February 28, 2019 n Northern Pride n Page 11

Meadow Lake First Nations News

Birch NarrowsDene Nation

Buffalo RiverDene Nation

Canoe NarrowsCree First Nation

Clearwater RiverDene Nation

English RiverFirst Nation

Flying DustFirst Nation

Makwa SahgaiehcanFirst Nation

Ministikwan LakeCree Nation

Waterhen Lake First Nation

February 2019 Volume 2 • Issue 2

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ELDERS’ INPUT INVALUABLE

It’s been almost two full years since Flying Dust First Nation was awarded the 2019 Tony Cote First Nations Summer Games, and plans are soon to be underway for selecting Team MLTC. The Games take place July 14-19, 2019.As the host tribal council, Team MLTC will be comprised of more than 280 athletes from the nine Meadow Lake First Nations communities.“We’re going to be setting up tryout dates likely toward the end of May and early June in various communities within MLTC, and also within the City of Meadow Lake,” said Terrance Sylvestre, MLTC Youth Development program coordinator. “All teams have until June 14 to finalize their rosters. From there, team practices will get into full swing as they prepare for the Games.Flying Dust has hosted the Saskatchewan First Nation Summer Games once before, in 2003.“We’re excited to host it again,” said chief Jeremy Norman.Close to 3,500 athletes from throughout Saskatchewan’s 74 First Nations are expected to participate in the Games, which will feature a variety of sports from archery to athletics.Sylvestre added these Games are about the young people, ages 13-18, making memories and building confidence.

2019 Tony Cote Games athlete

selection

On Jan. 18, the Meadow Lake Tribal Council education department held an elders’ gathering in Meadow Lake with the Meadow Lake First Nations leadership and elders.

The purpose of the gathering was to establish a foundation of First Nations law to guide the development of a First Nations education collaborative model. The establishment of an educational foundation in First Nations law will provide a position and mandate as MLTC enters nation-to-nation negotiations with the Government of Canada towards a collective education agreement.

All MLTC elders were invited along with two additional elders from each community as designated by the chief/education portfolio holder/board of education director. MLFN chiefs, board of education directors and education portfolio holders were also invited to attend.

Over the course of the day, elders met to discuss a variety of topics and questions directly related to the treaty right to education, traditional teachings, educational governance and administration, history of education, foundational beliefs and values of education, First Naions relationship with the Government of Canada, and much more. This event was filled with in-depth and powerful discussions from elders

that will guide MLTC Education and MLFNs on the path forward in education. Some of the main themes that came from the event included:

• Treaty right to education • Language revitalization • Land, language, relationship and culture curriculum -

(holistic education to walk in two worlds)

• Community involvement and engagement • Administrative standards and procedures MLTC would like to to thank all

of its elders and MLFN leadership who participated in this event. The coming together and sharing of histories and knowledge made this day an incredibly influential event. moving forward MLTC First Nations will continue to work together and inspire one another in creating a system that builds capacity within communities for all children.

Elders in Attendance: BNDN - Mary Maurice, Veronica

Tobac, Ronnie Desjardin, Albert Sylvester

BRDN - Therese Billette, Joe Billette, Lawrence Piche

CLCN - Delores Blackman, Mary Rose Morin, Peggy Iron

CRDN - Ronnie Lemaigre, Johnny Lemaigre, Moise Piche

ERFN - Vitaline Read, Rod Apesis,

Ovide Wolverine, Gordon TchoFDFN - Elizabeth Durocher, Percy

DerocherILFN - Darlene Paddy, Shirley

PahtaykenMSFN - Frank Kytwayhat, Betty

Peepeekoot, Sidney BenWLFN - Albert Fiddler, Cecilia

Fiddler, Martin LarocqueChiefs in Attendance:BRDN - Eileen MorrisonERFN - Lawrence McIntyreFDFN - Jeremy NormanWLFN - Carol Bernard

Education Technical Working Group in Attendance:

Gordon MartellCarl NahachewskyRandy Fox

MLTC Board of Education in Attendance:

BNDN - Dorothy SylvestreBRDN - Lavina CataratCLCN - Wilfred IronCRDN - Shawn MontgrandERFN - Russell BlackFDFN - Connie Derocher

MLTC in Attendance:Larry IronHeather MerastyCelia DeschambeaultJackie BuffaloCheryle HermanJohn CherianRaquel RossTammy DancyLeah Olsen-Bacon

The Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) began in 1981 when the First Nations of Northwest Saskatchewan united to form the Meadow

Lake District Chiefs Joint Venture. The Meadow

Lake District Chiefs became officially known

as the Meadow Lake Tribal Council in 1996.

