Bearskin youth shoots and skis PAGE 16 Vol. 38 #03
NAPS tackles budget deficit PAGE 12
Young leaders shine at Ecole Gron Morgan PAGE B6 9,300 copies distributed $1.50
February 3, 2011 www.wawataynews.ca
Lives going up in smoke
Northern Ontario’s First Nation Voice since 1974
Reclaiming life
James Thom Wawatay News
The goal is smoke-free First Nations. The means to get there: encourage the youth, who will be the future leaders, not to start smoking and to lobby their community leaders to start smoking bans, says Pamela Burton, Tobacco Prevention and Education program coordinator for Chiefs of Ontario. “It starts with community leadership,” Burton said. “Chiefs and councils will have to make smoking bans if that is something they support.” With all the known dangers of smoking, Burton said it is disappointing to know few, if any, First Nations followed Ontario’s lead in banning smoking in all enclosed workplaces and enclosed public places. The provincial law went into effect May 31, 2006. “Why is our health less important?” Burton, who organized the Tobacco Talk youth gathering in Thunder Bay Jan. 28-30, said. “Why are policies not already in place?” It was a question no one could answer. According to statistics provided through the conference, in the 1970s, more than 70 per cent of all Canadians were smokers. That rate has dropped to 18 per cent now. But more than half of all First Nations people are smokers, with most starting when they are 13-16 years old. “That is why this conference is so important,” Burton said. “We need to keep the youth from starting.” Thunder Bay District Health Unit registered nurse Amber White agreed, saying if people can get through their post-secondary schooling without starting a smoking addiction, there is almost no chance they will start smoking later in life. “We need to talk to the youth about the dangers of commercial tobacco,” Burton said. “They need to know the risks: cancer, carcinogens, other health problems. But they also need to understand that if they participate in smudges and ceremonies with commercial tobacco, they are breathing in all these same chemicals. They need to know and understand the difference between commercial tobacco and natural tobacco you can grow or make that is clean and healthy.” During the conference, Elder Phyllis Shaugabay led a workshop to show the two-dozen