Kluane First Nation

KLUANE
FIRST NATION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
MARCH 2014
The illiterate of the
21st century will not
be those who cannot read and
write, but those
who cannot learn,
unlearn and relearn.
Alvin Toffler
KFN MEMBERS FRONT AND
CENTRE ON HISTORIC DAY FOR
FIRST NATION EDUCATION
First Nation Education Commission cochair and KFN member Tosh Southwick,
advocate of the plan
IN THIS ISSUE
KEISH ELDER
NOMINATION
FOR KLUANE
2
JACQUOT HALL
3
E.D. UPDATE
4
PWMS REPORT
4
CHIEF’S
UPDATE
6,7
WIND POWER
8
ELDERS VAN
9
BYRON EDGAR
10
NATASCHAA
CHATTERTON
10
JODY STUDNEY
11
UPCOMING
EVENTS
12
&
KFN Chief Math’ieya Alatini moved the
approval of the action plan at the CYFN
leadership table.
“Our students are excelling in
both worlds, rooted with fluency
in their traditional language and
knowledge of their culture and
history, and confidently living
life side by side with others, in a
multi-lingual and multi-cultural
Yukon society. Our students are
lifelong learners and First
Nation citizens that will empower the present and future
generations.”
This is the Vision for the Yukon First Nation
Joint Education Action Plan 2014-2024: A
Blueprint to Strengthen Our Roots and To
Close the Education Gap.
family, community, parent and student involvement & engagement and lifelong learning – from pre-natal, early childhood to lifelong learner.
It was passed at the Council of Yukon First
Nations leadership table on Friday March
28th, 2014. Signatories are 12 Yukon First
Nations, the Yukon Government and Canada.
Tosh Southwick, Co-chair of the First Nation
Education Commission states, “the goals
identified are achievable.” Chief Eric Fairclough further emphasized the “importance of
education in creating a foundation for success and achieving greater potential, not only
as students, but also as nations.”
The Four Key Priority Areas include
1. Culture & Language,
2. Authority, Control & Responsibility,
3. Sustainability & Success and
4. Closing the Achievement Gap.
The plan identified priority areas such as
The leaders acknowledged the fact that culture and language underscore the draft plan
for Yukon First Nation Education and commented on the long and difficult road to get to
this point.
2
NOMINATED FOR KEISH ELDER AWARD
Kluane Martin was
born in Champagne Shä́ Dhäla. Her parents are Carl Chambers (son of Harlan
(Shorty) Chambers
and Annie Kershaw)
and Grace Dickson
(daughter of Thomas Dickson and Louise George).
She was raised with sister, Louise and brothers,
Ron and Ernie (deceased) in Champagne- Shä́
Dhäla and Whitehorse - Kwanlin, but called the
Kluane Lake area - Lù’àn Män home.
Kluane returned to the Yukon in 1960 to work at the
Whitehorse General Hospital as a Medical Laboratory
Technician until retiring in 1993 - a 35 year career with
the federal government. Throughout her career she
saw the changes in laboratory methodology evolve to
the standard procedures used today.
While Kluane dedicated her working life to helping people, she raised her two children, Ernie and Monique to
appreciate family, elders and homeland.
Kluane may have retired from a 9 to 5 job but this did
not stop her. She continued to actively participate in
numerous Boards, Councils and Committees until her
official retirement in 2010 – the following highlights
some of her community and health involvement – she
was:
Her teachers for Traditional Knowledge were her
family and Kluane First Nation Elders. Kluane is a
member of the Wolf clan, Agunda and is today, the

matriarch of the Dickson/Chambers families
Starting in 1942 she went to boarding school at St.
Paul’s Hostel in Dawson City and came home to
Burwash for the summer holidays. She completed
schooling in various British Columbia, Yukon and
Alaska high schools and went to work at the
Coqualeetza Indian Hospital in Sardis, B.C from
1956 to 1958 – this was a sanatorium to treat Native people who had contracted tuberculosis .
It was at this hospital where many, many First Nations’ people were hospitalized that she saw how
unkindly these very sick people were treated – this
treatment spurred her decision to work in the
health field. Her supervisor supported her initiative
to further her medical training and she obtained her
diploma as a laboratory technologist while working
at the Vancouver General Hospital and the Royal
Alexander Hospital in Edmonton.
a three (3) term Councillor for Kluane First Nation;

a member of the Yukon Liquor Control Board;

an active Council of Yukon First Nations’ representative to the First Nations Health Commission
at the Assembly of First Nations (AFN);

a member of the Yukon Hospital Corporation;

a member of the First Nation/Inuit Mandate Renewal Technical Working Group for AFN; and,

a member of the Health Benefits Technical Group
on the revision of federal policy.
