January - Matawa » First Nations Management

January 2014
MATAWA
MESSENGE R
“Living With Us...” page 8
Regional Strategy Update
The Matawa First Nations are getting closer to completing the Community Driven
Regional Strategy Framework Agreement. Each community has provided valuable
recommendations which have been submitted for inclusion in the agreement. The
Provincial Government has accepted the majority of the changes. The Chiefs will
continue to meet this winter to work towards completion of the agreement. Once
the Regional Framework Agreement is signed, our communities will move into the
next phase. Phase 2 is the negotiation phase where our First Nations will work out
with Ontario the details of the Agreement. Our communities will be leading the
decision making with the 3 Regional Pillars: Land Management, Revenue Sharing,
and Capacity Building.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Regional Strategy
Update
Education Summit
Student Success
Miminiska Island Clean
Up Project
Welcome New Staff and
more....
Phase Two will include:
Budgets and workplans for technical, legal, coordination, community
consultations;
Community-driven consultation process to provide input and directions;
Studies i.e. socio-economic, education, health, infrastructure, environmental, etc;
Economic Development strategies, Community infrastructure and Regional
infrastructure.
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Matawa Chiefs, Mineral Technical
Committee and Ring Of Fire Office
Visit Williams Lake
In November 2013 Matawa Chiefs, Mineral
Technical Committee and Ring Of Fire Office met with
the Tsilhqot’in National Government in Williams Lake,
BC, to share experiences and strategies with regards
to natural resource extraction and development.
Gibraltar Mine Tour
As part of the visit, the Matawa delegation took part
in a field trip to an open pit mine at McLeese Lake.
Farwell Canyon
During the visit to the
Tsilhqot’in National
Government the group
was escorted to the First
Nation’s traditional
territory where they
practice dip net fishing
methods for Sockeye
Salmon.
CRISIS TEAM PROGRAM
Matawa First Nations needs Volunteers for the Crisis
Team in the Thunder Bay location. Volunteers are
needed to provide support, translation, visiting, home
care, child care, transportation or help with food
preparation. Volunteers would be called upon in the
event of a crisis occurring while a community member
is in Thunder Bay.
If you are interested please call
Debbie Sault, Regional Victim Services and Crisis
Intervention Coordinator at 1.807.344.4575 or
1.807.628.3880 or please contact your local Crisis
Team Coordinator
Canadian Aboriginal Mining
Association (CAMA) Conference
Matawa Chiefs, Mineral Technical Committee as well
as other Matawa delegates and staff attended the
annual CAMA conference in Vancouver, BC in
November 2013. The conference is a tradeshow and
an opportunity for Chiefs and Staff to network with
the mining industry. It also provides a professional
development opportunity through educational
workshops.
COMING SOON!
Matawa’s New Website &
Community Cultural Portal
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Ministry of Natural Resources
Holds Land Use Planning
Workshops at Matawa
Matawa Victim Services Program
Matawa First Nations recently received funding for
Victim Services Programming in all Matawa
communities. Nine Half-time Victim Services Workers
were hired effective November 1, 2013. The Matawa
Victim Services Program is funded by the Ministry of
the Attorney General.
This program will provide culturally relevant services
to victims of crime as defined in the Criminal Code
of Canada. It will increase community awareness and
promote services to help reduce the impacts of crime.
Neskantaga First Nation Land Use Planning Team with
Four Rivers Geomatics Technician, Victoria Danco, at
Matawa First Nations Management on Friday
November 29, 2013.
The program will include direct victim services such as
intervention, basic counselling, client assessments,
and client management, referrals and advocacy. The
program also offers public education and community
engagement, and partnerships with Aboriginal and
non-aboriginal vicitim service providers.
Community Engagement Activities
Organize, coordinate and facilitate community information sessions to include community-based and
external service providers;
Establish relationship with potential partners to
design and develop a community-based victim service
delivery model;
Met at Matawa Four Rivers office with the Ministry of
Natural Resources for a land sse planning workshop.
Identify potential partners and develop working
agreements/protocols;
Establish a process to provide integrated cohesive
service to victims of crime.
Mobilizing Initial, On-going Service Delivery and
Service Infrastructure
Formalize relationships with community-based
services and resources, For example crisis teams and
emergency response teams;
Refine working agreements/protocols.
