windspeaker october 2015 final

P a g e [ 1 ]October 2015

Subscription rate: $65.00+GST

Volu

me

33

N

o.

7 •

Oct

ober

2

01

5pl

us G

ST /

HST

whe

re a

pplic

able

Win

dspe

aker

• E

stab

lishe

d 19

83

ISSN

083

4 -

177X

• P

ublic

atio

ns M

ail R

eg.

No.

400

6375

5

A

bori

gina

l Mul

ti-M

edia

Soc

iety

(A

MM

SA)

w

ww

.am

msa

.com

$5

.00

Man engulfedin flames as bands

celebrate lands dealPage 8

Who is She? campaignabout

mobilizing people0

Provinces needto step up onchild welfare

Page 7

Photo

: C

olin G

raf

Inform. Impact. Inspire. Independent. Indigenous.

Day of celebration turnedto scene of confrontationMembers of the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point in Ontario takepart in a community walk along four kms of highway to celebratethe band’s ratification of an agreement 73 years in the making.

More photos and stories on pages 8 & 9.

Day of celebration turnedto scene of confrontationMembers of the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point in Ontario takepart in a community walk along four kms of highway to celebratethe band’s ratification of an agreement 73 years in the making.

More photos and stories on pages 8 & 9.

AlbertaAlbertaAlbertaAlbertaAlbertaSweetgrass

Sweetgrass

Sweetgrass

Sweetgrass

Sweetgrassnow a part of

now a part of

now a part of

now a part of

now a part ofWindspeaker!

Windspeaker!

Windspeaker!

Windspeaker!

Windspeaker!Pages 16-19!

Pages 16-19!

Pages 16-19!

Pages 16-19!

Pages 16-19!

October 2015P a g e [ 2 ]

Check out our currentonline career listings...

• Family Preservation Worker• Director, Special Projects

• Concrete Pourer• Community Youth Worker

• Senior Underwriter• Mechanic

• Drywall Installer• Labourer

• Long Haul Trucker•Cooks

• In-Home Caregiver• Project Coordinator

www.ammsa.com

Subscribe toWindspeaker today!

1-800-661-5469Email:

[email protected]


ADVERTISINGThe advertising deadline for the

November 2015 issue ofWindspeaker is November 12, 2015.

Call toll free at: 1-800-661-5469for more information.

We acknowledge the financial support of theGovernment of Canada through the Canada Periodical

Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Departments

FeaturesHealth issues cause another delay for decisionfrom tribunal 6

Eleven months after closing arguments weredelivered in a case that has the potential tochange the way child services are funded onreserve, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunalhas yet to rule.

[ contents ]

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

AMMSA's other publications include:

Alberta Sweetgrass — The Aboriginal Newspaper of Alberta

Saskatchewan Sage — The Aboriginal Newspaper of Saskatchewan

Business Quarterly — Canada's Aboriginal Business Magazine

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

In an era when few Aboriginal books were writtenby First Nations, Métis or Inuit authors, publishersalmost rejected Basil Johnston’s first manuscripts.Editors who read the Anishinaabe author andscholar’s early writings agreed his work wasauthentic, but feared it had no potential market.

[ rants and raves ] 5

[ windspeaker briefs ] 9

[ provincial news ] 14 - 21

[ alberta sweetgrass ] 16 - 19

[ health ] 22

[ sports ] 23

[ education ] 24 & 25

[ footprints ] Basil Johnston 26

PublisherBert Crowfoot

Editorial 1-780-455-2700

E-mail: [email protected]

Contributing News EditorDebora Steel

Staff WritersDianne Meili

ProductionJudy Anonson

Advertising Sales 1-800-661-5469

E-mail: [email protected]

Director of MarketingPaul Macedo

National SalesShirley Olsen

AccountsCarol Russ • Tanis Jacob

CirculationTanis Jacob

AMMSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PresidentJennie Cardinal

Vice President Rose Marie Willier

TreasurerDr. Chester Cunningham

DirectorsLeon Shandruk

Noel McNaughton

Monthly Circulation: 20,000Windspeaker 1-year subscription: $55.00+GST

Published since 1983, Windspeaker ispolitically and financially independent.

COPY RIGHTSAdvertisements designed, set and produced by

Windspeaker as well as pictures, news,cartoons, editorial content and other printedmaterial are the property of Windspeaker andmay not be used without the express written

permission of Windspeaker.Letters to the editor and all undeliverable

Canadian addressed copies can be sent to:

Windspeaker13245 - 146 Street NW,

Edmonton, Alberta T5L 4S8General Enquiries: [email protected]

Rants and Raves: [email protected]: @windspeakernews

Facebook: /windspeakernews

MEMBERSHIPSMagazines Canada

Alberta Magazine Publishers Association

8

11

Provinces need to step up on child welfare 7

The Assembly of First Nations and the CanadianCouncil of Child and Youth Advocates are urgingthe provinces to take action to improve childwelfare instead of waiting for the go-ahead fromthe federal government.

Man engulfed in flames as bands celebratelands deal 8

A day of celebration 73 years in the making forthe people of the Chippewas of Kettle and StonyPoint in Ontario turned into a scene ofconfrontation and suffering Sept. 20 at the gatesof the former army camp slated to be returned toAboriginal control by the federal government.

Who is She? campaign about mobilizing peoplefor inquiry into missing and murderedIndigenous women and girls 11

We will no longer wait for the federal governmentor a national organization to start an inquiry intomissing and murdered women (MMIW) and girls,said Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day at amedia conference in Toronto on Sept. 9.

26

Knee-jerk solutions will hurt the children 12

Children and youth running away from Child andFamily Services facilities accounted for 82.6 per centof the missing persons files the Winnipeg Police dealtwith from April to June.


If you would just go ahead and order a Windspeaker subscription then you could get Windspeakerdelivered right to your office or home.

For only $65.00 +gst you would not only help support independent Aboriginal communications,but also keep your letter carrier from being bored.

Subscribe to Windspeaker today! 1-800-661-5469 Email: [email protected]


[ rants and raves ]

What's plan B? Chatter

Buffy Sainte-Marie

The iconic Buffy Sainte-Marie, Academy Award winner,Golden Globe winner, multiple-Juno award winner, with a Geminialso under her belt, has added a Polaris Music Prize—whichcomes with $50,000—to her list of accolades. Sainte-Marie hascreated 20 albums, but her newest, Power in the Blood, isgarnering her critical acclaim. “74-year-old Buffy Sainte-Mariereasserts herself as the vital and thrilling musician she is, aCanadian icon we can believe in and a powerhouse provocateur.She’s a voice of reason, as ready with the rallying cries as she iswith the pointed indictments of social injustice, racism andcorporate greed,” reads a review of the album by CBC Music.Last year, Inuk Tanya Tagaq, a throat singer from Nunavut, wonthe prize for her album Animism. The Polaris Music Prize is givento the artist who creates the best Canadian album of the year,regardless of genre, label or record sales. The winner is decidedby an 11-member jury.

The article about John Furlong,the former Vancouver Olympics CEO, were an attack on hisreputation, a judge has ruled. Journalist Laura Robinson hadreported that eight First Nations people had been abused byFurlong more than 40 years ago. The matter went to court andthe judge ruled that Robinson didn’t verify her sources’ stories orensure they weren’t contaminating each others’ memories.Robinson had accused Furlong of trying to discredit her work,published in the Georgia Straight newspaper in 2012, portrayingher as unethical and cruel, but Supreme Court Justice CatherineWedge said Robinson’s article was an attack on Furlong’scharacter, conduct and credibility.

Half of all First Nations children live in poverty,reads a headline on the Behind the Numbers blog, a commentaryon social, economic and environmental issues from the CanadianCentre for Policy Alternatives, a non-partisan progressive voiceon public policy. It goes on to then give four other reasons whypoliticians should be paying attention to Indigenous families andchildren in this election, if that first one alone wasn’t enough.When you head into the centre of the country, the blog reads, inManitoba and Saskatchewan, the number of Indigenous childrenliving in poverty jumps to 60 per cent, and it suggests that effortsto combat these “appalling” rates need to be focused in the Prairieprovinces. Number 3 reason is that Indigenous children trail withevery measurement taken, in educational attainments, waterquality, infant mortality and homelessness, among other things.And then the blog tells us that there has been no increase infunding for social program on reserve since 1996. That’s 20 yearswithout considering need or population—20 years. Finally thewriter, David Macdonald, senior economist, says a $1 billioninvestment will solve all these problems. Find it through providingfamilies work, or inject it in other ways, he writes, and then allIndigenous children will be lifted out of poverty with the additionalincome. Issues solved. By the way, 12 per cent of non-Indigenouschildren in Canada also live in poverty, more than double ofchildren who live in poverty in Norway, Finland, Denmark andSweden, where the rates are five per cent.

There has been a major shift on the pipeline landscape,when Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Rodham Clintonannounced that she is opposed to the Keystone XL pipeline. Shesaid she doesn’t believe it’s what the U.S. needs in the battleagainst climate change. That’s going to be a big disappointmentto the Conservatives in Canada, whose leader, Stephen Harper,has said this country wouldn’t take no for an answer from theStates on Keystone XL. The pipeline would carry a full one-quarterof Canadian oil exports to the U.S. each day. Clinton is notpresident yet, however. The Republican frontrunner, DonaldTrump, says the pipeline would have no impact on theenvironment, and he would approve the project immediately. FirstNations groups have committed to fighting pipelines, includingKeystone XL and the Northern Gateway.

A recent comment from ConservativeParty leader, Prime Minister StephenHarper, about Assembly of First NationsNational Chief Perry Bellegarde’ssupposed flip-flop over the First NationsControl of First Nations Education Act,highlights the need for a strong strategy,post-election, if the Conservatives domanage to retain power.

If you are watching the polls it’s likebeing at the track, with the federal Cons,Liberals and New Democratic partiesjockeying for position as we head round aturn, and we haven’t even made it to thestretch. With the election in a dead heat,there is a likelihood—if Aboriginal votersstay home in droves, as is the usualpractise—that another Conservativegovernment is in our future. And then weget the same as what we’ve had before,only worse; a governing party, which isunwilling to see our perspective or respectour world view, with a renewed mandate.

The comment, if you missed it, came ina report from Jorge Barrera of APTNNational News. Barrera reported thatHarper accused the First Nations leader ofchanging his position on the education billand wasn’t sure if Bellegarde would bewilling to work with the Conservatives aftera Con win.

Let’s put aside the fact that it’s beyondthe pale that Harper should suggest theFirst Nations leader may not want to workwith the government when it has been theHarper Conservatives that has beenshutting out First Nations people over thelast year and more. Bend to our will, or a.)we will ignore you, or b.) we will cut yourfunding and ignore you, seems theunwritten policy of Aboriginal Affairs. It’s thegovernment that said it would not releaseadditional moneys in education fundsunless the AFN agreed to the bill. It’s thegovernment that has not come back to thetable.

And let’s even put aside the fact thatHarper may have been correct in sayingthat Bellegarde waffled when it came to theeducation act. If you remember, thatsudden resignation of national chief ShawnAtleo was prompted when rival Bellegardeannounced his opposition to the educationlegislation in a letter from the Federationof Saskatchewan Indian Nations, of whichhe was grand chief at the time. It was amember of the Atleo team, Sto:lo GrandChief Doug Kelly, who told a reporter thatAtleo felt betrayed by Bellegarde after what

had been a “powerful demonstration of unityand support” from AFN chiefs and delegatesfor the resolution that endorsed thelegislation that met their five conditions,which some argued the education bill did.

It is not unusual for politicians to step oneach other’s necks to climb to the next rungof power. The knives get particularly sharpand pointed when you have your sights seton the top. Let’s look at how Harper himselffound his way to the top of the ConservativeParty of Canada, with help from PeterMacKay, a leadership hopeful in the 2003Progressive Conservative Party race toreplace Joe Clark. MacKay had signed anagreement with rival David Orchard to getelected. Orchard would step out of the raceas long as MacKay promised not to mergethe party with the Canadian Alliance, apromise that MacKay quickly andcontroversially ignored. In December of thatyear, the Conservative Party of Canada wasborn from the Alliance-Progressive union,and in March of 2004 Stephen Harper waselected as that party’s leader. And with theright united, was able to take power in 2006.

With the Liberal Party now leaning leftunder the, really not so young, JustinTrudeau, and an astounding surge ofpopularity of the usually left leaning NDPunder first, Jack Layton, who led the partyto Opposition in 2011, and the powerfulperformance of Tom Mulcair over the timeafter Layton’s death, bringing the party tocentre, now 60 per cent of Canada’s non-Conservative voters are splitting the voteenough to usher in another Conservativegovernment.

So, what’s the AFN’s plan? Bellegardehimself has said the status quo is notacceptable. If the winds of change don’t blowon Oct. 19, the AFN will have to havesomething else up their sleeve. Bellegardehas made much of being non-partisan. Thatembarrassment of a “Rock the Vote newsconference where he encouraged FirstNations people to cast a ballot in this electiononly to admit he wouldn’t vote himself wasproof alone of that.

But non-partisanship does not mean youroll over. The AFN has been stagnating, andit needs a plan to breathe new life into it.Right now, it’s doubling down on having anew ruling party with election promises intheir back pocket to improve thegovernment/First Nations relationship. Butwhat if that’s not the outcome on electionnight. What’s the plan Oct. 20?

Windspeaker

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

E-mail us at: [email protected]

twitter: @windspeakernewsfacebook: /windspeakernews

PHOTO: FILE


[ news ]


Seeking the aboriginal experience in GermanyIt’s not often you will find

approximately 4,000 peopleshowing up to see a play about afictional Native character writtenby a 19th century German writernamed Karl May, who reportedlyhad never been to NorthAmerica.

But there they, and I, were inlate July, nestled in a humongousamphitheatre that had once beena large quarry. In fact, at this veryperformance of the play “Im TalDes Todes,” which translates as“The Valley of Death” or, moreaccurately, “Death Valley”, oneof the producers took centerstage to announce to the crowdthe production we were about tosee had just welcomed its100,000th patron. Not bad fora play that had been running forabout four weeks.

As an Aboriginal playwrightand former artistic director of aNative theatre company, I weptsilently.

Welcome to Bat Segeberg innorthern Germany, home of theannual Karl May Festival, whichdramatizes a series of novelshighlighting the adventures of anApache warrior namedWinnetou, and his faithfulGerman companion,Shatterhand.

Highly romanticized andsomewhat clichéd, these highlypopular novels, followed in the60s and 70s by movies and atelevision series, have long beenmainstays of the German people.In fact, May was believed to havebeen Hitler’s and Einstein’sfavourite author. That is whatyou call a broad fan base.

A frequent visitor to thecountry, I had long heard of thisman and the popularity of boththe novels and the character. In

fact, I owe this fellow writer acertain amount of gratitude forhe and his highly popularcreation are responsible for thefascination many Germans havewith North American Aboriginalculture and, indirectly, is nodoubt also responsible for mynumerous lecture tours of thecountry, 15 to date.

