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Youth taught the business PAGE 8 Vol. 40 No. 35
Students hit the books at DFC PAGE 10
Embrace tourny raises funds PAGE 11 8000 copies distributed $1.50
September 5, 2013 Northern Ontario’s First Nation Voice since 1974
www.wawataynews.ca
Ambitious company plans safe, affordable housing Crystallee Mouland Special to Wawatay News
Housing quality on reserves are some of the worst in Canada. But Bernie Bird thinks he has a solution. To alleviate the pressures of an expanding demand and poor standard of homes being built, Bernie Bird developed a solution called AlterNative Homes Ltd. which he said can build thousands of homes affordably, safely and quickly. “My job took me all over Northern BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan,” he said. “We drove through a lot of reserves. We saw the housing situation and to me it was substandard. I realized there had to be something done. If there was anything I could do, I would try to contribute and that’s when we formed this company.” Bird, originally from Moose Cree, founded the company two years ago after working as a Petroleum Engineer in the oil fields since 1978.
We can put up our homes in a matter of days... (and) we could have people living in their homes in three weeks. – Bernie Bird
Four main issues facing most reserves are housing adequacy, affordability, quality and quantity. First Nation leaders and members are striving to make housing, work training opportunities and economics a priority, Bird said. The first AlterNative home is being built this month to present to Chiefs in October. This is an opportunity for AlterNative Homes Ltd. to build key partnerships with communities to create sustainable, affordable and safe homes for all on-reserve community members, Bird said. The substandard First Nation housing issues include structural, plumbing, heating, electricity, mold and mildew issues. Accommodation shortages, cost of housing construction, growing populations and substandard housing are also the rise, according to Bird. “The biggest problem we are finding is mold caused by the moisture in the air on the inside of the home itself,” he said. Homes need to have better exchange of air options, to reduce mold and mildew. AlterNative Homes Ltd. is opening up a manufacturing plant in Dryden, ON in the fall of 2013. See PARTNERSHIPS page 7
Geoff Shields/Special to Wawatay News
Wabigoon Lake, translated from Wabigooniw Sagaiigan means Flower Lake, celebrated their 29th Annual Pow Wow over the Labour Day weekend. Fancy Dancer Danessa Lackner (pictured) was this year’s Wabigoon Princess in her age category. Despite weather conditions over 150 people ranging from the very young to the elderly came out to dance, drum, feast, celebrate and enjoy a memorable weekend.
