NEWS
News briefs Jan. 30 - Feb. 2/12
Attawapiskat files injunction
Attawapiskat First Nation has filed an injunction against the federal government's move for a third party manager.
Chief Theresa Spence says they tried talking with the government before taking court action - but were unsuccessful.
Chief Theresa Spence
The hearing was held February 1st in a Toronto court.... the decision on the injunction is expected this week.
Meanwhile, Timmins James Bay MP Charlie Angus has told APTN National News that the Third party manager is sitting on funds the community needs to prepare the site work for the new modular homes.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan said the funds haven't been released because the band leadership has refused to give the third-party manager requested information.
Sakimay favours deal
Members of Sakimay First Nation in Saskatchewan have voted in favour of accepting $21 million for that was flooded in the 1940's.
The Winnipeg Free Press reports the deal was reached earlier this month between the community, the federal government and the province.
The settlement was over a water control structure built on Crooked Lake in the Qu'apelle Valle, east of Regina.
In 1998, the Indian Claims Commission ruled that there was no proper authorization to build the structure or flood reserve land.
Vancouver Island Fire Investigations
The B.C Coroner is looking into three fires that have happened on Vancouver Island First Nations.
The Coroner wants to find out if there are any similarities in the fires which were the cause of four deaths.
The Nanaimo Bulletin reports the most recent fire, on Nanoose First Nation lands on January 25th, took the lives of two young girls.
Drug Strategy in Northern Ontario
Matawa First Nations have come up with a strategy to address prescription drug abuse in its nine communities.
The proposed strategy includes adequate aftercare, safe houses for people undergoing treatment, counsellors and two treatment centres - proposed to be built in Constance Lake and Fort Hope First Nations.
The plan comes with a price tag - 34million dollars.
CBC reports Matawa will take its drug strategy proposal to the federal government and to Ring of Fire companies to raise private donations.
Remote healthcare - distressing
Joyce Atcheson is former registered nurse. She worked in northern Aboriginal communities.
Atcheson claims the demands placed on nurses are big... and not something that would happen in southern mainstream communities.
Atcheson says she's handled complete emergencies including an overdose in a remote community....
And that's not something she would have had to handle as a nurse practitioner in a mainstream community.
Atcheson says to avoid poor healthcare in remote First Nations - nurse practitioner training should be made more available...
Plus she says there should be accountability from the medical community in the provinces across Canada.
Stayed tuned to Bamoseda in coming weeks as we look into healthcare in remote Aboriginal communities....
NAN hosts energy conference
The Nishnawbe Aski Nation hosted an energy conference this week.
Deputy Grand Chief Les Louttit told CBC - NANs top priority is to get all of its communities hooked up to the grid.
He said most of the far north communities are powered by diesel generation which is both costly and a hazard to the environment.
Louttit also said NAN wants to look into starting up an energy company of their own to provide electricity to mining companies in the Ring of Fire area
The three day conference was held in Thunder Bay.
Private Member's Bill to repeal Indian Act
A First Nations Conservative MP Rob Clark has prepared a private member's bill to repeal the Indian Act.
APTN reports the NDP and Liberal party members question if PM Harper is supportive of the Saskatchewan MP's bill.
Rob Clark wasn't available for comment.
AFN Shawn Atleo meanwhile, says any changes to the Indian Act requires consultation.
One MP thinks assimilation is the goal of the private members bill.
Yukon land claim quashed by Supreme court
CBC reports, the Yukon Supreme Court said the federal government has no legal obligation to negotiate unsettled land claims in the territory.
A judge has said that government promises from 140 years ago to the Ross River Dena are not legally enforceable.
The First Nation had suspended land claim negotiations 10 years ago with no agreement.
Lawyers for the Dena Council have been in court since, hoping to force a deal with Ottawa.
The lawyers insisted that a 140-year-old edict should be honoured.
The edict - is the Order of 1870 - and it made Yukon and parts of the N.W.T. part of
Canada, and also included orders to compensate First Nations for loss of lands.
But Supreme Court Justice Leigh Gower said the Dena interpretation ignores the historical context of that order.
He said enforcement was up to the discretion of Parliament and the courts have no authority to intervene.
Gower added that the court had no legal force 140 years ago and he found no evidence that has changed.
He concluded that ‘when and how’ Ottawa negotiates claims is at the federal government’s discretion.
Kaska Dena lawyer Steven Walsh said he’s disappointed by the ruling and plans to discuss it with his clients.
We Are All Treaty People
The Anishinabek Nation is re-doubling its effort to educate people on treaties.
Last week, many people heard that First Nations want their treaties... which in some cases are more than 150 years old.. implemented...
The Anishinabek Nation is promoting book 'We Are All Treaty People' by Communications Director Maurice Switzer. He says the topic is something most Canadians don't know about.
Switzer adds the 36 page graphic novel is for children of all ages and is a good primer for people wanting to learn about treaties.
Big names to attend Great Moon Gathering
This year - The Great Moon Gathering is welcoming The Tragically Hip and author Joseph Boyden to its annual conference.
Edmund Metatawabin is the Chair of the Committee in northern Ontario. He says the educational event is held during a culturally significant time.
About 40 workshops will focus on both traditional and contemporary Aboriginal education and the gathering also celebrates the diversity of the Cree Nation.
The event will be held in Fort Albany February 15 to the 17th. Its hosted by the Mushkegowuk Council and this will be the gatherings 20th anniversary.
Walking Together in Alberta
Dwayne Donald is professor at the University of Alberta. And he recently participated in an Aboriginal educational initiative by the province.
The project is called Walking Together.
Donald says his involvement in the project revolved around Indigenous Pedagogy...
Donald says he uses an example of winter counts as a teaching tool...
The Walking Together website is a teaching tool for students and educators.... and also includes interviews with Elders in the province.
Robert Munsch book available in Inuit
Children's author - Robert Munschs' book - Just One Goal has been translated into Inuit.
The Canadian Press reports the book in Inuit has been published by The Nunavut Literacy Council.
The story...Just One Goal... tells the tale of a girl, who struggles to get a hockey rink built closer to home in her Northwest Territories home.
The council says Munsch stayed with its executive director, Kim Crockatt, and her family when he was in Cambridge Bay a few years ago.
While he was there, Munsch encouraged her to publish his books in Inuktitut, a language of eastern Nunavut, and Inuinnaqtun, a dialect of the western region.
So far, three of Munsch's books have been translated over the last three years.
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