Media.Knet.Ca

Embrace Life Conference invites current, past, and new volunteers to attend the VOLUNTEER meeting.

February 13, 2006 @ 10:00 A.M
Luncheon to follow.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation Office (3rd floor in Victoriaville Mall, Thunder Bay)

If you are interested in volunteering during the NAN Embrace Life Conference, which will be held March 7, 8, 9, 2006 please attend this meeting.

*If you are unable to attend the meeting, you are welcome to help when you attend the conference. There will be people in charge delegating responsibilites.

Volunteers are required for various responsibilities throughout the conference including:  COOKING, KITCHEN HELP-food preparation, SET UP & CLEAN UP, DRIVING-to pick up and deliver needed items, SECURITY, ELDER SUPPORT, CHILD CARE, as well other jobs.

If you have any questions please call Wilfred Moonias at (807) 623-8228.

AFN Press Release ...

National Chief Welcomes Health Council of Canada's Support of Blueprint on Aboriginal Health

OTTAWA, Feb. 7 /CNW Telbec/ - Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine welcomed the Health Council of Canada's strong endorsement of the Blueprint on Aboriginal Health process, contained in today's Second Annual Report to Canadians, Health Care Renewal in Canada: Clearing the Road to Quality.

"The Health Council recognizes that the urgent need to close the gap in poor health between First Nations and the rest of Canada can only be achieved through collaborative action," said National Chief Fontaine. "Over the past year, the Assembly of First Nations, based on input from First Nations regions and communities, developed a detailed First Nations-specific framework to the Blueprint on Aboriginal Health. This Framework received support from all provincial premiers and territorial leaders at the First Ministers Meeting in Kelowna."

The Blueprint on Aboriginal Health was a commitment first made by First Ministers and Aboriginal leaders in September, 2004. The AFN's contribution can be found at www.afn.ca
"It is reassuring that independent experts of the Health Council of Canada have closely examined the Blueprint and have recognized its 'historic importance' and 'tremendous potential' to improve Aboriginal health in the next decade," said the National Chief. "Canada's new Minister of Health, Tony Clement, has already informed the AFN that he is prepared to move forward on working through the details of the Blueprint. I look forward to our first face-to-face meeting in the coming weeks."

The First Nations Framework includes many transformative elements that can achieve common objectives identified by the Health Council of Canada: improving waiting times, protecting patient safety, building First Nations health human resources capacity, and clarifying roles and responsibilities among federal, provincial, territorial and First Nations governments. Reducing waiting times is a key priority for the new federal government and for all Canadians.

"New investments will be necessary to achieve the Blueprint's objectives," stated National Chief Fontaine, "Without securing the additional funding announced last November, the First Nations health system will be capped, resulting in funding shortfalls, which will translate to reduced, deferred, or the elimination of necessary services."

It is the AFN's position that a holistic approach addressing all health determinants is the long term strategy needed to ensure lasting and meaningful progress on addressing the gap in health status between First Nations and other residents of Canada.

The Assembly of First Nations is the national organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada.

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For further information:

• Bryan Hendry, AFN, Health and Social Communications, (613) 241-6789, ext. 229 or cell (613) 293-6106;
• Don Kelly, AFN, Communications Director, (613) 241-6789 ext. 320 or cell (613) 292-2787;
• Ian McLeod, AFN, Bilingual Communications Officer, (613) 241-6789 ext. 336 or cell (613) 859-4335;
• Nancy Pine, Communications Advisor, Office of the National Chief; (613) 241-6789 ext. 243 or cell (613) 298-6382

Dr. Roger Strasser distributed the following letter requesting Letter of Interest from qualifying First Nations to host the second NOSM "Follow Your Dreams" workshop scheduled for August 1-3, 2006. The deadline for submitting your LOI is February 18.

+++++++++++++++++++

January 24, 2006

Dear Chief and Council:

Re:  Letter of Interest:  “Follow Your Dreams”, Follow-up Workshop

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is pleased to announce a second Aboriginal Workshop to be held on August 1, 2 and 3, 2006.  This workshop, will serve the Northern Ontario School of Medical as a blueprint for Aboriginal input in a follow-up from the “Follow Your Dreams” Workshop held in Wauzhushk Onigum in June 2003.

One of the key recommendations from the “Follow Your Dreams” Workshop was to establish an Aboriginal Reference Group.  This Group is made up of representatives from various Northern Ontario Aboriginal Communities and Organizations.  It has been working with the Director of Aboriginal Affairs to plan the follow-up workshop to the “Follow Your Dreams” Workshop held in June 2003. 