participants how to make a form of tobacco powder out of willow trees to use in ceremonies. Darryl Sainnawap, a participant from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, said it’s important for people to know they can make their own tobacco. “The commercial tobacco ... isn’t good for us – in offerings.” see SMOKING page 13
Adrienne Fox/Wawatay News
From top left: Candice Crowe and Hazel Chapman. From bottom left: Rosemary McKay, Rayanne Tait and Melanie Beardy. The Mamow Against Drugs Healing Program began operating in June 2010. The Kitchenuhmaykoosib treatment program is devoted to helping participants combat their addiction to oxycodone. Meet five women struggling to end their addiction beginning on page 9.
ᐯᒪᑎᓯᐧᐊᑦ ᐊᔕ ᐊᐧᐊᔑᒣ ᐊᓂᐊᔭᒪᑲᓐ ᓴᑲᐧᓭᐧᐃᓐ ᒋᒥᔅ ᐧᑕᑦ ᐧᐊᐧᐊᑌ ᑎᐸᒋᒧᐧᐃᓐ
ᒋᐃᔑ ᑲᐧᑫᑌᐱᓂᑲᓂᐧᐊᑭᐸᓐ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯᒃ ᓴᑲᐧᓭᐧᐃᓐ ᒋᐊᔭᒪᑲᓯᓄᑭᐸᓐ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᐯᒥᓇ ᐳᓫᑕᓐ ᐧᐊᐧᐁᓇᒋᑫᐧᐃᐧᑫ ᐃᐃᒪ ᐅᓐᑌᕆᐅ ᐅᑭᒪᑲᓇᒃ ᒥᐅᐧᐁ ᐁᓂᐧᐁᒃ ᒋᐅᒋ ᑲᔥᑭᒋᑲᑌᑭᐸᓐ ᑲᑲᓱᒥᐧᑕ ᐅᔥᑲᑎᓴᒃ ᐊᓂᔥ ᐊᒥ ᐅᑯᐧᐁᓂᐧᐊᒃ ᐊᓂ ᓂᑲᓐ ᑫᓂᑲᓂᑕᒪᑫᐧᐊᑦ ᑕᐧᐃᑕᒪᑫᐧᐊᒃ ᐁᑲ ᒋᓴᑲᐧᓭᓂᐧᐊᒃ ᒥᓇᐧᐊ ᒋᑲᓄᓇᐧᐊᑦ ᐅᓂᐧᐁᓂᐧᐊ ᑲᓂᑲᓂᑕᒪᑫᓂᑦ ᒋᑭᐱᑎᓇᒧᐧᐊᑦ ᓴᑲᐧᓭᐧᐃᓂ ᐊᒥ ᐊᓂᔥ ᐃᐃᒪ ᑫᐅᒋ ᒪᒋᑕᓂᐧᐊᑭᐸᓐ ᐧᐃᓇᐧᐊ ᐅᑭᒪᑲᓇᒃ ᑲᔦ ᐅᑭᒪᑲᓀᓴᒃ ᑭᔥᐱᓐ ᐃᐃᐧᐁᓂ ᑫᑯᓐ ᐧᐃᐊᓴᓇᒪᑫᐧᐊᑦ ᒥᓇ ᑭᐊᓂ ᐃᑭᑐ ᐊᓇᐧᐃᓐ ᐁᑭᑫᓐᒋᑲᑌᒃ ᑲᐃᔑᓇᓂᓴᓇᒃ ᓴᑲᐧᓭᐧᐃᓐ ᐊᒥ ᐁᔑᒥᒋᓐᓇᐧᐁᑕᐧᑲᒃ ᐊᓇᑭ ᐃᓇᑯᓂᑲᓂᐧᐊᒃ ᐃᑕᔥ ᒥᓯᐧᐁ ᑭ ᑭᐱᑎᓇᑲᑌ ᐁᑲ ᒋᓴᑲᐧᓭᓇᓂᐧᐊᒃ ᐱᑎᒃ ᑲᐃᔑ ᑕᓇᓄᑭᓇᓂᐧᐊᒃ ᑲᔦ ᐱᑎᑲᒥᒃ ᐅᓇᑯᓂᑫᐧᐃ ᑭᐸᑭᑎᓂᑲᑌᐸᓐ ᒣ 31 2006 ᐸᑭ ᐁᑕ ᑲᓂᑲᓂᑕᒪᑫᐧᐊᑦ ᑕᔑᑫᐧᐃᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐱᒥᓂᔕᐊᓂᐧᐊ ᐧᐁᑯᓀᓐ ᐃᑕᔥ ᐧᐁᒋ ᓂᑲᓀᑕᐧᑲᓯᓄᒃ ᒥᓄᐊᔭᐧᐃᓐ ᑭᐃᔑᑲᐧᑫᐧᑌ ᐧᐁᑎ ᑲᑭᑕᓇᑲᒥᑲᒃ ᑕᓐ ᑐᕑᐯ ᐅᔥᑲᑎᓴᒃ ᑭᒪᐧᐊᑐᐱᐊᐧᐊᒃ ᒋᑕᔑᑕᒪᐧᐃᐧᑕ ᓴᑲᐧᓭᐧᐃᓂ
ᐊᓂᓐ ᑲᔦ ᐁᑲ ᐧᐁᒋᑭ ᐅᓇᑌᒃ ᐊᔕ ᒋᑭ ᐸᐸᐊᑌᑭᐸᓂᓐ ᐅᓇᑕᒪᑎᐧᐃᓇᓐ ᒋᐃᔑ ᑭᑫᓐᒋᑲᑌᑭᓐ ᐊᒥ ᐅᐅᐧᐁ ᑲᐧᑫᐧᑌᐧᐃᓐ ᑲᐧᐃᓐ ᐊᐧᐃᔭ ᑭᐅᒋᓯ ᒋᑭᓇᐧᑫᑕᒃ ᐅᑕᓇᒃ ᒪᐧᐊᒋᐃᑎᐧᐃᓂᒃ ᒣᐧᑲ 1970 ᑭᑭᓄᐧᐃᓄᐧᐃᓐ ᐊᔕ ᑭᐃᔑ ᑭᑫᑕᐧᑲᓐ ᓂᐱᐧᐊ ᑲᓇᑕ ᐯᒪᑎᓯᐧᐊᑦ ᐸᑎᓄᐧᐊᒃ ᑲᓂᑕ ᑲᓴᑲᐧᓭᐧᐊᑦ ᓄᑯᒥᑫ ᐃᑕᔥ ᐧᐃᓐ ᐊᔕ ᑲᐧᐃᓐ ᐊᐱᒋ ᑲᓴᑲᐧᓭᐧᐊᑦ ᐊᔭᓯᐧᐊᒃ ᐊᒥ ᐧᐃᓐ ᐊᐧᐊᔑᒣ ᐊᐱᑕ ᑲᑭᓇ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯᒃ ᑲᓴᑲᐧᓭᐧᐊᒃ ᒪᔭ ᐱᑯ ᑲᒪᒋᑕᐧᐊᑦ ᐃᑭᐧᐁᓂᐧᐊᒃ ᒥᑕᓱᔑᓂᓯᓐ ᐱᓂᔥ ᒥᑕᓱᓂᑯᐧᑕᓱ ᑲᑕᓱᓯᐳᓀᐧᐊᑦ ᐊᒥ ᐃᑕᔥ ᐧᐃᓐ ᑲᐅᒋ ᑭᒋᐊᓀᑕᐧᑲᒃ ᐅᐅᐧᐁ ᒪᐧᐊᒋᐃᑎᐧᐃᓐ ᐊᑕᐧᐁᑕᐧᑲᓐ ᐅᔥᑲᑎᓴᒃ ᒋᒪᒋᑕᓯᐧᑲᐸᓐ ᓴᑲᐧᓭᐧᐃᓐ ᐧᐁᑎ ᑕᓐ ᑐᕑᐯ ᐯᔑᒃ ᑭᒋ ᒪᔥᑭᑭᐧᐃᐧᑫ ᑭᐃᔑ ᓇᑯᒧ ᐁᑭ ᐃᑭᑐᑦ ᑭᔥᐱᓐ ᐊᓂᔥ ᒪᒋᑕᓯᐧᑲ ᒣᐧᑲ ᑲᐱᒥ ᑭᑭᓄᐊᒪᑯᓯᐧᐊᑦ ᓴᑲᐧᓭᐧᐃᓂ ᑌᐧᐯ ᐃᔑᓇᐧᑲᓐ ᐁᑲ ᒋᐅᒋ ᓴᑲᐧᓭᐧᐊᑦ ᐊᓂ ᑭᒋᔭᐊᐧᐃᐧᐊᑦ ᒥᓇᐧᐊ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᐯᒥᓇ ᐳᓫᑕᓐ ᐅᒋᑕ ᐱᑯ ᒋᐧᐃᑕᒪᐧᐃᐧᑕ ᐅᔥᑲᑎᓴᒃ ᑲᐃᔑ ᓇᓂᓴᓀᑕᐧᑲᒃ ᑲᐊᑕᐧᐊᓱᑦ ᓇᓭᒪ ᒋᑭᑫᑕᒧᐧᐊᑦ ᐁᔑᒋᑫᒪᑲᒃ ᓴᑲᐧᓭᐧᐃᓐ ᐅᐧᐃᔭᐧᐃᒪᒃ ᐊᓂᔥ ᐅᔑᐅᒪᑲᓐ ᐊᑯᓯᐧᐃᓐ ᒪᔭ ᐯᔑᒃ ᑲᐊᒧᐧᐁᒪᑲᒃ
