Media.Knet.Ca

from http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2006/10/25/suicide-meet.html

End media silence about suicide, lieutenant-governor urges - Thursday, October 26, 2006

The problem of suicide needs to garner more media attention to stop the "out-of-sight and out-of-mind epidemic" that is decimating many aboriginal communities, particularly northern ones, Ontario's lieutenant-governor has warned.

Most Canadians know nothing of the despair experienced by young aboriginal people, Ontario's Lt.-Gov. James Bartleman said at the Canadian Association of Suicide Prevention conference in Toronto on Wednesday.

"I was shocked by the out-of-sight and out-of-mind epidemic of suicides that is ravaging aboriginal communities, not all aboriginal communities, but too many, especially in Nunavut and in northern Ontario," Bartleman said.

He blames the country's ignorance on the media's reluctance to cover the issue.

Suicide should be talked about "because until we feel comfortable enough about dealing with these issues, the problems will just fester untreated," he said.

Don't sensationalize suicide, expert warns

However, Dr. Annette Beautrais of New Zealand, warned that the media must proceed cautiously to avoid sensationalizing stories.

"The media assisted in de-stigmatizing domestic violence, in de-stigmatizing childhood sexual abuse, but those issues didn't carry the risk of copycat or imitation suicidal behaviour amongst vulnerable individuals in the population," said Beautrais.

Clear international guidelines need to be established on how to deal with suicides in the media, she said.

Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, wants to open a dialogue with the Chiefs of Keewaytinook Okimakanak ... To see new photos from Rome, click here...

Tauli-Corpuz is an Indigenous person from the Phillippines who is participating at the World Congress on Communication for Development... She praised KO for its achievements in telecommunications during the forum on Indigenous Form... Other news from Rome... Indigenous peoples in Central America would like to broadcast the "Turning the Corner" video on their community television network along with other videos created by K-Net's Cal Kenny such as "Paddling to Wahaso."  They would like to get them translated into Spainish but are willing to show them in English to encourage First Nations youth in Central America to tell their stories using video...

People attending the World Congress from Africa, Asia, and Central America are impressed with www.knet.ca  At least one delegate has already signed up to participate in the e-learning platform on digital education, a project between KORI and the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay...

Members of the Indigenous Forum want to keep the dialogue going after the World Congress closes its final session on Friday... They are exploring a variety of ways to keep the ideas flowing...

KORI's Brian Walmark is attending the World Congress in Rome...

Nishnawbe Aski Nation press release

NAN water emergencies continue one year after Kashechewan

     THUNDER BAY, ON, Oct. 26 /CNW/ - On the one year anniversary of the evacuation of Kashechewan First Nation and recent declarations of water emergencies in three additional Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) communities, NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy, together with Mushkegowuk Council Grand Chief Stan Louttit and Assembly of First Nations Ontario Regional Chief Angus Toulouse, today demanded safe drinking water become a priority of the federal government during a news conference in Toronto.

     "Nineteen of NAN's 49 First Nation communities are under a boil water advisory - three of which have declared water emergencies in the past three weeks," said NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy who represents First Nation communities within James Bay Treaty 9, including Kashechewan. "With statistics like that and without immediate action by the Government of Canada, the threat of another tragedy like Kashechewan seems imminent."

     After over 1000 residents of Kashechewan First Nation were evacuated due to unsafe drinking water and resulting failing health in October 2005, the former Liberal Government of Canada outlined specific commitments to the James Bay coastal community in the areas of water, health, housing, and social services.

     "All governments committed to improving water management in First Nations communities during last November's First Ministers Meeting on Aboriginal Affairs in Kelowna, B.C. This was partly as a response to the outcry among Canadians about the deplorable conditions faced by Kashechewan," recalled Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Fontaine. "The commitment, however, has not been honoured by the new Conservative Government. Instead, an Action Plan for First Nations drinking water was announced in March, but no report to Canadians about progress achieved, if any, has been made. And, the needs in communities continue to grow."

     Despite various attempts urging Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) Jim Prentice to commit the Harper Government to the Kelowna Accord, one year later three additional NAN communities have declared similar water emergencies.

