Media.Knet.Ca

To celebrate World Water Day on 22 March, UNESCO's online magazine, the Courier has published a collection of articles on this precious resource, that is increasingly threatened by population growth, pollution and poor management.

Water: A Grindstone of Governance
There is no water shortage, at least not on paper. The Second United Nations World Water Development Report shows that water resources are unequally distributed, and above all, badly managed. Presented in Mexico City in March 2006, ‘Water, a Shared Responsibility’, takes an inventory of the planet’s water resources.  More

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Water, A Shared Responsibility - The main theme of the 4^th World Water Forum (4th WWF) was Local Actions for a Global Challenge. Water related problems have their greatest impacts at the local level. As a result, local actions are key for generating concrete results that, when amalgamated across sectors and regions, will move us closer to meeting the water-related targets set by the Millennium Development Goals.

Valencia: Water Wisdom - In Valencia's vast “huerta”, the heartland of Spain’s orchards, water is an historically strategic element. For centuries a special court has met on every Thursday to settle disputes relating to this key resource. More

from http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/city/story.html?id=b7145514-4aed-4f45-9f81-f85bed65ed60

Aboriginal school boards touted - Minister holds early talks with Alberta chiefs
              
Sarah McGinnis - Calgary Herald        

Sunday, March 26, 2006

Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice wants to create aboriginal school boards in Alberta to improve the First Nations education system.

Consultation with aboriginal educators, adequate funding levels and respect for programs that are working would be needed to make any school authority a success, warns Siksika Nation chief Strater Crowfoot.

"We're talking in the province of Alberta about (creating) an education authority for Treaty 8, one for Treaty 7 and one for Treaty 6," Prentice said in an interview with the Herald on Saturday.

Education authorities, divided geographically throughout the province and identified by the different treaty numbers, could be similar to the school boards that govern the public school system, Prentice explained.

They could include elected representatives who are made accountable for their decisions, he added.

School authorities are needed because First Nations students don't have the same legislative protection other students do, Prentice said.

"First Nations kids live in this legislative vacuum where there's no legislation that prescribes curriculum and class sizes, children's rights or the rights of children with disabilities," he said.

"These are all things you find in and around the Alberta school legislation. Aboriginal kids don't have that."

While there have been preliminary talks with Alberta chiefs about school authorities, the concept is far from being a workable policy yet, Prentice said.

And Crowfoot agrees there's still a lot of work to be done.

"I think Jim is taking the right step by looking at what can be done to make the system better," said Crowfoot.

"Perhaps having a pan-Alberta approach with . . . better co-ordination with the province may be a good step."

But there has to be much more discussion with affected groups before school authorities can be created, said Crowfoot.

And education discussions shouldn't be limited to chief and councils, he said.

"You have to get the politics out of education. Let the educators decide better how to run the systems," he said.

Adequate funding levels and support systems are also needed to ensure First Nations kids get the best schooling possible, said Crowfoot.

"Just because you put a school board in doesn't mean you're going to get anywhere," said Fraser Institute spokesman Peter Cowley, who added there are already two aboriginal school boards in Quebec.

Cowley organizes an annual report card on education, ranking schools across Canada.

Instead of expanding the educational bureaucracy, the government should release standardized test results so the public can see how serious the problems are in First Nations schools, he said.

By analysing test results, administrators can look for best practices at other aboriginal schools which can be applied to them, he said.

smcginnis@theherald.canwest.com

from http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2006/24/c5838.html

Platinex Encouraged by Government Action on Big Trout Lake Exploration Delay

TORONTO, March 24 /CNW/ - Platinex Inc. (TSX-V: PTX) reports on recent progress relating to its delayed exploration program at the Big Trout Lake property in Northern Ontario.

On Monday March 6th, Rick Bartolucci, Minister of Northern Development and Mines, announced "Ontario's Mineral Development Strategy", which includes the Government's commitment to "...ensuring that mineral sector activities occur in a manner consistent with Ontario's consultation obligations related to Aboriginal and Treaty rights."

