Media.Knet.Ca

PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO ALL YOUR CONTACTS. 

Thanks to all ticket buyers on the 50" Plasma TV.  The winner was Hubert Moe of Hudson. 
 
Our next fundraising event will be the Pancake and Sausage Breakfast at the Spelling Bee to be held at Queen Elizabeth High School Room 19 on Sunday, April 22, 2007 starting at 8 am.   This event is open to the public. 

Adults $8.00 12 and under $5.00.  A variety of lunch items will also be sold. (see the poster below)

SAFE GRAD FLEA MARKET - Saturday, MAY 5TH AT QUEEN ELIZABETH

Sioux Moutain Parents will have a table to fundraise for the Toronto Trip.  If you have items to donate please contact me or Chris Larsh or Ruth Coughlin at the school. 
 
Tickets will be out soon for the Annual Boat and motor draw.  Tickets will be sold at Johnny's and various business outlets.
 
Thank you for supporting our fundraising efforts!

LU and NAN are partnering to conduct a SSHRC funded research project entitled "Climate change and community well-being in Northern Ontario". Other funded projects involving Northern Ontario include:

• "Capacity building in Fort Albany First Nation: traditional territories environmental impact assessment and community-based monitoring as related to resource development in the Mushkegowuk Territory"
• "Subjective well being and Northern Canadian social workers"

SSHRC press release ...

Northern Research at the Forefront for SSHRC - New grants will invigorate northern social and environmental research

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(April 17, 2007) - With the advent of International Polar Year (IPY), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) has announced close to $700,000 in grants to support research on Canada's North by academic experts working in collaboration with community and government partners.

The diverse projects will add a human perspective to IPY-sponsored research by examining past and present conditions in Northern communities as well as their potential for social and economic development. Topics range from the impact of Northern issues on foreign policy, to Inuit cultural history, to the economics of sport tourism. Several projects will focus on environmental issues, including Northern perspectives on climate change, social impacts of resource development in the Mackenzie Valley, and management of the Hudson Bay beluga population.

"SSHRC-supported research will improve our knowledge of the history and cultures of the North and its peoples and help chart a path for the future of Arctic and Northern communities," said Chad Gaffield, president of SSHRC. "This new research will enable a better understanding of the unique communities and environment of the North."

The Northern Research Development program was designed to help develop and revitalize Canadian research in and on the North. Since the program's creation in 2003, SSHRC has invested $3.2 million to support research on Northern communities, history, social dynamics and languages.

Seventeen new projects received grants. They involve university researchers from a dozen universities across Canada, as well as partners from federal, provincial and territorial government agencies, professional associations, and Aboriginal governments and organizations.

"The North is vast, the issues affecting it are complex, and its importance not well understood," said Gaffield. "We are pleased to contribute to a growing national and international research effort that acknowledges the cultural, ecological, and geopolitical importance of this vast region."

Visit the SSHRC website (www.sshrc.ca) for a list of successful candidates.

Note to editors: SSHRC is an independent federal government agency that funds university-based research and graduate training through national peer-reviewed competitions. SSHRC also partners with public and private sector organizations to focus research and aid the development of better policies and practices in key areas of Canada's social, cultural and economic life.

CONTACT INFORMATION

SSHRC
Ian McLeod
Media Relations Advisor
613-947-4629 Cell: 613-294-6203
ian.mcleod@sshrc.ca.

From the list of successfully funded projects ...

Applicant: Raynald Lemelin, Lakehead University

Co-applicants:
Margaret Johnston, Lakehead University
Norman McIntyre, Lakehead University
Rhonda Koster, Lakehead University

Partner: Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Thunder Bay ON

Title: Climate change and community well-being in Northern Ontario
Value: $39,900
Duration: 2 years/2 ans

Applicant: Leonard Tsuji, University of Waterloo
Co-applicant: Graham Whitelaw, University of Waterloo

Title: Capacity building in Fort Albany First Nation: traditional territories environmental impact assessment and community-based monitoring as related to resource development in the Mushkegowuk Territory
Value:$40,000
Duration: 2 years/2 ans

AFN press release ...

AFN National Chief acknowledges 25th Anniversary of section 35 of Canada's 1982 Constitution as a victory for First Peoples but a vision yet to be realized

35. (1) The existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada are hereby recognized and affirmed.
- The Constitution Act, 1982 (Part II, Rights of the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada)

            OTTAWA, April 17 /CNW Telbec/ - Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine today commented on the 25th anniversary of section 35 of Canada's 1982 Constitution Act.

