First Nations Issues

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Not everyone attacks the mayor, but I know what you mean. There are certain individuals who have extreme disdain for anyone successful.

I realize that not everyone attacks him, but those people tend to be most vocal. Not all people with money are bad, and as much as people like to think so, not all politicians are bad....they're just people.

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

I realize that not everyone attacks him, but those people tend to be most vocal. Not all people with money are bad, and as much as people like to think so, not all politicians are bad....they're just people.

Very well put.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Not everyone attacks the mayor, but I know what you mean. There are certain individuals who have extreme disdain for anyone successful.

Oh, please.......!

[vid]

Thunder Bay mom wants answers after teacher's aide chops off son's hair
CBC News | May 21, 2009
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/...-bay-hair.html

A Thunder Bay woman is demanding an explanation after a teacher's aide at her son's school cut his long hair — an action her lawyer says is clearly assault while the Crown insists there are no grounds for charges.

CBC News is not naming the family to protect the child's identity.

The seven-year-old boy had chin-length hair before the incident last month. His mother said staff at McKellar Park Central Public School were aware her son was letting his hair grow so that he could take part in traditional First Nations dancing.

The mother told CBC News she was stunned when her son told her it was a teacher's assistant who lopped off 10 centimetres of his hair.

"I said, 'Why did she do this? Did she say anything?'" said the mother. "And he said, 'No, and after she cut my hair, she took me by the shoulders and forced me to stand in front of the mirror. She made me stand there and said look at you now.'"

Lawyer Julian Falconer is representing the family.

"We have a classic example of the vulnerabilities of a seven-year-old being taken advantage [of] by someone with a pair of scissors who lifted that child on a stool and proceeded to violate the child," Falconer said. "The question becomes how could the police and the Crown attorney's office turn a blind eye to this?"

Thunder Bay police took head shots of the child as part of their investigation of the incident and also interviewed the school principal, the teacher's assistant involved and the mother and boy, said police spokesman Chris Adams.

"The Crown got back to us and indicated that there were no grounds for criminal charges, and it wasn't in the public interest according to the Crown," he said.

A spokesperson for Lakehead Public School Board confirmed the "unfortunate incident" took place but declined to comment further.

The teaching assistant has been suspended, but the mother said that does not go far enough.

If a teaching assistant cut your child's hair against their will, how would you react to the situation? You just know the situation would be different if the child was white, or if the gender roles were reversed. (Male TA cutting the hair of a little girl.)

Racism has been on an increase in this city lately, last week the issue was a potential fight between natives and non-natives at a high school in Port Arthur which resulted in the introduction of protocols to deal with racially motivated violence about a year before a similar protocol is expected to be passed by Ontario's legislature. Racially motivated attacks from natives and non-natives against the other group are increasing, possibly an effect of the shrinking non-native population and increasing native population in the city?

[rrskylar]

^ To me the teachers aide performed a racist act which in turn is a hate crime!

[thegreattait]

I'm curious how does a kid who doesn't want a hair cut get one by an untrained person with scissors, ever seen a cracky kid at the barber. if the kid doesn't want it, it isn't going to happen. Did this woman physically overpower this poor child.

There must be some other physical signs of trauma as well. This kind of act is absolutely reprehensible if it happened in the manner I think it did. As much as it is only hair, If this kid had to be physically over powered and had scissors shoved near his face and head to have this done then it must have been a very scary experience.

What was the TA thinking, what would motivate her to cut the hair. Like really who cares its hair, die it pink purple, spike it, shave it grow it down to your ankles. Why would a TA even care what some kid has for a hair cut.

This is a very bizzare story, I'm sure we will hear more about it as it progresses.

[vid]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

^ To me the teachers aide performed a racist act which in turn is a hate crime!

And she assaulted a child, while in a position of authority over the child.

suu T’ina First Nation members voted strongly against a proposed agreement Tuesday that would see the long-awaited southwest leg of Calgary’s ring road built through their reserve.

More than 60 per cent of voters were opposed to the deal.

Tsuu T’ina Chief Sandford Big Plume said the citizens have spoken and their wishes will be respected.

“The Nation will not enter into this agreement,” he said.

“This result reflects the passionate feelings Tsuu T’ina people have for their land. This was more than a simple economic transaction for us,” he said. “We consider our land to be a sacred trust.”

Mayor Dave Bronconnier said while the decision is “regrettable” the wishes of the voters must be respected.