Platinex President James Trusler is encouraged that the Ontario Government is taking its consultation duties seriously, but notes that "Platinex has made clear to the Minister and senior MNDM officials that the absence of government consultation with the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug community (KI) over many years has frustrated the Company's extensive consultation efforts and ability to explore on its claims at Big Trout Lake. This is a situation that requires urgent action on the part of Government at the most senior levels to resolve KI's concerns." Minister Bartolucci has indicated that he is treating this matter as a priority.

In conjunction with its on-going communications with the Ontario Government, Platinex continues to seek a response from KI regarding its offer to set up a meeting to discuss exploration related matters. Platinex remains committed to playing its part in the consultation process. During the recent Prospectors and Developers Association annual Convention in Toronto, Platinex representatives made a presentation to the PDA directors regarding the obligation to consult with First Nations people through the exploration process. Part of the program featured the involvement of First Nations people from various parts of Canada who are involved in exploration and/or mining and bringing substantial benefit to their individual communities.

In addition to seeking a timely resolution to enable Platinex's safe access to its Big Trout Lake property, the Company is continuing to evaluate data obtained with the acquisition of the adjacent property to define the extent of the existing chromite deposits and to estimate the potential of the platinum group element mineralization. A release of this data is expected shortly.

"It has always been the intention of Platinex management to acquire additional PGE properties with exceptional potential to improve the Company's chances of discovering a very large PGE deposit. In addition management wishes to provide more stability to the Company by opportunistic acquisition of more advanced mineral properties," Trusler stated. Such events are expected shortly and will be announced on conclusion of staking or negotiations.

About Platinex Inc.

Platinex is a Canadian exploration company based near Toronto. Platinex focuses on carefully selected Platinum Group Element targets in settings with potential for the discovery of multi-million-ounce deposits, analogous to the JM reef (Stillwater Complex, Montana) and the Merensky and UG2 reefs (Bushveld Complex, RSA), each of which contain resources of PGEs in the tens or hundreds of millions of ounces. The Company is currently exploring on its Big Trout Lake Property in Northern Ontario, approximately 580 km (350 miles) north of Thunder Bay. Shares of Platinex became listed for trading on the TSX Venture Exchange on November 4, 2005, under the symbol PTX. Platinex has 14,271,173 common shares issued and outstanding.

The new http://meeting.knet.ca web space provides groups to work and plan together within a secure environment.

The K-Net team is inviting interested facilitators to identify applications using these resources that will engage and support First Nation participation across northern Ontario.

As the welcome message states ...

Welcome to K-Net Meetings! This online space allows people to participate in a wide range of First Nation workshops, programs and discussions. For full access to the discussion areas on this site, you will need to take a minute to create a new account for yourself.

Contact Cal Kenny (calkenny@knet.ca) for more information about setting up a meeting space for your online gathering.

Be sure to check out all the different snow sculptures that the different youth and families in Keewaywin First Nation created. Visit http://www.keewaywin.firstnation.ca to visit this great photo gallery!

from http://afn.ca/article.asp?id=2291

Special Chiefs Assembly
March 27-29, 2006
Hilton Lac Lemay
3 Boul. du Casino
Gatineau, Quebec

AFN CEO Richard Jock Welcome Message Video
We are pleased to announce that the Special Chiefs Assembly will be broadcast LIVE on our website! View the Special Chiefs Assembly on March 27-29, 2006 Live with Real Player	Get Real Player
Agenda
Registration Information
Message from the AFN National Chief on the Special Chiefs Assembly
Call for Resolutions

Be sure to read the comments about this article by Karihwakeron (Tim Thompson), Education Advisor, Chiefs of Ontario Officer, at the bottom. 

from http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1143240611083&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home

Residential schools cast long shadow ... Where suicide lives ... A plague of teen deaths is stalking northern Ontario reserves ... Native leaders see fathers as the key to stopping the dying

LOUISE BROWN - EDUCATION REPORTER - Mar. 24, 2006

THUNDER BAY—There is a corner of Ontario where some 6-year-olds play a homemade game called Suicide.