            "Twenty-five years ago today, Aboriginal peoples secured an important victory at the Constitutional table. The victory is section 35 of Canada's 1982 Constitution Act, which recognizes the existing Aboriginal and treaty rights of the First Peoples of Canada. Section 35 is important because it recognizes that Aboriginal peoples have different rights from other Canadians by virtue of being the First Peoples of this land, who never surrendered or gave up those rights to any government. It recognizes that our rights are "inherent" - they are within us, not gifts from government to ignore or deny at their whim. And it recognizes that Canada must honour and respect these rights.

            Aboriginal and Treaty rights are a reality and are part of our country's legal and political landscape. And yet, a quarter of a century later, First Nations continue to challenge the federal government to honour the spirit, intent, and content that section 35 promised. Federal policy and legislation has failed to respond appropriately to section 35.

            The federal "inherent right" policy, for example, attempts to define, prescribe and limit for us what our rights are. As a result, negotiations are based on a limited and narrow definition. The federal government's land claims policy moves at a glacial pace and is further compromised by a conflict of interest in which the federal government is judge and jury in claims brought against it. It is failing First Nations and costing Canadians hundreds of millions of dollars per year.

            In general, federal negotiating policies are not designed to create success. They are designed to create 'wins' for the federal government by limiting the scope of First Nations rights and First Nations governments. We have seen in recent weeks the concerns by First Nations in BC over the Treaty process. Many have expressed serious concerns about the limited, narrow scope of the discussions.

            None of this is good for First Nations or Canada. It creates frustration for the political leadership. It creates conflict on the ground within our own communities and with non-Aboriginal Canadians.

            There is hope, however, in this situation.

            This generation has the opportunity to right the wrong of the last twenty-five years. We can work together to give life to the promise of section 35. As the Supreme Court wrote in the Sparrow decision, 'Section 35 calls for a just settlement with aboriginal peoples.'

            The problem to date has been the failure of any government to truly recognize our jurisdiction over our own lands and our own peoples. First Nations are only asking what other Canadians take for granted: that our rights be respected and implemented.

            Giving life to section 35 means sitting down as partners and talking about the new structures we need to revitalize First Nations governments - getting out from under the colonial Indian Act and the archaic mandate and practices of the Department of Indian Affairs. We need new fiscal arrangements that enable First Nations to truly invest in their people, their communities and their future.

            A new approach is urgently required to deal with the outstanding, legitimate land claims of First Nations. Land is central to our economic, political and cultural freedom. None of this means turning back the clock or putting a stop to all economic activity. It means fair settlements that allow First Nations to enjoy - on their own or with industry and government - the benefits of the riches in our traditional territories.

            First Nations have a plan for action. And, there is no excuse not to act. It is cheaper to fix the problems than it is to maintain the status quo. First Nations want to end dependency and work towards self-sufficiency. We are seeking tools, not hand-outs. We want to work in partnership with all governments to improve the lives of our people. In honouring its obligations to First Nations, the government will be helping First Nations to help themselves.

            Section 35 represents a promise, and a vision. But, because the promise goes unfulfilled, the vision cannot be realized. Our greatest legacy to future generations will be to secure this vision and promise for all Canadians. Fulfilling this vision will help fulfill Canada's potential. As a result, Canada will be a strong and productive country that is seen as a leader in respecting and recognizing human rights and Aboriginal rights of Indigenous Peoples.

            Today, we celebrate the achievements of our forebears who secured the recognition of our rights. And in looking forward, we extend a hand to all the peoples of this nation to work with us to breathe life into the spirit and intent embodied in the words of section 35."

            Phil Fontaine
            National Chief

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

-30-

/For further information: Bryan Hendry, A/Director of Communications, (613) 241-6789 ext. 229, cell (613) 293-6106, bhendry@afn.ca; Nancy Pine, Communications Advisor - Office of the National Chief, (613) 241-6789 ext 243, (613) 298-6382, npine@afn.ca/

The Northern Development Councils (NDCs) invite you to a videoconference dialogue on Growing and Strengthening Northern Business. All are welcome! 

April 19, 2007 9:30 to 11:00 CST at a video conferencing site  in your community (for those who register)!

Northern Development Councils (NDC) are advisory councils that provide advice about provincial policies and programs to the Minister of Northern Development and Mines, Rick Bartolucci. Come and meet your representative for the far north, Russell Wesley.

The NDCs would like your input to prepare recommendations to the Minsiter in the areas of aboriginal business, community infrastructure, transportation systems, health care, improvements to existing resource sectors, new technology, research and education and others.