“We were hoping for a different outcome to take on the transportation challenges this city faces,” he said. “But what we have here is a very clear result on a very clear question and although this is not the direction we wanted to head, we must respect the sanctity of the ballot box.”

Band council will ratify the votes on July 7 and members are expected to comment further at that time.

A spokesman for Alberta Transportation, a partner in the agreement, declined to comment on the vote result Tuesday.

“The votes won’t be official until council ratifies them so we have to wait for that,” said Trent Bancarz, who, earlier in the day said there were no other plans in place for that section and called the swath of land the “missing link in the ring road.”

Some see the ring road link as key to reducing congestion in the city’s southwest. But it’s been a controversial proposal from the beginning, with some Tsuu T’ina voicing early opposition to the sale of their land.

In March, the band council approved a draft of the agreement, but it had to be ratified by band members.

Tsuu T’ina spokesman Morten Paulsen said more than 700 people — or 78 per cent of eligible voters — cast ballots, with 38.5 per cent voting in favour of the agreement and 60.5 per cent opposed.

Although details of the proposal were not released to the general public, the Herald obtained documents showing the province was offering the Tsuu T’ina as much as $275 million — with a minimum $240 million held in trust by the federal government — in exchange for about 400 hectares to build the mammoth highway. It would slice through the east side of the reserve, bordering Calgary.

In addition, the band stood to gain nearly 2,000 hectares of Crown land on the reserve’s northwest edge.

Sources have also confirmed to the Herald that Tsuu T’ina’s overall share in the deal is worth close to $500 million, including cash payments, land transfers and infrastructure upgrades.

Chief Big Plume said in a news release following the vote that some citizens felt key elements of the proposal were unsatisfactory.

“The agreement did not guarantee that the Nation would receive additional reserve land,” he said. “Tsuu T’ina tried to solve that problem at the negotiating table. We regret that we were unable to do so.”

A city alderman said prior to the vote he doesn’t believe the proposed ring road is the answer to traffic woes in the southwest.

Brian Pincott worries about the cost to the city and said there are other solutions to traffic issues, including a commuter system that complements the LRT.

“Personally, I’m not convinced that it is the solution that everybody thinks it’s going to be,” he said.

Indeed, Bronconnier said late Tuesday that that chapter of the debate with Tsuu T’ina is closed.

“Given the result is clear that it’s time to think this through and work with the province to find another solution,” he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, there was a small protest near the Chief Joseph Big Plume building, where the vote was held.

Elliott Crowchild said he’s determined not to let the ring road be built through Tsuu T’ina land.

“I will go and stand up at the very end where they’re starting to build and put my life on the line,” he said. “They’ll have to kill me before this road goes through.”

dtetley@theherald.canwest.com

http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/cal...512/story.html

There is some good debate going on about this in the Calgary section. http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...13#post4335813

[1ajs]

The killer never left

Government would rather you didn't read this series

By: Staff Writer
31/10/2009 9:01 AM | Comments: 11

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The Free Press began an investigation into TB on Manitoba reserves in spring 2008, but the story stalled when provincial officials refused to disclose the number of cases.

Free Press health reporter Jen Skerritt's freedom of information re­quest for the number was denied. Provincial officials claimed releas­ing it could harm its relationship with the federal government, which is responsible for health care on reserves. The province's ombudsman upheld that decision.
The ombudsman's March 2009 report said federal health officials and some First Nations chiefs were concerned releasing the informa­tion would jeopardize their ability to manage the infectious disease.
Federal officials also argued the information could stigmatize the communities.
"It's an excuse they're using to cover up inadequacies," said Dr. Earl Hershfield, former director of the province's TB-control program.
It took months of in-depth research -- via sources, documents and visits to remote communities -- for the Free Press to discover which reserves have been hit by TB and why. This is the story.
Visit our interactive TB website at winnipegfreepress.com/tb

[vid]

Quite a difference, in Ontario, Nishnawbe-Aski Nation has been running for some time advertisements about how TB rates on First Nations are significantly higher than those anywhere else in North America.

They're only hiding this because they either don't want to fix the problem or they don't know how to fix the problem.

[rrskylar]

Cree Nation review spawns deeper look into finances

WINNIPEG — The former head of a troubled northern child welfare agency earned $807,000 over three years, some of it by submitting two expense claims for the same trip or by overcharging for earned days off.

