Media.Knet.Ca

Wapekeka SOS Conference - Survivors of Suicide

The 12th Annual SOS Conference in Wapekeka starts tomorrow at 9:00 am until Sunday Night, August 22. The communities participating will be travelling today and next Monday. For the first time this year, Lac Seul will be joining us and we are excited about their participation.

For Tuesday, Opening Ceremonies will be held starting 9:00 am and guest speakers will begin their speechs about 10:00 am. This will be broadcast LIVE on Wawatay plus evening services will be broadcast througout the week.

Lt. Governor General of Ontario will highlight tomorrow's events plus NAN Grand Chief and his wife will be ours special guests. This will give them an opportunity to visit and talk with people from surrounding areas.

We apologize we were unable to accommodate some communities as they submitted names very late. This includes North Spirit, Kingfisher, Bearskin, and another load from KI.

Visit the conference web site at http://wapekekasos.myknet.org and the community web site at http://wapekeka.firstnation.ca

News stories today highlight a resolution from the Canadian Bar Association encouraging the Government of Canada to recognize and compensate all residential school survivors. See below for the Winnipeg Free Press coverage of this story ...

Ante Raised On Residential Schools: Pay Natives for Culture and Language Damage Lawyers Say 

By Helen FalldingWinnipeg Free Press - August 16, 2004 - A3

Canada's lawyers are calling on Ottawa to compensate all aboriginal people who attended residential schools that damaged their language and culture.            

If that advice is followed, at least a thousand Manitobans could be eligible for perhaps tens of millions of dollars between them.            

The Canadian Bar Association unanimously passed a resolution yesterday at its annual meeting at the Winnipeg Convention Centre urging "automatic base compensation for loss of language and culture and for minor physical and sexual abuse." A $1.7-billion federal dispute-resolution program announced late last year offers compensation only to residential school survivors who can prove severe physical or sexual abuse.            

Winnipeg lawyer Jeffrey Harris, who proposed the resolution on behalf of the bar association's aboriginal law section, said in an interview the new dispute process is stalled.            

Many people don't want to participate in a program that does not recognize the devastation caused by a formal government policy of forcing aboriginal children to forget their language and renounce their culture, he said.            

Harris compared survivors of residential schools to Japanese Canadians interned during the Second World War, who had to prove no more than relocation to be offered $21,000 compensation.            

The bar association chose not to recommend a dollar figure for residential school compensation.            

About 12,000 people across Canada have made claims alleging residential school abuse, but many more might apply if cultural losses were recognized. It has been estimated that about 90,000 aboriginals attended residential schools.            

Many who attended residential schools have reported a lifetime of struggle with alcohol, violence and confusion over who they are.            

Few aboriginal families in Manitoba are untouched by the issue after generations of children were ripped from their families and forced to attend the schools, which were run by the government and churches. The schools operated across Canada from the 1930s to the 1970s.            

Harris said the bar association's 38,000 members are taken very seriously by federal justice ministers.            

"When we speak, government listens." Harris does not represent any residential school claimants in his own practice and said he will make a point of not doing so to prevent a conflict of interest.            

The federal government has limited payments to situations such as rape and beatings where the courts have already granted compensation to residential school survivors. But another lawyer supporting the resolution yesterday said the courts have not ruled that cultural losses are not worthy of compensation.            

Harris said he will meet with deputy justice minister Mario Dion on Tuesday to discuss the resolution.            

The bar association meeting continues today with resolutions on privacy rights and sexual relations between lawyers and clients.

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Lawyers want payments for all aboriginals who went to residential schools

by Steve Lambert Canadian Press - August 16, 2004

WINNIPEG (CP) - The Canadian Bar Association is urging the federal government to compensate every one of the 90,000 aboriginals who went through the residential school system.            

The lawyers' group unanimously passed a resolution Saturday that calls on the government to offer "automatic base compensation for loss of language and culture . . for all claimants proving attendance in a residential school, with provision for additional compensation in cases of serious physical and sexual abuse."            

