Media.Knet.Ca

Gospel Services at KC Hall on Friday August 24, Saturday August 25 and Sunday August 26.2007. Each night starting at 7PM.

The Speaker is Joe Campbell from Winnipeg.

For more info call 737-7323.(Roy)

OCAD press release ...

The Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) appoints The Honourable James K. Bartleman as new Chancellor

    TORONTO, Aug. 20 /CNW/ - The Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) is pleased to announce the appointment of The Honourable James K. Bartleman, as the university's new Chancellor. His Honour will complete his term as Lieutenant Governor of Ontario on September 5.

    Mr. Bartleman is OCAD's second Chancellor, succeeding Rosalie Sharp. "James Bartleman's outstanding record of public achievement is very much in keeping with OCAD's commitments to excellence, equity and service to the community at large," said OCAD Board of Governors Chair J. Anthony Caldwell. "We are deeply honoured that he has accepted this appointment and know that we will benefit greatly from his wisdom and experience in the coming years." OCAD President, Sara Diamond, commented, "In our new Chancellor we gain an articulate, accomplished and passionate leader in all forms of literacy; an internationalist and an individual who has made a significant difference in bettering the lives of aboriginal people. I look forward to working with The Honourable James K. Bartleman to further OCAD's efforts on these fronts as well as others."

    As the titular head of the university the Chancellor presides at convocation and confers degrees, and is an honorary member of the Board of Governors and of the President's Advisory Council. The Chancellor acts as an ambassador on behalf of the institution and works closely with the President in developing resource capacity and outreach activity.

    "OCAD has always been at the forefront of art and design education in Canada," said Mr. Bartleman. "As the next Chancellor, I am happy to be associated with Canada's largest and most exciting university of art and design. It is truly a privilege to encourage a new generation of talented artists and designers."

    Biography

    The Honourable James Karl Bartleman was sworn in as the 27th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario on March 7, 2002. He is the province's 41st vice-regal representative since John Graves Simcoe arrived in Upper Canada in 1792.

    His Honour identified three key priorities for his mandate: to eliminate the stigma of mental illness, to fight racism and discrimination, and to encourage aboriginal young people. In 2004 he launched the first Lieutenant Governor's Book Drive, which collected 1.2 million good used books for First Nations schools and Native Friendship Centres throughout Ontario. To further encourage literacy and bridge building, in 2005 His Honour launched a Twinning Program for Native and non-Native schools in Ontario and Nunavut, and established literacy summer camps in five northern First Nations communities as a pilot project. In 2006 he extended his literacy summer camps program to 28 fly-in communities and secured funding for five years, and he also launched Club Amick, a reading club for Native children in Ontario's North. In the winter of 2007, he completed a second Book Drive, collecting 900,000 books for aboriginal children in Ontario, northern Quebec and Nunavut.

    Upon his installation as Lieutenant Governor, Mr. Bartleman became Chancellor and a member of the Order of Ontario. He was promoted to Knight of Justice in the Order of St John in 2002 and received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award for public service in 1999. His Honour received the Dr. Hugh Lefave Award (2003) and the Courage to Come Back Award (2004) for his efforts to reduce the stigma of mental illness. In 2004 he also received the Phi Delta Kappa Educator of the Year Award and the DAREarts Cultural Award in recognition of the Lieutenant Governor's Book Program and was named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International District 7090. Mr. Bartleman serves as Visitor to the University of Western Ontario and has received honorary doctorates from the University of Western Ontario, York University, Laurentian University, Queen's University, the University of Windsor, Ryerson University, McGill University, Nipissing University and Sir Wilfrid Laurier University. He is Honorary Patron of about 80 organizations.

    Mr. Bartleman has published four books, his most recent entitled Raisin Wine: A Boyhood in a Different Muskoka was published by McClelland & Stewart in March of this year.

    Mr. Bartleman had a distinguished career of more than 35 years in the Canadian foreign service. He was Canada's Ambassador to the European Union from 2000 to 2002 and served as High Commissioner to Australia in 1999-2000 and to South Africa in 1998-1999. From 1994 to 1998, Mr. Bartleman was Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister and Assistant Secretary to Foreign and Defence Policy, Privy Council Office. He was Ambassador to the North Atlantic Council of NATO from 1990 to 1994, Ambassador to Israel and High Commissioner to Cyprus from 1986 to 1990, and Ambassador to Cuba from 1981 to 1983. Mr. Bartleman opened Canada's first diplomatic mission in the newly independent People's Republic of Bangladesh in 1972 and served in senior positions in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade from 1967.

