focuses on hope. Hope to win the battle in Quebec, which remains a priority for us. In the light of this judgment, how can we not believe in the power of mobilization? The challenge still remains, but this is certainly the beginning of something big.

For the past 44 years, Corporation Waskahegen has contributed in a concrete way to improving the daily lives of off-reserve Natives through various housing and social and community intervention programs. Those who use our services appreciate our professionalism and can testify to our constant concern about developing the autonomy […] of the people in our community while protecting the most vulnerable.

Our mandate is clear: offer better housing conditions to off-reserve Natives, defend their rights and interests and encourage and stimulate economic development in this community.

Of course, we must keep in mind that the years to come will be filled with important challenges. Our environment is one of constant battles. The opportunities for improvement are also there and it’s our human capital, which characterizes the strength of our organization, that will spearhead our progress. Everyone’s will to contribute to it will be the common denominator of our success.

So, I’d like to take the opportunity to offer my sincerest thanks to the whole Corporation Waskahegen team, which has been working tirelessly to provide the people we serve the best possible services, as well as our partners who share our goals and help us achieve them.

Gilles BérubéPresident-Chief Executive Officer

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PREMIER OF QUÉBEC

PHILIPPECOUILLARD

I am pleased to once again be associated with the publication of the annual report of the Waskahegen Corporation. Year after year, its staff rigorously carry out its mission of supporting the self-fulfilment and quality of life of off-reserve Aboriginal people. It does so, in particular, by obtaining quality, affordable housing for a number of households in Québec.

Housing is much more than a roof over our heads: it is a place in which to perpetuate traditions, start a family and, above all, focus our energies on self-fulfilment and the transmission of our cherished values to family members.

This year, the Corporation has chosen as the theme of its report So much hope in the hearts of Natives (living off-reserve), which is entirely appropriate for a year that has already witnessed its share of progress and hope. Indeed, receptiveness to the needs of the Aboriginal peoples has rarely been so widespread.

I am proud of my government’s achievements in the past year, in particular those that enhance the quality of life of the Aboriginal peoples in urban environments, which are certainly inspired in part by the initiatives of organizations such the Waskahegen Corporation.

Moreover, I would like to congratulate the Corporation’s dedicated team for sustaining hope. You have a key role to play in the quality of life of many Quebecers and you have every reason to be proud of it. Beyond hope, through your unfailing dedication and initiatives, you are helping to transform difficult situations into victories. For these reasons, I thank you and extend to you my keenest encouragement. Reading this report imbued with hope bodes well for a promising future for off-reserve Aboriginal people in Québec.

Philippe Couillard

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MP FOR LAC-SAINT-JEAN

DENISLEBELThe feeling of pride that comes from contributing to the well-being of off-reserve Natives has been motivating the whole Corporation Waskahegen team and guiding their every decision for more than 44 years. The fiscal year that just ended is no exception!

The year 2015-2016 was marked by the Daniels judgment. This ruling paves the way for a future full of hope that off-reserve Natives will be able to develop and improve their living conditions. But every day, the team must deal with challenges, which, in fact, it must consider as opportunities to excel.

As always, Corporation Waskahegen has been able to develop and put in place effective, concrete and durable strategies to provide housing or social and community intervention for people who really need it.

So, I would like to congratulate all the members of the team for their success. As with all good things in life, a climate of discussion and sharing contributes to shaping and improving the daily lives of all communities across the country.

Carry on the good work!

Denis LebelMP for Lac-Saint-Jean

NATIONAL CHIEF

DWIGHTDOREY

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is proud to congratulate Corporation Waskahegen and join it in celebrating its 44 years of outstanding contribution to the lives of off-reserve Natives in Quebec.

Through its dynamism and dedication, it helps improve the quality of life of people, give them a home and lay the foundations of healthy and prosperous communities.

The theme for this year - There is so much hope in the heart of natives (living off-reserve) - is intended to serve as a reminder of the Daniels judgment passed on April 14, 2016, which, for the Natives concerned, offers renewed hope for better days to come, in addition to giving the push necessary to continue on this road in solidarity.