Kluane continues to find fulfillment with many activities
that sustained her throughout her life, fishing the
creeks, rivers and lakes of Kluane country, hunting with
her sister, working in her garden and green house, being an “A1” cook, and of course travelling and visiting
friends and family. Kluane has always lived by this motto:
P AG E
INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY
JACQUOT HALL GETS A FACELIFT
The Jacquot Kitchen renovation is a completed
success. It is now functional as well as practical,
and food safe.
All appliances are now working
in optimum order, and are a
pleasure to use.
The countertops have been
replaced with stainless steel,
and casters were mounted
to create mobile counters
that work for all the cooks
needs.
New shelving along with
some new small appliances
were also added to the inventory with the concept of
increasing practicality for
potlatches and other such
events.
The dishwasher installation has been completed,
which will reduce the time and hot water required
to hand wash dishes.
In order to keep the kitchen in
order, it is now locked, and
anyone wishing to use it for
an event can sign out the
key in advance from
Cortland at the KFN offices.
He can be reached at 867
841 4274 ext. 244.
All the local cooks had input
on the improvements which
helped to make this a success.
It is now a place to feed a
community that loves to eat
and laugh together.
Elodie Dulac
YOUTH AND ELDERS ROOM – WOW!
Robert successfully applied for a New Horizons for
Seniors grant to purchase new furniture for the
youth and elders’ room. Cortland has pulled all the
design elements together and it looks great!
entertainment centre and DVD player. As anyone who
has experienced the light in the room can attest to, the
blinds that he have been purchased and installed will be
a great help during the long, bright days.
KFN has purchased comfortable new chairs and
tables whose tops fold up vertically and which can
be rolled aside easily. Cortland sourced and purchased new couches, a new flat screen television,
There is also a new lecturn which has been purchased
for conferences, guest speakers and workshops. With a
built in mike and speakers, it will ensure the Elders are
able to participate fully.
3
P AGE
4
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S UPDATE
All departments have been busy as we
gear up for spring and get ready for a
new fiscal year.
We have created our budgets and work
-plans for 2014/2015 and these have
been approved by Council. This was a
Sam Gautier putting up trim
huge feat as we’ve been without a Finance Director for quite some time
now.
As KFN is now a decade into its Self
-Government Agreement, I would
encourage citizens whether in the
Yukon or living away to look at returning and filling these key positions within your Nation.
Ultimately, this is the best way for a
self-determining people to fulfill the
promise of Self-Government.
Big thanks go out to Micheal Wylie who
has been heroic in tackling the finance
duties, and also to Nicole Gutowski
who has continued to assist us remotely.
In the meantime, the 4plex is almost
complete and we will begin advertising to fill vacant positions once these 4 new units create the housing
necessary.
There are numerous vacancies at KFN
including Finance Director, Director of
Capacity & Human Resources, Director
of Health & Wellness and Recreation
Programmer.
If you haven’t yet, please stop by
and check out the progress. The
team has done a great job! Thank
you all.
Hughie Johnson cleans up
after drywalling, painting
and installing floors.
Roberta
HAPPY SPRING FROM PUBLIC WORKS!
This busy month we also;
With this long winter almost behind us, a BIG
thanks to Doug and Herb Danroth for keeping
our boiler going EVERY morning and night 7
days a week for 4 consecutive winters!!
Thanks also goes to our hard working KFN employees and citizens Owen Miller, Samuel Johnson, Jared Dulac and Dwayne Johnson for the
40+ cords of wood cut and delivered to our chipper building in the month of March.
Finished digging the trench for the water line and
completed the water treatment system for the
4 Plex
Boiler line for 4 Plex
Made and delivered wood sheds to our Elders
Delivered and set up Wall Tents, Water, Wood
and Cook shack for Muskrat Camp
Keith Johnson is now our on-call Water Operator
and successfully completed his Bulk Water
Delivery Course
Herb, John and Ken attended Water Analysis
and Water Systems Monitoring & Record
Keeping Courses at Yukon College
Keep your eyes open for upcoming notices in the
mail for our Community Clean up, Spring Cleaning of
Water Tanks, Chimney Cleaning schedule and soon,
Community Car Wash with donations going to Kluane
Lake School Fundraiser!