The compensation would help make up for the suffering of former residents who were removed from their homes and forbidden to speak their language, according to Jeff Harris, the Winnipeg lawyer who put forward the resolution.            

"Justice requires that the Government of Canada acknowledge there was a policy to stamp out aboriginal language and culture, that this policy was all too successful," Harris told the CBA's annual conference.            

Federal officials were not available for immediate comment. But Finance Minister Ralph Goodale has already indicated there could be compensation beyond what is already available.            

"We are consulting further with all stakeholders to make sure that any remaining concerns and criticisms are addressed," Goodale said in a written statement last year, when he announced the creation of a new secretariat to help manage abuse compensation claims.            

The residential schools were funded by Ottawa and run by the Roman Catholic, Anglican, United and Presbyterian Churches from the 1930s to the 1970s.            

Lawsuits on behalf of more than 12,000 former residents have been filed, citing physical and sexual abuse.            

By last year, Ottawa had paid out more than $37 million to settle roughly 550 cases out of court.            

To deal with the huge volume of claims, the federal government set up an alternative dispute resolution process to fast-track settlements.            

Harris said that process falls short because it only deals with physical and sexual abuse, not loss of culture.            

The association did not address the costs associated with compensating all 90,000 aboriginals who attended residential schools.            

The compensation system is one of several social issues on the bar association's conference agenda.            

Another resolution called on the federal government to look at aboriginal representation on the Supreme Court of Canada.            

While the resolution stopped short of saying a seat on the high court bench should be reserved for an aboriginal judge, it urged Ottawa to recognize "all three founding peoples of Canada" when appointing judges.            

The resolution was set aside until the bar association's meeting next winter in Charlottetown.            

"The profession should have time to consider it," said association president Bill Johnson.

The activities completed by the Keewaytinook Okimakanak team and our First Nation partner communities and organizations are highlighted in the Final Report submitted to Industry Canada's First Nations SchoolNet program. As the Regional Management Organization for Ontario, Keewaytinook Okimakanak is delivering a variety of services to support First Nation schools across the province access Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and develop local connectivity solutions. Click here to see the final report (2.2M PDF file).

The report contains links to various documents that further describe the results of some of these services and activities. Some of these other reports include:

• Grade 8 On-line Supplementary Course delivery available at:
• http://knet.ca/documents/G8-2003-04-Year-end-Report-Draft.pdf
• Survey results for each Grade 8 course (science, math and english literacy) may be accessed at:
• http://g8.firstnationschools.ca/feedback.html
• Native Language Conference Final Report
• On-line Content Partnership Project Final Report

A second U.N. decade spotlighting indigenous peoples is a step closer after the world body's economic and social council (ECOSOC) recommended another 10-year project after the existing decade expires Dec. 30, 2004. The decision will go before the 191-member U.N. General Assembly (GA) whose annual meeting begins in September.

In their recommendation the members of ECOSOC, one of the U.N.'s five main bodies, said a second decade would have to take its mandate from a review of the first 10 years, and include concrete goals and adequate resources to ensure those aims could be met. The ongoing International Decade of the World's Indigenous People is aimed at strengthening international cooperation to solve problems faced by indigenous peoples -- also known as aborigines, native, first nations or tribal peoples -- in areas such as human rights, environment, development, education and health. The decade's theme is "indigenous people: partnership in action".

There are roughly 300 million indigenous peoples worldwide, many of them among the poorest and most marginalized people in their countries.

See the full story at http://allafrica.com/stories/200407270670.html

Fort Severn Chief and Council worked with their community elders and youth to support their nine day wilderness canoe trip from Beaver Lake back to their community and homes. Two elders and eighteen young people worked together to complete this trip of living off the land, harvesting wild game each day. The group hunted and fished along the journey. They made it back to Fort Severn late last night after a long day of paddling.

