Media.Knet.Ca

Everyone is invited to contribute their thoughts about the new Social Economy program that FedNor will be delivering over the next two years. The o­n-line consultation documents provides a great opportunity for everyone to lobby for more contributions towards addressing the needs of small, remote and rural communities as they struggle to maintain their place in the Canadian economy!

Below is a message distributed by FedNor encouraging everyone's contributions to this process before Wednesday, January 26.

"You may recall that the February 2004 Speech from the Throne identified the "social economy" as a new priority for the Government of Canada. The March 2004 Budget underlined this commitment with a specific reference to social economy enterprises. A National Roundtable o­n the Social Economy has been established to advise broadly o­n this sector and provide input to the development of a federal policy framework regarding these initiatives.

I am pleased to report that FedNor has been asked to convene an o­ntario regional roundtable composed of key community economic development and social economy stakeholders o­n Wednesday, January 26th, 2005 in Toronto. I  will be attending with a small team of FedNor officers.In addition to this roundtable, FedNor has set up a web-based  consultation process, to allow those not at the meeting next week to share their views o­n priorities, program design, program delivery approaches, and evaluation.

You are more than welcome to visit this site by clicking o­n the What's New section o­n the FedNor home page or linking directly to:

http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/infednor-fednor.nsf/en/h_fn02091e.html

We expect the web-based and roundtable consultation process to be completed o­n January 26th. 

Greg Smith
Associate Director General

Industry Canada’s Peter Czerny and KO’s Brian Walmark are talking to people in Fort Severn about the impact that C-Band is having o­n their community... The two are meeting with Deputy Chief Brian Crowe this morning and with KiHS students this afternoon... More details to come...

Help requested for family of sick teenager from Aroland First Nation.

The parents of a young 16 years old girl from Aroland, Mirabele Medowegan, are appealing for public support and donations from their daughter’s bedside at The Sick Kid’s Hospital in Toronto, to help them pay for the extra-ordinary expenses needed to remain in the city with their sick child.  

Mirabele Medowegan, who is described by her attending surgeons as a very young 16 years old, is currently in critical condition as a result of serious congenital heart disease. Mirabele was diagnosed with a hole in her heart and an obstruction to the flow of her blood through her heart chambers at a very young age. She has undergone numerous surgeries and in 1998, Mirabele had a mechanical valve implanted into her heart and is dependent o­n blood thinners to maintain the correct flow of blood through her heart.

Recent dental abstractions have caused severe and uncontrollable post-operative bleeding for the teenager, who was admitted to Sick Kid’s over 9 days ago. Following numerous blood transfusions, doctors indicate that their o­nly option may be to take Mirabele off her prescribed blood thinners, which could cause a potentially fatal blood clot of her heart.

Says family friend, Chief Sam Kaskeesh: “We have watched Mirabele struggle to survive since she was born. She is an incredibly strong girl who is a constant inspiration to all of us. I have no doubt that she will continue to put up the fight of her life and I o­nly hope that the public shows as much generous support for her fight as they have for others in need recently, who are further away.”

Aside from the highly emotional trauma of nursing a sick child, the parents of Mirabele are facing the unwarranted predicament that has faced many others from this community; the high price of being able to be at their sick child’s bedside that is not paid by Health Canada.The family is asking the public for any donations that may help them to stay in Toronto with their daughter.

Anyone wishing to make a donation should contact Matawa First Nations Management: 807 344 4575 or 767 4443.