Xavier Kataquapit

I am always thrilled at the sight of the first snowfall. A few days ago I awoke to my day and was pleasantly surprised to see outside my window that there was a soft fresh blanket of snow covering the pines and forest floor. In my remote cottage near the great James Bay, winter comes early and this first snow provides a reality check that freezing temperatures and icy roads are on the way.

Here in the wilderness, near the lake under a sea of sparkling stars, I have such peace as I watch the flames dance from my campfire.
Peace is something we take for granted but in fact each and every one of us owes many young men and women through the ages our gratitude for doing their best to fight for freedom, democracy and fairness in this world. In most cases they fought wars that did not have to happen and that were staged around deception.

Christmas is just around the corner and already I see the sales push everywhere I go.
I have never really enjoyed this time of the year because more and more I realize that it is mostly about a huge push to market products to we, the consumer. That brings about a lot of stress. Christmas has become more or less a money time of the year.

Most mornings, one of the first things I do is to read the various online media that I prefer.
A lot of it is mainstream and some of it would be considered alternative. I noticed a story the other day in Wawatay News, an Aboriginal newspaper that serves northern Ontario, that featured coverage of a group of walkers from Attawapiskat. They were on a mission to walk to the parliament buildings in Ottawa to lobby the federal and provincial governments to meet with First Nations and address the issues concerning housing, suicide, education and health care.

There is an epidemic happening in First Nation communities.
I know first hand that this epidemic is a killer and it is debilitating for many of my people. The epidemic is diabetes.
When I was a child growing up in Attawapiskat, I knew nothing about good nutrition or healthy eating.
My mom and dad made sure that we always had food on the table and at the best of times, it was nourishment from the land. At the worst of times, it was a sugary cereal, processed meats, canned foods and way too many chocolate bars, cookies, pastries and chips.