Cal Kenny from Keewaytinook Okimakanak who joined the elder's trip last fall, was asked once again to join this adventure in order to video tape and document this year's journey. The elder's trip last fall can be seen at http://fortsevern.firstnation.ca/washaho. Be sure to watch for Cal's next on-line production about this exciting trip.

KO Executive Director Geordi Kakepetum  visits Poplar Hill accompanied by Peter, Ross and Brian. They plan to tour the community and meet with Chief and Council on Thursday.

Industry Canada officials meet with KO Executive Director and Public Works Manager via video conference.

Allan Anderson, Industry Canada's Regional Director of Information Technlogy and Applications for Ontario and Carl Seibel, FedNor's Telecommunications Officer toured the offices of KO Reseach Institute in Thunder Bay. They were briefed about some ICT research projects by Nicole Morris and Wesley McKay, two summer students working for KO this summer.

The two IC officials inspected the new high speed wireless service (100Mb to the KO office) in Thunder Bay and participated in a videoconference with KO's Geordi Kakepetum, Peter Campbell and Brian Walmark. Allan Anderson told Geordi Kakepetum that First Nations connectivity remains a top priority in this year's budget. Too see additional photos, click here.

Carl is guiding Allan through Northwestern Ontario and will be in Sioux Lookout for meetings with staff of KNET Services. Here they are visiting Wabigoon First Nation to see the installation of the two-way satellite internet service by KO staff as part of the First Nation SchoolNet / RMO initiative.

Allan and Carl are travelling up to Sioux Lookout to visit KO's K-Net Services later today. Tomorrow they will be visiting Lac Seul First Nation to see their wireless network that is under construction to serve their three communities.

Webequie First Nation

9th Annual Neebin-o-damin-owin (Summer Festival)

August 23 - 28, 2004

(Hosted By: Webequie Education Authority)

Daily Main Events & Activities throughout the week, including:

• Daily Bingos:
• Friday, Aug.27/04 - $10,000.00
• Saturday, Aug. 28/04 -$30,000.00 Jackpot
• Daily Raffle Draws throughout the week
• Cookout, Bar-B-Q
• Dance Contests Nightly - Square Dance & Dance Mix
• Daily Poker Derby
• Talent Nights & Comedy Shows
• Daily Coupon & Elimination Draws
• Main Raffle Draw - Ski-doo w/Sleigh

Live Concert Performance by: Kenny Shieds & STREETHEART (Friday, August 27, 2004) - Please call us for concert ticket info.

For Further Information:

Please call the Head Office:

• Tel #: (807) 353-9942, 353-5205, 353-5209
• Fax #: (807) 353-9966
• Ennis Jacob - H: 353-1443 or
• Laura Shewaybick H: 353-1434

* Note: If you plan to come to Webequie for our festival please do not forget to bring your sleeping bags, mattresses, personal gear. Also, please fax in your names in so we can try to provide you accommodations.

From the KO Telehealth news item ...

"KO Telehealth is pleased to provide the July 2004 Report for stakeholders and partners. July brought three new communities onto the Telehealth services. The Community Telehealth Coordinators (CTC's) in Kasabonika, North Caribou Lake and Big Trout Lake were anxious to access the equipment in order to start their application training on the iDoc cart. The CTC's are trained in their home communities via the KNet and NORTH Network over the secure data encrypted line to provide confidentiality for patients accessing health care."

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Ontario government investment in telemedicine brings health care to northern Ontarians - Investment Supports NORTH Network

KENORA, ON, Aug. 9 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government is improving health care in northern Ontario by investing $5.7 million in telemedicine technology to deliver health services to more northern communities, Minister of Health and Long Term Care, George Smitherman, announced today.

"Telemedicine is proof of the power of technology in delivering quality health care over vast distances," said Smitherman. "This investment in NORTH Network will enable thousands of northern Ontarians to receive care in their own communities instead of having to travel away from their homes and families."