Child welfare officials released a financial review this afternoon that looked at the books of the Cree Nation Child and Family Caring Agency, the same agency mired in scandal last year.

The review, which has spawned a deeper, more formal forensic audit, could also lead to criminal charges, child welfare officials hinted.

The review found that Linda Constant, Cree Nation's former executive director, was paid for 191 earned days off but had only earned 81. And it found that, on two occasions, Constant was effectively paid twice for a trip, amounting to $5,200 in overpayments.

The review also found that board members, who were appointed from each of the seven bands Cree Nation served, raked in nearly $700,000 in per diems, honoraria and other expenses over a four year-period.

WPG Freep

[hexrae]

The review also found that board members, who were appointed from each of the seven bands Cree Nation served, raked in nearly $700,000 in per diems, honoraria and other expenses over a four year-period.

So, let's do the math.

$700,000 / 7 board members (assuming 1 per Cree Nation)
= $100,000

$100,000 / 4 years
= $25,000 per year

Put this into perspective

Katz renews call for transparency

Of course, I don't condone this type of behaviour, especially one person earning $807,000 over 3 years.

[rrskylar]

Urban reserve deal at hand

By: Mary Agnes Welch



WINNIPEG - After four years of talk and a brief internal squabble, Winnipeg’s first urban reserve could be a done deal before the end of the year.

Long Plain First Nation Chief David Meeches said the last bit of paperwork, a service agreement with the city, could be signed and sealed this month. That would clear the way for Ottawa to formally turn a parcel of land near Polo Park into a reserve, allowing the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to build a $100-million legislature and government administration building there.
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"We’re very close to concluding our negotiations," Meeches said Monday.

The deal with the city will lay out how Long Plain and the AMC will comply with city bylaws and pay fees in lieu of property taxes for city services like fire, police and snow clearing. A city spokesman confirmed a deal is in the works, but not yet concluded.

Once the deal is done, Meeches said the plan is to hold an open house explaining the $100-million project and the intricacies of its status to Winnipeggers, many of whom are mistrustful of an urban reserve.

Although other cities in Western Canada, most notably Saskatoon, have had urban reserves for years, Winnipeg has been a laggard.

First Nations have pitched several urban reserve proposals, including a downtown office tower or an aboriginal recreation and education centre in the old St. Boniface Industrial Park. The AMC’s plan for a 10-storery government building on Madison Street south of Silver Avenue has been the leading proposal and looked like it had finally cleared all the bureaucratic hurdles last spring.

But, just days before the city and the AMC were set to announce the details of the municipal service deal, Meeches and Long Plain backed out. Meeches had just won a bitter election for chief and said he wanted time to scrutinize the service agreement and the partnership with the AMC.

Those differences appear to have been ironed out.

"We just want to make sure we’ve dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s and we’re on a level playing field," Meeches said of the deal with the city.

He balks at the term "urban reserve", preferring the less loaded "aboriginal economic development zone."

Long Plain is one of the many bands owed land from outstanding treaty obligations that hope to transplant the tax benefits of rural reserves into cities, where First Nations businesses and services can flourish. Long Plain plans to open a gas station on the Polo Park property.

[1ajs]

hopefully this is a economic boon for the first nation and the community of pine falls
Sagkeeng First Nation ponders mill purchase

Last Updated: Wednesday, December 9, 2009 | 5:23 PM CT Comments40Recommend18

CBC News


Officials at Sagkeeng First Nation are crunching the numbers to see whether they should put in an offer to buy the Tembec paper mill in nearby Pine Falls, Man.
Mike Fontaine, who heads Sagkeeng's economic development office, said the First Nation is seriously looking into whether the recently closed mill, about 130 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, could be a feasible operation.
"We're actively exploring our options, and if it's in our best interest to actively pursue making an offer, then that's something that we'll look at, definitely," he said.

