AFN wants meeting with Trudeau to formalize invitation for UN special rapporteur
A standing invitation from Canada for the United Nations special rapporteur to come to this country to investigate the deaths and burials of children in relation to Indian residential schools is not enough.
“What we found out was that Canada’s correct. There might be a standing invitation to the rapporteur, but…what we need is a formal invitation to go to the rapporteur,” said National Chief RoseAnne Archibald of the Assembly of First Nations.
Archibald says she made her three-day trip to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) in New York from April 25 to April 27 specifically to ask Francisco Calí Tzay, special rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, to come to Canada “to investigate the deaths of our children. We’re seeking remedies for human rights violations, including genocide.”
Calí Tzay told Archibald he needed a formal invitation, preferably from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to make that trip.
“You have to actually formalize the invitation, otherwise the rapporteur comes and is not able to do anything official in terms of documentation or study,” said Archibald.
In a press conference at the UN on April 25, Archibald was adamant that Canada should not be allowed to investigate itself as it was this country’s polices and legislation that led to the creation of the Indian residential school system.
A resolution was passed by the AFN in December to “direct the AFN to seek justice through intervention at the International Criminal Court in this matter, to hold the Imperial Crown, Government of Canada and the Vatican accountable for their actions and to seek justice for the crimes against humanity for the victims’ families and the international community.”
Canada’s “standing invitation" to all United Nations human rights special rapporteurs” was made by Daniel Canough, senior policy analyst, International Relations (United Nations), Indigenous and External Relations Branch, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.
Canough was addressing the UNPFII on April 28.
Speaking to Trudeau about issuing that formal invitation to Calí Tzay is one more item on the ever-growing agenda, says Archibald, who points out that there has been no formal meeting between the AFN executive committee and Trudeau since 2019.
Archibald became national chief in July 2021.
“It’s been three years since the prime minister has met with the Assembly of First Nations (executive) so that’s a problem onto itself. Yes, there will be a number of items that we will discuss with the prime minister and I believe one of the key ones is why is this (memorandum of understanding) not functioning properly. We clearly need a new process,” said Archibald.
In 2017, Canada and then-AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde signed an MOU for a bilateral mechanism to establish a process to, among other factors, “support the renewal of the Nation-to-Nation relationship between Canada and First Nations on the basis that the First Nations are holders of Treaty rights, inherent rights, title, jurisdictions and Aboriginal rights.”
Archibald is proposing a “new economic deal.” She made that call when the federal budget was delivered in April. She wants to see First Nations benefitting fully from the resources extracted from treaty lands or unceded territories, and taxation.
“We need a new economic deal that allows First Nations the autonomy, the self-determination, the self-government that is guaranteed to them under the Constitution and those financial arrangements have to do with sharing the wealth of this country,” she said.
Other “big issues” that need to be brought into a new deal, she adds, are around safe drinking water, adequate housing, the return of culture and language, and the creation of safe and vibrant communities.
“We’re always seeking action not just words. Anybody can turn a good phrase, but when it comes to action, what is really happening on the ground,” she said.
Archibald adds that these discussions will also be happening with Jagmeet Singh, leader of the federal New Democrats, since the NDP and Liberals put an agreement in place in March to keep Trudeau’s minority government in power.
Archibald says they have “just started reaching out” to Singh’s office and are hopeful that a meeting will be confirmed shortly.
Windspeaker.com
By Shari Narine, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com, Windspeaker.com
Friday, May 06, 2022
UCP SCREWS FIRST NATIONS
Funding to support Indigenous families at risk goes to non-Indigenous organization
After 12 years of successfully supporting at-risk Indigenous families in the Grande Prairie area who have interactions with Alberta’s child welfare system, Mamewpitaw has not received the provincial dollars to keep operating.
Worse than that, says Grande Prairie Friendship Centre (GPFC) president Leonard Auger, the money to support Indigenous families has gone to a non-Indigenous organization.
Mamewpitaw, operated by the GPFC, offered culturally focused intervention support and re-unification programs for Indigenous families at risk.
It was the first time GPFC had to respond to a request for proposals to get funding for Mamewpitawn. In previous years the province had not requested proposals from contract holders for family intervention services, says program coordinator Abby Bourque.
“There were other friendship centres in the communities that we collaborated with in the writing of this proposal. So they were writing proposals for their communities,” she said.
Proposals went forward from Peace River and High Level, with High Level servicing both that community and Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement. While the Mamewpitaw program would have been new to the others, says Bourque, the proposals saw the friendship centres, including Grande Prairie, sharing Elders, land resources and other supports.
She stressed that all the friendship centres had built strong relationships in their communities and had strong foundations.
None of the proposals from the friendship centres were approved. Instead, all of the region’s funding for family intervention services went to PACE, a non-Indigenous organization in Grande Prairie that focuses on sexual assault and trauma.
The rejection letter for GPFC from Children’s Services, North Region Family Intervention Services states only “based on the evaluation conducted on your submission, we regret to inform you that your submission was not selected for contract awarding.”
Auger said, “We had a feeling (Alberta Children’s Services) didn’t fully understand the Truth and Reconciliation (Commission’s) calls for action, and in there it does say that Indigenous organizations should be providing programs for Indigenous people. That was our biggest issue.”
The first five of 94 calls to action from the TRC on the legacy of Indian residential schools focuses on child welfare. The TRC calls upon “the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to commit to reducing the number of Aboriginal children in care by … ensuring that social workers and others who conduct child-welfare investigations are properly educated and trained about the potential for Aboriginal communities and families to provide more appropriate solutions to family healing.”
Prior to putting in their proposal, GPFC completed their accreditation process with the Canadian Accreditation Council for health and human services. It was a costly and time-consuming process to get their four-year accreditation, says Bourque, which added to GPFC’s shock at not getting the funding from the province.
“Our program was unique in that everything was embedded in culture. Our participants felt like they belonged here. They felt that connection. We used wholistic approaches to healing and to giving them strategies for parenting and stuff, which is going to be that missing component with that other agency because they just aren’t equipped for that,” said Bourque. “We were shocked and surprised and quite honestly heartbroken because we just really believe in the work that we do.”
Now GPFC is scrambling to access other funding, both federal, through Jordan’s Principle, and provincial. They had applied for $700,000 through Alberta Children’s Services.
“Whatever fits into what our vision is, we’ll be providing proposals for,” said Bourque.
In a news release from GPFC board, Children’s Services was called out for implementing an adjudication process for the Family Intervention Services funding that “did not include Indigenous representation as decision-makers, nor did it address factors and programming necessary for Indigenous people in its scoring criteria.”
In an email response to Windspeaker.com, Nancy Bishay, spokesperson for Alberta Children’s Services, said “Children’s Services is changing how it delivers services to improve relationships with Indigenous and First Nation communities. Similar to Edmonton and Calgary, we will be creating teams dedicated to work with individual Indigenous and First Nation communities. This model has proven successful in building relationships and improving outcomes for children.”
Bishay also said, “Our main priority is to ensure that vulnerable children, on-and-off reserve are safe and supported. We are committed to keeping indigenous families together whenever safely possible, and when children do come into care that they maintain connected to their communities and culture.”
Auger said GPFC will continue challenging the system in relation to its awareness of the TRC calls to action and “the need for Indigenous organizations to look after our own Indigenous people.”
