Media.Knet.Ca

THUNDER BAY

ARTS, CRAFTS & HERITAGE

TRADESHOW

Friday, November 12/04

Networking workshop  (9am - 5 pm)

&

Saturday, November 13/04

Arts & Crafts Market  (9am - 5 pm)

Coffee House   7pm - 10 pm

at

MNO

226 S. May Street  

Thunder Bay, ON

Workshop: FREE      Booths:$25/table       Coffee House: Donation

Anyone interested in attending the workshop or having a table at the Arts & Craft Market, please register as soon as possible.  Limited spaces and booths (booths are on a first come first serve basis) Please contact Jeanette Posine @ posinej@tbaytel.net or Sally Ledger @ (807)623-3442.

Check out our site:   www.tbaahd.com

Women Aflame committee presents the First Aboriginal Women's Christian Conference on November 26,27 & 28 at the Thunder Bay Christian Fellowship in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  Nightly services begin at 7:00 pm.  Everyone is welcome to attend  the evening services.

Saturday Workshops will be held at West Thunder Community Centre beginning at 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.  Workshop topics: Parenting, Raising Teenagers, Being a Survivor of Abuse, Role and responsibilities of a Parent, How to have a successful Marriage and much more..all topics will be biblical based upon the Word of God.  

Special Guest Speakers:  Glenda Bird from North Battleford, Sask.

                                            Ardelle Bourassa, Winnipeg, Man.

For further information please contact:  Alicia Thunder 807-577-8627

Irene Linklater- 807-767-7202 or Helen Yesno -807-473-5287

1st NAN Women's Gathering 2004

Travelodge Airlane Hotel, Thunder Bay, ON

November 22-26, 2004.

Updates, Workshops & Presentations:

*Residential Schools  *Self Government  *Family Violence  *Parenting  *Home/Small Business  *FAS/FAE  (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects *Leadership (Running in First Nations Elections *Health  *Youth & Bullying......and many more...

If you are interested in attending this event, please contact your Chief and Council.  Invitations and registration forms are being sent to NAN First Nation Councils-delegates to be selected by Council recommendation.

Contact Equay-wuk (Women's Group):    

Felicia Waboose          Liza Angeconeb         Darlene Angeconeb

Community meetings are now being held across Northwestern Ontario to gather information for the Integrated Health Services Plan for Northwestern Ontario. Everyone is welcomed to attend these sessions or provide your stories and information on-line at www.nwodhc.com

The Northwestern Ontario District Health Council (NWODHC) is working with Tom Closson and the HayGroup who are providing support to Mr. Closson and the Steering Committee.

Mr. Closson is inviting members of the public to community consultation sessions (see information above) conducted by the HayGroup so that you may:

For additional information on this project, please see www.nwodhc.com or call (807) 623-6131 or 1-888-227-3519.

Thunder Bay, October 20th, 2004: Neskantaga First Nation (Landsdowne House) is demanding urgent action from Health Canada and other government Ministries as the community enters its third week without water. Since the discovery on September 29th, 2004, that Neskantaga's water supply was contaminated with .410mg/L of gasoline and an unusually high level of Triahalometane (THM) a cancer causing agent, the community's water system has been shut down, causing economic, social and major health concerns for all residents.

The DO NOT USE WATER ADVISORY in force in the community is not just limited to human consumption, but also to household and personal hygiene duties and boiling the water will not make it safe. Water from the nearby lake is now being used restrictedly for flushing the toilet with buckets. Concerns over public hygiene are increasing and especially for women and families with young infants. With the cost of a 1 litre bottle of water at $6.00, community members are unable to afford sufficient supplies for all their consumption needs. The Ministry of Indian and Northern Affairs has agreed to support the supply of 5 litres/per day/per person of bottled water, however, this amount falls far short of the 600 litres that is consumed by the average person per day. The community of Neskantaga First Nation is appalled by the complete apathy by the Federal Government.

Residents of Neskantaga have been battling with water safety issues for a number of years. A nine years long 'BOIL WATER ADVISORY' has been in effect in the community, which is the longest in Ontario history and their water treatment facility does not meet today's expected standards. This, coupled with an outbreak of black mould in at least 50% of the community's housing units, is causing panic, health issues and outrage amongst community members.