    Born on 24 December 1939 in Orillia, Ontario, James Bartleman grew up in the Muskoka town of Port Carling and is a member of the Mnjikaning First Nation. Mr. Bartleman earned a BA (Hons) in History from University of Western Ontario in 1963. On a posting to Brussels, he met his wife Marie-Jeanne Rosillon. Together, they have three children.

    Ontario College of Art & Design

    The Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) is Canada's "university of the imagination." OCAD is dedicated to art and design education, practice and research and to knowledge and invention across a wide range of disciplines. The university is building on its traditional, studio-based strengths, adding new approaches to learning that champion cross-disciplinarity, collaboration and the integration of emerging technologies. In the Age of Imagination, OCAD community members will be uniquely qualified to act as catalysts for the next advances in culture, technology and quality of life for all Canadians.

For further information: To speak with His Honour, please contact Nanda Casucci-Byrne, Director, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Province of Ontario, at (416) 325-7781. For more information contact Susan Lilholt, Acting Director, Marketing & Communications, Ontario College of Art & Design at (416) 977-6000 Ext. 486, or slilholt@ocad.ca

From Empowering Our Little Sisters web site at http://www.empoweringsisters.com

Overview:

This volunteer based program focuses on urban Aboriginal girls ages 7 to 15 living in Winnipeg.

Delivered in partnership by Big Brothers, Big Sisters Winnipeg and various other community assets, our activities are focused on providing meaningful learning and cultural opportunities through positive activities, mentorship, friendship and relationship building to empower young girls to dream and achieve their goals.

Our mentorship program is focused on building meaningful relationships and learning opportunities for Aboriginal girls.

Our Mission:

Empower and aid in the self-development of Aboriginal girls through mentorship, relationship building, friendship, education and awareness on key life issues such as  bullying, healthy  lifestyles, cultural pride, self-esteem, and the importance of education.

Rationale:

Women and girls of Aboriginal descent represent a unique population with special needs. Aboriginal women are disproportionately represented among those adversely affected by poverty, teen pregnancy, school dropout, depression, stress, and single parenting.

As such, Empowering Our Little Sisters addresses the health, cultural, and social concerns of girls of Aboriginal descent for life enhancement.

Background:

Created by Aboriginal women, for our little sisters, all programs are delivered by volunteers and are free of charge. Anyone can participate in any Little Sister activities at any time.

Empowerment Principles:

•        Self-Knowledge
•        Self-Development
•        Self-Esteem

Mentorship opportunities include:

• Big Bunch group mentoring
• Community Matching
• Child Safety & Empowerment

Each month, girls and their mentors also gather for friendship and learning activities which include:

• Sharing Circles
• Crafts, Baking
• Story Telling
• Movies
• Workshops
• Guest Speakers
• Elder Teachings

Click here to watch the "Empowering Our Little Sisters" video featuring Susan Aglukark! (requires Quicktime)

From Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal ....

Leaders predict more tragic deaths unless governments fix aboriginal poverty
By STEVE LAMBERT - August 19, 2007

WINNIPEG (CP) - There will be more deaths like the recent drowning of a boy on a Manitoba reserve by three youngsters unless something is done about the social ills rampant on many native reserves, the head of an aboriginal child welfare agency warns.

"We allow kids to grow up in extreme poverty," says Elsie Flett, head of the First Nations of Southern Manitoba Child and Family Services Authority. "Why are we then surprised when these kids become violent? Society has really been very violent towards them."

The agency is one of four authorities in Manitoba assigned to protect children at risk of abuse or neglect. It covers a large area including the Pauingassi First Nation, 300 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, where Adam Keeper, 6, died on Aug. 7.

"Who is interviewing Stephen Harper and his government?" Flett asked in an interview. "Who is saying, ’What are you doing about Pauingassi’?"

RCMP have said Keeper, who could not swim, was bullied into taking off his clothes and pushed into a lake by three boys, who are 7, 8 and 9 years old. His body was found hours later.

Aboriginal leaders have pointed to Pauingassi’s high rate of alcoholism, broken families, poor housing and grinding poverty as the root of violence in the community. Flett is prevented by law from revealing details about the drowning, which her agency is investigating, but news reports have suggested one of the boys involved suffers from fetal alcohol syndrome and another has been raised by his grandparents while his siblings have been in foster care.

Flett points to the 1996 report from the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, which warned that high rates of crime, suicide, addiction and violence will plague native communities until governments address native poverty.