At the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, while dealing with different issues on a daily basis, hope also enables us to look forward to the future with optimism. We’re continually putting the emphasis on stories of success and proud achievement. Corporation Waskahegen is an organization which offers all this. Off-reserve natives deserve to have a home, a chance to gain access to the job market and develop. In brief, they deserve all the recognition they have a right to.

We would like to thank you sincerely for your involvement and we wish you much success in your upcoming projects.

Dwight DoreyNational ChiefCongress of Aboriginal Peoples

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Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du Nord celebrated 43 years of existence in 2015. Our corporation is known for being the biggest organization providing housing to off-reserve Natives in Canada.

The results obtained during this period were born of the hope that the leaders of the past and all the actors who came after them nurtured to improve the lot of off-reserve Natives. Here are a few facts illustrating these remarkable achievements:

During the past year, the Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du Nord team has continued in this path and made the necessary efforts to offer the best housing conditions to its clientele.

TENANT GUIDETo do this, the management team and employees worked closely with our lawyer to amend and update the tenant guide so that it can adequately address the needs of tenants and meet legal requirements

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BUILDING OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

MARTINVOISINE

+ than 2,000housing units

717buildings

in

117municipalities

$220 Mvalue

of housingstock

10branchesacross Québec

70 employees

20 subcontractors

$30 Mof

budget

100NAQ

volunteers

1,900households

3,700tenants

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCEAnother notable element has helped improve the services offered. Some time ago, the rules governing social housing management were revised by the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ), following requests by the Offices d’habitation (OH). This important step was intended to allow organizations involved in social housing to adapt regulations according to their needs.

Following the establishment of this process, the Habitat Métis du Nord board passed by resolution three mandatory and five optional rules for which we obtained a compliance certificate in 2015. This certificate attests that our regulations comply with SHQ requirements. In brief, this helped adapt the regulations according to our needs to improve our service offering. PREVENTION MUTUALFor the past few years, we have been a member of a prevention mutual group (ACCIST). This is intended to support our employees by preventing workplace accidents and occupational diseases and assisting victims.

The management team has adopted a preven-tion program and remains proactive, alert and available to minimize the risk of workplace accidents and occupational diseases. Thanks to a positive result obtained in 2015, Habitat Métis du Nord was able to maintain the best grade that can be obtained from a prevention mutual, which is the “SELECT” grade.

TRAININGOur employees benefited from two training sessions in 2015. The subjects discussed were essentially aimed at maintaining and improving our customer service and also standardizing our procedures with respect to the current regulations. We made use of these meetings to discuss aboriginal culture in relation to our housing mission.

INTRANET Over the past year, we reactivated the “INTRANET” project. We were given the means (financial and human resources) to advance the project adequately.

So, several sections will be added to the Intranet including: news, calendar, human resources, general information, procedures, etc. The “procedures” section is important for us because it will help standardize all our processes.

In the context of participatory management necessitated by our structure, which consists of 10 branches (found across the province) and several employees who manage more than 2,000 housing units in 117 municipalities across Quebec, it is crucial to maximize our communication and standardize the message with Habitat Métis du Nord team members. We are convinced that when the project is completed (expected in 2016), this tool will greatly facilitate employees’ tasks and save time. PARTNERSHIPThis year again, we cannot remain silent about our partners, the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ) and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The two of them alone provide around two-thirds of the HMN’s total budget. The other third comes from the rents collected the first of every month from our tenants. A big thank you to our invaluable partners!

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For our part, we have the responsibility to show our collaborators that we are making good use of the money they have invested. So, from time to time, we receive auditors who visit to inspect our books and our compliance with management regulations. Usually, this exercise results in a few minor corrections as in the case of the audit conducted in 2015.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORSOur financial backers also have other ways to check the quality of our work. Firstly, the management of accounts receivable, which reflects our rent collection capacity.

