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Paytahchemowin
Moose Cree First Nation newsletter - Fall 2012
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In this issue:
Chief Norm Hardisty Jr.
PAGES 1 - 2
For the latest news, visit us online at
www.moosecree.com
From the Chief’s Office - Norm Hardisty Jr.
Challenges and opportunity during this term
2012 Gathering of our People / 10th Anniversary Creefest
Deputy Chief Earl Cheechoo
PAGES 2 - 3
Executive Director
PAGE 3
Associate Executive Director
PAGE 4
Administration
PAGES 4 - 5
Employment and Training
PAGE 6
EPR Centre
PAGES 7 - 8
AFN Food Study
PAGE 9
Health Services
PAGES 10 - 11
Health Centre
PAGE 12
Youth Centre
PAGE 12
Social Assistance
PAGE 13
Language and Culture
PAGE 14
Public Works
PAGES 15 - 16
Lands and Resources
PAGES 16 - 17
Resource Protecction
PAGES 18 - 20
www.moosecree.com
Wachay! Greetings to all
Moose Cree First Nation
members.
The fall season is now
upon us and the traditional fall hunt is in full swing.
Chief and Council wish you
all a safe hunt and encourage you to continue our
traditional practices of
sharing and helping each other as we exercise our
rights on our traditional lands.
The newly elected Chief and Council commenced
their duties officially on August 9, 2012. I would
like to take the opportunity to acknowledge and
thank our previous Council for their dedication to
serving the Moose Cree First Nation over the past
four years. A special note of thanks to former Deputy Chief Charlie Cheechoo for his valuable contributions to the Moose Cree First Nation over his
19 years of service as Deputy Chief, and the many
years he served on Council previous to that. His
tireless work on behalf of the community has always been appreciated. Gitchi Meegwetch to you
all! I wish you well in your future endeavours and
hope that you can continue to contribute in some
capacity to the benefit of our strong and growing
Nation.
I look forward to working together with our new
Councillors, and those that have returned to Council, over the next four years. I welcome our new
Deputy Chief Earl Cheechoo to office. Earl brings
many years of experience to his new position and
I am confident that this will be of benefit to the
Moose Cree First Nation in the years ahead.
Continued on page 2...
FaLL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
1
Chief Norm Hardisty Jr.
Continued from Page 1...
The new Council has recently completed one month of orientation activities including detailed briefings on our resource agreements, resource
protection, and program and service issues. There is a lot of information
to process and get up to speed on but it is absolutely necessary in order
for Council to provide the best advice and service to our citizens as we
move forward.
The next four year term of office will be very challenging as we move
into an era of increased provincial and federal government cutbacks in
funding, not only to First Nations but to many of the regional political organizations that support us through advocacy and policy initiatives. This
has the potential to cause division and conflict among us but we must
remain united and not fall into the tired old government traps of divide
and conquer. Working together to ensure that our collective efforts are
truly benefiting our citizens must remain our focus.
I believe that we must build on the progress that we have made as a
Nation and that we collectively remain committed to strengthening our
community. We must put plans in place that are focused on addressing
the challenges that weaken our families and community. These plans
must address our needs in a holistic manner focusing on our physical,
mental and spiritual health. We must also ensure that we are economically healthy as this will provide us with the means to meet the needs
of all our citizens.
The Moose Cree First Nation is at a critical point in our development
as a Nation. The decisions we make and the plans we develop now will
have far-reaching impact. We have done a lot of work over the years and
the major resource agreements have been signed off and are at varying
stages of development. A key piece of this work has been to engage
our citizens in determining what our priorities are and will be as a Nation. Thank you to all our citizens for contributing to the development
of the MCFN Strategic Plan through your participation in the Strategic
Planning community sessions. Your input is a necessity and the driving force in determining our future as a Nation. Just a few weeks ago
Chief and Council reaffirmed the direction given by the people in relation our self-generated funds and our spending priorities. We are taking
thoughtful and prudent steps to put the necessary plans into action to
spend these funds as directed in the most efficient and effective manner. I ask for your continued patience as this process requires careful
planning and the expertise of financial and investment advisors that will
assist us in making good decisions that best reflect the priorities of our
citizens. How we plan and manage our self-generated funds today will
enable us to respond to the needs of the Youth and will ensure that our
Elders enjoy the remainder of their lives in comfort and with the care
they deserve. Most of all, we must plan well and make the best decisions we can for those generations not yet born just as our ancestors did
for us many years ago.
On behalf of the Council, meegwetch for your continued support and
we wish you a safe and successful fall hunt.
Chief Norm Hardisty Jr.
Deputy
Chief’s
Office
Earl
Cheechoo
Submitted by Earl Cheechoo, Deputy Chief
Wah-chay. I would like to extend greetings
to all citizens of Moose Cree First Nation
along with my appreciation to the membership for entrusting me with the responsibilities of Deputy Chief. I also wish to acknowledge and thank former Deputy Chief Charlie
Cheechoo for his years of service and dedication to all Moose Cree citizens.
We also need to acknowledge and be grateful for our Cree heritage
that flourishes inside each and every one of us. One way that this is
expressed is how during certain times of the year we feel a strong desire and eagerness to be out on the land, this desire is triggered when
we hear the geese flying over our community, when the leaves begin
to change colour and when the first frost occurs. This is a result of our
spiritual connection and understanding of how environmental changes,
such as the weather, affect the land and animals.
The fall time brings us the opportunity to once again be on the land and
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FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
to harvest food. It is a time of renewal and a time to strengthen relationships with our family, friends, environment, and the animals. It is always
interesting to listen to camping or hunting stories, I will share one story
that is of significance to me: as always, when Cree is spoken it expresses
our culture:
One fall Uncle Mathew said after a rainfall, “let’s go Moose hunting,
“da – milow- shin (will be good) “moosh - ka hun” (river is high).” We
left the next morning to go up the French River and during our trip we
stopped a few times to check for signs of moose. We travelled all day
and reached the second fork – Kawayastik River, and evening was upon
us when Mathew said “let’s look for a place to camp for the night.” We
rode about 10 minutes more when he told me “turn the canoe around”
because he saw a place to camp we rode by earlier. All of a sudden
Mathew was pointing at the shore; I thought he was telling me to go
that way to avoid a rock. I looked at Mathew again and he was grabbing his rifle. I looked at the shoreline and there stood 3 moose. We shot
them and went ashore; Mathew’s first words were “shum-goon-nan”
(they are feeding us).
www.moosecree.com
Mathew had many valuable teachings for me. Now it is my responsibility to share and pass on such stories as they explain who we are as Cree
people. That experience was not just about harvesting moose; it was
about the relationship Mathew had with the land and his knowledge
of it. The term “shum – goon-nan” he used during that hunting trip was
in itself an important lesson. It defines our relationship with all the animals, with the land and with the water. After that trip, I recall wondering
what he meant when he said “shum-goon-nan”. Who was feeding us? It
is a term that is used to describe our relationship with all creation that
God has given us. Such lessons apply to all harvesting practices “the
time we spend on the land is valuable for our Cree heritage”.
commencing the duties of Deputy Chief on August 9, 2012 I have been
working hard, as have the Chief and new and returning Council members, on preparing for the new term. Moose Cree First Nation is facing
many challenges but also has many opportunities to further explore and
develop, opportunities that will benefit current and future generations
of our people. I look forward to working with the Chief and Council, and
in partnership with you, the Moose Cree membership, on these challenges and opportunities in order for us to move ahead together as a
people and as a community.
