windspeaker january 2015

P a g e [ 1 ]January 2015

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Grassrootsshut out

until chiefs step inPage 9

Cree youth standagainst uranium to

protect the land1

Dueling court actionsover transparency

in playPage 8

Photo

: S

hari

Nari

ne

New AFN national chiefputs Ottawa on noticeNew National Chief Perry Bellegarde receives the eagle feather thatsymbolizes his new position. In his acceptance speech Perry Bellegardesaid, “First Nations people will oppose any development which deprives our childrenof the legacy of our ancestors. We will no longer accept poverty and hopelessnesswhile resource companies and governments grow fat off our lands and territoriesand resources.”

Please see story on page 7.

Inform. Impact. Inspire. Independent. Indigenous.

New AFN national chiefputs Ottawa on noticeNew National Chief Perry Bellegarde receives the eagle feather thatsymbolizes his new position. In his acceptance speech Perry Bellegardesaid, “First Nations people will oppose any development which deprives our childrenof the legacy of our ancestors. We will no longer accept poverty and hopelessnesswhile resource companies and governments grow fat off our lands and territoriesand resources.”

Please see story on page 7.

January 2015P a g e [ 2 ]

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FeaturesDueling court actions over transparency inplay 8

Onion Lake Cree Nation is leading the chargeagainst the First Nations Financial TransparencyAct.

[ contents ]

Windspeaker is published by the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (AMMSA)Canada's largest publisher of Aboriginal news and information.

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Initially ostracized by the leaders of her Santa ClaraPueblo in New Mexico for pursuing a full-timecareer as a painter, Pablita Velarde ignoredcriticism and went on to exhibit her workthroughout the United States and Europe.

[ rants and raves ] 5

[ windspeaker briefs ] 9

[ provincial news ] 12 - 16

[ health ] 17

[ sports ] 18

[ education ] 19 – 21

[ footprints ] Pablita Velarde 22

Grassroots shut out until chiefs step in 9

The need for change within the Assembly of FirstNations was underscored Dec. 9 when auniversity student was shut down as heattempted to ask a question of the threecandidates for the position of national chiefduring a forum.

PublisherBert Crowfoot

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LNG proponents address concerns about WestCoast project 10

Huu-ay-aht First Nation elected Chief CouncillorJeff Cook and Steelhead CEO Nigel Kuzemkospoke with Windspeaker to answer a range ofquestions arising from the proposed $30-billion(US) LNG terminal that received a nod from Huu-ay-aht citizens Nov. 29.

Hospital evacuates patients becauseof oil leak 11

For the second time in as many years, patients atAttawapiskat hospital have had to be emergencyairlifted to other facilities.

Diabetes program to sunset after 15 years 17

According to the Canadian Diabetes Association,Type 2 Diabetes, the kind that usually developsduring adulthood, is reaching epidemicproportions in this country. The latest statisticsputs the number of people living with the diseaseat more than nine million, one in every fourCanadians. By the year 2020, says the CDA, thatnumber is expected to increase to one in everythree people.


[ rants and raves ]Minister’s commentsstereotype,diminish

Aboriginal men

ChatterThe Lower Similkameen Indian Band is considering legaland direct action after a mine tailings spill at Copper MountainMine on Dec. 10. The nation is also looking for an independentinquiry to determine the cause of the most recent spill beforemine operations begin again, as well as an environmentalreview with plans for cleanup and restoration.

Chief and council assert the spill has resulted in toxicwaste contamination to Wolf Creek, which flows into theSimilkameen River.

“We’ve been there in person to inspect the damage tothe Wolf Creek, and we are extremely disturbed by the lackof long-term plans for containment and remediation to theland and water,” said Chief Keith Crow.

“The Similkameen River System is the life and heart ofthe Similkameen people,” he said. “The river is critical to theexercise of our Aboriginal title and rights. We have used theseareas for traditional purposes and depended on the cleanwater and grasslands for generations. Government andcompanies can’t just keep silent when they are allowing ourlands and waters to be damaged and our people’s health tosuffer.”

Crow said it isn’t the first spill that has entered the riversystem and the community is concerned about cumulativeeffects. The first spill from the Basin Coal mine into theTulameen River, a tributary of the Similkameen River,occurred in August 2013. That spill resulted in 65,000 litresof coal slurry waste contaminating the river system. CoalmontEnergy has since filed for bankruptcy, leaving questions aboutthe environmental impacts of the spill unanswered. Therewas no consultation with the nation either from the Ministryof Energy, Mines and Resources, the Ministry of Environmentnor Coalmont Energy and Copper Mountain Mine on theeffects of the spill, reads a press statement.

“Our intent is to ensure that these companies are heldto the highest and best standards,” said Crow. “We must beinvolved in the restoration of these lands to their natural statefor our future generations. This needs to begin now, with animmediate emergency meeting with LSIB and all relatedministries to develop a plan to address the effects of the spillon our lands and our title and rights.”

An actor used in police training scenarios at the ReginaPolice College at the University of Regina is alleging hewas the victim of racial profiling by the Regina Police Service.“I felt like my rights were violated,” said Simon Ash-Moccasin.

He was walking home through downtown Regina whena police cruiser approached, he said. “I waved him on andcontinued walking. Then another cop came by and actuallyslowed down and began following me,” reports the Leader-Post.

“He was looking at me and I just found it really odd andstrange. I was looking back at him and waved that one ontoo.” Then a third cruiser approached him. The officer saidhe “fit a description.” Ash-Moccasin alleges he was thrownup against a wall by a police officer, handcuffed and takeninto custody.

After being released without charge, Ash-Moccasin wentto police headquarters to file a complaint, but says themistreatment continued there. He has filed a formal complaintwith the Public Complaints Commission, which isinvestigating.

“I’m telling my story so it won’t happen again,” he said. “Iwas treated like a second-class citizen in the land of myancestors.”

Conservative MP Rob Clarke wants an apology fromLiberal Senator Lillian Dyckafter she accused the Cree politician of acting like a whiteman. Dyck is also Cree. During the Senate debate on a FirstNations transparency bill, Dyck suggested Clarke hadn’tshown the proper respect when testifying on the bill. Shesaid he became boastful. “That, for a First Nations man, isnot traditional First Nations behaviour. It was not at all. It iswhat we would call … white man behaviour,” said Dyck, whodoesn’t consider the comment offensive. “You can be insultedby that if you like.”

Clarke said Dyck’s comment was thoughtless andinjudicious, and that she should apologize for them. “It isregrettable that Senator Lillian Dyck resorted to personalattacks against an elected Member of Parliament while shewas speaking on my Bill (C-428) in the Senate on Tuesday,Dec. 9. I would hope that the Senator will do the right thing;withdraw her comments, and apologize to me and the FirstNations community.” As for the bill itself, Dyck said it is flawed.“It’s not a good bill … What’s the rush? The only conclusionyou can come to is they (the government) are doing it topromote the Member of Parliament,” she said in an interviewwith the Canadian Press.

We require the Minister of Aboriginal AffairsBernard Valcourt to walk gently—be careful—when he speaks about missing and murderedAboriginal women in future. We have beenoffended by his comments to the Ottawa CitizenNewspaper in speaking about an inquiry intomurdered and missing Aboriginal women,violence against Aboriginal women in FirstNations communities and his perception thatAboriginal men, generally, have a lack of respectfor women in First Nations communities. Weneed him to be very careful. He is treading onvery thin ice.

On Dec. 12, the minister made some verydisturbing statements about our communitiesacross the country; ludicrous, over-generalizedstatements that are flawed on many levels.These are not issues to toy with, MinisterValcourt. They are not issues to gain politicalpartisan advantage for the upcoming election.They require sensitivity and compassionatetreatment regardless of what you believe thepath forward is to improve the situation forAboriginal women on reserve, whether youbelieve an inquiry is necessary or not.

“Obviously, there’s a lack of respect forwomen and girls on reserve, obviously,” theminister said in a video for the Citizen’s website.“But, do you blame the community for letting thisgo, when, for example, on a marriage break-down or the death of somebody, a couple, youknow, that the woman has no rights. TheCanadian woman, the non-Aboriginal one, isfully protected, she can seek a protection order,but on reserve, no. So, if the guys grow upbelieving that women have no rights, that’s howthey’re treated.

“Well, we’ve changed that. We’ve brought the(Family Homes on Reserves and MatrimonialInterests or Rights Act) to change that. This willhave fundamental, transformational change…not overnight, but over the longer term. Youknow, the human rights, I think, for example, andother changes that we brought forward, whichwill have impact in the longer and mid-terms so,you know, they’ll realize that women and girlshave rights too. They are persons that must berespected.”

We object to Minister Valcourt wagging hisfinger at us. Aboriginal men have not corneredthe market on misogyny. Despite his Utopianperspective on the situation of non-Aboriginalwomen, we know very clearly that manycommunities, Aboriginal and not, are strugglingwith sexualized violence toward women. We citethe Dalhousie University Dentistry Gentleman’sFacebook page where male college students

disparage their female classmates and talk ofhate f-cking them, a disgusting phrase that weheard also through reports on the JianGhomeshi situation at the CBC.

In December, a Vancouver radio station hadto apologize to listeners for a statement madeby one of its hosts when talking about whetherLiberal leader Justin Trudeau would like to fuck,kill or marry Health Minister Rona Ambrose,Laureen Harper, the Prime Minister’s wife, orMichaelle Jean, the former governor general.

Violence against women is not an Aboriginalissue alone, and not isolated to reserves, andnot isolated to Aboriginal men. Obviously,obviously.

It would be disingenuous to not acknowledgethat misogyny exists in our communities. Weare not suggesting that violence againstAboriginal women is not amplified on reserve,but it is not rooted in the race and that’s whatMinister Valcourt seems to be suggesting.

That First Nations have been purposely,through government legislation and policy overthe generations since contact, throughresidential schools and the child welfare system,distanced and detached from their traditionalteachings and values and family and culture,has to receive some acknowledgment from theminister. There should be agreement among usthat these abuses left marks on individuals andfamilies.

In arguing against a national inquiry intomissing and murdered Aboriginal women,Valcourt tells the Citizen not to tell Canada tospin its wheels for years over an inquiry to getthe understanding and knowledge that wealready have today. That he believesgovernment legislation, like the MatrimonialInterests Act, is a panacea to raise Aboriginalmen out of the mire demonstrates a total lackof understanding, or a consciously-twisted upview of the situation before us, and is, in fact,an argument in favor of an inquiry.

But Valcourt puts the entire responsibility forviolence against Aboriginal women at the doorof First Nations communities and men, andholds the historical mistreatment of Aboriginalpeoples by government at arms-length. No, Mr.Minister, you can’t get away from this legacy.Your hands can not be washed clean of decadesupon decades of neglect and misuse ofIndigenous people. Canada has contributedgreatly to this situation so Canada must cometo the table to restore what has been lost andthat starts with a clear airing. So you’ve beentold, minister. Choose your words more wisely.

Windspeaker

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[ strictly speaking ]

Tsilhqot’in Case: Open letter to First Nationschiefs In CanadaBy Satsan (Herb George)Wet’suwet’en HereditaryChiefSenior Associate, Centre forFirst Nations Governance

The Supreme Court ofCanada’s recent decision in theTsilhqot’in case has changedCanada forever. Justice has beenserved. But for how long? Theanswer is ours to determine.

The Supreme Court, oninstructions from previousAboriginal title cases, has clearlyaffirmed the legitimacy inCanadian law of Aboriginal titleover our traditional territories.

This case, and others like it, hasbeen hard fought for manydecades. Too many of our Eldersand dear ones, who devoted theirlives to this cause, died with a

sorrowful heart over the loss oftheir homelands and did not liveto see this day.

Now, however, our ancestors’voices have been heard andvindicated.

First Nations are quicklyrunning out of time. We mustbegin today building theinstitutions we need to effectivelygovern our territories. We have toexercise our rights as governors ofour lands, develop our ownterritorial laws to protect ourlands and sacred places, and giveindustry and the Crown noticethat they best engage early andnegotiate accordingly.

In a unanimous decision of 8to 0, the Justices of Canada’shighest court legitimizedAboriginal ownership overterritorial lands and resources, as

well as the rights of Indigenouspeoples to choose how ourterritorial lands may be used tobenefit current and futuregenerations. This is a tremendousvictory for us. So, what do weneed to do next?

