Nolan photographs Latin America PAGE 17 Vol. 38 #2
Treatment centre brings hope to drug addicts PAGE 6
Father taught Fox exertion and stamina PAGE B5 9,300 copies distributed $1.50
January 20, 2011
Northern Ontario’s First Nation Voice since 1974
www.wawataynews.ca
ᒪᑕᐊᐧ ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᓂᑕᑯᓂᑯᒥᐣ ᐅᑎᓀᐣᑕᓇᐊᐧ ᐃᒪ ᐱᐊᐧᐱᑯᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐱᒪᓄᑲᑌᐠ
Healthy housing
ᒉᒥᐢ ᑕᐧᑦ ᐊᐧᐊᐧᑌ ᑎᐸᒋᒧᐃᐧᐣ
submited image
Kaylene Moonias from Neskantaga First Nation was one of several youth from northern Ontario chosen to have their art in the 2011 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation calendar. For story and more pictures from area youth see pages 10 and 11.
Matawa communities feeling left out of Ring of Fire James Thom Wawatay News
Chiefs of the Matawa First Nations continue to express dismay over a lack of inclusion in planning and development in the Ring of Fire area. During a recent emergency meeting to address the lack of government and industry consultation with First Nations, chiefs continued to question why they have not been involved. An area potentially worth billions in minerals including the world’s largest chromite deposit, the Ring of Fire is found in the traditional territories of Marten Falls and Webequie. Sonny Gagnon, chief of Aroland First Nation, said municipalities from Thunder Bay to Sudbury have been competing for the site of a smelter facility. This could lead to the construction of a transportation route that goes through Aroland’s traditional territory, something that perturbs Gagnon. “First Nations who actually live in the Ring of Fire, have not yet been invited to the table to even initiate discussions over community impacts,”
he said. Rather than waiting for an invitation, Aroland has invited itself into the discussions for a smelter site. The community is lobbying to have the smelter built near the First Nation, signing a memorandum of understanding with Greenstone. “It only makes sense to build a smelter near our community and to benefit the immediate region from where the minerals are being taken out of,” Gagnon said. “It is viable to generate electricity to run this mining facility in the area, but we need the government’s support to make it a reality.” But before ground is broken and long before a smelter is built, the concerns of First Nations must be addressed, said Webequie Chief Cornelius Wabasse. He said the Matawa First Nations have been raising concerns for a number of years about the impacts of exploration and mining on their communities. Those concerns are based on a wide range of issues including socioeconomic impacts, environmental
