Wawatay celebrates Christmas spirit SECTION B Vol. 36 #25
Raising diabetes awareness in Sandy Lake PAGE C1
Elder completes protest walk PAGE C3 9,300 copies distributed $1.50
December 10, 2009 www.wawataynews.ca
Northern Ontario’s First Nation Voice since 1974
Keewaywin battles prescription drug abuse crisis Rick Garrick Wawatay News
Keewaywin First Nation has implemented drastic measures to battle prescription drug abuse. “We didn’t give any welfare cheques for this month,” said Keewaywin Chief Joe Meekis. “We just (provided) a benefit card through the Northern Store. They can only buy groceries with that card. People don’t like it – but that’s what we need to do.” Meekis said his community is checking every person who arrives at the airport for drugs. “If they don’t like it, they can go back on the plane,” Meekis said. The community is also checking any suspicious parcels that arrive at the post Meekis office. “We’re not supposed to open their mail,” Meekis said. “We will sit there and wait for them to come and pick up their mail. We ask people to voluntarily open their parcels.” Meekis said the measures are beginning to have an effect on those people who are bringing in prescription drugs. “The people bringing in drugs are more ingenious now in terms of bringing in their drugs,” Meekis said, explaining that people are now hiding their prescription drugs in meat and other items. “They will stick it inside their ground beef.” During a day-long meeting with health staff from local health, tribal council and police organizations hosted by the community Dec. 2, Meekis asked how far the community can go in searching people and their parcels. “Can we stick our fingers in their
submitted photo
Grade 1 and 2 and Grade 3 and 4 students at Keewaywin First Nation Elementary School held a rally Nov. 27 to raise awareness of the prescription drug problem in their community. The principal and school staff organized a walk against drugs, alcohol and violence in support of the Keewaywin chief and council’s declared drug crisis. Students from all grades created posters with slogans calling out for a drug, alcohol, and violence free community; these were displayed for all to see during the walk around Keewaywin. Some of the posters were surprisingly objective, one reading “Drugs and drinking kills and takes our money away.” beef,” Meekis said. “They put drugs inside the infants pampers – we cannot search the infant unless the parent gives permission.” Meekis said while the community needs to get legal opinions on how far they can go with their drug searches, he has noticed that many of those
people who had been on the fringes of using prescription drugs have chosen less addictive drugs. “I think we scared them off,” Meekis said. “They are going to other things like home brew. You have a short hangover for a short period with home brew, with prescription drugs you have
a habit. You don’t have to have home brew every 10 hours, with prescription drugs you have a habit every 10 hours.” Meekis said many people in the community of about 400 residents have been working together to prevent further prescription drug abuse, and a group of students protested against
prescription drug abuse Nov. 27 in front of the band office with signs stating: Zero Tolerance and Drugs Will Kill You. “We’re moving in the right direction as a community to struggle with this issue,” Meekis said. see UNDERLYING page 17
ᑭᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ ᐃᐡᑯᓂᑲᓂᐠ ᑲᑫᐧ ᑭᐱᑎᓂᑲᑌ ᑲᐊᐧᓂᔭᐸᒋᒋᑲᑌᑭᐣ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐣ ᕑᐃᐠ ᑲᕑᐃᐠ ᐊᐧᐊᐧᑌ ᐊᒋᒧᐃᐧᓇᐣ
ᑭᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ ᐃᐡᑯᓂᑲᓂᐠ ᐅᐃᐧᑲᑫᐧ ᑭᐱᑎᓇᓇᐊᐧ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᐊᐧᓂᔭᐸᒋᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐣ. ᐊᒥ ᑲᑭᑐᑕᒪᐠ ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᐣᑐᒋᒥᑫᐧᓯᒥᐣ ᐊᔕᒥᑐᐃᐧ ᒉᑭᓴᐣ ᐅᐁᐧ ᓄᑯᑦ ᐱᓯᑦ, ᐃᑭᑐ ᑭᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ ᐅᑭᒪᑲᐣ ᒍ ᒥᑭᐢ. ᒥᐡᑲᐧᐨ ᐣᑭᑐᑕᒥᐣ ᐯᐸᐣ ᐁᑭᒧᒋᒥᓇᑭᑕᐧ ᒋᐃᔑᐸᑭᑎᓇᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᑕᐁᐧᐃᐧᑲᒥᑯᐠ. ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᐡ ᒋᒧᒋ ᒪᓂᒥᒋᒪᑫᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᐁᐧᓂ ᐯᐸᓂ ᐃᒪ ᑲᑦᐸᓂ ᐊᑕᐁᐧᐃᐧᑲᒥᑯᐠ. ᔕᑯᐨ ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᐅᒥᓀᐧᑕᓯᓇᐊᐧ ᐅᐁᐧ ᑲᑭᑐᑕᐃᐧᑕᐧ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ, ᔕᑯᐨ ᐊᒥ ᐁᑕ ᐁᓯᓭᓂᐠ ᐅᐁᐧᓂ ᒋᑭᑐᑕᐃᐧᑕᐧ. ᒥᑭᐢ ᐃᑭᑐ ᑲᑭᓇ ᐊᐃᐧᔭ ᑲᓇᓇᑲᒋᐦᐊ ᐱᒥᓭᐃᐧᐳᓂᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᒋᐱᑕᑯᐃᐧᑐᐨ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐣ. ᑭᐡᐱᐣ ᐁᑲ ᒥᓀᐧᑕᐠ ᐅᐁᐧ ᑐᑕᐊᐧᑲᓄᐨ, ᑭᔭᒥᑯ ᑕᑭᐁᐧᐳᓯ ᐱᒥᓭᐃᐧᓂᐠ, ᐃᑭᑐ ᒥᑭᐢ.
ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᐃᔑᒋᑫᐊᐧᐠ ᐁᓇᓇᑲᒋᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᐯᐸᓄᐊᐧᔕᐣ ᑲᐱᑕᑯᓭᓂᑭᐣ ᐃᒪ ᐳᐢᐟ ᐊᐸᐢ. ᐃᓇᑯᓂᑲᑌ ᐁᑲ ᒋᐸᑭᓇᒪᐠ ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑲᓇᐣ, ᐃᑭᑐ ᒥᑭᐢ. ᐊᒥ ᑫᑐᑕᒪᐠ ᒋᐱᐦᐊᔭᑭᑕᐧ ᐱᒋᓇᓯᑲᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᒪᓯᓇᐦᐊᒪᑯᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ. ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᐡ ᐣᑲᑲᑫᐧᒋᒪᒥᐣ ᒋᐸᑭᓇᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᒋᐊᐧᐸᑕᐦᐃᑯᔭᐠ ᑫᑯᓀᐣ ᐃᒪ ᐱᐣᑌᓂᐠ. ᒥᑭᐢ ᐃᑭᑐ ᐅᐁᐧ ᑲᑲᑫᐧ ᑭᐱᑎᓇᒪᐠ ᐊᔕ ᐅᑕᓂᐸᑭᑌᐡᑲᑯᓇᐊᐧ ᐃᑭᐁᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᐸᐱᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐣ. ᐃᑭᐁᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᐸᐱᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐣ ᐅᓇᓇᑐᓇᓇᐊᐧ ᐊᐣᑎ ᑫᐃᔑᑲᑐᐊᐧᐨ, ᐃᑭᑐ ᒥᑭᐢ, ᑐᑲᐣ ᐃᒪ ᐁᐃᔑᐱᓇᐦᐊᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᐧᔭᓯᐠ ᒥᓇ ᑯᑕᑭᔭᐣ ᑫᑯᓇᐣ. ᑐᑲᐣ ᑲᔦ ᐃᒪ ᐁᔑᔐᑯᓇᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᔑᑯᐃᐧᔭᓯᐠ. ᐁᑲᐧ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᐯᔑᑯᑯᐣ ᑲᑭ ᒪᐊᐧᒋᐦᐃᑐᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᑲᒪᐡᑭᑭᐃᐧᐱᒧᒋᑫᐊᐧᐨ, ᐅᑭᒪᑲᓇᐠ ᑲᐃᐧᑕᓄᑭᒥᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᓇ ᔑᒪᑲᓂᔑᐃᐧ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᑲᑭᐅᓇᑐᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᒋᒪᐊᐧᒋᐦᐃᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᒪ ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ 2 ᑲᐃᓇᑭᓱᐨ ᒪᑯᔐᑭᔑᑲᓂᐱᓯᑦ, ᒥᑭᐢ ᑭᑲᑫᐧᑌᐧ ᐊᓂᐣ ᑫᑭᔭᐱᑌᑕᑯᒋᑲᑌᑭᐸᐣ
Christmas Seat Sale!