Windspeaker.com
By Shari Narine, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com, Windspeaker.com
After 12 years of successfully supporting at-risk Indigenous families in the Grande Prairie area who have interactions with Alberta’s child welfare system, Mamewpitaw has not received the provincial dollars to keep operating.
Worse than that, says Grande Prairie Friendship Centre (GPFC) president Leonard Auger, the money to support Indigenous families has gone to a non-Indigenous organization.
Mamewpitaw, operated by the GPFC, offered culturally focused intervention support and re-unification programs for Indigenous families at risk.
It was the first time GPFC had to respond to a request for proposals to get funding for Mamewpitawn. In previous years the province had not requested proposals from contract holders for family intervention services, says program coordinator Abby Bourque.
“There were other friendship centres in the communities that we collaborated with in the writing of this proposal. So they were writing proposals for their communities,” she said.
Proposals went forward from Peace River and High Level, with High Level servicing both that community and Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement. While the Mamewpitaw program would have been new to the others, says Bourque, the proposals saw the friendship centres, including Grande Prairie, sharing Elders, land resources and other supports.
She stressed that all the friendship centres had built strong relationships in their communities and had strong foundations.
None of the proposals from the friendship centres were approved. Instead, all of the region’s funding for family intervention services went to PACE, a non-Indigenous organization in Grande Prairie that focuses on sexual assault and trauma.
The rejection letter for GPFC from Children’s Services, North Region Family Intervention Services states only “based on the evaluation conducted on your submission, we regret to inform you that your submission was not selected for contract awarding.”
Auger said, “We had a feeling (Alberta Children’s Services) didn’t fully understand the Truth and Reconciliation (Commission’s) calls for action, and in there it does say that Indigenous organizations should be providing programs for Indigenous people. That was our biggest issue.”
The first five of 94 calls to action from the TRC on the legacy of Indian residential schools focuses on child welfare. The TRC calls upon “the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to commit to reducing the number of Aboriginal children in care by … ensuring that social workers and others who conduct child-welfare investigations are properly educated and trained about the potential for Aboriginal communities and families to provide more appropriate solutions to family healing.”
Prior to putting in their proposal, GPFC completed their accreditation process with the Canadian Accreditation Council for health and human services. It was a costly and time-consuming process to get their four-year accreditation, says Bourque, which added to GPFC’s shock at not getting the funding from the province.
“Our program was unique in that everything was embedded in culture. Our participants felt like they belonged here. They felt that connection. We used wholistic approaches to healing and to giving them strategies for parenting and stuff, which is going to be that missing component with that other agency because they just aren’t equipped for that,” said Bourque. “We were shocked and surprised and quite honestly heartbroken because we just really believe in the work that we do.”
Now GPFC is scrambling to access other funding, both federal, through Jordan’s Principle, and provincial. They had applied for $700,000 through Alberta Children’s Services.
“Whatever fits into what our vision is, we’ll be providing proposals for,” said Bourque.
In a news release from GPFC board, Children’s Services was called out for implementing an adjudication process for the Family Intervention Services funding that “did not include Indigenous representation as decision-makers, nor did it address factors and programming necessary for Indigenous people in its scoring criteria.”
In an email response to Windspeaker.com, Nancy Bishay, spokesperson for Alberta Children’s Services, said “Children’s Services is changing how it delivers services to improve relationships with Indigenous and First Nation communities. Similar to Edmonton and Calgary, we will be creating teams dedicated to work with individual Indigenous and First Nation communities. This model has proven successful in building relationships and improving outcomes for children.”
Bishay also said, “Our main priority is to ensure that vulnerable children, on-and-off reserve are safe and supported. We are committed to keeping indigenous families together whenever safely possible, and when children do come into care that they maintain connected to their communities and culture.”
Auger said GPFC will continue challenging the system in relation to its awareness of the TRC calls to action and “the need for Indigenous organizations to look after our own Indigenous people.”
Windspeaker.com
By Shari Narine, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com, Windspeaker.com
CULTURAL GENOCIDE IN QUEBEC
Bill 96 will harm Indigenous people in Québec. We need more equitable language lawsRichard Budgell,
Assistant Professor, Family Medicine;
Ph.D. student, History and Classical Studies,
McGill University -
The Conversation
One of the reasons I moved to Québec in 2015 was because of the mélange of languages in which many Quebecers — especially in Montréal — live and work. Some are able to change languages from sentence to sentence; others will switch in the middle of sentences or speak in an ever-changing medley of languages.
The language dance happens most frequently between French and English, but other languages can be involved — such as Indigenous and immigrant languages.
Read more: Québec's Bill 40 further undermines the province's English-language school system
The reality of multilingualism goes very far back in Québec: the perceived founder of French Québec, Samuel de Champlain, even knew “a smattering of [Indigenous] languages, not enough to speak directly on sensitive questions. Most of his communications had to happen through interpreters.” However the mythic view of historical dominance held by some Quebecers is that “la langue française […] s’est implantée officiellement au Québec avec Samuel de Champlain en 1608” or, the French language was officially established in Québec with Samuel de Champlain in 1608.
As the leader of a tiny, vulnerable French outpost, Champlain probably thought more about making alliances with Indigenous nations, which would allow the French colonists to survive, than he did about official languages.
Indigenous nations, and languages, have endured — as have the descendants of the original French settlers (including me), joined by British settlers and a mix of immigrants from all over the world, to create a diverse and complex society.
And all of this contributes to why Bill 96 is so problematic. The proposed bill, “An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec,” will reduce the accessibility to health-care services in English. This which will drastically and negatively impact Indigenous people. As a researcher and teacher of Inuit health, I find this deeply troubling.
Indigenous experience in Québec
Part of Québec’s complexity is ensuring equity for all its citizens. For Indigenous people in the province, equitable treatment can seem fleeting.
In the health-care system, systemic discrimination against Indigenous people has been formally recognized. In 2019, the Québec-mandated Viens Commission concluded that “it is clear that prejudice toward Indigenous Peoples remains widespread in the interaction between caregivers and patients,” and recommended “cultural safeguard principles” be incorporated into health services and programs for Indigenous people.
In October 2021, coroner Géhane Kamel’s top recommendation in her report on the death of Joyce Echaquan was that the province needs to recognize that systemic racism exists and take concrete action to eliminate it.
To receive health care in a language that you speak is obviously a dimension of cultural safety. So it’s all the more disappointing that a recently released plan to reform the Québec health-care system ignores systemic discrimination and cultural safety for patients.
The Conversation
One of the reasons I moved to Québec in 2015 was because of the mélange of languages in which many Quebecers — especially in Montréal — live and work. Some are able to change languages from sentence to sentence; others will switch in the middle of sentences or speak in an ever-changing medley of languages.
The language dance happens most frequently between French and English, but other languages can be involved — such as Indigenous and immigrant languages.
Read more: Québec's Bill 40 further undermines the province's English-language school system
The reality of multilingualism goes very far back in Québec: the perceived founder of French Québec, Samuel de Champlain, even knew “a smattering of [Indigenous] languages, not enough to speak directly on sensitive questions. Most of his communications had to happen through interpreters.” However the mythic view of historical dominance held by some Quebecers is that “la langue française […] s’est implantée officiellement au Québec avec Samuel de Champlain en 1608” or, the French language was officially established in Québec with Samuel de Champlain in 1608.
As the leader of a tiny, vulnerable French outpost, Champlain probably thought more about making alliances with Indigenous nations, which would allow the French colonists to survive, than he did about official languages.
Indigenous nations, and languages, have endured — as have the descendants of the original French settlers (including me), joined by British settlers and a mix of immigrants from all over the world, to create a diverse and complex society.
And all of this contributes to why Bill 96 is so problematic. The proposed bill, “An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec,” will reduce the accessibility to health-care services in English. This which will drastically and negatively impact Indigenous people. As a researcher and teacher of Inuit health, I find this deeply troubling.
Indigenous experience in Québec
Part of Québec’s complexity is ensuring equity for all its citizens. For Indigenous people in the province, equitable treatment can seem fleeting.
In the health-care system, systemic discrimination against Indigenous people has been formally recognized. In 2019, the Québec-mandated Viens Commission concluded that “it is clear that prejudice toward Indigenous Peoples remains widespread in the interaction between caregivers and patients,” and recommended “cultural safeguard principles” be incorporated into health services and programs for Indigenous people.
In October 2021, coroner Géhane Kamel’s top recommendation in her report on the death of Joyce Echaquan was that the province needs to recognize that systemic racism exists and take concrete action to eliminate it.
To receive health care in a language that you speak is obviously a dimension of cultural safety. So it’s all the more disappointing that a recently released plan to reform the Québec health-care system ignores systemic discrimination and cultural safety for patients.
The problem with Bill 96
In an analysis of Bill 96, Montréal lawyer and advocate Eric Maldoff says:
“Even when the staff and institutions have the option to use another language, Bill 96 strongly directs them to avoid exercising it and specifies that a language other than French should not be used systematically, such as by establishing translation services. There is an option to use a language other than French in case of health, public safety and natural justice. However, it seems aimed at dealing with a health emergency of an individual.”
Nunavik Inuit in northern Québec have been identifying challenges within the health-care system for years. A report prepared by the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services says: “Many [Inuit] do not understand medical terms and translation is sometimes inefficient, as many terms do not have an equivalent in Inuktitut. Consequently, many people struggle to understand their health problems and to follow medical advice.”
Ninety-eight per cent of Nunavik Inuit speak Inuktitut as their first language. This should be celebrated, not hindered during the Decade of Indigenous Languages, which Canada supports. Bill 96 will create greater impediments to accessible health care for Inuit and First Nations people. The bill will worsen health and health care, instead of improving it.
Multilingualism shouldn’t be a threat
Bill 96 will also create new challenges in education for Inuit and First Nations people who use English.
Indigenous students will now have to complete an additional three French-language courses to receive a CÉGEP diploma (typically required for university admission). In practice, most Inuit, and about half of First Nations students have been predominantly educated in English and will struggle with an additional French requirements.
Québec Premier François Legault recently defended the draft Bill 96 by saying: “If Québec is bilingual, unfortunately the attraction in North America to English will be so strong it will be a matter of time before we don’t speak French in Québec and we become Louisiana.”
Turning into Louisiana is a commonly deployed bogeyman in Québec, to imply that without restrictive measures on the use of other languages, French is endangered.
For most Québec residents, there is broad consensus that French should be protected. But many of us believe that multilingualism — including Indigenous languages — need not threaten French.
This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.
Read more:
Should bilingualism change in Canada? The debate over Gov. Gen. Mary Simon
'Colonialism and cucumbers': Governor General gets lukewarm reception in Quebec
QUEBEC — Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, the first Indigenous person named as the Queen's representative in Canada, still has some work to do on her French, Quebec Premier François Legault said Thursday.
Legault made the comments to reporters a day after meeting Simon, an Inuk leader and former Canadian diplomat, during her first visit to Quebec since her appointment last summer. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision to appoint her was controversial because Simon, who is fluent in English and Inuktitut, is still learning how to speak French.
The premier said he met with Simon out of "courtesy," adding that he would like to see the roles of governor general and lieutenant-governor abolished. However, he added that Simon's appointment "is a positive message" regarding the country's desire to mend its relationship with Indigenous Peoples.
"On the other hand, it's really not ideal that she doesn't speak French," Legault said. "But she tells me that she is taking personal lessons, and she was still able, at the beginning, to say a few sentences in French."
Simon, who was born in Kangiqsualujjuaq, in the Nunavik region of northern Quebec, attended a federal government day school as a child, where she was prevented from speaking her mother tongue, Inuktitut. She was also denied the chance at those schools to learn French, she has said.
The Governor General isn't the only representative of the Queen who has upset francophones in Canada. Last month, a New Brunswick court ruled that Trudeau's decision to appoint a unilingual anglophone as lieutenant-governor of that province in 2019 violated constitutional language protections.
Asked if he would take the government to court over Simon's appointment, Legault said, "it's not in our intentions."
Quebec's second opposition party, Québec solidaire, was less congenial toward Simon, with spokesman Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois saying Thursday he politely declined an invitation to meet her.
"During the day, I have a limited number of hours," he told reporters in Quebec City, adding that "meeting the representative of the Queen … was not a good use of my time yesterday."
He later tweeted that "colonialism and cucumber sandwiches" weren't his thing, referring to Britain's historical colonization of French Canada.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2022.
A conversation with Canada's Governor General | CTV Your Morning
RACISM IN CANADA
Indigenous B.C. man, granddaughter settle with BMO over arrest while opening account
VANCOUVER — Standing amid the noise of traffic and hustle of pedestrians on the same Vancouver sidewalk where he was arrested and handcuffed in December 2019, Maxwell Johnson said he finally feels at peace.
The Indigenous man and his minor granddaughter were arrested as they tried to open an account for her at the Bank of Montreal in December 2019. Police were called over suspicion they were using a fake status card.
On Thursday, Johnson announced he and his granddaughter had settled their human rights complaint with the bank. The agreement includes an undisclosed a monetary payment from BMO, a private apology, and a pledge from the financial institution to update its policies on how Indigenous status cards are handled.
Holding a grey and white eagle feather that represents healing and blessing, Johnson said his Heiltsuk First Nation culture is about forgiveness.
“We don’t hold onto anything. We don’t hold any grudges,” he said. “I just want people to educate themselves more about First Nations issues and our culture.”
He said he wants people to understand Indigenous culture, and issues faced by First Nations when they deal with the government and corporations.
"We’re people too," he said during the news conference. "I don't think it's right that we have to prove who we are by carrying a status card. We're the only race that has the status for proof that we're First Nation people."
A retired judge who led a disciplinary hearing against the two officers who made the arrest said in a decision released last month that they "recklessly" arrested Johnson and the girl.
Brian Neal said Johnson and his granddaughter endured a "disturbing and profoundly disrespectful series of events" as they were held and handcuffed on the busy street.
The independent review, which was ordered by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, said the two officers who responded to a call from bank employees detained the pair without reasonable grounds.
Johnson and his granddaughter still have a complaint pending against the Vancouver Police Department in the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal.
When asked for comment on Thursday, Vancouver police Sgt. Steve Addison sent a statement saying the office of the complaint commissioner conducted an extensive investigation related to the matter and it respects the findings of the report.
Johnson is an artist and as part of the settlement with the Bank of Montreal, he gifted the bank an artwork that will be displayed at the downtown branch.
