Wawatay News
FEBRUARY 16, 2012
19
ᐧᐊᐧᐊᑌ ᐊᒋᒧᐧᐃᓇᐣ
Youth learn of living treaties during gathering ‘Awesome’ conference teaches rights and empowerment Rick Garrick Wawatay News
Keewaywin’s Julian Mamakeesic was impressed with this years’ Oshkaatisak Niigaan Oji Gathering for Nishnawbe Aski Nation youth. “It was awesome,” Mamakeesic said. “I found out about my rights, education and getting community tools going.” Mamakeesic said the keynote presentation by Doris Slipperjack, the subject of a short documentary on prescription drug addictions, was the most interesting event during the gathering, which was held Feb. 7-9 at the Best Western Nor’Wester Hotel and Conference Centre outside of Thunder Bay. “I found that was pretty inspiring, how she is a recovering addict,” Mamakeesic said. “So many people can relate to that.” Mamakeesic also found the youth engagement workshop by Laura Calmwind to be very informative. “She told her story about different rights,” Mamakeesic said. “She also taught us about the treaty — there was a written treaty and a spirit and intent kind of treaty that our ancestors had. It was pretty cool to learn that we never really surrendered our land, we kind of shared it.” The gathering started off with a morning of icebreaker sessions led by Stan Wesley, who originally created and played the Bunnuck character on Wawatay TV back in the 1990s. “When things weren’t good enough (many years ago) they were called nuck,” Wesley said. “When I was a kid they started calling things that weren’t good enough bunnuck. It was a big time rundown.” Wesley said his biggest Bunnuck fan was in attendance at the gathering, pointing out Grand Chief Stan Beardy. “He pronounces (my name) as bannock,” Wesley said. “He says bannock.” Beardy said he had always called Bunnuck bannock because he thought he had named himself after the popular food. “Many changes have happened to us as First Nations people,” Beardy said. “For the last 10,000 years there have been two principles that have guided our people. One is our special relationship with the Creator, and that is why this morning at the start of this session our Elder offered a prayer of acknowledgement to the Creator.” Beardy said the second principle is the special relationship First Nations people have with the land, which has sustained them in the past, continues to sustain them today and will sustain them in the future. “So it becomes very important as young people ... you are the future,” Beardy said. “It becomes very important for you to understand who you are, where you came from and your past.” Beardy said it is important for First Nations youth to make every effort to understand who they are and what they are. “Without a past, it’s very difficult if not impossible to go forward and be successful,” Beardy said. In addition to Slipperjack’s keynote presentation, the gath-
“It becomes very important for you to understand who you are.” -NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy
ering also featured a sweat lodge, a movie night and a performance by two-time Juno Award winner Derek Miller. “NAN recognizes that our youth are the future of our generation,” said NAN Deputy Grand Chief Les Louttit. “More than ever, NAN youth are engaging in community initiatives, becoming better
educated, and branching out into rewarding First Nation job opportunities. But there are also many challenges facing our youth. We hope this gathering further nurtures First Nation cultural opportunities for our youth, while also developing strategies to help our youth overcome the more difficult issues facing them.” Presentations on healthy needs, gang prevention, youth in First Nations governance, youth empowerment and economic development and a career fair on health and opportunities related to the Ring of Fire also took place during the gathering.
photo by Rick Garrick/Wawatay News
Oshkaatisak (Young People’s) Council member Doris Slipperjack, bottom centre, delivered a keynote presentation on prescription drug addictions during the Oshkaatisak Niigaan Oji Gathering, held Feb. 7-9 in Thunder Bay.