Please register for this video conference by contacting
Terry Moreau (fx) 807.768.4817 (ph) 877.737.5638 X1266 tmoreau@knet.ca

If you are unable to attend a dialogue session in your area, and would like to contribute, please complete the ONLINE SURVEY before April 22, 2007.

For more information visit the following websites:

KO Online Economic Development Workshops

Northern Development Councils

Federal Government press release ...

Aboriginal Firms Click and Go Global

Across the country, there are over 27,000 self-employed entrepreneurs of First Nations, Métis and Inuit heritage who are creating economic opportunities in their regions and making important contributions to Canada’s economy. Their businesses are growing, reporting profits and gaining ground in higher knowledge sectors such as professional, scientific and technical services.

While the majority of Aboriginal businesses sell their goods and services in Canada, 13% are now exporting goods and services to other countries.

One way the Government of Canada is helping Aboriginal businesses look beyond the country’s borders is through www.aboriginaltrade.ca, a website launched to help Aboriginal businesses—especially smaller firms—tap into global trade opportunities.

“As important as it is for Aboriginal companies to build their business within Canada, it is equally important for them to look at expanding to other countries,” says David Emerson, Minister of International Trade. “The website brings together, for the first time, targeted export information for a range of sectors where Aboriginal businesses are making their mark—sectors like tourism, cultural industries and natural resources.”

The website highlights the products and services of Aboriginal entrepreneurs so that prospective international customers can easily find information about what Aboriginal businesses have to offer. Canadian trade commissioners working abroad can also access the site to match potential buyers and partners for Aboriginal businesses.

“The Aboriginal business and international trade website will be an important tool in helping businesses make the most of global opportunities, particularly those emerging from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and the 2010 Games in Vancouver-Whistler,” says Emerson.

This website was developed by the same firm that developed and maintains INAC's Aboriginal Portal - Alika Internet Technologies Inc (www.alika.ca). Other sites they develop and maintain include:

http://www.aboriginalcanada.gc.ca
http://bsa.cbsc.org/
http://businessgateway.ca
http://commercecan.ic.gc.ca
http://hrmanagement.gc.ca
http://exportsource.ca
http://innovation.gc.ca/
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca

Apparently this latest site was developed in collaboration with Aboriginal businesses, economic development officers and Aboriginal service providers across Canada.

For more information, go to www.aboriginaltrade.ca

From The Tyee.ca

Sharing the Forests - In new timber deals, what are First Nations really getting?

Gaining a cut of the logging, but not many jobs. Photo by David Campion. 

Third in a four part series entitled "Reconciliation with First Nations" by Sandra Shields. Click here to see the other articles in this series.

Published: April 13, 2007 - TheTyee.ca

[Editor's Note: Two years ago, the government of British Columbia and First Nations leaders laid out a vision for a "New Relationship," spurring initiatives aimed at "closing the gap" between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal British Columbians. This is the third article in a four-part Tyee Solutions Reporting Fellowship series by Sandra Shields, who is looking at steps being taken in her home community of the Fraser Valley.]

Leq'á:mél First Nations councillor Barb Leggatt invites me into a boardroom where pieces of paper with Halkomelem words printed on them are taped to the wall, part of the language class held here for local kids. The adjacent hall is used for cultural events and when I called to arrange this interview, drumming and singing could be heard in the background. A busy mother of six children, Leggat works full-time as the band's land-use coordinator as well as serving on council.

The traditional territory of the Leq'á:mél lies between Mission and Agassiz in a stretch of the valley that is squeezed between the sprawling Fraser River and the forested slopes of the Coast Mountains. As an urban transplant to this rural area, it took me months to realize that the dense stands of cedar, hemlock and fir covering the mountainsides have all been extensively logged.

Trees began falling in the Fraser Valley in the 1870s and by the 1920s most of the face of the valley had been hauled to the river and floated to mills near Vancouver. Throughout the 20th century, Stó:lo bands like the Leq'á:mél watched as power saws were invented, logging trucks came into use, and trees continued to leave their traditional territory. Any compensation the Leq'á:mél received was restricted to the seasonal pay their fathers and sons earned in the valley's logging camps.

First Nations across B.C. have lived variations on the same scenario. In recent decades, anger and frustration turned into blockades and court cases until a series of legal decisions pushed the province into a corner. In two separate decisions in 2002, the court said that when it came to resource extraction on Crown land, B.C. had to consult with First Nations and seek to accommodate potential Aboriginal rights and title. The meaning was clear: the province could either change the way it did business, or continue to lose business. So in 2003, then forestry minister Mike de Jong announced that for the first time ever, B.C. would share revenue and access to the forests with First Nations.

