Brendan Babcock is undergoing his second round of treatment for a rare form of cancer, cutaneous T cell lymphoma.
“He was diagnosed in April,” said his mother, Leah Menzies, a constable with Nishnawbe Aski Police Service in Sioux Lookout. “It’s an aggressive type (of cancer) and they have to do a bone marrow transplant.”
Ontario Regional Chief Angus Toulouse said a one-size-fits-all approach will not address the epidemic of prescription drug abuse in First Nations communities.
“The prescription drug abuse problem is an epidemic in our communities and it is imperative we are part of developing an effective solution that will begin to address this devastating situation,” Toulouse said.
“The best fries in Thunder Bay.”
That was how Gabrielle Cross’s fast food takeout business – Gabby’s Spudz & More – was described during the 2010 First Nations Women’s Day dinner and awards ceremony, held Oct. 5 by Beendigen Inc. Crisis Home and Counselling Services in Thunder Bay.
“It was an honour to be in the presence of such great women,” said Cross, one of 19 women honoured for their achievements during the awards ceremony.
Don’t be nervous. Don’t pollute the water. Don’t marry white girls.
These were some of the warnings Christian Chapman received when he was growing up in Fort William First Nation.
He related those warning in his latest set of work Don’t Eat the Fish, which will be exhibited at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery from Nov. 5 to Dec. 12
“I just put some imagery to these don’ts,” Chapman said. “You have to see it.”
Chapman has been working on the images during the past six months.
Sandi Boucher has gathered her mother’s teachings into a daily inspirational guidebook to share with others.
“Everything stems from when my mom passed away,” said Boucher, whose mother was originally from Couchiching First Nation near Fort Frances but lived in Hudson with her husband and children for many years. “She had all these amazing teachings and I am her only daughter and I only have one daughter.”
Eabametoong First Nation is pleading for help after three murders, numerous cases of arson and a number of animal mutilations have occurred since January.
“The situation in our community has escalated out of control and is now so serious that many people sleep with a fire extinguisher beside them, fearful that their home could be set on fire next,” said Eabametoong Chief Lewis Nate. “No one should have to live like this, it’s devastating.”
Moose Cree First Nation has signed on to a housing fund program to help community members buy or build homes on reserve.
A smile and thanks is all the reason Ken Goodwin Jr. needs to support the Sandy Lake traditional foods bank.
“After you give an Elder the finished product, to see the smile on their face, that’s the only kick I get out of it, just seeing them smile like that,” said Goodwin, a fishing volunteer with the traditional foods bank and communications officer with the band. “It’s like their face just lights up.”
Goodwin said people in need are thankful for the assistance they receive from the traditional foods bank.
The Thunder Mountain Singers pounded out a different drumbeat during a two-day concert at Magnus Theatre in Thunder Bay.
“It was a great way to showcase the Aboriginal culture, the traditions — the content was awesome,” said Gary Gustafson during a break in the Oct. 16 performance of A Celebration of One Voice One Nation at the Thunder Bay theatre.
He said the more the group performs, the more it can bring awareness to the general public about who Aboriginal people really are.
Wabigoon Lake’s Donna Chief is proud of her community’s response to her same-sex marriage.
“They are very progressive,” said Chief, vice principal with Seven Generations Education Institute and a champion softball pitcher who attended Mayville State University in North Dakota on a softball scholarship. “With same-sex marriage, they welcome that as something new for the area and they’ve totally embraced it.
“It’s funny, now that they know my lifestyle, they’re finally feeling comfortable enough to tease me about it.”
When I was a boy growing up in my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast, I was deathly afraid of looking at the full moon.
I grew up...
I’m happy to see the ongoing support and assistance in our northern remote communities to help our people cope with so many lifelong and generational issues...