Deputy Chief Earl Cheechoo
I will remember this and other important lessons in the performance
of my duties as Deputy Chief over the next four years. Since officially
executive
Director
Peter
Wesley
Submitted by Peter Wesley, Executive Director
Greetings to everyone. Fall is upon us, leaves
have changed colours and have fallen, and
river levels will hopefully rise for the Moose
hunters. For those of you going out on the
land, I wish you a successful harvest and enjoy your time out on the land and safe travels.In this fall issue, I want to provide information on a few items.
Wetum Winter Road
An application has been made to Ministry of Northern Development
Mines and Forestry for the operation and maintenance costs to open
the Wetum Winter Road this winter. We have not heard a response as of
this date (October 5, 2012).
Chief and Council
We have posted on our website, pictures and the names of the current
Chief and Council. We also did a mail out of the poster. This was done so
that our membership will know (for those who are not sure) who their
Chief and Council are.
Red Cross Satellite Office in MCFN
There is approximately 15 kms remaining to be constructed and an application for the necessary permitting is underway. Funding is in place
to do the remaining work. Permits are required on an annual basis, with
the exception of the Permit to Take Water, which is a five year permit.
Although there are numerous issues before us, we recently celebrated
Thanksgiving and we should all take time to be thankful for our family,
friends and our community.
The official opening ceremony for the Red Cross Satellite office will be
on November 14, 2012 at the EPR centre. Planning for this event is underway and notices will be provided once finalized. There is also a brochure on our website that you can review.
www.moosecree.com
If you have any questions or comments, please come and drop by my
office to speak with me, I appreciate receiving your feedback. On this
note, I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable fall season and a plentiful fall harvest.
Respectfully submitted by:
Peter W. Wesley, Executive Director
FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
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Associate
Executive
Director’s
Message
Submitted by Bertha Sutherland, Associate Executive Director
Greetings to all Moose Cree citizens;
It’s been a busy few months since the last newsletter. The updated strategic plan was presented at an information session held at the TCJMC
in August; the plan has been approved. This gave us the go ahead to
proceed with implementing the priority areas in the plan. We also heard
additional input into the plan and these were noted and will be implemented in the near future. Please note this plan is a living document
and will be reviewed annually. Quarterly updates will also be provided
to membership on the progress of the plan. I will be drafting a summarized list of all the strategic action initiatives for Year 1; this will be
posted on our websites (www.moosecree.com and Facebook), and also
through a brochure mail-out within the community. Should you wish
to see the full document of the updated MCFN Strategic Plan, please
contact Executive Services for a copy.
Since new Council began their 4-year term in August, notices have been
posted online and within the community inviting interested MCFN citizens to sit on the various committees as members at large. We still have
a few vacancies and I encourage you to consider sitting on these committees. If you are willing, please forward a letter of interest to the Executive office.
As summer ends, another season begins … moose hunting season. This
is the time of year when our Cree hunters are feeling the call of the
land. Wishing everyone good fortune at this time for a successful moose
hunt. Please remember to share with our elders. Meegwetch.
Respectfully submitted by
Bertha Sutherland, Associate Executive Director
Administration
department
Submitted by Patricia Wapachee, Director of Administration & Communication
Wachay & Greetings to everyone.
MCFN Employee ID Cards
In the next few
weeks employee
identification cards
will be issued to all employees. The ID card will
be attached to a lanyard and worn around the
neck to ensure that it is visible at all times. The
purpose of the ID cards is for clients and visitors to easily identify Moose Cree employees
when services are being provided and during
major events such as the annual Gathering of
Our People.
The cards, which are being designed and produced by Paul Chakasim,
will have the MCFN logo, employee’s name, job title and photo. They
will be phased in over the next few months beginning with full-time employees, in particular, those employees who enter client homes as part
of their jobs. (Homecare nurses, homemakers, housing staff).
Certificate of Indian Status Cards
This is a reminder that Indian Status Cards are issued on Wednesdays
and Fridays. Please ensure that you bring your ID’s with you for proof of
identity. Acceptable identification includes:
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FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3
Valid Canadian Passport; or
Two (2) are required 1 with a photo - Indian Status
Card, Health Card, Driver’s Licence; Birth Certificate;
Employee ID with Photo; Student ID with photo; Firearms License; or
Guarantor Form (forms are available at our office).
Service Canada Outreach Services
The Service Canada representative will be at the MCFN main
office on December 11 & 12, 2012.
You can access a wide range of government programs and services
through Service Canada, and you can do this on the Internet, by telephone, in person, by mail or at one of their 329 Service Canada Centres.
They also provide scheduled and mobile outreach services for remote
communities such as Moose Factory. For more information on these
services, visit their website at www.servicecanada.gc.ca. Watch for
posters in the coming weeks for more details.
Update - MCFN Membership Meeting Regulations
As I mentioned in the Summer Edition of this newsletter, the Council
approved the recommendation from the Leadership Committee to proceed with a vote on these regulations so that these regulations can be
finalized and implemented. At the time of this writing, the information packages are being prepared and will be mailed out to Moose Cree
members.
www.moosecree.com
If you have not received a copy feel free to contact Caroline Sutherland
or Patricia Wapachee.
Voting will be done by secret ballot and will take place as follows:
1.
Voting In Person: November 2, 2012, 10:00am to 6:00 pm at
the Moose Cree Complex.
2.
Advance Voting: October 22, 2012 - November 1, 2012, 1:00
pm to 5:00 pm daily at MCFN main office.
3.
Mobile Voting: October 22, 2012 - November 1, 2012, 1:00 pm
to 5:00 pm daily at the local hospital or Voter’s home in Moose
Factory. Mobile voting is for Elders and those Voters who are
confined in the hospital or home due to illness or disability.
Please contact Caroline Sutherland or Judy Reuben at 705-658-4619 to
arrange for advance or mobile voting.
Respectfully submitted,
Patricia Wapachee, Director of Administration & Communications
Communications Update
Moose Cree`s Community Activator, Nathan Cheechoo, also has a regularly airing program every weekday morning with health news and community activities. Tune in!
TV Installation in the Moose Cree Complex main area
A TV has recently been installed at the Moose Cree complex for advertising purposes. You will find job postings from Moose Cree, Detour
Gold, OPG, KAP, Sibi, and more. You can also see the latest news alerts,
weather conditions, and various video programming. We hope this new
technology will serve you well.
Paul Chakasim, Communications and I.T. Officer
Greetings everyone! Here’s a brief update on some of the noteworthy
items I have been working on over the last few months.