Elders’ gathering focuseson future of FN’s education

An MLTC elders’ gathering took place Jan. 18 at the Meadow Lake Civic Centre

February 28, 2019 n Northern Pride n Page 12 February 28, 2019 n Northern Pride n Page 13

February 2019

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Volume 2 • Issue 2

Earlier this month, Flying Dust First Nation re-ceived 25 bison from Elk Island National Park (near Edmonton, AB) as part of the park’s bison manage-ment program. Another six will be arriving in the coming weeks.

“We saw a herd of buffalo on Saulteaux First Nation (near Cochin) and we looked into having some on our land,” said Flying Dust chief Jeremy Norman. “The more we learned about the program, the more we knew it would be a good fit for our community.”

In recent years, the band has taken a somewhat aggressive stance on food sovereignty.

“When we started our market garden several years back, where we now grow a wide variety of vegetables and potatoes, we realized by add-ing bison it would be a great addition to this food sovereignty,” Norman added. “Having the bison offers the chance to reconnect with our past too. They are such a beautiful animal and it brings a lot of pride to our community. The community wanted a healthy food source, and thought bison would be a good fit for our diet. The band has a community freezer filled by donations of community members

and youth hunting trips. These include things such as moose, deer, elk and fish... and soon bison.”

The new animals include two-year-old mature bred cows, yearlings and some bulls.

To make sure these animals had a proper home, the band purchased the improvements (fence and pasture) from an existing buffalo rancher on the reserve as well as six of his remaining animals.

“Oneill Gladue had a buffalo herd here for about 15-20 years, but decided to disperse the business, so we were fortunate this was already in place and available to us,” Norman said. “Right now the ani-mals are roaming on 180 acres of natural grassland, but once spring hits, we’ll be increasing that to 500.”

Even though bison have been roaming on Gla-due’s ranch for years, Norman said there is a differ-ent feeling now a new herd is owned by the band.

“They feel it’s something that belongs to them,” he said of the membership. “They will see the rewards of it, so – when it comes to harvesting time – it’s the whole community that shares it.”

Flying Dust also plans to incorporate the bi-son into the local school curriculum to teach the younger generation about the cultural significance

of the animal.During future Treaty Day celebrations, the band

will serve bison meat to its members at the annual dinner.

Past Indigenous translocations of the Elk Island National Park bison include 89 plains bison calves to the Blackfeet Nation in Montana (2016) and 25 wood bison to Saulteaux First Nation in 2018.

The differencePlains bison, or the ‘buffalo of the Wild West’, once

dominated the Great Plains in the millions and used to roam in herds of 10,000 to 100,000 or more. They can be identified by their defined shaggy ‘cape’, long beard, and the large, bushy hairstyle on their head. Plains bison have a full beard and hairy leg chaps. Their back hump is much rounder than a wood bison’s and the highest point sits directly over their front legs. Wood bison, meanwhile, are adapted for the colder climate of the North as their habitat once ranged across Alaska, the Northwest Territories, as well as northern Alberta and British Columbia. Compared to plains bison, wood bison are about 15-25 per cent larger and taller.

Reserve is home to new bison herdWaterhen Lake First Nation’s newly-elected council from the band’s Dec. 12, 2018 vote. Standing (l-r) David Fleury, Dustin Ross Fiddler, Blaine Fiddler, Ableheza Ernest, Dean Martell, Karnella Fiddler. Seated is Chief Carol Bernard.

Flying Dust First Nation~ Community Profile

FACTS & FIGURES

Flying Dust benefits from band-owned businesses

Flying Dust First Nation is ready to get gassy as their flare gas project gets closer to reality.