Since the year 2000, results have improved greatly. In 2015, we ended the year with $78,275 in accounts receivable. You will see what appears to be a plateau over the past eight years with an average of $73,835. The results obtained in 2015 are close to this average.

It is important to mention that many of our tenants face major social and/or financial problems. Our employees take this reality into account when they intervene with late payers. We are aware of the importance of controlling our accounts receivable, but we show discretion because we know that we are often the last resort for several households to find proper housing.

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

BAD DEBTSAnother performance indicator that is rather revealing is bad debts, incurred when accounts receivable are not paid and the tenant has left their housing unit. Among bad debts, we have unpaid rent, costs of repairing damage caused by the tenant, etc. In this case, we maintain a list of bad debts and as such, the amounts payable can be recovered. This can be done when an applicant appearing on this list wants to come back to a HMN housing unit. At this time, they must pay back the entirety of what they owe to be eligible once again for a housing unit allotment.

The paralegal can also recover these sums through a payment agreement or wage garnishment.

In 2015, we had a total of $78,424 in bad debts. This is the best result obtained in the past 16 years.

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VACANT HOUSING UNITSWe take care to rent out our vacant housing units within the shortest time possible. Our subcontractors make it a priority to intervene quickly when tenants leave to get housing units ready for occupation once again. In the majority of areas, our waiting lists are quite full, which enables us to rent out vacant units quickly. In areas that are more remote, we must sometimes advertise our availabilities or seek the collaboration of local housing committees to obtain the names of applicants who meet our eligibility criteria.

In 2015, we had a monthly average of 67 vacant housing units. For the past six years, an average of 67 housing units were vacant each month. These are excellent results because the percentage of housing units remaining vacant in relation to the total number of housing units has only been 3.3% since 2010.

ANNUAL VISITSAmong our 2,004 housing units, 1,860 were visited in 2015, which represents 93%. The goal remains to visit all the tenants at least once a year to ensure their well-being and safety, check if regulations are being respected and finally, assess the state of housing units to be able to identify cases of insalubrity, neglect or abuse.

NEW HOUSING UNITS Three years ago, we undertook an initiative for the construction of new housing units. To do this, we approached the SHQ to benefit from the AccèsLogis financial aid program.

Our primary goal was to construct two buildings of four housing units in Maniwaki and Deléage and at the same time, two semi-detached properties in Rouyn-Noranda.

For administrative and environmental reasons, long construction delays were experienced. We hope that we can take in our first tenants in 2016 or 2017.

Following this, we would like to add other housing units in areas where we can set the right rental price while ensuring that we can pay the fixed costs of building management. Obviously, we will prioritize areas where there is a demand.

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SUPERVISOR, SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY WORKERS

VÉRONIQUEBÉRUBÉI am proud to be a part of the big Corporation Waskahegen and Habitat Métis du Nord family for the past eleven years as a social and community worker and the supervisor of social and community workers. My team consists of five employees who work in different parts of Quebec and our mission is to improve the quality of life of off-reserve Natives.

Each day, we work with several objectives in mind so that future generations will have easier access to resources and education. In addition, we also want them to have the tools to be able to choose healthy and suitable living environments. This will, in turn, encourage them to have their own goals and hope for a good future for their children.

Our collective understanding of the past year opens the door to a better world. We are seeing on the ground that the work of several years is bearing fruit although there is still a lot more to do… We are hopeful and ready to rise to the challenge together by showing pride in our roots and our culture.

I would like to thank my whole team for the work accomplished.

Véronique BérubéSupervisor, Social and Community Workers

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BUILDING OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR

DOMINICGAGNON

OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACHThe Maison de quartier des rondiers community centre in La Tuque has been contributing to improving the quality of life of our tenants since June 2014. This year, a wide range of activities was offered to our residents to fulfil our mission. Making dreamcatchers, outdoor activities (hockey and soccer), collecting donations of old clothes for people in need in the neighbour-hood, homework help, a workshop on bullying, job search assistance and workshops on addiction were offered to our residents.

