Xavier Kataquapit

For some time now huge companies have been taking water from the ground, bottling it and selling it to make big profits. For the most part these companies like Nestle don’t pay all that much for the right to draw this water out of the ground and they do a good job of marketing it all across Canada.

I got involved in journalism over 20 years ago because I was lucky enough to meet a seasoned journalist who convinced me that I should put my writing talents to use by producing a column and articles for Native publications. As a teenager growing up in Northern Ontario, I dealt with low self esteem as myself and my peers felt marginalized and isolated in our tiny First Nation of Attawapiskat . Whenever my people happened to be featured in newspapers, television news or on the radio it was focused mostly on some terrible tragedy. Very few Native people were involved in media production.

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I feel a greater sense of hope and optimism these days for the future when I talk to many of our young First Nation people. There are still many hurdles and difficulties they have to overcome but in many ways, they are becoming stronger, smarter and more confident people. I’ve witnessed those changes personally through the annual Wabun Youth Gathering, which I have been fortunate enough to attend regularly over the past decade.

Kirkland and Englehart and District Hospitals recently hosted a series of Cultural Mindfulness Workshops for frontline health care staff to inform them on Indigenous history and issues affecting First Nation communities. George Couchie, a recognized workshop facilitator with over 20 years of experience in teaching First Nation culture, issues and awareness training, led three workshops which took place on September 11 and 13 at the Kirkland and District Hospital and on the 12th at the Englehart and District Hospital.