The offers the province put on the table contained two parts: there was cash (a small share of the stumpage fees B.C. collects every time a forest company falls a tree on Crown land); and there was timber (the chance for First Nations to do some logging). Called forest and range agreements or FRAs, the deals cut First Nations a fraction of the action in exchange for peace in the woods. With treaties remaining elusive, these interim measures were touted as achieving the dual objectives of giving economic opportunities to First Nations, and creating a stable operating environment and better investment climate for the forest sector.

In January of 2006, the Leq'á:mél became the 100th First Nation in B.C. to sign a forest agreement. They received $760,000 to be paid out over five years, and gained access to 45,000 cubic metres of timber. The press release issued by the province repeated several times that forestry agreements were bringing jobs and economic prosperity to Aboriginal communities. Curious to learn if this was indeed the case, I came to see Barb Leggatt.

What jobs?

"The initial response we got from our community members was 'When do we get to go to work?'" Leggat says. "That was from the loggers who have lost jobs because of the cutbacks in the industry."

Forestry is new terrain for Leggat. She recently attended a workshop with other First Nations who have also signed forestry agreements and discovered that many nations share the same challenge the Leq'á:mél face. Logging is a tough business these days, and there are good reasons for moving carefully, especially when you lack expertise, capital and equipment.

"There are so many things to do, even with the forestry stewardship plan," Leggat says, referring to the extensive document that is required by the Ministry of Forests before harvesting is approved. The plan must address issues like migratory birds and species at risk, slope stability and keeping a sufficient distance from watersheds. Rather than trying to start up a logging operation of their own, the Leq'á:mél are taking the same route as many other First Nations and looking to partner with a company that has experience in the industry.

"There were suggestions from band members that we do it ourselves, but not having the expertise to manage it, that wasn't an option," Leggat says. Instead, the band is close to signing a deal with a company that will then be responsible for selecting the most valuable timber, figuring out how to access it, meeting Ministry of Forests requirements, hiring reliable logging contractors to do the actual harvest, and finding good markets. Once the agreement is signed, Leggat says it will likely be a year before all the Ministry of Forests requirements are met and harvesting can begin.

So what about jobs? One of the things she has learned, Leggat says is that "with the amount of timber we've got, we can't promise any long-term jobs at all, but when we work the agreement out to harvest the timber, we can request that one or two members get hired for the season."

Logging doesn't involve legions of men with chainsaws anymore. It's highly mechanized these days, so while there will be work for a couple of loggers for a season or two and perhaps a few temporary jobs created in the replanting that follows the harvest, the significant job creation, if there is any, will be a result of what the Leq'á:mél do with the revenue.

"Whatever we derive out of this agreement financially is going to be reinvested into a venture on reserve," Leggat says. "So we're just hoping it's substantial enough because we would like to do a service station on the reserve, that's been the wishes of the members for a long time."

Situated on Highway 7, the station would include a tourism component and could turn into a number of steady jobs for band members.

"It's not a lot," Leggat says of the deal, "but we're finally getting a chance to get into the sharing of the resource. We never had the opportunity to do so before."

A shaky foundation

Writer Ben Parfitt has covered forestry in B.C. for two decades and is well placed to evaluate the new agreements, something he did at length in a report released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives earlier this year. In the report, Parfitt describes the agreements as "a dramatic departure from what existed previously, which was essentially nothing." But after speaking with First Nations across the province, Parfitt says that much more is needed to create the kind of economic opportunities talked about in provincial press releases.

"Companies that have been in the forestry business for quite some time are losing money," Parfitt says when I speak with him by phone in his Victoria office, "so it seems reasonable to think that new entrants to the industry are going to have to be awfully savvy."

First Nations already involved in forestry have been the best situated to take advantage of the agreements. Parfitt points out that the few nations already in the business gained the traction they've got through court cases or direct action. But the majority of the almost 130 nations that have signed forestry agreements are new to the industry, and the feedback Parfitt got confirmed that as these nations learn more about the costs and risks involved in logging today, many are thinking twice about what to do.

"It's an extremely challenging business environment at the best of times," Parfitt says. "The government has taken the right step in finally acknowledging that they need to do more, but it's a tiny step and ultimately why should we be expecting that First Nations are magically going to be able to produce good results when they're offered one-time allotments of timber in non-specified areas with no guarantee of renewal. That is not the foundation on which to build a viable forestry-related enterprise."

