Media.Knet.Ca

5TH ANNUAL LITTLE BANDS YOUTH HOCKEY TOURNAMENT 2007

February 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 2007

Sioux Lookout Arena

Novice , Atoms , Peewee , Bantam & Midget Divisions

4 team per Divisions

Entry fees $950.00

For further information call : Stephen Fiddler (807)737-7071 ...or check out little bands home page ...

From the Lieutenant Governor's press release

Lieutenant Governor Issues Province-wide Appeal for Books for Aboriginal Children

TORONTO, Jan. 2 - The Hon. James K. Bartleman, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, is appealing to Ontarians to once again bring the magic of books to Aboriginal children by donating new or gently used books during the month of January. Books can be dropped off at any OPP Detachment across Ontario or at the 17 Toronto Police Services Stations across the Greater Toronto Area.

The Lieutenant Governor believes in the transformative power of books. "Too many native children in remote fly-in communities do not know how to read. Too many lack self esteem. Too many lack hope. Too many believe that no one cares about them. Too many take their lives in despair. And too many do not have ready access to libraries that we take for granted elsewhere in the province." said Mr. Bartleman.

"And without books, the children will never learn to read, will never develop the self-esteem that comes from obtaining an education and will never escape the despair that fuels the suicide epidemic among children and youth that has been raging out of sight and out of mind in the north of our province."

Three years ago the people of the province responded magnificently when the Lieutenant Governor launched an appeal to establish libraries in the remote communities. This time his focus is on obtaining new or gently used children's and teenage books to top up these libraries. Any surplus books will be provided to native communities elsewhere in Canada.

"I am proud that the OPP is once again opening its detachments as book collection sites and that the Canadian Forces, through the Land Force Central Area, the army in Ontario, have again offered their assistance and will help to deliver books. The addition of Toronto Police Services to this second book drive will ensure that residents of Canada's largest city will have ease of access as to where they can drop off books."

Since 2004 Mr. Bartleman has introduced four initiatives to promote aboriginal literacy:

• The Lieutenant Governor's Book Program;
• School Twinning Program;
• Summer Literacy Camps; and,
• Club Amick, a reading club for children in fly-in First Nation communities.

Click here to read the following Globe and Mail story online

Kashechewan natives balk at leaving home
BILL CURRY - Posted on 01/01/07

OTTAWA -- The residents of Kashechewan are generally cool to the idea of leaving their remote James Bay community to live 450 kilometres south in Timmins, Ont., says deputy chief Philip Goodwin.

But it will be at least another two months before Ottawa gets a formal response from the community, he said, because the door-to-door canvassing of the 1,550 residents will not start until later this month.

At the request of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, former Progressive Conservative Ontario cabinet minister Alan Pope issued recommendations Nov. 9 on how to address the community's problems.

Residents are frequently evacuated because of poor drinking water or flooding. There is virtually no employment other than at the band council and the homes are overcrowded and decrepit.

Mr. Pope's call for the community to abandon its traditional lands in favour of urban life triggered a nationwide debate on the sustainability of the hundreds of other remote reserves in Canada.

"People are confused because of the recommendations that were made by Alan Pope," said Mr. Goodwin, who was reached by phone at the band office. "Lately I've been hearing a lot of people [talk] about moving up the river [known as] Site 5. There's not too many people who are interested in going down south, but the answers will be at the end of February."

The previous Liberal government promised to build a new community for the residents on higher ground, widely assumed to be at the location called Site 5, about 30 kilometres from the town.

That was the recommendation of Kashechewan's chief and council at the time; however, new leaders have since been elected.

However the Liberals never put forward a spending plan for parliamentary approval to build the new community, and the new government has questioned the cost of building an entirely new town in such a remote part of the country.

In his report, Mr. Pope put forward four possible options for moving the community, including Site 5, Fort Albany, Smooth Rock Falls and Timmins.

Mr. Pope wrote that in his door-to-door discussions with residents, a "significant minority" said they prefer Site 5, but most want to move farther away.

"A significant majority of community members believe that the best interests of themselves, of their children and families, and of the entire community are served by a relocation of the community to a new reserve removed from the Albany River and the traditional lands of the Kashechewan First Nation," he wrote.

Mr. Pope said that choice was conditional on having regular access to traditional lands and receiving "all economic benefits from, and control over economic, industrial and commercial use of their traditional lands and resources."

Those traditional lands are part of the 1905 Treaty 9, whereby natives allowed Europeans to use native lands for mining and other purposes in exchange for reserves and annual payments of $4 each.

The value of those lands, however, is rising dramatically. Diamonds have been found 90 kilometres from Attawapiskat, a neighbouring James Bay community.

Mr. Goodwin said he is aware of only a small number of Kashechewan residents who will receive jobs at the DeBeers Victor Diamond Project.

The community had its first meeting to discuss the report on Nov. 30 and Chief Jonathan Solomon reportedly urged residents not to let the issue divide them.

"Look beyond yourselves, look to the future and ask the question: 'What do I want for my children and grandchildren?' It is you who will make a difference."

WELCOME to 2007!!

The team at Keewaytinook Okimakanak would like extend BEST WISHES to everyone for his new year.

May the coming months bring good health, happiness and prosperity to one and all.

It is through everyone's efforts to work together, to help each other and to care about our neighbours that we each are able to contribute to a safe and growing environment.

Our children and future generations depend upon us!

We look forward to working with everyone once again in this new year.