Neskantaga Land Use Planning Delegates at Four
Rivers mapping room, Matawa First Nations
Management, Thunder Bay.
For information please call Debbie Sault, Regional
Victim Services/Crisis Intervention Coordinator at
1.807.344.4575
or 1.800.463.2249
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Matawa Community Education
Conference
Migizi Miigwanan Grand Opening
Long Lake #58 First Nation officially opened its new
high school, Eagle Feather Migizi Miigwanan
Secondary School, on November 15, 2013.
Education Staff Visit Marten Falls
Matawa First Nations Management hosted a
community forum on education December 10th, 11th
& 12th, 2013. The forum is one step in a process to
develop education strategies with Matawa First
Nations. Delegates form the nine Matawa First
Nations discussed the current state of education in
their communities and what they would like to see
for the future. The information will be gathered in a
report.
An Early Learning Specialist and a Literacy/Numeracy
Specialist from Matawa Education visited the Henry
Coaster Memorial school the final week of November.
While there, the staff discussed balanced literacy, the
Benchmark Assessment System 1 & 2, Handwriting
Without Tears program, and play-based learning.
Everyone enjoyed distributing and unpacking
resources for each classroom to be used for students’
engagement in learning.
Matawa Education
28 N. Cumberland Street, Suite #500, 5th Floor
Thunder Bay, ON P7A 4K9
Tel: 807.768.3300 Fax: 807.768.3301
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Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment & Training Services (KKETS)
Graduates from the Aboriginal Skills Advancement Program (ASAP)
Holly Mendowegan
Aroland
Keith TowedoAroland
Krista BouchardAroland
Ginette Magiskan
Aroland
Ross KashkishAroland
Jesse Mendowegan
Aroland
Derek Sutherland
Constance Lake
Patricia Moore
Constance Lake
Adnan Chum
Constance Lake
Wayne Taylor
Constance Lake
Isaiah Achneepineskum
Constance Lake
Gwen BoyceEabametoong
Viola Stevens
Eabametoong
Ricky Yellowhead
Eabametoong
Kelly Yellowhead
Eabametoong
Flora WaswaEabemetoong
Norine Keeskitay
Eabemetoong
Gavin Slipperjack
Eabemetoong
Joshua Wapoose
Eabemetoong
Wanda BoyceEabemetoong
Bruce Meeseetawageesic
Eabemetoong
Brad HeadEabemetoong
Shelby CharlesGinoogaming
Marianne Echum
Ginoogaming
Shawn Baxter
Marten Falls
Charlie McGuire
Marten Falls
Neal OstamusNeskantaga
Angela SakaneeNeskantaga
Leon (Wilfred) Moonias
Neskantaga
Tracey Wapoose
Neskantaga
Gregory Neshinapaise
Nibinamik
Gershom Beaver
Nibinamik
Alden BeaverNibinamik
Lydia Oskineegish
Nibinamik
Sherilyn Wabasse
Nibinamik
Elijah Sugarhead
Nibinamik
Eveleen Atlookan
Nibinamik
Glen WabasseWebequie
Jessie MekanakWebequie
Beverly Moonias
Webequie
Sandra SpenceWebequie
Marlene Shewaybick
Webequie
Ryan WabasseWebequie
Karl JacobWebequie
Richard JacobWebequie
Candace Towegishig
Long Lake #58
Arnold Fisher
Long Lake #58
Mike Williams
Long Lake #58
Students Who Have Recently Acquired
Their OSSD Dipoloma
Ross KaskkishAroland
Jesse Mendowegan
Aroland
Joshua GagnonAroland
Derek Sutherland
Constance Lake
Flora WaswaEabametoong
Norine Keeskitay
Eabametoong
Gavin Slipperjack
Eabametoong
Joshua Wapoose
Eabametoong
Wanda BoyceEabametoong
Tracey Wapoose
Neskantaga
Alden BeaverNibinamik
Lydia Oskineegish
Nibinamik
Karl JacobWebequie
For more information please contact Carolyn Zadnik,
ASAP Project Coordinator at 807.768.4470
or by fax at 807.768.4471
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Community Focus
Norman Beaver
Norman Beaver is the Community Communications
Liaison Officer for Nibinamik First Nation. Norman is
responsible for coordinating communications for his
community, industry proponents and government
representatives. Norman ensures that the Lands and
Resources office is well stocked with up to date
informational material and he acts as a community
reference and contact person to support community
information sharing sessions through open house
events, and community engagement sessions.