As Indigenous peoples, we nowface the difficult task of puttingour title rights into place. This isa profound responsibility and wemust act with vision,determination and care. We mustproceed in the spirit ofreconciliation.

The law provides us with anextraordinary opportunity toseize the moment and resume ourplace as responsible governors ofour lands. We must not wait forfederal or provincial governmentsor industry to set the stage for usand without us.

Colonialism is dead. CanadianCourts have made it clear thatthey will no longer tolerateunilateral Crown actions ordecisions taken with respect toour traditional lands. Ourconsent matters and we mustorganize now to make sure it staysthat way.

It is also time to developentirely different decision-making mechanisms fordetermining how we can bettergovern and use our Aboriginaltitle lands and resources. As wehave long been calling for, weneed to create new government-to-government relationships ofmutual responsibility and respect.Together, federal, provincial andIndigenous governments mustidentify and formulate those newstructures and processes for

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implementing Aboriginal titlemeaningfully and in a mannerthat will foster reconciliation andprosperity for all.

This is entirely possible.The challenges and

opportunities that lie before uswill test the ingenuity, integrityand resolve of Aboriginal andnon-Aboriginal leaders withingovernment and industry.Implementing this decision willdefine Canada as a just andprosperous society. Failing to acton and implement title rights,will only continue the legacy ofinjustice and denial offundamental constitutional andhuman rights, fostering evengreater uncertainty, acrimony andinjustice.

We are all here to stay. So whatwill it be? It is up to us.


[ news ]

A new day, a new way, with Canada, promises BellegardeBy Shari NarineWindspeaker Contributor

WINNIPEG

The new national chief for theAssembly of First Nations hasput Ottawa on notice.

In his acceptance speech, PerryBellegarde said, “Business asusual…that is not on. FirstNations people will oppose anydevelopment which deprives ourchildren of the legacy of ourancestors. We will no longeraccept poverty and hopelessnesswhile resource companies andgovernments grow fat off ourlands and territories andresources. If our lands andresources are to be developed itwill be done …. on our termsand our timeline.”

Bellegarde took the election ina single ballot, believed to be thefirst time a national chief hasbeen elected in only one round.

In 2009, the first timeBellegarde challenged for theposition, he conceded to ShawnAtleo after a record eight ballots.Bellegarde did not run again in2012. Atleo stepped down inMay 2014 midway through hissecond term amidst criticism ofhis support of the First Nationsfederal education legislation andallegations of being too cozywith the Harper Conservatives.

Bellegarde, who served as AFNSaskatchewan regional chief andhead of the Federation ofSaskatchewan Indian Nations atthe time of the election, garnered291 of the 464 votes cast.

Interim national chief andregional chief for Quebec andLabrador Ghislain Picard wassecond with 136 votes. LeonJourdain was a distant third with35. One ballot was spoiled. Towin, a candidate had to claim 60per cent of the votes cast.

With 639 First Nationseligible to vote, almost one-thirdof chiefs decided not toparticipate.

But Tsilhqot’in First NationChief Roger William, whoseconded Bellegarde’snomination, is confident thatBellegarde can rally the chiefs.

“For First Nations it’s trust. Weall have a trust issue and by allrights … and we need to buildthat and Perry’s going to buildthat. I feel that he’s won rightacross this country,” saidWilliam.

Picard was conciliatory in hisremarks, echoing Bellegarde’scomments that “it is now timeto close the circle, work in unityand take on the challenges facingus for the best interest of thepeople we serve across thecountry.”

Picard instantly made his wayto Bellegarde after chief electoralofficer Loretta Pete Lambertannounced the results. Picard’ssupporters, who had blue scarfsdraped around their necks, satquietly. Picard and Bellegardehugged.

Picard admits he was shockedby Bellegarde’s decisive victory.

“The results, I think veryhumbly, caught everyone bysurprise,” he said, noting thatthe “expectations of many in theroom” was that the decisionwould take at least two ballots.

Jourdain did not share Picard’sapproach to losing. Instead, heblasted chiefs for not embracinghis vision and for buying intothe “corporate world” andsacrificing the generations tocome.

“But the decision you madetoday with your eyes open, Ihave to respect that. But I alsoknow that that road has led usnowhere,” Jourdain said. “Forthose …on the road of our owndemise, this will come andhaunt us all.”

Jourdain said that PrimeMinister Stephen Harper wouldbe celebrating Bellegarde’s win.

But Bellegarde made it clearin his victory speech that therelationship First Nations havewith the federal government andthe provinces would bechanging.

“To Canada we say for far toolong we have been dispossessedof our homelands and the wealthof our rightful inheritance,” hesaid. “Canada, it’s Indian land.This is my truth. And this is thetruth of our peoples.”

Along with warning thefederal government that itspolicies from now on had toreflect Aboriginal rights andtitle, Bellegarde outlined threeother priorities: continuing topush for a national inquiry intomurdered and missingIndigenous women and girls;developing a nationalIndigenous languagerevitalization strategy; andamending the AFN charter.

New National Chief Perry Bellegarde: Draped in a blanket from the Manitoba Chiefs, carrying the eagle feather that symbolizeshis new position, and holding on to the talking stick he will take with him when discussing murdered and missing Indigenouswomen and girls.

PHOTOS: SHARI NARINE

New National Chief Perry Bellegarde raises eagle feather among drummers.

Chief Perry Bellegarde (right) with Manitoba chiefs.

Rinelle Harper (second from left) spoke to the AFN Assembly.


[ news ]

By Shari NarineWindspeaker Contributor

EDMONTON

Onion Lake Cree Nation isleading the charge against theFirst Nations FinancialTransparency Act.

The First Nation, whichstraddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, filed astatement of claim in federalcourt in Edmonton on Nov. 26,claiming $50 million in punitivedamages from Ottawa andchallenging the legislation thatrequires First Nations to revealtheir finances.

“Because of the deadlines andthe timeframes, we decidedenough is enough. On behalf ofour people, the Cree people ofOnion Lake… the statement ofclaim was the last step in a longjourney to get the federalgovernment to sit and talk withthe nations,” said Chief WallaceFox.

Ten days later, the federalgovernment responded with itsown court action.

“I have directed thedepartment to bring applicationsto the Federal Court for an orderrequiring the band governmentsfrom the Council of FirstNations of Thunderchild,Ochapowace and Onion Lake inSaskatchewan; and Sawridge,

Athabasca Chipewyan and ColdLake in Alberta to publishAudited Consolidated FinancialStatements and Schedules ofRemuneration and Expenses forchief and council for the benefitof their members,” statedAboriginal Affairs and NorthernDevelopment Canada MinisterBernard Valcourt on Dec. 8.

While there were 49 FirstNations that had not postedonline their audited financialstatements as well asremuneration for chief andcouncillors, the six First Nationssingled out by Valcourt haveopenly stated they will not becomplying.

November 26 marked thethree-month extension deadlineset by Aboriginal Affair for FirstNations to comply with theFNFTA.

York Factory First Nation isone of 15 First Nations inManitoba to have not posted.Manitoba has the highestnumber of First Nations buckingthe system.

“Why is the governmenttrying to force us now to file?They’ve always received ouraudits, which I think is sufficientenough for them to get whatthey need from it, which isgenerally Ö are we spending themoney they send to thecommunity properly and I thinkthat’s fine,” said YFFN Chief Ted

Bland.Ryerson University associate

professor and Mi’kmaq lawyerPam Palmater told CBC NewsPower & Politics that thelegislation is unwarrantedbecause band members canalready approach their bandcouncils or AANDC to get thefinancial information theyrequire. She also said thelegislation violates the PrivacyAct.

“It violates the Privacy Actbecause it’s third-partyinformation that’s not entitled tobe distributed to the Canadianpublic – and there’s no need forit,” said Palmater, who wasrunner-up for national chief forthe Assembly of First Nations in2012.

“Now, (the government is)requesting too muchinformation and I’ve alwaysthought they’re not entitled toit,” said Bland.

He adds they have receivedword that the government willwithdraw funding as of Dec. 12(after deadline).

In a statement issued byMinister Bernard Valcourt, non-compliant First Nations wouldhave their funding withheld fornon-essential programs, servicesand activities, as well as new orproposal-based non-essentialprogram funding, and “in thecase of those First Nations who

have indicated they have nointention of complying, seekingcourt orders to requirepublication” will also be actiontaken.

“It’s a little time to delay, it’s alittle time to let Canada knowthat this process we’re goingthrough is …. like adictatorship,” said Bland. “If Ihad enough money generatedfrom outside businesses then Iwouldn’t report nothing at allthen I would basically tellCanada to go stick it.”

But Bland says meeting theneeds of his community has tobe his priority and having moneyflow from the federalgovernment is a necessity.

“A lot of other communitiesdon’t have options… tosupplement their funding. Sothey’re caught in the situationwhere they have to reportbecause for some communities,it’s the only source of revenue.And for other communities, it’sa little easier to hold off on itbecause they generate extrarevenue,” he said.

That is the case for OnionLake Cree Nation, which isinvolved in economic ventures,has various off-reservepartnerships, and employs 800members as full-time workers.

“If we did not have our own-source revenue we would be inthe same dire straits as many of

Dueling court actions over transparency in playour fellow brothers and sistersacross Canada,” said Fox.

The decision to take legalaction is fully supported by thecommunity, he said.

He adds that it is thecommunity that he and councilrepresent and it is only thecommunity that needs to knowthe band’s entire financialsituation. He says salaries forchief and council, which is notcovered through federal dollars,has been disclosed tomembership.

While Onion Lake isundertaking legal action on itsown, Fox says he has receivedcorrespondence from other FirstNations supporting the nation’sstand.

Bland said York Factory FirstNation can only offer moralsupport.

“It’s all about the funding rightnow and we have to supplyservices to our community,” saidBland. “Hopefully some day weget far enough along that we canstand beside them and fight.We’re not in that position.”

The province with the secondhighest number of non-complying First Nations isBritish Columbia with 12.Quebec and the Yukon eachhave one non-complying FirstNation, while there are eight inOntario, nine in Saskatchewanand three in Alberta.

A decision by the province ofBritish Columbia to proceedwith the controversial Site Chydroelectric dam has beendescribed as “incredibly stupid.”The project will see a thirdhydroelectric station built in thePeace River region of B.C.

As well as calling the decisionstupid, Grand Chief StewartPhillip, president of the Unionof BC Indian Chiefs, also said itwas “ill-advised.”

“BC Hydro has failed to makeits case in terms of future energydemands and have notadequately outlined aneconomic business case forconstruction and repayment ofthe most expensive capitalproject in the history of B.C.”The project is estimated to cost$8.5 billion.

“The dam, associatedstructures and rights-of-ways willrun directly through the heart ofTreaty 8 First Nations territoriesand will have devastating impactson treaty rights of Treaty 8 FirstNations. The project will gravelyimpact the ability of Treaty 8communities’ way of life inexercising their treaty-protected

constitutionally-enshrined rightsto hunt, fish, trap, and harvestacross their lands,” said Phillip.

“The government hasdetermined to move this projectforward without Treaty 8 FirstNations free, prior and informedconsent. The impacts caused bythis project will violate Treaty 8First Nations fundamentalhuman rights and their rights asIndigenous peoples as recognizedin the United NationsDeclaration on the Rights ofIndigenous Peoples, as set out inArticle 26(1) and 32(2) thatIndigenous peoples have theright to the lands, territories andresources which they havetraditionally owned, occupied, orotherwise used or acquired. Theimpacts this project will have onthe environment, lands andresources will be deeply felt byall communities and representsenvironmental and culturaldevastation for the Treaty 8 FirstNations,” said Secretary-Treasurer of the Union of BCIndian Chiefs, Kukpi7 JudyWilson.

In announcing the project,Premier Christy Clark said Site

C would provide BritishColumbia with the mostaffordable, reliable clean powerfor more than 100 years.

“Affordable, reliable, cleanelectricity is the backbone ofBritish Columbia’s economy. SiteC will support our quality of lifefor decades to come and willenable continued investment anda growing economy,” said Clark.

B.C.’s population andeconomy are growing, and thedemand for power is expected toincrease by 40 per cent over thenext 20 years,” reads a pressstatement.

“British Columbia has thethird-lowest electricity rates inNorth America and we need tomeet our future needs in a waythat keeps rates down,” said BillBennett, minister of Energy andMines. “It’s clear that to keeprates low, we must choose theoption of building Site C.”