Prints of his work will also be put up at four other branches.
"The copper represents the treasure of our people," he said, holding up a copy of the art piece with red and green colours.
"I used BMO colours in it. So, on the top it has the ancestral human face, and on the bottom it has the BMO logo on here."
BMO spokesman Jeff Roman said the bank is pleased that a settlement was reached.
"This was an important step for BMO toward reconciliation and we hope that the Johnsons reach the resolution and closure they deserve," he said in an email.
Chief Marilyn Slett of the Heiltsuk First Nation on B.C.'s central coast said the bank has undertaken remedies including updating internal policies and procedures for how Indigenous status cards are handled.
"It's really shone a light on the treatment of Indigenous people and it puts attention and focus on that."
They hope to see systemic changes on policies and how they work in communities, including territorial acknowledgments of where they are, not just in B.C. but across the country, she said.
The police officers who arrested the pair have been given an invitation to their community of Bella Bella to attend an apology ceremony, Slett said.
"That invitation is still extended," she said.
"We've yet to hear from them. Ceremonies happen in our community because they help us in the healing journey. So, it's really important for the Vancouver Police Department to make good on that apology and come to Bella Bella and do it in person."
Johnson said he closed his account at the bank.
"Would you work with them if that happened to you?" he said.
"No, I couldn't do it. I had to close it to move forward with my life. For healing too. It's part of my healing process to do what we did today."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2022.
Hina Alam, The Canadian Press
RACISM IN HEALTHCARE
Ojibway chief upset at how a First Nation teen with 'massive' wound was treated in Kenora, Ont., hospital's ERLogan Turner - Yesterday
cbc.ca
A Kenora, Ont., hospital is investigating after the chief of Ojibways of Onigaming says a 13-year-old from his First Nation was left in the emergency room without immediate care for a "massive" wound, and a nurse told him to bandage it himself.
Jeff Copenace said he was called by the family to go to Lake of the Woods District Hospital (LWDH) on April 25 to advocate for the teen. He said she had tried to harm herself, and she had already been waiting in the ER for more than 30 minutes when he arrived. When he approached the desk to get help, he said, a nurse handed him gauze and tape.
"I was shocked that [the girl] was sitting there with an open wound and not even like a social worker talking to her, anyone rushing to her aid," Copenace told CBC News, adding the girl is now doing well and at home.
"We're a First Nation that remains in a state of emergency for suicides and mental illness. The district hospital is well aware of that."
CBC News has been unable to independently verify exactly what happened at the hospital.
The president of the LWDH, Ray Racette, said they began investigating after seeing Copenace's tweet, which came the same day as the incident, adding they hope to speak with the chief.
The incident comes amidst a nationwide conversation — spurred by the 2020 death of Atikamekw mother Joyce Echaquan — about the impacts of systemic racism toward Indigenous people in the health-care system, as well as hospital staffing shortages across Canada.
It also came just months after a First Nation family said a 32-year-old man died of a brain bleed hours after he was discharged from the same hospital with headache pills.
Wound was 'alarming,' chief says
Copenace said he immediately drove 116 kilometres north to get to the Kenora hospital after the family of the young girl called him, saying she had harmed herself.
The girl and her uncle were in the emergency room with a deep, open cut on her arm, he said.
"It was a massive wound. It was cut straight through the skin … and it was really alarming," Copenace said.
He said that after he asked the ER desk if they planned to bandage her wounds, the nurse told him, "'I'm not going to dress a wound that happened last night and isn't bleeding anymore.'"
"I was panicked," said Copenace. "I asked [the nurse], 'Do you know she's 13? Do you know that she self-harmed?'"
At that point, he said, a second nurse gave him gauze and medical tape, and told him to bandage her wound. It wasn't until he asked for a supervisor that the girl's cut was taken seriously, Copenace said, and then closed with stitches.
When the supervisor came out to speak with him about the incident and the hospital's response, Copenace said she told him there had been no experiences of racism at Lake of the Woods hospital in the 20 years she's worked there.
"If this was a young, white child, the whole hospital would have raced to her," the chief of the Treaty 3 First Nation believes. "They never would have left a young white child with an open wound that required eight stitches."
Copenace repeated concerns about the way systemic and direct racism affect the health care of Indigenous people. Those concerns — which have been documented for decades in government reports, inquiries and royal commissions — include disproportionately longer wait times, minimizing of concerns, inappropriate or no pain management, medical errors and a lack of respect for cultural protocols.
He also emphasized concerns over youth suicide in Indigenous communities. According to Statistics Canada, the rate of suicide among Indigenous people is three times higher than the national average — among Indigenous youth, the disparity is even greater.
"The treatment that we receive from non-Indigenous health-care professionals, police officers, government officials, taxi drivers, the systemic racism that we face is driving this self-harm and it needs to stop."
The connection between systemic racism and poor mental health outcomes, including higher rates of suicidal ideation and self-harm, is well established in academic research and government reports, including most recently the 2020 report "In Plain Sight" on Indigenous-specific racism in B.C. and a 2021 report into 45 mostly Indigenous boys who died by suicide or homicide in Manitoba.
Copenace said his focus last week was ensuring the girl had the proper supports, and now he is preparing to file a complaint with the hospital.
Tweets prompt hospital to open investigation
Racette, the Kenora hospital's president, said early findings from the investigation show that upon arrival to the ER, the patient was triaged, which is the assessment process hospitals use to determine which cases need to be seen most urgently. Based on that assessment, the patient's wound was treated within one hour, and then released within 5½ hours.
"Our staff look at patients based on need, and they do the best that they can for them," Racette said. "There are different things that needed to happen in the process of care … the emergency team, they work as a team and they have lots of patients to see."
© Logan Turner/CBC
Ray Racette, president and chief executive officer of the Lake of the Woods District Hospital, says they are investigating the care provided to the 13-year-old after Copenace tweeted about it.
"We're understaffed. We have a 40 per cent vacancy rate in staffing in [the emergency department], so that in itself is very challenging for staff who are just trying to do the best job they can. But it's going to impact wait times."
Racette said the way hospital officials understand what happened in the emergency room is different from what the chief posted on social media, adding they called the band office and sent an email to Copenace's executive assistant in an attempt to meet with him.
"We would really appreciate meeting with him because we respect him and we want to have an exchange with him," Racette said, adding social media can be "a very blunt instrument" that can harm their reputation and relationship with Indigenous people.
"We're working hard to improve. There's a lot of perceptions on this hospital that go back a long time, and those are hard to change because they're part of the lived history with some people," he acknowledged.
Copenace told CBC News he had not received any messages, but would be reaching out to the hospital to discuss the situation.
"We're understaffed. We have a 40 per cent vacancy rate in staffing in [the emergency department], so that in itself is very challenging for staff who are just trying to do the best job they can. But it's going to impact wait times."
Racette said the way hospital officials understand what happened in the emergency room is different from what the chief posted on social media, adding they called the band office and sent an email to Copenace's executive assistant in an attempt to meet with him.
"We would really appreciate meeting with him because we respect him and we want to have an exchange with him," Racette said, adding social media can be "a very blunt instrument" that can harm their reputation and relationship with Indigenous people.
"We're working hard to improve. There's a lot of perceptions on this hospital that go back a long time, and those are hard to change because they're part of the lived history with some people," he acknowledged.
