Rick Garrick — Wawatay News

Thunder Bay Police Const. Barry Ritch knows first-hand how it feels to have an object thrown at him from a moving vehicle.
“It happened right at the station,” Ritch said about an incident that happened to him about five years ago. “I was jogging before I start my shift and a beer bottle was thrown at my head.”
Ritch said a similar incident had just happened at a bar so the police were able to track down the suspect and charge him with assault with a weapon.
“He ended up going to jail,” Ritch said. “He wrote an apology letter from jail to me, which is fantastic.”

Nishnawbe Aski Nation education week highlights career options for Aboriginal students
Northern Nishnawbe Education Council (NNEC) is encouraging Grade 9 students to choose a career path for their future.
“Most often we ask them what do you like or what are you good at,” said NNEC executive director Jennifer Manitowabi during a break at NAN Education Awareness Week, held May 24-27 at the Victoria Inn in Thunder Bay. “If they can identify those two things, that might help them pick their area.”

The Matawa First Nation communities have been offered up to $9.6 million over three years to develop core capacity to participate in the Ring of Fire initiative.
“The funding was intended to support whatever specific community needs were identified,” said Christine Kaszycki, Ontario’s Ring of Fire coordinator. “There are a range of things that are available and the communities have the opportunity to submit a funding request and through that identify the approach that they would be taking as part of their proposal.”

Former residential school students were given a chance to share their stories during Nishnawbe Aski Nation’s Residential School Gathering June 11-12 in Thunder Bay.
The memorial walk Ronnie Moonias held last year to honour students who attended St. Joseph’s Indian Board School (Fort William Indian Residential School) was featured on the first day of the residential school gathering. The Neskangata band member attended the residential school, which is located in Thunder Bay, from 1962-1968.
Moonias said a lot of things happened while he was at residential school.

A plan to improve the lives of First Nations people in Canada was announced June 9 by the federal government and the Assembly of First Nations.
The Canada-First Nations Joint Action Plan is a commitment for the AFN and government to strengthen their relationship. The plan will focus on four areas: education; accountability, transparency, capacity and good governance; economic development; and negotiation and implementation.
AFN National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo said the plan will recognize and affirm Aboriginal and treaty rights.