The Treaty 8 Tribal Associationsaid, however, their consultantshave concluded that, by takingadvantage of low-cost resourcesallowable under the CleanEnergy Act, there would be noneed for new electricity resources

in B.C. until 2027.Depending on the very

uncertain requirements of LNGfacilities and domestic loadgrowth, new resources might notbe needed until the late 2030s.

The First Nations Summit hascalled the project a major stepbackwards in provincialgovernment relations with B.C.First Nations.

The proposed dam will resultin the flooding and destructionof 5,550 hectares of land withinthe traditional territory of Treaty8 First Nations.

“B.C. and Canada have chosento completely ignore theirconstitutional duty to consultand accommodate Treaty 8 FirstNations prior to making thisdecision. This approach isunacceptable and an affront tothe cultivation of constructivegovernment-to-governmentrelations between the provincialgovernment and B.C. FirstNations,” said Robert Phillips ofthe Summit political executive.

“As we have said time and timeagain, to both government andindustry, the necessaryconsultation standard for any

Rights and title trampled when deemedinconvenient

development project in B.C.,especially those with such a highpotential for negative impacts,such as Site C, must be to seekthe free, prior and informedconsent of each and every FirstNation whose Aboriginal titleand rights will be impacted,” saidGrand Chief Edward John of thepolitical executive.

Vice-President of the Union ofBC Indian Chiefs, Chief BobChamberlin said “Treaty 8 FirstNations’ Aboriginal and treatyrights have already beensignificantly infringed withexisting hydro dams in theirterritories. This projectrepresents stepping beyondacceptable cumulative rightsinfringement and crystallizes thedisregard for Aboriginal andtreaty rights in B.C.”

Chief Chamberlin concludedthe approval of this projectedsignals to First Nations acrossB.C. that their values, beliefs,title, Aboriginal rights, and treatyrights will be trampled, cast asideand disregarded whenevergovernment deems a projecteconomically important andsignificant.

If you would just go ahead and order a Windspeaker subscription then you could get Windspeaker delivered right to your office or home.For only $55.00 +gst you would not only help support independent Aboriginal communications, but also keep your letter carrier from being bored.



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Windspeaker News Briefs

Juno award-winning artist Derek Miller is hostinga new late-night variety series called Guilt Free Zone beginningJan. 6 on APTN at 10 p.m. ET/MT. It promises the “hippest”Aboriginal musical artists “no-hold-barred” monologues,“provocative” dance and comedy performances, all rolled intoone “edgy” Tuesday evening event. Shot in Toronto, Montreal,Hamilton, Regina and Winnipeg in front of live studio audiences,Guilt Free will expose viewers to new talent and openconversation about often taboo topics like sex and guiltypleasures. Performers this season include Inez Jasper, JayliWolf, hip hop artist Plex, comedian Lucas Jacko, Brendt ThomasDiablo, burlesque dancer Miss Lou Lou la Duchesse de Riere,Craig James Laur, Night Switch, The Snake Oil Salesmen, AliFontaine and Leonard Sumner. Derek Miller opens up the topicabout legalizing marijuana, but also wonders if there is truth tothe rumour that marijuana causes the dreaded man-boob. “GuiltFree Zone” is produced by Big Soul, an Aboriginal owned andoperated television and film production company.

Cold Lake First Nation’s Chief Bernice Martial was appointedthe grand chief of Treaty No. 6, making her the first female tolead the organization.

“I am delighted with all the support from chiefs, Elders andmembers of Treaty No.6. This is an exciting time for our peoplesand I know I will do the best of my abilities to ensure that TreatyNo. 6 is protected and that First Nations are properlyrepresented at these political tables where our issues areconcerned,” said Martial.

Grand Chief Martial was given a Treaty Six headdress in aDecember meeting with more than 250 people witnessing herappointment. “I’m going to do the best I can to inform the peoplesof Treaty No. 6 on the legislation and policies that affect us. Iwant to bring unity to Treaty Six First Nations as we are in thehub of economic development with many successful FirstNations that are working towards self-governance,” she said.

Ottawa apologized to the Wahta Mohawk communityfor including it on a list of First Nations that had not compliedwith financial transparency legislation. The nation had sent itsfinancial information by fax before it was due—by only fourhours—reports OurWindsor.ca, but it was in by deadlinenonetheless. Ottawa published a list of non-compliant nationsand Wahta Mohawks stayed on that list for several hours. Aletter threatening sanctions seems also to have been sent tothe nation. An Aboriginal Affairs official offered an “unconditionalapology” for the letter to the Muskoka, Ont. area nation. ButChief Philip Franks told the online publication that thegovernment had tarnished the nation’s reputation. The vastmajority of First Nations have complied with the legislation,leaving less than 10 per cent non-compliant.

The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC)has awarded the third annual Skills Award for Aboriginal Youthto Shownoo Blackbird-Williams from Walpole Island First Nationin Ontario.

The $2,500 award goes to youth ages 18 to 30 who areenrolled in an apprenticeship program, college or in university,who are a First Nations, Métis or Inuit individual with strongacademic standing, and who are committed to their field of studyand a career in the revitalized forest sector.

“Shownoo has a strong desire to better himself and hisfamily and he hopes to use his Aboriginal community values tohelp develop the forest products industry,” said David Lindsay,president and CEO of FPAC. “The forest sector benefits greatlyfrom the hard work, enthusiasm and dedication of Shownooand other committed Aboriginal youth.”

Blackbird-Williams left the Canadian military when he heardthat he was expecting a son. To be a good role model andfurther his education, he enrolled in the First Nations ForestryTechnician Program at the Anishinabek Education Institute atMucey Campus, associated with Fleming College. Blackbird-Williams intends to pursue a career in forestry while also runningan eco-tourism business. He has also been an active participantin the Walpole Island Forest Regeneration Project where hegained experience in the Arboricultural field.

Grassroots shut out untilchiefs step in


WINNIPEG

The need for change withinthe Assembly of First Nationswas underscored Dec. 9 when auniversity student was shutdown as he attempted to ask aquestion of the three candidatesfor the position of national chiefduring a forum.

“I cannot acknowledge you.You do not have a chief badge,”said Chief Electoral OfficerLoretta Pete Lambert to CliffordSinclair, who stood at one of sixmicrophones on the floor.

Sinclair demanded to be heardand shouts from the crowdbacked him up saying chiefsneeded to listen to thegrassroots. But Sinclair’smicrophone remained turnedoff.

Eventually, Sinclair was giventhe floor when two chiefsprovided him with their badges.

“This young gentleman wantsto say a few words,” said AlexisNakota Sioux Nation ChiefTony Alexis, whose lanyard wasdraped around Sinclair’s neck.“He comes to you from thegrassroots. He’s also a student.He studies literature.”

Sinclair asked the questionthat had been a part of thecampaign platforms forcandidates Perry Bellegarde,Leon Jourdain and GhislainPicard.

“You are making decisionsthat will affect me and allIndigenous people and yet Ihave no say in who my grandchief is,” said Sinclair. “How canI expect you to fight for myrights if you’re not empoweredby me and by the people?”

Sinclair is one of a growingnumber of First Nations peoplewho call urban settings theirhome. How the AFN willaddress this demographic hasbeen hotly discussed and allthree candidates agree changesare needed to the organization’sstructure. Yet the presentationby an ad hoc task force lookingat restructuring the AFN drewlittle attention from chiefs earlierin the day.

“I’m a little disappointed thatthere are more of our citizens inthis room right now than thereare chiefs and none of the (AFN)executive,” said Six NationChief Ava Hill, who is part ofthe ad hoc task force. “Becausethis is important. It’s importantto us… We have heard chiefafter chief say we have torestructure the AFN.”

Hill pointed out that there hasbeen no money set aside toexamine the issue despite back-to-back resolutions in 2013 and2014 to look at restructuringand rebuilding. Any chief whowas interested in the discussionhad to get his own funding toattend meetings.

“I think it’s very necessary thatthe chiefs have the opportunityto have a good debate aboutthis,” said Hill, but she notedthat would not be happeningafter her presentation, both dueto the lack of chiefs and the lackof time allotted on the agendato the subject.

Hill said the push torestructure the AFN has comeabout through the realizationthat “more and more … ourpeople want to be involved” andincluded in that discussion iswhether or not the national chiefshould be elected through auniversal vote. She said changes,

which initially were looked ateight years ago, can no longer beignored, considering the birth ofthe grassroots movement IdleNo More and the unexpectedresignation in May of ShawnAtleo as national chief.

Hill said restructuring wouldfall under short-term and long-term goals, an approach that allthree candidates embraced whenthey responded to Sinclair’squestion.

Both Picard and Bellegardesaid amendments to the AFNcharter could be done quickly,but both agreed that changinghow the national chief waselected was not as easily dealtwith.

“The question you raise is alittle more longer-term and if thechiefs are open-minded to lookat that, then we can look at that,”said Bellegarde.

Picard agreed it would have tobe a recommendation that camefrom the chiefs.

“Everybody needs to belongand right now that’s nothappening,” said Jourdain. “It’snot rocket science to involve thepeople on the ground.”

Hill encouraged the chiefs inthe room to take the issue backto their communities fordiscussion. She said setting atimeline for July for an initialreport from a working group wasfeasible.

“If the work is not completedby July, come back in July andsay you need more time,” shesaid. “We’ve got to get together,trying our best do it right thistime. Take, I guess, as long as ittakes.”

In his acceptance speech asnew national chief, Bellegardeset the AFN charter as one of hispriority issues.

Members of the ad hoc committee looking at changes to the Assembly of First Nations are(from left): Kahnaw‡:ke Chief Lloyd Philips, host Mathieu Courchene, Six Nations Chief Ava Hilland Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians Grand Chief Gord Peters.

PHOTO: SHARI NARINE


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By Shayne MorrowWindspeaker Contributor

PORT ALBERNI, B.C.

A core group of Huu-ay-ahtFirst Nation members, with thesupport of their hereditary headchief, has vowed to fight aproposed multi-billion dollarliquid natural gas project in theSarita River estuary.

Huu-ay-aht is one of 14 Nuu-chah-nulth nations on VancouverIsland. Their traditional territoryis located on the south side ofAlberni Inlet and Barkley Sound,and the Sarita River is considereda sacred site, according to Huu-ay-aht member Stella Peters.

“When I found out where [theproject] was located, I was veryconcerned. It’s right in the mouthof the Sarita River,” Peters said.“Then we found out it’s evenbigger than we thought. That’swhen I started the [Facebookpage] SayNoToLNG.”

Peters said it seemedincomprehensible that, afterworking for decades to restorecoho and chinook salmon habitatin the Sarita River, shellfish bedsin the Sarita estuary andRoosevelt elk herds in the Saritawatershed, that Huu-ay-ahtwould want to inflict a massiveLNG terminal right in themiddle of this ecologicallysensitive area.

Fellow Huu-ay-aht member

Crystal Clappis joined a growinglist of people who questioned theproject.

“We started to voice ouropinions on Facebook. Then westarted to notice that there werea lot of non-Huu-ay-ahtmembers, people from the PortAlberni community and alsofrom the rest of B.C. that werealso concerned about the project.They offered to support us,”Clappis said.

Clappis questioned how sucha small group of people couldapprove such a massive project.

“It will affect all of B.C., and Idon’t think it’s fair that we, asHuu-ay-aht First Nation, are theonly ones who get to vote onthis.”

The vote took place on Nov.

Huu-ay-aht members prepare for Round 2 in fightagainst LNG

29 at the annual two-day People’sAssembly, which was held at theBest Western Barclay Hotel inPort Alberni. Peters and a smallband of SayNoToLNGsupporters had intended to picketthe site, but plans changed whenher cousin, Huu-ay-aht TyeeHa’wilth (hereditary chief )Derek Peters arrived.

“He was accompanied byHa’wiih from a number of theBarkley Sound nations and toldus he intended to speak againstthe project,” Peters said.

As a matter of Nuu-chah-nulthprotocol, Ha’wiih normallycommunicate publicly through adesignated speaker. That a TyeeHa’wilth addressed an assemblypersonally speaks to themagnitude of the issue, Peters

said.“As a sign of respect, we did not

go ahead with the protest,because our Ha’wilth had voicedour concerns.”

Peters said, however, that whilethe Ha’wilth spoke movinglyabout the importance of Huu-ay-aht traditional territory and thepotential threat posed by theproject, he did not, as anothermatter of protocol, tell hismembers which way to vote.