"We have kids that go hungry. Up in Pauingassi ... food is just not affordable. Do we care about that? Do we do anything about that?"

Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl, who took over the portfolio as part of last week’s federal cabinet shuffle, was unavailable to comment. His predecessor, Jim Prentice, had promised that Ottawa would take concrete steps to improve living conditions on reserves.

The numbers of children coming through Flett’s agency and other native-run bodies is startling. Aboriginals make up 15 per cent of Manitoba’s population, yet account for 70 per cent of the province’s 7,000 children in the child-welfare system.

What remains unclear about Keeper’s death is how long the four boys, all under 10, were left to wander around without adult supervision.

Keeper is believed to have drowned sometime in the late afternoon. His father found his body after a community search was organized in the evening.

It’s not unusual for young children to be left to their own devices, said Pauingassi Chief Harold Crow.

"Kids are kids. Kids have the freedom to move around," he said.

"The community is a remote area and we have all kinds of surrounding bush and the lake, and I guess (Keeper and the other boys) were far out into the covered area."

Children have died or been injured while on their own on other reserves. Last January, a five-year-old boy from the Cumberland House First Nation in northeastern Saskatchewan was killed by a pack of dogs near his home. His body was found lying on the road sometime later.

Last November, a five-year-old boy died in a similar dog attack on the North Tallcree reserve in northern Alberta. His body was also found on the road.

Last September, an 11-year-old girl from the Chemawawin Cree Nation in central Manitoba was severely burned when she and some other kids were engaged in a dangerous game involving bug spray and a lighter.

Child protection laws vary from province to province. Manitoba requires adult supervision for any child under 12.

Flett is quick to point out that poor parenting is not exclusive to reserves, but adds that life in a disadvantage, remote community can be a strain for the best of parents.

"If you’re a single parent ... and you’re living in a community like Pauingassi where there is no bus, there is no taxi, doing your laundry and getting groceries becomes a major, major issue," she said.

"How do you then say to that mom, ’You should know where every single one of your kids is all the time’?"

Gospel Services at KC Hall, Sioux Lookout, ON. August 18 &19, 2007. 7PM nightly. 10AM Sunday. Speaker: Lott Thunder. Call 737-7323 Roy Anderson for info.

From the Regina Leader Post ...

School aftermath spans generations
Michelle Hugli - August 15, 2007

The deadline for the residential school settlement is only days away, but we're just getting started on realizing the full impact these schools have had on several generations of First Nations people.

To even start the process of moving forward took years of legal work. It took a painful process of reopening old and unhealed wounds by former students. It will cost billions of dollars in legal fees and settlement costs. And now, finally, we just might be starting the long journey of putting the past behind us. But it's going to take a lot more than just agreeing to the settlement to start moving on. It doesn't end here. This is just the first step.

You don't take two generations of children and strip them of their culture, language and dignity and fix it with a big fat cheque. It's going to take years of counseling, sharing experiences and attempting to reclaim languages and culture and integrating them into our lives. Money being put into healing programs and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission should help get that process started. But again, it is just a beginning.

So far, this entire process has only addressed the experiences of former students. Very little has been said about the impact the residential schools have had on the children of former students. As children of former students, we escaped the horror of attending these schools -- but we did not escape the intended consequences.

The purpose of the residential schools was to prevent my generation from learning our languages and culture, so that we could be successfully assimilated into Canadian society. It was definitely a long-term plan. The Canadian government did not want the languages and cultures passed on to future generations.

It was the most aggressive assimilation campaign Canada has ever administered. And it was so close to being a success that it will take at least another generation or two to recover. The children of former students have had to live with the impacts of our parents' and grandparents' experiences at those schools. Reclaiming our stolen languages and cultures and rebuilding our communities will take time and dedication -- and will require support and resources.

I've gone to the residential school settlement Web site. I saw the word "inter-generational" once. I called the information line to find out how this settlement may affect the children of former students in the future. I was told: "This has absolutely nothing to do with you."

But these schools have everything do with the First Nations people of my generation. We were clear targets of the assimilation policies Canada had in place when they sent our parents and grandparents to these schools.

Many of the problems facing our aboriginal youth today can be attributed to the broken cultural values in our communities. We all see and experience the impacts of these schools every day.

As the child of a former student, I'm not interested in money. No amount of money could ever replace the years I grew up yearning to understand my culture, my language, my connection to my past, my connection to my family and my place in our society.