The Aboriginal Reference Group has appointed a steering committee for the planning of the Workshop. The Steering Committee consists of representatives from the Aboriginal Reference Group and the staff at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

The purpose of this Workshop is to inform the Aboriginal peoples of the progress made by the School and to provide a forum for continuing dialogue with the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

Our objectives for this workshop are as follows:

1. Provide a forum for Aboriginal peoples to communicate ongoing desired role within NOSM.
2. Provide an update of activities to date from the “Follow Your Dreams” workshop.
3. Evaluate NOSM progress in relation to its Aboriginal partners.

The Steering Committee is requesting a Letter of Interest from communities who are interested in hosting this Workshop. 

Listed below are the minimum criteria a Community would need in order to be considered for hosting the Workshop:

• Demonstrated involvement and/or interest in the Northern Ontario School of Medicine
• Demonstrated knowledge of Aboriginal issues around Health Research and Education
• Accommodations for at least 100 people or a short driving distance from the meeting site
• Facilities/meeting rooms for large and small group sessions to accommodate 100
• Catering of all meals and refreshments for all participants
• Evening Cultural Activities
• Event staff and security
• Transportation to and from the event site
• Audio/Visual equipment
• Broadband, connectivity, high speed internet, video conferencing capabilities (considered an asset)

All submissions are welcome and will be reviewed by the Steering Committee responsible for the coordination of the Workshop.

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is committed to its partners.  Please forward your Letter of Interest to the Steering Committee by February 18, 2006.

Attention:  Steering Committee
c/o Cathy Powell, Executive Assistant – Vice Dean, Academic Activities
Northern Ontario School of Medicine
ATAC Building 6th floor
955 Oliver Road
Thunder Bay, ON  P7B 5E1
(807) 766-7391
cathy.powell@normed.ca

Sincerely,

Dr. Roger Strasser
Founding Dean and Professor
Northern Ontario School of Medicine

CONGRATULATIONS TO PEGGY SANDERS who has been named to the Order of Canada along with other distinguished member of Canadian society. Peggy is well-deserving of this honour with all her community work and caring ways!

56 named to Order of Canada - Feb. 6, 2006.

OTTAWA (CP) - The Order of Canada has 56 new appointees.

The award, established in 1967, is Canada's highest honour for lifetime achievment in a variety of fields.

The appointees will be formally inducted into the order in a ceremony at a later date, says a statement from the office of Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean.

Along with Peggy, others joining the ranks this year include Maggie Hodgson who worked tirelessly with the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, David Suzuki who works on increasing awareness about the environment, Mike Lazaridis, president of Blackberry-creator Research in Motion, business mogul Gerald Schwartz and award-winning author Margaret MacMillan.

Appointed as campanions:

• Bernard Ostry, Toronto, public service.
• David Suzuki, Vancouver, environment.

Appointed as officers:

• Parzival Copes, West Vancouver, social sciences.
• Rev. Jean-Paul Desbiens, St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que., education.
• Frank Hawthorne, Winnipeg, science.
• Maggie Hodgson, Edmonton, social service.
• Mike Lazaridis, Waterloo, Ont., industry / commerce / business.
• Margaret MacMillan, Toronto, education.
• Frederick Mannix, Calgary, industry/commerce/business.
• Gudrun Parker, Montreal, arts/film.
• Timothy Parsons, Brentwood Bay, B.C., science.
• Susan Point, Vancouver, arts/visual.
• Gerald Schwartz, Toronto, industry/commerce/business.
• Mary May Simon, Manotick, Ont., public service.
• Pierre Viens, Neuville, Que., health care.
• John Wedge, Toronto, health care.
• Lynn Williams, Toronto, labour relations.

Appointed as members:

• Peggy Baker, Toronto, arts/stage/dance.
• Marjorie Bencz, Edmonton, social service.
• Walter Borden, Halifax, arts/stage.
• Bruce Buchanan, West Vancouver, voluntary service.
• Jack Chiang, Kingston, Ont., voluntary service.
• Sam John Ciccolini, Woodbridge, Ont., voluntary service.
• Ronald Cleminson, Ottawa, public service.
• Steven Cummings, Westmount, Que., voluntary service.
• Jon Dellandrea, Oxford, England, and Toronto, education.
• Louise Dennys, Toronto, communications.
• Paterson Ferns, Victoria, arts/film.
• David Fraser, Vancouver, science.
• Anne Archibald Fraser, Victoria, Calgary, and Halifax, voluntary service.
• Richard Garneau, Montreal, communications/sports.
• Sonny Greenwich, Vaudreuil, Que., arts/music.
• Christopher Harris, Ottawa, voluntary service.
• Wanda Koop, Winnipeg, arts/visual.
• Jacques Lacoursiere, Beauport, Que., writing/history.
• Helmut Lanziner, North Vancouver, engineering.
• Vincent Lemieux, Sainte-Foy, Que., social sciences.
• Michael Macklem, Ottawa, communications.
• Daphne Marlatt, Vancouver, arts/writing.
• Lorna Marsden, Toronto, education/administration.
• Randall Moffat, Winnipeg, industry/commerce/business.
• Sister Susan Moran, Toronto, social service.
• Willy Norris, Calgary, science.
• Bruce Oland, Halifax, voluntary service.
• Laurence Pathy, Westmount, Que. industry / commerce / business.
• Susan Patten, St. John's, Nfld., industry / commerce / business.
• Daniel Paul, Halifax, social service.
• Suzanne Pedicelli, LaSalle, Que., voluntary service.
• Rev. Jean Pochat-Cotilloux, N.W.T, religion / education / administration.
• Nazmuddin Rayani, Victoria, voluntary service.
• Clayton Ruby, Toronto, law.
• Margaret Anne Sanders, Sioux Lookout, Ont., voluntary service.
• Gordon Slade, Mount Pearl, Nfld., heritage.
• George Walker, Toronto, arts/writing.
• Frederick Wiegand, Westmount, Que., voluntary service.

Appointed as an honourary member:

• Salome Bey, Toronto, arts/music.

Seven Generations Hockey Tournament was a success this past weekend!! 

Many teams traveled to Thunder Bay last week Feb 2-5, 2006 for the tournament. There were 6 divisions (Tykes, Novice, Atoms, Peewee, Bantom and Midget) ranging from 4 - 17 year olds. 

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE PARTICIPATING TEAMS!!!

A side Champions included:

• Tyke – Lac Seul Moose 
  • Runner up – Michikan Lake
• Novice – Lac Seul Moose
  • Runner up – Fort William
• Atom – Lac Seul Bruins
  • Runner up – Ginoogaming
• Peewee – Neskantaga
  • Runner up – Fort William
• Bantam – Constance Lake
  • Runner up – Ginoogaming
• Midget –  Fort William
  • Runner up – Lac Seul

B side  Champions included:

• Novice – Weagamow Lake
  • Runner up – Gull Bay
• Atom – Fort William
  • Runner up – Eabametoong
• Peewee – Constance Lake
  • Runner up –Lac Seul
• Bantam – Constance Lake
  • Runner Up – Lac Seul
• Midget – Sandy Lake
  • Runner up – Ginoogaming

The Honourable Jim Prentice

Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians

Calgary North–Centre (Alberta)


Jim Prentice was elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and was re-elected in 2006. He has served as Critic for Indian Affairs and Northern Development and been a member of the Standing Committee on Indian Affairs and Northern Development. 

A lawyer by profession, Mr. Prentice has specialized in property rights and has focused on relocations, environmental protection suits and restricted development areas. He also served as a commissioner of the Indian Specific Claims Commission of Canada for 10 years and is recognized by his peers as an expert in land claims negotiations. Mr. Prentice travelled to South Africa twice as an expert adviser on how to protect property rights in that country’s new constitution.

Mr. Prentice is married to Karen and they have three daughters.

http://www1.pm.gc.ca/grfx/docs/Cab_committee-comite.pdf

CABINET COMMITTEE MANDATES AND MEMBERSHIP (see PDF for all committees)Provides strategic direction on government priorities and expenditure management, and ratifies committee recommendations. Considers health care, justice, Aboriginal, training and skills development, culture, and immigration policy issues.Listed in order of date of appointment to the Privy Council, followed by date first elected to the House of Commons or appointed to the Senate.