In the end, band membersvoted 121-77 plus one abstentionto move ahead with anenvironmental study and thepurchase of 330 hectares ofproperty on which the plantwould be located. Huu-ay-aht isworking with Steelhead LNG, aVancouver based liquefiednatural gas project developmentcompany.

There are many across B.C.concerned about the growingimportance the province has beenplacing upon the LNG industry.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip ofthe Union of B.C. Indian Chiefssaid with global pricesplummeting for both oil andLNG, he believes it is time forthe provincial Liberalgovernment to stop promotingthe “LNG fable” as a saviour forthe B.C economy.

“My objections centre on thefact that we have upstream, mid-stream and downstream effects,”he explained. “While we are told

about the downstream benefits inemployment and revenue, we’recompletely disregarding theimpacts of quadruplingexploration and drilling in Treaty8 territories in northeasternB.C.”

On Nov. 27, Phillip wasarrested as part of the protestagainst Kinder Morgan’s test-drilling operations on BurnabyMountain. The Texas-basedcompany intends to double itspipeline capacity to ship Albertabitumen to Asia.

“The LNG industry has to bemindful of what is happeningwith the heavy oil industry,”Phillip said, adding that theprotest on Burnaby Mountainhas attracted “an amazing cross-section of society,” including FirstNations, professionals,academics, seniors and the multi-faith community.

Phillip said in light of therecent Tsilhqot’in decision,developers like Steelhead have tofactor in First Nations interestsalong the entire 1,300-kilometrecorridor from the wellhead to theshipping dock.

“In the aftermath ofTsilhqot’in, we are now movingfrom a paradigm of consultationto consent,” he explained. “Idon’t think industry can get awaywith reaching agreements withsingle First Nations – tiptoeingpast the graveyard, so to speak.

By Shayne MorrowWindspeaker Contributor

PORT ALBERNI, B.C.

Huu-ay-aht First Nation electedChief Councillor Jeff Cook andSteelhead CEO Nigel Kuzemkospoke with Windspeaker toanswer a range of questions arisingfrom the proposed $30-billion(US) LNG terminal that receiveda nod from Huu-ay-aht citizensNov. 29.

Huu-ay-aht voted 121-77 toproceed with an intensivefeasibility study and the purchaseof 330 hectares of property in theSarita River estuary during thePeople’s Assembly held in PortAlberni.

That land would then be leasedback to Steelhead LNG, aVancouver-based projectdevelopment company, for theprojected 35-year life span of theterminal.

Cook explained that the landwas pre-approved for purchaseunder the Maa-nulth Treaty,which came into effect for Huu-ay-aht and four other Nuu-chah-nulth nations in 2011.

“We have an agreement withSteelhead that as long as we aremoving forward, they wouldforgive the purchase of it,” he said.“Our nation took out a loan fromthe bank, but Steelhead is makingthe monthly payments. In the

end, the loan will be forgiven.”Should Steelhead cancel the

project, they would be responsiblefor the mortgage, Cook said,adding that should Huu-ay-ahtcancel, they would takeresponsibility for the balanceowing.

Speaking to concerns about theproject’s potential damage to themarine environment, Cook saidthe plant itself would be locatedon dry land. “The only thing inthe water will be the jetties,” hesaid.

Opponents to the project havecited overlap issues in traditionalterritories, which include themarine corridors that the massiveLNG ships would use, along withimpacts on traditional resources.Cook said he does not anticipateany difficulties with neighboringnations.

“The overlaps are defined prettywell from our point of view. We’veestablished a boundary withTseshaht First Nation; we’vedefined a management area withDitidaht, and in our Maa-nulthTreaty, our boundaries withUcluelet and Uchucklesaht ourareas are pretty well defined.There shouldn’t be any seriousnegotiations we have to gothrough.”

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip ofthe Union of B.C. Indian Chiefstold Windspeaker one of his mainconcerns is the quadrupling of

LNG proponents address concerns about West Coast projectnatural gas exploration andhydraulic fracturing (fracking)required in the Treaty 8 territoriesin northeastern B.C., in order tosatisfy the projected demand forexport LNG.

“The pipeline issue is thebiggest hurdle we have toovercome,” Cook said. “We knowwe are going to have to sit downwith First Nations.”

Kuzemko said those discussionshave already begun with a two-day visit to Treaty 8 territory tolearn about the extraction process.

“We took the Huu-ay-aht to acompany that was doing[fracking], and they met with thetwo First Nations that were there.They talked about it and the FirstNations were comfortable with it.They understood the benefits andthey understood the risks.”

Kuzemko was reminded of thesheer number of LNG proposalscurrently in the work in B.C. Thatraises two questions, he said. First:does B.C. have enough naturalgas? Yes. Second: can you becompetitive on price?

“We believe we will be,primarily because we are not a‘major’ (petroleum company). Wedon’t have upstream assets – all wewant to do is make this projecthappen.

“We’ll get gas supplied to it byindependent producers inCanada. Those independentproducers produce the lowest-cost

gas anywhere – lower than themajors… I reckon we will get thelowest-priced LNG on themarket.”

According to Steelhead, up to4,000 jobs would be createdduring the building of the plantand the installation of LNGinfrastructure. Kuzemkoconceded that many of those jobswould go to foreign specialists.

But the plan is to train as manyHuu-ay-aht as possible, he said.To that end, Huu-ay-aht andSteelhead have reached skillstraining agreements with theprovince and with threeVancouver Island post-secondaryinstitutions: North IslandCollege, Vancouver IslandUniversity and Camosun College.

“All the training programs aresomething we will be looking atin great detail, as of this week,”Kuzemko said. “Right now, thereare training slots at North IslandCollege that are being held openfor Huu-ay-aht. That process hasstarted already.”

Kuzemko noted that the firstphase of the project would be anexhaustive feasibility study on afull range of environmental andengineering issues, which isexpected to take about 12months. The final investmentdecision is not expected until2018, however.

Keith Hunter has served as atechnical advisor for Tseshaht

First Nation during the long-running assessment process forthe controversial RavenUnderground Coal Project, whichwould see coal trucked acrossVancouver Island to Tseshahtterritory in Port Alberni.

“They’ve spent $10 million onit and still haven’t got anapplication through the reviewprocess,” Hunter toldWindspeaker prior to the People’sAssembly.

Hunter said in some instances,the proposal itself becomes therevenue generator for theproponents – as long as they cancontinue to attract investors.

Kuzemko was asked if herecognized the risk of the Huu-ay-aht LNG project becoming arevenue-generating engine initself, with millions of dollarsbeing paid out in consultant’s feesand executive compensation.

Kuzemko said that was a “fairquestion,” and that Steelhead hasstructured itself to remove anyincentive to spin out theassessment process.

“Our business is that wedevelop projects. The only way wewill get any revenue from thisproject is if it goes ahead, and webegin to sell LNG. Our investorsare very acutely aware of that. Aswe go into this, there is nothingthat we would be interested indoing if we can’t see a wayforward.”

Steelhead CEO Nigel Kuzemko shakes hands with Huu-ay-ahtFirst Nation Chief Councillor Jeff Cook as Councillor John Jacklooks on as the community votes to continue exploring anLNG project.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS

(See Huu-ay-aht on page 21.)


[ news ]

By Barb NahwegahbowWindspeaker Contributor

MONTREAL

The Cree Nation in Quebechas taken a stand against uraniumdevelopment and mining in theirterritory, Eeyou Istchee.

To bring public awareness andto garner support, youth of theCree Nation embarked on theStand Against Uranium Walk onSunday, Nov. 24. They begantheir walk in Mistissini, saidJoshua Iserhoff, Youth GrandChief of the Cree Youth Councilfor the Cree Nation government.

Their ultimate destination wasMontreal where they hand-delivered a message to the finalday of the BAPE (Bureaud’audiences publiques surl’environnement) hearings onDec. 15. They walked about 850kms.

“This stand has been totallyinitiated by the youth in thecommunity of Mistissini, acommunity in northern Quebecwhere the anti-uranium fightstarted,” said Iserhoff. It’s whereStrateco Resources, a uraniumcompany sought to pursue theMatoush advanced explorationproject on Mistissini familyhunting grounds.

Strateco came into the territoryand set up the Matoush uraniumproject in 2006, Iserhoff said,without holding any communityconsultations. The Matoushproject is located in the OtishMountains, about 275 km northof Chibougamau and 210 kmnortheast of Mistissini and is nowconsidered one of the highest-grade uranium projects in theworld.

The Stand Against UraniumWalk was in the planning for thelast year, said Iserhoff, as theyouth sought not only to educatethemselves, but also the elders inthe community by using YouTubeand community consultations.

“They even brought in auranium specialist, Dr. GordonEdwards, and he did acommunity consultation on whatthe effects of uranium are,” hesaid. Learning about thedevastating effects of uraniummining on the land ignited their

passion, he said, and “that’s whyStrateco really lost its luster.”

“We do occupy the land. Wedo not want our waters or ourlands to be contaminated becausewe do live off the land. We loveto fish, we love to hunt and wewant the land to be in its naturalstate,” Iserhoff said. This is themessage presented to the BAPEhearing on behalf of the Cree

Cree youth stand against uranium to protect the land

Nation youth.Twenty-one young people have

been walking an average of 30 to45 kms a day. “After 750 kms, itgets challenging,” Iserhoff said. Awinter walk allows for a shorterwalk, he said,” because the lakesare frozen and you can just walkon them.”

They’ve been hitting some ofthe towns that are affected by

uranium mining to broaden theirbase of support. Iserhoff saidthey’ve met with positivefeedback on their journey and,“none of us have heard anythingnegative,” he said.

“Some people understand theeffects of uranium, but there’ssuch a large number who justaren’t aware of this project. We’rethe ones taking the initiative to

be ambassadors to Quebec,Canada and the world.”

The Cree Stand has sparkedrallies in other provinces andpeople are talking to their MPsand, “we have people followingus on Twitter,” he said. “We’reprotecting the land for futuregenerations, not just for the Creepeople or Aboriginal people, butfor everybody.”

The Cree Nation was successfulin getting a moratorium onuranium development. Themoratorium ends in 2015.

“One thing I’ve been taught,”Iserhoff said, “is never to give uphope and if there is bad news, wemust continue to fight. This isone thing the Cree people havealways been known for is to befighters. We’ve been challenged asa nation, but we’ve stood ourground because this is somethingthat is really close to our heartsand we do not want the lands andwaters to be contaminated anddestroyed by uranium.”

The Cree youth have beenbuilding relationships with otherIndigenous groups affected byuranium. An internationalconference is in the works thatwill bring together the Navajoand the Dene with the Cree.

Iserhoff said his own epiphanyoccurred on a hunting trip withhis father, mother and sister whenhe shot a bear. They were on hisgrandfather’s hunting grounds.He watched his mother gatherspruce and “we laid the bear onthe bed of spruce boughs,” hesaid.

“I remember thinking at thatmoment, this is really special. Inthe Cree territory, it is the highesthonour to get a bear. I looked atthe bear and its fat was so thickand I knew that this bear ate fromthe land and drank from LakeMistissini. I didn’t want any ofour animals living in the area tobe contaminated and sick becauseof uranium. I wanted thatmoment I experienced with myfamily to be experienced by futuregenerations.”

The youth have developed awebsite to continue theawareness. Check outwww.standagainsturanium.comfor more information about theirinitiatives.

Heading to Montreal on an 850-km walk, Cree youth raise awareness about uranium mining.PHOTOS: SUPPLIED


ATTAWAPISKAT FIRSTNATION, Ont.

For the second time in as manyyears, patients at Attawapiskathospital have had to beemergency airlifted to otherfacilities.

On Nov. 30, seniormanagement with WeeneebaykoHealth Authority, whichoperates Attawapiskat hospital,were notified of an oil leakcaused by a cracked pipe runningto the furnace from the oilpump. The initial estimate was

that 1,000 to 2,000 litres of oilleaked, says WHA acting CEORobert Adolph.

On Dec. 5, Adolph was stillawaiting the engineering reportfrom the contractor, who wassent immediately to the site fromNorth Bay, and accompanied byinternal WHA head office stafffrom engineering.

“I have no timeline and I don’thave the full extent of the spill,”said Adolph. Why the pipecracked is not yet known either.

The 10 inpatients atAttawapiskat hospital wereairlifted to hospitals in FortAlbany and Moose Factory onDec. 1. Based on available beds,

four were placed in Fort Albanyand the remainder went toMoose Factory. It is not yetknown how long they will beaway from home. Attawapiskathospital has 15 acute care beds.