The community centre also participates in several committees in La Tuque: suicide prevention and senior abuse watch training, homelessness prevention committee and the together for good housing committee which fights against poor housing.

We are developing a place where our community can feel a sense of belonging and we are proud of the work accomplished.

We will continue to offer our services for another year to mobilize the residents to create a harmonious community life.

I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the exemplary work of our coordinator of the community centre, Mélissa Lauzon, as well as the invaluable help and support of the Native Alliance of Quebec community in La Tuque.

Dominic GagnonBuilding Operations Supervisor

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PATRICIALEBEUFBUILDING OPERATIONS SUPERVISORSHELTER ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM (SEP)Corporation Waskahegen offers hope to owner-occupants to keep their homes in good condition for many more years by serving as a representative for the Société d’habitation du Québec’s Shelter Enhancement Program (SEP).

At the end of 2015, a new program, RénoRégion, was set up. The purpose of this program is to offer financial aid to low-income owner-occupants living in rural areas so that they can repair major defects in their homes. The 2015-2016 program started on December 24, 2015 and ended on March 31, 2016. We were given a slim budget of $24,000 for this period. It is important to complain about this fact so that the government hears our dissatisfaction and realizes that needs have still to be met so that our tenants can live in a safe environment.

As for the Residential Adaptation Program (RAP), which helps people with reduced mobility adapt their homes through the joint work of our inspectors and occupational therapists from the area, the SHQ now allocates budgets based on a case-by-case basis. The home adaptation may be authorized if the budget permits. In 2015, we opened three new adaptation files, which gives these people hope that they can have a better quality of life.

Patricia LebeufBuilding Operations Supervisor

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LAWYER, LEGAL DEPARTMENT

JOSÉEBÉRUBÉ

Every year, the arrival of spring brings one of the busiest periods of the year for Corporation Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du Nord. The renewal of contracts, numerous cases with the rental board, etc. feature heavily in the workday. It is also during this period that we visit sites to meet grassroots members and tenants to inform them about the services that we offer and the developments that are taking place in the aboriginal world.

No doubt, this “high season” also affects the legal department. Historically, year after year, these four months are marked by a surge in workload and the need for our presence on the ground. Now, 2015-2016, like its spring season, was particularly busy!

However, when we look back, we see that in spite of the constant barrage of the past 12 months, the legal department maintained its rhythm and achieved the majority of its goals. The following are a couple:

TENANT GUIDEThe last update of the Tenant Guide was in 2009. So, it was necessary to revise it. The revision of building regulations was the result of a long process of deliberations, consultations, research and writing. The entirely revised building regulation came into effect in 2016.

PRIORITY FILESAt the beginning of the year, we targeted rental board files that we wanted to deal with as a priority. As a result of long delays to obtain a hearing with the Régie, these files had dragged on for more than two years. In some cases, the request was made three years prior. All the files identified were reviewed by the legal department to find the best solution. Some required special steps to be taken with the Régie du logement and others, negotiations between the parties involved. But whether it was through a ruling or a settlement, we were able to close all the files identified in 2015-2016.

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Of course, these goals were achieved alongside challenges that presented themselves during the course of the year. Among them, the advent of Régie du logement hearings by videoconferencing and the coming into force of the new Quebec Code of Civil Procedure have particularly required much adaptation from the legal department.

Our positive result is due to the constant hard work of the whole team. So, I would like to thank all the people who, day after day, invest and work tirelessly to contribute to the success of Corporation Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du Nord.

It is impossible to end this report without talking about the Supreme Court’s April judgment in the Daniels case. This is a landmark decision in Canadian aboriginal history. In the shorter term, it gives a boost to the case in the Superior Court for the recognition of the rights of the members of the Native Alliance of Quebec, filed more than 12 years ago.

