Bryan Phelan - Wawatay News

People in First Nations around Timmins are happier, healthier and wealthier because of recent agreements with mining companies, says the head of Wabun Tribal Council.
Wabun is a council of six First Nations, all within about 200 kilometres of Timmins: Beaverhouse, Brunswick House, Chapleau Ojibwe, Flying Post, Matechewan, and Mattagami.

Cliffs Natural Resources has appealed a decision by the Ontario Mining and Lands Commissioner that stops Cliffs from building an all-weather road to the Ring of Fire over mining claims held by another company.
KWG Resources, which through its subsidiary company Canada Chrome Corporation holds mining claims Cliffs wants to cross with its proposed $600-million road, received notice of the appeal Oct. 9.

Nolan Tozer has used his love of the outdoors and his home in Moosonee as a base for becoming an award-winning entrepreneur.
Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund (NADF) presented Tozer, a Moose Cree member, with its 2013 Youth Entrepreneur of the Year award in October.
Nolan, who also celebrated his 24th birthday last month, and his wife Jenn started Moose River Tours about three years ago. The couple’s home-based business provides customers with a range of fishing options and sightseeing tours on the Moose River and James Bay.

William Quachegan left Moose Factory for Timmins to attend high school when he was 15. In shop class, he enjoyed woodworking and found he had a knack for it.
He met his wife Loretta in Timmins and later moved to her home First Nation of Mattagami. In Mattagami, he learned carpentry through an apprenticeship program and from Loretta’s uncle, Clayton McKay.
“I was good at it,” he found. “I just picked it up real fast on the reserve.”
Quachegan continued to build houses there and eventually became a construction supervisor.

Representatives of Sioux Lookout officially welcomed the Little Bands Native Youth Hockey Tournament back to town on Dec. 16.
The weeklong tournament returns to the Sioux Lookout Memorial Arena for its 13th season after one year away at the twin ice surfaces in Dryden. The 2014 tournament, which takes place Feb. 10-16, will still feature two rinks, as games will also be played throughout the week at the Lac Seul Events Centre arena, which opened earlier this year and seats 1,300 spectators.