In a worst case scenario, Parfitt says, a nation could harvest and lose money. Indeed, given the economics, some nations may choose not to log at all. Many are opting for the same route as the Leq'á:mél, partnering with an established company rather than start up their own forestry operation. The best case scenario, from a job's perspective, would be profitably logging, and directing those logs to a milling facility where members are working. "But that far end of the spectrum, the high end where the jobs are produced, that is an extremely rare situation in British Columbia."

What is needed?

There are several problems with the agreements when it comes to fulfilling the promises of provincial press releases, but two things are key: time and land. Time is a problem because a five-year term is too short to allow for the kind of long-range planning and investment that successful forestry operations require. What is needed is either renewable agreements or the long-term certainty that will come with treaties.

Land is a problem because most of the agreements, like the one the Leq'á:mél signed, do not come with any land. They come with a relatively small volume of timber to be harvested within a given forest district, but they do not come with ongoing responsibility for a specific land base.

"If you talk to anybody who has experience in forestry, they say you need to find areas of land to work on over time, and if you don't have that, it is extremely difficult to make a go of it," Parfitt says. One of his recommendations is that defined areas of forest land be turned over to First Nations under long-term, renewable forest tenures. With the new forestry agreements, the province set a target of sharing eight per cent of the total annual cut with First Nations.

Parfitt suggests that instead of offering volume, the province could work over time to transfer eight per cent of the forested land base. He makes the point that knowing what lands you will manage over time is both economically and ecologically preferable.

Learning to share

Cutting First Nations in for a share of resources is not an area where B.C. has much experience. (Fisheries being an ever-contentious exception.) In a strip-mall in Abbotsford, I sat down with lawyer-turned-politician Mike de Jong who was forest minister when the FRAs were developed. De Jong grew up in the valley and has been an MLA here for more than a decade. Last September, he was moved from Forests to Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation.

De Jong says his experience with the forestry agreements was instrumental in shifting his view of relations with First Nations which, not surprisingly for a lawyer, "had tended to be very legalistic." He recalls how, as forest minister, he would get calls from First Nations leaders talking about huge unreconciled claims and he would feel like "We are never going to be able to solve this. How do we even have this phone conversation? How do we talk about this?"

Things began to change, he says, when the government took the step to say: "Let's talk about economic opportunity. Let's not forget about rights and title, but let's talk about being part of the economy."

The result was that the province and First Nations began to sign agreements and, for de Jong, two things happened: "First of all, after the agreement I still get calls from the chief but now it is because, 'My stumpage is too high,' or 'I'm having trouble marketing my logs,' and suddenly the engagement is on a completely different plane. Now we're working with one another."

And secondly, he discovered that "At the end of the day, the agreements lived or died, succeeded or failed by the degree of good will that existed between the two parties. If an element of trust was there you could find solutions to things."

He recalls that, "All of that greatly influenced me to the extent that I said we have to work together to find ways to get people involved economically, to be flexible, more flexible than five years ago I would have been around the nature of the agreements."

Keep talking

Issues didn't disappear, de Jong says, but the agreements opened up a conversation that is ongoing. One milestone in that conversation came in 2006 when, under pressure from First Nations leaders, the forest and range agreements were changed to forest and range opportunities. The big difference between the FRAs and the FROs was that the latter were no longer taken as fulfilling the province's duty to consult and accommodate.

But whether they are FRAs or FROs, the conversation about how land and resources should be shared continues. As far as land goes, de Jong says, "The notion was pretty firmly embedded that if you wanted to move from a volume-based tenure to an area-based tenure, that's the reward for getting to a treaty. That's what a treaty is. A treaty is an area-based settlement."

However, with treaties remaining a distant prospect for many First Nations, the conversation is shifting in the direction of considering area-based tenure as an interim step. "If you are more motivated by the desire to effect development, create better economic prospects, better socio-economic conditions," de Jong says, "maybe there is an argument that says, 'Look as an interim treaty measure, as an incremental agreement, let's transfer that. Let's get on with that."

He cautions that this is not a simple step for the province. "Once it's done, the model has been set. Once you have made that kind of decision once, you better be prepared to follow through elsewhere."

In that respect, de Jong says, "The revenue sharing was a huge step for government." And there is pressure to expand that. "People are saying if revenue sharing is good for forestry, what about other resources?"

What is fair?

Under the current forestry agreements, the share of revenues that First Nations receive is based on an annual rate of $500 per member. This per-capita formula has been criticized by First Nations leaders, successfully challenged in court, and in his report, Ben Parfitt finds it to be both insufficient and unfair.