Andrea Bryson
KLUANE KIDS
OUT HAVING
FUN
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR’S
UPDATE
P AG E
Spring break camp kids and daycare go sliding, under the watchful eye of Heather and Miss Iris
Kluane kids ripping up
the slopes on their field
trip to Mount Sima during spring break camp.
Snow bunnies Sammi
Van Lieshout and Sierra
Easterson-Moore
Kluane kids in Junior Rangers: Jacob Dulac,
Joshua Dulac, Nadaya Johnson, Lenita Alatini
and leaders Wade Ischenko, Bob Reich and
Marcel Dulac are visited by Speaker of the
House the Honourable David Laxton and
Yukon Senator Dan Lang
5
UPDATES FROM THE CHIEF
WRFN is asserting an expanded territory that includes the White River Watershed including Wrangell Mountains and an extensive eastern branch
including the Donjek, Nisling, Kluane Rivers and
Kluane Lake; extending beyond the White River
Drainage in the north, the claim area extends up the
Yukon River almost as far as Sixty Mile River and it
includes the lower Stewart River. To the east the
claim area extends as far as Pelly Crossing and to
the South as far as Aishihik Lake.
Spring is underway and it is a time for growth and renewal. Everyone is enjoying the increased energy
from the longer days and warmer weather. The
Kluane Lake School kids are out at the annual Muskrat Camp at Lake Creek Campground along with visitors from Champagne Aishihik First Nation, Whitehorse and possibly as far as Carcross.
Land Use and Land Use Planning takes up a large
portion of our time in the KFN Government. On a daily basis we are dealing with issues or requests for
mining on Category A/B or settlement lands, trap
lines, tourism ventures, community infrastructure development, home ownership and land leases, surveys, Special Management Areas and the ongoing
impacts of White River First Nation’s asserted claim of
100% overlap and expanded Traditional Territory.
The Yukon Government is currently conducting a
Strength of Claim analysis on the White River First
Nation’s asserted claim of 100% overlap and expanded Traditional Territory. The DRAFT report
supports the historic KFN position of a natural
boundary at the White River to the West, north of
the Nisling River and the CAFN/KFN shared areas
to the East. We are working with the other five (5)
affected First Nations to ensure appropriate responses are filed in a timely manner.
I spent a lot of time during the first quarter of 2014
working on issues related to mining and mineral exploration as an industry. I attended the Mineral
Roundup in Vancouver at the end of January where
we met with industry players working in our area.
At the beginning of March I was in Toronto to attend
the largest mining forum in the world, the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada
(PDAC).
P AG E
This was the first time I have attended this annual
event that sees over 40,000 people attend (more
than the entire Yukon in one convention centre) and
it was definitely an eye opening experience to look at
our industry compared to the mining industry globally.
Most of you know that mining is the largest sector of
the Yukon economy with tourism and government as
the next largest (http://www.eco.gov.yk.ca/stats/pdf/
gdp_2012.pdf).
The sector has definitely slowed since the peak in
2011 due to a slight decrease in metal prices and the
increased political turmoil between YG and Yukon
First Nations.
The political uncertainty that is created through the
assertion of a WRFN expanded territory has seen
Tarsis and Teck mining companies leave our territory.
There are five other First Nations and numerous other companies that are affected by the assertions of
Non-Self Governing Yukon First Nations. I will be
available to answer any questions from citizens on
this issue and will continue to update the Elders’
council.
We will be using the next few months before the
General Assembly to work with community on many
of the Land Use and Land Use Planning issues.
Please come out to the community sessions through-
out the next couple of months where we will share
plans and gain your perspective. Community development plans include a greenhouse, a new administration building, a school, development of our
new KFN-K deep well and water treatment facility,
community dock and alternative energy developments to name a few.
We will be looking to citizenship to engage on the
issue of “mining resources from our settlement
lands” and will be seeking a mandate.
I cannot stress enough the importance of being
involved in these discussions. With the potential
for the Wellgreen mine to go ahead we need citizens informed and engaged.
The Corporations will be holding information sessions with citizens on the development of the Burwash Landing Resort Lands and other economic
ventures. I look forward to seeing citizens in attendance.
If there is demand, we will gladly allow participation
through other multi-media or host sessions in
Whitehorse. Please contact Suzanne with your
preference; [email protected]
Note the General Assembly is Saturday July 26 &
Sunday July 27th; Friday July 25th is set aside for
the Corporations & Trust to present to Shareholders & citizens.
In Unity,
Chief Mathieya Alatini
7
`
WIND POWER FOR KLUANE COMMUNITIES!