Surrounded by exceptional people who believe in and contribute to a better future for Natives, I look forward to the coming years with much hope. The road is long, with many obstacles along the way, and it is not yet over. But today, we have the wind behind us, so we can close ranks and continue to advance.

Josée BérubéLawyer

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SUPERVISOR, FOREMEN

SÉBASTIENDESROSIERS

The creation of Corporation Waskahegen marked the beginning of much hope for the recognition of off-reserve Native rights. With a housing stock of more than 2,000 units across Quebec 43 years later, Corporation Waskahegen is proud to fulfil one of its founding missions, which is to offer the best housing conditions to our community. It is because we are conscious of this reality that our team is careful about maintaining our housing stock in the best condition possible. With our preventive and corrective maintenance system, the efforts of our employees in our branches and the invaluable collaboration of our subcontractors on the ground, we have carried out around 4,000 minor repairs in our buildings for the comfort of our tenants. Through generous grants from the two levels of government, we have received a financial contribution of $4,520,000 for major jobs.

In addition to contributing to improving the condition of our housing stock, this financial aid helps stimulate economic development by awarding contracts to aboriginal contractors. So, we are fulfilling our organization’s mission.

INVESTMENTS BY REGION

Region Budget allocation

Val d’Or $282,265.13

Rouyn-Noranda $314,137.50

Mansfield $633,600.34

Maniwaki $685,708.81

Québec $577,864.02

Montréal $316,864.40

Dolbeau-Mistassini $642,427.36

Baie-Comeau $348,365.36

Sept-Îles $514,612.43

Mont-Joli $208,870.19

TOTAL $4,524,715.54

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We are very grateful for the contributions of our governments and hope that they will continue their collaboration at the same level for many years to come because the need is great. The latest legal developments related to off-reserve Natives shows us that tenacity and hard work always bear fruit in the end. With this mindset, our technical service employees and foremen manage to efficiently prioritize the right work despite the heavy workload that such financial contributions bring. The challenge is to carry out the highest priority work at the best rates. We are proud of being able to do this.

The key to our success in planning an optimal RAM budget of this scale lies in the use of the building health check report. Each building and its units are visited by our certified inspec-tor from our service centre every five years. This represents the inspection of around 400 housing units and their buildings per year. The building health check report contains the obser-vations of various priority levels that reveal the state of the building and its units. By using this tool and mobilizing our employees, we manage to come up with well-structured budgets.

Many constraints can prevent the execution of these works. In fact, regrettable events such as disasters or higher than expected costs for some projects can considerably upset our budget plans.

In 2015, we were subject to four major disasters, 65 medium disasters and 68 minor disasters for total damage worth $484,601.14. To cope with these events that are beyond our control, we rely on the professionalism of our employees to always find solutions to achieve our goals. Like the Corporation Waskahegen founders, we must believe in the aboriginal cause and work hard to achieve our mission and keep hope alive in our community.

Sébastien DesrosiersSupervisor, Foremen

GOALS FOR 2016 Our clientele will remain our priority for the coming year. It is for this reason that we would like to maintain and improve our service offering and provide the best housing conditions to our tenants. To be able to do this, we must count on the dedication and professionalism of our employees. The majority of them work online in one of our 10 branches and our management model is based on participatory management. This means that our employees must also be independent, responsible and efficient. To facilitate this efficiency, we expect to finalize our Intranet and make it operational in 2016. The information found in this new tool will guide them further in their daily tasks. To this, we will add two training sessions to improve their work-related knowledge and skills.

We are as concerned about the well-being of our employees as we are about our clients because we are convinced that the two are closely related. This is why we would like to continue the work started a few years ago by applying the prevention program in workplace health and safety to prevent accidents and occupational diseases.

We will be rigorous in our management to maintain and improve our productivity as seen in different performance indicators such as accounts receivable, bad debts, annual visits and the management of vacant housing units. As always with a view to improving our service offering for off-reserve Natives, we want to finish the construction of two buildings of four units each in Maniwaki and Deléage and two semi-detached buildings in Rouyn-Noranda in 2016 or 2017.