Attending the production hadlong eluded me because I hadnever been in the right region atthe right time of year to witnessthis fabled festival. Think of it asTuetonic/faux Indigenouspassion play, produced every yeargoing on sixty years, or, anAboriginal Stratford conceptwith only one play a season.

Picture it, one lone Ojibwayplaywright nestled in a sea ofGerman enthusiasts of ersatzAboriginal culture, orindianthusiasts as they aresometimes referred to.

As an audience member I wasamazed on two levels. First, as aplaywright, the scope andproduction values I saw wereamazing. A cast of approximately50 (including six professionalstunt people), riding a fleet ofhorses in and out of theamphitheatre, explosions, huge

intricate sets, massive fightsequences, an actual bald eagleflying in and out of the quarryto Winnetou’s arm. Twice. Thatalone truly took your breathaway. Add to that a falling flagpole with a man on top. A zipline spanning the length of thetheatre space where the herocomes flying over the audience’shead to the rescue…. Absolutelyamazing. Who knew zip lineswere a part of the Apacheculture? And all that’s just offthe top of my head. Once again,I found myself weeping gently atthe possibilities and execution.

From the Aboriginalperspective, it was a different‘story’, metaphorically speaking.Winnetou, the good Indian,wore white buckskin, while theNative villains wore blackbuckskin. Though I obviouslycould not speak German,following the plot was quitesimple. There was a mercurymine involved, an evil Mexicanwoman who played both sides,bad White guy who wasmanipulating the bad Apaches bygiving them ‘firewater’.Somewhere at the center was thishalf-Native girl who was aboutto get married but was

kidnapped because she hadcertain psychic abilities. Throwin a kid that kept getting intotrouble, and two white guys thatprovided comic relief andessentially that’s the play.Characterization was pretty blackand white…. Or red and whiteas the case might be.

Still, the play was quiteamusing, though perhaps not forthe reasons the producers hadanticipated. There were severalmoderately successful‘traditional’ dance sequences bythe ‘Indians’, including onehealing dance that perked the girlright up. Additionally, the heroWinnetou, always spoke in thirdperson. Like the famous Tonto,its seemed Native people fromthe American southwest havepersonal pronoun problems.Somebody should look into that.

After half a dozen mob fights,the hero manages to convince thebad chief of the Apaches – a mannamed Iron Arrow who literallywas swigging a bottle ofsomething between everysentence of dialogue— to give upalcohol and join Winnetou indefeating the bad White people,and save the girl and the boy,while at the same time providingredemption to everybody. Theaudience cheered uproariously,and at the end, rushed the stageto shake hands with the severaldozen cast members, andhopefully, touch the pseudo-leathered arm of the man playingWinnetou himself. The worshipand reverence was palpable.

But for me, it was that sameaudience which I found to be themost interesting aspect of myvisit. Scattered through thethousands of enthralled people Icould easily see a multitude of

cheap headdresses with a singlechicken feather sticking up fromthe back. Mostly children, butwith a surprisingly good numberof adults too. Strewn amongst thecrowd could be seen more kids(and some adults again) alsowearing imitation buckskin andfringe clothing, or furthervariations on the headband orheaddress motif. Add to this theimpressive yet ominousmarketing of toy bows andarrows, plastic rifles, actualbullwhips (which I saw youngboys practicing during theintermission), and at the foodbooth, something called a burgerManitou.

Inside the so called TradingPost itself I saw people eyeingsomething that was called aSquaw starter kit. Others werehaving their pictures taken nextto two large cigar store Indians,near a row of what appeared tobe tenement tipis, across thewalkway from some poorlyexecuted totem poles. Ironically,I was wearing a t-shirt that said“Anishnawbe”, what we Ojibwaycall ourselves, also spelled out inOji-Cree syllabics. I think that t-shirt was the only trulyIndigenous object in the entiretheatre, other than yours truly. Iwanted to weep again, but for acompletely different reason.

I should point out that the manwho was the 100,000th audiencemember was brought on stageand presented with a prize. Heannounced to the crowd hisdream was to attend the twoother Karl May- Winnetoufestivals that exist in other partsof Germany.

Maybe I started my Indigenoustheatre career in the wrongcountry.

THE URBANE INDIAN

Drew Hayden Taylor

By Shari NarineWindspeaker Contributor

OTTAWA

Eleven months after closingarguments were delivered in a casethat has the potential to changethe way child services are fundedon reserve, the Canadian HumanRights Tribunal has yet to rule.

That delay falls well beyond thefour to six months guidelineunder which the CHRT usuallymakes decisions. But the absenceof a ruling has nothing to do withthe upcoming federal election orpotential embarrassment to theConservative government, saysAmal Picard, acting executivedirector and registrar for CHRT.

“The tribunal is anindependent entity…. I cancategorically say no. We’re anindependent, impartial tribunal.There’s no influence whatsoeverof any other organization on thedecision of the members of thepanel,” said Picard.

Health issues cause another delay for decisionfrom tribunal

Cindy Blackstock, executive director of First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, surrounded by children ontheir way to plant hearts at Rideau Hall during the closing ceremony for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Ottawa inJune. “Honouring Memories, Planting Dreams” gardens appeared throughout the country in remembrance of children wholost their lives at residential schools.

PHOTO: SHARI NARINE

( See Health on paege 7.)


[ news ]

Provinces need to step up on child welfareBy Shari NarineWindspeaker Contributor

OTTAWA

The Assembly of First Nationsand the Canadian Council ofChild and Youth Advocates areurging the provinces to takeaction to improve child welfareinstead of waiting for the go-ahead from the federalgovernment.

The 2011 National HouseholdSurvey indicated that 48 per centof the 30,000 children and youthin government care across thecountry are Aboriginal,according to a report preparedfor the premiers by a workinggroup consisting of Cabinetministers from the provinces andterritories.

Indigenous peoples accountfor 4.3 per cent of the Canadianpopulation.

“Wherever we land on thepower structure in society, we allhave responsibilities. At the localcommunity level we all have aresponsibility to make sure thatchildren feel safe and noticed andcared for in community all theway up to the people who havethe power to make legislationand make changes at policylevel,” said Ashley Krone,spokesperson for Manitoba’sOffice of the Children’sAdvocate.

Manitoba’s child advocate

Darlene MacDonald was asignatory to a news release issuedby the CCCYA following thepremiers’ meeting in late July.While the advocate organization“welcomed the premiers’ interestin the well-being of Indigenouschildren,” the organization alsocondemned the premiers forhaving “not found a way toaddress concerns for which theyhave jurisdiction and on whichthey must and should act.”

Alberta’s Child and YouthAdvocate Del Graff, who alsoserves as vice-president of theCCCYA, says the provinces needto start working toward meetingthe first five calls to action laidout by the Truth andReconciliation Commission inthe report released in June. TheTRC put welfare of children atthe beginning of its 94 calls toaction.

“The provinces could starttaking action and action couldbe about bringing togetherleaders in provincial governmentand leaders in the First Nationscommunities to say, ‘How do weget started on a path towardreconciliation, on a path towardmoving these TRC calls to actionmoving forward?’ Many of themare actions that are provinciallydriven,” said Graff.

British Columbia has taken astep. In September, the provinceappointed Grand Chief EdwardJohn to the six-month position

Health issues cause another delay for decision

of senior advisor on Aboriginalchild welfare to the Minister ofChildren and FamilyDevelopment.

John is to work with FirstNations leaders to help morechildren and youth securepermanent family outside ofgovernment care. MCFD hasprioritized adoptions and otherforms of permanency for childrenin long-term care. Statisticsindicate that one in sevenAboriginal children in BC will bein government care at some pointduring their childhood.

The BC Government andService Employees’ Union seesJohn’s appointment asencouraging, but says more isneeded to bring about the“urgent, systemic change”required for Aboriginal childwelfare services.

“Now is the time for the BCgovernment to prioritizeresponsive, culturally appropriateand properly funded Aboriginalchild welfare services, includingchild protection, fostering andadoptions, and for supportservices such as mental health andspecial needs,” said BCGEUpresident Stephanie Smith.

John’s appointment follows theMCFD’s decision to appeal a BCSupreme Court decision thatfound ministry staff haddisregarded the safety of childrenfrom a Vancouver family, whichresulted in at least one child being

sexually abused by their father.“First Nations children and

youth are disproportionatelyrepresented within all aspects ofthe MCFD system and thereforewe have extreme concerns withhow the government has chosento deal with this case rather thantaking immediate steps to lookat real on the ground solutionsto mitigate any similaroccurrences in the future,” saidCheryl Casimer, of the FirstNations Summit politicalexecutive.

In early September, Assemblyof First Nations ManitobaRegional Chief Kevin Harturged the provincial governmentto work directly with FirstNations to support andstrengthen First Nation familiesand drastically reduce thenumbers of children in care inthat province. Of the 11,000children in care in Manitoba, 87per cent are Aboriginal.

“Working directly with FirstNations communities isabsolutely critical,” said Krone.

Cora Morgan, appointed inJune by the Assembly ofManitoba Chiefs as the FirstNations family advocate, saysthere is already provinciallegislation in place that calls forsupport mechanisms for familiesin need.

“Apprehension is supposed tobe the absolute last resort, butwe know there isn’t preventative

programs being brought inbecause the funding isn’t there,”said Morgan.

While the plight of Aboriginalchildren in care remains dire,Graff says some hope can betaken from the fact that thesehorror stories are hittingmainstream media.

“I think there’s more attention.I think those processes like theTruth and ReconciliationCommission, like the Idle NoMore movement, like thehuman rights complaint thatCindy Blackstock and theAssembly of First Nations havebrought forward, those kinds ofevents are bringing to publicattention the real concerns ofAboriginal people in thiscountry and in this province,”said Graff.

The AFN is also making thewelfare of First Nations childrenan election issue. In response tothe federal election, the AFNreleased a document entitled“Closing the Gap,” in whichstrengthening First Nations,families and communities is oneof six stated priorities. The AFNcalls for the government, withintwo years of its new mandate, to“commit to increasedinvestments to ensure equality inchild welfare services andprograms for First Nationschildren, families, and developwith First Nations an equitablefunding formula and escalator.”

Cindy Blackstock, executivedirector of First Nations Childand Family Caring Society ofCanada, whose organizationinitiated the human rightscomplaint, says there should bea “firewall between politiciansand the courts/tribunals. I haveno indication that the electionis an issue with this delay.”

However, delays have marredthe process, which began in2007, when Caring Society andthe Assembly of First Nationsfiled a human rights complaintagainst the federal government,alleging that Canada’s failure toprovide equitable and culturallybased child welfare services toFirst Nations children on-reserve amounted todiscrimination on the basis ofrace and ethnic origin.

Many of those delays were,arguably, caused by Shirish

Chotalia, who was appointed asnew tribunal chair by theConservative government in2009. Chotalia dismissed thecase in 2011. Her decision wasappealed to the federal court in2012, which set aside Chotalia’sdecision and returned the caseto the CHRT.

Chotalia left her position aschair in late 2012. TheConservatives also initiatednumerous technical challengesto stall the hearing.

Picard says there are tworeasons for the delay.

“The panel encounteredunexpected delays due tounforeseen circumstancesinvolving health issues. Reviewof the voluminous evidence anddeliberations are ongoing andthe panel is hopeful to have adecision released in a fewmonths,” she said in an emailto Windspeaker.

Blackstock says herorganization received a letterfrom the CHRT in earlySeptember explaining thathealth issues were a factor in thedelay. That letter followed onethe Caring Society received inthe spring saying the“complexity of the case” meanta decision would take longer torender.

“We surveyed the case decisiontimes in other cases of thismagnitude and 11 to12 monthsappeared to be the norm,” saidBlackstock.

She admits she is disappointedby the delays but understandsthe concern for health.

“I was always hoping it wouldcome down soon, but I also wantthe tribunal to take the time torender a good decision for thekids,” she said.

The Canadian Council forChild and Youth Advocates was

also hoping for a timelydecision. CCCYA adjusted itsmeetings so it could attend theclosing arguments last October.

“At that time there was anoptimism about the fact that the(tribunal) had heard theinformation and was going to,and we thought, and I think theconsensus in the room was, thatthere was going to be a speedyresponse, but obviously thathasn’t happened,” said DelGraff, vice president of CCCYAand Alberta’s child and youthadvocate.

Graff says this is one moredelay in a “series of delays.”

“The federal government’smultiple attempts to delay andderail the trial have tragicallyprolonged this long wait forjustice for the kids,” saidBlackstock.

A hearing on the complaintbegan in February 2013 at the

CHRT and was completed onOct. 24, 2014.

Blackstock points out that thefederal government could bringan end to the wait as it could“remedy the inequities at anytime.”

Blackstock says she would liketo see the care of First Nationschildren become a campaignelection issue.

“The fact that the federalgovernment has raciallydiscriminated against 163,000kids and fought vigorously tocontinue this wrongdoingshould be a top election issueregardless of the decision. Theevidence is overwhelming. Adecision, however, would†nodoubt give these arguments evenmore weight.†The key is holdingwhichever party gets into poweraccountable for making change.The kids deserve a properchildhood,” said Blackstock.





[ news ]

By Colin GrafWindspeaker Contributor

CAMP IPPERWASH

A day of celebration 73 yearsin the making for the people ofthe Chippewas of Kettle andStony Point in Ontario turnedinto a scene of confrontation andsuffering Sept. 20 at the gates ofthe former army camp slated tobe returned to Aboriginalcontrol by the federalgovernment.

Band member Pierre George,brother of Dudley George, whowas killed by police near theformer Camp Ipperwash in1995, was briefly engulfed inflames during a confrontationbetween band members. Theywere arguing about anagreement with Ottawa that willhand over the 1,000 ha of land,known as Stoney Point locally.He was taken to hospital in thenearby city of Sarnia. Friendssaid later he was being treated forsecond degree burns to his neck,hands, and ears.

Members of the communityhad been invited by the chief andcouncil to take part in acommunity walk along four kmsof highway between the two landbases to celebrate the band’sratification of an agreementworth over $90 million betweenthe band and the federalgovernment.

The deal was supposed toreturn the army camp lands,taken by Ottawa during theSecond World War, toAboriginal control and bringresolution to a long-simmeringdispute between band memberswho have been living in thecamp buildings since 1993 andsupporters of the establishedchief and council.

Instead, as the marchers,carrying signs remembering theirStoney Point ancestors andwearing t-shirts with photos ofdeceased family printed onthem, approached the campgates, they saw smoke risingfrom a small protest fire set byPierre George and anotherStoney Pointer, Jesse Oliver, infront of the former armygatehouse.