"The cash offers bear absolutely no relationship to the level of activity that is occurring in a First Nation's territory," he explains when I bring it up. "So a First Nation that has a million cubic metres of wood being logged per year on their traditional lands gets treated exactly the same as a First Nation that has only a thousand cubic metres being logged off their territory each year."

As well, there is no relationship between the cash offer and what is occurring on the land base, both in terms of the number of trees coming down and the values of those trees. "So a First Nation that has old growth western red cedar," Parfitt says, "gets the same cash offer on a per-head basis as a First Nation in the interior with a land base filled with dead pine trees."
Citing the precedent of Washington State where a federal judge ruled that Aboriginal people deserved half of the state's salmon fisheries, Parfitt recommends that stumpage fees be split 50/50 between the province and First Nations based on the harvesting activity in individual territories.

"Like stumpage payments channeled into provincial government coffers," Parfitt writes, "stumpage revenues received by First Nations would provide a valuable source of funds for the provision of public services and assist in economic diversification."

Far side of the valley

From the Leq'á:mél band office you can look across the valley to where the jagged peaks of the Skagit mountains rise up behind the growing city of Chilliwack. On a gray winter day, I visited Matt Wealick in his office in a busy Chilliwack shopping plaza owned by the Tzeachten First Nation, of which Wealick is a member.

The young father of two manages forestry operations for the Ch-ihl-kway-uhk Tribe, eight Stó:lo bands from the Chilliwack area that compensated for small allotments of timber by forming an alliance. The resulting FRA provided a pool of capital and timber that spawned a joint venture partnership estimated to be worth $12 million. I came to see Wealick to learn how this innovative approach is working.

Although Wealick is from Chilliwack, he grew up on Vancouver Island where his dad worked as a logger. "Back then you just had to bring a pair of boots, show up at the work site, and you had a job," he says. He followed in his dad's footsteps, but his path reflects how the industry has changed in the space of a generation. While he has on the ground experience all over the province, Wealick also has a forest management degree from UBC and did the additional work required to earn the designation of registered professional forester, becoming one of a dozen First Nation professional foresters in B.C. and augmenting that with a master's degree in environment and management. In 2005 he came home to manage the Ch-ihl-kway-uhk's joint venture with New Westminster-based forestry company Probyn Logs.

Wealick says the Ch-ihl-kway-uhk had reservations about the deal the province was offering, "But the chiefs thought if we don't get in and start doing something now, the logs are going to keep going by, the opportunities will keep going by, and we'll still be sitting here trying to get treaty negotiations settled."

He says, "It's great to have some say in how forest activities are done in the traditional territory, but on the other hand it's only a five-year license so there's not really incentive to put a lot of money into the long-term management of our forests."

Once the agreement was signed, it took the Ch-ihl-kway-uhk three years to get the license they need to start harvesting. Wealick shakes his head over the amount of red tape. "I don't think a lot of First Nations are expecting it," he says. "It's very financially draining and probably emotionally draining as well." Still, he is optimistic about the prospects and expects to start cutting in the fall.

Community forests

One of the things that sets the Ch-ihl-kway-uhk agreement apart is that it includes an 800 hectare woodlot. "We're very pleased to have the opportunity to have a woodlot," Wealick says, "because it is a long-term tenure, it's an area-based tenure. It allows for the incentive to do some long-term planning and make sure the forests in that area are sustainable."

The woodlot lies within the Chilliwack River Valley, a narrow and stunningly beautiful valley in the mountains between Chilliwack and the U.S. border. The ecologically sensitive region is the Ch-ihl-kway-uhk's traditional territory. Ideally, Wealick would like to see the entire 95,000 hectares managed as a community forest. This was what the chiefs had originally requested and Wealick says it's the kind of approach that makes more sense both economically and ecologically.

Community forests are a growing phenomenon in B.C. They are about local control of forest resources and local enjoyment of the benefits offered by those resources. Harvest rates and locations are set by the community according to their objectives and values, whether those be ecological, cultural, spiritual, recreational or aesthetic. The revenue generated supports local priorities including employment and economic development. The provincial government began expanding the volume of timber allocated to community forests several years ago and by October 2006 there were 43 communities either in the application process or operating a community forest agreement.

It sounds ideal for the Chilliwack River Valley and when I say as much, Wealick agrees. "Of course you have other licensees to be concerned about," he says, referring to forestry companies with tenure in the region, "but maybe those licensees wouldn't mind being part of a community forest." He sees the possibility of including a number of stakeholders. "We could manage the valley as one entity," he says, and points out that a community forest approach would better respond to the sensitivities of the region. "But thinking outside the box is definitely what you would need to make it work."