The NORTH Network provides telemedicine services in northern and central Ontario and supports over 100 sites, including 65 hospitals, 11 nursing stations and three regional cancer centres. NORTH Network delivers a wide range of health services in areas such as psychiatry, dermatology, cardiology, neurology, burn management, paediatrics, and geriatrics.

Telemedicine uses video-conferencing telecommunications and digital technology, including electronic stethoscopes, to virtually connect patients to health professionals. There have been over 5,300 medical consultations through NORTH Network so far in 2004, compared to a total of 5,100 in 2003.

"It's gratifying to know that telemedicine is acknowledged as part of the creative solution to the transformation of health care in Ontario," says   Dr. Ed Brown, Executive Director, NORTH Network. "NORTH Network is pleased to continue to work with our many partners towards the integration of this technology into mainstream health care delivery for Ontarians."

"Our government is changing health care by bringing care to all Ontarians as close to home as possible," said Rick Bartolucci, Minister of Northern Development and Mines. "NORTH Network is one way we are achieving this commitment and improving the health and quality of life of northern
Ontarians."

Telemedicine reduces wait times for health services. Patients wait less than two weeks for telemedicine appointments through NORTH Network, compared to waiting five weeks for out-of-town consultations with specialists.

"Telemedicine is attracting health professionals to practice in rural and underserviced areas because it transports the clinical and educational expertise of teaching hospitals to even the most remote communities," said Smitherman.

"This announcement is important news for people living in northern Ontario who experience barriers accessing health care, said Chief Charles Fox, Head of Chiefs of Ontario. "It's one more step towards creating a health care system that responds to community needs, and is available to all."

This news release is available on our website at: http://www.health.gov.on.ca

BACKGROUNDER

PROVIDING TELEMEDICINE SERVICES TO RESIDENTS OF NORTHERN ONTARIO

The Northern Ontario Remote Telecommunication Health (NORTH) Network is one of three telemedicine networks in Ontario using technology to improve access to care. The province is providing $8 million in funding for the three networks in 2004/05 including $5.7 million to NORTH Network.

NORTH Network currently links over 100 sites, mostly in the North, including 65 hospitals, 11 nursing stations and three regional cancer centres. The network will be expanded to 50 more sites in 2004/05. It is the largest telemedicine network in the province linking remote northern communities to specialists and hospitals in Thunder Bay, Sudbury and in the southern Ontario.

Earlier this year, the NORTH Network celebrated its 10,000th  telemedicine consultation and the total is now 14,700. NORTH Network has made possible 5,355 medical consultations so far this year, compared to a total of 5,164 in 2003. Patients wait less than two weeks for a telemedicine appointment through NORTH Network whereas they may have to wait five weeks or more for an out of town, face-to-face appointment with a medical professional.

In addition to reducing waiting times for northern patients, NORTH Network is also helping to reduce the costs associated with travel for medical services. Over the last two years, the average cost for a telemedicine consultation was just under $11 compared to over $290 for each patient to travel out of town to see a specialist. This made possible savings totalling $1.26 million to the Northern Health Travel Grant program between April 2001 and March 2003.

NORTH Network supports consultations in 70 medical specialties including cardiology, burn management, dermatology, general surgery and internal medicine. Seventy-five per cent of telemedicine service activity involves patient services with the remainder being used for consultations between health professionals and training purposes. There have been over 1600 educational sessions, courses and conferences held over the Network facilities since October 2002.

There are two other telemedicine initiatives serving Ontarians-VideoCare and CareConnect. VideoCare provides services in southwestern Ontario at 45 hospital sites, two regional cancer care centres and three family medical centres while CareConnect serves eastern Ontario with links to 36 hospitals.

Via telemedicine, a health professional is "transported" to a patient at a distant health care facility using satellite video technology. Using this video link, and special medical instruments such as electronic stethoscopes or special cameras, the physician can assess patients as if they were in the same office.

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For further information: Members of the media: Eva Lannon, Minister's Office, (416) 327-4320; Dan Strasbourg, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, (416) 314-6197; Members of the general public: (416) 327-4327, or (800) 268-1154