Copenace told CBC News he had not received any messages, but would be reaching out to the hospital to discuss the situation.
History of negative experiences at hospital
Jennifer Dreaver, chief operating officer of the Kenora Chiefs Advisory (KCA), a First Nations health and social services agency that works with nine communities, said she was saddened but not surprised to hear about what Copenace said he experienced at the hospital.
"It's disconcerting for the community, because it just continues to erode trust and faith in the utilization of the Kenora hospital," said Dreaver, from Mistawasis Nehiyawak First Nation in Treaty 6.
Dreaver said she's heard many stories about First Nations people choosing to bypass the Kenora hospital and drive hundreds of additional kilometres to get medical help in Thunder Bay or Winnipeg, adding there is a long history of mistrust between the hospital and surrounding First Nations.
As an agency that advocates for Indigenous patients, the KCA has partnered with the Kenora hospital on a project of "reconciliation through health" that will see the construction of a new facility — the All Nations Hospital — to replace the existing building and improve health care for Indigenous people.
"We do want to work together to validate patients' experiences and make them feel heard, to have transparent processes for people to have their concerns addressed and to have responsiveness on the part of the hospital," said Dreaver.
'A lifetime of work'
Dreaver said the goal is to have a local hospital people can be confident in and is properly resourced, and where staff have training in cultural safety and trauma-informed care.
Work is happening now at the existing facility, including the hiring of more Indigenous staff and patient advocates and improving the complaint process, but it takes time, Dreaver said.
"It's a lifetime of work to build those bridges."
But the change isn't happening soon enough, Copenace said.
"We're still talking in a completely different language from the non-Indigenous health professionals, and our people are suffering."
He fears more Indigenous people will choose to stay home and not seek help, which would lead to higher rates of premature deaths — a link made in the 2020 report in B.C. about Indigenous-specific racism in health care.
"I've got nothing but respect for the medical profession, but I just want to see these racial boundaries broken down and our children served properly."
Kenora Chiefs Advisory Crisis Services: 807-629-7562
This guide from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health outlines how to talk about suicide with someone you're worried about.
Hundreds gather in downtown Edmonton to mark National Red Dress Day
Sarah Komadina/ Global News
There was a sea of red in downtown Edmonton on Thursday as about 400 people marked National Red Dress Day.
Many were holding tightly onto signs that had messages of love, calls for justice and pictures of loved ones who are missing or murdered.
National Red Dress day honours missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, but men and boys are not left out.
Ronald Beaver came with his family. He painted wooden signs to honour his sister Audrey Beaver. She was last seen in August 2020 in Edmonton. Ronald hopes she will be found.
Read more:
"Audrey is my sister, and we obviously pray and think about her everyday," he said.
While coming to the event was emotional, Ronald said it felt like the right place to be.
"It is a beautiful way to honour our Indigenous people," he said.
Related video: Red Dress Day marked with march in Edmonton
Irene Natress came with signs that had pictures of her son Jeremy Natress. He was found dead in a hotel room in 2016. He was 34 years old.
"My son was very kind. He didn't deserve to be murdered," Irene said. "I am very honoured to walk with the victims of homicide.
"We have to get it out there to all the people that don't know what we are going through."
The group left Churchill Square and walked down Jasper Avenue to Beaver Hills Park. There, grieving families went up to an open mic to share their stories to say their loved ones' names.
Judith Gale of the Bear Clan Patrol helped organize the event. She wants to remember her sister Laurel.
"She was murdered in Montreal, Que., at 16 years old, and that was the 80s," Gale said.
She said no one looked for her sister and she was labelled a Jane Doe for three months in the morgue.
"I do this day for her, because I love and miss her dearly."
Gale said it's important to bring the names to life, so their spirits know that they are missed and not forgotten.
Samantha Ming helped create red ribbon skirts to give to victims' families. She was pleased to see a good turnout.
"We are helping give their names back. In our culture, we believe that spirit sees red, so we are hoping our spirits see us," Ming said.
"Our hope is that they're walking alongside us as well."
"She was murdered in Montreal, Que., at 16 years old, and that was the 80s," Gale said.
She said no one looked for her sister and she was labelled a Jane Doe for three months in the morgue.
"I do this day for her, because I love and miss her dearly."
Gale said it's important to bring the names to life, so their spirits know that they are missed and not forgotten.
Samantha Ming helped create red ribbon skirts to give to victims' families. She was pleased to see a good turnout.
"We are helping give their names back. In our culture, we believe that spirit sees red, so we are hoping our spirits see us," Ming said.
"Our hope is that they're walking alongside us as well."
APTN National News May 5, 2022 – National Day of Awareness for MMIWG2S
Red dresses hung throughout Calgary as hundreds gather to remember loved ones | APTN News May 5,2022
Women call on government to act on 213 Calls for Justice for MMIWG
Gerri Pangman and Kim McPherson have been taking part in events and gatherings that honour and remember missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls for many years because they both believe it is important to continue raising the issue, and because they both know what it is like to lose a loved one to violence.
“For me, I think it’s really important to just keep raising the issue and to just never stop being the voice for the victims,” Pangman said on Thursday while taking part in an event outside of Winnipeg City Hall.
The event was one of many held on Thursday in Winnipeg and across Canada, as May 6 is recognized as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada.
Pangman and her sister McPherson said they have both lost women in their lives to murder, and don’t want the memory of their relatives to ever be forgotten.
They also want to make sure that the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is top of mind not only for Indigenous people, but for all people in this country, as over the last several decades there have been thousands of reported cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada.
“For me, it’s to remember the lives that were taken prematurely, and to hope that our children and our daughters and granddaughters don’t have to go through another tragedy like the one in our family, and ones in other families other communities,” McPherson said.
“We want to reach out to all Canadians, and all Canadians need to learn about this issue, and to be champions with us and to walk with us.”
But while the sisters say they want to raise awareness, they also hope events like the one on Thursday help to push all levels of government to make decisions and enact policies to try to keep Indigenous women and girls safe, and to prevent more from being murdered or going missing.
Pangman said that should start with governments working to enact the 231 Calls for Justice that were put forward in the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada.
“We both testified at the inquiry, and the 231 Calls for Justice need to be implemented immediately,” Pangman said.
“We need to hold governments and institutions and agencies accountable, and we need to have an office to do that, so that they can measure if funding and investments are actually having an impact on the ground for women and children.
“With the 231 Calls for Justice they have the framework right there, and governments need to take it seriously and move quickly.”
A number of other events took place in Winnipeg on Thursday to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous women and girls, including a march that saw hundreds walk from Memorial Park in downtown Winnipeg to The Forks, where a gathering was planned at the Oodena Celebration Circle.
Events were also planned for Thompson, The Pas, Selkirk, Portage la Prairie and several others to acknowledge the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada.
— Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
Dave Baxter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun
Gerri Pangman and Kim McPherson have been taking part in events and gatherings that honour and remember missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls for many years because they both believe it is important to continue raising the issue, and because they both know what it is like to lose a loved one to violence.
“For me, I think it’s really important to just keep raising the issue and to just never stop being the voice for the victims,” Pangman said on Thursday while taking part in an event outside of Winnipeg City Hall.