ᑲᓇᓇᑲᒋᐦᐃᑕᐧ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ ᒥᓇ ᑲᐱᑕᑯᐃᐧᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᑫᑯᓇᐣ. ᒥᓇᐱᑯᐦᐃ ᑫᐃᔑ ᐱᐣᒋᑲᐣᒋᓂᒋᑕᔭᐠ ᐃᒪ ᐅᑐᐃᐧᔭᓯᒥᐊᐧᐠ, ᐃᑭᑐ ᒥᑭᐢ. ᐅᑐᑕᓇᐊᐧ ᑲᔦ ᐁᐦᑲᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐣ ᐅᑕᑯᐱᑕᐊᐧᓱᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐅᑕᓭᔭᓂᐊᐧᐠ, ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᐸᑭᑎᓂᑲᑌ ᒋᓇᓇᑲᒋᐦᐊᔭᐠ ᐯᐱᐁᐧᒐᐠ ᐸᓂᒪ ᐱᑯ ᐁᑕ ᐃᑭᑐᐨ ᐅᓂᑭᐦᐃᑯᒪ. ᒥᑭᐢ ᐃᑭᑐ ᐊᓇᐃᐧᐣ ᐁᐃᓯᓭᓂᑭᐸᐣ ᐅᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᒋᑭᑲᐧᔭᑫᐧᑕᑯᒋᑲᑌᑭᐸᐣ ᐅᓇᑯᓂᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᒋᑭᐅᒋ ᓇᑕᒪᐃᐧᑕᐧᐸᐣ ᐊᓂᐣ ᒥᓂᑯᐠ ᑫᑭᔭᑯᓭᓂᑭᐸᐣ ᐅᓇᓇᑲᒋᐦᐃᑯᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ, ᐅᑎᔑᐊᐧᐸᑕᐣ ᒥᓇ ᒥᔑᐣ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ ᐁᑲ ᓇᐱᐨ ᐊᔕ ᐁᐧᐃᔭᐸᒋᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᑲᐧᒋᐦᐃᐁᐧᒪᑲᓂᑭᐣ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐣ. ᐊᒥ ᐁᓀᑕᒪᐣ ᐁᔭᓂᓭᑭᐦᐊᑭᑕᐧ, ᐃᑭᑐ, ᐁᑲᐧ ᔕᑯᐨ ᐊᐱᐣ ᒥᓇ ᒥᐡᑲᐧᐨ ᐸᑲᐣ ᑫᑯᐣ ᐅᑕᓂᑐᑕᓇᐊᐧ ᑐᑲᐣ ᐁᐅᓇᐳᑫᐊᐧᐨ. ᐊᒋᓇ ᐁᑕ ᒪᓇᑭᓯᑫᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᑭᒥᓂᑲᐧᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᓇᐳᑲᓂ, ᐁᑲᐧ ᐃᐧᐣ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐣ ᑲᔭᐸᒋᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᑐᓂ ᐱᑯ ᒥᒋᒥᓂᐁᐧᒪᑲᐣ. ᑲᐧᓂᐣ
Purchase your reservations until December 6, 2009 for travel before January 31, 2010.
ᑲᑕᐨ ᑭᑕᒥᓂᑫᐧᓯᐣ ᐅᓇᐳᑲᐣ ᑕᓱᒥᑕᓱ ᐊᐧᑲᓭ, ᐃᐁᐧ ᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᑐᑕᑫᒪᑲᐠ ᒪᐡᑭᑭ ᒋᑲᑫᐧᐅᑕᐱᓇᒪᐣ ᑕᓱᒥᑕᓱ ᐊᐧᑲᓭ. ᒥᑭᐢ ᐃᑭᑐ ᒥᔑᐣ ᐃᒪ ᐅᑎᐡᑯᓂᑲᓂᐠ ᒪᒪᐤ 400 ᑕᓯᓄᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᑲᐯᔑᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᐧᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑎᐊᐧᐠ ᐁᑲᑫᐧᓇᑲᓇᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᐊᐧᓂᔭᐸᒋᒋᑲᑌᑭᐣ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐣ, ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᐅᑎᐡᑯᓂᐠ ᑭᐃᔑᒋᑫᐸᓂᐠ ᐁᑭᐸᐸᒪᑲᐧᐦᐃᑫᐊᐧᐨ ᐁᑲᓄᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᑲᐡᑲᑎᓄᐱᓯᑦ 27 ᑲᐃᓇᑭᓱᐨ ᐃᒪ ᐊᑲᐧᒋᐠ ᐸᐣᐟ ᐊᐸᐢ ᐁᐃᑭᑐᒪᑲᓂᐠ ᑲᑭᐸᐸᒪᑲᐧᐦᐊᒧᐊᐧᐨ, ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᐸᑭᑎᓇᐣ ᑲᐧᐣᑕ ᒋᐃᓇᐸᑕᐠ ᒪᐡᑭᑭ ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᑲᓂᓯᑯᐣ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᑫᐃᐧᐣ. ᐣᑕᓂᑲᐧᔭᑯᐡᑲᒥᐣ ᐃᐧᓂᑯ ᐅᒪ ᐣᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᓇᓂᐠ ᑲᐱᒥᐊᓂᒥᐦᐃᑯᔭᐠ ᐅᐁᐧ ᐣᑎᓯᓭᐃᐧᓂᓇᓂᐠ, ᐃᑭᑐ ᒥᑭᐢ. ᑭᐡᐱᐣ ᑕᐡ ᐃᔑᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᔭᑭᑕᐧ ᑯᑕᑭᔭᐣ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᐊᒥᐦᐃᒪ ᑫᑭᐅᒋ ᔕᐳᐃᐧᓂᑎᓱᔭᑭᐸᐣ. ᒥᑭᐢ ᑲᔦ ᐃᑭᑐ ᐁᓇᑕᐁᐧᑕᐠ ᐊᓱᐡᑲᒪᑯᐃᐧᐣ ᐁᐧᑎ ᐊᑲᐧᒋᐠ
ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᑲᐊᔭᑭᐣ ᒋᐅᒋ ᒪᒥᑲᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᑲᐊᐧᓂᔭᐸᑕᑭᐣ ᒪᐡᑭᑭᐣ. ᒥᐱᑯ ᐁᑕ ᐅᐁᐧ ᐁᐃᐦᑯᓭᐠ ᒋᑭᑐᑕᒪᐠ, ᑭᐃᑭᑐ. ᒥᑭᐢ ᑲᔦ ᐃᑭᑐ ᐃᒪ ᑲᔦ ᒪᐡᑯᐨ ᑎᐸᑯᓂᑫᐃᐧ ᑲᓇᐊᐧᐸᒋᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᑕᑭᐅᒋ ᓇᑕᒪᑫᒪᑲᓄᐸᐣ ᑲᐊᓂᒥᓭᐦᐃᑯᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ ᒋᐃᔑᓂᔕᐦᐅᑕᐧ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᑲᒥᑯᐠ ᑲᑎᐸᑯᓂᑕᐧ ᑲᑭᑲᒋᑎᓂᑕᐧ. ᓇᐣᑕ ᒥᓇ ᒋᐃᔑᐃᐧᓂᑕᐧ ᓇᑕᐃᐧᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧ ᑭᓂᑲᐧᓇᐱᐦᐃᑐᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᒋᐃᓇᑯᓂᑕᐧ, ᐃᑭᑐ. ᑭᐁᐧᑎᓄᐠ ᐅᑭᒪᑲᓇᐠ ᒥᓄᔭᐃᐧ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᐅᑕᔭᓇᐊᐧ ᒪᒪᑕᐃᐧᐱᐊᐧᐱᑯ ᒪᓯᓇᑌᓯᒋᑫᐃᐧᓂ ᐁᓇᑫᐧᐁᐧᔑᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᑲᓇᑐᐡᑭᑲᑌᐠ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᐃᐧᐣ ᒪᕑᑕ ᐅᑎᐸᒋᒧᐃᐧᐣ, ᐁᑲᐧ ᐁᔭᓂᒧᒋᑫᒪᑲᐠ ᐊᓂᐣ ᐁᑐᒋᑫᒪᑲᐠ ᒥᓇ ᐁᔑᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᐨ ᑲᐊᐧᓂᔭᐸᒋᑐᐨ ᒪᐡᑭᑭ ᑲᓇᑯᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᐅᒪ ᑫᓀᐟ ᐱᐊᐧᐱᑯᐠ. ᐃᓇᐱᐣ ᐸᑭᑭᓂᑲᓂᐠ 18
www.wasaya.com 1.877.4WASAYA reservations@wasaya.com
All reservations are non-refundable. NAV Canada, Insurance, and Fuel Surcharges are included Sioux Lookout and Red Lake AIF and taxes are extra. Seating is limited at seat sale fares and reservations are subject to availability and the number of seats is restricted by ight number. This means that seats may not be available for seat sale fares although there are still seats offered on the aircraft. If there are no seats available on certain ights, guests may choose another date and time or ight to travel. Changes and cancellations are subject to fees and upgrades as applicable. Reservation is non-refundable in case of no-show. Cash and Credit Card only. Sorry, no account charges. Payment is required within 48 hours of making reservations, after payment the reservation is non-refundable and reservations will expire if payment is not received. Seat Sale reservations may be purchased until December 6, 2009, for travel before January 31, 2010. Seat Sale fares require return reservations and must be purchased at least 10 days in advance. Seat prices are subject to change.
Notice of Cancellation of Wawatay Annual General Meeting
The Wawatay AGM scheduled for Friday, December 11, 2009 has been postponed. We apologize for any inconvenience. We will provide members with a Notice of Annual General Meeting once a date has been set.