CONCLUSION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTSDespite the number of challenges encountered, Corporation Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du Nord ended the year 2015 with a sense of accomplishment.

2016 promises to be a historic year with the Supreme Court of Canada’s Daniels judgment on April 14, 2016, which stipulates that Métis and non-status Indians are henceforth included in the term “Indian” of article 91.24 of the Constitution Act, 1867. We are filled with hope that the Quebec Superior Court will follow in the same direction and that members of the Native Alliance of Quebec will finally be recognized as “Indians” as then premier René Lévesque did in 1985 through resolution in the National Assembly. I will conclude by sincerely thanking everyone who has contributed to the well-being of off-reserve Natives. We must continue to support them by helping them achieve independence and protecting them when necessary.

THANK YOU again for your ACTIONS which express your HOPE to significantly IMPROVE the LIVES of NATIVES for whom, more often than we can imagine, this is the last CHANCE to DEVELOP in a SAFE ENVIRONMENT.

Martin VoisineBuilding Operations Director

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The Pourvoirie du lac Husky is known for its vast surface area, limpid waters and abundant wildlife as well as the quality of its services. Whether it’s for a short or long fishing or hunting trip or a family vacation, in summer or winter, you can’t help being impressed by the majestic beauty and generosity of the nature around you.

Different types of packages with a European or American plan are available. You just have to pick one that meets your needs!

Activities for everyone in all seasons:• fishing• hunting;• walking;• canoeing;

• quad biking;• snowmobile rides;• snowshoeing;• etc.

Accessible by vehicle, Husky Lake is situated on the 50th parallel, 200 km north of Dolbeau-Mistassini in Lac-Saint-Jean. The headwater lake is the source of the 8 km-long Mistassini River, which promises you an extraordinary fishing experience.

Give yourself a well-deserved break and a complete change of scene by immersing yourself in our welcoming natural surroundings!

POURVOIRIE DU LAC HUSKY112, avenue de l’Église, suite 204Dolbeau-Mistassini QC G8L 4W4Phone: 418 276-7551E-mail: [email protected]: www.lachusky.com

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CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT

WASKAHEGENCLASSIC

Since 2003, this golf tournament has been organized by Corporation Waskahegen to achieve the following objectives: raise funds for the Fernand Chalifoux Foundation, promote exchange, partnerships and business relations and give all participants a chance to enjoy a wonderful day.

Thanks to its partners, since its inception, the Waskahegen Classic has raised a total of $190,000 for the Fernand Chalifoux Foundation. This money helps the foundation take a step forward in fulfilling its important mission, which is to offer assistance to Native youths who have specific educational and health-related needs.

AMOUNTS RAISED BY THE WASKAHEGEN CLASSIC2003: $19,000 2004: $28,300 2005: $25,000 2006: $24,000 2011: $16,200 2013: $34,000 2014: $25,0002015: $19,300

This year, the Waskahegen Classic will take place on August 26, 2016 at the Dolbeau- Mistassini Golf Club. All the proceeds will go to the Fernand Chalifoux Foundation to enable it once again to provide financial assistance to a youth in need.

All those who want to contribute to the success of this 9th edition are welcome because without them, nothing would be possible. Thank you for your generosity and dedication!

FERNAND CHALIFOUXFor more than four decades, Fernand Chalifoux has devoted himself to the defence of Métis and non-status Indians living off-reserve in his capacity as an employee, CEO or director of Corporation Waskahegen, as President and Grand Chief of the NAQ for 15 years, or simply as a volunteer for 27 years.

A real authority in the field, he has dedicated his life to defending his brothers and sisters, their culture and identity.

Gilles BérubéPresident-Chief Executive Officer

Fernand ChalifouxVice-president

Jean Jolicoeur Clerk-treasurer

Denis Larche Director

Sylvain SassevilleDirector

Roland NormandeauDirector

Raymond BouchardDirector

CORPORATION WASKAHEGEN

BOARD