Rick Garrick — Wawatay News

DFC celebrates 23 graduates

Create: 12/01/2015 - 19:21

After struggling in a provincial high school last year, Neskantaga’s Clyde Moonias found a new path to success at Dennis Franklin Cromarty First Nations High School, where he graduated on May 13 along with 22 other students.
“After my brother’s death, I went towards alcohol as an antidepressant,” Moonias said. “What I did was wrong. As I went more towards alcohol, I (lost) focus on my family and friends. But now I live a clean, sober life, a traditional healthy lifestyle. I am proud to say I am a high school graduate, I’m proud to say that I dance and I drum traditionally.”

Pikangikum forest ecosystem management graduates celebrated

Create: 12/01/2015 - 19:21

Pikangikum’s Warren Keeper is looking forward to working in the field after graduating from Confederation College’s two-year Forest Ecosystem Management Technician program.
“The best thing about the program is that you get to use what you’ve learned in the field,” said Keeper, who enjoyed the opportunity to work outside and do hands-on learning in the program.

Start something that matters for social enterprise

Create: 12/01/2015 - 19:21

Keewaywin’s Barb Monias and Homer Vincent are looking to develop a social enterprise — an Internet cafe — to provide youth with a safe place to socialize.
“We’re trying to get an Internet cafe going right now,” said Monias, who started up Crystals Coffee Shop in Keewaywin about two-and-a-half years ago with Vincent. “We’re trying to make a place where kids will hang out.”
“Everybody’s got iPods and iPhones,” Vincent said.
“Why not make an Internet cafe,” Monias said.
“If we have an Internet cafe, they can sit down and drink coffee and chit chat,” Vincent said.

Fort William continues court battle against wind project

Create: 12/01/2015 - 19:21

Fort William First Nation recently achieved success after an Ontario court decided it would not intervene in Horizon Wind’s application to construct a wind farm near the community.
Last month, Horizon Wind filed an application for a judicial review in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in the hopes of gaining the immediate approval of its Big Thunder Wind Project. The project calls for the construction of 16 wind turbines on Fort William’s traditional lands south-west of Mt. McKay.

Lac Seul and Hudson planning homecoming for late June

Create: 12/01/2015 - 19:21

Lac Seul has joined the neighbouring community of Hudson for a homecoming celebration in late June.
“We’re really close neighbours — we’re just on the other side of the lake,” said Lac Seul Chief Clifford Bull. “So we’re going to be doing a homecoming. All kinds of events are being planned.”
Lac Seul is planning a variety of events on June 25-26 in Kejick Bay, including a Lac Seul Summer Olympics for children on June 25-26 and Treaty Day on June 26.

Dog team rides a “blast from the past”

Create: 12/01/2015 - 19:21

Lac Seul’s Jesse Terry and his sled dog team brought the past back to life for a number of First Nation communities this past winter.
“It was a little blast from the past,” said Ralph Bekintis, vice-principal at Thomas Fiddler Memorial Elementary School in Sandy Lake. “Four hundred kids went and had a good time. They had to do a lot of runs.”
Bekintis said a number of teachers also took the opportunity to ride on the dog sled during Terry’s two-day visit in February.

Sequin arts and crafts show held in Thunder Bay

Create: 12/01/2015 - 19:21

Wauzhusk Onigum’s John Paul Lavand is looking forward to showing his art at the upcoming Northern Ontario Aboriginal Fine Arts and Crafts Exhibition and Sale in downtown Toronto.
“The first time I did my art show in the West Edmonton Mall, it was great,” Lavand said. “And I expect the same in Toronto, seeing that the population is a lot better and traffic should be a lot better. Seeing that we’re coming from the north, we should be actually exposing new ideas which haven’t really been seen down there.”

Four Treaty #3 communities face record-high water levels

Create: 12/01/2015 - 19:20

Four Grand Council Treaty #3 communities have declared states of emergency over flooding due to record-high water levels on Rainy Lake.
“We are at peak level with the lake, so our land is pretty much eroding into the lake now,” said Couchiching councillor and emergency resources coordinator Christine Jourdain on June 20.
“And they are expecting a call for possibly up to another 16 inches for the lake to rise in the next five days. Currently we are sandbagging along our waterfront.”

Liberals win majority in June 12 provincial election

Create: 12/01/2015 - 19:20

Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee is calling the June 12 Liberal majority provincial election victory a potential win-win for First Nations.
“The 60,000 Anishinabek living in Ontario want to congratulate Premier (Kathleen) Wynne on her impressive election victory,” Madahbee said. “Her minority government has listened to our plans to create our own institutions in areas like education and child welfare. A majority government should give them the confidence to support our efforts to make these things happen.”

Muskrat Dam and Sachigo sign on with North Star Air

Create: 12/01/2015 - 19:20

Air transportation savings are on the horizon for Muskrat Dam and Sachigo Lake after signing on to a strategic business partnership with North Star Air and its alliance company Cargo North.
“It lowers the costs down for a personal trip for individuals,” said Sachigo Chief Alvin Beardy during the June 19 announcement of the agreement at the North Star Air hangar in Thunder Bay. “Competition is healthy and I believe that once people know (about the costs) they will be using North Star Air and Cargo North more.”

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