impacts such as water quality, clear cutting and impacts to wildlife populations. More recently, the concerns have also focused on potential benefits such as employment, new business and training opportunities for local people. These issues must be spoken to in a respectful manner, Wabasse said. “Consultation means coming to our communities to talk to local people – youth, Elders, trappers – about how a mining development or railway could affect our ways of life or community,” he said. Instead, Wabasse said community members learn about activities in the area through the media or when they are out on the land. He said people want to know how they will be accommodated or benefit from these developments. “We as leaders do not have the resources and funding to get the answers and this lack of community engagement by the government and the mining industry is simply insulting,” Wabasse said. Nishnawbe Aski Nation Deputy Grand Chief Les Louttit finds that
unacceptable. “In the NAN territory, governments and industry must obtain the free, prior and informed consent from NAN First Nations before any significant steps are taken pertaining to developments in their traditional territory,” Louttit said. Communities are not against resource development, he said. However there has to be agreements in place to ensure First Nations also benefit from development, such as the potential seen in the Ring of Fire area. “We will no longer accept any external decisions that exclude NAN First Nations from participating equally in all development activities in our territory,” Louttit said. see RING page 15
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK Send your comments to: editor@wawatay.on.ca or send to: Wawatay News 16-5th Avenue North P.O. Box 1180 Sioux Lookout ON P8T 1B7
ᐅᑭᒪᑲᓇᐠ ᐃᒪ ᒪᑕᐊᐧ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯ ᐃᐢᑯᓂᑲᓂᐠ ᐊᒥ ᐱᑯ ᑭᔭᐸᐨ ᐁᐃᔑ ᐱᒥ ᒪᒋᓭᐊᐧᑫᐣᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐁᑲ ᑲᑕᑯᓇᑲᓄᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᒪ ᐅᓇᒋᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᒥᓇ ᑲᐱᒪᓄᑲᑌᐠ ᐃᐁᐧ ᐱᐊᐧᐱᑯᑲᐣ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᑲᐱᒥᐊᓂᒧᑌᐠ. ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᑲᑭ ᐸᐸᔑ ᒪᐊᐧᒋᐦᐃᑎᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᐅᐁᐧ ᐁᑭ ᐊᓂᒧᑕᒧᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᐅᑭᒪᐃᐧᐣ ᒥᓇ ᐃᑫᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑭᒋ ᐱᐊᐧᐱᑯᑫᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐁᑲ ᑲᐧᔭᐠ ᑲᐊᓂᒧᑕᒪᐊᐧᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯᐊᐧᐣ ᐅᐁᐧ ᐅᐣᒋ, ᐅᑭᒪᑲᓇᐠ ᐊᒥ ᐱᑯ ᑭᔭᐸᐨ ᐁᐃᔑ ᐱᒥ ᑲᑫᐧᑌᐊᐧᐨ ᑫᑯᓀᓂᐦᐃ ᐁᑲ ᑲᐅᐣᒋ ᑕᑯᓇᑲᓄᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᒪ ᐱᐊᐧᐱᑯᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐱᒥᐊᓂᑲᑌᐠ. ᐃᒪ ᐯᔑᑲᐧᔦᐠ ᑲᐃᔑ ᑭᒋᔓᓂᔭᐊᐧᐠ ᐱᕑᐃᔭᐣ ᑲᐃᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᑲᐃᓀᐣᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᐢᑕᐦᐃ ᑲᐊᔭᐨ ᒪᑲᑌᐊᐧᓯᐣ ᑲᓇᓇᐣᑎᓇᐊᐧᐊᐧᐨ, ᐊᒥᐦᐃᒪ ᑲᐃᔑ ᒥᑲᐊᐧᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᑲᐧᑭᐣᐠ ᒥᓇ ᐁᐧᐱᑫᐧ ᑲᐃᔑ ᐅᑕᐦᑭᒥᐊᐧᐨ. ᓴᓂ ᑲᐣᔭᐣ, ᐅᑭᒪᑲᐣ ᐁᕑᐅᓫᐊᐣᐟ ᐃᐢᑯᓂᑲᐣ, ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᐅᑭᒪᐃᐧᑲᒥᑯᐣ ᐃᒪ ᑕᐣᑐᕑ ᐯ ᒥᓇ ᓴᐟᐱᕑᐃ ᒪᐃᐧᓀᐢᑲᑎᐊᐧᐠ ᐁᑲᑫᐧ ᑌᐱᓇᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᑫᑕᔑ ᓂᑭᓴᐧᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᓯᓂᐣ. ᐊᒥᑕᔥ ᑫᒋᓇᐨ ᑫᐊᓂᓯᓭᐠ ᒋᐊᓂ ᐅᔑᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᒥᑲᐦᓇ ᐃᒪ ᐁᕑᐅᓫᐊᐣᐟ ᑲᐃᔑ ᑎᐯᐣᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᐦᑭ, ᐁᑲ ᐁᓇᐦᐁᐣᑕᒧᐢᑲᑯᐨ ᑲᐣᔭᐣ. ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐃᒪ ᑲᐃᔑ ᑲᐯᔑᐊᐧᐨ ᒪᔭᑦ ᑲᐃᔑ ᓄᒋᒋᑲᓂᐊᐧᓂᐠ ᐱᐊᐧᐱᑯᑫᐃᐧᐣ, ᐊᒥᔕ ᐁᑲ ᒪᐦᔑ ᐁᐱᐊᐣᑕᐁᐧᓂᒥᐣᑕᐧ ᑲᐃᔑ ᐊᓂᒧᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᐅᐁᐧ ᐁᑲ ᑲᓇᑫ ᐁᑭ ᐊᓂᒧᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᓂᐣ ᑫᐃᓯᓭᐦᐃᑯᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᒪ ᐅᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ, ᐃᑭᑐ. ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᔑᐣ ᒧᒋ ᐱᐦᐅᐊᐧᐨ ᒋᐊᐣᑐᒥᐣᑕᐧ, ᐁᕑᐅᓫᐊᐣᐟ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯᐠ ᑫᒋᐊᐧᐠ ᑭᐃᔕᐊᐧᐠ ᐃᒪ ᑲᐃᐧ ᐃᔑᐊᓂᒧᑌᐠ ᑲᐃᐧ ᑕᔑ ᓂᐣᑭᓴᐧᑲᓄᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᓯᓂᐠ. ᐅᐁᐧ ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᐱᒥ ᐊᓂᒧᑕᒪᑎᐊᐧᐠ ᑭᐢᐱᐣ ᑫᑭ ᐸᑭᑎᓂᑲᑌᑯᐸᓀᐣ ᐃᐁᐧ ᐊᓯᓂᐠ ᑲᐃᐧ ᐃᔑ ᓂᐣᑭᓯᐣᑕᐧ ᐯᔓᐣᐨ ᐃᐢᑯᓂᑲᓂᐠ ᒋᐊᔭᐠ, ᒥᓇ ᒋᒪᓯᓇᐦᐊᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᑭᕑᐃᐣᐢᑐᐣ ᐊᓄᑭᐃᐧᐣ ᓂᓯᑐᑕᒪᐃᐧᐣ ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑲᐣ. ᐊᒥ ᐁᐃᔑ ᓂᓯᑕᐃᐧᓇᒪᐣᐠ ᒋᑭ ᐊᔭᑭᐸᐣ ᒋᐅᔑᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᐊᓯᓂᐠ ᑲᐃᐧ ᐃᔑ ᓂᐣᑭᓯᐣᑕᐧ ᐯᔓᐣᐨ ᓂᑕᐦᑭᒥᓇᐣ ᑲᐃᔑᔭᐠ ᒥᓇ ᒋᐅᐣᒋ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᐅᒪ ᑌᑎᐸᐦᐃ ᑲᐃᔑᔭᔭᐠ ᐃᒪ ᐊᓯᓂᐠ ᑲᐅᐣᒋ ᐅᑕᐱᓇᑲᓄᐊᐧᐨ, ᑲᐣᔭᐣ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ. ᑕᑭ ᐃᓯᓭ ᐃᐧᓂᑯ ᐊᐧᑌᓂᑲᓂᔭᑊ ᒋᑭ ᐃᓇᐱᑫᓂᑲᑌᑭᐸᐣ ᐃᒪ ᑫᑕᔑ ᐱᐊᐧᐱᑯᑲᓂᐊᐧᐠ, ᔕᑯᐨ ᑕᔥ ᓂᑕ ᓇᐣᑕᐁᐧᓂᒪᒥᐣ ᐅᑭᒪᐃᐧᐣ ᒋᐃᐧᑐᑲᑯᔭᐣᐠ ᐅᐁᐧ ᒋᑭ ᑲᐢᑭᑐᔭᐣᐠ. ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᔥ ᐸᓂᒪ ᐊᐦᑭ ᑭᓇᓇᑲᒋᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᒥᓇ ᐸᓂᒪ ᑭ ᐃᐢᑲᐧ ᐅᔑᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᑫᑕᔑ ᓂᐣᑭᓯᐣᑕᐧ ᐊᓯᓂᐠ, ᐱᓇᒪ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯᐠ ᑲᒪᒥᑎᓀᐣᑕᒧᐦᐃᑯᐊᐧᐨ ᑕᑭ ᐊᓂᑲᑌᐸᐣ, ᐃᑭᑐ ᐁᐧᐱᑫᐧ ᐅᑭᒪᑲᐣ ᑲᓀᓂᔭᐢ ᐊᐧᐸᐢ. ᐊᒥ ᑲᑭ ᐃᑭᑐᐨ ᒪᑕᐊᐧ ᐃᐢᑯᓂᑲᐣ ᒥᔑᓄᐊᐦᑭ ᐊᔕ ᐅᑐᐣᒋ ᐱᒥ ᐊᓂᒧᑕᓇᐊᐧ ᐃᐁᐧᓂ ᓇᓇᐣᑕᐊᐧᓯᓂᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ ᒥᓇ ᐱᐊᐧᐱᑯᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᑫᐃᓯᓭᐦᐃᑯᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᒪ ᐅᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ. ᐃᓇᐱᐣ ᐸᑭᑭᓂᑲᓂᐠ 3