Lenny Carpenter — Wawatay News

First Nations leaders have expressed caution or disappointment after the Canadian government announced it would invest $1.9 billion into First Nations education over three years.
On Feb. 7, Prime Minister Stephen Harper made the announcement to reform the First Nations K-12 education system through the First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act. It was previously known as the First Nations Education Act, which many First Nations leaders rejected as it did not address funding disparities between First Nations and provincially-run schools.

After walking 1,700 kilometres over 49 days, the Omushkegowuk walkers completed their journey of walking from Attawapiskat to Ottawa.
Three men from Attawapiskat started the journey in early January and were joined along the way by 20 men, women and youth before they reached Parliament Hill on Feb. 24.
The walk was started by Danny Metatawabin, a member of Fort Albany, who wanted to start a discussion with both levels of government and First Nations leaders about implementing the treaty and addressing the issues plaguing First Nations communities.

From the very start, Danny Metatawabin declared that the Reclaiming Our Steps: Past, Present and Future journey was a spiritual one.
Ask any of the walkers who joined and all would agree.
This includes Raven Turner of Temagami First Nation, who had previously taken part in traditional ceremonies before she strayed and got into drugs and alcohol.
But joining the Omushkegowuk walkers put her back to her roots.

The Mushkegowuk Council says its 7th Annual Mushkegowuk Challenge Cup tournament was a success.
The tournament was held in Timmins from Feb.21- 24 and featured 44 teams in the divisions of tykes, novice, atoms, peewees, bantams, midgets, Jr. girls, Sr. girls and juniors.
Teams travelled to Timmins from many communities including Ontario’s Peawanuck, Attawapiskat, Kashechewan, Fort Albany, Moose Factory, Taykwa Tagamou, Moosonee, Chapleau Cree, Constance Lake, Fish River Band, Long Point First Nation, Wagoshig, and Fort Severn.

When four youth in Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) First Nation decided to send an open invitation for average Canadians to come spend five days in their remote community in northwestern Ontario to build bridges across culture and get a clearer sense of what life on a remote reserve is like, many in the community did not take them seriously.
“There were people who said it’s impossible,” said Leona Matthews, one of the youth organizers. “They say, ‘they’re just youth, they don’t do anything.’ But we worked really hard and got it done.”