He and George hoped to showthat some of the band membersdon’t support the deal, and are“tired of Kettle Point makingdecisions for a separate reserve,”Oliver said. The Stoney Pointersclaim they were once a separateband and want to be recognizedas such again.

When other band members,led by gatehouse attendant MikeCloud, tried to extinguish thefire with small water containers,Pierre George emptied a portablegas can on the fire to re-ignite it.The can fell and flames rushedup his arms and across his neck.Some on-lookers said he caughtfire when the can was kickedback at him.

Quickly removing his shirt,Pierre was walking and talkingto supporters while an

ambulance was called. He wastaken to the ambulance on astretcher.

A shouting match ensued, ledby Pierre and Dudley George’ssister Carolyn, who tried toprevent band manager LorraineGeorge from bringing themarchers and Elders inwheelchairs from passing thegatehouse.

The occupiers had not beentold the Kettle Point memberswanted to come on to the armycamp lands.

“As soon as you get all thatmoney you come here disruptingour community,” Carolyn toldthe manager.

The agreement hands controlof the land, plus the money, tothe Kettle Point council, whilethe Stoney Pointers argue theland should be returned solely tothe Elders who lived there andtheir descendants.

As the marchers entered thecamp, a buoyant mood wasevident at the prospect of Eldersseeing their old lands again.

Barbara George-Johnson, 83,was smiling even though sherecalled the sad day in 1942 herfamily left Stoney Point, alongthe southern shore of LakeHuron near the resort townGrand Bend. “Our home wasuprooted. When I came homefrom school that day, it (thehouse) was up on a movingtruck.” Many members of the 16families removed from the landmoved to the nearby KettlePoint.

After the fire incident, KettlePoint Chief Tom Bressetteblamed Ottawa for the disputebetween the groups that led toPierre George’s injury.

“Go ask the federalgovernment to come down hereand straighten this mess out.Don’t ask us. We didn’t create it,”he said in an interview.

The occupiers oppose the newagreement as it returns controlof the land to the entire band.They want it returned to thefamilies who lived there prior to

Man engulfed in flames as bands celebrate lands deal

their removal in 1942 to thenearby Kettle Point lands. ChiefBressette has promised paymentsto all band members, with largeramounts to the Stoney Point.

The vote, held almost 20 yearsafter Dudley George’s shootingdeath by an OPP sniper, passed“overwhelmingly” Sept. 18,according to a news release fromKettle Point. The walk wassupposed to echo a similar walkin May 1993 when Elderswalked into the army camp, stillin use at the time, and began anoccupation there.

Two years later Dudley Georgewas killed by a member of anOntario provincial police tacticalteam after the police marched onFirst Nation’s occupiers who hadmoved from the army camplands into the adjacentIpperwash Provincial Park.

In spite of his support for theagreement, Chief Bressette toldreporters the deal is inadequate.

“If people analyzed this deal…they would see how badly we’vebeen treated by the government

PHOTOS: COLIN GRAF

Members of the community had been invited by the chief and council to take part in a community walk along four kms ofhighway between the two land bases to celebrate the band’s ratification of an agreement

of this county,” he said,describing it as “bittersweet” forhis people.

The deal is unfair because itdoes not include money for a“healing package,” that wouldpay for therapists and traditional

healers to help those traumatizedby the original removal andevents surrounding the death ofDudley George in 1995. Thatkind of help would also help healthe divisions in the community,he explained.

Band member Pierre George, brother of Dudley George, was briefly engulfed in flames afterpouring gasoline on a bonfire.

Pierre George receives medical attention before going to thehospital suffering from second degree burns.


[ news ]

Windspeaker News BriefsNative earth Performing Arts presents HUFF at the Aki StudioTheatre inside the Daniels Spectrum in Toronto from Oct. 10 to Oct.25. The production launches an eight-city national tour in 2016,including Montreal, Quebec City, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver,Kelowna and Victoria.

HUFF was written and is performed by Cree playwright CliffCardinal. It explores the lives of Indigenous youth battling addictionand systemic injustices while in search of a better life. An email sentto Windspeaker reports that when Cliff was 15 years old his mother,actor and activist Tantoo Cardinal, allowed him to miss a semesterof school in order to sit in on rehearsals of Michael Hollingsworth’sCanadian history plays at VideoCabaret.

“Cliff’s youth was spent surrounded and supported by pillars ofCanadian theatre shaping him into the artist he is today.” HUFF, itsaid, is the story of First Nations youth “grappling with inherenthardship as told through a mixture of reality and a gas-inducedfantasy. Cliff’s solo performance gives life to an entire cast ofcharacters in this spellbinding and poignant play,” reads the pressstatement.

Cliff Cardinal says “HUFF began, like all my stories do, as acreative exploration of the pain of those living outside the mainstream:the weirdos, the addicts and the romantics. To take the characters totheir lowest, where they hurt the most, and to find them there withlove.” For more information visit www.nativeearth.ca

Georges Erasmus, Chief Negotiator for the Dehcho First Nationsin the N.W.T., is retiring. The 67-year-old released a statement sayingit had been a “very challenging year” for the Dehcho negotiationprocess, which he has been involved with for the last 12 years, sohe’s stepping down for personal and family reasons. Talks have beenstalled and the federal election has interrupted the process, soErasmus feels it’s a good time to step aside. Erasmus was co-chairof the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, and formerly heldthe positions of president of the Dene Nation and national chief ofthe Assembly of First Nations.

The Ministry of Transportation in B.C. has worked with theTsilhqot’in Government to create 29 mileage signs in the Tsilhqot’inlanguage. “These signs are symbols of the fact we are working withthe government on our title lands,” said Xeni Gwet’in (Nemiah) ChiefRoger William. It’s a sign of progress, said Esdilagh Chief BernieMack. “The signs are also about rules, destination and culture,” Macksaid. “We welcome everybody into this area and we also live withother people in our backyards.”

The Tsartlip First Nation“strongly opposes the processchosen by Malahat First Nation and [its corporate partner] SteelheadLNG for its plant at Bamberton in British Columbia. “We oppose theaggressive approach taken by Steelhead LNG and their board ofdirectors by publicly announcing the project prior to any discussionswith the Tsartlip community,” said Chief Don Tom. Tsartlip is acrossthe water from Bamberton on Saanich Inlet. “We intend on making itclear that Tsartlip First Nation’s approval will be required for any LNGproject to proceed.” So far the process is characterized asdisrespectful and insulting, said Tom.

Steelhead LNG is also causing consternation on the other sideof Vancouver Island around Bamfield, where the company has beenworking with the Huu-ay-aht First Nation to build an LNG terminal.Responding to an editorial in the Times Colonist, the regional directorof area A in the Alberni Clayoquot Regional District let loose on thepaper and Steelhead’s plan.

Keith Wyton writes, the editorial described Bamfield as beautiful,unspoiled and remote, and therefore a better location for liquefiednatural gas processing than Saanich Inlet.

“It is hard for me to understand those statements as other thanan outright provocation. Reading the editorial was a kick in the gut.It’s the same old colonial calculus that has laid waste to thelandscapes and cultures of others everywhere. You just can’t imaginea world where everyone does not want to be you. We are a beautiful,unspoiled and remote community in the bosom of Barkley Sound.We live in an environment where nature is bigger. We are not waitingto be saved. We are the pagan post-industrials. We are already inparadise.”

The Japan Times pickedup a Reuters report from Winnipegthis September about the very real possibility that the Aboriginal votecould decide the outcome of the 2015 federal election. “Spurred byanger over disproportionately high rates of violence againstIndigenous women and poor living standards as well as resourcedevelopment and environmental issues, Aboriginal voters are beingurged by their national chief to vote,” the report reads. “Clearly, thereis an awakening happening,” pollster Bruce Cameron said. “If eitherthe Liberals or (New Democrats) can tap into that, that will be areally interesting factor in this election.” The Assembly of First Nationshas identified 51 of 338 ridings as Aboriginal swing ridings, andaccording to a poll by ThreeHunredEight.com, the New Democratsstand to gain the most. But historically, less than half of the Aboriginalpopulation votes in federal elections, many because of sovereigntyissues. Barriers to voting also challenges participation, and, this year,under the Fair Elections Act, those barriers may have been fortified.

Land will need to be clearedof munitions

By Colin GrafWindspeaker Contributor

IPPERWASH, Ont.

The problem of unexplodedmunitions (UXOs) on the CampIpperwash army lands may keepthe Chippewas of Kettle andStony Point from developing theland for up to 20 years, accordingto the Department of NationalDefence (DND).

If people expect to build newhomes or businesses there soonthey are “sadly mistaken,”according to Mike Cloud, formerband negotiator and witness toUXO demolitions, speakingSept. 20 before the communitycelebrated a $90-million landdeal† which returns 1,000 ha ofland to the band.

“We can’t just get our landback like that. There’s all kindsof live munitions all over it; thearmy bombed it for 60 years,” hesaid.

Demolition experts, includingCloud’s brother and daughter-in-law, have blown up UXOs severaltimes, including an explosion

that “shook all the buildings onthe base” when workersdetonated rockets uncovered bya backhoe in the unoccupiedbush area, Cloud said.

As recently as this summer, awhite phosphorus grenade wasdetonated in a safe zone that’sbeen established, Cloud added.The grenade detonation wasconfirmed DND.

The cleanup will be paid forby Ottawa, according to the 145-page Final SettlementAgreement.The federalgovernment has already spentabouty $29.4 million on theUXO, environmental andcultural investigation of theFormer Camp Ipperwash,according to an email fromDND. Costs for the rest of thework will be determined in 2016.

Former Camp Ipperwash wasa military training facility withactive training ranges from 1942to 1994, and military training onthe site, included firingmunitions such as grenades,rockets, mortars andpyrotechnics, as well as smallarms training, DND said.

Military explosive responseteams have responded to morethan 100 UXO calls to the sitesince the 1980s.

Since site investigation workbegan in 2007, contractors haveidentified and disposed of 13UXO items, including rocketcomponents, grenadecomponents, and pyrotechnics,according to a DNDspokesperson.

There is still risk that moreUXOs will be found, DNDconfirmed.

When the decommissioningbegins, Kettle and Stony Pointmembers may well be amongthose doing the work, as theagreement states First Nationmembers and Aboriginalbusinesses will be given specialconsideration for employmentduring the cleanup to promotesocial and economic benefits forthe First Nation.

When the land is returned, theband will use some of the newmoney to build roads, homes,and infrastructure, said KettlePoint Councilor MarshallGeorge in an earlier interview.

Memorial to Dudley George on former provincial park.

Carolyn George (left) , sister of Pierre and Dudley, confronts band manager Lorraine George(right—in white with turtle on back) at gates as marchers arrive at gatehouse just afterambulance leaves with Pierre.


[ news ]

2016 Indspire Award winners announced inTorontoBy Cara McKennaWindspeaker Contributor

TORONTO

The 2016 winners of theIndspire Awards range from anaward-winning author, to areconciliation expert to an NHLathlete.

The 14 honorees wereannounced by Indspire CEORoberta Jamieson in a sun-filledtop-floor room of a downtownToronto office building on Sept.15.

Jamieson said the recipients ofthis year’s awardS—consideredCanada’s top honor by and forindigenous people—areexpanding minds and blazingtrails for future generations.

“These award recipients … letCanadians know about theincredible and valuablecontributions our people havemade, are making and will maketo this country in the future,”Jamieson said.

“And likely the IndspireAwards are one of the few timesthat Canadians get to see thosewonderful stereo-bustingbarrier-breaking role models thatour people are.”

Chief Robert Joseph fromB.C.’s Gwawaaenuk First Nationwon the lifetime achievementaward for work that has includedhelping to form the Truth andReconciliation Commission andfounding ReconciliationCanada.

Joseph was emotional asJamieson recounted the struggleshe has overcome to giveresidential school survivors avoice, including being takenfrom his family at age six andbeaten by his teachers until helost much of his hearing.

“For me I see the future witha lot more hope (that) some ofus never had the chance to evendream about,” he said.

“We’re not just adrift and lost;we have vision, we haveresilience, and we have courage.”

Christian Kowalchuk from theBig Stone Cree Nation in Albertais one of three youth winners andis being honored for excelling inboth baseball and academics.

Kowalchuk said he wants to bea positive influence on aboriginalkids.

“I want to be an example tothem that they can go out anddo things that maybe they don’tthink they can,” he said.

“The sky’s the limit.”Ojibwa/Saulteaux Elder Mae

Louise Campbell is beinghonored in the culture, heritageand spirituality category fordecades of work helping otherwomen.

She has taught and supportedeveryone from students to healthworkers to women leavingprisons and addictions.

“So much history was writtenby non-Aboriginals,” she said.“And now we can speak ourhistory from our own hearts.”

Other winners include Métisauthor Joseph Boyden, Ulkatcho

NHL goalie Carey Price andInuk Aboriginal bankingspecialist Clint Davis.

The Indspire Awards gala willbe held in Vancouver on Feb. 12.

Full list of winners:Lifetime Achievement: ChiefRobert Joseph –Gwawaaenuk First Nation –BC

Arts: Joseph Boyden – Métis –Ontario

Business and Commerce: ClintDavis – Inuit – Nunatsiavut

Culture, Heritage, &Spirituality: Elder Mae LouiseCampbell – Ojibwa/Saulteaux– Manitoba

Culture, Heritage, &Spirituality: Chief Jim Ochiese– Foothills Ojibway FirstNation – Alberta

Education: Jo-Ann Episkenew– Métis – Saskatchewan

Health: Pat Mandy –Mississaugas of the NewCredit – Ontario

Law and Justice: MarkStevenson – Métis – BritishColumbia

Politics: MichaelKanentankeron Mitchell –Mohawk – Ontario

Public Service: LeonardGeorge – Tsleil-waututhNation – British Columbia

Sports: Carey Price – UlkatchoFirst Nation – British Columbia

Youth – First Nation: ChristianKowalchuk – Big Stone CreeNation – Alberta

Youth – Inuit: LauraArngna’naaq – Baker Lake,Nunavut

Youth – Métis: Zondra Roy –Saskatchewan


ALEXIS NAKOTA SIOUXNATION

International Chief andformer MP Wilton Littlechildunderstands why some FirstNations members don’t vote infederal elections. But with atleast

six Aboriginal candidates inAlberta, Littlechild thinks it’stime to get out the Aboriginalvote – all of it.

“In terms of trying to seekchange and make a betterCanada, I think it’s a goodopportunity,” said Littlechild,who served as Conservative MPfor the riding of Wetaskiwinfrom 1988 to 1993.

Former Regional Chief for theAssembly of First NationsCameron Alexis agrees withLittlechild. Alexis is one of five

New Democratic Partycandidates.

“In the past 10 years, Mr.Harper, by introducingnumerous bills in the House, haswhittled away at our treatyrights. At some point we all have

Getting out the Indigenous vote biggest battlein election

to stand up and say, ‘Hey, weeither participate in the decision-making in this country … or wesit back.’ So I chose to step it upfor all my people and for theinterest of all Canadians,” saidAlexis, who is one of sixcandidates in the newly redrawnriding of Peace River-Westlock.

