The Spirit of All Nations.
K’JIPUKTUK (Halifax) – On February 13, The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) delivered over 23,000 signatures to the House of Commons in support of NWAC’s call for a National Public Inquiry into the more than 600 missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls in Canada.
The issue of fair and objective news coverage of Onkwehonwe issues in the mainstream media has always been a subject of controversy throughout Turtle Island. If you ask most Onkwehonwe people the response would usually be that the coverage over the years has been unfair and uneducated.
Pow Wow season is quickly approaching and everywhere you look across Indian Country, moms and aunties are pulling out the big guns to get everyone’s regalia ready. It is the apex of the off-season.
The Native Canadian Centre of Toronto (NCCT) recently announced that they have successfully obtained funding for High Support Housing through the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (TCLHIN).
AKWESASNE – Yet another one of the vaunted 1000 Islands on the St. Lawrence River has been put up for sale. According to published reports, Sheep Island has now been made available on the Canadian real estate market. Other islands have been claimed by the United States government on behalf of the “Mohawk people”. Ownership of the islands has never been ceded, according to Akwesasne residents.
I really like the expression, (Remove the Dust.) Its most basic meaning evokes the image of sweeping away the dust accumulated over years of neglect from our wampum belts or any other reminders of our shelved knowledge. We use it as an expression that is generally associated with maintaining our culture.
The 5th Annual Frosty Fest was celebrated in downtown Brantford this past weekend with lots of winter fun for families over three days. The event is put on by Freedom House Church located in downtown Brantford with proceeds going to their anti-bullying campaign, which “Captain Kindness” (aka Pastor Dave Carrol) and Pastor Brian Beattie have plans to bring into area elementary schools.
BRANT/BRANTFORD – Bill C-10, which would force Native cigarette businesses to pay a foreign tax on products made on reserve and sold on reserve, is part of Prime Minister Steven Harper’s sweeping new plan to crack down on so-called “contraband” tobacco. Last week, we asked Brant Conservative MP Phil McColeman what his opinion of Harpers Bill C-10 was. Here is what he had to say about the matter.
SIX NATIONS – According to Steven Ford, a practicing lawyer and proud Kanien’keha:ka (Mohawk) from Tyendinaga, a united front is the best defense against Prime Minister Steven Harper’s Bill C-10, criminalizing the Native tobacco trade.
One of the most effective methods in warfare is to separate the attention of your enemy between many but equally important fronts and then strike while their focus is divided. The Canadian Government has been using this strategy as a method of fighting against the Native People of this continent.
SIX NATIONS – Privately owned day care, Little & Littler Treasures may be forced to shut its doors within the next few months if they can’t come up with funding dollars. Owner Sarah Jayne, approached Band Council last week to ask for financial assistance.
J.C. Hill and Jamieson Elementary held their annual Oral Communication presentation last Thursday and the votes are in.
The third annual Strawberry ceremony and Vigil for the missing/murdered aboriginal women and girls took place February 13 at Hagersville and New Credit community hall. As awareness of this issue has grown so has the attendance, which more than doubled from last year. The organizers of the event were Edebwed Ogichidaa (Val King) and Aileen Joseph.
Grand River Spa has recently obtained an Oncology for Skin Care specialist. Corrie Gallant just completed Oncology for Skin Care from the leading Oncology for Esthetics certification program, which was first launched in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States and now Canada.
This term of council I have again volunteered to focus on Education. I do have my work cut out for me because there are so many issues with Education right now. This report is to highlight many of those issues.