ᐊᑯᓯᐧᐃᓐ ᒥᑲᐧᐊ ᑯᑕᑭᔭᓐ ᑲᔦ ᒋᑭ ᓂᓯᑐᑕᒧᐧᐊᐸᓐ ᐃᔑ ᐧᐃᒋᐧᑕᐧᐊᑦ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯ ᐃᔑᒋᑭᐧᐃᓇᓐ ᑲᐃᔑᐊᐸᑎᓯᑦ ᑲᐊᑕᐧᐊᓱᑦ ᓇᓭᒪ ᑭᐸᔥᑭᓀᒃ ᐃᑕᔥ ᒥᐃᒪ ᐧᐁᒋ ᐅᐧᑲᓇᒋᑲᑌᒃ ᐊᐧᑲᐸᑌ ᐯᔑᐧᑲᓐ ᐃᔑᓭ ᑲᐅᔑᐅᒪᑲᒃ ᐊᑯᓯᐧᐃᓐ ᒥᓇᐧᐊ ᒋᑭ ᑭᑫᑕᒧᐧᐊᑦ ᑲᔦ ᒋᓂᓯᑐᑕᒧᐧᐊᑦ ᐅᒋ ᑲᐊᑕᐧᐊᓱᓂᑦ ᓇᓭᒪᓐ ᑲᔦ ᑲᒧᒋ ᑭᑎᑲᓱᓂᑦ ᐸᔥᑭᓀᓯᑲᓐ ᐯᔑᒃ ᒥᓇ ᐃᐧᑫ ᒣᐧᑲ ᑲᐱᒥ ᒪᐧᐊᒋᐃᑎᓇᓂᐧᐊᓂᓂᒃ ᑭᒋᔭᐊ ᐱᕑᓂᔅ ᔕᓐᑲᐯ ᑭ ᑭᑭᓄᐃᑫ ᑫᐃᔑᒋᑲᓂᐧᐊᒃ ᓇᓭᒪᑫᐧᐃᓐ ᐅᒋ ᒥᐱᑯᒃ ᒋᐃᔑ ᐊᐸᒋᐊᑲᓂᐧᐃᑦ ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯ ᐃᔑᒋᑭᐧᐃᓇᓐ ᐧᐃᑫ ᐅᑭᒋᐃᓀᑕ ᐯᔑᒃ ᓇᒣᑯᓯᐱᐧᐃᓂᓂ ᑌᓫᐅ ᓭᓇᐧᐊᑊ ᑲᑭᐱᑕᐧᑲᐱᑦ ᐅᒥᐧᓀᑕᓐ ᑭᐧᐊᐸᑫᑦ ᐁᔑᐊᑲᓂᐧᐃᓂᑦ ᓇᓭᒪᓐ ᐅᑭ ᑭᒋᐃᓀᑕᓐ ᑲᑭᑫᑕᒃ ᑲᐅᔑᒋᑲᑌᓂᒃ ᐊᒥ ᑲᐃᑭᑐᑦ ᑭᒋᐃᓀᑕᐧᑲᓐ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐧᐊᒃ ᒋᐃᔑᑭᑫᑕᒧᐧᐊᑦ ᐧᐃᓇᐧᐊ ᐱᑯ ᓇᓭᒪᓐ ᒋᐅᔑᐊᐧᐊᑦ ᐁᑲ ᐧᐃᓐ ᑲᐊᑕᐧᐊᓱᓂᑦ ᓇᓭᒪᓐ ᒋᐊᐸᒋᐊᐧᐊᐸᓐ ᐊᓂᔥ ᑲᐧᐃᓐ ᒥᓄᔥᑲᑫᓯᓐ ᑲᔦ ᐊᒋᑫᐧᐃᓂᒃ ᑲᐃᔑᐊᐸᒋᐊᓂᐧᐃᑦ ᐊᒥ ᐅᐅᐧᐁ ᑫᓂᓐ ᑫᐃᔑᐧᐃᑕᒪᑫᔭᓐ ᐃᑕᔑᓭᐧᐃᓂᒃ ᓭᓇᐧᐊᑊ ᑭᐊᓂ ᐃᑭᑐ ᐧᐃᑫ ᓂᐱᐧᐊ ᐊᐧᐊᔑᒣ ᐁᑭ ᐅᒋ ᓂᓯᑐᑕᒪᓐ ᑲᑭᐱᐧᐃᒋᐧᑕᔭᓐ ᐅᓄᐧᐁᓂᐧᐊᓐ ᐊᓂᑫ
ᐃᔑᒋᑫᐧᐃᓐ ᑲᐃᔑ ᐊᐸᑎᓯᑦ ᓇᓭᒪᓐ ᑲᔦ ᑲᐃᔑᐸᑲᓂᓯᑦ ᑲᐊᑕᐧᐊᓱᓂᑦ ᓇᓭᒪ ᐁᓂᐧᐁᒃ ᐊᓂᔥ ᒣᐧᐃᔕ ᐊᔕ ᐅᒋᐃᔑᒋᑲᓂᐧᐊᓐ ᐊᔭᒥᒋᑫᐧᐃᓐ ᒋᑭᐯᑲᒃ ᓇᓇᑲᑕᐧᐁᑕᒧᐧᐃᓐ ᒥᓇ ᐊᒐᑯᐧᐃ ᐱᒪᑎᓯᐧᐃᓐ ᑲᔦ ᒥᓄᐊᔭᐧᐃᓂᒃ ᐁᐧᑲ ᑲᒥᐧᑫᒋᐧᐁᓂᒥᑦ ᑲᑭᐅᔑᐃᐧᐁᑦ ᐃᐃᒪ ᑲᔦ ᑭᑕᑭᒥᓇᓂᒃ ᑲᐊᑕᐧᐊᓱᑦ ᓇᓭᒪ ᐧᐃᑫ ᓂᐱᐧᐊ ᑫᑯᓐ ᐅᒋᒪᑲᓐ ᓂᐧᐃᓐ ᒥᑕᐧᓴᒃ ᒥᓂᑯᒃ ᐁᐧᑲ ᒥᑕᓱᔑᐯᔑᒃ ᑭᑫᑕᐧᑲᓄᓐ ᑲᐊᒧᐧᐁᒪᑲᒃ ᐊᑯᓯᐧᐃᓐ ᐁᐅᒋᒪᑲᑭᓐ ᒥᓇ ᑫᐧᐃᓐ ᑭᐃᑭᑐ ᐧᐊᔾᐃᑦ ᑲᑭᐱ ᐧᐃᑐᑲᑫᑦ ᑲᔦ ᑯᑕᑭᔭᓐ ᑌᐧᐯ ᑲᐊᒧᐧᐁᒪᑲᒃ ᐊᑯᓯᐧᐃᓐ ᐁᐅᒋᒪᑲᑭᓐ ᓂᓱᑯᓐ ᑲᑭᑕᔑᑲᒧᐧᐊᑦ ᐃᐃᒪ ᒪᐧᐊᒋᐃᑎᐧᐃᓐ ᑲᔦ ᓂᐱᐧᐊ ᑫᑯᓇᓐ ᐅᒋᐧᐊᓐ ᑲᓂᓯᑯᐧᐊᑦ ᑕᐱᔥᑯ ᑲᐅᓐᑕᐸᑌᒃ ᐅᑕᐸᓀᓯᒃ ᑲᒥᓇᒋᑲᑌᒃ ᐃᓇᐱᐣ ᐸᑭᑭᓂᑲᓂᐠ 13
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