     Fearing increased risk to the health and safety of community members, Marten Falls, Pikangikum, and Attawapaskat First Nations have declared water emergencies in the past three weeks due to lack of capacity of water treatment plants, filtration and turbidity levels, contaminated intakes, and traces of carcinogens.

     NAN presented these concerns in a written submission to the federal Safe Drinking Water Panel in Thunder Bay, August 2006.

     Mushkegowuk Council Grand Chief Stan Louttit is a member of the expert panel on safe drinking water that toured Canada hosting public forums to hear presentations from First Nations, government agencies, and other stakeholders regarding options regulating water on reserves across Canada. He also represents NAN communities part of Mushkegowuk Tribal Council, including Kashechewan and Attawapiskat.

     "As a panel member, a community member, and as a person who has been impacted by the problem of safe drinking water on reserves directly, I know the issues highlighted during the safe drinking water panel discussions are real," said Mushkegowuk Council Grand Chief Stan Louttit, adding some of the common themes during presentations to the panel included lack of capacity for operating water treatment plants and training operators and water contamination from resource development. "Water is a basic human right, yet access to clean water is a problem for First Nations across the country. It's time the Government of Canada recognize the urgency on the national level. Peoples' lives are at risk."

     "The sheer number of First Nations across Canada with unsafe water is unacceptable," said AFN Ontario Regional Chief Angus Toulouse. "This situation is shameful and a stain on Canada's self-image as a fair and just country."

     Ontario passed Bill 43 - Clean Water Act (2006) last week and the provincial Minister for Aboriginal Affairs David Ramsay has made recent public statements regarding the need for the Government of Canada to come to the table regarding access to safe drinking water in the province's First Nations.

     "We welcome Ontario's support and look forward to seeing the funds that will bring our First Nations up to the standards that are currently taken for granted by the average Ontarian who has the luxury of simply turning on the tap and not thinking twice, however safe drinking water in First Nation communities remains a federal issue and we need quicker, more immediate action from the Government of Canada," said Beardy.

-30-

/For further information: Jenna Young, Director of Communications, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, (807) 625-4952, (807) 628-3953 mobile; Bryan Hendry, A/Director of Communications, Assembly of First Nations, (613) 241-6789 ext. 229, (613) 293-6106 mobile; Pam Hunter, Communications Advisor, Chiefs of Ontario, (613) 203-3233/

KO's Turning the Corner video was selected for screening at the World Congress on Communication for Development this week in Rome, Italy. 

Videos selected include short subjects and public service announcements produced throughout the Third World.

KO's Brian Walmark is a speaker at a World Bank / FAO forum on Indiginous Peoples and Communication Policy. During a forum on health and communications, he spoke about KO Telehealth and the role of Community Telehealth Coordinators (CTCs) and the crucial role that they play in the promotion of telehealth at the local level.

He was invited to join a team of people from Africa, Central America and South East Asia to draft a resolution on supporting Indiginous Peoples and Telecommunications. To see photos of this event, click here.

Click here to watch the Turning the Corner - Effective Use of Broadband video at http://streaming.knet.ca/turning_the_corner_high.wmv  

To find more online reference material including video resources about this work, visit the June 2005 KNEWS story at http://knews.knet.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1426

Attawapiskat First Nation Press Release ...

Water NOT Safe to Drink, Attawapiskat First Nation - INAC Refuses to Support Health Canada Experts

Attawapiskat, Ontario – October 24, 2006. INAC’s senior representatives will not back Health Canada’s Expert Dr. Courteau M.D. who confirmed, late last week, that the water in Attawapiskat First Nation is safe to drink.

The expert opinion of Dr. Courteau was the basis of INAC’s refusal to provide the community of Attawapiskat with bottled water.

Despite using Dr. Courteau’s expert opinion to deny Attawapiskat First Nation’s request for bottled water, Senior INAC officials refused to sign a letter assuring the community that the water was safe for human consumption last night at a public community meeting held in Attawapiskat First Nation. INAC also remained steadfast in their refusal to provide bottled water to the community.