Norman ensures that community members including
elders, women, youth, trappers, small business
people, and band staff bring their interests and
concerns forward regarding mineral development
through newsletters and the use of Wawatay Radio.
Recently Norman organized presentations from Four
Rivers Environmental Services group for Chief and
Council regarding the Noront Resources Aquatic
Baseline Report and provide updates on Noront and
Cliffs project EA status.
Norman also organized a presentation from the David
Suzuki Foundation for the Lands and Resources staff
and Chief and Council on November 14th, 2013.
Discussions centred on the protection of nature and
the importance of traditional lifestyles now and into
the future.
Four Rivers would like to take this opportunity to
thank the Lands and Resources Department and Chief
& Council for their warm hospitality. Four Rivers looks
forward to their next visit to Nibinamik First Nation.
www.fourriversmatawa.ca
Student Success
Michael Echum
Ginoogaming First Nation
Michael Echum is the second oldest of five siblings.
The advice he shares with them is that education
is important for youth and to “keep at it.” Michael
knows the importance of staying focused and working
hard. He recites a popular analogy to stay motivated,
“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it
drink.” His positive attitude withstood some of life’s
greatest hardships. At the young age of twelve,
Michael’s mother passed away and he marks that as
his biggest struggle. He found grade seven and eight to be a difficult time as he started moving houses and changing schools.
A few close friends were
crucial to his success in High School, which he
graduated from last
December. A valuable skill he learned was to distinguish a crisis from a mere incident, and he knows that will help him on his educational
pursuit. Michael is now entering post-secondary
school at Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario to take
the Art and Design Fundamentals Program.
Afterwards he looks to enroll in a graphic design
program and possibly pursue a career in website
development. A healthy habit Michael formed is
drawing a picture per week. He says it is a way to
self-discipline and to explore his creativity. Michael
inspired many when he shared his story at the
Matawa Education Summit in December 2013. He
hopes the summit will raise awareness of the
difficulties students experience during school.
Best of luck in your future endeavors Michael!
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Miminiska Island Clean-Up Project
By Lyndsey Jupp
In the 1980s a mining company set up camp on
Miminiska Island. They built two shacks to work and
sleep in. Both shacks were insulated with styrofoam,
had electricity powered by fuel, and water that was
pumped up from the Lake. Stacks of rock cores were
stored outside on racks. Workers dug a hole for an
outhouse, had a stove for heating and cooking, and
even had a washing machine and shower. When they
left they left everything behind including drums of
fuel. Many people from Eabametoong First Nation
have known about this place and wanted to see it
cleaned up. It took about thirty years for their wish to
come true.
In June 2013 Eabametoong First Nation recieved
funding from the Canada Ontario Resource
Development Agreement (CORDA) to clean up the old
camp. Community members were hired to take two
trips, one by river and one by air, and take as much
waste out as they could. All the waste was boated
over to Wilderness North’s Miminiska Lodge and
flown out to Armstrong where it went to the landfill
or scrap yard. It took two flights to get it all out.
THINGS WE FOUND
6 drums of fuel and 18 empty drums
500 feet of electrical wiring (plugs, switches, light bulbs, and ballasts)
300 feet of 1” plastic water hose
100 feet of 2” black rubber hose
10 garbage bags of styrofoam
1 washing machine
1 stand up shower tub
2 stoves
1 core cutter
2 – 5g metal pails
Screens from doors and windows
Core racks
Other plastic bottles and containers
Wood that was rotten
A community open house was organized after the
work was done. About 70 people stopped in to see
what we had been accomplished. There are many
other places that need to be cleaned up as well. We
also need funding to do more. Hopefully we can get
funding and keep working with families, companies,
and government to do these clean-ups.
Giitchi-Meegwetch to the Project Team members:
Gordon & Tommy Yellowhead, Robert Missewace,
Wilbur Waswa & Marcel Sagutch! Thank you to Xavier
Sagutch, CBLUP Data Collector, for dedicating so many
years to getting clean-ups started, your pictures and
information has helped get us to where we are today.