As a result of these crippling issues, the Neskantaga school is closed to its 85 students until further notice and teachers/workers from outside the community are resigning at a high financial cost to the community. In the future, the community hopes to offer Grade 9 students an opportunity to make up school credits on weekends, however, this will be at a cost of $3,000.00 per day to the Neskantaga community.

Says Chief Peter Moonias of Neskantaga First Nation: "INAC has a fiduciary and financial responsibility to take care of the people of Neskantaga and to honour our Treaty rights to an adequate standard of living and health care. We will not be treat like second class citizens in this manner. This attitude is simply not good enough.

We are demanding support to help us pay for the clean up and recovery process from every government ministry, both on a provincial and federal level. The right to a safe and useable water supply is a right of every person living in this country for the health and well-being of himself and his family.

INAC is proposing that this crisis is dealt with through an advance in capital funds. But I absolutely refuse to mortgage the future of our children in this manner. Our community members should not be expected and can not afford to pay for this god given right. The efforts being made to help our community are not fast or effective enough. I am growing incredibly concerned over the long term health effects that this issue could have on my community members. I am of the opinion that when Walkerton and Ontario faced its water crises a few years ago, the Provincial Government did not respond to this municipality that it was an operations and maintenance issue or only offered to assist by providing the community with an advance of funds. This is the current position of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.

I wonder how different the response would be if the residents of Toronto were without access to water?"

Neskantaga First Nation is a remote fly in community located approximately 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.

-30-

Russell Means was in Winnipeg in September sharing his thoughts about building strong and healthy communities. His message contain challenges for everyone to consider ... "Anything you don’t work for you shouldn’t get. If you don’t work, you shouldn’t be rewarded, period. It creates a dependency syndrome that is only beneficial to those who are in control."

Means' recommendations for positive change in First Nations include:

• Abolish the Bureau of Indian Affairs (in Canada, the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs). “The Bureau of Indian Affairs is a racist, colonial office that has total authoritarian control over Indian land, resources and people...."
• Establish property rights on reserves. “It would benefit our people. Every society on Earth . . . knows that property rights enhance meaningful economic development.”
• Have your own schools. Means has adopted an immersion school model from the Maori for a Lakota school program at Pine Ridge. 
• Have your own courts. Without the protection of law, efforts to attract sustainable businesses and investment will fail.

Means' was brought to Winnipeg by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy (http://fcpp.org/), an independent, non-profit think tank founded to undertake research and education in support of economic growth and social outcomes which will enhance the quality of life in our communities. Through a variety of publications and public forums, the Frontier Centre explores policy changes required to make the Prairies a winner in the open economy. It also provides new insights into solving important issues facing our cities, towns and provinces.

The Frontier Centre web site contains several more interviews, discussions and radio presentations with Russell Means. Check out ...

• Where White Men Fear To Tread - Russell Means lays out his vision for aboriginal policy reform.
• Russell Means, America's "most famous Indian" - On four changes needed in aboriginal policy
• NCI Radio interview with Russell Means (Mp3)

This year's Canadian Aboriginal Festival is happening at the SkyDome in Toronto on November 26, 27 and 28. There are activities planned for everyone, including:

• Pow Wow
• Music Awards
• Education Day
• Market Place
• Economic Conference
• Fashion Show
• Lacrosse Competition
• Traditional Teachings
• Film & Video
• Visual Arts
• Education Pavilion
• Performing Arts
• Workshops

The sixth annual Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards will honour the premiere musical artists of the Canadian Aboriginal communities. The Awards will be taking place Friday, November 26th at the John Bassett Theatre located in the Metro Convention Centre. Click here to see the list of 2004 finalists.

"There are currently only 16 Aboriginal medical school students in the five medical schools in Ontario, which is only 0.6% of the overall enrolment of 2,584. On the basis of equitable enrolment, there should be at least 44 Aboriginal medical students at the present time. Based on population, a conservative estimate is that there should be 375 Aboriginal doctors already in practice in Ontario rather than the current dozen." 2020 VISION: A Strategy for Graduating More Aboriginal
Physicians in Ontario, September 20, 2004

McMaster University President Dr. Peter George Addresses The 2020 Vision Symposium While Symposium Co-Chairs Hon. Roy Romanow and Elected Chief Roberta Jamieson Study Symposium Materials

Click here to read more about the 2020 Vision Symposium on the Six Nations web site