A temporary health centre andemergency room wereestablished at the Attawapiskatambulance base, which isserviced by the James Bayambulance. Work was underwayto relocate the health and ERservices to the community’shealth care centre, which is notconnected to the hospital.

The Attawapiskat hospital isnot closed, with operationalsupport staff and security staff

Hospital evacuates patients because of oil leakstill on site to assist thecontractor in assessing thedamage.

“We’re obviously notaccepting any more patientsright now,” said Adolph.

Patients requiring in-hospitalcare will continue to be air-transported to other WHAfacilities, he says.

Adolph lauds the efficientwork undertaken by staff atAttawapiskat hospital and theambulance crew and the supportthat has been received from thecommunity.

“They made a really specialeffort in this unusualcircumstance,” he said. Adoph

notes the situation has beendiscussed with Attawapiskat FirstNation.

Health Canada has beennotified of the situation, saysAdolph.

In spring 2013, Attawapiskathospital, along with houses inthe community, suffered sewerbackup and flooding. At thattime, 10 patients had to beairlifted to outside facilities.

Attawapiskat hospital is servedby rotating physician visits. Itprovides basic surgical andpediatric care along with offeringprenatal and obstetric care andassistance for rehabilitationpatients.


BMO Financial Group hasdonated $20,000 to TseshahtFirst Nation,which was severely affected bythe flooding along the SomassRiver in December. A chequepresentation took place Dec.12 at BMO’s branch atTseshaht with branch managerDenise Martineau and ChiefCouncillor Hugh Braker. “Wewant to support Tseshahtresidents who are affected bythis flooding,” said D.K.Bourque, director of AboriginalBanking, B.C and Yukon, BMOBank of Montreal. “As Tseshahtis our home, too, we want toassist those facing hardship.We’re here to help.” BMO has13 branches in Aboriginalcommunities across Canada,including one on Tseshaht FirstNation.

The Northern ShuswapTribal Council has developeda 54-page documentoutlining mining policy within itsterritory, including the areadamaged by the Mount Polleytailing ponds breach. Thepolicy will apply to existing,proposed and future projects inits territory. Jacinda Mack is themining coordinator for the tribal

PHOTO: COURTESY OF HA-SHILTH-SA


council, and she said the policyis to ensure the industry in theterritory is sustainable andenvironmentally safe, and thatit has First Nations’ support.“This policy isn’t about shuttingdown mining,” said Mack. “It’sbasically saying we have fouroperational mines in ourterritory, and how are we goingto deal with them in a way thatmakes them safer, moreaccountable and moreengaged with us.”

Elected and hereditary chiefsfrom Wet’ suwet’en, Carrier,Gitxsan, Sekani and

Tsimshian signed amemorandum ofunderstandingagreeing to explore an equityownership stake in naturalresource projects such asliquid natural gas (LNG). Thesignatory First Nations haveagreed to a framework whichestablishes a steeringcommittee comprised of chiefswith the mandate to exploreownership in natural resourceprojects. Within the framework,First Nations will considerasking Canada to provide aloan guarantee to facilitate

access to the required capital.“First Nations that have

signed this documentrecognize that we mustbecome owners of projects ifwe are to successfully securethe future for our children byaffirming our traditionalstandards on environmentalprotection,” said Chief MartinLouie of Nadleh Whut’en FirstNation.

“We also recognize thatour First Nations rights and titleto land must be respected, butat the end of the day, what weare after is a business deal so

that our communities canbenefit from being owners ofresource projects.”

Chief Theresa Tait Day(traditional name Wihaliyte,meaning Far seer of theWetsuwet’en Nation) stated:“These are historic times forFirst Nations in the Province ofBC as chiefs come together inresource development.Elected chiefs and hereditarychiefs support the vision ofChief Martin Louie to form analliance between nations. Ourtime is here to take our rightfulplace in resource development

in BC. First Nations, for the firsttime, will be in the driver’s seatto take control of our ownfuture, end hand-outs andmanage our own resourcesthrough our alliance.”The vhiefs will meet again inmid-January to establish theterms of reference for asteering committee that willexplore equity ownershipoptions in natural resourceprojects. The committee willcommunicate their interest tocommence meetings withgovernments and industry inthe near future.


Recycling program trains,employs community members

Community members fromBlack Lake Denesuline FirstNation have been trained andemployed to safely removerefrigerators, freezers and othersolid white metal appliancesfrom the local landfill to beshipped to Regina for fullrecycling. The first-of-its-kindhazardous waste removalproject has received financialsupport from Aboriginal Affairsand Northern DevelopmentCanada. As well as removingappliances from the local landfillsite, which serves both BlackLake Denesuline First Nationand Stony Rapids, the projectalso aims to collect unwantedappliances from the communityat-large, including yards,basements and roadsideditches. Along with theenvironmental advantages tothe program, is the economicbenefit of training and outfitting10 community members andemploying seven.

MP’s allegations raise ire ofFirst Nations organizations

Allegations by ConservativeMP Rob Clarke that theAssembly of First Nations, theFederation of SaskatchewanIndian Nations and tribalcouncils all skim seven to 10 percent off of funding that isdestined for child welfareservices has raised calls forimmediate retraction andapology. Clarke made thecomments during a televisioninterview with APTN Nov. 20. Ina strongly worded statement,FSIN First Vice Chief KimberlyJonathan denied theallegations, stating,†“The onlyentity we are aware of that thefederal government identifiesthat takes money off the top ofthe so-called†“pie is the federalgovernment themselves.” In astatement in which the AFNdenied Clarke’s charges, theAFN also said it was reviewingthe DesnethÈ—Missinippi—Churchill River MP’s statementsto see if legal action waswarranted. Clarke is a memberof the Muskeg Lake Cree

Nation.

FNPA unveils solar project inSwift Current

The First Nations PowerAuthority unveiled its newtechnology Dec. 1, a prototypedesign of a solar photovoltaicpower generator, which willoffset power consumption at theHome Inn and Suites in SwiftCurrent. This Strategic Off-Gridand Renewables demonstrationproject is another step in betterunderstanding of how solarenergy can best be used inSaskatchewan. “This is the veryfirst step for us. This project is agood example of crawl, learn towalk, then learn to run,” saidFNPA CEO Leah Nelson Guay.The solar project, she said,shows that systems can be usedand operated successfully inSaskatchewan and offers theopportunity to track the powerusage through a live webcamfeed in the front lobby. The solarunit is expected to produce alittle over 26,000 kilowatt hoursper year of renewable energyand will result in a reduction ofabout 21 metric tonnes ofcarbon dioxide. FNPA isproceeding with two otherprojects to offset power use atelementary schools on the Fonddu Lac Denesuline First Nationand the Hatchet LakeDenesuline First Nation. Newfunding, at $150,000, for theseprojects, has been acquiredfrom Aboriginal Affairs andNorthern DevelopmentCanada’s ecoENERGY forAboriginal and NorthernCommunities Program.

Expansion begins on Gold EagleCasino

In response to patronfeedback, the SaskatchewanIndian Gaming Authority isexpanding the Gold EagleCasino this winter by adding5,000 square feet to theiralready 34,033-square footentertainment facility. Thebuilding and roof completiondates have been set early in2015. The objective of theproject is to create a segregatedsmoking room. SIGA’s goal for

PHOTO: BLACK LAKE DENESULINE FIRST NATION

Black Lake Denesuline First Nation workers remove the whiteappliances from the local landfill site to be transported to Reginafor recycling.

completion is the end of June.The project will create anavenue for sustained growth inthe business for the next 10years. “With constructionalready underway GEC isfocused on no interruptions inservice for their patrons. Boththe Kihiw Restaurant and theGEC Casino are open forbusiness,” said Zane Hansen,president and CEO of SIGA.

School curriculum projectwins excellence in Aboriginalcategory

“We Are All Treaty People,”the Office of the TreatyCommissioner ’s Treatycurriculum renewal project, isthe Canadian Race Relationsrecipient of the Award ofExcellence in the Aboriginal

category. The award recognizesthe role the curriculum hasplayed in building positive racerelations and buildingawareness and understandingof Canadian values and identitythat are reflective of Canadiandiversity. In 2008,Saskatchewan Premier BradWall announced that teachingtreaties in the classroom wouldbe mandatory, a first for any


Manitoba Pipestone: Special Section providing news from Manitoba

Assault on girl renews callsfor public inquiry

Rinelle Harper, surroundedby her family, was honoured ina drumming ceremony on theopening day of the SpecialChiefs Assembly in Winnipeg onDec. 9. Harper, 16, from GardenHill First Nation, was assaultedand left unconscious near theAssiniboine River in Winnipegon Nov. 8. Justin JamesHudson, 20, and a second male,17, are charged with attemptedmurder, aggravated sexualassault and sexual assault witha weapon. Harper called for anend to violence and spoke outin support of the need for anational inquiry on missing andmurdered Aboriginal womenand girls. She said, “I ask thateveryone here remember a fewsimple words: love, kindness,respect and forgiveness.”Earlier, Assembly of FirstNations Alberta Regional ChiefCameron Alexis commended

the Winnipeg police for theirefforts. Said Alexis, “We must allstand together to condemnthese senseless acts ofviolence, particularly by our ownpeople. We must stop hurtingone another, we must end thepattern.”

WAG highlights Inuit carvingsThe Winnipeg Art Gallery is

presenting Baker Lake Carvingsuntil March 8, 2015. This is acollection of Inuit works in stone.“The works in this exhibitioncome from the WAG’s premiercollection of contemporary Inuitart, the largest of its kind in theworld with over 13,000 pieces,”said Dr. Stephen Borys, WAGdirector and CEO and theexhibition curator. “Popular withadults and school groups of allages, showcasing the WAG’sInuit art collection is paramountas we develop our new Inuit ArtCentre.” Baker Lake Carvingsfeatures the work of 12 Baker

Lake artists, whose careersspan the last five decades, theearliest piece from 1960 and themost recent from 2002. Solitaryfigures and family groups alongwith hunting and domesticactivities dominate the themes.The carvings are bold in theirsculptural gestures, minimal inform, compact, unpolished, andfilled with the images and stories

of the people and the land.

Province, MMF starthomebuilding partnership

The Government ofManitoba and the ManitobaMétis Federation are partneringfor the first time to buildaffordable homes for Métisfamilies across the province. Agroundbreaking ceremony washeld Nov. 12 at 132 Hallet St. tomark the beginning ofconstruction of three newhomes under the partnership.The partnership is madepossible by a five-year, $5.5-million commitment from theprovincial government to assistin the new construction of high-quality, affordable housing forMétis families. ManitobaHousing has approved up to$710,000 for the development ofthe three new homes at 132Hallet St. Families will be ableto move in when construction iscompleted in the spring of 2015.The three homes, eachapproximately 1,000 square feetwith three bedrooms, will be builtwhere only one house stoodbefore.

Housing challenges for thosemoving to Winnipeg

A new report by theCanadian Centre for Policy

Alternatives says racism playsa role in preventing Aboriginalpeople from finding housing inWinnipeg. The report, releasedmid-December, says Aboriginalsare among the most likely toexperience homelessness orlive in expensive, overcrowdedor poor-quality housing in thecity. “The shortfall of housingand poor housing conditionsforce many Aboriginal people tochoose between bad housing intheir home communities andinsecure and unaffordablehousing in cities like Winnipeg,”writes Josh Brandon, a housingresearcher with the CCPA inManitoba, in a document relatedto the report. The report alsonotes that the high costs ofhousing are not offset by theavailability of subsidizedhousing. The report, entitledMoving to the City: Housing andAboriginal Migration toWinnipeg, makes 16recommendations in boostingaccess to social housing,making more support availableto people moving to the city, andincreasing financial resources.The Eagle Urban TransitionCentre, which helps people findhousing, employment andservices in the city, collaboratedon the report.

Compiled by Shari Narine

Assembly of First Nations Manitoba Regional Chief Bill Traverse presents Rinelle Harper with anEagle feather for “continued strength and courage” following her brutal attack.