107.1 FM The Island Streaming Online
The Island broadcasts from the John R. Delaney Youth Centre in Moose
Factory, and for those that do not yet know I have set up the radio station to stream live online. This is an exciting development that will allow
you to listen to your local radio from anywhere an internet connection is
available. You can find the radio player by visiting www.moosecree.com
and clicking the banner at the very top of the page.
Plans are in place to broadcast live events both over the air and online.
Once these plans are finalized, the technical setup can begin. We expect
to be capable of broadcasting live events before the end of the year.
As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions for the website,
newsletter, or anything else. Please feel free to contact me if you have
any questions. [email protected]
Paul Chakasim
Communications and I.T. Officer
Next Service Canada visit: December 11 - 12, 2012
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Moose Cree Complex Main Office
Whether you want to apply for Employment Insurance; get a Social Insurance Number; enquire or
apply for Old Age Security, Canada Pension, Guaranteed Income Supplement, Passports, or other
service offering, please drop by and speak to a Citizen Service Officer.
www.moosecree.com
FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
5
Employment
and
Training
Submitted by Connor McComb, Project Officer, Economic Development
Summer Work Experience 2012
Another summer has come and gone and it gives us great pleasure to
announce that the Summer Work Experience 2012 was a great success!
A Student Luncheon was held on August 24th at the John R. Delaney
Youth Centre in honour of the students who participated and completed
their work experience. We wish them all much success in their future
education and career goals!
Congratulations to Kiana Seidel and Alyssa Gunner (pictured) who won
the Best Attendance awards, for having perfect attendance this summer
with the Right to Play program.
Pictured below are:
BACK: Gerald McComb III, DJ O’Connor, Tanner Cheechoo, Michael Katapaytuk, Dustin Rickard, Delroy Echum, Zach Tomatuk
Congratulations to Tanner Cheechoo, who won the Student of the Year
Award for being the best well-rounded student this summer.
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FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
FRONT: Abigail Quachegan, Alyssa Gunner, Karrina Katapaytuk, Rachel
Katapaytuk
www.moosecree.com
Emergency
Preparedness
Response
Centre
Submitted by Raymond Butterfly, EPR / Arena Manager
Greetings everyone from the staff of the EPR and Community Parks and
Recreation Council Staff:
Raymond Butterfly - EPR/ Arena Manager
Clint Cheechoo - Maintenance Technician
Paul Rickard - Casual Maintenance
Office Phone: 705 658 2740
Conference Area Phone: 705 658 2927
Hospitality Suite: 705 658 2926
Maintenance Operations
Landscaping:
The maintenance staff of the EPR worked tirelessly this summer on landscaping around the perimeter of the building. For the purpose of patron
safety metals posts were also put up at the parking lot entrance located
at the North end of the building.
New Boilers:
Newtin Shop out of Timmins arrived on Oct 1st
to install new high efficiency boilers in the EPR.
The previous boilers that
were installed during construction had many issues
with the ignition rods and
became very difficult to
maintain. Parts for the old
boilers were almost impossible to locate.
Cain Safety:
Cain Safety also arrived Oct 1st to carry out the annual inspection on
the alarm and sprinkler system for EPR. They will be conducting a full
inspection at the Arena as well.
The Canadian Red Cross:
Carole Timm, Branch Manager of The Canadian Red Cross Society Timmins office was in Moose Factory partaking in a site visit of the EPR
Center on Tuesday Oct 9, 2012. Carole will be in to look at the new office
space that The Red Cross will be occupying as of Nov 13, 2012.
Community Parks and Recreation Council
Mark Cheechoo – Facility Supervisor
Corey Metatawabin – Facility Operator
Darryl D Corston – Maintenance Technician
Darcy Cheechoo – Facility Operator Trainee
Arena Office Phone:
705 658 4196
Community Hall Phone : 705 658 4061
continued on page 8...
www.moosecree.com
FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
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Emergency Preparedness Response Centre
Continued from Page 7...
Ice Rental Rates for 2012 – 2013 Season
A Facility Operator position has been posted as of Oct 1st and will be
filled within the next few weeks. Greg Moore has been hired on a short
term basis as a Facility Operator until the position is occupied.
Arena Operations
The arena staff installed the ice for the 2012 – 2013 hockey Season during the week of August 20th to the 26th 2012. The early start to the
season was to accommodate the Hockey Camp of Hope which ran from
August 27th to the 31st. The Camp was a huge success and I would like
to take this opportunity to acknowledge Brendan Biedermann and his
team of coordinators on a job well done.
Arena Maintenance
The staff are currently priming and painting the dressing room area
downstairs. Industrial floor tiles have been ordered for the arena office,
men’s washroom, women’s washroom and canteen. The toilets, urinals,
sinks and hardware are going to be replaced with new products gradually throughout the winter months in the arena and dressing room area
washrooms. Parents, coaches, trainers, and managers are reminded to
inform the children to respect the facility as it is very costly to maintain.
Community Hall
New tables and chairs have been ordered for the Community Hall for a
total of 72 rectangle tables and 600 chairs. The order has been shipped
and will be arriving before the end of the month. A new sound system
will be installed and a power point projector and screen will be available
for the users of the facility. Wireless internet will also be available within
the next month or so.
Monday to Friday
8:00 am – 4:00 pm $ 50.00 / HR
5:00 pm – 11:00 pm $100.00 / HR
Saturday & Sunday
8:00 am – 11:00 pm $ 50.00 / HR
12 Noon – 11:00 pm $100.00 / HR
Tournament Rate:
$ 80.00 / HR
Meegwetch.
Submitted By:
Raymond Butterfly, EPR/Arena Manager
Evening Sewing Classes
at the Cree Cultural Interpretive Centre (CCIC)
Sewing lessons are back! Frances Moses and Katie Visitor will teach
you how to make slippers, moccasins, mitts and gloves.
Sewing class will take place every Tuesday evening from 6:30
pm - 9:00 pm beginning Tuesday, October 7, 2012.
For more information or to register, please contact:
Kim Cheechoo
(705) 658-4619 ext 265
[email protected]
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FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
www.moosecree.com
First Nations Food, Nutrition, and Environment Study
Submitted by Stephane Decelles, Nutrition Research Assistant
During the months of October and November, Moose Cree First Nation will be participating/conducting the AFN food study on reserve.
Three locally hired Community Research Assistants: Lisa Sutherland, Jordana Sutherland and Laurie
Mark, will be visiting 100 random households on-reserve to conduct household interviews and hair
sampling. Water samples will also be collected at selected households on a second visit. Your participation in each component of the study is completely voluntary and all information collected is kept
strictly confidential.
All Moose Cree First Nation members are also invited to submit samples of traditional foods which
will be tested for contaminants. These may include fish, plants, mammals and birds. Up to five different samples of 30 different types of foods will be collected (see table below). We require one cup
(250ml) of raw, smoked, boiled or cooked traditional food for each replicate. Each replicate should be
harvested in a different area on your traditional land and should NOT have anything added to them
such as butter/margarine/salt, etc.