“Wind energy is inexhaustible and
infinitely renewable. It’s simple but it’s
true.”
-Larry Flowers
The April 2013 issue of this Community Newsletter
featured “The Power To Do More!”, an article about
the hugely successful Energy Summit held a year
ago in March 2013. During that summit, participants
talked about managing energy demand, practicing
more energy efficiency, growing food in a local
greenhouse and possibilities for renewable energy
(solar and wind) to help the community become more
self-sufficient.
As everyone who lives in Burwash and DBay knows,
the wind blows strong and steady, usually from the
south, along the shore of Kluane Lake. Wind measurements over the past 20 years show that the wind
could generate enough renewable electricity to make
it worthwhile to build a wind farm in this area. In
2009, JP Pinard, a wind energy specialist living in
Whitehorse, started looking at the possibility of doing
just that. Working closely with Kluane First Nation, JP
set up a wind monitoring station on a 60 metre tall
tower at a location which looked very promising.
In mid-March this year, Kluane First Nation and
Kluane Community Development Corporation hosted
a visit from Carl Brothers, a well-respected Canadian
wind-energy developer. Carl has designed and built
(or helped build) numerous wind farms in his home
province of Prince Edward Island, Ramea Newfoundland, the NWT and Alaska. Before the wind farms,
most of these communities used only diesel to produce electricity, so new wind power is reducing
greenhouse gas emissions
in Burwash and Destruction Bay. At this time, there is no
other wind project in Canada that contributes 1/3 of the
electrical load of a community!
Encouraging – because everybody on the team is so
supportive of the project! As a team, we have strong expertise and experience in leadership, administration, financial, business and engineering. The team also communicates very well together, a very important quality as
the project moves forward. We also introduced Carl to
representatives from two potential funding organizations
who are very supportive and want to find ways to help
financially.
Humbling – because it’s clear how much work we all
have to do to make this project a reality! We need to develop a business plan to make sure the wind power will
be a good business venture for the First Nation. If the
business plan gives a green light, we will use it to find
funding to build the project.
The project has already raised enough financial support
to install the wind monitoring station, study birds in the
area, assess the ground materials where the towers will
be anchored, design specialized towers that can be
winched into place, develop an agreement with Yukon
Electrical to purchase the wind energy and monitor commercial energy use in Burwash and DBay.
When it is installed in 2015, the wind project will consist
of three towers, each standing 50 metres high, with the
turbines mounted on top of that. All the electricity generated by the rotating turbine blades will link to YECL’s
power lines and feed the communities of Burwash and
DBay.
Carl travelled across the country to meet in person
with everybody who is part of the wind project team
to talk about the Kluane Wind Project. It was exciting,
encouraging and humbling to discuss all aspects of
the project with everyone involved.
Exciting - because when this project is built, it is expected to displace nearly 1/3 of the diesel fuel used
to produce electricity for the homes and businesses
Carl and JP take a reading from the wind monitoring
station at the site of the planned wind turbines.
NEW ELDERS’ VAN? OOH LAH LAH!
Try as we might, none of us are getting any younger! While there are many challenges to be faced
by those living in remote Kluane Country, aging-in-place is one of the most daunting barriers.
KFN homecare and health & social staff provide support to elders in their homes, but also by taking
them to town for appointments and shopping.
Because this drive is long, we want the Elders to be warm and comfortable. Because the road can be
treacherous, we want them to be safe!
We also need to be able to transport wheelchair bound passengers or others with limited mobility. To
do this, we’ve done extensive research and presented the following to the Elders Committee on
March 19th:
The 2015 Mercedes
Sprinter which as of this
year is offering the longawaited 4x4 option.
Not only does it have a
low floor for easy access, but it has an electronic step that deploys
when the doors open.
There is extra insulation
in the passenger compartment, and with a 2.5l
diesel engine, this van is
reliable, long lasting,
economical and has a
low environmental footprint.
The 4x4 model will be
available in the fall, and
we will finalize our order
at that time.
To those who can
dream, there is no
such place as far away
COMMUNITY SUPPORT AVAILABLE
Greetings,
I am Byron Edgar from the Wikwemikong Unceeded First Nation. I am
Ojibway / Odawa first nation and currently live in Ottawa Ontario. I have
been invited to your community for the month of March and will be providing a variety of services. I have been involved with Community Development, Healing and Wellness, Youth Leadership and various other areas
for the past 33 years and my travels have brought me too many First Nations within Canada and the U.S.A. I have been involved with health and
wellness with our people, working with children right up to our elders.