PHOTO: SHARI NARINE



Métis veteran honoured forcontributions

Métis Veteran JosephPaquette (right) received theCommendation from Minister ofVeterans Affairs Julian Fantino.The commendation is awardedannually to individuals who havecontributed in an exemplarymanner to the care and well-being of veterans or to theremembrance of thecontributions, sacrifices andachievements of veterans.Paquette served with the Lincolnand Welland Regiment and theQueen’s Own Rifles of Canada.He received the LieutenantGovernor’s Ontario HeritageAward for Lifetime Achievementin 2014 and was awarded theQueens Diamond Jubilee Medalin 2012. Paquette has beenactive in Métis veteran affairs,having served as secretary of

the Métis Nation of OntarioVeterans Council in 2009 andbeing instrumental inmaintaining and updating theVeterans’ registry, the MétisVeterans’ Wreath and theVeterans’ Community Charter.In 2011, he created theMNOVC’s website and currentlyserves as president.

Four First Nations signagreement with PorcupineGold Mines

Mattagami, Wahgoshig,Matachewan and Flying PostFirst Nations have signed aresource developmentagreement with Porcupine GoldMines. Under the agreement,Goldcorp recognizes andrespects Aboriginal rights andinterests in the area of thePorcupine Gold Mines operationand the four First Nations

recognize and supportGoldcorp’s rights and interestsin the operation and futuredevelopment of the mine. Theagreement includes provisionsfor training, employment,business and contractingopportunities along with aconsultation framework forregulatory permitting.Scholarship and bursaryopportunities will also beprovided for the youth ofMattagami, Wahgoshig,Matachewan and Flying PostFirst Nations. Chief Murray Rayof Flying Post First Nation saidthe signing is “an importantmilestone for our First Nation asit validates what our ancestorssaid in the treaty signing. Ourconnection to the land is beingrecognized. This signing alsogives our people hope for thefuture, as this partnership gives

us an opportunity to becomemore self-sufficient so that ourfamilies and children can havea better future. This was whatour grandfathers and ancestorswanted when they agreed to thetreaty.” Negotiations leading tothis agreement were eight yearsin the making.

Carleton to launch two newgraduate programs inIndigenous Policy andAdministration

Carleton University’s Schoolof Public Policy andAdministration has developedtwo innovative graduateprograms in Indigenous Policyand Administration that reflectthe importance of sharingAboriginal and non-Aboriginalworld views. They providestudents with the tools,knowledge and capacity tobridge multiple world views andto enable managers andadministrators who work in orwith First Nations, MÈtis andInuit governance andadministration to strengthentheir organizations andincorporate community-basedIndigenous knowledge. Startingin summer 2015, students cancomplete one of the followingtwo programs: a concentrationin Indigenous Policy andAdministration as part of theexisting Master of Arts in PublicAdministration or a graduatediploma in Indigenous Policyand Administration. “The IPAprograms have the potential toeducate a new generation ofpolicy-makers andadministrators who can serve asbridges to create fundamentalchange for FNMI communities,both urban and remote,” saidTracy Coates, a lawyer byprofession, who specializes incross-cultural strategies.Coates, who is Mohawk, was

hired by Carleton to meet withcommunities and stakeholdersto discuss program design andcurriculum. Her work followedup on two engagementprocesses undertaken by theOntario Ministry of Training,Colleges and Universities withrespect to Aboriginal post-secondary programs.

Indigenous social networklaunched

Okwaho Communicationshas launched the OkwahoNetwork, which is NorthAmerica’s first social network forIndigenous business andeconomic development. TheOkwaho Network is an onlineIndigenous business communitythat reflects a diverse mix ofIndigenous communities,businesses and peoples. Thesocial network provides anonline platform for members toconnect, engage andcollaborate on business andeconomic developmentopportunities. Research inIndigenous economicdevelopment indicates animmediate need for a dedicatedintegrated network whereeconomic developmentprofessionals, business andcommunity leaders alike canconnect, collaborate andtogether drive change on aregional, national andinternational scale. “TheOkwaho Network offers a greatopportunity to promote acompany’s commitment toprogressive Indigenousbusiness relations and givescompanies an interactivecommunications platform toengage with Indigenouscommunities and businessprofessionals,” said co-founderand assistant director RyeBarberstock.


PHOTO: VETERAN AFFAIRS CANADA


[ health ]Diabetes program to sunsetafter 15 years

Health WatchBy Shari Narine

Study shows number of incarcerated Aboriginal women growingA newly released study by the federal Justice Department says

the number of Aboriginal women locked in federal institutions grew97 per cent between 2002 and 2012. The number of Aboriginalmen in that same time period increased by 34 per cent. “Aboriginalwomen are particularly overrepresented as offenders in femaleinstitutions and correctional services,” said the 2013 report, obtainedby The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act. Thereport noted that Aboriginal women in the criminal justice systemtended to be slightly younger than non-Aboriginal women, had lesseducation, struggled to find work, and suffered from substanceabuse. Two out of every three Aboriginal women were incarceratedfor violent crimes, such as assault, uttering threats, robbery, sexualassault, criminal harassment, forcible confinement and murder. Thestudy found Aboriginals represent 34 per cent of all female and 22per cent of all male prisoners in federal institutions. The numberswere slightly higher for both Aboriginal men and women in provincialand territorial facilities.

Steering committee claims rift with CIHRThe Aboriginal Health Community Steering Committee has been

formed in response to what some view as the Canadian Institutesof Health Research’s actions to pull back support in the Aboriginalhealth community. Rod McCormick and Fred Wien, co-chairs of theAHCSC, say there is a “serious rift” between the CIHR and theAboriginal health community. In a 52-page report to the Aboriginalhealth community and supporters, McCormick and Wien say CIHRhas “ended its earlier strong commitment to build capacity inAboriginal health research; it is eliminating the mechanisms thathave previously provided a strong voice for Aboriginal health prioritiesand perspectives; and it is putting in place new systemic barrierswhich have the effect of discouraging proposals from the Aboriginalhealth community in the first instance and subsequentlydisadvantaging those who have the courage to proceed.” They sayconcerns raised with the CIHR president and its governing councilhave gone unanswered. However, the report falls short of sayingCIHR is targeting Aboriginal programs. “We are not claiming thatthe Aboriginal health research field is deliberately being targeted Öat least as far as we know. For the most part, the senior CIHRleadership is making decisions with system-wide application Ö(which) has quite unequal impacts especially when it comes to theAboriginal health community.” The AHCSC is asking for support toensure that the CIHR continues to engage the Aboriginal healthcommunity in the research process.

Indigenous HIV strategy launched for SaskatchewanOn Dec. 1, World AIDS Day, a new Indigenous HIV and AIDS

Strategy was launched in Regina. The number of diagnosed casesamong the Aboriginal population in Saskatchewan is among thehighest in the world. The strategy is a four-year plan outlining theneed for agencies working with people living with the disease toaddress underlining social issues affecting Aboriginals. “We’relooking at the teachings of the medicine wheel and looking ataddressing HIV through a medicine wheel teaching. Looking at thephysical, emotional, mental and spiritual and incorporating thoseways into what already exists in this province,” said Margaret Poitras,CEO of All Nations Hope Network. Although the rate of diagnosedcases remains high among Saskatchewan’s Aboriginal population,the overall number of new cases is on the decline, but not at thesame rate as the general population.

Adams named CMO for FNHADr. Evan Adams, a member of the Tla’amin First Nation, assumed

the position of Chief Medical Officer for the First Nations HealthAuthority of Canada on Dec. 1. “It has been a lifelong dream towork directly with First Nations and Aboriginal peoples on ourwellness and prosperity at this level. I’m grateful to the Office of theProvincial Health Officer for the past seven and a half years. I feellike I’m coming home,” said Adams. Other changes in FNHA includeRichard Jock, who was moved from VP of Policy, Planning andStrategic Services to Chief Operating Officer. Jock is a member ofthe Mohawks of Akwesasne.

OFIFC launches public awareness campaign to end violenceagainst women

The Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres haslaunched a public awareness campaign as part of a provincialstrategic plan to end violence against Aboriginal women and girls inOntario. Kanawayhitowin - Honour Life, End Violence is a programdeveloped as a result of the strategic plan that has been in placesince 2007, which continually serves as a framework for action.Kanawayhitowin is a Cree word which means ‘taking care of eachother’s spirit.’ Funding from the former Ontario Women’s Directorateof the Ministry of Children and Youth has provided necessarysupports for the OFIFC to work with Aboriginal communities todevelop effective campaigns mandated to focus on the issues ofviolence against women, violence witnessed by Aboriginal children,and talking to Aboriginal men about how violence can end. Althoughthe OFIFC is primarily an urban Aboriginal service provider, thisprogram has engaged rural Aboriginal and First Nationscommunities.

By Jackie MuiseWindspeaker Contributor

According to the CanadianDiabetes Association, Type 2Diabetes, the kind that usuallydevelops during adulthood, isreaching epidemic proportions inthis country. The latest statisticsputs the number of people livingwith the disease at more thannine million, one in every fourCanadians. By the year 2020,says the CDA, that number isexpected to increase to one inevery three people.

But, for Aboriginal people, thepercentage is actually three to fivetimes worse, rising to between 17and 20 per cent nationally,compared to just five per cent ofthe non-Aboriginal population.

That staggering statistic wasthe reason behind thedevelopment 15 years ago of afederal health-care programknown as the AboriginalDiabetes Initiative (ADI). Thestart of 2015 marks the end ofthe ADI’s 15-year commitmentin which the First Nation andInuit Health Branch of Canadapledged a total of $523 millionto “help reduce the prevalenceand incidence of diabetes and itsrisk factors” for First Nations,Inuit and Metis individuals,families and communities acrossthe country.

The ADI has been operatingthrough eight regional offices, inthree five-year phases, eachdesigned to accomplish a specificgoal. The main objectivesincluded community-basedhealth promotion, awareness andprimary preventions; screeningand management; enhancedcommunity health-care trainingand finally, improvements inknowledge sharing on whatactually is working best for“promotion of health, andprevention of diabetes andassociated risk factors.”

Health Canada reports a widerange of “innovative” deliverysystems, tailored toaccommodate different regionsand communities, all aimed atimproving the overall numberand management level ofdiabetes. Exactly how successfulthe program has been, however,in terms of actual percentages orbest practice methods, were notreadily available, neither

regionally or nationally, at thetime of publication, according toan ADI spokesperson.

The CDA estimates thatdiabetes shortens the averageperson’s life span by up to 15years and causes 30 per cent ofall strokes; 40 per cent of heartattacks; 50 per cent of kidneyfailure; 70 per cent of “non-traumatic” limb amputations, aswell as substantial numbers ofvision loss and blindness.

While there are nocomparative statistics forAboriginal populations perprovince specifically, StatisticsCanada’s general populationfigures, from 2009, showsNewfoundland leading thecountry for the highest rate ofdiabetes, followed by NovaScotia, Ontario and parts ofAlberta.

Current public health-caredollars for treatment of diabetes,and its resulting long-termcomplications, is around $13.5billion annually with a projectionof $17 billion by 2024.

However, the CDA reportsthat national and provincialhealth-care programs are notalone in the struggle to coverspiraling diabetes costs. Morethan half of individuals livingwith diabetes cannot afford tomanage their disease properly,including being able to pay forinsulin, medical supplies andhealthy foods on a regular basis.

Registered Nurse, ShelleyFrancis, an ADI DiabetesCommunity Consultant,working for the Union of NewBrunswick Indians andresponsible for no less than 12First Nation communities in theprovince, has been on thefrontlines of the battle since theADI program started a decadeand a half ago.

Francis agrees with the overallCDA assessment that one of thebiggest barriers towards evenminimal diabetes management ispoverty, but for Aboriginalpeople, she says, the probleminvolves more than just a lack ofmoney.

“I also think there is aconnection between long-termstress and diabetes,” said Francis.“Any person living withprolonged stress and even PTSD,like many of the victims of(Indian Residential Schools) has

physiological changes thatpredispose them to diabetes. Themental illnesses that haveresulted from years of destructionof our culture has led to alcoholand drug addictions, leaving littleroom for self-actualization andself-care,” she said.

Francis is very hopeful that theADI program will be renewed in2015 and cites the importance ofthe next generation as the majorreason to continue the effort.

“Childhood obesity, unlessaddressed immediately, usuallyleads to adult obesity andultimately diabetes and otherdevastating chronic illnesses,”said Francis. “In addition,despite getting the message outthere about the seriousness ofdiabetes, we are still seeing manypeople living in denial [which is]leading our people down aterrible path of self-destructionand severe loss of quality of life.”