The Chief of Attawapiskat delivered the report of the First Nations Engineering Services Ltd. on Attawapiskat’s water portability to the Minister of Indian Affairs on September 15th. The INAC officials present at the community meeting stated they would not sign a letter confirming the safety of the water because they did not have a copy of the water reports and had not reviewed them. INAC relies on its counterpart, Health Canada, for such expert advice and opinion.

The Attawapiskat First Nation is leary of any verbal commitments made by INAC to perform the immediate repairs needed at the water treatment plant in the community. INAC has still to come through with verbal commitments made to remediate an oil spill in the community, to demolish a condemned school and to build a new one in its place. Chief Carpenter explained “With INAC’s track record, I have no reason to believe that INAC will come through with any verbal commitment made with respect to this issue. Based on previous experience with INAC, our community’s distrust should not be a surprise.”

Attawapiskat Chief Carpenter stated that he had no choice but to interpret INAC’s refusal to sign the letters presented to them by the community’s working group on water quality, as a statement that they do not concur with Health Canada’s opinion that the water is in fact safe to drink.

Mushkegowuk Council Grand Chief Stan Louttit, who was a member of Canada’s Expert Water Panel mandated to travel the country hearing concerns about water quality in First Nation communities, stated that he could not understand INAC’s reluctance to provide the community with the assurance it needs, “I hear INAC saying the water is unsafe…and I will work with Chief Carpenter and Attawapiskat to find a resolution to this issue.”

Attawapiskat Deputy Chief Miriam Wesley reminded INAC that many issues were brought to INAC’s attention upon the beginning of the Council’s term in 2004; “We brought these issues to your attention, INAC asked ‘what is it you want, Chief?’ Chief Carpenter informed you of the most pressing issues faced by our community. Now we are in our 3rd year and our term ends this summer and still nothing has been done – it’s like working with a turtle. We can’t wait anymore.”

The school has been closed due to the community state of emergency declared by the Chief and Council. Immediate repairs of the water treatment plant are required and had INAC signed the letter concurring with Health Canada’s opinion that the water was safe, the children of the community would not be at risk of losing their school year. As a result of the impasse of last night’s meeting, the Chief and Council felt they had no choice but to uphold the declaration of a State of Emergency meaning the school remains closed.

Contact information

Chief Mike Carpenter @ 705-997-2166
Deputy Chief Miriam Wesley @ 705-997-2166

It is interesting to watch who is actually receiving First Nation dollars from INAC .... "negogiators", "police overtime", "land developers", "local home owners", "provincial governments" ... makes one wonder if the First Nations involved will ever receive any compensation?

From http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=bd1c1b9d-f08d-4afa-80a2-b40b048b4de6&rfp=dta&p=1

Ontario to ask feds for more than $25M to cover native occupation: McGuinty
Chinta Puxley, Canadian Press - Tuesday, October 24, 2006

TORONTO (CP) - Ottawa must pony up at least $25 million to cover the costs of an ongoing aboriginal occupation in Ontario, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Tuesday as he pressed the federal government to end what's being called the longest-running police operation in Canadian history.

The province's taxpayers shouldn't have to foot the bill for reimbursing local businesses, paying provincial negotiator Jane Stewart's $1,300-a-day salary and buying the land in question - a moribund housing development in Caledonia, Ont., south of Hamilton, McGuinty said.

"That doesn't include any additional costs connected with...policing, and we'll wait and see what we're looking at there," McGuinty said.

The final cost "certainly could be higher," he added.

The total cost of the occupation, which began in February when protesters from the neighbouring Six Nations reserve took control of the property, could be as high as $55 million with police overtime factored in, according to estimates by the Opposition Conservatives.

"The federal government has really been AWOL on this whole matter," said Finance Minister Greg Sorbara.

"It's time now they make their presence felt and they make their presence felt financially as well."

McGuinty said David Ramsay, the minister responsible for aboriginal affairs, was to meet this week with his federal counterpart to discuss compensation.

But Deirdra McCracken, spokesperson for Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice, said no meeting is scheduled and Prentice won't respond until he gets a formal request for funding.

"They're saying they're going to ask us, but we haven't received anything official yet and, until we do, we won't be commenting on it," McCracken said. The federal government has a negotiator at the table and has been actively involved in the talks to resolve the land claim, she added.