Out of the box

Back in Deroche, I take a walk up the old logging road that climbs into the forest beside the farmhouse where I live. When it comes to forestry and Aboriginal people, FRAs and FROs were out of the box thinking for the B.C. government. This is significant but in the Fraser Valley the results have yet to reach the ground and all indications are that once they do, they will not be as rosy as the provincial press releases promised.

After a 15-minute climb, the logging road levels out for a short stretch and a gap in the trees frames a view of the valley with its toy-sized barns, the thin winding old highway, the sliver glint of the Fraser River and backdropping it all, the snow-covered peaks of the Skagit Range on the southern shore.

The forestry agreements initiated a conversation with First Nations that is ongoing. If this conversation is to bring the kind of results that add up both economically and ecologically, for the Leq'á:mél and the Ch-ihl-kway-uhk, as well as for the forest that surrounds me and the forests that lie on the far side of the snow-capped peaks across the river, a lot more out of the box thinking and talking is going to be required.

Next week: Where can reconciliation take us?

Sandra Shields lives on a farm in the Fraser Valley with photographer David Campion. Their first book won the 2003 Hubert Evans Prize; Where Fire Speaks looks at how development arrived for one African tribe. Their second book, The Company of Others, explores the power of caring relationships in the lives of people with disabilities and their families and friends.

Ontario Arts Council press release ...

$35,000 in Ontario Arts Council funds flow into Sioux Lookout

Sioux Lookout, April 13, 2007 – Two Sioux Lookout organizations and one artist announced today that they are the lucky recipients of $35,000 from the Ontario Arts Council’s new Northern Arts Program.

The Northern Arts Program, established in 2007, aims to fund arts activity in Northern Ontario by Northern artists and arts organizations.

The Sioux Lookout Anti-Racism Committee, RING – Sioux Lookout Arts Circle, and local visual artist Donna Giles, received word April 4th that their applications to the new program were successful.

SLARC received $15,000 towards the Sioux Mountain Music and Cultural Festival. Themed this year as /The Northern Music Connection/, the Festival will take place on August 4^th and 5^th at the start of the Blueberry Festival. OAC funding will enable bands from northern First Nations to perform at the Festival.

“The transportation and accommodation costs can be prohibitive for northern artists to perform at the Sioux Mountain Festival,” said Jennifer Morrow, SLARC’s Business Manager. “This year, we will be able to bring three fantastic bands down to Sioux Lookout, as well as pay each artist a fee for their performance.” The three bands are Sagatay, a rock and country band from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, the gospel/bluegrass Sachigo Group, and traditional drummers the Sandy Lake Singers.

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RING received $15,000 for /Idea Boxes/, an innovative northern audience development project. This project will promote local and regional art by establishing spaces for the creation and display of works in and around Sioux Lookout. Currently, there is little opportunity to showcase and promote works of local artists. The Idea Boxes will provide alternative spaces for exhibition and creation of new works, inspire and expand the network of local artists, encourage exchange of ideas and expose the community to exciting forms of creative expression.

In efforts to recognize the importance of creative practice, participating artists will receive artists’ fees. A Cultural Newsletter will be published monthly and distributed within the community free of charge. Creative writing and other cultural announcements are welcome for submission.

* *
Donna Giles received $5,000 to support the creation of a new body of  work. The project, /Maltese Threads/ will produce new works scheduled for a solo art exhibition at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery in January/ February 2008.

For more information, please contact:

Jennifer Morrow, Sioux Lookout Anti-Racism Committee
(807) 737-4901
jmorrow@slarc.ca

Hana Beitl, RING: Sioux Lookout Arts Circle
(807) 737-2002
hbeitl@hotmail.com

Donna Giles, visual artist
(807) 737- 2676
c.d.giles@sympatico.ca

Beginning on April 11, 2007 through to August 20, 2007, Regional Coordinators from the AFN will be scheduling community information sessions in all 633 First Nation communities and urban centers across Canada.

These sessions will include a detailed presentation on the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement to explain the details and the benefits of the settlement agreement and the legal rights of former Indian Residential school students and their families.

Click here to view the Community Information Session Schedules for April 2007

Ontario First Nations Young Peoples Council
1st Annual
"Cleansing Mother Earth In Unity"
on
Earth Day, April 22nd, 2007

Encouraged from the 4th Annual Youth Symposium on Culture, Tradition, and Language

Community youth councils/groups in unity across Turtle Island are making a commitment to begin an annual Spring Cleansing of our communities and surrounding environment.