Traditional food samples needed:
Moose Meat
Moose Heart
Moose Liver
Moose Tongue
Caribou Meat
Rabbit Meat
Beaver Meat
Muskrat Meat
Partridge – Ruffed Grouse
Partridge – Sharp tail
Partridge – Spruce hen
Canada goose
Snow Goose / Wavey
Trout – Searun
Duck – Mallard Trout – Brook
Duck – Black
Sturgeon
Duck – Pintail
Pike
Pickerel / Walleye
Chokecherries – Highbush
Whitefish
Cranberries – Highbush
For more information on traditional food sampling, please contact:
Laurie Mark: (705)-658-2473
The random household member who will be selected for completing
the interview will be given a gift card for their participation. People will
also be given a gift card for traditional food samples.
The AFN Food Study will determine the levels of contaminants in our
food and water supply on reserve. The environmental changes are impacting the health and traditional lifestyles and diet of First Nations on
reserve, thus increasing chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer and
heart disease in the first nation population. All information collected
from this study will be owned by Moose Cree First Nation.
www.moosecree.com
Blueberries
Raspberry leaf tea
Rosehips
Cedar tea
Labrador tea
Wild mint
The First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study (FNFNES) is
conducted in full partnership between the Assembly of First Nations,
Health Canada, the University of Northern British Columbia and University of Montreal. The results of the study will be published next fall after
the community results will have been discussed with and accepted by
the Moose Cree First Nation members.
For more information, please contact:
Stephane Decelles, Nutrition Research Assistant
[email protected]
or visit the study’s website: www.fnfnes.ca
FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
9
Moose
Cree
Health
Services
Submitted by Allen Sailors, Director of Health Services
In the 2012/2013 fiscal year, Moose Cree First Nation – Health Services
will be working on its renewal of its Health Transfer Agreement with
Health Canada-First Nations & Inuit Health Branch.
The following programs are under the Health Transfer Agreement:
a)
b)
c)
Health & Wellness
Public Health
Home & Community Care
For the 2012/2013 fiscal year, NIHB Transportation Services will be a
Stand Alone Agreement.
Health Needs Assessment – Call for Proposals
A Call for Proposals (CFP) was issued to conduct a Health Needs Assessment for our department. This Health Needs Assessment will give us
direction in terms of the programs and services, and the same information will be used when we start working on the renewal of our Health
Transfer Agreement.
COMMUNITY REQUESTS
In our previous submission to Moose Cree’s newsletter, we submitted
the following information regarding community requests. Lately we
have been receiving the same requests for assistance.
a)
NIHB requests (Glasses, dental, travel to and from treatment
centres, etc.) We don’t have the funds to cover any NIHB costs.
If you have questions regarding what benefits are covered by
NIHB, please call Sandra Linklater at WGH at (705) 336-2497
ext. 33.
b)
All donation requests are to be sent to the Executive Director
or designate. Under our Health Transfer Agreement, it is not an
allowable expense.
c)
Emergency Requests are to be sent to the Executive Director or
designate. Under our Health Transfer Agreement, it is not an
allowable expense.
Community Ramps
In the recent call for OFNLP (formally known as Casino Rama Funds)
applications, one of our staff submitted an application for community
ramps. We are pleased to announce the application got approved for
funding. However, it should be noted that this program will be the last
resort as the people requesting for a ramp will have to exhaust all other
services prior to applying for funding under this program.
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Elders Comfort/Disable Funds:
Under this program, we have been covering eye surgery examination
costs for elders. At times, we will cover medications if they are not covered on the approved NIHB list; the person has to bring a receipt.
CAS Matters:
All CAS matters are referred to Gary Innes, Band Representative. He can
be reached at his cell phone number (705) 507-4739.
Home Inspections or Dog Control:
All calls go to Thomas Jolly, CHR, at (705) 658-4220.
Requests for Home & Community Care Services:
All calls go to Linda Wesley-Rickard, H&CC Coordinator at (705) 6586650.
Requests for Home Support Program Services (LTC):
All calls go to Emily Linklater, HSP Coordinator at (705) 658-6650.
Traditional Healers Honoraria Requests:
Geraldine Govender, Director of Language and Cultural Programs, is
now responsible for Traditional Healing Requests.
Pathways to Healing – Time for Change Conference
In March of 2012, the Health & Wellness Team coordinated a Health &
Wellness Conference titled “Pathways to Healing – Time for Change”.
The staff are to be commended for all their hard work in the planning
and implementation of this conference. In spite of the low turnout, they
did receive a lot of positive feedback in the topics that were presented
and the facilitators that were brought in. In the future, the Health &
Wellness Team will be looking at other means in getting the various topics out to the community. Thanks to all the people that participated in
the conference. The next one is scheduled for January 2013. We will
keep you posted.
Northern Consulting & Counseling Inc
We are pleased to announce that MCFN Health Services has extended
Maricela Faucheux, Northern Consulting & Counseling Inc., contract for
another year. Maricela Faucheux has been coming to our community
for the last two years to provide counselling services. To schedule an
appointment please call our receptionist at (705) 658-4619 ext. 256.
Please note her counselling sessions will begin in the month of May.
Furthermore, Kevin McPhee, Family Therapist, will be in our community
to work with families. He will also be working with our staff in terms
of self-care, creating awareness of vicarious trauma, and one-on-one
counselling sessions.
www.moosecree.com
Residential School Memorial
doctor’s or community health professional’s request, only when there
is a legal or medical requirement such as:
Next summer, we are planning to host a residential school conference.
We are hoping at this conference, a memorial will be erected to honor
the students that never made it home and to the survivors.
a.
Where the client has a physical/mental disability of a nature
that he or she is unable to travel unassisted;
We will need volunteers to sit on a planning committee to plan for this
important event. It is our intention to get the James Bay coastal communities and northern western communities involved in the planning. If
you wish to be part of this planning committee, please leave your name
with our Secretary/Receptionist at (705) 658-4619 ext. 256.
b.
Where the client is medically incapacitated;
c.
Where the client has been declared “mentally incompetent”
by a court of competent jurisdiction and assistance to access
medically required health services, legal consent or help with
activities of daily living is required;
The following was released by Sandra Linklater, Manager, Non-Insured
Health Benefit Services, Weeneebayko Area Health Authority:
d.
When there is a need for legal consent by a parent or guardian;
e.
To accompany a minor (as determined by provincial/territorial
legislation) who is accessing medically required health services;
f.
When a language barrier exists to access medically required
health services and these services are not available at the referred location; or
g.
To receive instructions on specific and essential home medical/
nursing procedures that cannot be given to the client only.
NIHB - FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION:
Be advised that Health Canada does not automatically grant an authorization for escorts unless the criterion in the Medical Transportation
Policy framework for escorts is met.
Each trip is reviewed on a case-by-case basis and each request for an escort is reviewed according to the medical justification contained within
the escort authorization letter.
There are instances where Health Canada is not approving an escort in
medi-vac situations as the escort authorization letter does not contain
sufficient medical justification.
In these cases, the un-authorized escort is NOT FUNDED for any type of
medical transportation benefit which is inclusive of meals, accommodation, local transportation or return transportation back to their home
community.