What swayed Alexis to run forthe NDP was former leader JackLayton’s practise to sit withAboriginal people in the Houseof Commons gallery. Mulcairhas not only kept that channelof communication open, saysAlexis, but he has been the mostvocal leader in pushingIndigenous issues, reiterating hiscommitment to call for anational inquiry into murderedand missing Indigenous womenand unveiling a policy that aimsto curb violence againstAboriginal women.

For Melody Lepine, whorecently got the NDP nod for theriding of Fort McMurray-ColdLake, the NDP’s consistent standagainst C-51, the anti-terrorismlaw, which “is weakening ourfundamental rights and freedomsand that should be a very bigconcern for First Nations as we

often like to be vocal about ourissues” is one factor that drew herto the party. She also appreciatesthe NDP’s commitment toaffordable housing andprotecting the environment.

To date, Garry Parenteau is theonly Aboriginal candidate to rununder the Liberal banner. It wasLiberal leader Justin Trudeau,who first waded into Indigenousissues during this electioncampaign when he pledged $2.6billion in new funding for FirstNations education. Parenteau,who is Metis, is taking onanother Metis candidate, DuaneZaraska, who is running for theNDP, in Lakeland. It is the onlyriding to have two Aboriginalcandidates.

Lepine isn’t concerned that theNDP and Liberals will split theleft-leaning vote and allow theConservatives to remain inpower.

“No, I see a distinctionbetween the Liberals and NDPon issues,” she said. “The NDPdefinitely has a strong platformaddressing a lot of issues andmatters that are definitely aconcern to not only First Nationsand Aboriginal people but

Canadians in general.”The AFN has selected 51

ridings across the country inwhich Aboriginal voters canmake a difference. In Alberta, theAFN has tagged the newly-drawn Edmonton-Griesbach,which includes Edmonton’sinner city with its highconcentration of Aboriginalpeople. There is no Aboriginalcandidate in that riding.

Alexis is not surprised that theAFN has chosen only one ridingin Alberta.

“Our Aboriginal people do notcome out in force to vote in afederal election,” he said.

Lepine is disappointed that herriding, with approximately 17per cent of eligible voters ofAboriginal descent including herhome First Nation of theMikisew Cree, was not noted bythe AFN.

“They want to see StephenHarper gone and … I thinkthey’re starting to realize nowhow important and urgent theirvote really is. They’re going tomake a difference,” said Lepine,who has been helping FirstNation voters on reserves and thehomeless in urban centres get the

necessary documentation to becounted at the polls. Lepine is upagainst Conservative incumbentDavid Yurdiga.

Getting out the Aboriginalvote will be a challenge, saysLittlechild.

“There’s still a division ofopinion on that in the sense thatthere are some people who saythis is not our government so wehave no business participating init or voting in a federal election.And others who say this is reallythe way we can make change, togo into the arena and participatedirectly in that particular arena,to try and promote change,” hesaid.

Other Aboriginal candidatesseeking seats for the NDP areAaron Paquette in Edmonton-Manning and Fritz Kathryn Bitzin Edmonton-Wetaskiwin.

In the 2011 federal election,Alberta had five Aboriginalcandidates – three NDP, oneLiberal and one Green - runningin 28 electoral districts. Nonewere successful. The redrawing ofboundaries increased Alberta’sridings to 34.

Voters go to the polls on Oct.19.

Support independent Indigenous news media!Subscribe to Windspeaker today!

1-800-661-5469 • Email: [email protected]


[ news ]

By Barb NahwegahbowWindspeaker Contributor

TORONTO

We will no longer wait for thefederal government or a nationalorganization to start an inquiryinto missing and murderedwomen (MMIW) and girls, saidOntario Regional Chief IsadoreDay at a media conference inToronto on Sept. 9.

On behalf of the Chiefs ofOntario Chief Day announcedthe launch of an onlinecampaign to create awarenessabout the issue of MMIW andto start the process of raisingfunds to hold an inquiry.Through the campaign “Who isShe?”, Ontario First Nationshope to engage Canadians in adialogue about the critical issuefacing First Nationscommunities. The Chiefs ofOntario is a political forum andsecretariat for Ontario’s 133First Nations.

Denise Stonefish, deputy

Who is She? campaign about mobilizing people

grand chief of the Associationof Iroquois and Allied Indians,said First Nations women andgirls have no sense of safety orsecurity in this country.

“We are in a situation whereour women are devalued andthat we’re tossed away, adisposable item,” said Stonefish.“We can’t hold them back,” shesaid. “We want them to go offto school and get educated.”

Who is She?, explained Day,is the first step towardslaunching a First Nations-driven inquiry. He agreed thatthe timing, in the middle of afederal election campaign, isstrategic.

“It’s a wonderful time to getour message across,” he said.“People are wondering what theissues are.” This is happening intheir own backyard, he said,“and if we were to wait until theelection campaign is over, wewould be remiss. We wouldhave missed a hugeopportunity… for Canadians toget a good handle on what the

issue is right across the country.”In June 2014, the Ontario

Chiefs in Assembly passed aresolution calling for an Ontarioprovincial inquiry independentof government interference orfunding. Who is She? is a followup, not only on thatResolution, said Day, but alsofollows up on a meeting held byOntario chiefs in February thisyear with families of MMIWand girls.

The February meetingbetween First Nations leadersand 15 families of MMIW wasto get advice and direction fromthe families on the design of theinquiry based on Indigenousvalues, protocols and realities,said Stonefish. The messagefrom the families was very clear,she said.

“The loss of these women andgirls affects our communitiesgreatly. Each and every one ofthem left behind loved ones and,in many cases, children…theWho is She? campaignrecognizes and upholds

Indigenous women and girls asthe givers of life,” she said.

“First Nations families cannotwait for Ottawa to stopIndigenous women and girlsfrom disappearing,” continuedStonefish. “First Nationsleadership understands it musttake action to address theviolence, and the most effectiveway of addressing this systemicissue is to engage in a FirstNations-driven process; a FirstNations-driven inquiry toexamine the issue of violenceagainst Indigenous women andgirls.”

Several groups have expressedsupport, but the type and extentof that support needs furtherdiscussion, said Day. TheOntario Provincial Police, theMinistry of the AttorneyGeneral, and Ministry ofCommunity Safety andCorrections have all expressed aninterest in the campaign.

The Political Accord signed inAugust between the Chiefs ofOntario and the Ontario

Caption: Launch of Chiefs of Ontario campaign Who is She? with (l to r) Deputy Grand Chief Denise Stonefish, Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day and SixNations Chief Ava Hill, Sept. 9, Toronto

PHOTO: BARB NAHWEGAHBOW

government pledges a workingrelationship, said Day, “that weare going to go arm in arm andface these difficult issuestogether.” Although he was notat liberty to give specific details,Day said all the MMIW coldcases in Ontario will beinvestigated.

The website for the campaign,www.whoisshe.ca, will feature ashort video that will be aired onTV, said Day. It will also includevideo stories from families ofMMIW and a place for peopleto donate to the campaign.

A dollar figure has not beendetermined for the Ontarioinquiry.

“The inquiry isn’t just aboutthe expenditure,” said Day. “Itreally is about mobilizingpeople, getting the message outthere, creating the dialogue.What we’re proposing here is todo whatever we can within ourmight, with the goodwill of ourpartners to establish thebeginning phases of thatinquiry.”





[ news ]


WINNIPEG

Children and youth runningaway from Child and FamilyServices facilities accounted for82.6 per cent of the missingpersons files the WinnipegPolice dealt with from April toJune.

That is only one figure to raisealarm bells, said Cora Morgan,Manitoba’s First Nations familyadvocate. Statistics shared withher from the Health SciencesCentre, a hospital in Winnipeg,are just as startling.

Morgan says she has been toldthat 66 per cent of the patientsin the psychiatric ward are FirstNations youth in care.

She has also been told that 30to 40 babies each month areapprehended from the hospital.And on Sept. 8, she knowspersonally that five babies weretaken, all of them First Nations.

Morgan says hospital staff toldher that if it weren’t for childrentaken into care from NorthernManitoba there would be noneed for a children’s hospital inWinnipeg. Children who comefrom the north, who are eitherborn with special needs orpresent with special needs, mustbe placed in Child and FamilyServices care in order to receivetreatment. And foster parentsare trained to care for thesechildren at the exclusion of thebirth parents.

“The hospital reached out tous. People working in the systemare saying changes need tohappen. Somehow they feel thatour office may be able to helpsupport that in some way,” saidMorgan.

Morgan’s position was one of10 recommendations that camefrom the document “BringingOur Children Home,” whichwas the result of communityconsultations held by theAssembly of Manitoba Chiefs inWinnipeg and NorthernManitoba. Of the nearly 11,000children in provincial care, 87per cent are Aboriginal.

In the nearly four months theFirst Nations family advocateoffice has been in operation,Morgan has opened more than90 files representing close to 300children whose parents aretrying to get them back. Thework is urgent, she says, asparents are given 15 to 18months to make the changesnecessary before their childrenbecome permanent wards of thecourt. And many of theseparents don’t have case plans inplace in order to tackle theissues.

Ainsley Krone, spokespersonfor the province’s Office of theChildren’s Advocate, says 90 percent of the young people heroffice advocates for areAboriginal.

Krone says she is not surprisedthat nearly 83 per cent ofmissing people are children incare. They run away for a variety

Knee-jerk solutions will hurt the childrenof reasons, including the needto reconnect with family andfriends, problems with theirplacements, which include notfeeling safe or comfortablethere, and not understandingwhy they have beenapprehended.

“We would expect andanticipate from an advocate’sperspective that young people(in care) are being reportedmore quickly to variousresources in order to help locatethem,” Krone said.

Family Services Minister KerriIrvin-Ross says the high numberof missing children in careaddresses the complexities ofthose children’s needs and notthe care they receive. Statisticsindicate that more than 3,000children in care have complexneeds.

But Krone says it’s acombination of the two andsomething her office hasaddressed in numerous reportsover the last 15 years. One ofthe issues raised in those reportsis the number of children

housed in hotels. Those childrenwere the ones with complexneeds. Earlier this year, Irvin-Ross announced that by June 1,no more children would be keptin hotels in Winnipeg, and therest of Manitoba had until Dec.1 to comply to that new rule.

While Krone says she waspleased with the directive – andas far as her office knows therehave been no children inWinnipeg hotels for the pastseveral weeks–she was surprisedby the timeline.

“The need is far outpacingwhat the resources are availableto the system,” said Krone, whonotes that her office hasconsistently said that the systemis “in a chronic state ofemergency.”

Krone says her office is stillunclear as to the alternatives thatwill be put in place to care forthese children. What she doesknow, though, is that quickdecisions mean scrambling tofind options and, in the end, it’sthe children that suffer withpoorly thought-out solutions.

“In the scheme of all of it,there’s a lack of love for thesechildren,” said Morgan assolutions become businessopportunities.

She points to Marymound,which offers a variety ofmanaged care, includingsecured units, for troubledyouth. The government isproposing the creation of a six-bed unit at $2 million per year.

“The issue for me isn’t thatthey’re being housed in hotelrooms because our peoplehistorically lived in tiny homesand tipos, and it isn’t thesurroundings, it’s theconnections that they’redeprived of. Everybody needs tofeel loved and that they’re caredforÖ. So no one seems to thinkabout this disconnect and thatit’s causing and motivating thesecomplex needs. We know thatthe children have complexneeds, but as long as parentscan’t get their children back,they’re developing complexneeds and they’re giving uphope,” said Morgan.

PLEASE ENCLOSE CHEQUE OR MONEY ORDER - Payable to “AMMSA”CHARGE TO YOUR VISA /MASTERCARD/AMEXFAX THIS ORDER FORM TO (780) 455-7639

CC:

Card Type: Exp.Date:

Signature:By mail: Windspeaker • 13245 - 146 Street NW • Edmonton, Alberta • T5L 4S8

OR PHONE TOLL FREE 1-800-661-5469 • e-mail: [email protected]

Name:

Address:

City / Town:

Province: Postal:

Discover why Windspeaker is the mostrespected Aboriginal publication inCanada. Every month Windspeakerfeatures award-winning coverage of thenews and events important to Canada'sAboriginal people.

Read news, editorials, columns, andfeatures on topics ranging from politicsto arts and entertainment – it's all inevery issue of Windspeaker.

ORDER NOW ANDSAVE

One year (12 issues) only $65.00

USA subscriptios: $75.00 Cdn per year (12 issues).Overseas subscriptions: $85.00 Cdn per year (12 issues).


As British Columbia plans toincrease the number ofwolves it cullsto save endangered caribou, apop singer has come out tocriticize the strategy. MileyCyrus of “Wrecking Ball” fametravelled to B.C. in Septemberto discuss the wolf cull withmembers of Klemtu. And earlierthat month she took toInstagram with a petition fromPacific Wild to stop the wolf kill.In response, Premier ChristyClark said Cyrus didn’t knowenough about the province’senvironmental plan to be asource of good information inthe debate. “If we need help onour twerking policy in the future,perhaps we can go and seek heradvice,” said Clark.

Ten years have gone by since50 eagles were found dead inVancouver,and while the investigationconcluded with more than 100charges against 11 First Nationsmen, the Crown has nowchosen to drop the chargesagainst Gary Abbott and RalphLeon in mid-September. Theywere the last of the menexpecting to have their day incourt. “The lead investigator wassenior conservation officer RickGrindrod,” reads a report byGlobal News. “For years,defence argued the chargesshould have been droppedbecause Grindrod, the mainwitness, was convicted for fraudin 2010 while the eagleinvestigation was underway.Grindrod was eventually firedfrom the BC ConservationOfficer Service.” Abbott said he

the local beach, brought thereby glaciers, conveniently,12,000 years ago,” he said. TheDionisio Point village,accessible only by boat, is partof a provincial park and is thebest preserved village site onthe B.C. coast.

National Geographic’sexplorer-in-residence WadeDavis said First Nations takingpart in the tourism industrycould revolutionize the sectorby promoting a more substantialappreciation of cultural diversity.Davis gave the keynote addressat the second annual PacificAsia Indigenous Tourism andTrade Conference mid-September, which bringstogether groups of the PacificOcean to strategize on

was glad, in a way, that thecharges are behind him, buthoped to have a judgement toclear his name. “They knew thatthey were being called upon toexplain all of these misgivingsin their investigation andeverything, and that’s why theysaid they’re staying thecharges,” Abbott told GlobalNews. “There is defamation ofcharacter without question, so Iwould expect compensation inthat sense, and also a publicapology from the conservationservice and possibly theattorney general as well.” He isalso asking for the return of allregalia confiscated.