"My turn to put the rope around my neck — this time, you yell Suicide!"

One child nearly strangled.

It's the same part of the province where teenaged boys on a rampage threatened to kill themselves if anyone tried to stop them, so no one did.

Ask Celina Oskineegish, 16, how many friends and family she has lost to suicide while growing up in Summer Beaver, a community near James Bay, and she holds up 10 fingers.

"It's actually 12, but I don't have that many fingers," she says softly.

"It's very hard for the people left behind. I lost my close friend when we were 13; he drowned after sniffing (gas)," says the Grade 11 student.

"When someone talks about committing suicide, you just stick with them and tell their parents, but that doesn't always work."

This is the land where suicide lives, high in the woods of northern Ontario.

But increasingly, native leaders see parents, especially fathers, as key to stopping the dying.

They say generations of native Canadians raised without parents at distant, harsh, sometimes sexually abusive residential schools have become distant, harsh, sometimes sexually abusive parents themselves — and they must heal their own wounds if they are to raise children who feel life is worth living.

In its dying days in office, the federal Liberal government pledged millions to help communities rebuild these family bonds — $125 million earmarked specifically for healing the emotional wounds of residential school survivors in a tentative compensation package hammered out with native groups, and $1.3 billion targeted for aboriginal health, including suicide prevention, in the Kelowna Accord signed last November with aboriginal leaders.

Oskineegish's community and others like it hope these pledges will deliver more grassroots parenting and social programs to curb the deadly despair.

Some 30,000 people live in dozens of scattered Indian reserves between Hudson Bay and Manitoba. Some of these communities work hard to carve out a place in the global economy — focusing on education, instilling pride in the past and hope for the future.

Yet nearly once every two weeks, someone north of 50 takes their life: usually a teenager, usually a male, usually by hanging.

Last year, 24 people died by their own hand across the region known as the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) north of Thunder Bay, which covers two-thirds of the map of Ontario.

Over the past 20 years, 327 people in the NAN region have committed suicide. Five teenaged boys have hanged themselves since New Year's Day.

An intergovernmental committee was formed on aboriginal youth suicide in 2000. There have been inquests, awareness campaigns, teen self-esteem programs — Girl Power for girls, Wolf Spirit for boys — but as Canada's native population grows faster than any other in the country, native suicide rates remain alarmingly high.

And most fingers point to residential schools.

For more than a century, the Canadian government removed more than 100,000 native children from their families and placed them in church-run boarding schools where they were forbidden to speak their language or honour their culture. Often beaten and sexually abused, many suffered life-long shame and withdrawal, turning the same abuse on their own children.

"Suicide is a symptom of things that have gone seriously wrong in our community — dysfunctional families, poor parenting, sexual abuse, residential schools and poverty — and as native parents and fathers, we must take responsibility and confront the monsters in our closet," says NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy.

"About 90 per cent of my people have been affected by residential schools, where nobody told you they loved you and you weren't allowed to express your feelings — so when you grow up, you don't know about normal family bonds," said Beardy, one of the few who avoided residential school.

"Even basic things the dominant culture takes for granted — like a family meal, family time — hasn't really taken hold in our culture because we never did that at residential school. We behave the way we were treated.

"So just the fact we're talking about these issues of healing and parenting now is progress itself. This has all been kept so quiet for too long."

It may sound familiar.

It's the same link between fatherless teens and violence being drawn by black leaders from Toronto to Philadelphia. It's the same call for men to become active mentors that we hear from black leaders like Boston minister Eugene Rivers on a recent visit to Toronto.

Former principal Goyce Kakegamic calls strong families and fathers "the first line of defence in the battle against suicide." As NAN deputy chief responsible for education, Kakegamic organized the recent faith-based Embrace Life forum on suicide prevention and called on native men — many of whom drift between multiple partners and have numerous children with whom they have little contact — to return to their family role.