Priorities and Planning

• Chair/Président The Rt. Hon./Le très hon. Stephen Joseph Harper
• Vice-Chair/Vice-président The Hon./L’hon. Lawrence Cannon
• Members/Membres The Hon./L’hon. Marjory LeBreton
• The Hon./L’hon. Chuck Strahl
• The Hon./L’hon. Peter Gordon MacKay
• The Hon./L’hon. Stockwell Day
• The Hon./L’hon. Vic Toews
• The Hon./L’hon. Jim Prentice
• The Hon./L’hon. John Baird
• The Hon./L’hon. Maxime Bernier
• The Hon./L’hon. James Michael Flaherty

• Chair/Président The Hon./L’hon. Tony Clement
• Vice-Chair/Vice-présidente The Hon./L’hon. Diane Finley
• Members/Membres The Hon./L’hon. Jean-Pierre Blackburn
• The Hon./L’hon. Gregory Francis Thompson
• The Hon./L’hon. Monte Solberg
• The Hon./L’hon. Vic Toews
• The Hon./L’hon. Michael D. Chong
• The Hon./L’hon. Beverley J. Oda
• The Hon./L’hon. Jim Prentice

List of All Ministers:   http://www1.pm.gc.ca/grfx/docs/cabinet.pdf

KORI’s Brian Walmark was one of thirty workshop leaders invited to the "Striving for Education Excellence In First Nation Communities," an education conference sponsored by the Wiky Board of Education (February, 3-4, 2006). Brian conducted a day long workshop dealing with on-line education. He focussed on the applications created by K-Net Services, the Regional Management Organization (RMO) Ontario for Industry Canada’s First Nations SchoolNet program.

Brian provided workshop participants in Wiky with a tour of the K-Net website including First Nations SchoolNet, G8, and KiHS. Participants were exposed to the Special Education, Literacy and Early Childhood Development on-line workshops and many registered. Some participated in a "live" session with a dozen other First Nations schools across the north from Fort Francis to Timmins to Bearskin Lake. Others viewed archived sessions on-line. Over three hundred and fifty principals, teachers, teaching assistants and the general public attended the two-day conference. Conference organizers want to make this into an annual gathering.  For more information, click here.

Aliya Pardhan, a University of Guelph graduate student, traveled to Sioux Lookout on Friday, Feb 3 to meet with the K-Net team and other health service providers. Aliya's research project title is "Exploring Key Stakeholder Perspectives for a Collaborative First Nations Health Research Protocol". She is flying to Fort Severn with Wesley McKay (from KORI) on Sunday to meet with community members and learn about their experiences and needs in terms of effective health research and appropriate protocols.

As well, Aliya is working with the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Research Institute - http://research.knet.ca to contribute to KORI's research protocol guide for health research protocols that support communities.

Aliya's professor, Ricardo Ramirez writes about her works ... "An important accomplishment we already have in hand is the approval by the University of Guelph Research Ethics Board of Aliya Pardhan's application to involve human participants. Her application was adjusted in accordance with the KORI community research guidelines. To my knowledge this is a first at this university. ... I also wish to thank KORI for the amazing support you have provided us in getting this project off the ground."

Be sure to watch http://firstnationshockey.ca for tournament updates.

 

NAN NEWS RELEASE - Tuesday January 31, 2006

NAN YOUTH LAUNCH SUICIDE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN

THUNDER BAY, ON:  Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Deputy Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler together with NAN Decade for Youth Council today launched the “We Care Yellow Balloon” suicide prevention campaign during a youth conference taking place at Thunder Bay’s NorWester Resort Hotel January 31 through February 3, 2006.

“We want to get the message out to the youth that it’s okay to ask for help,” said Catherine Cheechoo, a member of the NAN Decade for Youth Council.  “Sometimes it’s hard to ask for help and knowing that it’s available in difficult situations may prevent a young person from taking their own life.”

The campaign, which is a response to the growing number of youth suicides throughout NAN territory (an area covering two-thirds of Ontario), was initiated by the NAN Youth Council.

“The young people of NAN are taking a very hands-on approach, demonstrating both compassion and insight in their efforts regarding our suicide crisis,” said NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy.  “This campaign is a positive approach to addressing this important issue.”

“In launching this campaign, it is clear that our youth have recognized prevention and early warning strategies are essential if our communities are to address crises before they evolve into full-scale emergencies,” added Deputy Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler, who’s responsible for the NAN youth portfolio. “We need to be proactive, not reactive."

The “We Care Yellow Balloon” suicide campaign is comprised of posters and balloons – both in yellow as it’s the international colour for suicide prevention – that will be distributed to all 49 First Nation communities within NAN territory.

The Seven Sacred Teachings Youth Suicide Awareness Conference is focused on strengthening traditional culture and experiential learning as a way to prevent suicide.

“Traditional, cultural practices are a source of strength for our people,” explains Catherine Cheechoo. “We need to reconnect with the ways of our ancestors because these traditional teachings promote our well-being. Our culture will play a key part in helping to reduce suicide rates.”

***

For more information please contact:

Celeste Pedri, Communications Technician
Nishnawbe Aski Nation
(807) 625-4902
www.nan.on.ca