The Supreme Court of BritishColumbia has rejectedProphet River and WestMoberly First Nationsattempt to quash theenvironmental certificate issuedfor the $8.8-billion Site C projecton the Peace River. “I amsatisfied that the petitionerswere provided a meaningfulopportunity to participate in theenvironmental assessmentprocess,” Justice Robert Sewellwrote in his decision. Sewellruled against a claim by thePeace Valley LandownersAssociation in July, with verymuch the same reasoning. Thatclaim also hoped to halt theproject. Sewell’s ruling is underappeal, reports the Globe andMail.

Lax Kw’alaams is claimingAboriginal title of Lelu Islandand Flora Bank,the sites of a planned $11.4billion terminal to export

liquefied natural gas. LaxKw’alaams believes Aboriginaltitle, if proven in court, will savethe territory, providing them aveto over development. FloraBank is habitat for juvenilesalmon in the Skeena Riverestuary. “We want to protectcrucial salmon habitat, protectour food security and ensurethat governments and industryare obligated to seek ourconsent,” said a spokespersonfor the Lax Kw’alaams. “If weobtain title, we will own LeluIsland and Flora Bank.” Thelegal action was expected toproceed in late September. InMay, Lax Kw’alaams rejected a$1-billion offer over 40 yearsmade by Pacific NorthWest LNGto allow the project to goforward.

An archeologist who hasstudied the Coast Salishvillage site at Dionisio Point onGaliano Islandhas dispelled the belief that FirstNation people travelled greatdistances for the volcanic rockthey used for tools. The studyinstead says the people justused the rock that washed upon their shores. Colin Grier,associate professor atWashington State University,said his team picked up somedark rock on the beach atDionisio Point and beganquestioning the theory oftravelling for the rock. Theytested the rock from MountGaribaldi, which is more than100 km away from DionisioPoint on the mainland, and therock found on the village beach,and the chemical fingerprintmatched. “It was picked right off

promoting the industry. He saidefforts in the sector have to beabout more than just increasingthe numbers of First Nations inthe industry. Aboriginal tourismin the province reached $50million in revenues this year andis expected to reach $68 millionby 2017. B.C.’s Aboriginaltourism industry has some of themost diverse and bestdeveloped operators in theworld, particularly in Indigenouscultural tourism. “When peoplesay they want an authentictravel experience, there’snothing truer than those ofIndigenous origin, said KateRogers, who works withAboriginal Tourism Associationof British Columbia. “They arethe original guides; they knowthe land better than anyoneelse.”


CC:




Name:

Address:

City / Town:

Province: Postal:

Discover why Windspeaker is the mostrespected Aboriginal publication in Canada.Every month Windspeaker features award-winning coverage of the news and eventsimportant to Canada's Aboriginal people.

Read news, editorials, columns, and featureson topics ranging from politics to arts andentertainment – it's all in every issue ofWindspeaker.

ORDER NOW AND SAVEOne year (12 issues) only $65.00


Support independent Indigenous news media!

Subscribe to Windspeaker today!1-800-661-5469

Email: [email protected]


FSIN calls for consultationson proposed waterdiversion project

The Federation ofSaskatchewan Indian Nationsis calling on the Water SecurityAgency to put on hold theproposed development of theKutwawagan Creek waterdiversion project. FSIN wantsa full study of any potentialimpacts to First Nationscommunities completed andthe province to undertakeproper consultation andaccommodation. There are 16First Nations within the regionof the Quill Lakes, LastMountain Lake and LowerQu’Appelle Valley, whosetreaty and inherent hunting,fishing, trapping and gatheringrights could be directlyimpacted by the project. “TheSaskatchewan governmentshould not proceed withouthaving the proper informationand a plan to mitigate anyimpacts this project wouldhave on the rights of theseFirst Nations,” said FSIN Vice-Chief Bobby Cameron. Theproposed Kutawagan Creekdiversion project includesconstruction of a bermisolating Big Quill Lake fromthe area to the southwest. The

project also proposes toconstruct a channel and outletstructure by the natural spillpoint. The project is designedto divert water from enteringBig Quill by isolating theKutawagan Creek region fromBig Quill Lake and providingan outlet towards LastMountain Lake. Water flowingsouth from the project wouldbe from the Kutawagan Creekarea, which has lower salinitythan that of Big Quill Lake. TheFSIN will be requesting ameeting between the WSAand the affected First Nationsto discuss the issues.

Transwest Air donatesflights to Fond Du LacDenesuline First Nationstudents

In recognition of its 15thanniversary, Transwest Air hasdonated 53 flights to PrinceAlbert to post-secondarystudents and their familiesfrom Fond Du Lac DenesulineFirst Nation. “One clearstruggle that northerners faceis that to attend post-secondary education, theymust leave their homes andcommunity for significantperiods of time,” Transwest Airexecutive vice-president

Garrett Lawless said in astatement.

“Understandably, this isvery difficult emotionally andfinancially, and this is why sofew in the north achieve this.”Transwest Air decided tocelebrate its anniversary bydonating flights to Fond DuLac First Nation because ofthe strength of the relationshipbetween them, according toTranswest Air. The airlinecompany operates 35 aircraftof different types flying routesacross the province. Theairline is known for charterflights and service to northerncommunities and mines.

Métis leaders proposesolution to impasse

Some Métis Nation-Saskatchewan officials arehoping many of the estimated46,000 people, who self-identified as Métis in the lastcensus, will come toSaskatoon for a generalassembly meeting to expresstheir support for theresumption of theorganization’s governanceprocess, which has been onhold for five years, andpressure politicians –particularly president Robert

Doucette and vice-presidentGerald Morin – to stop the in-fighting. It is hoped that thismeeting will lead to setting adate for a Métis NationLegislative Assembly. Thepush to take action follows aruling in early September byCourt of Queen’s BenchJustice Brian Scherman thatMNS president RobertDoucette failed to prove thatother members of the council,including Morin, ignored acourt order to call a MétisLegislative Assembly. MNSlocal presidents Bryan Leeand Kelvin Roy, who arespearheading the Septembermeeting, said they would alsolike to see the creation of aMétis court to adjudicatedisputes. Lee estimatedroughly $500,000 has beenspent fighting aboutgovernance in variousprovincial courts. MNS haslost its federal funding, as itsconstitution states twolegislative assembles are tobe held annually.

Women recognized in specialawards

The Federation ofSaskatchewan Indian Nationshosted its first Strength of OurWomen awards in Saskatoon

on Sept. 10, honouring 12women in categories thatinclude arts andentertainment, business,culture and spirituality,education, environment,health/wellness, law/justice,leadership/advocacy, lifetimeachievement, matriarch,sports, and youth. More than50 women were nominated.The awards were a way toshowcase the contributionsIndigenous women make totheir communities whilecontinuing to foster a sense ofpride within themselves. “OurFirst Nations leadership hasbeen looking for ways tocelebrate our women,” saidFSIN interim Chief KimberlyJonathan. “We are alwaysthinking of ways to uphold ourwomen and I think this is oneof the best ways to bringpeople together andorganizations together and tolift the women up.” The fundsraised from the awards galaare to be used for initiativesthat support the families ofmissing and murderedIndigenous women and otherrelated Saskatchewan FirstNations Women Councilstrategies.

Compiled by Shari Narine

Find even morecareer opportunities online

exclusively at:www.ammsa.com


By Shari NarineSweetgrass ContributingEditor

MASKWACIS

For the past six years, ChiefWilton Littlechild has crossedthe country from coast-to-coast-to-coast listening toresidential school survivors andtheir descendants. The result ofthose hearings, both private andpublic, was 94 calls to actionreleased by the Truth andReconciliation Commission asits final act in early June.

Three months after theconclusion of the TRC, thewords of survivors stay withLittlechild.

Littlechild was one of threemembers of the TRC, thesecond commission struck in2009 when the initial TRCcrumbled. He was joined on thecommission by Dr. MarieWilson, whose husbandattended residential school, andchair Justice Murray Sinclair,whose grandparents andparents attended residentialschool.

For Littlechild residentialschool was firsthand livedexperience. He attended three

over the course of 14 years buteven that didn’t prepare him forthe horror stories he heard.

“I knew about the abusebecause I lived it, but I didn’tknow about the serious depthof abuse across the country. Isaw it, I felt it, but when wewent across the country withthe hearings, it really opened upmy eyes as to the seriousnessof the situation, because of theseriousness of the depth of theabuse on children,” he said.

What also surprisedLittlechild was the depth of theconsequences of the abuse. Hesays he expected his time on theTRC to be solely a “historicalreview.” But soon he came torealize that the impact of theabuse suffered by residentialschool survivors permeatedevery aspect of Indigenoussociety.

“The more we heard from thewider audience, the more thefocus kind of grew to look atthematically on health,thematically on education,leadership, treaties, justicesystem, on other areas,” he said.

The result was 94 calls toaction that took a holisticapproach to the needs.

“We framed our report to

address those themes. It grewbeyond my expectations forsure, but in a good way. I thinkwe heard from some verysound, solid advice from notonly survivors but ordinarycitizens on how to improve ourrelationships,” said Littlechild.

The TRC released its 360-page executive summary inearly June to much publicattention. Littlechild admits heis concerned about the future ofthe work. But he is hopeful thatthe unique approach the TRCtook to the situation will meannot leaving the report on a shelf.

“One of the reasons I thinkprevious commissions sufferedthat fate in a way, is becausethey had too manyrecommendations or they weretoo costly or they were calledrecommendations. Andsometimes in terms of assessand follow up, the easiest thingto set aside is arecommendation. That’s whywe called it a call to actionÖcallto action for all of us to worktogether. It’s a differentapproach,” he said.

Already, Littlechild says heis seeing response to those callsto action. A growing number ofprovincial and territorial

governments are implementingcurriculum changes in theschools. Universities havebegun to take steps todecolonize post-secondaryeducation. Many municipalgovernments have focused onthe calls to action that directlyimpact their work. Churchesand faith groups, and not onlythe ones who were signatoriesto the Indian ResidentialSchool Settlement Agreement,have taken steps towardreconciliation.

“I’m more encouraged bywhat I see already, thecommitments of differentsegments of society, andleadership particularly, makingcommitments publicly thatthey’re going to Ö take these(calls to action) and implementthem,” said Littlechild.

With the TRC nowconcluded, Littlechild hasreturned to his homecommunity of Maskwacis topractise law. But what he haslearned through the TRC willstay with him and he pledgesto continue to move hiscommunity towardsimplementing the calls toaction.

And he takes away something

much deeper with him from histime on the TRC.

“The rich blessing I receivedfrom it was to begin my ownhealing, my own personalhealing, because I think it startswith me, it starts with usindividually and that’s a reallybig healing I received frombeing a commissioner, apersonal impact in a good wayon me. I’ve grown from itrichly. I’ve healed from a largeextent by sharing the pain andthe stories but also celebratedthe positive outcomes ofresidential school. Because it’snot all bad. I think we need toensure that the information isthe truth, the whole truth, notjust the negative truth but thepositive truth. And when I waslistening to fellow survivors talkabout the good things, about thegood days they had in school,it lifted me up because, yes, Iwas there, too. The positiveexperience really encouragedme to continue in my ownhealing journey. So it was a verypositive, painful at times, verydifficult emotionally, shed a lotof tears but had a lot of laughs,too, in terms of uplifting spirits.I’m thankful for that,” saidLittlechild.

Littlechild felt survivors’ stories deeply

First Nations, Métis and Inuit teachings and culture were showcased during NAIT’s annual Aboriginal Culture Day on Sept. 21, 2015. The day began witha traditional tipi raising ceremony, led by Cree Elders-in-Residence Walter Bonaise and Alsena White. Activities continued throughout the day, including astew and bannock feast.

PHOTO: HAZEL MARTIAL


Tanya Tagaq: Nanook of theNorth

In a live concert with film,Polaris prize-winning TanyaTagaq fuses her voice with othermusical talents to create amesmerizing and originalsoundscape for thecontroversial 1922 silent filmNanook of the North in order toportray Inuit culture in acontemporary new light. Tagaq’spowerful throat singingcombines with violinist JesseZubot, percussionist JeanMartin, and composer DerekCharke’s original score. Theproduction takes place Oct. 9and 10 at the MargaretGreenham Theatre at the BanffCentre.

Seven Indigenous candidatesin federal election

Six ridings will offer votersIndigenous candidates tochoose from. The only ridingwith two Aboriginal candidateson the ballot is the northernriding of Lakeland where NDPcandidate Duane Zaraska willface off against Liberalcandidate Garry Parenteau.Both men are Métis and activein local Métis politics. Parenteauis the only Indigenous candidatethe Liberals are running inAlberta. Joining Zaraska on theNDP slate are KatherineSwampy (Battle River-Crowfoot), Aaron Paquette(Edmonton Manning), MelodyLepine (Fort McMurray-ColdLake), Fritz Bitz (Edmonton-Wetaskiwin), and CameronAlexis (Peace River-Westlock).The Assembly of First Nationshas identified 51 ridings acrossthe country in which FirstNations voters can make adifference. In Alberta, the AFNhas singled out Edmonton-Griesbach.

Body identified as missingwoman

A body of a woman found bya fisherman along the shore ofthe Oldman River Reservoir atthe Windy Point campground onSept. 13 has been identified asVictoria Joanne Crow Shoe, 43.Crow Shoe, a resident ofLethbridge, was reportedmissing to Lethbridge RegionalPolice Service on Sept.15. Shewas last seen by her family onAug. 26. An autopsy confirmedher identity and her next-of-kinwas notified by the RCMP. TheRCMP is seeking help from thepublic in the investigation intoher whereabouts from Aug. 26to Sept. 13.

CPS, divers search pond forclues in Crowshoe homicide

Over a year after ColtonJames Crowshoe’s body wasfound floating in the retentionpond off Stoney Trail in Calgary,city police have yet to laycharges in the homicide. OnSept. 14, Calgary Police Serviceand the Calgary FireDepartment aquatics teamreturned to the pond to searchfor additional evidence.Crowshoe, 18, was located inthe pond on July 24, 2014, aftera passerby called 911 reportinga body in the water. Crowshoehad been reported missing afterbeing last seen by friends in theAbbeydale area of northeastCalgary, sometime between2:30 a.m. and 4 a.m., on July 4,2014. Two days before,Crowshoe had been arrestedand charged with trespassingand break and enter. Familymembers reported him missinga few days after he was lastseen. A missing person’s newsrelease was not issued until July22. Two days later his body wasfound. Crowshoe’s familycharged racism against CPS inits handling of the matter. Alberta

PHOTO: COURTESY OF TANYA TAGAQ

h(Continued on page 19.)


By Paula E. KirmanSweetgrass Writer

EDMONTON

A newly created position atthe Inner City Pastoral Ministryis reaching out to theAboriginal population.