In medi-vac situations, when the paperwork is processed and submitted to Health Canada, the escort is “denied” and the escort is deemed
ineligible for service. These ineligible escorts are then required to make
provisions for their own meals, accommodations, local transportation
and return to their home community at their expense; as WAHA cannot
file a claim with Health Canada for these ineligible (un-funded) escorts.
Our ability to recover on expenses related to ineligible escorts is zero.
Please be cognizant of the requirements for an escort authorization and
that sufficient medical justification must be provided to facilitate the
review and approval of an escort by a benefit analyst at Health Canada
in Ottawa.
The following excerpt provides a basis description on when an escort
may be authorized; the KEY to approval is the level of detail provided
in the letter on the medical justification on why an escort is required:
Non-Medical Escorts
5.5
The provision of a non-medical escort may be approved, following a
www.moosecree.com
The above notice was confirmed by Heather Larson, Manager, NonInsured Health Benefits Operations , First Nations and Inuit Health:
“I am writing to confirm that in order for NIHB to cover the costs of a
non-medical escort the non-medical escort must meet the criteria 5.5 of
the medical transportation policy framework. This applies to all escorts,
regardless of their mode of transportation… i.e. coming out on medevac, scheduled air, charter etc.
If there is not supporting documentation indicating the need for an escort as per section 5.5 the traveler cannot be considered as an escort
and as such would not be eligible to have their travel costs covered by
the program.”
If you require further information, you can call Sandra Linklater at
(705) 336-2947 ext. 33, or Heather Larsen at (616) 952-0139.
Annual Report
We are in the process of completing our annual report to the membership. Once the Health Committee has reviewed the report for their comments, copies of the annual report will be available to the membership
by calling Health Services at (705) 658-4619 ext. 253.
In closing, I wish all the people heading out to their fall harvesting activities a successful hunt, lots of rest and relaxation and to enjoy the time
with your family.
Respectfully submitted by:
Allen Sailors, Director of Health
Summer
FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
11
Moose
Factory
Health
Centre
Update
Submitted by Christina Linklater, Community Health Coordinator
Influenza 2012
hands and put a mask on should you need to go to the hospital. Influenza is preventable with practice of the following:
It is that time of year again and the
flu season is officially underway. We
will be getting our flu vaccine late this
week and the first place of immunization will be at the hospital. Flu clinics to the public will begin Monday of
next week. (October 22nd).
The symptoms of Influenza are as follows:
A sudden onset of cough and fever. You may also have a sore throat,
body aches and/or headache, chills and extreme fatigue. Some may
also have vomiting and diarrhea.
Everyone should self-screen before coming to work and work areas
should be cleaned/disinfected daily. If you are symptomatic with two
or more of the following symptoms please remain at home and call in.
If you are in need of care call a health care provider. Please wash your
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Keep washing your hands frequently
Cough and sneeze into sleeves or Kleenex
Sanitize our hands in public places
Stay home when you have flu-like symptoms
Take medication and vitamins as prescribed by your doctor.
Drink plenty of water and other fluids daily.
Gargle with warm salt water
Avoid people who are sneezing, coughing or have a fever
GET YOUR FLU SHOT ANNUALLY
Follow the advice of your health care provider. You can also call Telehealth Ontario for advice (1-866-797-0000). Thank you for your cooperation and take care of each other. Be well.
Christina Linklater, Community Health Coordinator
Cheryl Moore, Community Health Nurse
Rita Lazarus, Community Health Nurse
John
R
Delaney
Youth
Centre
Submitted by Jay Monture, Youth Manager
Youth Department
On September 20, 2012 Chief and Council
approved a motion to create Moose Cree’s
first Youth Department! This new development is a milestone and bit of history in the making within the organization. Never before has there been a dedicated Youth Department to
deal with important issues within the Moose Cree Youth Demographic.
This will be a more systematic way for youth to access new programs
and opportunities and build capacity for the Youth Centre to manage
multiple projects. A new sign and MCFN logo will be placed on the outside of the Youth Centre, the home of the New Youth Department. The
draft mission statement is:
Mission Statement
“The Youth Department is fully committed to develop and deliver quality programs, services and activities that foster active participation
which leads to the empowerment of young people in areas of employment, entrepreneurship, sports, education, health, community service,
volunteerism, decision-making and preserving and promoting our
Cree Culture and Language.”
12
FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
Every department within the organization has a committee to report to.
Executive Services will be putting out a call for 4 community members
to sit on this new Youth Department Committee in the near future. An
event will be planned to celebrate the new developments.
Youth Council Revival
Nancy Corston Youth Counsellor is currently working on reviving the
current Youth Council to continue the work they started over 2 years
ago. The Council’s Terms of Reference still need to be resubmitted for
final approval by Chief and Council. The Youth Council have a budget of
$200,000 that was generously donated by the Creeville Partnership in
2011.
To date the Youth Council has invested in the radio station 107.1 The
Island, a recording studio workstation and sports and volunteer medallions. New projects may include an outdoor skating rink and lighting at
the basketball cage, a feasibility study for a new swimming pool/recreation centre and possibly a public play ground/park for families to enjoy.
Keep an eye out for developments in the near future.
Jay Monture,
Youth Centre Manager
www.moosecree.com
Social
Assistance
Department
Submitted by Norma McComb, Director of Social Assistance
Greetings from the staff at the Social
Assistance Office:
Norma McComb,
Director of Social Assistance
(16 years of service)
Edna Sutherland, Case Worker (11 years of service)
Hayley Cheechoo, Case Worker (4 years+ of service)
Verna Cheechoo, Finance Clerk/Receptionist (9months of service)
Caseload
Our total caseload as of October 1st, 2012, is 250 and is broken down
into the following categories:
Two Parent Families
Single Parent Families
Single Persons
Temporary Care Children
41
45 (44 female heads, 1 male head)
134 (90 male, 44 female)
30
There are 44 ODSP clients as well which would bring the total caseload
to 294.
Changes to Ontario Works
Earlier this spring the
provincial government
announced cutbacks to
the Ontario Works Program with the introduction of the 2012 provincial budget. These changes included removing the Community Start Up
and Maintenance Benefit (CSUMB), removing the Home Repairs Benefit
from social assistance, establishing a cap on Discretionary Benefits and
freezing social assistance rates. Our First Nation leaders took action and
lobbied against these changes. The Minister of Community and Social
Services announced that temporary relief will be implemented on these
changes until April 1, 2013. The Health Related Discretionary Benefits
will remain until March 31, 2013. However as dictated the CSUMB and
Home Repairs program will end on December 31, 2012.
The Chiefs Committee on Social Development and the Social Services
Coordination Unit have started working with the First Nations and the
Ministry to come to a viable solution on these benefits. They are consulting First Nations in terms of their concerns, identified needs and
possible solutions.
Ontario Native Welfare Administrators Association
(ONWAA)
Our next scheduled semi-annual
meeting and training session is
slated for October 15th – 18th,
2012 in Toronto. It is at these
ONWAA meetings that we have a
chance to touch base with other
First Nation Social Assistance Staff.