The settlement money can help former students because it allows for easier access to healing programs and other ways to try to reclaim what's been stolen, but it can never replace the years spent growing up without my language and culture and in a home where the pain and shame inflicted within the residential schools trickled down into our everyday lives.

By only acknowledging how the schools affected former students, we deny the true purpose of the schools and the impacts we are still experiencing today. I just want people to realize that these schools have had far-reaching and devastating impacts that go far beyond what happened within the walls of the actual schools.

First Nations people have until Aug. 20 to make a decision about the residential school settlement.

Former students have three options. They can accept the settlement and request a claim form. The common-experience payment provides $10,000 for the first year of school and $3,000 for each additional year. Former students can claim more if they suffered additional sexual or psychological abuses.

Former students can also choose to opt out of the settlement, which means they will not get a payment, but can sue on their own if they choose to do so. Fewer than 5,000 former students need to opt out for the settlement to go forward.

Or, former students can do nothing and not receive a settlement payment AND lose their right to sue in the future.

While our parents and grandparents decide whether to accept the settlement or opt out, my generation is struggling to pick up the pieces. My generation is trying to find a way to reclaim our culture and values and work them into our lives and be successful in the society we live in today.

As this process continues to move forward, Canada will need to hear from my generation as well. Otherwise we'll never truly understand the devastation brought on by these schools.

- Hugli can be heard on News Talk 980 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

The Chiefs of Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) renewed their commitment to developing and operating successful First Nation owned and managed broadband networks at the Annual Keewaywin Conference that took place in Aroland First Nation on August 14, 15 & 16, 2007.

In February 2003, the NAN Chiefs in Assembly passed Resolution 03/49: SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NAN BROADBAND REGIONAL NETWORK FOR FIRST NATIONS which among other things directed government programs and services along with other agencies to utilize local community networks. This August resolution calls for government programs and services as well as all organizations doing business in NAN First Nations to contribute to the ongoing operation of these networks, the same way they pay for these services for their own operation centres.

The following is the draft text of the resolution that was presented to the NAN chiefs for their consideration.

SUBJECT: SUPPORT FOR THE ONGOING DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY OF FIRST NATION OWNED BROADBAND REGIONAL AND LOCAL NETWORKS

MOVED BY: Chief Arthur Moore, Constance Lake First Nation

SECONDED BY: Chief Pardamus Anishinabie, Sandy Lake First Nation

DECISION: Passed without revisions

WHEREAS the Chiefs of Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) demonstrated their support for the development of community-based broadband networks that work with Nishnawbe Aski Nation and other First Nation regional networks;

WHEREAS  universal access and quality of broadband services are integral to renewed economic, health, education, social and cultural benefits and opportunities for Nishnawbe Aski Nation First Nations, and a generally improved quality of life for Nishnawbe Aski Nation citizens and Nishnawbe Aski Nation;

WHEREAS  broadband community networks and information and communication technologies (ICTs) are a key tool in Nation building and support for healthy communities, involving all First Nations, tribal councils and regional organizations in the development and maintenance of a sustainable and shared broadband communications infrastructure for the Nishnawbe Aski people;

WHEREAS  broadband infrastructure and ICT hardware and software continue to evolve, requiring continuous upgrades, maintenance and management; and

WHEREAS  organizations and institutions delivering online services are pressuring First Nations to provide facilities, staffing, equipment and support for their programs and services, without paying for these local services; and

WHEREAS operational funding to support community-owned broadband networks, services, facilities, staffing and equipment require contributions by every organization, institution and government program to ensure the sustainability of these local resources and services;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Nishnawbe Aski Nation Chiefs-in- Assembly support the development of local First Nation community networks and regional First Nation broadband networks and all levels of government are urged to support these networks by identifying strategies for developing and delivering innovative services and delivery models;

FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the Nishnawbe Aski Nation Executive Council is mandated to ensure all federal and provincial government programs and services, as well as all institution and corporations doing business Nishnawbe Aski Nation are encouraged to work cooperatively with and employ the existing regional and community broadband networks, to ensure their sustainability; and

FINALLY BE IT RESOLVED that the federal and provincial governments must develop equitable and affordable broadband infrastructure in all Nishnawbe Aski First Nations is capable of supporting video, voice and data traffic, and must provide funding for the further development of the community and regional networks and infrastructure.

From the Ottawa Citizen ...

Expert questions independence of plan to address native claims
Juliet O'Neill - CanWest News Service - August 15, 2007

OTTAWA - The federal government's promise of an independent and speedy process to clear a backlog of unfulfilled and breached Indian treaty obligations may not be so independent or speedy after all, says a longtime advocate of reforms.