“As a Cree woman, I seemyself and my role in the

ICPM as an oskapew to PastorRick (Chapman) as well as theinner city community,” saidMichelle Nieviadomy.

ICPM is aninterdenominational Christianoutreach that meets in theBissell Centre in downtownEdmonton.

The position of oskapew,meaning “helper” in Cree, “was

created in response to the needto develop more fullyAboriginal/non-Aboriginalrelations with in the inner cityand wider faith community ofEdmonton,” said Chapman,director of ICPM.

As nearly half of the peopleICPM is in contact with areAboriginal, the ICPM felt theposition would be a fitting

response to the Truth andReconciliation Commission’scall to forward relationsbetween Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal within thecommunity, says Chapman.

Nieviadomy was involvedwith ICPM prior to taking upher new position.

“In my own desire to find afaith community, I was drawnto the Sunday service at theBissell. Quite simply, I startedto attend church which thenturned into some volunteering.From that, dialogue betweenPastor Rick and myself aboutthe possibility of having a rolespecifically focusing on theIndigenous community whichcompletely aligns with my ownfaith,” she said.

Nieviadomy duties as anoskapew include being presentat ICPM’s Sunday services andhelping in a number ofcapacities, including writingand presenting sermons. Oncea month, Nieviadomy alsoleads the Standing Stonesservice, which is stepped inAboriginal traditions.

“It is a beautiful service donein the Four Directions.Standing Stones honours theIndigenous way of expressingone’s faith,” she said. Theservice always begins withsmudging and Nieviadomysings some drum songs, as wellas and sharing stories andteachings.

“I also have the opportunityto build bridges ofunderstanding aroundIndigenous justice issues withthe wider churchcommunities,” she said. “I

believe our Indigenous way oflife, teachings, and voice is agift to the wider community,not just to the Indigenouscommunity.”

Nieviadomy has had apositive reception from theinner city Aboriginalpopulation.

“The Aboriginal communityis delighted with Michelle’spresence, with many comingforward to offering to sharesomething of their story andspiritual life. The widercommunity is also very muchdesirous of Michelle’s presenceas there is a strong desire withinthe faith community to learn,reconcile, and heal. Michelle isable to move freely in bothcommunities with comfort,”said Chapman.

The oskapew position hasbeen contracted until the end of2015, with the possibility offurther growth being explored.It is not a full-time position forNieviadomy, who graduatedwith the BA in Social Sciencesat Kings University Collegeand is the assistant director ofthe Edmonton Native HealingCentre. She also has her ownbusiness, Iskwew Health andWellness, through which sheteaches fitness classes.

However, ICPM holds aspecial place for her.

“It is an absolute honour. Tobe able to work with PastorRick who is truly for thecommunity and the people, hasbeen inspiring! The team alsoexemplifies such love and carefor the inner city community -they are the true heroes!” shesaid.

Helper works with inner city ministry to reachAboriginal population

Michelle Nieviadomy is an oskapew (helper) to Pastor Rick Chapman at Inner City PastoralMinistry

PHOTO:PAULA E. KIRMAN


Serious Incident ResponseTeam launched an investigationwhich has yet to conclude. “Ourinvestigators continue tomaintain close contact with thefamily and the First Nationscommunity oversight individual,who was appointed to monitorthe ASIRT investigation,” saidASIRT spokesperson LynnNeufeld in an email toSweetgrass.

Missing, murdered Indigenouspeople highlight of twogatherings

Edmonton will be host to twogatherings focusing onmurdered and missingIndigenous people. The Spiritsof our Sisters Gathering takesplace Sept. 28 to 30, co-hostedby Alexander First Nation andOnion Lake Cree Nation.Presentations will includeexamination of Indigenoushistory including colonialism, thesixties scoop, and child welfare,and educating delegates aboutintergenerational trauma. “A lotof people don’t understand whyIndigenous people are the waythey are today,” said KarenMcCarthy, event organizer.Then, from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2,Edmonton Police Service, alongwith a handful of otherorganizations, is hosting“Exploring Challenges/CreatingSolutions: supporting families ofmurdered and missing persons.”Keynote speaker is Dr. DawnLavell-Harvard, president of theNative’s Women’s Associationof Canada. She will present onthe challenges Aboriginal

women and girls face, frompoverty and predators tosystemic oppression andracism. The conferenceexplores and discusses thepromising practices/availableresources; program/policyinnovations; and protocols andstrategies for supporting familiesof missing or murdered persons,with special emphasis onproviding culturally safe servicesto Indigenous communities. Theintent for sessions is to supportthe outcomes of the currentresearch undertaken by AlbertaJustice and Solicitor Generaland other provincial initiatives inCanada. These provincialinitiatives provide a frameworkfor developing consistent qualityresponses delivered in aculturally safe manner toIndigenous families who havelost loves ones.

Grand Chiefs concerned aboutcarding on Edmonton streets

Police carding will be on theagenda when Grand Chiefsmeet in October, says Treaty 8Grand Chief Steve Courtoreille,and Edmonton police Chief RodKnecht will be invited to addressconcerns. Both Courtoreille andTreaty 6 Grand Chief TonyAlexis say they are concernedby a CBC story that indicatespolice are singling outAboriginals and other racialgroups for carding on thestreets. Courtoreille saidrandom street checks inEdmonton erode trust. He isencouraging people to knowtheir rights, which include nothaving to answer questions orshow identification. He also says

they should take down thebadge number of the officer and,if they are mistreated, to lodgea complaint with the grandchiefs. Courtoreille says abalance must be struck thatkeeps the public safe while notalienating disenfranchisedpeople.

Blue Quills honours ancestorsthrough name change

The Blue Quills First NationsCollege has a new name anddesignation: Universitynuhelot’i(ne thaiyots’i(nistameyim‚kanak Blue Quills.Direction came at the annualgeneral meeting last Decemberto change the school fromcollege to university, andthrough a community-basedprocess a name that honouredthe ancestors, languages, andhistory was arrived at. Since1971, Blue Quills governingboard has committed toadvancing educationalopportunities in the region bydeveloping certificate, diplomaand degree programs supportedby research excellence in theareas of indigenous knowledgeand language. Blue Quills hasdemonstrated responsibleacademic leadership through itsaccreditation with the NationalIndigenous Accreditation Boardand a reciprocal relationshipwith the World IndigenousHigher Education Consortium,as well as the development ofits own bachelor, master anddoctoral degrees and severalinitiatives with public institutions.The name change will becelebrated with a round dancein December.

Jasper, and introducesparticipants to essentialprotocols to open goodrelationships, avoidinappropriate conduct, analyzehistorical impacts, andunderstand the roles of maleand female Elders. Three of thefour remaining core courses willalso be held in Jasper, betweenNovember 2015 and April 2016.The need to develop healthyand respectful relationshipsbetween industry/governmentstakeholders and Indigenouspeoples has been highlighted bythe Truth and ReconciliationCommission’s calls to action.“We all share the responsibilityof bringing the TRCrecommendations to fruition,”said Debra Pozega Osburn,vice-president of universityrelations.


U of A, CFAR launch certificateprogram

The University of Alberta’sfaculty of extension haspartnered with the Circle forAboriginal Relations to launchits Aboriginal community-industry relations certificateprogram.

Through land-based coursestaught by Indigenous scholarsand Elders, the program willprovide learners with theopportunity to develop a deeperunderstanding of Indigenousworldviews and the ways inwhich differing views mayimpact relationship-building andengagement, establishing thefoundation for successfulnegotiations that benefit allparties. The first course of thecertificate, “History andWorldview,” begins on Oct. 4 in

Alberta Sweetgrass...now a regular section in Windspeaker!

Subscribe today!1-800-661-5469 • Email: [email protected]

(Continued from page 17.)


Manitoba Pipestone: Special Section providing news from ManitobaProtest for floodcompensation holds up traffic

Traffic was held up onHighway 6 near Fairford on theafternoon of Sept. 15 by chiefs,community members andstudents. They gathered toprotest the Manitobagovernment’s commitment of$495 million to flood mitigationin the area but its failure tosecure permanent homes forthe about 1,900 people whoremain displaced by floodingfour years ago. In July, theprovince announced plans tobuild a second outlet channelfrom Lake Manitoba to Lake St.Martin and for the currentchannel to be enlarged. Thegroup wants flood claims andcompensation for the evacueessorted out before constructionon the flood channel begins.“Before half a billion dollars isspent on a diversion in theInterlake, every man, womanand Elder needs to be broughthome to a safe community,”said Assembly of ManitobaChiefs Grand Chief DerekNepinak. A statement releasedby Manitoba on Sept. 15, saysin part, “The province has setaside $100 million as part of acomprehensive settlementpackage and resettlementagreements have been signedwith the four affected FirstNations. Part of theresettlement process ismitigating the effects ofpossible future floods.” Thestatement said that discussionswith First Nations for solutionsare ongoing.

First Nations family advocatesays children, families needto be election priorities

Cora Morgan, Assembly ofManitoba Chiefs’ First Nationsfamily advocate, says familiesand children will be pushed asa priority leading up to nextmonth’s federal election andthe upcoming provincialelection in spring. “We’re goingto be doing a campaign wherewe ask people to vote forchildren and to have thepolitical parties have the issueof children welfare in theirprovince at the forefront of theirminds when they’re going topolls and we’re hoping that willbe part of the platforms for thethree parities we haveprovincially,” said Morgan. Of11,000 children in care in theprovince, 87 per cent areAboriginal. To put that figureanother way, says Morgan,Manitoba, with a population of1.2 million, saw 388 newbornbabies taken into care last year,while Alberta with a populationof 4.4 million, had 155newborns taken. Said Morgan,“Somehow we’re a quarter thesize but we have more thandouble the amount of newbornchildren apprehended.”

UWinnipeg increasesIndigenous numbers

For the fall 2015 semester,the proportion of self-identifyingIndigenous students enrolled atthe University of Winnipeg roseto 12 per cent, up from 10 percent the previous year. Thetotal number of studentsenrolled at the university standsat 9,487 and the UWinnipeg isclaiming one of the highestproportions of First Nations,Metis and Inuit students inCanada. The OpportunityFund, which offers a range of

financial incentives toIndigenous students, as well asto†new Canadians andrefugees, including tuitioncredits and bursaries, isbelieved to be a contributingfactor to higher numbers.

Members appointed to newboard to advise city policy

The Indigenous Council onPolicing and Crime Prevention,which was established byresolution last December bythe Winnipeg Police Board, hasfinally had members appointed.The council’s mandate is toprovide information, knowledgeand advice to the board relatedto Indigenous people’s safetyconcerns and the priorities,objectives and policies theboard sets for the WinnipegPolice Service. Consultationwith the Indigenous communityand nominations led to theappointment of 15 membersand two alternates. Amongthose on the council areBernadette Smith, aspokesperson locally,nationally and internationallyon the issue of missing andmurdered Indigenous womenand the co-founder of Drag theRed initiative; DamonJohnston, president of theAboriginal Council of Winnipeg;Shauna Fontaine, violenceprevention and safetycoordinator for the SouthernChiefs Organization; and, CoraMorgan, the new Assembly ofManitoba Chiefs’ First Nationsfamily advocate.

Manto Sipi Cree Nation beginslegal action against province

The Manto Sipi Cree Nationfiled a statement of claim Sept.

9 in the Manitoba Court ofQueen’s Bench against theprovince of Manitoba. Theclaim centres on the failure ofthe province to resolveoutstanding mining claims thatencumber ancestral landsselected by the First Nation andthat should be acquired andconverted to reserve land.Manto Sipi Cree Nation allegesthat Manitoba failed to upholdthe honour of the Crown andto properly implement the FirstNation’s outstanding treatyland entitlement under TreatyNo. 5. “We have tried to resolvethis dispute with Manitoba byother means but we have beenforced to now file this claim.The honour of the Crownrequires the province toimplement our agreement in afair and equitable way. If weneed the courts to remind theprovince, then so be it,” saidChief Michael Yellowback.

Sinclair recognized forleading work with TRC

Justice Murray Sinclair isthe recipient of the†Universityof Winnipeg’s 2015 Duff RoblinAward. Sinclair was awardedan honourary Doctor of Lawsfrom UWinnipeg in 2011recognizing his distinguishedcareer and life devoted topublic service. Sinclair wasappointed chair of the Truth andReconciliation Commission in2009, and in this ground-breaking role, created the firstcomprehensive report on theIndian residential schoolsystem in Canada. “I am veryhonored to receive thisrecognition, but I share thishonor with all those who hadthe courage and conviction toshare their stories about the

residential schools,” saidSinclair. “It is my great hopethat the work I have been a partof will continue as we moveforward towards a sharedfuture that acknowledges theculture and the rights of allpeoples in Canada.” As atribute to Sinclair, the work ofthe TRC, and the manyparticipants who shared theirexperiences, the 2015 DuffRoblin Award Dinner will becentred on the themes of “Thisreconciliation matters to me”and “What can I do?” Theinaugural Duff Roblin Awardwas named in honor of andpresented to businessman andpolitician Duff Roblin in 2007.This award recognizes arecipient’s qualities as anoutstanding Manitoban, apatron of education, andsomeone who demonstratesexemplary citizenship and life-long commitment tocommunity.

North Wilson new MKO grandchief

Former television reporterSheila North Wilson is the newgrand chief for ManitobaKeewatinowi Okimakanak.North Wilson, of BunibonibeeCree Nation, beat William ElvisThomas of NisichawayasihkCree Nation, in a second ballotafter Tyler Duncan of NorwayHouse Cree Nation withdrew.The vote was held Sept. 2 inNelson House. IncumbentDavid Harper, who was seekinghis third term, finished last aftera first ballot of voting. The 30sovereign MKO First Nationsare signatory to Treaties 4, 5,6 and 10.



Health WatchNew textbook gives Indigenous perspectives on health

Post-secondary students across Canada will benefit from aground-breaking new textbook on Indigenous health createdin part by two University of Northern British Columbiaprofessors. Doctors Margo Greenwood and Sarah de Leeuw,co-editors, have gathered perspectives and experiences ofIndigenous people around the country to provide an in-depthlook at the realities of health and healthcare in Aboriginalcommunities. The new textbook, Determinants of IndigenousPeoples’ Health in Canada: Beyond the Social, published thissummer, seeks to move academic discussion beyondestablished social health determinants, such as income andeducation, to help explore impacts of other factors, includingcolonization and colonialism, environment, geography, andculture. “(This textbook) fills a huge gap of information in theCanadian health education landscape, offering students agreatly expanded opportunity to critically think about Indigenouspatient care and hopefully apply this knowledge to their futurepractice,” said Greenwood, a professor of education and FirstNations studies at UNBC and vice-president of Aboriginal healthat the Northern Health Authority. The book featurescontributions from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis writers, withchapters ranging from scholarly papers by Aboriginal Healthresearch experts to reflective essays by Indigenous leadersand insights on well-being shared through communitymembers.

