ANISHINAABE PEACE & JUSTICE COALITION  KENORA
Suite 225, 418 Second St. S., Kenora, ON   … safety and dignity  for all members of our shared community

For further information call Mary Alice Smith at 807-548-1470.   Email: maryalic@kmts.ca

MEDIA RELEASE
December 11, 2004

Making The Max Kakegamic Case “The Talk Of The Town”

The Kenora Anishinaabe Peace & Justice Coalition is counting on Chief Curtis of the Kenora Police Service to do the right thing behind closed doors in dealing with misconduct charges against officers in the investigation of the death of Max Kakegamic.  In the meantime the Coalition will focus its efforts on opening doors to keep this case “the talk of the town”.

Justice Hambly’s ruling of a mistrial and stayed charges this past March seemed to slam the door shut on hopes of ever finding out what really happened in the October 4, 2000 slaying of the young  father on the streets of Kenora. 

Speaking at a memorial on October 4, 2004 marking the fourth anniversary of her son’s death, Margaret Kakegamic of North Spirit Lake highlighted the family’s distress: 

“Our son was murdered, and a prime suspect was set free because the police had been dishonest … We know that someone is responsible for his death, but no one is being tried for his murder.  We know that there is an investigation of the officers of the Kenora Police Services, but that will not result in new charges against anyone.  Maybe the officers will be disciplined, but that will not bring our son back.  … It makes us wonder what kind of a justice system we have.  What will be done to solve our son’s murder? 

These unanswered questions challenge the justice system and citizens of the region to answer another question. Who cares? Or is this for most people just one more case of ‘another dead Indian’?  

While the Kakegamics wait to see “what kind of a justice system we have”, the Coalition will launch a public awareness campaign in the new year to support the family’s call for an inquest and public inquiry.  The question of “WHO CARES?” will be at the forefront. 

The Coalition will also distribute ‘rights cards’ to youth and ‘street people’, offer training in advocacy and non-violent witnessing and look to other groups in the region such as the Sioux Lookout Anti-Racism Committee to help develop community based dispute resolution processes for investigating and resolving other incidents of disharmony. 

Making the search for peace and justice in the Kakegamic case “the talk of the town”, could mark a turning point for Kenora … still referred to at times as ‘the Mississippi of Canada’. 

As Max’s mother stressed,   “We would like to see some good come out of this tragedy”.

For more information and references to this tradegy click here to see the October 9 coverage of the memorial march

The official opening of the Northern Indigenous Community Satellite Network (NICSN) and earth station in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, hosted by Keewaytinook Okimakanak Tribal Council is scheduled to take place in Sioux Lookout on January 19, 20 2005.

Community feasting and network demonstrations will take place at the site of the network hub. David Emerson, Minister of Industry Canada as well as other Federal government ministers and representatives have been invited to participate in the planned events.

Thirty-five Chiefs, Councillors and Mayors from the participating satellite network communities in the northern regions of Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec and representatives of the three partners who manage the network: Keewaytinook Okimakanak of Northern Ontario, Kativik Regional Government in Northern Quebec and Keewatin Tribal Council in Northern Manitoba. Attending as well will be the Ministers of Industry Canada, FedNor, Health and senior officials from Telesat, Bell Canada, and other major public and private sector investors.

The Northern Indigenous Community Satellite Network (NICSN) is the first inter-provincial community owned and operated broadband satellite initiative in Canada. It is a cooperative venture connecting over 30 remote communities from the northern regions of Manitoba, Quebec and Ontario. It is being administered through an innovative partnership of Keewaytinook Okimakanak, Keewatin Tribal Council and the Kativik Regional Government.

NICSN is the result of four years of development and over $5 million in strategic capital investment by Industry Canada and has brought together partnerships from industry, not-for-profit and government to serve the broadband needs of the participating communities. Keewaytinook Okimakanak and its Kuhkenah Network (K-Net) has led this development for the past four years.

For more information about this event and background information about this strategic partnership visit http://smart.knet.ca/satellite

For pictures and the video of the 7.3M satellite dish begin put in place visit http://tech.knet.ca/photos/satellite

Two members of CBC television flew from Sioux Lookout on Thursday, Dec 9 to Fort Severn to meet with community leaders, parents and students concerning their school closure. The local school had to be closed since June due to severe mould contamination.