Ramsay said he'll be talking to Prentice by phone this week and hopes to arrange a face-to-face meeting next week.

"I'm going to present to him some ideas of how the federal government can be a financial contributor to what we're doing there and how they could become the dominant player in the negotiations, as they should be."

While critics accuse McGuinty of shirking responsibility for the ongoing occupation, more groups are joining the call for Ottawa to take ownership of the standoff.

Karl Walsh, president of the association that represents provincial police officers, said Ottawa seems virtually invisible on the Caledonia file, even though aboriginal land claims are a federal responsibility.

Ottawa should be stepping up efforts to resolve the dispute, and should send RCMP officers to help police the town, he added.

Walsh called Caledonia the longest-running police operation in Canada's history. The only operation that comes close, he said, is the 1990 aboriginal standoff in Oka, Que., when Kanesatake Mohawks set up a blockade to prevent encroachment onto a burial ground. It ended after 78 days.

"It's got to be costing money," Walsh said. "Enough's enough. We've been bearing the burden down there when it's a federal issue."

Ken Hewitt of the Caledonia Citizens' Alliance said many town residents agree the federal government isn't playing a large enough role in the dispute.

The alliance has been calling on the federal government to increase its profile in closed-door negotiations that seem to be moving far too slowly, Hewitt said.

"People want their lives back."

Opposition critics say the Ontario government is blaming Ottawa for its own bungled handling of the occupation. McGuinty realizes the standoff has lasted far too long and is now looking for someone else to take responsibility, said Conservative member Elizabeth Witmer.

"It's like everything else - they're simply not managing issues in this province in the best interests of taxpayers so they just push everything onto the federal government."

New Democrat Leader Howard Hampton said blaming other levels of government won't end the occupation and resolve the land claim.

"I think the public is sick and tired of that kind of scapegoating," he said.

Six Nations protesters descended on the property in late February, but it was April when police moved in, touching off a massive skirmish that prompted dozens more protesters to seize back the land and erect makeshift barricades which cut the town in half.

A number of clashes between protesters and local residents have erupted since; one was narrowly escaped just weeks ago when protesters rallied outside the site to protest what they called special treatment of aboriginals by police.

The book about the development of Tikinagan Agency is now available for purchase. The story also describes the history of the First Nations it serves.

Brian Walmark, KO Research Institute Coordinator is on his way to Rome to present the KO Telecom story at a Special session on "Indigenous People' Communication for Development" being organized by the World Bank and the United Nations.

The First World Congress on Communication for Development,  jointly organized by FAO, the World Bank and Communication Initiative is being  held in Rome, Italy,  from October 25-27, 2006.  The Congress is bringing  together about 500 communication professionals engaged in development  initiatives, policymakers, development practitioners, donor and NGO  representatives, and academics from around the world to share perspectives  and advocate for greater integration of communication in development policy  and programs. 

The first WCCD is discussing the use of communication for  development in four main themes:

• Governance,
• Participation and Transparency, 
• Health in a Time of Poverty and
• Sustainable Development and Communication  Labs,

The objectives of the gathering include:

• to demonstrate the value-added of communication for  development,
• to provide data and evidence of the impact of communication in  development projects and programs, and
• to reflect on how to incorporate  communication into development policy and practice.

Furthermore, a series of special events are also being organized on the  applications of Communication for Development to important developmental  issues.

Within this framework, a special session on "Indigenous People' Communication  for Development" is being organized by UNPFII, CIDOB, IFAD and FAO to promote  the mainstreaming of Community Development policies in support of Indigenous Peoples'
 development. The objectives of the session are:

• To discuss the role  of ComDev in promoting sustainable development of IP
• Define proposals for mainstreaming ComDev policies for IP
• Agree on a priority actions and follow-up initiatives

Keewaytinook Okimakanak's Research Institute (Brian Walmark) is invited to be part of that session to contribute to the results  with your experience and to present the point of view of our organization/institution towards the mainstreaming of communication for development.

The OECD's latest statistics on broadband penetration in member countries show that Canada is still first in the G7 in broadband penetration, but due to much faster gains by other countries Canada is now ninth in the OECD, down from second place in 2003. In the past six years, Canada has increased from 8.5 to 22.4 broadband subscribers per 100 inhabitants.