'If it's in our best interest to actively pursue making an offer, then that's something that we'll look at, definitely.'— Mike Fontaine, Sagkeeng First Nation

If it is determined the mill could still make money, Fontaine is certain the financing would be there to make an offer to Tembec.
Sagkeeng First Nation is about 30 kilometres north of Pine Falls.
The mill has been idle since Sept. 1 when Montreal-based Tembec locked out about 250 unionized staff.
Contract talks between the United Steelworkers union and the company began Aug. 13, but the two sides were unable to reach a deal. Although they continued talking after the lockout, negotiations definitively came to a halt in October.
The company has been saying it needed a "significant reduction" in labour costs at the paper mill to keep it competitive as demand for newsprint has fallen.
On Tuesday, Tembec officials announced they have decided to sell the mill rather than reopen it. If a buyer isn't found, the mill could be closed permanently.
John Valley, executive vice-president of business development at Tembec, said Tuesday that the company was hoping the operation would survive an industry-wide downturn.
"What we were endeavouring to do was establish a position of cost-competitiveness for the Pine Falls mill that would allow it to be one of the survivors [in the industry]," Valley said. "We were unable to achieve that very necessary improvement in the cost structure of the mill."
The union has said it was willing to accept wage cuts, but sticking points in negotiations were pension plan changes and severance pay.
In the wake of Tuesday's announcement from Tembec, the Manitoba government announced it has set aside $1 million for a "community adjustment committee" to set up projects that will aid workers heading into an uncertain future.
Closure cheered by environmental group

At least one environmental group is pleased the mill might close.
Eric Reder, campaign director for the Wilderness Committee, said the coal-powered plant has been one of the largest sources of pollution in Manitoba for 80 years.
While his group sympathizes with employees who have lost their jobs, Reder criticized the Pine Falls mill for emitting high levels of carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, phosphorous and other toxins since it opened.

'This is wonderful news for our province. Literally, Manitobans will be breathing easier from now on.'—Eric Reder, Wilderness Committee

Tembec's decision to sell the plant moves Manitoba a big step closer to a healthier environment — even if it repoens, he added.
If the plant is reopened with a new owner, it will be required to meet stricter conditions to prevent pollution and protect Nopiming Provincial park and the woodland caribou in the area.
"This is wonderful news for our province. Literally, Manitobans will be breathing easier from now on," said Reder.
Tembec was exempt from such laws because the plant existed long before the legislation came into effect he noted.
"Tembec's mill has been grandfathered to allow things we now consider appalling, from logging in Nopiming to environmental and workplace health conditions resulting from operating antiquated equipment from the 1920s."

[1ajs]

$1M stolen from Norway House band

By: Staff Writer
10/12/2009 12:21 PM

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WINNIPEG — The former payroll administrator at Norway House and her husband have been charged with stealing more than $1 million in band funds.
The RCMP said a year-long investigation resulted in several charges against Kimberly Apetagon, 33, including: fraud over $1 million, theft over $1 million, possessing property obtained by crime, money laundering, falsifying books and documents, and destroying books and documents.
Apetagon's husband, Stephen Apetagon, 35, also of Norway House, has been charged with money laundering, theft and possessing property obtained by crime.
The RCMP said the investigation began November 2008, when the Norway House band reported an alleged theft by the band's payroll administrator.
The investigation revealed that between 2003 and 2008 more than $1 million was stolen from the band, with the funds deposited into unauthorized accounts.
Apetagon and her husband were charged Wednesday. They were released on a promise to appear and are scheduled to appear in Norway House provincial court Jan. 19.

[hexrae]

I heard about this awhile ago. Glad to see charges are finally being laid.

[Boreal]

I can't imagine a paper mill becoming profitable any time in the future. E-copies, and a general trend towards being ignorant (no need for books and news press, with Cosmo online and TMZ, which provide the news the masses in continental America really want).

I wish Sagkeeng and Pine Falls could do something, but I will be shocked if any review makes a purchase of that facility appear reasonable. Given the environmental impact of a paper mill, both its forest clearing and toxic production outputs, I don't imagine any governing body making the bold decision to operate it (or a facility like it) at a loss for the better of the whole.

I think it's a dead duck, and just another chapter in history of the death of small communities across this country.

[1ajs]

text books government paper work cigerets

[newflyer]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Not everyone attacks the mayor, but I know what you mean. There are certain individuals who have extreme disdain for anyone successful.

Yup.. thats the Winnipeg way. Hate those who have made something out of nothing.

As for myself, I have alot of respect for those who have found success, especially if they have come from a less than condusive background.

A guy who grew up in the North End who now owns the most successful independant baseball team in the world, then become mayor of the city. His tenure has witnessed strong economic growth, population growth, actual rapid transit (not imaginary BS), large investment in the bus system, massive expansion of bike paths and enhancing business growth in the city. Oh yeah .. lots of things to hate. Nothing more than jealousy at work here by the haters. Some Winnipegers can be so small.

[Riverman]

NF, there are so many haters too. I really don't get it.