I am a father of two and a grandfather to three. I come from a large family who also are involved in
many areas of community development. I have a strong cultural background, having journeyed to
South Dakota as a young man to learn some of their cultural and spiritual teachings. Growing up within my family, our mother raised us from here in the Yukon right down to Texas as she also has been
working with our First Nations people.
I am available for one to one visits, home visits for families and couples. We will also be doing an
evening session for youth and families on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. I will also be planning a
few workshops while I am in the community. Monday’s and Thursday’s I will be available for one to
one visits, please call me for an appointment.
Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s I am available to do home visits for couples, families and Elders. I will
also be out in the community during the evenings from Monday to Wednesday when I am not doing
evening programs. I am open to requests as well. The youth and Family program will be a craft session, making “Dioramas”, which are scale models ranging from wilderness scenes to science fiction
scenes. It’s a great program mixed with teachings and Laughter and Play energizers. And what you
create, you get to keep. You can build your own or do one as a family.
While in the community, you can reach me on my cell, 867 – 334 - 9341
Byron Edgar
Nataschaa has spent the last nine years supporting others to find wellness and a capacity to fully embrace life. Working in small rural communities throughout the Yukon and BC and lead by the belief that
we each hold the innate wisdom of what is needed for healing and the wisdom must be accessed slowly
and with care. Her extensive training includes practices that focus on cognitive processes, physical
body release, spiritual balancing, breath application, communication development and trauma release. Her own journey on a
healing path has guided her passion for working with others to find
belonging, identity, clarity and wholeness
Scheduled Visits to Burwash Landing
April 10th and 24th
Visits in May, June and July to be announced
To book an appointment please contact me:
E-mail- [email protected]
Phone– 867-335-4460
Nataschaa Chatterton
NEW COUNSELLOR IN TOWN
relationship difficulties, separation and divorce,
grief and loss, eating disorders, life transitions,
trauma and abuse.
Jody is certified in Critical Incident Stress Management and has a strong background working
with a variety of cultures and Indigenous Nations
in remote communities.
Jody provides her clients an empathic and nonjudgemental counselling experience, where individual differences are embraced and stories of
success and resilience are created.
Jody Studney is a Canadian Certified Counsellor with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social
Work.
Jody uses a client-centered approach drawing
on her extensive training and a variety of therapeutic modalities to create a personalized approach for each client.
She has been helping individuals, couples and
families for 18 years.
Topics Jody can help with include: depression,
stress and anxiety, family conflict, suicide intervention and prevention, youth-at-risk, addictions, anger management, self-esteem,
Available for Confidential Counselling Support in
Burwash Landing:
Mondays and Tuesdays twice a month.
Please contact me if you’d like to
Jody L. Studney, MSW, RSW, CCC
Phone: (867) 334-4402
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.yukoncounselling.ca
Jody Studney
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS
When we experience a traumatic event or prolonged painful life experiences more than 1,500 biochemical
responses occur in our bodies to help us survive.
For physiological reasons, these responses may not turn off even when the event is over, leading to a
constant state of fear, activation, chaos and disconnection, also known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
This may cause a number of coping skills and symptoms including insomnia, substance abuse, anger, detachment, numbness, depression, inability to cope and chronic pain.
Working with the emotional, mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing will support the turning off of the nervous system response and a shift towards feeling calm, connected, at peace, safe and at ease.
This will encourage the letting go of unhelpful actions and development of supportive action. It is possible
to release the impact of past traumatic and painful events through settling the nervous system and teaching the brain and body how to find calm.
by Nataschaa Chatterton
LIBRARY REQUESTS...
I’m collecting and compiling funeral pamphlets as an historical reference. They are a good source of
information and family trees and also contain valuable photographs. If you have duplicates of any of these
documents, please come drop them off at the library. Copies can be scanned and e-mailed to
[email protected]. If you have an original and would allow it to be photocopied, please contact me at:
867 841 4311. Thank you.
Sandy Johnson
The light returns to Kluane
UPCOMING EVENTS
Community Update and Lunch by Chief and Council
April 16th at 12pm in the Jacquot Hall, LUNCH PROVIDED!
Upcoming Elder Council Meetings
April 9th, May 7th and June 18th at 10am In the Youth and Elders Room.
Muskrat Camp
March 31 to April 4
Upcoming Chief and Council Dates
April 16th and 17th, May 14th and 15th, June 19th and 20th, July 9th and 10th