The event was one of many held on Thursday in Winnipeg and across Canada, as May 6 is recognized as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada.
Pangman and her sister McPherson said they have both lost women in their lives to murder, and don’t want the memory of their relatives to ever be forgotten.
They also want to make sure that the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is top of mind not only for Indigenous people, but for all people in this country, as over the last several decades there have been thousands of reported cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada.
“For me, it’s to remember the lives that were taken prematurely, and to hope that our children and our daughters and granddaughters don’t have to go through another tragedy like the one in our family, and ones in other families other communities,” McPherson said.
“We want to reach out to all Canadians, and all Canadians need to learn about this issue, and to be champions with us and to walk with us.”
But while the sisters say they want to raise awareness, they also hope events like the one on Thursday help to push all levels of government to make decisions and enact policies to try to keep Indigenous women and girls safe, and to prevent more from being murdered or going missing.
Pangman said that should start with governments working to enact the 231 Calls for Justice that were put forward in the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada.
“We both testified at the inquiry, and the 231 Calls for Justice need to be implemented immediately,” Pangman said.
“We need to hold governments and institutions and agencies accountable, and we need to have an office to do that, so that they can measure if funding and investments are actually having an impact on the ground for women and children.
“With the 231 Calls for Justice they have the framework right there, and governments need to take it seriously and move quickly.”
A number of other events took place in Winnipeg on Thursday to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous women and girls, including a march that saw hundreds walk from Memorial Park in downtown Winnipeg to The Forks, where a gathering was planned at the Oodena Celebration Circle.
Events were also planned for Thompson, The Pas, Selkirk, Portage la Prairie and several others to acknowledge the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada.
— Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
Dave Baxter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun
ALBERTA
RCMP add mental health nurse to crisis team in Wood BuffaloJamie Malbeuf - CBC
For the first time, Fort McMurray has a psychiatric nurse working alongside local RCMP officers.
A nurse attended calls with the RCMP for the first time this week through the Police and Crisis Team (PACT).
The program is the result of a collaboration between Alberta Health Services and the RCMP.
Const. Dayna Gosselin is the RCMP officer who will be responding to calls with the psychiatric nurse.
She said she's seen numerous calls regarding mental health and she thinks having mental health support will "be a great benefit to our team."
Gosselin's background is in mental health, as she used to work in social services, youth custody and support groups for addictions and mental health.
PACT responded to a call on the first day of the program, and Gosselin said she's using the experience as a learning opportunity to better respond to future calls.
Many of the calls to the RCMP regarding mental health include family or friends calling about a loved one they are worried may harm themselves or is having suicidal ideations.
Gosselin said that part of the team's routine will be following up with people they've seen in the community to make sure the referrals are working for them.
"We're hoping to divert individuals away from the hospital system as well as the criminal justice system and hopefully connect them with resources within the community that keep them happy and healthy," said Gosselin.
© Jamie Malbeuf/CBC
Const. Dayna Gosselin is the officer who will be working with a psychiatric nurse in Fort McMurray.
Rosilita Jn-Pierre, manager of addiction and mental health for Alberta Health Services in Fort McMurray, started working to bring the program to Fort McMurray two years ago.
She said it was a "long and slow process" to get the team together and operating during the pandemic and she's excited to see the start of the work.
"The goal here is meeting them in the community where they are at," said Jn-Pierre.
The nurse can help divert people away from the hospital, instead referring them to resources that may be more helpful, like addictions centres.
Currently, a nurse is working with PACT from 1 pm to 9 pm during the week, and that will be extended over the weekend as staff are trained.
Patrick Sesay, director of addiction and mental health for AHS North zone, said the program is currently funded for one year, but he said depending on its success, the grant could be extended or could be funded through Alberta Health Services operations.
"There are quite a number of outlets that the RCMP may not be aware of currently and these services provide that opportunity for that kind of collaboration," said Sesay.
He said over the course over the pandemic, many people accessed mental health services and there was a significant increase in virtual services. Now, he's seeing a return to pre-pandemic numbers.
He said meeting a client and directing them to proper resources is "way better than picking up a client in handcuffs in the back of a police vehicle."
Wood Buffalo RCMP Supt. Mark Hancock said the nurse will respond to mental health calls with a designated officer and they will attend the scene after the RCMP has made sure it's safe.
"I think it's a great alternative to just police responding to a mental health crisis," said Hancock.
Hancock said the RCMP has seen an increase in mental health calls. In 2019, there were 784 calls for service relating to mental health. In 2020 there were 917 calls. And in 2021, there were 946 calls.
So far in 2022 there have been 202 calls.
"It is something that you can see that the numbers are rising," said Hancock.
Rosilita Jn-Pierre, manager of addiction and mental health for Alberta Health Services in Fort McMurray, started working to bring the program to Fort McMurray two years ago.
She said it was a "long and slow process" to get the team together and operating during the pandemic and she's excited to see the start of the work.
"The goal here is meeting them in the community where they are at," said Jn-Pierre.
The nurse can help divert people away from the hospital, instead referring them to resources that may be more helpful, like addictions centres.
Currently, a nurse is working with PACT from 1 pm to 9 pm during the week, and that will be extended over the weekend as staff are trained.
Patrick Sesay, director of addiction and mental health for AHS North zone, said the program is currently funded for one year, but he said depending on its success, the grant could be extended or could be funded through Alberta Health Services operations.
"There are quite a number of outlets that the RCMP may not be aware of currently and these services provide that opportunity for that kind of collaboration," said Sesay.
He said over the course over the pandemic, many people accessed mental health services and there was a significant increase in virtual services. Now, he's seeing a return to pre-pandemic numbers.
He said meeting a client and directing them to proper resources is "way better than picking up a client in handcuffs in the back of a police vehicle."
Wood Buffalo RCMP Supt. Mark Hancock said the nurse will respond to mental health calls with a designated officer and they will attend the scene after the RCMP has made sure it's safe.
"I think it's a great alternative to just police responding to a mental health crisis," said Hancock.
Hancock said the RCMP has seen an increase in mental health calls. In 2019, there were 784 calls for service relating to mental health. In 2020 there were 917 calls. And in 2021, there were 946 calls.
So far in 2022 there have been 202 calls.
"It is something that you can see that the numbers are rising," said Hancock.
Nunavut Inuit experience more serious health complications after surgery than other Canadians, study finds
Nunavut Inuit are 25 per cent more likely to experience a serious complication within one month after surgery than non-Inuit patients, a new study has found.
© Ted Dillon/CBC
Policy changes
May Kimmaliardjuk said she's hoping the study will drive policy changes and improve outcomes for Inuit.
She said she'd love to see fully-staffed health centres in Nunavut communities, along with more resources that allow things like blood tests, X-rays or ultrasounds to take place.
She also would like to see continued investment in the Iqaluit Hospital, so more patients could be diagnosed and treated in the North.
She said she'd also like to see investments in telehealth so people could access specialists, like heart surgeons, much sooner and more cost effectively.
She said that while Inuit face more barriers than non-Inuit, including racism, they need to be their own best advocates.
"I know it is very difficult when you encounter a health-care provider who is racist or who is not taking your complaint seriously. And we know this exists," she said.
But she encourages Inuit to keep pushing health care providers until they get the health care they know they need.
"Don't settle for less," she said.