We also find a sense of comradery
with fellow social workers as we
share stores of case scenarios,
difficulties with various governments, and different understandings and
interpretations of government policies. This is a time when we are able
to collect and consider information from others and take back to our
community what has meaning and value for us, our clientele and our
First Nation membership. This year marks ONWAA’s 40th anniversary.
Our staff will be attending and we will have a casual caseworker in the
office and she will be available for emergencies only.
In closing, I would like to thank you for your time and we wish all harvesters success this harvesting season.
Respectfully submitted by:
Norma McComb, Director of Social Assistance
Moose Cree Community Activator
www.facebook.com/MooseCreeCommunityActivator
Visit the Moose Cree Community Activator Facebook page to see the latest activities planned for our community! Activities available for
youth, young adults, seniors. Get involved and have fun!
www.moosecree.com
FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
13
Language
and
Culture
Programs
Submitted by Geraldine Govender, Language and Culture Programs Coordinator
Language & Cultural Programs
It has been some time since I have given an update on the language &
cultural programs that I am responsible for. The harvesters component
consumes all our time during the spring and fall seasons.
Gathering of our People GOOP/CreeFest
Overall, GOOP/CreeFest was another successful event thanks to the efforts of the Mushkegowuk staff and ours. One of the things that struck
me was the amount of incredible talent that we have in our community
with many emerging artists as well as established ones. When submitting the proposal to Canadian Heritage for next year’s GOOP, I had to
include a program of events and performances as well as a theme. I’m
sure that everyone will like the theme of “Celebrating our Own” featuring and showcasing our own local talent and giving them the opportunity to prepare months in advance to put on professional performances
on the main stage. In the coming months, keep an eye out for notices of
planning meetings.
Language Project
Although we made some inroads in the online language programs that
I have been working on with Soligsoft Inc., we have run into delays in
completing the project as planned. What started out as a project to get
an online Moose Cree language learning chat room and virtual classroom as well as a twelve unit interactive DVD to teach Moose Cree has
now turned into a three year process very much dependent on the availability of funds.
Cultural Projects
Under Article 3 of the Amisk-oo-skow Agreement, the Cultural Projects
Working Group (CPWG) is charged with the responsibility of identifying
cultural projects and seeing them to fruition. Cultural projects that address the loss of culture in the area affected by the hydro development
mainly in the Smokey Falls area are being considered. The CPWG has
been concentrating on establishing a cultural camp near Kapuskasing
but the plan to purchase a property in an ideal location near Val Rita fell
through due to major structural concerns. We recently met with the Elders Advisory Group which works with the Environmental Group under
the Amisk-oo-skow to show them areas where the CPWG is considering
lookout platforms, monuments and blue-berry picking shelters.
Harvesters
We processed over 500 applications for the spring harvest and approximately the same amount for the fall harvest. There has not been time
to tally up the statistics but we have nearly depleted the $400,000 that
we got from the DeBeers IBA for this year. Harvesters funds will also
14
FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
be needed to enhance what funding we will be getting from the Canada Ontario Resource Development Agreement (CORDA) for trappers’
assistance. Trappers’ assistance applications will be posted shortly. As
with the number of harvesters applying for assistance, the number of
trappers requesting help has increased dramatically and I anticipate in
future harvests that we will find it challenging to fund everyone who
applies for harvesters subsidies in the same way that we have been able
to do so up to this time.
Elders Cabins
One of the priorities targeted this year for the Amisk-oo-skow Agreement funds is cabins for elders (members aged 60 and over). We have to
develop a process on how to allocate the funds and determine how far
the assistance will entail, e.g. size of cabins, transportation of materials
and labour costs. We need to answer the question of how far will we be
able to help within the identified funds. We also have to be fair to everyone who is eligible and we need to get started this winter.
Harvesters Working Group
A harvesters working group will need to be established to advise on how
the harvesting funds will be used and how the elders cabins will be allocated. This will be brought to Chief and Council to appoint the members
of the working group once the terms of reference have been approved.
Support for families to stay out on the land
This is another initiative that has been given priority for this year and
this entails helping families with tent frames out in the areas where they
harvest. This will be another matter for the Harvesters Working Group
to work on. Again, it will be important to find a fair and equitable process for allocating these funds which will come partly from accumulated
surpluses from previous years when the harvesters budget was not all
spent and from new monies from the Amisk-oo-skow Agreement. This
initiative needs to be started this winter as well.
There are other areas for which I am responsible, such as traditional
healing and cultural events and to be honest, it can be somewhat overwhelming. Thankfully, I have Bert Trapper to assist and Katelyn Linklater
who is providing administrative support to us. I would also like to thank
Norma McComb who worked long hours with me on the harvesters applications in the past few years and who has since stepped down.
Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable time out on the land.
Geraldine Govender
Director of Language & Cultural Programs
www.moosecree.com
Public
Works
Department
Submitted by Abel Wapachee, Director of Public Works
Wachay to our friends across the river and the surrounding communities of the coastal areas. We are now in fall season and some of us are
out harvesting and spending time with close family and friends like we
always do in the fall. Jack Frost has been creeping on us each morning
and next thing you know we’ll be traveling the winter roads again.
Lagoon Upgrades
Upgrading the lagoon system and its extensions is one of our main priorities. Our optimization report has been sent to Aboriginal Affairs and
Northern Development Canada, which have yet to approve the project.
The total cost of the project is approximately $2.9 million dollars, but
due to other circumstances the project is on hold until the fiscal year
2014-2015. So we are asking our leadership to politically push this project through and make it reality as it is a much needed project. The lagoon system is over twenty years old now and its operation and parts
are starting to wear and tear as it reaches the end of its life expectancy.
Beautification Program
Another season of this important program has once again come to an
end. The Public Works Department and its committee members would
like to thank the crew for a job well done. Not only did they cut grass
and clean the surrounding ditches, but they also helped out in other
community activities as requested by other departments. Hats off to
the supervisor Robert Katapaytuk and his crew of Buddy Cheechoo,
Cameron Cheechoo, Colby Cheechoo, Jordan Koosees, Albert Rickard,
Nicholas Rickard and Kerwin Whiskeychan. The other members of the
crew have left the project and have moved on to other things or have
gone back to school.
Moose Cree First Nation and Mushkegowuk Council joined forces this
summer to bring us the 2012 Gathering of our People and CreeFest. The
Public Works staff and beautification crew were very involved with the
setup, takedown, and general cleanup of the area.
www.moosecree.com
Walkway Project
This project was started in mid -August of 2011 and was completed by
the end of August, 2011. Signs and posts were installed and compacted granular ”A” base was placed on each of end the walkway. In less
than one year after completion, the walkway rails were vandalized and
completely pulled off the supports and the signs were pulled out of the
ground. Needless to say someone or a group has vandalized the structure, without considering the cost and hard work put into this project.
continued on page 16...
FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
15
Waste Diversion
Public Works Department
Continued from Page 15...
