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Paddlers Arrive Parliament Hill

from www.nan.on.ca Posted by: Communication and Media  jyoung@nan.on.ca 7/18/2005 11:51:29 AM

Missanabie Cree First Nation Chief Glenn Nolan and nine of the 15 paddlers who participated in a 3 month journey retracing the original treaty signing canoe route commemorating the centennial of James Bay Treaty No. 9 arrived at Parliament Hill Thursday September 15, 2005.

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NAN PADDLERS ARRIVE PARLIAMENT HILL

OTTAWA, ON Thursday September 15, 2005:  Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Stan Beardy, along with NAN Chiefs and representatives from the provincial and federal governments, today welcomed Missanabie Cree Chief Glenn Nolan and a group of nine paddlers at Turtle Island Native Village on Victoria Island just behind Parliament Hill, Ottawa. 

“I am here today to not only acknowledge the long and historical journey of Chief Nolan and his team, but to deliver an empty scroll to representatives from both the Province and Canada,” said NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy. 

As part of the two year centennial commemoration of James Bay Treaty No. 9, the blank scroll delivered by Chief Nolan and presented by Grand Chief Beardy indicates Nishnawbe Aski Nation’s position to work with provincial and federal governments to reaffirm the treaty signed 100 years ago. 

“The people of Nishnawbe Aski are not benefiting from the current treaty relationship. Many of our communities are some of the poorest in the country, yet are considered some of the wealthiest in terms of natural resources,” said Beardy. 

“It is my intent, with the participation of NAN Chiefs and both levels of government, to take the opportunity presented with this 100th anniversary to draw attention to the deficiencies of the treaty and reaffirm our treaty relationship by positively working together to ensure future mutual benefits of this relationship based on the original spirit and intent of the treaty.”

Chief Nolan’s three-month journey across NAN territory retraced the original route taken by British Commissioners when they visited seven of the fifteen signatory First Nation communities of James Bay Treaty No. 9 in 1905.  The paddlers participated in all commemorative events that took place throughout NAN territory – an area covering two-thirds of Ontario, spanning North of the 51st parallel to the coasts of Hudson’s and James bays, east to Quebec’s border and west to Manitoba’s border.

"The treaty needs to be taken seriously and our people need to be viewed as full participants of the treaty,” said Chief Nolan who has paddled to seven NAN communities since his departure from Cat Lake First Nation June 21, 2005.  “What I’ve seen on this trip is how vibrant our communities are. We have strong traditions and strong cultures and all this richness can’t be suppressed by the treaty.”

“After seeing all the challenges facing our communities to arrive in the extreme and almost perverse wealth that lines the Ottawa River makes you think where did that wealth come from?,” said Nolan.   “This wealth comes from our land, the resources come from our land and there’s got to be a fair share of profits coming from those resources.”

James Bay Treaty No. 9 Centennial Commemoration will continue next summer as the remaining eight of the fifteen (total) of NAN’s 49 First Nation communities commemorate this historic anniversary on their respective treaty signing dates.

Financial support for commemorative events has been provided by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor).  Corporate sponsors include Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund, Ontario Power Generation, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, RBC Financial Group, Hydro One, Bowater, Old Post Resort and Village, Wasaya Airways LP, and City of Timmins and Economic Development Corporation.

The Treaty paddlers received contributions from Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada, Domtar and Nova Craft Canoes.

* * *

For more information please contact:

Jenna Young
Communications Officer
Nishnawbe Aski Nation
(807) 625 4952

Click here for speaking notes from NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy
 
Click here for speaking notes from Associate Deputy Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Suzanne Tining

Contradictory news reports out of Ottawa regarding upcoming funding announcement regarding spending to improve health, education and housing on Canada’s First Nations communities...

SMART delivery of KiHS Classroom to Fort Severn, Ontario

The Assembly of First Nations' Summit on Telehealth gathering that is opening today in Winnipeg, a team of Community Telehealth Coordinators along with their support team from Keewaytinook Okimakanak will be showcasing the tools and strategies they are utilizing to improve community wellness and health services in each of their First Nations. Their stories, demonstrations and experiences highlight the important work being accomplished in their communities as part of Keewaytinook Okimakanak's regional Telehealth project. This project is funded by Health Canada's Health Transition program.

Education curriculum in Ontario schools is evolving  

September 20, 2005
MEDIA RELEASE

Anishinabek Grand Chief wants expansion of First Nation perspective in Ontario's new school curriculum

NIPISSING FN - The Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief says that, while it is encouraging to see more First Nation perspectives included in Ontario's new school curriculum, the province should go further and include a significant focus on treaties and treaty rights, the history of residential schools and mandatory Native language instruction for First Nation students.