"Just because of where you live should not mean that you have less equitable access to care in Canada, a first world country. [It's] what everybody in Canada deserves, regardless of where you live or your ethnicity."
Nunavut Inuit are 25 per cent more likely to experience a serious complication within one month after surgery than non-Inuit patients, a new study has found.
© Ted Dillon/CBC
Dr. Donna May Kimmaliardjuk is Canada's first Inuk cardiac surgeon. She is one of several researchers who contributed to the first peer-reviewed medical study that looked at the surgical outcomes of Inuit.
The percentage rises to 58 per cent when it comes to elective surgeries, and to 63 per cent for cancer surgeries.
A team of Canadian researchers, including Inuit and other Indigenous researchers, believe it's because Nunavut Inuit experience barriers in accessing timely and culturally appropriate healthcare.
The researchers matched Inuit patients from the Qikiqtaaluk region, which includes Iqaluit, with non-Inuit patients who had similar surgeries, age, and medical conditions over a seven-year period. They looked at their outcomes within 30 days of having surgery at the Ottawa Hospital, which serves the region.
The peer-reviewed study, published in CMAJ Open, is the first one to look at the surgical outcomes of Inuit.
In addition to the higher rates of complications, the researchers also found higher rates of being readmitted to hospital within those 30 days or staying in hospital longer compared to non-Inuit patients, according to Dr. Donna May Kimmaliardjuk, the first Inuk cardiac surgeon in Canada, who is one of the study's authors.
She added that the higher rates resulted in higher costs of hospital care "and a greater chance of being discharged to a long-term care or assisted-living facility rather than being able to go straight back home."
Systemic barriers
Dr. Jason McVicar, a Métis anesthesiologist at Ottawa Hospital and assistant professor at the University of Ottawa who led the study, said that the healthier patients are when they arrive for surgery, the better their outcomes.
He said because Inuit in Nunavut face systemic barriers, including just accessing primary care, they often come to surgery when their diseases are more advanced compared to other Canadians.
"It makes the surgery harder and increases our risk of complications afterwards," added May Kimmaliardjuk.
The percentage rises to 58 per cent when it comes to elective surgeries, and to 63 per cent for cancer surgeries.
A team of Canadian researchers, including Inuit and other Indigenous researchers, believe it's because Nunavut Inuit experience barriers in accessing timely and culturally appropriate healthcare.
The researchers matched Inuit patients from the Qikiqtaaluk region, which includes Iqaluit, with non-Inuit patients who had similar surgeries, age, and medical conditions over a seven-year period. They looked at their outcomes within 30 days of having surgery at the Ottawa Hospital, which serves the region.
The peer-reviewed study, published in CMAJ Open, is the first one to look at the surgical outcomes of Inuit.
In addition to the higher rates of complications, the researchers also found higher rates of being readmitted to hospital within those 30 days or staying in hospital longer compared to non-Inuit patients, according to Dr. Donna May Kimmaliardjuk, the first Inuk cardiac surgeon in Canada, who is one of the study's authors.
She added that the higher rates resulted in higher costs of hospital care "and a greater chance of being discharged to a long-term care or assisted-living facility rather than being able to go straight back home."
Systemic barriers
Dr. Jason McVicar, a Métis anesthesiologist at Ottawa Hospital and assistant professor at the University of Ottawa who led the study, said that the healthier patients are when they arrive for surgery, the better their outcomes.
He said because Inuit in Nunavut face systemic barriers, including just accessing primary care, they often come to surgery when their diseases are more advanced compared to other Canadians.
"It makes the surgery harder and increases our risk of complications afterwards," added May Kimmaliardjuk.
Policy changes
May Kimmaliardjuk said she's hoping the study will drive policy changes and improve outcomes for Inuit.
She said she'd love to see fully-staffed health centres in Nunavut communities, along with more resources that allow things like blood tests, X-rays or ultrasounds to take place.
She also would like to see continued investment in the Iqaluit Hospital, so more patients could be diagnosed and treated in the North.
She said she'd also like to see investments in telehealth so people could access specialists, like heart surgeons, much sooner and more cost effectively.
She said that while Inuit face more barriers than non-Inuit, including racism, they need to be their own best advocates.
"I know it is very difficult when you encounter a health-care provider who is racist or who is not taking your complaint seriously. And we know this exists," she said.
But she encourages Inuit to keep pushing health care providers until they get the health care they know they need.
"Don't settle for less," she said.
"Just because of where you live should not mean that you have less equitable access to care in Canada, a first world country. [It's] what everybody in Canada deserves, regardless of where you live or your ethnicity."
Anishinaabe elder looks to build momentum for community's return to traditional homeland in Ontario
Jon Thompson -CBC
An Anishinaabe elder is gathering support and building momentum for his community to return to their traditional territory in northwestern Ontario.
Temius Nate held the first meeting of the Miminiska Group in Thunder Bay in late March with about 30 members. They are the descendants of families who lived on Miminiska Lake near Eabametoong First Nation, about 350 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay.
Nate estimates 80 to 100 members of the Eabametoong First Nation are eligible to join the Miminiska Group, including 10 members who left more than 50 years ago. They now live in Eabametoong, Thunder Bay and other communities in northern Ontario.
"It's where I was the happiest in my life and I'm still the happiest when I go back there," Nate says. "It's my home and I'll do what it takes to keep it."
© Jon Thompson/CBC
Memories of living together
Nate recalls the Indian agent first landing at Miminiska in 1959, informing the large eight or 10 families who lived there that they had to move to Eabametoong so their children could get an education. He said none budged.
The agent returned over five years, Nate said, bringing pallets of canned meat, then vouchers for goods at the store in Eabametoong. Families made the 40-kilometre trek to the reserve and came back. Finally in 1964, a member of his family was elected to Eabametoong council and almost everyone moved.
The children and grandchildren of many who lived on Miminiska Lake still return, mostly in the summer.
A 15-kilometre trap line set back from the shore remains. The cabin and church Nate's father, Edward, built are still standing near where he's buried. Edward died in 1991, having never left.
Mary Lou Baxter and her younger sister Flora Baxter attended the Miminiska Group's first organizing meeting.
Now in their 50s, they were members of the first generation of Miminiska families to grow up in Eabametoong. But when school let out in the spring, they looked forward to going back to live at the lake with their grandparents.
Flora remembers her mother telling her throughout her youth that Eabametoong wasn't really her home and she's ambitious to help the families to get back.
"She said: 'My home is actually Miminiska. We were actually brought here. We were moved here,'" Flora recalls. "And I never totally understood that until just in the past few years here .. so I would like to be part of it in any way."
Mary Lou said she'd consider moving to Miminiska Lake if a community developed there.
Economic potential in region
When members can raise the money they need to move home, Nate believes the grandchildren of the people who left Miminiska Lake will finally inherit the economy he was promised in his youth.
When he was a child, an engineer told him harnessing the energy of nearby waterfalls could generate enough hydro to power all of Toronto and Montreal. He can remember prospectors blasting and drilling nearby. Now, with prospective roads and power lines angling toward the Ring of Fire mining deposit northeast of Eabametoong, Nate sees those promises renewed.
The Miminiska Lodge built in 1944 remains a popular fly-in fishing destination for walleye and pike. Thunder Bay-based Wilderness North bought the lodge and seven cabins in 2007. Its president, Alan Cheeseman, said the lodge has employed local guides for generations and would welcome any members who want to return.