He echoed Rivers in his challenge to men to step up to the plate.

"The love and caring of a parent, family and friends are more powerful in healing a broken spirit than money and programs can ever be," he said to an all-ages audience from across Ontario's north. "I challenge each of you, and especially men, to think about what you can do to ensure your children learn values to live by."

Ryan Morrison, a 24-year-old native youth volunteer, has been on his own for nine years; he barely knows his father and rarely sees his mother. He lost three friends to suicide in five years, and came to the brink himself. "I think young people kill themselves because they can't find love. You keep looking for the spotlight, looking for attention. You keep looking, then you get on edge, then you start drinking and suddenly you're standing on a cliff over a lake and thinking about just jumping off."

For Morrison, the answer came through religion. For others, the government offers funds for counselling.

Winnipeg lawyer Ken Young is the Assembly of First Nations' special adviser on residential schools. He knows the impact the schools have on a man's ability to be a good father.

Young spent 10 years at residential school in Manitoba, where he says students were flogged if they tried to escape. He became so introverted, he says, he went through law school without asking a question and lost his first case because he wouldn't examine the witness.

"Our people have a tremendous problem with parenting; it's one of the legacies of residential schools, where we were never encouraged, never nurtured," he told the Embrace Life forum.

"I was not a good parent. I never hugged my daughter; I never told her I loved her — I didn't know that's what parents did. Only now, as a grandfather, am I able to hug my daughter and grandchild. The legacy of suicide we now face is largely a result of lack of nurturance in our communities."

Young admits Indian communities face severe economic issues, "poverty, the dependency syndrome created by three generations of welfare and the lack of recreational facilities taken for granted in urban centres. But for our communities to finally begin to heal, our leaders need to heal, and then they will make decisions in the best interests of their communities."

Suicide expert Al Evans, professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo, says the role of a father or male mentors is crucial during the mid-teens, especially for boys, to provide emotional support and moral guidance.

"Where there is family disruption and the father is not available, this can be one of the contributing causes of suicide — and often aboriginal fathers are struggling with despair and alcohol problems themselves," said Evans, who has just published a biography of native artist Benjamin Chee-Chee, who killed himself in 1977 at the age of 32.

Ricky Asta, 19, of Davis Inlet in Labrador has graduated from a solvent abuse treatment centre in Thunder Bay. He says many Innu teens commit suicide, and he thinks he knows why.

"They don't know who they are."

But there is hope, says Abe Kakepetum, an esteemed Ojibwa artist whose work has been featured on Toronto designer Linda Lundstrom's popular "La Parka" winter coats. Kakepetum is a residential school survivor who, like others of his generation, is only now, as a grandfather, beginning to overcome the emotional scars.

"I lost the ability to hug when I was away from my mother at school. When I became a parent I had no idea how to hug. I still have a problem with hugging, but I make an effort with my grandchildren," said Kakepetum, who ran workshops for fellow elders at the Embrace Life forum on suicide prevention.

"All my life, we've never really dealt with the residential school problem. A lot of the ones who were abused, or sexually abused, became abusers and we need to stop that cycle. That's what happened in my family, that's what most of us are going through."

He believes talking about the issues will help both men and women overcome the shame and repression they have lived with for so long and ultimately become nurturing members of their families and community.

"I may be over 60 now, but I still cry when I think of the things I went through, but thank God we're opening the door to discussing them now," he said. "This is how we can build bridges with our young people. We were strong people once and we're going to get that strength back."

+++++++

Comments about this article From: Karihwakeron okwari@indig-ii-net.com
Sent: Saturday, March 25, 2006 2:18 PM
Subject: Chandler Report on cultural loss and suicide

Sekon:
 
The March 25 edition of the Toronto Star included an article on the issue of suicide in northern Ontario.   While there was reference to the multi-generational impact of residential schools, there was no discussion of the impact of the loss of cultural continuity.   
 