Francis is urging the public andprofessionals to “lobby all levelsof government to get a handle ondiabetes before the nextgeneration becomes moreaffected.”

The ADI says application forrenewal of the program has beenmade but “as of this point intime” there has been no word oran expected date as to when adecision, one way or the other,will be announced.

Shelley Francis, RN

Do you have a rant or a rave?Criticism or praise?

E-mail us at: [email protected]: @windspeakernewsfacebook: /windspeakernews


[ sports ]

By Sam LaskarisWindspeaker Contributor

VICTORIA

Though he is closing in on theBig 5-0, Steve Sxwithul’txw hastaken participatory sportsjournalism to a new level.

And even though he incurredsome injuries along the way, the49-year-old Victoria resident,who is a member of Penelakuttribe of the Coast Salish Nation,would be willing to continuebroadcasting his sportingventures.

Sxwithul’txw is the host andproducer of Warrior Games, a 13-episode series created for theAboriginal People’s TelevisionNetwork (APTN).

The 30-minute episodes followSxwithul’txw to variouscommunities in Canada and theUnited States. For each episodehe explores how Aboriginal youthembrace either a traditional ormodern sport. He also trains withlocal athletes and plays the sportwith them.

Warrior Games began airing onAPTN this past September.Episodes started beingrebroadcast in early December.All episodes can also be seen onthe APTN website.

Sxwithul’txw said discussionshave not been held on whetherto have a second season of theseries. But it is something that hewould definitely consider.

“There’s definitely enough(activities) out there to haveanother season,” he said.

Plus, the series was wellreceived.

“It’s an educational show,” hesaid. “It had a lot of support fromacross the country.”

Besides having Sxwithul’txwpartake in various sports, viewersare also introduced to Aboriginalathletes that are training for localand international competitions.

Sxwithul’txw founded his owncompany, Kwassen Productions,in 2009 after having worked as areporter and producer for varioustelevision networks.

Having previously worked as atribal police officer and liquorinspector, Sxwithul’txw decidedto take his life in a new direction.He went back to school andobtained a diploma in BroadcastJournalism.

He currently also works as anAboriginal employment co-ordinator for the VancouverIsland Health Authority.

The Warrior Games idea washatched three years ago.

“The concept ironically cameabout as I was working as asecond cameraman on anothershow,” he said.

At the time he was filming ashow in Arizona for a series titledDown2Earth. That Indigenousenvironmental show also aired onAPTN.

Sxwithul’txw said that whilefilming that series another crewmember and himself were struckwith the idea of doing anIndigenous sports related series.

“That’s when the lightbulbwent on,” Sxwithul’txw said. “Wesaid we’ll talk about it more whenwe get home.”

APTN officials were not soldon the concept initially.

“When we first submitted it tothem it was rejected,”Sxwithul’txw said. “They wantedsomething more in depth, morefocus on what the show would beabout.”

That rejection, however, didnot dissuade Sxwithul’txw fromcontinuing his pursuit to bringthe series to fruition.

“We were able to fine-tune it,”he said.

The first episode of the seriessaw Sxwithul’txw travel toMississippi to learn about theancient sport of Stickball.

That would be Stickball, as inthe Native American version ofthe game, which some believeevolved into the sport of lacrosse.This type of Stickball is not to be

Sports BriefsBy Sam Laskaris

Horn-Miller Receives Pan Am Games PostA Mohawk woman will play a key role for the Canadian squad at

the 2015 Pan American Games.Waneek Horn-Miller was recently named as an assistant chef de

mission for the Canadian contingent that will compete at the Games,set for July 10 to July 26 in Toronto and surrounding communities.Horn-Miller, who is from Kahnawake, Que., is no stranger to the PanAm Games. The former Canadian national team water polo playerhelped her squad capture the gold medal at the 1999 Pan Am Gamesin Winnipeg. Horn-Miller went on to become a co-captain of theCanadian women’s squad that competed at the 2000 SummerOlympics in Sydney, Australia.

And a year after that she was a member of the Canadian entrythat brought home the bronze medal from the world water polochampionships.

Horn-Miller is currently living in Ottawa and working for ManitobahMukluks, a Winnipeg-based Aboriginal footwear company that alsohas an office in Gatineau, Que.

Horn-Miller was one of two assistant chef de mission chosen forthe Canadian squad. Josee Grand’Maitre was also selected as anassistant chef de mission. She’s a former national team racquetballplayer. Former Canadian cycling star Curt Harnett had previouslybeen named as the Canadian chef de mission.

He participated in four Olympics, three Commonwealth Gamesand a pair of Pan Am Games.

Former Pros Help Raise FundsThe Montreal Canadiens’ alumni squad will be playing a charity

game at the Mohawk community of Kahnawake, Que.The contest, scheduled for Feb. 6, will be staged at the Kahnawake

Sports Complex. The Kahnawake all-stars will provide the oppositionfor the match.

Proceeds from the event will go towards the construction of anew children’s park in the community.

It is estimated that it will cost between $30,000 to $40,000 tobuild the new park. John Chabot, who is Algonquin and played aportion of his pro career with the Canadiens, will suit up for theMontreal alumni squad.

Chabot appeared in a total of 541 NHL contests. He played 77matches with the Canadiens. Chabot also played for the PittsburghPenguins and Detroit Red Wings.

Team Appoints First Nations AdvisorTewanee Joseph has joined the Vancouver Stealth, one of the

Canadian entries in the National Lacrosse League (NLL). But theformer lacrosse star will not be suiting up for the NLL franchise.

Instead, Joseph has been appointed as the Stealth’s Senior FirstNations Development Advisor.

The Stealth, which plays its home contests in the Vancouversuburb of Langley, is gearing up for its second season in BritishColumbia. The franchise relocated to Canada from the state ofWashington in 2013. Since arriving north of the border, the Stealthbrass was keen to work with Aboriginal youth in the area. Josephsounds like an ideal candidate to lead this venture.

He’s a former Senior A and Senior B lacrosse star in Canada.And he was also a member of the Iroquois Nationals squad thatcompeted at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, B.C., wherelacrosse was a demonstration sport.

Joseph is now the CEO of Tewanee Consulting Group. Thiscompany, based in North Vancouver, works on a broad range ofprojects including First Nations federal legislation, land management,communications and governance.

Joseph will be responsible for implementing the Stealth’s FirstNations community outreach program. The NLL includes three otherCanadian clubs, Calgary Roughnecks, Edmonton Rush and TorontoRock.

The 2015 NLL campaign will also include the Buffalo Bandits,Colorado Mammoth, Minnesota Swarm, New England Black Wolvesand Rochester Knighthawks. The Stealth opens its season on Jan.3 in Calgary.

Demons Name Coaching StaffTwo coaches that won the 2013 Canadian Lacrosse League

championship have been reunited.Ron Henry has been named as the head coach of the Ohsweken

Demons while Roger Chrysler will serve as his assistant coach.Chrysler had also been a Demons’ assistant coach last year in theleague, which is more commonly known as CLax. Henry and Chryslerpreviously worked together two seasons ago helping the now defunctIroquois Ironmen capture the CLax crown.

When the league began in 2012 the Demons and Ironmen madea bit of history. They were the only two professional sports franchisesto feature all-Native rosters. The Demons won the inaugural CLaxchampionship in 2012.

The Ironmen folded after winning their league title the followingyear. As for this season, the five-squad CLax will also include thedefending league champion Niagara Lock Monsters, Barrie Blizzard,the Oshawa-based Durham Turfdogs and the SouthWest Cyclops,who will play their home contests in Paris, Ont.

The Demons kick off their schedule Jan. 18 on the road versusthe Lock Monsters.

confused with the sport that hasthe same name but is a baseball-related street game.

Sxwithul’txw incurred somebumps and bruises playingStickball.

“It’s a tough game to play,” hesaid. “And I’m 49 now. The bodycan only take so much.”

Sxwithul’txw suffered anothermishap in a later episode whenhe travelled to Whistler, B.C. totackle snowboarding. Members ofthe First Nations snowboard teamprovided some lessons for him.

Though he’s an experiencedskier, Sxwithul’txw had not beenon a snowboard before. And sureenough, one of his pre-showconcerns, falling and hurtinghimself, came true.

“I had this bad fall and crackedsome ribs,” he said.

A series highlight forSxwithul’txw was when hetravelled to Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.There he was able to witness andtake part in an annualcommunity event, the MetisVoyageur Games.

“I really liked the Metis games,”he said. “That was one of mypersonal favourites. It had avariety of games.”

Other episodes sawSxwithul’txw learn about warcanoe racing, lacrosse, hoopdancing and Arctic Games.

During the episodes of WarriorGames Sxwithul’txw also talkedto various Elders, who discussboth the cultural and historicalsignificances of the sport.

Though 13 half-hour episodeswere made for the season,Sxwithul’txw said it took aconsiderable amount of time tomake them all.

“Everything was done over aperiod of one-and-a-half years,”he said. “We started in 2012 andfinished up early this year.”

Journalist braves the bruises ofcompetition for Warrior Games

PHOTOS: SUPPLIEDHeather Kashman


[ careers & training ]

By Barb NahwegahbowWindspeaker Contributor

TORONTO

A $1.2 million project knownas the Aboriginal Pavilion willshowcase the best in Indigenousarts and culture during the July2015 Pan Am Games inToronto. The Pavilion willoccupy 1.2 acres at Toronto’sFort York.

Cynthia Lickers, executiveproducer of the Pavilion, reportsto a group known as theAboriginal Leadership Partners(ALP). Fourteen groupsincluding First Nations, politicalrepresentative organizations andToronto community agencieshave come together for the veryfirst time, she said. They areoperating independent of theToronto 2015 Pan Am Games,a decision taken by the ALP tobe in their best interest. Nofinancial support is beingprovided by the Games, saidLickers and one of herresponsibilities is to secure thefunding.

Included in the ALP is the hostFirst Nation for the TorontoGames, the Mississaugas of theNew Credit. Other partnersinclude the Native CanadianCentre of Toronto, Metis Nationof Ontario, Six Nations of theGrand River and Miziwe BiikEmployment and Training.

Rheanne Chartrand, artisticassociate for the Pavilion, saidthe intent of the project is toprovide a gathering place wherevisitors can gain a greaterawareness of Aboriginal people,

the diversity of nations andwithin that, the diversity ofindividuals. Evening concerts,theatre and dance performances,markets featuring arts, crafts andtraditional food, and cookingand crafts demonstrations arebeing planned. Chartrand said acentral feature is the CulturalVillage which will include up tosix homes around a commonfire. Included, among others, isa Metis Voyageur tent, aHaudenosaunee Longhouse andan Inuit home where visitors willlearn how different nations live,see a craft demonstration or eventake part in a craft class.

“We’re providing a gatheringplace to tell our story,” saidChartrand; “our story from our

perspective. We want visitors tofeel enriched by their experiencein the Pavilion. All of ouractivities are geared toward ageneral audience – families,children and adults. We wantthem to celebrate with us and tohave a good time while they’relearning.”

Lickers said they are alsohoping to ignite enough interestto have lacrosse included as a PanAm game in future. Currently,she said, there are only 10countries playing lacrosse and 14are needed to have it included inthe Games. Two lacrosse gamesare planned in the Pavilion area,Lickers said, and she hopes thesewill generate enough excitementto get at least four other countries

to take up lacrosse.Lickers and her staff of three

are crowded into two smalloffices on the third floor of theNative Canadian Centre ofToronto. “There are about eightof us working on this,” saidLickers, “with the design andmedia relations people andothers working from home.” It’sa small group to carry out whatRheanne Chartrand calls, “amonumental project. This hasnever been done in Torontobefore, not on this scale and it’simportant we get it right.”

Associate producer JasonJenkins is looking for between500 to 1,000 volunteers foreverything from setting up theCultural Village to working with

Elders and artists, and greetingand directing Pavilion visitors.Volunteers don’t have to beAboriginal, he said. Outreachactivities at various venues acrossthe city are planned.

Jenkins is also responsible forarts and food markets andrecently issued a call for vendors.“We want high-quality productsthat are representative,” he said.

A key partner, said Lickers, isPlanet IndigenUS, a global,multidisciplinary contemporaryarts and cultural festival. Thefestival is co-produced by theWoodland Cultural Centre inBrantford and Toronto’sHarbourfront Centre. PlanetIndigenUS is scheduled to takeplace during the Parapan AmGames in August 2015.