"I don't see a big conflict at all. We're selling wilderness and we're selling remoteness. We're selling the fact that wilderness is healthy and I think everybody needs to get back on the land to some degree."
The lodge has also been hosting prospectors digging through the same deposits Nate saw their predecessors exploring a lifetime ago.
© CBC
Jon Thompson -CBC
An Anishinaabe elder is gathering support and building momentum for his community to return to their traditional territory in northwestern Ontario.
Temius Nate held the first meeting of the Miminiska Group in Thunder Bay in late March with about 30 members. They are the descendants of families who lived on Miminiska Lake near Eabametoong First Nation, about 350 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay.
Nate estimates 80 to 100 members of the Eabametoong First Nation are eligible to join the Miminiska Group, including 10 members who left more than 50 years ago. They now live in Eabametoong, Thunder Bay and other communities in northern Ontario.
"It's where I was the happiest in my life and I'm still the happiest when I go back there," Nate says. "It's my home and I'll do what it takes to keep it."
© Jon Thompson/CBC
A map of the area around Miminiska Lake in northwestern Ontario near Eabametoong First Nation, the focus of the Miminiska Group's efforts to return to their traditional homeland.
Eabametoong Chief Solomon Atlookan said the parties are "working on the finer issues and details," but is not yet commenting on the Miminiska Group's intentions to return.
Eabametoong's chief and council officially recognized Miminiska Group through a band council resolution in 2009, but the resolution says the group must formally apply to the federal government to be recognized as a new band.
Indigenous Services Canada also encouraged the group to apply to be recognized as a band in 2019, but the group has yet to do that.
"This group has expressed their desire to reclaim and relocate to their traditional area around Miminiska Lake in northwestern Ontario in the past," a spokesperson wrote in an email to CBC News. "To date, Indigenous Services Canada has not received a formal request for band separation from this group."
Nate said he has no intention of following that process.
"We want to be a band but we don't want to have a reserve," he said. "As a reserve, the government owns the land and you're boxed in there like an animal on a farm. That doesn't do any good for people wanting to do business with us. We don't need Indian Affairs to tell us we're a band."
It's unclear how the group could achieve band status without following the process set out by the federal government.
Eabametoong Chief Solomon Atlookan said the parties are "working on the finer issues and details," but is not yet commenting on the Miminiska Group's intentions to return.
Eabametoong's chief and council officially recognized Miminiska Group through a band council resolution in 2009, but the resolution says the group must formally apply to the federal government to be recognized as a new band.
Indigenous Services Canada also encouraged the group to apply to be recognized as a band in 2019, but the group has yet to do that.
"This group has expressed their desire to reclaim and relocate to their traditional area around Miminiska Lake in northwestern Ontario in the past," a spokesperson wrote in an email to CBC News. "To date, Indigenous Services Canada has not received a formal request for band separation from this group."
Nate said he has no intention of following that process.
"We want to be a band but we don't want to have a reserve," he said. "As a reserve, the government owns the land and you're boxed in there like an animal on a farm. That doesn't do any good for people wanting to do business with us. We don't need Indian Affairs to tell us we're a band."
It's unclear how the group could achieve band status without following the process set out by the federal government.
Memories of living together
Nate recalls the Indian agent first landing at Miminiska in 1959, informing the large eight or 10 families who lived there that they had to move to Eabametoong so their children could get an education. He said none budged.
The agent returned over five years, Nate said, bringing pallets of canned meat, then vouchers for goods at the store in Eabametoong. Families made the 40-kilometre trek to the reserve and came back. Finally in 1964, a member of his family was elected to Eabametoong council and almost everyone moved.
The children and grandchildren of many who lived on Miminiska Lake still return, mostly in the summer.
A 15-kilometre trap line set back from the shore remains. The cabin and church Nate's father, Edward, built are still standing near where he's buried. Edward died in 1991, having never left.
Mary Lou Baxter and her younger sister Flora Baxter attended the Miminiska Group's first organizing meeting.
Now in their 50s, they were members of the first generation of Miminiska families to grow up in Eabametoong. But when school let out in the spring, they looked forward to going back to live at the lake with their grandparents.
Flora remembers her mother telling her throughout her youth that Eabametoong wasn't really her home and she's ambitious to help the families to get back.
"She said: 'My home is actually Miminiska. We were actually brought here. We were moved here,'" Flora recalls. "And I never totally understood that until just in the past few years here .. so I would like to be part of it in any way."
Mary Lou said she'd consider moving to Miminiska Lake if a community developed there.
Economic potential in region
When members can raise the money they need to move home, Nate believes the grandchildren of the people who left Miminiska Lake will finally inherit the economy he was promised in his youth.
When he was a child, an engineer told him harnessing the energy of nearby waterfalls could generate enough hydro to power all of Toronto and Montreal. He can remember prospectors blasting and drilling nearby. Now, with prospective roads and power lines angling toward the Ring of Fire mining deposit northeast of Eabametoong, Nate sees those promises renewed.
The Miminiska Lodge built in 1944 remains a popular fly-in fishing destination for walleye and pike. Thunder Bay-based Wilderness North bought the lodge and seven cabins in 2007. Its president, Alan Cheeseman, said the lodge has employed local guides for generations and would welcome any members who want to return.
"I don't see a big conflict at all. We're selling wilderness and we're selling remoteness. We're selling the fact that wilderness is healthy and I think everybody needs to get back on the land to some degree."
The lodge has also been hosting prospectors digging through the same deposits Nate saw their predecessors exploring a lifetime ago.
© CBC
Miminiska Lake is near Eabmetoon First Nation, about 350 kilometres from Thunder Bay, Ont.
On April 6, Canadian mining company Lithoquest announced it had completed geological surveys and begun drilling within a 5,500-hectare area northeast of Miminiska Lake. The company's president, Bruce Counts, called the site an "exceptional opportunity" with "high-grade gold mineralization," according to surveys of the site.
Lithoquest has ceased drilling in order to consult with Eabametoong and expects work will resume in the summer.
Counts said the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed consultation, and while he wouldn't comment on whether or not the company intends to consult with Miminiska Group, he said his team "has not yet had an opportunity to meaningfully engage and meet with all community stakeholders involved in our project."
Nate wants to be party to Lithoquest to be consulted. He's also pushing for Ontario to engage Miminiska Group over the licence to operate the airstrip, which has been in the hands of the lodge operators for decades, but was established with local First Nations directors when it was first built.
On April 6, Canadian mining company Lithoquest announced it had completed geological surveys and begun drilling within a 5,500-hectare area northeast of Miminiska Lake. The company's president, Bruce Counts, called the site an "exceptional opportunity" with "high-grade gold mineralization," according to surveys of the site.
Lithoquest has ceased drilling in order to consult with Eabametoong and expects work will resume in the summer.
Counts said the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed consultation, and while he wouldn't comment on whether or not the company intends to consult with Miminiska Group, he said his team "has not yet had an opportunity to meaningfully engage and meet with all community stakeholders involved in our project."
Nate wants to be party to Lithoquest to be consulted. He's also pushing for Ontario to engage Miminiska Group over the licence to operate the airstrip, which has been in the hands of the lodge operators for decades, but was established with local First Nations directors when it was first built.
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