From October 1 - 5, 2012, I attended the Northern Ontario First Nations
Environment Conference which was held in Thunder Bay’s Fort William
Historical Park. Not only was I invited, but I was also asked to make a
presentation on waste diversion in our community of Moose Factory Island. The main topic that I presented was the start of Ontario Electronic
Stewardship program within our Moose Cree First Nation Community. I
discussed how we got started with the program and the hardships we
encountered. I also spoke about the cost of getting all the electronics,
steel, appliances and the process of entering the Used Tires Program as
well.
During the presentation, I was also informed that another person would
be presenting a similar topic. After our presentations, I was surprised
that we shared the same problems in seeing this program through. Unlike us, they (Wahnapitae First Nations) share the same goals and they
have also been addressing waste diversion for several years now. They
are also operating a dumpsite in which all community members have
unlimited access to the landfill site.
Abel Wapachee,
Director of Public Works
Lands
and
Resources
Submitted by Jack Rickard, Director of Lands and Resources
Introducing our Jr. Environmental Technician
Wachay, my name is David Hardisty
Sr. and I was hired on August 7th,
2012 as the Junior Environmental
Technician for the Lands and Resources Department.
First of all, I would like to say I am
truly happy to be working for my
First Nation community more particularly for the citizens of Moose
Cree as a whole. My professional and educational background includes
a two year timber operations technician diploma from the Kirkland Lake
Campus of Northern College. Prior to coming to Moose Cree I worked at
Ontario Power Generation – Peter Kiewit Company as an Environmental
Monitor. Also I spent a number of years as the ISO Manager for Mishtuk
Corporation in Waswanipi Quebec.
Since I took this position, I have assisted on several projects some of
16
FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
which include: the Species at Risk Monitoring Program at Long Ridge,
the MCFN values protection plan associated with the Hydro Development Project and Ground Trothing along the Kapuskasing River. The
most recent was with MNR in the data collection and removal of Brook
Trout tracking stations located on the Bad and North French rivers. Also,
I have attended several informative meetings and planning sessions
with my fellow colleagues.
In closing, as your new Junior Environmental Technician I believe that
my most important responsibility is to ensure the mandate and mission
of the Lands and Resources department is achieved and upheld at all
times. I find the work we do is meaningful and is essential in preserving
and protecting our Traditional Homelands and Values.
Internal Community Consultation Protocol Ministry
of Aboriginal Affairs
We recently posted the position of the Consultation Coordinator and
have conducted interviews with individuals. Once a successful candi-
www.moosecree.com
date is hired, we plan to move ahead with the project to ensure that we
complete our objectives of the agreement. Therefore, please keep an
eye open for future notices on any upcoming activities.
Moose River Brook Trout Movement Study / Fish
Tracking Stations on Rivers within the Homelands
Contaminated Soil Cleanup at Hydrometric Station
This past summer, Environment Canada had sent correspondence to
MCFN informing us of a cleanup of contaminated soil that was to occur
at the hydrometric stations located at the French River.
Chris Chenier, MNR Fisheries Biologist
During the last week of September, the Jr. Environmental Technician
accompanied MNR staff in data collection and the dismantling of the
monitoring stations located on the Bad and North French Rivers. We are
anticipating the results as soon as they are available.
Moose Cree First Nation North French River Cultural Landscape Preservation Planning Creative
Communities Prosperity Fund
Unfortunately, Peter Burke was unable to continue as the Environmental Project Officer due to unforeseen circumstances. It was unfortunate
to see him leave, but we wish him the best in his future endeavours. We
have reposted this position and hope to have this position filled at the
earliest time possible. Despite this loss, staff of the Land and Resources
is continuing to move this project forward to ensure that we fulfill our
part of the agreement.
Broad-Scale Monitoring, Kesagami Lake
Jeff Amos, Fisheries Population Specialist MNR
I am currently waiting on the results from this past summer’s survey at
Kesagami Lake, but from initial discussions with Jeff, he had informed
me that the work went very well. The data are currently being entered
into provincial database, so Jeff could not provide much in the way of
analysis yet, but here is a quick snapshot of what was done. They collected length, weight, age, stomach contents, genetics information from a
variety of species of fish. They collected fish contaminant samples from
Pike and Walleye and these have been sent to MOE for analysis. They
collected zooplankton samples and those have been sent to Queens
University for analysis (primarily looking for invasive species (e.g. Zebra
mussels, spiny water-flea)). They also collected water temperature and
dissolved oxygen data from a couple locations on the lake.
The species of fish that we observed were:
- Walleye
- Lake Whitefish
- Yellow Perch
- Longnose Sucker
- Log perch
- Northern Pike
- Lake Herring
- White Sucker
- Spottail Shiner
Also during their operation, the crew has observed Cormorants on the
lake, but no nests observed though.
According to Jeff, he is hopeful data entry will be completed by end of
November at which time he can provide a better description of their
results.
www.moosecree.com
The Lands and Resources staff had forwarded our comments and concerns in regards to the matter which resulted in a couple of meetings
taking place between L&R, Environment Canada and their consultants
to have them addressed. As a result we were satisfied that all concerns
were taken care of. Subsequently, the week of October 2nd, 2012 was
agreed upon, thus the notification of flights within the area of the French
River, to conduct the cleanup with our Environmental Monitor accompanying the crew as an observer. These flights were to aid the clean-up
of the site as some may have noticed blue helicopter slinging white bags
which contained the contaminated soil of small amounts of mercury.
A total of four bags were flown out, weighing approximately 3800lbs
in total. A number of small samples were also sent to a certified lab to
confirm the site was cleaned. The contaminated material is scheduled to
be taken to a facility to properly dispose of in southern Ontario. We are
anticipating for the results to be shared with the Lands and Resources.
The following projects will be in the next newsletter issue:
- Land Use Planning – MCFN and Regional
- Moose Cree in Conservation and Stewardship of Bird Species at
Risk with the Homelands - Aboriginal Funds Species at Risk
- Nature Canada’s Ivey Foundation Proposal for James Bay Important Bird Areas (IBA) Work with the Cree 2012
Thank you,
Jack Rickard, Director of Lands and Resources
FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
17
Resource Protection
Kapuskasing
Project
Coordinator
Submitted by ernie Lafontaine, Kapuskasing Project Coordinator
Wachay to all Moose Cree First Nation members and visitors! Fall has
already arrived and we’re already past the midpoint or 2 ½ years completion of the Lower Mattagami River Redevelopment Project. It’s been
said that the greatest challenges in life can bring the greatest rewards.
The Lower Mattagami River Project certainly has been one of those
unique challenges for our Moose Cree members and all parties involved.
There have been highs and there certainly have been lows, however,
many success stories have come out of this project for our Moose Cree
members as they move ahead in their perspective work careers and enhance their standard of living for their families and communities which
are the true rewards of resource development for First Nation peoples.
At the writing of this Newsletter a total of (162) First Nation/Métis applicants have applied to the Lower Mattagami River Project and a total
of (82) to Detour Gold. The following Employment & Training programs
have already been completed in Kapuskasing which include two intakes
of Employment Readiness, Health & Safety, and one intake of Office
Skills training which have resulted in a number of trainees securing fulltime employment at Lower Mattagami River Project and Detour Gold.
