Rick Garrick

Local food production was the focus of the first day of the 9th Nishnawbe Aski Nation Food Symposium at three garden sites in Thunder Bay and Fort William.

“It’s amazing — everything is beneficial for the First Nations, especially up north,” says Matachewan Chief Alex Batisse on the first day of the Aug. 22-24 food symposium. “It’s a high cost to get food in there, so this would be really beneficial for them.”

Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler, Fort William Chief Peter Collins and Thunder Bay city councillors Joe Virdiramo and Iain Angus signed A Statement of Commitment to First Nation Youth and Families on Aug. 1.

Kasabonika Lake’s Joe Brown enjoyed meeting Indigenous youth from across Canada at Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada’s week-long National Science Camp in Regina and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

“It was fun — I enjoyed it,” says Brown, a Grade 8 graduate from the Chief Simeon McKay Education Centre in Kasabonika. “I became friends with almost everyone, people from all around Canada.”

Brown says the National Science Camp, held from July 16-22, included a variety of scientific activities and a visit to the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Regina for youth from 12-15 years old.

North Star Air’s new ATR 42-300 two-engine turboprop aircraft was a hit with passengers on the July 18 Flex Flight route from Eabametoong, Neskantaga and Webequie to Thunder Bay.

“The flight was good, the seatings were good, everything was good,” says Irene Boyce, from Eabametoong. “You can use the washroom in there too, so yeah, I enjoyed my flight.”

Roy Moonias, from Neskantaga, says it was an “awesome” flight on the ATR 42-300, which is being leased from West Wind Air, a First Nations and employee-owned airline based in Saskatchewan.

A group of seven Aboriginal Youth Leadership Program (AYLP) graduates were recognized with awards and an honour song at the National Indigenous Peoples Day Powwow in Thunder Bay.

“It’s such an honour to be here to accept these awards and to take part in this program,” says Farren Forbes, a Rainy River First Nations citizen. “It started out with a big group, but with the seven we have left here with us today, we really got very close with each other. We bonded and we grew with each other as leaders.”