Rolland Pangowish said Wednesday that the government plan for "specific claims" legislation contains potentially fatal flaws that will leave the main promises of independence and speed unfulfilled. As it stands, the plan is "not the significant transformation" the government has claimed.

Pangowish co-chaired the 1997-98 First Nations-Canada Task Force on Specific Claims Policy Reform, directed the Assembly of First Nations lands and treaties unit 1990-2003, and is currently technical adviser to Ontario First Nations chiefs on claims.

He says that while the government may have left the impression a proposed independent tribunal is going to take charge of the claims process, clear a backlog of 800 claims for land or compensation and get cracking on new incoming claims, the reality appears quite different.

The government will remain "judge and jury" of itself, deciding whether to accept, reject or negotiate a claim, and the tribunal only kicks in later - as many as three years later - if negotiations fail, a claim is rejected or all parties agree to a referral to the tribunal.
The fate of the 800 or so claims already in the system has not been made clear by the government, he said.

The legislation is being developed by an eight-member team, equally portioned among government and First Nations representatives, as Chuck Strahl replaces Jim Prentice as minister of Indian and northern affairs. A bill is supposed to be drafted for the fall session of Parliament.

"The long-standing objective of First Nations to eliminate the government's conflict of interest in judging claims against itself by establishing an independent claims body is not achieved," Pangowish wrote in a recent analysis for the chiefs of the plan announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in June.

A truly independent process would establish an arm's-length body to receive claims, decide on their validity and determine whether the government is legally obligated to provide land or compensation, he said.

As it now stands, the government decides all that. Public servants at Indian and Northern Affairs and lawyers at the Justice Department screen the claims and assess whether the government has a legal obligation to fulfil, whether to accept, reject or negotiate.

It is at this stage that the existing claims are bogged down - 30 per cent of them for six to 10 years and some for more than 20 years, partly because more resources and personnel are required.

Pangowish says the little there is in the government plan to address that.

The government says all new claims will receive a preliminary assessment within six months and similar claims will be bundled to speed decisions. It doesn't take legislation to improve internal management of claims, Pangowish noted.

He questioned whether a government-appointed tribunal, open to political patronage appointments, will be perceived as independent.

"In fact the appointment of judges hostile to First Nation rights is highly likely when governments opposed to First Nation aspirations are in office," he wrote.

The "specific claims" process involves cases where the federal government failed to provide land owed under historic treaties, or took land or other assets without providing agreed compensation. This process differs from the comprehensive treaty process under which First Nations and governments negotiate terms and conditions of land title and jurisdiction.

CMHC press release ...

Ontario's First On-reserve Housing Trust Agreement Signed Today by CMHC and Wikwemikong Indian Band
 
OTTAWA, Aug. 15 - Ontario's first trust agreement under Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC) On-Reserve Homeownership Loan Insurance Pilot was signed today by the Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve and CMHC, on behalf of the Government of Canada.

This agreement provides enhanced access to homeownership loan insurance to First Nation members of the Manitoulin Island reserve.

"Today's agreement will improve the availability of market housing for this First Nation community. It will expand access to homeownership financing by further facilitating the flow of private-sector lending for housing purposes," said the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development and Minister Responsible for CMHC. "This agreement will help expand the benefits of market housing to the Wikwemikong and can serve as a model for other First Nations communities across the country who are looking for new ways to help their members enjoy greater access to homeownership."

CMHC's On-Reserve Homeownership Loan Insurance Pilot supports the Government of Canada's commitment to work with Aboriginal peoples on a comprehensive and transformative approach that will allow them to meet their housing needs over the long term.

"Our community believes that this agreement broadens our housing options. This pilot project allows qualifying Band members to apply for independent financing so that they can realize their housing goals," said Chief Robert Corbiere.

Wikwemikong has been taking advantage of various CMHC programs for more than 15 years to help address their housing needs. For example, they have built more than 300 units of assisted housing, and they are breaking ground on a 30-unit assisted housing apartment building - the largest multi-unit project ever under CMHC's On-Reserve Non-Profit Housing Program in Ontario. They have successfully used training programs on mold remediation to address problems on the reserve and shared that knowledge with other bands to help them manage their mold issues.

