Rick Garrick — Wawatay News

Former Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario James Bartleman called for equal funding of First Nations education during his keynote speech at Diversity Thunder Bay’s 6th Annual Celebration Breakfast, held March 23 at the Valhalla Inn.
“We need to have justice for the Native children who live on reserve and who go to schools that are falling apart,” said Bartleman, a Chippewas of Mnjikaning band member, diplomat and author of five books, including As Long as the Rivers Flow. “We need simple human justice so they receive the same level of funding as non-native kids.”

The Sioux Lookout businesswoman who started a survey asking for “our town back” says she is not racist.
“Everybody is so quick to jump on the bandwagon and call me racist,” said Nancy Roy, owner of Roy Lane. “But really, it has nothing to do with that; it has everything to do with making our community clean, safe, welcoming and a celebration of a 100 years.”
But a spokesperson with the Sioux Lookout Anti-Racism Committee (SLARC) said the petition put out by Roy touched a nerve because of the underlying racism in the community.

The Anishinabek Nation is moving towards self-governance by preparing to adopt their Anishinaabe Chi-Naaknigewin constitution this coming June.
The Anishinabek Nation is also close to education and governance agreements with the federal government.
“We have many historic moments approaching and we will not fail our people,” said Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee, who described the Anishinaabe Chi-Naaknigewin as a stepping stone that will guide the Nation’s path to self-governance.

ᕑᐃᐠ ᑲᕑᐃᐠ
ᐊᐧᐊᐧᑌ ᐊᒋᒧᐃᐧᓇᐣ
ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐃᐧᓂᓂ ᑫᑯᓀᐣ ᐊᐣᒋᑯ ᑭᔭᐱᐨ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐣ ᐁᐅᐣᒋ ᒪᒥᓂᑕᐧ ᐃᑭᐁᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᐊᐧᓂᔭᐸᒋᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐣ.
“ᒥᔑᐣ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ ᒥᓇᑲᓄᐊᐧᐠ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᓂ ᒣᑐᑐᐣ ᑲᐃᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᐃᐧᓴᑫᐣᑕᒧᒪᐡᑭᑭ ᐁᐅᐣᒋ ᑲᑫᐧᐃᒋᐦᐃᐣᑕᐧ ᒋᐅᒋ ᐊᓄᑲᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᑎᐯᓂᒥᑯᐊᐧᐨ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᑫᐃᐧᐣ,” ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᕑᐊᓫᑊ ᒐᐧᐣᓴᐣ, ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐃᐧᓂᓂ ᐊᐧᓂᓇᐊᐧᑲᐠ ᐁᑲᐯᔑᐨ. “ᓇᐣᑕ ᐱᑯ ᒥᑕᓱᔭᑭ ᓇᐣᑕ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᒣ ᐅᑕᐱᒥᐅᑕᐱᓇᓇᐊᐧ ᐃᐁᐧᓂ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᓂ. ᒥᑕᐡ ᐃᑯ ᐁᔑᓇᑲᐧᐠ ᑯᑕᑭᓂ ᐸᑲᐣ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᓂ ᐁᒥᐡᑲᐧᒋ ᑎᐯᓂᒥᑯᐊᐧᐨ.”
ᒐᐧᐣᓴᐣ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᒥᔑᐣ ᑲᑭᐱᐊᐧᐃᐧᒋᐦᐊᐨ ᒥᓇ ᑲᑭᑲᐡᑭᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᒋᓀᐱᒋ ᐳᓂᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᐅᑭᔭᐸᒋᑐᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᓇᑕᐃᐧᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᓂ ᐁᐧᑎ ᐱᑲᑕᐧᑲᒥᑯ ᓇᑕᐃᐧᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐱᒧᑐᐨ ᑕᓱᓂᐱᐣ ᐁᐧᑎ ᑭᒥᐊᐧᓂᓴᑲᐦᐃᑲᓂᐠ.

National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo is calling for First Nations to be involved from the outset in resource development.
“Currently, First Nations are often the last to know about major resource development,” Atleo said during his April 23 economics of reconciliation speech at the Canadian Club of Toronto. “This relegates our communities to few options and usually results in confrontation. So we end up with protests and legal battles that frustrate opportunity for everyone and deepen tensions today and in the future.”