ᐅᑎᐢᑯᓄᐃᐁᐧ ᐃᐃᒪ ᑌᓂᐢ ᐱᕑᐊᐣᑭᓫᐊᐣ ᑲᐧᕑᐊᒥᑎ ᐃᐡᑯᓂᐃᐧᑲᒥᑯᐠ ᐊᔕ ᐃᐧᐊᓄᒪᒋᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫ ᐅᐅᐁᐧ ᑲᐃᐧᐊᓂ ᒪᒋᐡᑯᓄᓇᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᕑᐃᐠ ᑫᕑᐃᐠ ᐊᐧᐊᐧᑌ ᐊᒋᒧᐃᐧᐣ ᐁᑲᐧ ᑌᓂᐢ ᐱᕑᐊᐣᑭᓫᐊᐣ ᑲᐧᕑᐊᒥᑎ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯᐃᐧ ᐊᐃᐢᑯᓫ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᐃᐧᑲᒥᐠ ᐊᔕ ᒥᓇ ᑕᓂᒪᒋᐃᐡᑯᓄᓇᓂᐊᐧᐣ ᐁᑲᐧ ᐅᑎᐢᑯᓂᐠ ᐊᐦᐃᐠ ᐸᑯᔭᐣᑎ ᑕᐅᒋᑕᐸᓯᐊᐧᐠ ᐁᐦᐊᐣ ᑭᒋᐅᑌᓇᐃᐧ ᐸᐢ ᑲᐸᐸᒥᐱᓯᓂᐨ ᒋᐊᐸᒋᐦᐊᐊᐧᐨ᙮ “ᐁᑲᐧ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᓀᐣᑕᑲᐧᐣ ᒥᓇ ᐱᑯ ᐁᑲᑫᐧᒋᑲᓂᑎᓇᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᒧᓀᐣᑕᓇᐊᐧ ᐅᐅᐁᐧ ᑲᑐᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ,” ᐃᑭᑐ ᐅᑎᐢᑯᓄᐦᐃᐁᐧ ᑫᑎ ᓴᔾ᙮ “ᒥᓇ ᐱᑯ ᐅᑭᑫᐣᑕᓇᐊᐧ ᐊᓂᐣ ᑫᑐᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐸᐸᒥᔭᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᒋᑕᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᐁᑲᐧ ᑲᔭ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᐅᐁᐧ ᑭᒋᓀᐣᑕᑲᐧᐣ᙮” ᓴᔾ ᐊᔕ ᒥᓇ ᓄᑌᐃᐡᑯᓄᐃᐁᐧ ᐊᒥᐁᐧ ᓂᓴᐧᓱᔭᑭ ᒋᐊᓂᐡᑯᓄᐃᐁᐧᐨ ᐃᐃᒪ ᑌᓂᐢ ᐱᕑᐊᐣᑭᓫᐊᐣ ᑲᐧᕑᐊᒥᑎ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯᐃᐧ ᐊᐃᐢᑯᓫ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᐃᐧᑲᒥᐠ ᒥᓇ ᐱᑯ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᒧᓀᐣᑕᐣ ᒋᐊᐧᐸᒪᐨ ᐅᑕᓇᐠ ᑲᐊᐦᑭᐊᐧᓂᓂᐠ ᐅᑎᐢᑯᓂᐣ ᑲᑭᐃᐡᑯᓄᓂᐨ ᐁᑲᐧ ᑲᔭ ᑲᐅᐡᑭᒪᒋᐡᑯᓄᐃᐧᓂᐨ᙮ ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᐊᐦᐃ ᒋᓂᑕ ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑫᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᓇ ᒋᓂᑕ ᐊᔭᒥᒋᑫᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑎᐢᑯᓂᐠ ᐃᐧᐣ ᐅᑲᓂᑲᓂᑲᓇᐊᐧᐸᑕᐣ ᒥᐡᑯᐨ ᑭᑲᐧᔭᒋᐦᐊᔭᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑎᐢᑯᓂᐣ ᐊᐦᐃᓂ ᐅᐣᑌᕑᐃᔪ ᓭᑲᐧᐣᐟᑌᕑᐃ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᐃᐧ ᑲᑫᐧᒋᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ ᒋᑐᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ᙮ “ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᓂᑲᑲᑫᐧᐃᑭᐟ ᒋᑲᑫᐧᒧᓀᐣᑕᑯᑐᔭᐣ ᑲᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᔭᐣ ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᒋᓂᑕ ᐊᔭᒥᒋᑫᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᓇ ᒋᓂᑕ ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑫᐊᐧᐨ
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ᑕᓱᑭᔑᑲ ᓂᑲᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᐊᐧᐠ ᐁᐧᑎ ᒋᐊᓂ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᐱ ᑭᔑᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᐃᐢᑯᕑ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᐃᐧᐣ,” ᓴᔾ ᐃᑭᑐ᙮ “ᑕᓱ ᐸᑫᐧᔑᑲᓂᑭᔑᑲ ᐸᐸᑲᐣ ᑫᑯᓇᐣ ᓂᑐᑕᒥᓇᐣ ᐅᐅᒪ ᒥᓯᐁᐧ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᐃᐧᑲᒥᑯᐠ ᑐᑲᐣ ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑫᐃᐧᐣ, ᐊᑭᑕᓱᐃᐧᐣ ᓇᐣᑕ ᑲᐃᔑᐱᒪᑎᓯᓇᓂᐊᐧᐠ᙮” ᐃᑭᑐᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᒪᒣᑕᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ, ᐃᑭᑐᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᐊᑭᑕᓱᐃᐧ ᑲᑫᐧᒋᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᓇᐣᑕ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯᒧᐃᐧᐣ ᐱᐣᑯᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᓂᑐᑕᒥᓇᐣ ᑕᓱ ᐸᑫᐧᔑᑲᓂᔑᑭᑲ᙮ “ᐁᑲᐧ ᐊᔭᒥᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᐊᐦᐃ ᐃᑭᑐᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᒣᑕᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ ᓂᑐᑕᒥᐣ ᐁᑲᐧ ᐃᑫᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᓂᑲᐣ ᑲᑭᔑᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᐸᑭᓇᑫᐊᐧᐠ,” ᓴᔾ ᐃᑭᑐ᙮ “ᐁᑲᐧ ᐊᑭᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᐊᐦᐃ ᐃᑭᑐᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᑲᑫᐧᒋᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ ᓂᑐᑕᒥᐣ ᐁᑲᐧ ᐅᑎᐢᑯᓂᐠ ᐅᑐᒋᐊᓂᒥᑐᓇᐊᐧ ᒋᐃᓀᐧᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᑭᑐᐃᐧᓇᐣ᙮ ᐁᑲᐧ ᓇᓇᑲ ᐃᔑᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑲᓂᐊᐧᐣ ᐃᔑᐱᒪᑎᓯᐃᐧᐣ ᑐᑲᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯᐃᐧ ᐱᐣᑯᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᐊᐦᐃ ᑲᔭ ᓇᓇᑲ ᐃᑭᑐᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᓂᑕᐸᒋᑐᒥᓇᐣ ᐊᐦᐃᐣ ᐅᑕ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᑫᑭᑭᑫᐣᑕᒪᑭᐸᓂᐣ ᑲᐧᓂᐣ ᐁᑕ ᐅᑎᐢᑯᓂᐠ ᐁᐦᐊᐠ ᐅᔕ ᑲᔭ ᐊᓄᑭᓇᑲᓇᐠ ᑫᐃᐧᓇᐊᐧ ᒋᐅᒋᑭᑫᐣᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᔑᑭᔑᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ᙮” ᐁᑲᐧ ᓴᔾ ᐅᑐᒋᓂᓯᑕᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᒥᐡᑕᐦᐃ ᐁᐅᒋᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᐁᐧᒪᑲᐠ ᐃᐃᒪ ᑌᓂᐢ ᐱᕑᐊᐣᑭᓫᐊᐣ ᑲᐧᕑᐊᒥᑎ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯᐃᐧ ᐊᐃᐢᑯᓫ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᐃᐧᑲᒥᐠ ᐊᑯᓇᐠ ᐊᐱᐣ 2007 ᑲᐊᐦᑭᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᑭᒪᒋᓭᑭᐸᐣ᙮ “ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᐊᓄᑭᓇᑲᓇᐠ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑭᑫᐣᑕᓇᐊᐧ ᐁᐃᔑᓭᓂᐠ
ᐅᐅᒪ ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᑲᐧᔭᐠ ᓂᐃᐧᑕᓄᑭᒪᒥᓇᐠ ᐅᑎᐢᑯᓂᐠ ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᐧᔭᐠ ᐃᔑᓭ ᐅᐅᒪ ᑲᑕᔑᐡᑯᓄᐊᐧᐨ,” ᓴᔾ ᐃᑭᑐ᙮ “ᒥᓇ ᐱᑯ ᑕᐱᐡᑯᐨ ᑲᐃᔑᑲᐯᔑᐊᐧᐨ ᒋᐃᓀᐣᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᓂᑲᑫᐧᑐᑕᐊᐧᒥᓇᐠ ᐊᐦᐃ ᐅᔕ ᐱᑯ ᐅᐅᐁᐧ ᑯᑕᑭᓂ ᑲᐃᔑᐊᔭᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᔑᓭᓂᑐᐠ᙮” ᓴᔾ ᐃᑭᑐ ᐅᐅᐁᐧ ᑌᓂᐢ ᐱᕑᐊᐣᑭᓫᐊᐣ ᑲᐧᕑᐊᒥᑎ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯᐃᐧ ᐊᐃᐢᑯᓫ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᐃᐧᑲᒥᐠ ᒥᓇ ᑲᐧᔭᐠ ᐅᐃᐧᒋᔭᐊᐧᐣ ᐅᑎᐢᑯᓂᐣ ᐊᑯᓇᐠ ᐱᑯ ᐊᐱᐣ ᓂᐡᑕᑦ ᑲᑭᒪᒋᐢᑯᓄᐦᐃᐁᐧᐸᐣ᙮ “ᒥᓇ ᓂᓂᓯᑕᐁᐧᐣᑕᒥᐣ ᑫᑯᓀᓇᐣ ᑲᐊᓂᒥᐦᐃᑯᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᐱᐣ ᐅᑌᓇᐠ ᑲᐱᔕᐊᐧᐨ,” ᓴᔾ ᐃᑭᑐ᙮ “ᓇᓇᑲ ᐱᑯ ᑫᑯᓇᐣ ᓂᑎᔑᐊᐧᐃᐧᒋᐦᐊᒥᓇᐠ ᒥᐡᑯᐨ ᒋᑕᔑᓇᓇᒪᔦᐣᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑌᓇᐠ ᑲᐃᔑᑲᐯᔑᐊᐧᐨ᙮” ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᑌᓂᐢ ᐱᕑᐊᐣᑭᓫᐊᐣ ᑲᐧᕑᐊᒥᑎ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯᐃᐧ ᐊᐃᐢᑯᓫ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᐃᐧᑲᒥᐠ ᐅᓇᑐᒪᐣ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐣ ᐅᑌᓇᐠ ᑲᑲᐯᔑᓂᐨ ᒋᐱᑭᐃᐧᑌᓂᐨ ᒥᓇ ᒋᐊᓂᑭᑫᐣᓂᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑎᐢᑯᓂᐣ᙮ “ᒥᓇ ᐱᑯ ᒋᐊᓂ ᑭᑫᓂᒥᑯᔭᐠ ᓂᑐᑕᒥᐣ ᐅᐅᒪ ᑭᒋᑕᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᐃᐧᑫᐧᑐᐣᐠ (ᑕᐣᑕᐯ) ᑲᐃᒋᑲᑌᐠ,” ᓴᔾ ᐃᑭᑐ᙮ “ᒥᓇ ᐱᑯ ᐅᐅᒪ ᑭᒋᑕᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᑲᑲᐯᔑᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ ᓂᓇᑐᒪᒥᓇᐠ ᒋᐱᔕᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᐅᒪ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᐃᐧᑲᒥᑯᐠ᙮ ᐃᔑᓭᓂ ᐅᔕ ᒋᑲᑫᐧᑭᑫᓂᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑎᐢᑯᓂᐣ ᒥᓇ ᐱᑯ ᒋᐊᐧᐸᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᐧᔭᐠ ᐁᐃᔑᒋᑫᓂᐨ ᐁᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᒣ ᐁᐱᐃᐡᑯᓄᓂᐨ᙮”
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