“There will be a lot ofcompetition for an audience witheverything else that will behappening in the city. Everyone’svying for the same audience,”said Lickers. The Pan Am Gamesis also planning programmingwith Aboriginal content, saidRheanne Chartrand. The team ishoping social media andnetworks of participating artistswill generate a high volume ofvisitors.

A press conference that tookplace on Nov. 18 (after deadline)launched the Pavilion initiative.An announcement of funding forthe Pavilion from the OntarioMinister of Tourism, Cultureand Sport, Michael Coteau wasexpected.

More than 7,000 athletes from41 countries are expected toparticipate at the Toronto PanAm Games.

Aboriginal pavilion will tell “our story” our way

Rheanne Chartrand, artistic associate, and associate producer Jason Jenkins will be looking forvolunteers for the Aboriginal pavilion held during the 2015 Pan Am Games.

PHOTO: BARB NAHWEGAHBOW

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OTTAWA

The auditor general’srecommendations on the federalgovernment’s Nutrition NorthProgram are welcomed byNational Inuit Leader TerryAudla, but the president of InuitTapiriit Kanatami is quick topoint out that the reportencompasses only one aspect ofliving in Canada’s north.

“You need to look at not onlythe subsidy programs, (but)income disparity, incomedistribution, transference ofknowledge when it comes … tobeing able to live off the land,and there’s an education aspectas well,” said Audla.

The auditor general’s reportfollows on the heels of the ITKcomprehensive report on theSocial Determinants of InuitHealth.

Looking at food security, theITK report presented grimnumbers for Nunavut: 70 percent of Inuit preschoolers residedin food insecure homes; the rateof household food insecurity issix times compared to theCanadian national average;Nunavut food insecurity is thehighest for an Aboriginalpopulation residing in adeveloped country; and it costsbetween $395-$460 to feed afamily of four in an isolated Inuitcommunity compared to $226for the same diet in a southerncity centre.

Other social determinantsexamined in the report includethe quality of early childhooddevelopment, culture andlanguage, livelihoods, incomedistribution, housing, personalsafety and security, education,availability of health services,mental wellness and theenvironment.

The report determines thateffective solutions to healthdisparities will involveaddressing these underlyingfactors and focusing on a holisticview of health.

Auditor General MichaelFerguson’s report focuses on foodsecurity. In the 28-page chapteron Nutrition North Canada,Ferguson notes that there is noindication that changes in theprogram have resulted in savingsbeing passed on to theconsumers.

Initially food costs werelowered through the Food MailProgram, which subsidizedshipping costs for nutritiousperishables and other items.Inuit saw direct savings, but thisapproach was not withoutdifficulties, said Audla, as orderscould only be placed throughcredit cards and many Inuit didnot have credit cards.

In 2012, Nutrition NorthCanada replaced that program.

Now, subsidies are provideddirectly to the retailer. And thatraises concerns for the auditorgeneral, who wrote in his report,“Overall, we found thatAboriginal Affairs and NorthernDevelopment Canada has notverified whether the northernretailers pass on the full subsidyto consumers. The departmenthas not required the informationit needs to verify this in thecontribution agreements it hassigned with northern retailers.”

Audla is not surprised by thisfinding, which was also noted asa yet unassessed concern in ITK’sSocial Determinants.

“In the initial revamping ofwhat was known before as theFood Mail program, we hadtried to reach out to participatein consultations and discussionsand we weren’t necessarilyincluded,” he said. “At the timewe felt that (the changes) were abit too centred on the retailers.”

Audla also says that as retailersare subsidized regardless, theyhave no incentive to ensure theirproduct is sold.

Another shortfall of theprogram highlighted by theauditor general was the lack ofclearly identified communitiesrequiring subsidies.

“Overall, we found thatalthough (AANDC) hasconsulted with Health Canadato base food eligibility … onnutritional value, (AANDC) hasnot identified eligiblecommunities on the basis ofneed. This finding is importantbecause it is essential thatsubsidized foods be healthy andthat communities in needbenefit from the subsidy,” saidthe report.

Audla says all 53 communitiesITK represents are beingsubsidized based on historicaluse, which is reliant on creditcard orders. However, that skewsnumbers as fly-in southernworkers have credit cards butmany of those who call the norththeir permanent home, do nothave credit cards.

AANDC has responded to thereport by listing actions alreadycompleted or underway,including striving for “greaterclarity” in funding agreementswith retailers that will take effectApril 1, 2015, and undertakingretailer compliance reviews in2014-2015.

For community eligibility,AANDC says it “has beenexamining this matter for thepast year, and is conducting adetailed review of therequirements for eligibility.”

While Inuit getting the fullsubsidies available to them infood costs is important, Audlasays more comprehensive actionis necessary.

“There needs to be aneducational aspect to it,preparing nutritional food…How do you build the southern

ITK looking for more from nutrition in the northgrown produce into a nutritionalmeal?” he said. “That’s oneaspect the auditor general didn’tnecessarily touch on.”

Too often unhealthy food ispurchased, says Audla, and withharvesting becoming anexpensive proposition and dying

tradition, health issues, such asdiabetes, are cropping up. Audlawould like to see localizedcommunity kitchens established,with retailers instructing Inuiton what food products are beingsubsidized, their nutritionalvalues, and preparing meals with

a budget in mind.“We want to try and take the

holistic approach,” said Audla.“Looking at all aspects of howone can, at the end of the day,put food on the table and ensurethat their family is fed and thatthe hungry are fed.”

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“The bar being raised toconsent not only involves thatsingle First Nation, but also theones that are directly adjacent.There may be overlap issues, andin this case, it sounds like thereare overlap issues.”

According to Steelhead CEONigel Kuzemko, the companymust now undertake acomprehensive feasibility study,from environmental assessmentsand consultations with FirstNations along the entire corridorto engineering details on theplant itself, right down toarchaeological studies on the

plant site.“Then we’ll sit down and talk

about it as partners, and ask, ‘Isit worth going to the next stage?’We’ll make that decision inabout 12 months.”

For Stella Peters andSayNoToLNG, the feasibilitystage may be the last chance toconvince Huu-ay-aht, and thegreater community, that theproject is not worth the sacrificeof the nation’s spiritualhomeland.

“Now I guess we’ve got to getready for Round 2,” she said.“For Steelhead, the real workbegins now, and we have to dosome work on our part.”

( Continued from page 10.)

Huu-ay-aht membersprepare for LNG fight

province in Canada. TheSaskatchewan Ministry ofEducation and the Office of theTreaty Commissioner teamedup for this project that suppliescurriculum and training forteachers. “We Are All TreatyPeople” incorporated theteaching of treaties into everygrade from K-12 in all provincialand First Nations schools inSaskatchewan.

Environmental scan ofAboriginal services inSaskatoon

An environmental scan ofSaskatoon’s Aboriginalcommunity has compiled morethan 1,000 programs andservices. The Kitaskinawproject, a partnership betweenthe City of Saskatoon,Saskatoon Tribal Council,United Way of Saskatoon and

Area, and the Gabriel DumontInstitute of Native Studies andApplied Research, includesfeedback from Saskatoon’sAboriginal community about thecomprehensive inventory ofprograms and servicescurrently accessed. “TheKitaskinaw project is animportant step in the delivery ofservices for citizens,” saidSaskatoon Tribal Chief FelixThomas. “This is especially truefor the First Nations populationand the need for the delivery ofeffective, meaningful servicesto individuals and families.” Thereport also highlights the needfor mainstream organizations tobe inclusive of Aboriginalpeople as employees withintheir organizations in order tobuild culturally-competentservice delivery.


( Continued from page 14.)

Sage Briefs


for creating childhood images

[ footprints ] Pablita VelardePioneering painter earned fame

Initially ostracized by theleaders of her Santa Clara Puebloin New Mexico for pursuing afull-time career as a painter,Pablita Velarde ignored criticismand went on to exhibit her workthroughout the United States andEurope.

In the 1940s, when womenwere expected to be potters,selling their work at local tradingposts, art fairs and roadsidestands, Velarde disregardedcustom to become a leadingprofessional American Indianartist, capturing everyday andceremonial life from herchildhood.

“My grandmother was bornabsolutely dirt poor and shesurvived the school of hardknocks,” said granddaughterMargarete Bagshaw, a successfulpainter and Santa Fe galleryowner herself. “She and her sisterswere left without a mother. Herfather sent her off to missionschool when she was only aboutthree years old.”

Credited for painting Pueblolife from a woman’s point of view,one of her most famous paintingsis a cutaway view of a two-storyPueblo home in the early 1900s,showing women inside busy withdaily activities like cutting drymeat and grinding corn.

Her chosen subject was of littleconcern to other Pueblo artistsand non-Indian observers at thetime, but she persevered as adefiantly independent voice forher gender and won more artawards than any other painter,male or female.

“What I want her to be knownfor is being a master of Pueblohistory and recording that historythrough the world,” said Bagshaw,quoted at the time of Velarde’sdeath in 2006 in The NewMexican newspaper.

“She was very proud of the factthat she looked at herself as a plainlittle ordinary Indian woman whoaccomplished a whole lot,”explained Bagshaw, whoestablished the Pablita VelardeMuseum of Indian Women in theArts in Santa Fe to honour hergrandmother. The museumfeatures the art of women able totrace Native ancestry within threegenerations.

By Dianne Meili

Pablita Velarde

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Velarde drew from motifsfound on petroglyphs, pottery,and ancient Pueblo murals toenlarge the scope of her subjectmatter. She experimented withperspective, color, levels of realismand abstraction to express herunique interpretations of Pueblolife.

Born in 1918 at Santa ClaraPueblo, Velarde was named TseTsan, Golden Dawn, by hergrandmother. Her father sent herto Saint Catherine’s IndianBoarding School in Santa Feshortly after her mother died andthere she was given the namePablita.

Velarde transferred to the SantaFe Indian School in the eighthgrade and began easel painting at14, becoming one of the firstfemale students in teacherDorothy Dunn’s paintingprogram, known as “The Studio.”She was also mentored by anolder student, Tonita Pena, thesole Pueblo woman easel painterof her generation, whom Velardemet when they both paintedmurals at the school as part of afederal art project.

It was after being hired by theWorks Progress Administration,created to provide jobs to theunemployed during thedepression, that Velarde gainednotice. Tasked with creatingpaintings and murals at BandelierNational Monument, shecontinued to paint detailedimages of her people in everydayand ceremonial poses, making aname for herself for works thathad artistic and historical value.

Her work at Bandelier wasrestored as part of themonument’s 90th anniversarycelebration in 2006, and severalof her murals can be seen at theIndian Pueblo Cultural Centre inAlbuquerque, where Velarde livedfor nearly 50 years.

Velarde revealed in a 2005Albuquerque Journal interviewthat her early life on the SantaClara Pueblo was withoutconveniences like electricity,running water, and gas. But therewas plenty to look at.

“Every time my dad wouldholler at me to go to the well andget a bucket of water, I’d walk asslow as I could. I’d come back

with half a bucket. I’d stare at thehorses in barns, at cows, at sheep,at people walking by.

“There was always somethingup there. I’d look at the trees andthe rocks and the animals in myhead. There’d be somethinggrowing in my head, a picture.”

After gaining recognition atBandelier, Velarde painted as ahobby after she married and hadchildren. One of her daughters,Helen Hardin, was included inthe 1970s modernist wave ofartists who wrenched NativeAmerican art into a contemporaryrealm. Her star was rising fastuntil breast cancer ended her lifein 1984.

Between 1939 and 1945,

Velarde produced more than 84paintings in casein on Masonite,matte board and glass. By the1950s she was paintingprofessionally and began winningregional and national awardswhile earning internationalrecognition.

A corner of the Pablita VelardeMuseum of Indian Women in theArts is reserved for its namesake,set up as a re-creation of Velarde’sart studio. It includes a metateand mano (stone mortar andpestle) where she ground mineraland rock elements into powdersfor making earth-coloured paint.

“The museum is small andhumble now, like mygrandmother was,” said Bagshaw.

In time, she hopes to see itexpand to feature painters,potters, sculptors, weavers,jewellers, dancers, musicians,film-makers, poets and writers.

An education outreachprogram will bring school-agechildren into the museum tolearn about the contributionsNative American women artistshave made throughout history,while planned initiatives willassist emerging artists to taketheir art to a higher level.

“My grandmother startedsomething from being born intonothing,” concludes Bagshaw,satisfied her grandmother’sground-breaking legacy willendure.

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