Proposals by the community leadership over this past summer to address this situation are on hold as INAC insists on a third engineering assessment to determine how this situation should be addressed. The chiefs from the Assembly of First Nations passed a resolution during their National Assembly in Charlottetown in July (click here to read AFN resolution 62/2004) directing among other things "that Indian Affairs begin working in partnership with Fort Severn leadership to develop an interim and long term strategy to ensure local educational facilities are put in place in that community."

Click here to read Wawatay's lastest news brief on the Fort Severn School closure.

Click here to read the last KNews story with copies of the INAC letters to the community.

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Highlights of new initiatives announced last Friday (click here to see the entire announcement):

Through the Northern Prosperity Plan, the Ontario Government is implementing a range of targeted initiatives to stimulate growth, create jobs and promote a better quality of life for Northern Ontario.

The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines is leading efforts to build prosperity in the North by investing $520 million this fiscal year in the North and in Ontario's mineral sector, an increase of nearly $100M over our budget last year.

Key Northern Prosperity Plan initiatives include:

• Refocusing the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to support job creation and economic development while continuing vital investments in community infrastructure. Since October 2003, almost 1000 jobs have been created from NOHFC investments. (click here to see targeted programs under the new themes that include Growing Jobs - Enterprises North Job Creation Program, Youth - Northern Ontario Young Entrepreneur Program and Northern Ontario Youth Internships and Co-op Program, Community Development - Infrastructure and Community Development Program, Emerging Technologies and Telecommunications - Assistance Supporting Emerging Technology Projects in Northern Ontario, Energy Conservation Opportunities - The Small Business Energy Conservation Program)
• Supporting the northern film and television industry: $1.5 million to the City of Sudbury to support the local animation industry (Chilly Beach) and $1 million dollar loan to support the making of the Shania Twain movie. These are jobs that attract and retain youth in the North.
• The proposed Grow Bonds Pilot Program to help small and medium-sized businesses in the North develop and expand by increasing the amount of capital available to them.
• Launching the GO North investor program to market Northern Ontario internationally and attract new business to the region.
• A dialogue with northerners, including visits to the North by all cabinet Ministers. Announcing the creation of four Northern Development Councils to provide a direct link from northern communities to the Minister of Northern Development and Mines.
• A Northern Highways Program 2004-2005 allocation of over $256 million, an increase of $33 million over last year: the first two tenders have gone out for advanced contracts on the planned 20km, four-lane Highway 69 corridor south of Sudbury, another 10 km of four-laning on Highway 11 south of North Bay was recently opened, and a contract was recently awarded to construct a new two-lane alignment of Highway 11-17 (Shabaqua Highway) in Thunder Bay. Overall, through the Northern Highways Program 32 major rehabilitation contracts will be awarded across the North, involving the reconstruction/resurfacing of almost 360 km of pavement and rehabilitation or replacement of 14 bridges.
• Renewing the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission by protecting jobs, improving services, and helping it chart a course toward a viable future.
• Supporting the new Northern Ontario School of Medicine. More than 2200 applications have been received, leading to more doctors, better healthcare, and youth working in the North.
• Forging new partnerships with First Nations and Far North communities.
• Launching the Ontario Mineral Industry Cluster Council, which is working to foster a rising standard of living from Ontario's mineral industry and win more prosperity for communities.
• Investing $10.5 million to clean up former mining lands through Abandoned Mines Rehabilitation Program.
• Increasing Northern Ontario's emergency access by enabling Local Services Boards to arrange for 911 emergency access services.

A team of First Nation workers are meeting in the Fort William First Nation Learning Centre to learn and create new on-line resources for their community schools and communities. The workshop is lead by a crew of K-Net members including Tabatha Jourdain (Couchiching), Jamie Ray (Flying Post), Cal Kenny (Lac Seul), Jesse Fiddler (Sandy Lake) and Jeannie Carpenter (Lac Seul). This workshop also has representatives from the First Nations of

• Bearskin Lake,
• Fort Severn,
• Rainy River,
• Shoal Lake 39,
• Lac Seul,
• Kasabonika,
• Slate Falls,
• Poplar Hill,
• Cat Lake,
• Whitedog,
• Kashechewan,
• Aroland,
• Ongegaming.

Others members of the First Nation SchoolNet Youth Initiative will be gathering early in the new year for a second workshop that is being planned for southern Ontario.