From www.oecd.org/sti/ict/broadband

OECD Broadband Statistics to June 2006 
   
Over the past year, the number of broadband subscribers in the OECD increased 33% from 136 million in June 2005 to 181 million in June 2006. This growth increased broadband penetration rates in the OECD from 11.7 in June 2005 to 15.5 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants one year later. The main highlights for the first half of 2006 are:

• Northern European countries have continued their advance with high broadband penetration rates. In June 2006, six countries (Denmark, the Netherlands, Iceland, Korea, Switzerland and Finland) led the OECD in broadband penetration, each with at least 25 subscribers per 100 inhabitants.
• Denmark now leads the OECD with a broadband penetration rate of 29.3 subscribers per 100 inhabitants.
• The strongest per-capita subscriber growth comes from Denmark, Australia, Norway, the Netherlands, Finland, Luxembourg, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Each country added more than 6 subscribers per 100 inhabitants during the past year.
• Fibre to the home is becoming  increasingly important for broadband access, particularly in countries with high broadband penetration. In Denmark, Danish power companies are rolling out fibre to consumers as they work to bury overhead power lines. Municipal broadband projects are also expanding in many northern European countries and throughout the OECD. Telecommunciation operators in several OECD countries have also begun or announced large fibre-to-the-premises rollouts.
• Japan leads the OECD in fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) with 6.3 million fibre subscribers in June 2006. Fibre subscribers alone in Japan outnumber total broadband subscribers in 22 of the 30 OECD countries.
• The total number of ADSL subscriptions in Korea and Japan have continued to decline as more users upgrade to fibre-based connections.
• DSL continues to be the leading platform in 28 OECD countries. Cable modem subscribers outnumber DSL in Canada and the United States.
• The United States has the largest total number of broadband subscribers in the OECD at 57 million. US broadband subscribers now represent 36% of all broadband connections in the OECD, up from 31% in December 2005.
• Canada continues to lead the G7 group of industrialized countries in broadband penetration.
• The breakdown of broadband technologies in June 2006 is as follows:
       o DSL: 63%
       o Cable modem: 29%
       o Other technologies (e.g. satellite, fibre and fixed wireless) : 8%

From http://www.trilliumfoundation.org/cms/en/August_15_06_NewsRelease.aspx

Small Capital Grants: Simplified Application Process

Toronto, August 15, 2006 –  Community organizations seeking small capital grants from our Foundation will now find it easier to apply. Thanks to the Simplified Application Process for Small Capital Grants, applicants seeking up to a maximum of $15,000 in capital funding can use a shorter application form with fewer required attachments.

This new process is good news for not-for-profit and charitable organizations across Ontario. They value our capital granting and asked for a simpler process when applying for smaller requests. 

Eligible organizations, large and small, that apply under either the Foundation’s Community or Province-Wide program can use this process. Applications for other types of grants and for capital funds greater than $15,000, must be made using our current standard application form.
 
The Foundation has played a valuable role in providing capital funding to eligible not-for-profit organizations in Ontario.  We have invested over $132 million in capital grants since 1999. Many of these grants were used for repairs, renovations or improvements to land or buildings, to purchase equipment to support program activities and to make buildings accessible.

To learn more about the Simplified Application Process for Small Capital Grants, click here or call 1.800.263.2887 to find a Program Manager or Grants Associate in your area.

Application deadlines are March 1, July 1 and November 1. To be considered in each grant cycle, complete applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on the deadline date.

Sectors

We welcome applications in the arts and culture, environment, human and social services and sports and recreation sectors.

Priorities

OTF places priority on supporting organizations that work in the following areas to help Ontarians achieve their potential:

• Enhanced success for students and learners
• Healthier and more physically active Ontarians
• Enhanced employment and economic potential for workers and their families
• More effective volunteers and more people engaged in their communities
• OTF funds equipment only for personal use if the purpose of the proposal is to increase access to a group that has limited access. Equipment for personal use includes uniforms, costumes and equipment that cannot be reused by other people either concurrently or in the following season.