The province announced that First Nations culture and history would be taught in all classrooms across Ontario with the introduction of an improved curriculum launched this week. Ontario teachers will be required to teach a more detailed Aboriginal perspective in every grade.

"Our history and culture has been excluded from Canada's education system for far too long," said Grand Council Chief John Beaucage. "We've always been simply a token unit in social studies and Canadian history classes. Even that limited curriculum was developed by non-native historians and lacked the perspectives of the First Nations people themselves."

The province has introduced a First Nations perspective as part of revamped social studies and revised history and geography program and in senior grades it will be part of a new Canadian and world studies course.

Many said the previous curriculum overlooked First Nation subjects. After mounting criticism, native educators were brought in to re-write new curriculum guidelines with the First Nation perspective in mind.

"We all remember the Bering Strait theory and how the curriculum classified us as hunter-gatherers, Paleo-Indians or Eastern Woodland people," said Beaucage. "This is not how we see ourselves. We want to see all children learning about us as the Anishinabek Nation, whose contributions to modern society are far-reaching and consequential."

Contemporary Native people like Inuit hockey star Jordin Tootoo are now included in the Grade 6 social studies curriculum. Study units on pioneer life with references to "Aboriginals" now mention specific Nations such as the Iroquois and the Ojibway.

"We want to see the province take this a step further," said Beaucage. "An expanded First Nations studies curriculum should include a significant focus on cultural awareness, treaties and treaty rights, the history of residential schools and mandatory Native language instruction for our own children in public schools.

"First Nations educators must continue to play a lead role in the development of curriculum and teaching these lessons in our schools. I would recommend that the government continue to revise and expand on these developments by ensuring adequate resources to this curriculum development initiative and include further involvement by Anishinabek, Mushkegowuk (Cree), Haudenasaunee (Iroquois), and Metis teachers."

The Anishinabek Nation incorporated the Union of Ontario Indians as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 42 member First Nations across Ontario. The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact.

For more information contact:
Jamie Monastyrski, Communications Officer

Union of Ontario Indians
705-497-9127 (2290), monjam@anishinabek.ca

If you care about the health of your community and you want to make a difference, you can!

Applicants should be:

• Interested in providing Aboriginal views to the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and improving the numbers of Aboriginal youth applying to medical school
• An Aboriginal youth between the ages of 18 and 25
• A post-secondary student or graduate

The NOSM Aboriginal Reference Group meets quarterly, generally in Thunder Bay, Sudbury or by teleconference. This is a volunteer position. Travel is covered by NOSM in accordance with University financial policies.

Applicants must submit a covering letter and a current Curriculum Vitae/Resume along with a two page essay indicating why they are interested in the Youth Representative position, their skills and qualifications, and how the position will contribute to their own career goals. Please apply to:

Aboriginal Affairs Unit
Northern Ontario School of Medicine
955 Oliver Road
Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5E1
Fax: (807) 766-7363
Email: Orpah.McKenzie@normed.ca

Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Interviews will be held by telephone. For further information about the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, visit www.normed.ca 

or contact Orpah McKenzie, Director of Aboriginal Affairs at (807) 766-7311. 

The Aboriginal Reference Group of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is seeking an Aboriginal Youth Representative for a two-year term. The Group provides advice to the School’s initiatives and accommodation of the Aboriginal worldview. The Group serves as the primary resource for the School of Medicine to fulfill its mandate concerning inclusive Aboriginal education and health.

Introducing Lac Seul First Nation's web site. www.lacseul.firstnation.ca

KORI's Brian Walmark and CRACIN's Andrew Clement and Adam Fisner of the University of Toronto are presenting a paper on the development of K-Net at the 33rd annual Telecommunications Policy Research Conference in Washington, DC

Keewaytinook Okimakanak's Kuhkenah Network (K-Net - http://knet.ca) is working with Industry Canada's FedNor and the First Nations SchoolNet programs and Health Canada to identify strategies to ensure broadband connectivity is available in every First Nation with a school or a health centre. This past week a number of First Nations along the highway 11 corridor were visited to identify contacts and building locations. A meeting on Friday with Northern Tel representatives resulted in some additional information concerning completing some of these broadband connections.

FYI ... just received this invitation to subscribe to a bimonthly newsletter ... thought others might be interested in this one as well ...

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