Duties of the Kapuskasing Project Coordinator
-
Daily Administrative duties which deal with Employment &
Training needs of First Nation/Métis individuals who are seeking employment at Lower Mattagami River Project and Detour
Gold.
-
Attend various monthly team meetings in Timmins, Moose Factory, Kapuskasing and Toronto from time to time.
-
Attend ongoing Worker’s Forums at the Lower Mattagami
River Project site.
-
Coordinate and assist with project site visits when requested.
-
Assist Moose Cree Kapuskasing members with the processing
of the annual fall and Spring Harvesters Support Program applications that assist them with their hunting and trapping needs.
-
Coordinate ongoing Employment & Training meetings for the
Moose Cree First Nation members living in the Kapuskasing
area.
-
Resource Coordinator for the Cultural Project Working Group.
-
Resource Coordinator for the Elders Advisory Group.
Past follow-up surveys from past trainees have indicated that the knowledge they acquired through Sibi Employment & Training programs such
as the Employment Readiness training has been paramount in them
finding employment which has created the many success stories of our
First Nation/Métis employees at the Lower Mattagami River Project.
-
Perform other work related duties when required.
My work duties include assisting all First Nation/Métis members who
fall under the EA (Environmental assessment) area who include Moose
Cree First Nation, MoCreebec, Taykwa Tagamou First Nation, and Métis
Nation of Ontario. However, I take work applications for all First Nation/
Métis applicants who apply for employment at Lower Mattagami River
Project and Detour Gold. Also, in conjunction with Sibi Employment &
Training, I offer Employment & Training programs in Kapuskasing.
Ernie Lafontaine
Kapuskasing Project Coordinator
Personal Development / Inner Self Discovery
Awareness Workshop
In regard to Training & Employments needs, and due to my knowledge
with personal development, I was asked by Sibi Employment & Training to give a two day workshop on personal development/inner selfdiscovery awareness to our Moose Cree First Nation trainees who had
an interest in working at the Lower Mattagami River Project, mainly,
with Sodexo Food services. Two intakes were given back in March 2012
and July 2012 to (30) trainees. Trainees were showed how one’s outer
personal issues and problems have been deeply rooted to their past inner conditioning which has created their present habits, patterns and
belief systems and as a result, has directly influenced all aspects of their
personal and work lives today.
It’s been well documented that when you give a people specialized
knowledge about how they truly function inside they become truly enlightened, and as a result, begin to truly understand that their outer issues/problems are but a mere reflection of their unresolved inner issues
and conditioning and once addressed their outside issues/problems fall
into place on their own. Therefore, the more personal development
education and awareness we can offer our First Nation employees the
more successful they’ll be in their personal lives, jobs, and communities.
18
FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
This concludes my Newsletter report. Please feel free to contact me at
(705) 335-3605 ext. 226 or at [email protected] if you
have any questions or comments. Wachay!
www.moosecree.com
Resource Protection
Community
&
social
Advocate
Update
Submitted by Jack Williams, Community & social Advocate
Healing and Wellness Counselors – Lower Mattagami Other Activities done by the Advocate
River Project
The Counselors on site are working hard and continue to offer the following services at the work site. They facilitate one to one counseling,
talking circles, smudging, pipe ceremonies and sweat lodge ceremonies.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
They will provide an aftercare service for those workers who have completed treatment and require follow up counseling and support. They
can facilitate workshops with contractors and supervisors to help them
understand the history of the Cree communities in the region.
If required they can also provide any additional services if there are
workers who wish to pursue their own healing path and would like additional help with their own personal growth and self awareness.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
They will maintain a library of resource material on site so that the workers will have access to resource materials such as books and videos that
they can use on their spare time.
Opening new bank accounts.
Driving workers from the site for appointments, doctors, etc.
Assisting with resumes.
Applying for SIN number and assisting with other forms.
Working directly with the contractors to assist worker issues.
Hiring process, receiving emails with attached resumes,
forwarded to SIBI.
Assisting workers to travel home in family emergencies.
Assist with union issues on site.
Workers have been hospitalized for various reasons, hospital
visits and support.
Meeting with families in Moose Factory and other communities, support services with employment etc.
Assist workers with SIN cards, health cards and filling in forms.
Addressing many issues that occur on site to the Implementation Committee.
BEWG, HR issues involvement.
Families are approaching the advocate more often for assistance with referring clients (workers).
As the workforce will continue to increase we need to continue
to find ways of preparing workers for the worksite, as to expectations, more discussion on perhaps workplace awareness.
Scheduling and being at site more often, continuing to work on
the workplan for the advocate position.
Discrimination awareness. Every dorm, office and sitting room
has a poster hanging on an information board with reporting
procedures.
On site monthly worker forum meetings being coordinated.
Hunting season planning for workers to take time off.
Provide advocate support to Moose Cree and OPG. I have been
working with the General Contractor (KAP) and the sub-contractors.
Workshops in the communities are being organized on various
topics including money management, buying a home, work
ethics, etc. Home Ownership Workshop scheduled for August
9, 2012, at OPG Project site, two sessions, one in the day and
one in the evening.
There are often challenges of integrating workers to this project, one
is the length of time they stay to work and being away from family and
friends can be hard. Challenges include, the work environment, most
workers work a shift of 3 weeks in and one week out. Some work shifts
that are two weeks in, and one week out. Some find this difficult and
want to return home. We are now implementing positive activities on
site, to make the stay for workers more comfortable. The elders come
into the work site to have cookouts at the traditional camp grounds we
have at the permanent camp. Two weeks ago, a group from Moose Faccontinued on page 20...
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FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
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Community & Social Advocate Update
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tory spent the night at camp and they cooked moose meat and goose
over the fire. The attendance was high, the evening was fun for everyone including the non aboriginal workers who experienced and learned
about traditional cooking and food from the elders on site. We are now
trying to make these monthly events.
Did you know?...
Other job opportunities are also listed on
the Moose Cree website!
Job opportunities from Detour Gold, KAP, Sibi, Ontario Power
Generation (OPG) and more are continuously posted on our
website. Visit www.moosecree.com/employment and scroll
down to the Other Opportunities page.
If you require any help or information about services, or if you need to
contact or are concerned about a family member working at the project,
please do not hesitate to call the numbers below:
On-Site Counselors Office: 1 (647) 476-7636 ext: 1550
Jack Williams Office (Advocate): 1 (647) 476-7636 ext: 1551
Cell Phone: (705) 363-0303, Email: [email protected]
Our Facebook page is changing!
Our Facebook page will soon be receiving some
exciting updates. We’ll be posting more polls,
photos, and other interesting content. If you have
not already done so, like us on Facebook and join
the conversation!
www.facebook.com/moosecreefirstnation
P.O. Box 190, 22 Jonathan Cheechoo Drive
Moose Factory ON P0L 1W0
P: (705) 658-4619 F: (705) 658-4734
Visit our website! www.moosecree.com
And on Facebook! www.facebook.com/moosecreefirstnation
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FALL 2012 - Paytahchemowin newsletter
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