NOTICE OF COMMENCEMENT OF DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR PROVINCIAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (Cliffs) recently initiated a provincial and federal Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Cliffs Chromite Project. The provincial EA will assess the following three components of the Project: 1) The Mine Site located near McFaulds Lake; 2) An Ore Processing Facility, co-located at the Mine Site; and 3) An Integrated Transportation System (ITS) to transport product/supplies and workers to and from the Mine Site. The forth component of the Project, a Ferrochrome Production Facility (FPF), will be assessed as part of the federal EA, and is not subject to the provincial EA process. As part of the planning process for the provincial EA and as required by the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act, a draft Terms of Reference has been prepared by Cliffs. If approved, the Terms of Reference will serve as a framework for the preparation and review of the provincial EA. Community members, government agencies and other interested persons are encouraged to actively participate in the provincial EA planning process by reviewing the draft Terms of Reference and submitting comments and questions to the following Cliffs personnel: Arthur Moore, District Manager - Aboriginal Relations 1159 Alloy Drive, Ste. 200, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 6M8 Phone: 807-768-3012, Fax: 807-346-0778 Arthur.Moore@CliffsNR.com
Providing your comments on the draft Terms of Reference helps Cliffs to identify issues early in the planning process, and allows gaps to be corrected before the final Terms of Reference is submitted to the regulators for formal review. Any comments on the draft Terms of Reference must be submitted to Cliffs by March 17, 2012. Upcoming Open Houses Over the next couple of months, Cliffs is organizing Open Houses in many communities to present and hear your feedback on the draft Terms of Reference. When dates are finalized, Open Houses will be advertised in local newspapers and/or on local radio stations, and through our Project website. Notice of the Open Houses will also be posted in Band Offices where newspaper advertisements may not be possible.
Documents Available for Review Copies of the draft Terms of Reference are available for review and comment electronically on the Project website at www.cliffsnaturalresources.com. Paper copies are available for review at the following locations during regular business hours: Ministry of the Environment Approvals Branch Floor 12A 2 St. Clair Ave West Toronto, M4V 1L5 Ministry of the Environment Thunder Bay District Office Suite 331, 435 James St South, Thunder Bay P7E 6S7 Ministry of the Environment Sudbury District Office 199 Larch Street - Suite 1201 Sudbury P3E 5P9
Valley East Public Library 4100 Elmview Drive, Hanmer P3P 1J7 Capreol Citizen Service Centre & Library 1-9 Morin Street, Capreol P0M 1H0 Brodie Resource Library 216 South Brodie Street, Thunder Bay P7E 1C2
Ministry of the Environment Timmins District Office Ontario Govt. Complex Hwy 101 East South Porcupine, P0N 1H0
Waverley Resource Library 285 Red River Road, Thunder Bay P7B 1A9
Greenstone Municipal Office 1800 Main Street Geraldton, P0T 1M0
Elsie Dugard Centennial Library 405 Second St West, Geraldton P0T 1M0
Thunder Bay Municipal Office 500 Donald Street East, 3rd floor Thunder Bay P7C 5K4
Greenstone Public Library Longlac Branch 110 Kenogami, Longlac P0T 2A0
City of Greater Sudbury Municipal Office 200 Brady St. Sudbury, P3A 5P3
Beardmore Ward Office 78 Pearl Street Beardmore P0T 1G0
Timmins City Hall 220 Algonquin Blvd. East Timmins, P4N 1B3
Nakina Ward Office 200 Centre Avenue Nakina P0T 2H0
Timmins Public Library 320 Second Avenue Timmins, P4N 8A4
Main Public Library Mackenzie Branch 74 MacKenzie Street,
A copy of the draft Terms of Reference has been mailed to the communities listed below. If you would like a copy of the draft Terms of Reference please contact Arthur Moore (please see adjacent contact information).
Aroland First Nation - Marten Falls First Nation Wahnapitae First Nation - Webequie First Nation Attawapiskat First Nation - Eabametoong First Nation Fort Albany First Nation - Ginoogaming First Nation Long Lake First Nation #58 - Neskantanga First Nation Whitefish River First Nation - Constance Lake First Nation - Kashechewan First Nation -Nibinamik First Nation - Red Sky Métis Independent Nation – Temagami First Nation - Anishnawbek (Whitefish Lake) First Nation - Matawa Tribal Council - Mushkegowuk Council - Métis Nation of Ontario
Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Environmental Assessment Act, unless otherwise stated in the submission, any personal information such as name, address, telephone number and property location included in a submission will become part of the public record files for this matter and will be released, if requested, to any person.