Member Profile on BY GREG CRESSWELL, TORONTO FIRE ACTING CAPTAIN, STATION 212-B
Ojibway name -
Aankayunkwat Biidadigohns
Editor’s Note: In September 2018, Greg did a duty exchange at 434, where he first met Curtis (who had traveled in from 412), they became friends that day, and have remained friends ever since. Greg: Tell me about your life growing up, and your family. Curtis: I was born in 1968, and grew up in the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation, formerly known as Whitefish Lake First Nation, near Sudbury. I am one of four kids and am very close to my two sisters and brother. My mom and dad, both spoke Ojiway, but didn’t teach it to us kids. Both my parents went to residential schools, and were punished for speaking the Ojibway language. This is the reason they didn’t teach it to us kids. My parents did teach us to be: kind, courteous, and work hard in everything we did in life. My dad worked for the band most of his life, and served one term as Chief, as did my sister. My grandfather also served as Chief after he came back from the war in 1945. He was a medic on D-Day, and then went to London to help out after the bombing started. He was a part of the group of Chiefs that fought for the right to vote in Federal elections (without losing Indian Status) in the 1950’s, and they were successful, as it became law July 1, 1960. The current Deputy Chief is my first cousin, and two uncles are on the council. We have an election system for choosing council members. As for my mom, she worked in healthcare in Sudbury.
As a kid, I enjoyed fishing, hunting, hiking, and traditional ceremonies. I played Minor House League Hockey and participated in the Little NHL First Nations tournament many times, as my dad was one of the organizers. I remember seeing Eddie Shack talking to my dad at the event in 1977. [Editor’s note: Eddie Shack passed away on July 25, 2020]. Like most kids growing up in Ontario, my favorite team was the Toronto Maple Leafs. Every summer, we went to Toronto for a few days, and always to the CNE. This was a big deal for us kids, as trips to Disney World were not an option. My public school was in the neighboring town of Naughton, and I went to high school in nearby Lively. Greg: Did you have any jobs growing up, or get an allowance? Curtis: I did jobs around the reserve, which I was paid for. Mostly planting trees, laying sod, and other landscaping. My parents also gave each of us $20 a week allowance, and we were expected to do chores for that money. We would often go into
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