Inner city living can result in cardiovascular risksA paper recently published in the Canadian Journal of

Cardiology suggests that inner-city living may affect anindividual’s risk of developing or dying from cardiovasculardisease. Some residents of inner-city neighbourhoods haveadopted sedentary lifestyles and poor diets due to a lack ofgrocery stores, limited green space and transportation options,fewer recreation centres and high rates of violent crime. Thesefactors can contribute to heart disease, heart failure, strokeand cardiac death. Inner-city neighbourhoods are characterizedby an above-average concentration of residents who areunemployed, sick or disabled, living in poor-quality housing,working full-time on low pay, or single parents. “You can try todevelop programs that target marginalized individuals, but thechallenge is that you also have to also think about theenvironment and consider the social world that the person livesin that also has an effect on them,” said the paper’s author Dr.Stephen Hwang, director for the Centre for Research on InnerCity Health of St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. Mobile clinics,health coaching and case management approaches havedemonstrated some success in improving cardiovascularoutcomes in individuals, but Hwang said further research intocommunity-wide interventions in disadvantagedneighbourhoods is needed.

Chinese traditional medicine delivered to reserveDoctors who practise traditional Chinese medicine were in

Sumas First Nation in Abbotsford on Sept. 19 to providecommunity health consultations. Tzu Chi Canada, the localbranch of the Buddhist non-profit based in Taiwan, opened thefirst clinic focusing on the First Nations community about twoyears ago in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Since then, twomore clinics have opened in the Downtown Eastside. Doctorshold eight-hour sessions once a week at the three First Nationclinics, spending about 45 minutes with each patient. Tzu ChiCanada is a donor to the Aboriginal Mother Centre in Vancouver.

Historical sterilization of Indigenous women morewidespread than previously believed

A recently released report gleaned from archival researchindicates that the coercive sterilization of Indigenous womenin Canadian health centres during the 1970s was morewidespread than previously believed. Karen Stote, a women’sstudies professor at Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, saysimpoverished communities in the north were disproportionatelytargeted. Nearly 1,200 sterilization cases—including more than550 at federally operated “Indian” hospitals between 1971 and1974—were undertaken by force or fraud. Stote’s researchindicates that coerced sterilizations of Indigenous people inparts of Canada continued until at least 1974, despite claimsby the Canadian Museum for Human Rights that most provincesended the practise in 1972. Stote said Indigenous people weretargeted for a number of reasons: eugenics, the idea of racialsuperiority, the need to reduce certain traits from the population,and the federal government’s desire to reduce their populationto lessen the state’s responsibilities under treaties it had signedwith Indigenous groups. Stote’s findings have been publishedin “An Act of Genocide: Colonialism and Sterilization ofAboriginal Women.” Only Alberta has apologized and paidcompensation for past sterilization campaigns on peopleconsidered mentally challenged and other disadvantagedgroups, including Indigenous people. Forced or coercivesterilization has been deemed a form of discrimination, violenceagainst women, and a violation of basic human rights by theUnited Nations.

[ health ]Compiled by Shari NarineMembers of remote Ontario

First Nation appeal forcancer facilityBy Cara McKennaWindspeaker Contributor

TORONTO

Members of a northwesternOntario First Nation have madea plea to the province’s cancercare elite for help to remotecommunities that consider thedisease a death sentence.

Cat Lake First Nation ChiefRussell Wesley said hiscommunity northwest of SiouxLookout has seen 11 cancer-related deaths in recent years andmembers are unable to getproper screening and treatment.

Ontario Regional ChiefIsadore Day introduced the CatLake members at an event at aToronto hotel on Sept. 10launching the third tier ofCancer Care Ontario’sAboriginal cancer strategy.

Community member JoyceWesley told the crowd of leaders

from medical and Indigenouscommunities that there is adesperate need for a cancerfacility in Sioux Lookout tobenefit 26 communities thatmust currently travel toHamilton or Toronto forhealthcare.

“In Ontario there are twodifferent worlds: drive-inreserves and remotecommunities,” she said.

“(In remote communities),once you’re diagnosed withcancer, it’s a death sentence foryou.”

Wesley said she believes peopleare getting sick in part becauseof chemicals in the environmentfrom forestry work.

Alethea Kewayosh, CancerCare Ontario’s director ofAboriginal cancer control, saidfixing cancer care in remotecommunities is a process, andthat a separate plan is beingcustomized for the province’s

northwest.She said the agency is working

with other cancer care agenciesand trying to improve screening,education, prevention andpalliative and supportive care.

Kewayosh said environmentalconcerns are rampant inOntario’s remote communities,which is why Cancer CareOntario plans to put more of afocus on research.

“We’re very much aware of theunique needs of ourcommunities up north,” shesaid.

“I’m very committed to seeingwhat we can do to address thosegaps but it’s not going to happenovernight.”

Chief Day said it scares himthat northwestern communitiesconsider cancer a death sentenceand is hopeful the problem canstart being resolved.

“We all have a part in this,”he said.

By Andrea D. SmithWindspeaker Contributor

EDMONTON

When Josh Alexis got theopportunity to help KarenMcCarthy plan an upcomingthree-day conference onmurdered and missingIndigenous women, he jumpedon board.

Alexis felt McCarthy was“going about it the right way,”and after his community ofAlexis Nakota Sioux Nationrecently had two women gomissing—including a familymember of his—he can relate tothe cause. But he remindspeople not to stereotype, as notall murdered and missingAboriginal women haveaddictions issues or live on thestreet.

“Misty (Potts Sanderson) wasa smart woman… a highlyeducated woman, and active incultural ways. When you wantto have drum practice, she’s notthere… when you want to askfor environmental advice, she’snot there,” he said of how theloss affected him. “There’s griefin everything about your life…because the dynamics aredifferent in First Nationscommunities. Everybody isintertwined.”

The Alexis Nakota SiouxNation has teamed up withOnion Lake Cree Nation tocohost The Spirit of our SistersGathering on murdered andmissing Indigenous women.

The event will take place Sept.28-30 in Edmonton.

“I had to go through my ownissues, growing up with addictedfamily members and poverty,and I managed to go to school,and raise my kid withoutaddictions,” said McCarthy, acoordinator for the event. “I’vefound myself in situations whereI could have ended up as amissing and murderedIndigenous woman, so theseissues are really close to homeand that’s why I think if we worktogether we can understandthem.”

McCarthy first realized theneed for the event after hearinglast spring that Canada had sentaid to Nigeria for kidnappedschool children. She found itdisturbing that Harper wouldsend aid overseas while showinglittle concern for the missingand murdered Indigenouswomen issue in his own country.

She then gained the supportof notables like former Chief ofthe Assembly of First NationsOvide Mercredi, Assembly ofManitoba Grand Chief DerekNepinak, former Chief ofDriftpile First Nation andactivist Rose Laboucan, andAFN Alberta Regional ChiefCraig Mackinaw, establishingtwo steering committees, anadvisory council, and a panel ofFirst Nations Elders.

“It’s open to anybody as longas they register and pay the fee.But the families (of victims)don’t pay, they are sponsoredand invited to come. It’s not just

MMIW conference toprovide way forward

targeted to Aboriginal peoplebecause the issue needs to besupported and worked on fromall areas,” said McCarthy.

While some politicians haveregistered, the intention is notpolitical, said McCarthy. Thethree-day event is organized intoa variety of themes that willopen up discussion about howand why Indigenous womenhave gone missing, anddetermine what can be doneabout it.

“We’re looking atpresentations that go back intoour history like colonialism, thesixties scoop, and child welfare,and educating delegates aboutintergenerational trauma,” shesaid. “A lot of people don’tunderstand why Indigenouspeople are the way they aretoday.”

Speakers include Dr. GaborMate, a Vancouver-based doctorand author of popular addictionspsychology book, In the Realmof Hungry Ghosts. He will followpresentations on residentialschools, and relating eye-opening information about thelink between childhood traumaand addictions in adulthood,said McCarthy.

At the end of the conference,McCarthy hopes to write a finalreport based on the findings.

“We’ll be dialoguing solutionsand action planning… If we cantake information from thisgathering and move forward, wecan bring it to another regionand continue gathering,” shesaid.


[ sports ]

By Sam LaskarisWindsperaker Contributor

TORONTO

The summer of 2017 mayseem far away, but not forofficials from the AboriginalSport and Wellness Council ofOntario (ASWCO) who needsto prepare numerous details inorder to host the NorthAmerican Indigenous Games(NAIG) that year.

This past June, the NAIGBoard of Directors awarded the2017 Games to Toronto, in a bidthat was led by ASWCO and theMississaugas of New Credit FirstNation.

ASWCO president MarcLaliberte said there is still plentyof work to do, even now, toprepare for the Games.

The Number 1 priority fororganizers is to firm up somefunding. Organizers believe itwill cost $10 million to properlyrun the Games.

So far the Ontario governmenthas offered $3.5 million infunding, but that’s only if thisamount will be matched,preferably, by the federalgovernment.

ASWCO officials findthemselves in a holding positionin their attempt to securefunding from the Canadiangovernment.

“We’re in the middle of afederal election year so we don’tknow who we will be dealingwith (after the Oct. 19election),” Laliberte said.

The Canadian governmenthad provided $3.5 million infunding for both the 2008 and2014 NAIG, which were held inCowichan, B.C. and Regina,respectively. This funding wasmatched by the B.C. andSaskatchewan governmentswhen the games were in their

province.The NAIG are supposed to

rotate between Canada and theU.S. every three years. But sincean American bid was notsubmitted, AWSCO decided tostep up and submit a bid for2017.

There is a funding frameworkin place which sees the federalgovernment matching provincialfigures for NAIG. But since thenext Canadian games wereoriginally supposed to be stagedin 2020, ASWCO officials havemade a special request seekingfederal funding earlier thananticipated.

“We can’t afford not to havethese Games,” Laliberte said. “Ifwe don’t host it, nobody else willstep up to do it.”

ASWCO officials are hopingto have some answers soon afterthe federal election.

“We do have 22 months(before the Games are held) butwe need to show that we have ourfunding in place by the newyear,” Laliberte said.

The Mississaugas of NewCredit First Nation will also beproviding some funding for theGames. But the amount has yetto be finalized.

One of the most positivethings going for those runningthe 2017 NAIG is that the PanAmerican and Parapan AmericanGames were held in Toronto andsurrounding communities thissummer. Several new facilitieswere built for those Games.

And the plan is to utilize anumber of these venues for theNAIG.

“These will be some of the bestfacilities these young athletes willever be exposed to,” Lalibertesaid.

Scott McRoberts, who is partof the NAIG planningcommittee and is spearheadingthe logistics and operations

Sports BriefsCompiled by Sam Laskaris

NHL Draft Pick Leaves GameIt remains to be seen whether Rylan Pilon’s hockey career is

over.Earlier this summer, it appeared the 18-year-old Metis, who

is from Duck Lake, Sask., had a bright hockey future ahead ofhim, including a possible pro career.

Pilon, a defenceman who spent the past three seasons inthe Western Hockey League, was selected in the fifth round,147th over-all, by the New York Islanders in the National HockeyLeague Entry Draft, held in late June.

But then in early September it was announced that Pilonhad left his WHL squad, the Brandon Wheat Kings, for personalreasons.

Wheat Kings’ coach/GM Kelly McCrimmon said Pilon left theorganization as he had lost his passion to play hockey. Brandonhad been counting on Pilon, who has two seasons of junioreligibility remaining, to play a key role with the squad this season.

Last year he collected 52 points (11 goals and 41 assists) in68 regular season contests with the Wheat Kings. He finishedseventh in team scoring but had the second most points amongdefencemen. Pilon joined Brandon during the 2013-14campaign, following a mid-season trade with the LethbridgeHurricanes.

Flames Sign FerlandMichael Ferland’s minor league days appear to be over. The

Calgary Flames signed the 23-year-old Cree to a two-yearcontract in early September. The deal was significant for Ferlandas it was a one-way contract, meaning the club expects him toplay in the NHL.

For Ferland, who appeared in 35 regular season and playoffcontests with Calgary last season, is gearing up for what will behis first full NHL season.

Six Nations Teams Win NationalsFor the third consecutive year at least two Six Nations

lacrosse teams managed to win national championships.In 2013 the Six Nations Chiefs captured the Mann Cup,

awarded annually to the top Canadian senior men’s team. Andthe Six Nations Rebels won the Founders Cup, presented tothe national Junior B champs.

Both the Chiefs and Rebels were able to defend their nationaltitles last year. And another club, the Six Nations Arrows, a JuniorA club, also managed to win its Canadian title, the Minto Cup.

As for this year, the Arrows were able to add another nationaltitle to their list of accomplishments. And the Six NationsRivermen, a Senior B squad, won its first national crown, thePresidents Cup.

The Arrows were able to win their Minto Cup this year athome. The team defeated British Columbia’s Coquitlam Adanacs4-2 in a best-of-seven series that was staged at the IroquoisLacrosse Arena in Ohsweken. The Arrows wrapped up the serieswith a convincing 9-4 victory in Game 6 on Aug. 29.

As for the Rivermen, they were one of eight entrants in thePresidents Cup, which was staged in St. Catharines, Ont.

The Rivermen downed the Ottawa-area Capital RegionAxemen 14-11 in the gold-medal contest, held on Sept. 5.

Price Among Indspire RecipientsMontreal Canadiens’ star goaltender Carey Price is one of

14 recipients for the 2016 Indspire Awards.Price, a member of British Columbia’s Ulkatcho First Nation,

was chosen as an award recipient through the Sports category.The Indspire Awards, which have been handed out for the

past 23 years, are the highest honour bestowed by Indigenouspeople on their own achievers.

Each year a jury selects 10 career achievement awardwinners, as well as three youth award recipients (First Nation,Metis and Inuit) and one lifetime achievement winner.

Though this year’s award recipients were announced on Sept.15, they will be honoured at the 2016 Indspire Awards gala,scheduled for Feb. 16 in Vancouver.

Price and his Montreal teammates will be in the midst of athree-game road trip then. It remains to be seen whether Pricewill attend the gala.

The Canadiens play in Arizona the night before and have agame in Colorado the following night. Price, 28, has certainlywon his share of awards this year as he had a spectacular 2014-15 campaign with the Canadiens. He led the all NHL goaltendersin three statistical categories: wins (44), goals-against average(1.96) and save percentage (.933).

For these efforts Price scooped up four trophies at the NHLAwards, held in Las Vegas in June. His hardware included theHart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player, the VezinaTrophy as best goaltender and the Ted Lindsay Award for beingthe NHL’s most outstanding player as voted on by the players.

Price also shared the William M. Jennings Trophy with CoreyCrawford of the Chicago Blackhawks. This award is presentedto the goalies on the team that allowed the fewest goals in regularseason action.

components, agrees.“They’re going to be treated

like world-class athletes,” he said.“And they deserve to be treatedlike that.”