Contact your local youth council/group and receive support from your local Politicians, Chief and Councils.

Things to Bring: First Aids, Garbage Bags, Gloves, Hats, Rubber Boots, Safety Cones and Vests, Snacks, Sticks (Trash Pickers), Sun block, Water, Weather Permitted Equipment and Gear and a loving heart. 

For more information, please contact OFNYPC member

Arnold Norman Yellowman by email
arnoldyellowman@netscape.net Or
Laura Calm Wind, COO Youth Coordinator
at 1-807-626-9339 or by email at laura@coo.org

Together in Unity We will Acknowledge and Preserve  our Mother Earths’ Blessing

Globe and Mail story ...

Native community decries 'tax grab' at diamond mine - Ontario's new 13-per-cent levy 'lose-lose' for first nations, Chief tells government
ANDY HOFFMAN - MINING REPORTER - POSTED ON 10/04/07

A first nations community located near Ontario's pioneer diamond mine has slammed the provincial government's new diamond royalty, calling it a tax grab that will negatively affect aboriginal residents.

In a letter sent to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, Chief Mike Carpenter of the Attawapiskat First Nation said the provincial Liberals' 13-per-cent levy on diamond mining revenue, unveiled in the budget last month, is a "win-win" for the government and a "lose-lose" for first nations.

De Beers Canada Inc.'s $1-billion Victor project is about 90 kilometres west of the Attawapiskat First Nations community on James Bay. The company, a subsidiary of diamond giant De Beers SA of South Africa, has negotiated an "impact benefit agreement" with the Attawapiskat peoples, agreeing to provide the struggling community with training and education, employment and business opportunities, environmental management and financial compensation from the mine.

Under Ontario's previous tax regime, the Victor project, under construction and expected to begin production in the second half of 2008, would have been subjected to a 5-per-cent tax on revenue under the province's "remote mine" rules. Non-remote mines are subject to a 10-per-cent tax.

Now Victor, expected to generate annual revenue of between $280-million and $290-million at full capacity, will be subject to a 13-per-cent royalty.

"You and your officials are well aware that the only diamond mine in Ontario, and thus the only one to be immediately impacted by your decision, is located in the traditional territory of the Attawapiskat First Nation. Given the obvious importance of this project to our community and to future exploration in our lands, we should have been consulted," Chief Carpenter wrote in an April 4 letter to the Premier.

"This increase constitutes little more than a tax grab by your government that will not benefit our first nation or others," he said.

Although the Victor project is the first Ontario diamond mine, projects in other provinces and territories are producing enough diamonds to place Canada among the top five producers in the world. Some diamond consumers even seek out Canadian gems because they are mined under more ethical conditions than those from some areas of Africa.

Jim Gowans, the president and chief executive officer of De Beers Canada, is scheduled to meet today with Ontario Finance Minister Greg Sorbara in hopes of convincing the government to withdraw the royalty or to at least "grandfather" the Victor project, which he said could generate $7-billion for the province.

"The diamond royalty doesn't meet what I call the smell test for fairness. It's a bit surprising because that's one of the theme songs for McGuinty's government," Mr. Gowans said in an interview.

The executive, who has worked for a number of other Canadian mining companies including Inco Ltd., Placer Dome Inc. and Teck Cominco Ltd., said the royalty unfairly singles out diamond mining, and De Beers' Victor project in particular.

"It's very commodity-specific and Canada has had a history of being very measured in its tax regimes around resource development, very predictable and very collaborative," he said.

Mr. Gowans said that under the impact benefit agreement, the Attawapiskat have the potential to participate in the "financial upside" from the Victor project once its capital costs of $982-million are paid off, which is expected to occur during the second half of the mine's 12-year life.

He warned that the new royalty will cut into that benefit.

"This, in effect, transfers the upside from that isolated community back into the government's coffers. The amount of tax they make on one diamond mine in Ontario is not very significant. It is hugely significant to a single isolated first nations community," he said.

If the royalty remains in place, De Beers is likely to redirect much of the $15-million it spends annually on exploration away from Ontario, Mr. Gowans said.

The Ontario budget, which was tabled March 22, said the diamond royalty was needed to make the province competitive with other diamond mining jurisdictions. Indeed, the measure would bring Ontario into line with the Northwest Territories, where the bulk of Canada's diamond industry operates.

The budget said diamonds are different from other commodities because they are not traded on the open market and "require a unique and separate system for determining their value."

Officials from the Premier's and Finance Minister's offices did not return calls seeking comment.