Michael Chandler, a professor from the University of British Columbia,  made a presentation to a national policy forum hosted by the Assembly of First Nations in April, 2005 on the issue of First Nations youth and suicide.     Mr. Chandler noted a strong correlation between cultural continuity and suicide prevention. 
 
In fact, in the presentation Mr. Chandler notes that First Nations communities with strong cultural continuity have lower suicide rates than Canadians.   Conversely, Mr. Chandler noted that where there has been a break in cultural continuity, there is the strong potential for greater incidence of suicide.       
 
In view of Mr. Chandler's research, it seems that any discussion of suicide prevention must include an examination of culture in all its aspects including rituals, relationships, life cycle responsibilities, and the impact of cultural change.   
 
Mr.  Chandler has also noted that First Nations communities which have a sense of empowerment in key aspects of self-government/self-determination, also demonstrate a reduced level of suicide.
 
Clearly the Toronto Star article was deficient on this important matter which affects all of our people.

March 24-26, NAN "Get Active" Youth Leadership Recreation Conference at Travelodge Airlane Hotel.  Contact Jonathan Neegan at NAN, 1-800-465-9952

from http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=81543

NAN youth conference in city
Tb News Source - 3/24/2006
 
Youth members of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation are getting active kicking off a three day youth conference Friday in Thunder Bay.

Sixty NAN community members between the ages of 18 and 29 are participating in the event. The conference is designed to develop leadership skills that could be brought back to the NAN communities.

The focus is on health and fitness for First Nations youth and 'Get Active' got underway Friday morning at the Travelodge Airlane Hotel. The young people of the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation which covers two-thirds of Ontario, will be attending workshops on recreation, good nutrition, and physical fitness, and then taking what they learn back to their own communities.

The NAN-sponsored conference also features a couple of young keynote speakers from Alberta, and a banquet on Saturday night.

From http://www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/story.php?id=220327

Four area First Nations on quick fix list for water
Shoal Lake 40, Northwest Angle 37, Dalles and Wabigoon First Nations are all on Ottawa’s highest priority list for quick fixes when it comes to safe drinking water.

By Mike Aiken
Miner and News
Wednesday March 22, 2006

Shoal Lake 40, Northwest Angle 37, Dalles and Wabigoon First Nations are all on Ottawa’s highest priority list for quick fixes when it comes to safe drinking water.

“All parties with responsibilities in this area must take decisive action and achieve measurable results,” said Indian Affairs minister Jim Prentice,

Tuesday’s announcement has roots dating back to last November, when the Liberal government found itself immersed in scandal over the living conditions in Kashechewan First Nation, where half of the 1,900 residents had to be evacuated to southern communities due to ongoing concerns over contaminated drinking water. Almost six months later, the community is still listed under a precautionary drinking water advisory.

Last fall, a total of nine communities in Treaty 3 were listed on the boil water advisory list. Since then, Couchiching, Red Gut and Dalles have been removed, but Eagle Lake, Lac Seul, Wabigoon, Shoal Lake 40, and both bands at Northwest Angle are still on the list.

“I’m very surprised. It’s very good news,” said band councillor Rhonda Nash of Northwest Angle 37.

“Hopefully they’ll follow through on their promises,” she added, noting the band council is still dealing with preliminary studies and consultants.

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada spokesman Tony Prudori said the project at Northwest Angle 37 was entering the design and construction phase.

At Wabigoon, engineers were assessing the existing system, and the next phase would be a feasibility study, while Dalles was scheduled to have its facility open by summer.

The government also hopes to establish clear responsibilities for the regulation and enforcement of water treatment in aboriginal communities, as well as ensuring the necessary resources are provided for those in need.

National Chief Phil Fontaine said Tuesday he was encouraged by the first steps taken by Ottawa in an effort to close the gap in living conditions between First Nations and non-aboriginal Canadians.