The 2017 NAIG will mark thefirst time the event has beenstaged in an eastern Canadiancity. Numerous regionalqualifiers are expected to be heldthroughout 2016 and in theearly portions of 2017 todetermine the participants.

“They know the Games arecoming,” McRoberts said ofCanadian and American athleteswho are eligible to take part.“But I don’t think they know thespectacular facilities we’ll havehere.”

Toronto was the only citylooking to host the 2017 NAIG.

“It was not a rubberstamp,”Laliberte said of Toronto’s bidpresentation, which was held infront of NAIG Councilmembers in June in Vancouver.“We needed to present ourplan.”

Besides lining up someadditional funding, organizersmust also soon start hiring somepeople. To start off with, threekey individuals need to bebrought on board.

Positions that must be filledinclude an executive director forthe Games. An executiveassistant and a chief ofoperations must also be hired.

“We hope to have them inplace by this winter,” Lalibertesaid. “We’re not formally postingyet but we’re looking at somenames.”

There will eventually bebetween 30 to 40 people whowill be on staff for the 2017NAIG. Some of these jobs willbe filled in closer to the start ofthe Games. But it’s never tooearly to start thinking ahead.

“Twenty-two months is notthat far away,” Laliberte said.

NAIG host waits forelection results for federalfinancing

(left to right) Mekwan Tulpin, Rob Lackie, Marcia Trudeau, Marc Laliberte, Chief M. BryanLaForme, Scott McRoberts

PHOTO: SUBMITTED


[ education ]

Imagine having to get a notefrom your tribal council grandchief so your son can wear asimple Mohawk haircut toschool. Ridiculous, right?

Well, that’s what one familyhad to do in Santa Clara, Utahwhen their seven-year-old son,Jakobe, was pulled from hissecond-grade classroom when his‘do’ violated the dress code at the,ironically, named ArrowheadElementary School. (GarySanden, the father of the boy, saidhe was advised to get “a letterfrom tribal leaders to explain the

Native American tradition ofwearing Mohawks” if he wantedhis son to be allowed back to class,reported the Washington Post.

“That’s like calling up thegovernor of our state,” Sandensaid. “But I called and got theletter. My wife did too.” (Thedress code reads: “Students havethe responsibility to avoidgrooming that causes a distractionor disruption, interrupting schooldecorum and adversely affectingthe educational process. Extremesin body piercings, hair styles andhair colors may be considered a

distraction or disruption.”And because the boy’s

classmates were not used to thehairstyle—cropped short on thesides with a couple of inches leftfrom forehead to nape of neck—a distraction was caused andJakobe was pulled from class. Hisparents were told to cut his hairto “reflect the norms of thecommunity.” (But dad said thatwas just not going to happen.

“I told [the school district’ssuperintendent] I was in nomeans going to cut his hairbecause it’s a symbol of who we

Mohawk causing trouble at Utah grade schoolare,” Sanden said. The schoolneeded proof, and advised thefamily to get leadership to pen aletter. (Seneca Nation TribalCouncillor William Canellawrote: “From past centuries to themodern era, Native boys haveworn their hair in various lengthsand styles to demonstrate theirpride in their heritage. It iscommon for Seneca boys to weara Mohawk because, after years ofdiscrimination and oppression,they are proud to share who theyare. It’s disappointing that yourschool does not view diversity in

a positive manner, and it is ourhope that Jakobe does not sufferfrom any discrimination by theschool administration or facultyas a result of his hair cut.”(Arrowhead principal said she wassurprised the incident hadgarnered national attention. “Ittook about a half hour of mytime,” she said. “There’s aprotocol that we go through, andI felt like it was handled efficientlyand that we respected theirculture.” The school is locatedabout 10 miles from a Paiutesreservation.

An engineering professor atthe University ofSaskatchewan is using concepts from kayaks,tipis and the longhouse in hiscourses this year. “It’s longoverdue, I think, that we bringin some excellent examples ofFirst Nations history intoengineering,” he told the CBC.Sean Maw said there’s a lotfrom First Nations design thatengineers could learn from.“The design of watercraftacross Canada by Canada’sIndigenous peoples is awonderful example of design.You look at the canoes inOntario and Quebec, thekayaks in northern Canada, thedugouts on the west coast andeven the bull boats on the

prairies, they’re all excellentexamples of engineeringdesign.” He said the designschange dramatically dependingon water conditions and whatthe boats were used for andwhat resources were available.

Aboriginal women pursuingbusiness studies at UBC’sSauder School of Businesswill benefit from a $1-million giftfrom the family of Warren andMaureen Spitz. The SpitzFellows Program was createdin collaboration with the familyand accepted its first studentthis month. “Our hope is that theSpitz Fellows Program willcreate opportunities for womento empower themselves andsucceed in their educational,

career and life goals,” saidWarren Spitz, president andCEO, UCS Forest Group. “Ouraim is to provide the supportrecipients need to invest fully intheir studies and becomeleaders at Sauder and beyond.”The program provides up to twoSpitz Family Awards forAboriginal Women annually,with each recipient eligible toreceive $10,000 per academicyear during a bachelor ofcommerce program andadditional funds as necessary.Spitz Fellows will be invited toplay an active role at Sauder inthe Ch’nook IndigenousBusiness Education initiative, aprogram focused on promotingbusiness education inAboriginal communities.”

An assistant professor at theUniversity of Manitoba’s lawschoolhas been appointed director ofresearch for the new NationalCentre for Truth andReconciliation. Theestablishment of the newcentre, Craft explains, flowsfrom the settlement agreementarrived at from the residentialschool class actions. “Our workhere will be centered aroundpolicy changes resulting fromthe TRC, said the new directorAimée Craft, research into thelegacy impact on residentialschool survivors and theirfamilies, and larger societalrelations in terms ofreconciliation. The centre aimsto create a complete picture of

the residential school story.Craft is of Métis-Anishinaabebackground, and is a 2004graduate of the Faculty of Lawat the University of Ottawa.

Premier Christy Clarkannounced $2 million toencourage more Aboriginalstudents to pursue mastersand doctoral level degreesat public universities in BritishColumbia. “Aboriginal peopleare a vital part of BritishColumbia’s future andcontribute to our diverse,growing and strong economy,”said Premier Clark, who madethe announcement duringclosing remarks at the B.C.Cabinet-First Nations LeadersGathering in Vancouver. “These


[ careers ]


CC:




Name:

Address:

City / Town:

Province: Postal:

Discover why Windspeaker is the mostrespected Aboriginal publication in Canada.Every month Windspeaker features award-winning coverage of the news and eventsimportant to Canada's Aboriginal people.

Read news, editorials, columns, and featureson topics ranging from politics to arts andentertainment – it's all in every issue ofWindspeaker.

ORDER NOW AND SAVEOne year (12 issues) only $65.00


awards of up to $5,000 eachper year will help open doorsfor more Aboriginal masters anddoctoral students.” AboriginalMasters and Doctoral StudentAwards are available toAboriginal students studying atpublic universities in BritishColumbia. The awards aregranted through the Irving K.Barber B.C. ScholarshipSociety.

Find even morecareer opportunities

onlineexclusively at:

www.ammsa.com




[ footprints ] Basil JohnstonEditor wrote ‘Indians are passé’

on author’s manuscriptIn an era when few Aboriginal

books were written by FirstNations, Métis or Inuit authors,publishers almost rejected BasilJohnston’s first manuscripts.

Editors who read theAnishinaabe author and scholar’searly writings agreed his work wasauthentic, but feared it had nopotential market. Fortunately,Johnston struck a friendship withJack McClelland and Anna Porterof McClelland and Stewart; theysupported the 1976 printing ofhis early classic Ojibway Heritage.A commitment from the federalgovernment’s Department ofIndian Affairs (as it was thentitled) to purchase 931 copies ofthe book – $5,000 worth – sealedthe deal.

A similar lukewarm receptionmet Johnston’s 1978 offering – acollection of humorous storiescalled Moose Meat and Wild Rice.One of McClelland and Stewart’seditors recommended therejection of it partly on thegrounds that Indians were“currently passÈ.”

But Anna Porter fought for thetitle to be published, accordingto the Historical Perspectives onCanadian Publishing website.Thus began the long anddistinguished career of one ofCanada’s most successful andwidely read contemporaryAboriginal authors.

In total, the Neyaashiinigmiing(Cape Croker) First Nation writerproduced 15 books in Englishand five in Anishinaabe,including the popular IndianSchool Days, which recounts hisexperience in St. Claver’s(residential) School in northernOntario.

Johnston was so prolific, it washis store of manuscripts thathelped publisher KateriAkiwenzie-Damm, also of†Neyaashiinigmiing First Nation,to keep going when herKegedonce Press was struggling

“He was like an adopted unclewho helped us keep going duringsome dark days when thepublishing industry on the wholewas suffering, and as a publisherof Indigenous literature we werestruggling,” she explained.

“Then we realized Basil hadquite a few unpublished

By Dianne Meili

manuscripts and we knew it wasour role to ensure that as manyas possible were published. Heallowed us to publish at least oneor two of his books each year.Doing this gave us renewedpurpose and we felt a strong senseof responsibility to do what wecould to get his work out. We’llmiss Basil terribly.”

Johnston once said his favoritebook was Crazy Dave because itis about his family and his reserve.Through his masterfulstorytelling, he reveals his people’shistory via the equally hilariousand heartbreaking antics of hishandicapped Uncle David duringthe early years of the 20th centuryin Cape Croker.

In a 2006 review of CrazyDave, David Cox on Rambles.netwrote “like Roberto Benigni inthe movie Life is Beautiful,Johnston gets you to laugh beforeyou weep. One hilarious sceneturns bitter as Uncle David –astoundingly mistaken for aJapanese soldier-spy – gets beatenup and jailed by ignorant whitepeople in the tiny town ofWiarton, Ont.

“Johnston uses bitter irony (inthe book), especially whendiscussing European historythrough the eyes of hisAnishinaabe characters, one ofwhom observes ‘the civilizednations could not let bygones bebygones in a civilized manner.They had never settled theirmisunderstandings except bywar.”

When Johnston’s grandmotherhears about the Bataan DeathMarch in the Philippines, Coxwrites that she wryly remarks inthe book “the Americans did thesame to our people. It was alrightfor them to do it, but when othersdo the same thing to them it’s acrime, an atrocity.”

Through the comical antics ofUncle David, readers appreciatehe was a man who didn’t fit in.“As long as Uncle David stayedwhere he belonged and didn’tbother anyone … neighbourscould put up with him; as longas North American Indians keptthe peace and didn’t rock theboat, society could toleratethem,” Johnston wrote.

As a tireless promoter of the

Anishinaabe language, Johnstonbelieved the key to understandingculture is language, and he wastireless in his efforts to preserveit. His meticulous work resultedin an Anishinaabe lexicon andthesaurus, as well as languageaudio programs on cassette andCD.

Johnston said it was a Grade 5student who prompted him tobegin writing and reintroduce hispeople to traditions they hadabandoned or never learnedabout. In an interview inBrandon, Manitoba’s WestmanJournal, Johnston said he was aguest in the boys’ classroom in1968.

“I spoke to a young boy whosaid he was bored. The teacherput him in a little group toresearch Indians. That’s what heand his group did for five weeks.When he finished his complaint(to me) he said, ‘is that all thereis to Indians?’ Then I looked atthe books that were available tohim and his teachers. There wasno depth.”

Johnston “dove a little deeper”and began to find out about his

Basil Johnson (right)

Every single Windspeaker article ever published(well, almost)

is now available on our online archives atwww.ammsa.com

The archives are free to search and read.

people, learningthere was muchmore to their storythan hunting andfishing, foodp r e p a r a t i o n ,clothing, anddwellings. For hiswork he receivedthe Order ofOntario, theQueen’s Jubileemedal, andh o n o r a r ydoctorates from the

in 1994, he worked as anethnologist at the RoyalOntario Museum (ROM). In2009 and 2010, he was aBrandon University visitingprofessor.

In an obituary, his familyrevealed his passions beyondwriting, storytelling andlecturing, were “fiddle musicand baked beans.”

At 86 years of age, Johnstonpassed away in Wiarton onSept. 8, 2015. He leaves behindhis children Miriam, Tibby andGeoffery, as well as grandsonsJoel, Jason, David and Aaron.

University of Toronto andLaurentian University.

In 2004 he received a NationalAboriginal Achievement Award(now called Indspire) forHeritage and Spirituality.

Johnston was born in 1929 onthe Parry Island Indian Reservein Ontario. He graduated fromLoyola College in Montreal andin 1959 married his sweetheart,Lucie Desroches. He taughthistory at Earl Haig SecondarySchool in North York until 1970and lectured at various collegesand universities.

From 1970 until his retirement


By Paula E. KirmanWindspeaker Writer

EDMONTON

Playing at the Edmonton FolkMusic Festival is a dream formany local musicians and is onethat came true for singer/songwriter Ella Coyes this pastAugust.

Coyes, 18, performed as partof the School of Song, a groupof young musicians under thementorship of Rhea March.

“I’ve attended for a few years,and my mum was the first toremember me telling her that Iwould perform on that stage oneday, mostly in jest. It was a hugelearning experience and I was sohumbled by the performers,stage managers, tech crews, andthe volunteer power,” saidCoyes, who lives in SturgeonCounty.

Coyes has been writing songsfor a couple of years and hascome a long way in a shortperiod of time. Her Folk Festivalperformance was impressive forsomeone who took a music classin high school and found theexperience of singing in front ofthe entire class at the beginningof the term to be “absolutelyterrifying.” At the same time,she says that first performancemade her realize that “I loved therush, as well as the conversationthat performing creates.”

Meeting Rhea March was ahuge turning point in Coyes’emerging career. They met atCha Island, a coffee shop just offof Whyte Avenue in Edmonton,where March hosts a Sundaysong stage.

“Having a connection withRhea has not only been valuableprofessionally, but personally aswell. She’s provided guidanceand wisdom in regards to whatI call ‘the grind’ - the parts ofbeing a musician that no onereally tells you about until youexperience it firsthand. As ayoung performer and personthat has been so incrediblehelpful,” said Coyes.

Coyes’ Metis background, aswell as traditional Canadianfolk, have been strong influenceson her music.

“The Red River Jig was oneof my favourite tunes, andcontinues to be to this day,” shesaid. “Besides that, I think thatgrowing up with traditionalCanadian folk music was criticalto my way of thinking. The songwriting process is very personalto me, but once a person hearsthe music I’ve written I nolonger consider it mine in asense, and I think that camefrom growing up with Metismusic.”

Coyes would like to put out afull length album within thenext couple of years and do thefestival circuit next summer.

An emergingMétis voice on themusic scene

Ella Coyes made her debut at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival.PHOTO: SUPPLIED

windspeaker october 2015 final

Documents