Workshop topics include network development, video conferencing, computer service and maintenance, web site development, video production and editing, along with networking with other workers involved in this SchoolNet Youth Employment Initiative.

This project is sponsored by Keewaytinook Okimakanak's Regional Management Organization program with funding support from Industry Canada's First Nations SchoolNet program and the First Nations SchoolNet Youth Employment program. Cal Kenny put together a short video clip from the training session providing an overview of what was planned and delivered in terms of the training and the workshop objectives. Click here to watch the video

Click here to view pictures from the workshop.

Shibogama Technical Services is pleased to announce we were the recipients of the Building Communities Award 2004 at the 14th Annual Nishnawbe-Aski Nation Business Awards Banquet held in Timmins, Ontario on December 1, 2004.

KO Chiefs are discussing various major issues affecting their communities in Thunder Bay this week at the Norwester Hotel. On Thursday evening everyone is gathering for the traditional Christmas feast and entertainment.

The Sioux Lookout Aboriginal Area Management Board hosted a gathering of First Nation representatives from across the Sioux Lookout District last week in Thunder Bay. Twenty-six First Nations met to learn how to operate the new Governance Database that will collect information about their membership across the Sioux Lookout region.

The First Nations served by SLAAMB will gather and update the database information from their own communities. The information will be submitted on-line into the main server SLAAMB office in Sioux Lookout. Information to be collected includes population statistics such as the number of children, youth, adults, and elders, specific age categories, aboriginal languages spoken, employment rates, and eligible voter data.

The Governance Database represents a new way for First Nations to collect information and generate reports for the wide-spanning region. Each community receives a database, operation manual and training DVD for use in their communities.

"The Chiefs of the Sioux Lookout Area have recognized the need for factual data collection for planning purposes in the North. The Governance Database will be a practical tool in the communities to maintain information about their membership, and at the same time allow us to generate our own statistics." says Bob Bruyere, SLAAMB Coordinator.

The database was created by Nationbase Software Solutions. To read the entire press release click here.

From the AFN Annual General Assembly that took place on July 20, 21 & 22, 2004, in Charlottetown, PEI, six resolutions moved by the KO Chiefs in attendance were recently adopted. These AFN Resolutions include:

• No. 65/2004 - FIRST NATION TELECOMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AND BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE - http://www.afn.ca/resolutions/2004/res65.htm
• No. 66/2004 - SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY BASED EDUCATION PROGRAMS with Support for KIHS - http://www.afn.ca/resolutions/2004/res66.htm
• No. 58/2004 - SUPPORT FOR E-HEALTH SERVICES IN FIRST NATIONS - http://www.afn.ca/resolutions/2004/res58.htm
• No. 57/2004 - SUPPORT FOR FIRST NATION POLICING - http://www.afn.ca/resolutions/2004/res57.htm
• No. 62/2004 -SUPPORT FOR FORT SEVERN FIRST NATION - HEALTH - http://www.afn.ca/resolutions/2004/res62.htm
• No. 63/2004 - SUPPORT FOR KEEWAYTINOOK OKIMAKANAK WATER PLANT OPERATOR CERTIFICATION TRAINING PROGRAM - http://www.afn.ca/resolutions/2004/res63.htm

In a memo to the Chiefs, National Chief Phil Fontaine explained the procedures for adopting and beginning to act on these resolutions:

Due to lack of quorum at the July 2004 Annual General Assembly in Charlottetown, PEI, 61 of 63 draft resolutions were not dealt with.  The Chair referred them all to the Executive Committee to address before the next Confederacy/Assembly.  Over the past few months, AFN Legal Counsel, members of the Resolutions Committee and technical staff, have reviewed the draft resolutions and recommended measures to implement each of the draft resolutions.  A detailed report was presented to the AFN Executive on October 3, 2004 including 56 draft resolutions and the recommended action for implementation, the referral of four draft resolutions back to the next Confederacy/Assembly and one draft resolution was withdrawn by the mover/seconder.

The decision of the AFN Executive was to adopt the resolutions and proceed with implementation activity.  A status report will be prepared for presentation at the December 2004 Special Chiefs Assembly.

These 56 draft resolutions and the 2 resolutions that were dealt with at the July 2004 AGA, have now been prepared in final format as follows: (individual resolutions are now available on the AFN website at http://afn.ca)