The Pilot product is just one of a number of tools available to help First Nations pursue market housing objectives. Earlier this year, Canada's New Government announced the First Nations Market Housing Fund to provide additional financing options to First Nation communities. These are two ways in which this government is working to provide First Nations on-reserve with the same housing opportunities and responsibilities as other Canadians.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has been Canada's national housing agency for more than 60 years. CMHC is committed to helping Canadians access a wide choice of quality, affordable homes, while making vibrant, healthy communities and cities a reality across the country.

Additional information about the operation of the On-Reserve Homeownership Loan Insurance Pilot is available on CMHC's website at http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/ab/onre/onre_009.cfm

For further information: Kristen Scheel, CMHC Media Relations, (613) 748-4632

NAN press release ...

Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief urges new INAC Minister to follow through on recent commitments to NAN territory

     THUNDER BAY, ON, Aug. 15 /CNW/ - Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Stan Beardy congratulates new Indian and Northern Affairs Minister (INAC) Chuck Strahl, urging him to follow through on recent commitments by former Minister Jim Prentice to deal with unique challenges of Ontario's remote First Nation communities.

     "The Hon. Jim Prentice has recently paid more attention to the unique conditions of some of our 49 First Nation communities," said NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy, adding Prentice accompanied him on a trip to Fort Albany and Kashechewan just last week. "It's important now that Minister Strahl continues this commitment to not only specific NAN communities ie: Pikangikum and Kashechewan, but across NAN territory."

     Former Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Charles Straul was appointed to the Indian and Northern Affairs Ministry during Prime Minister Stephen Harper's much anticipated cabinet shuffle Tuesday.

     "I'm hopeful Minister Strahl will be receptive to NAN leadership and our work toward addressing our many challenges to improve the quality of life for our people and communities," said Beardy. "I invite him to meet with NAN leadership to hear first hand the unique challenges faced in our communities and to establish a relationship based on the need to improve conditions for First Nations across the North."

     Nishnawbe Aski Nation is a political Aboriginal organization representing
49 First Nation communities across two-thirds of Ontario. 34 of these communities are accessible via airplane only.

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/For further information: Jenna Young, Director of Communications, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, (807) 625-4952 OR (807) 628-3953 (mobile)/

++++++++++

AFN press release ...

AFN National Chief Phil Fontaine looking forward to working with new federal Minister of Indian Affairs announced today by the Prime Minister

     OTTAWA, Aug. 14 /CNW Telbec/ - Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine said he is looking forward to working with the new federal Cabinet announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Among other changes, the new Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development is the honourable Chuck Strahl, who replaces former Minister Jim Prentice.

     "We welcome the honourable Chuck Strahl as the new Minister of Indian Affairs and view this as an opportunity to embark on new initiatives aimed at a better future for all Canadians," said National Chief Fontaine. "The success of the Minister of Indian Affairs is very much dependent on a positive relationship with First Nations and we are ready to work on a positive agenda aimed at lifting First Nations out of poverty. This requires a focus on two key elements: our people and our lands. We must invest in education and training for First Nations as the key improving the lives of our people, and ensuring Canada has a skilled workforce to meet the coming labour shortage. As well, lands are central to the ability of First Nations to build their economies. We must ensure our people achieve a fair share in the benefits and riches of their traditional lands, and we can do so through win-win approaches like resource revenue sharing."

     The National Chief noted that this approach was widely endorsed by provincial premiers and territorial leaders at the recent Council of the Federation meeting. The National Chief will also present detailed proposals on these initiatives as part of the upcoming federal Pre-Budget Submissions process.

     "It is increasingly clear that the future of First Nations and the future of Canada are closely intertwined," the National Chief said. "We want to continue to have a productive relationship that delivers on the legal obligations that the federal government has with First Nations. This means engaging with all Ministers and members of the government that have an impact on First Nations, including Ministers for Health, Justice, Heritage, Finance and many others. Working together for a better quality of life for First Nations will benefit all of us. The provinces and territories are on side and we need the federal government to join us in this national undertaking. We congratulate all members of the new federal Cabinet and look forward to working with them and the Prime Minister on a better future for all Canadians."

     "I want to acknowledge the efforts of the previous Minister, Jim Prentice," National Chief Fontaine said. "Working together we were able to finalize the historic settlement for survivors of Indian Residential Schools, as well as setting out a process to establish a new approach to resolving specific land claims. We look forward to working with the new Minister and the government towards a successful conclusion on both of these important matters."

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

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/For further information: Rene Pollett, Communications Specialist, (613) 241-6789, ext. 314, cell.: (613) 295-2149, rpollett@afn.ca/