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Matawa First Nations Management Welcomes New Staff
Four Rivers Department
Geomatics Technician, Victoria Danco
Victoria is the new Geomatics Technician for Four
River. She has extensive GIS and map
development skills. Victoria has an Honours BSc in
Water Resources Management and a Master Degree
in Biology, focusing on fish in Northern Ontario
lakes. Victoria worked with the Seine River First
Nations as their Watershed Analyst Intern, where she researched
the effects of contaminants on traditional foods. Victoria’s maps
are already in great demand by our First Nations. Welcome to
the Four Rivers team.
Education Department
Education Receptionist, Shelley Boudreau
Originally from Red Rock, Ontario Shelley has joined the
Matawa team as the new Education Receptionist. Shelley studied
Business Human Resources at Confederation College, and has
worked as a librarian at the Red Rock Public Library for ten years.
Shelley also has previous experience working as the Program
Coordinator/Employment & Training Counsellor in the Labour
Adjustment Field. She has also acted as the Co-Chairperson for
the Parent Council with the Superior Greenstone District School
Board representing the Red Rock Public School. Shelley is
looking forward to meeting everyone and being a part of the
Education team.
Health Services Department
Health Administrative Assistant, Rebecca Mattinas
Rebecca has been hired by Matawa First Nations
Management as the new Health Administrative
Assistant. Rebecca has had previous work
experience at Matawa as the receptionist at the
Thunder Bay office, as well as for Matawa’s
Education department. Rebecca has lived in
Thunder Bay for ten years and is originally from Constance Lake
First Nation. She has four children and loves to spend time with
her family. Rebecca is looking forward to sharing her skills and
experience with the Matawa Health Department and is
excited for this opportunity to learn.
Education Department
Student Activities Coordinator, Trevor Desmoulin
Hi, my name is Trevor Desmoulin and I am the
Student Activities Coordinator here at the Matawa
Learning Centre. I was raised in Long Lake #58 First
Nation. I am married to Dawn (Beedahbin)
Desmoulin and we have 3 children Marcus, Chad
and Paytyn. I studied Recreation Therapy at Confederation
College and graduated in 2011. Prior to College I have worked
in Long Lake #58 as a recreation coordinator. After Graduation
I worked at the Migizi Wazisin Elementary School on Long Lake
#58 First Nation for a few months as a Child and Youth Worker. I
am glad to be apart of the team and looking forward to working
and learning from the students and staff at the Matawa Learning
Centre. Miigwetch.
Living with Us… Muskrat “Wazhashk”
Some muskrats spend their winters in ice free climates; however the ones found living with
us in Northern Ontario are restricted to living beneath the ice of their ponds and in their
burrows. The muskrat is not a “mini beaver,” nor is it a close relative of that large rodent.
The muskrat is a highly specialized aquatic vole that shares many features with the Beaver
as a result of similar environments.
Muskrats selectively remove preferred plant species, thereby changing the
abundance of plant species in many kinds of wetlands.
Did You Know… some predict winter snowfall levels by observing the size and timing of muskrat lodge construction?
The muskrat is an integral part of the creation of Turtle Island as he dove deep into the waters to provide sand and
sacrificed his life so that life on earth could begin a new. The muskrat also provides an indication of potential flooding of
wetlands based on how and where they build their lodges. Although being a small creature, the muskrat serves a vital
role to people and wetlands and should be part of Land Use Planning and Climate Change studies (As told by Alex
Ostamas, Land Use Planner for Neskantaga First Nation). Surveys to find out how many muskrats lodges are found in an
area can be done by utilizing handheld GPS data collection units to collect and manage data. Four Rivers is implementing
a Geographical Information System (GIS) Program to assist the Matawa First Nations communities in mapping their
traditional lands to support land and water resources management.
For more information check out: www.fourriversmatawa.ca
Matawa First Nations | 233 S. Court Street | Thunder Bay, ON P7B 2X9 | Tel: 807.344.4575 | Fax: 807.344.2977 | Toll Free: 1.800.463.2249
w w w . m a t a w a . o n . c a
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