Fontaine hoped the joint efforts would result in better training programs for water treatment operators, who may not currently be certified, as well as better resources for community leaders, who want to retain employees through better wages and working conditions, once staff have been properly trained.

Fontaine and Prentice have also been discussing the implementation of important settlements reached with the previous government, such as the $2-billion residential school compensation package and the $5-billion Kelowna agreement, which included investments in health, education and housing.

Tuesday’s announcement comes two weeks before the House of Commons is set to resume.

This summer Frontier College wil be working with the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario (James K. Bartleman) to deliver the Lieutenant Governors Aboriginal Literacy Summer Camps (LGALSC) in 25 Northern Ontario communities.

We are looking for about 65 young people (18+) from around the province to be counsellors in this exciting project. This challenge would be a great experience for young people interested in First Nations issues and education.

The application deadline is April 15th, 2006.

Please share the following job posting (see below) throughout your networks? Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Dan Khimasia
Manager - Knowledge and Program Development Frontier College
35 Jackes Ave.,
Toronto, ON, M4T 1E2
(416) 923-3591 ext 323
1-800-555-6523

SUMMER POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Camp Counsellors – Lieutenant Governor's Aboriginal Literacy Summer Camps 2006

Please forward these postings to any people or organizations who may be interested in these exciting opportunities.

Title of Position: Camp Counsellors – Lieutenant Governor's Aboriginal Literacy Summer Camps 2006
Term: July – August 2006
Location: 25 Fly-In Aboriginal Communities in Northern Ontario
Start date: Late June 2006
Salary: $10.00 per hour

Frontier College is a national, non-profit literacy organization which was founded in 1899. We work with children, teens, adults and families who need help to improve their literacy skills. We are looking for mature, creative university and college students who are seeking a unique and challenging summer job as camp counsellors in the Lieutenant-Governor ’s Aboriginal Literacy Summer Camp program in 2006.

The overall aim of the Lieutenant Governor’s Aboriginal Literacy Summer Camp (LGALSC) is to build the English literacy skills of Aboriginal children living in remote fly-in First Nations communities in Northern Ontario in a safe, caring and fun-filled environment. The main activities will focus on reading, story-telling, sports and games, outdoor activities, arts and crafts. These camps will be run in close co-operation with the local Chief, Band Council and the community.

The three-week summer camps are organized in two parts every day – an early morning structured session for children aged 5-10 years old and an afternoon drop-in session for older children aged 11 -15.

Overall Accountability

Camp Counsellors work as a team under the supervision of a Frontier College Community Coordinator, who are responsible for reporting to the Program Manager.

Responsibilities:

• ensure that all children and youth are safely supervised at all times
• plan and deliver, fun, age-appropriate, and challenging programs as outlined in the program manual
• recognize the uniqueness and interests of each child and youth and assist
• them to identify and achieve their goals during the camp experience.
• participate enthusiastically with campers in all camp activities including daily programs and special events.
• spend time at the end of the day reviewing the day’s activities in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the camps.
• monitor appropriate use of camp materials and supplies
• attend and participate in all training sessions and evaluations of the project
• build positive relations with community members other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• experience working with young children aged 5-15
• ability to work in an isolated community
• be a self-starter who takes responsibility for the success of the camps
• ability to model good reading behaviours
• problem-solving and conflict resolution skills
• standard First Aid
• good communication skills
• knowledge of First Nations issues in Ontario will be an asset
• previous summer-camp experience
• current Police Reference Check
• minimum of 18 years of age by the first day of camp is recommended
• experience with outdoor activities, arts and crafts, hiking etc.

The application deadline is April 15th, 2006.

Training, accommodation and travel costs to and from the camps will be provided by Frontier College.

For more information about Frontier College visit www.frontiercollege.ca

Frontier College is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity in the workplace. For this position, Aboriginal candidates are especially encouraged to apply.

We are only accepting online applications for the LGALSC.