“One of the biggest projects we’ve been working on for a few years now is our power production of flare gas,” said Flying Dust councillor Richard Derocher, whose portfolio includes economic development. “We haven’t chosen a location yet, but that will be determined in the next few months.”

After working on this the past four years and inking the deal with Sask-Power in 2018, Flying Dust is to supply gas to the Crown corporation to create electricity.

“We’ll be purchasing sour gas from a gas company, but it has to be before it gets cleaned,” Derocher added. “We have to burn it through generators and, at that time, it gets added on to the SaskPower grid. As for the timeline, we have to have a finished proposal before SaskPower by June 30 of this year. “

FDFN has partnered with Genalta Power Inc. of Calgary, an expert and successful track record in this area hav-ing built a number of these plants near Peace River in northern Alberta.

New fuel stationA new fuel station is currently under

construction along Highway 55 to replace the existing FDB Fuels opera-tion.

“It’s been a cold winter, but there has been steady progress on this par-ticular project,” Derocher said. “Petro-Canada will be the supplier of the fuel we will be selling, but Flying Dust will independently own 100 per cent of the fuel station.”

Currently, FDB Fuels sells unleaded gasoline and diesel. What will be of-fered at the new gas station will be a variety of fuels including premium, mid-grade and bronze as well as diesel. There will also be an RV sewage dumping station onsite for holiday travellers heading north to and from the lakes in the summer months. A

much larger confectionery will also be available, similar to other PetroCanada stations throughout Saskatchewan.

The projected opening is slated for mid to late summer 2019.

Gravel companyAnother successful venture has

been the band’s gravel company.“FDB Gravel company had a very

successful year, mostly due to the cleanup on Railway Avenue as well as good gravel sales throughout the year,” Derocher said. “We are hoping for continued growth with this entity in the coming year.”

During peak season there are 14 people employed – from the first of April to the end of October.

Other venturesMeanwhile, last fall, Flying Dust

purchased a large, 23-passenger com-munity van to be used to transport youth, elders and for community func-tions locally and out of town trips for large groups. Most recently the band added a smaller, wheelchair accessible van for medical trips to and from the bigger centres like North Battleford and Saskatoon. A third smaller van was also purchased for medical trips as well as for youth group outings.

Through Flying Dust’s economic development arm, Derocher said the band’s own-source revenue (profits) benefit the community.

“The profits from our companies go to an array of places – elders expenses, youth programming, sports and recreation, housing, cultural and treaty days, general donations and membership assistance,” he said. “Eco-nomic development also includes all the buildings we lease out – the pro-vincial building on Railway Avenue, SIIT and McCallum’s AutoBody as well as many of the MLTC offices.”

Most recently the band has moved forward in purchasing 7.81 acres at NorSask Forest Products.

“This will include the land where the NorSask and Mistik offices are situat-ed, meaning in about one year’s time, when it becomes reserve status, all First Nation employees working there will benefit by not paying federal or provincial taxes on their employment income due to the fact they work on a reserve,” Derocher noted. “Once it’s reserve land, Mistik and NorSask will pay property taxes to us rather than the RM of Meadow Lake.”

Derocher also said Flying Dust has nine oil wells online and putting on two more this summer in the south-east corner of Saskatchewan.

“In total we own nine quarters of land, but there and only seven of them are in production,” he said.

Flying Dust Energy purchased those lands on behalf of the band.

“That brings us a nice little royalty every month – both for Flying Dust Energy and Flying Dust First Nation,” he added. “The biggest thing about economic development is some of our people don’t see what it does for our community. They don’t see that the profits we make how it improves our community. The money we get from the department of Indian Affairs is just $5-million, but Flying Dust’s annual budget is $23-million. There is also a health transfer amount, but about $9-million to $10-million is earned cash – profits from our own revenues.”

Positivehousing changes

“We’re getting away from the awful cookie-cutter homes.”

That’s a statement Flying Dust’s new housing manager Wes Derocher is proud to say as his band is bucking the trend and going a new direction.

“When I first started here in 2017 we didn’t have a housing manager in place, and since then we’ve built 21 new homes, spent a lot of money on renovations and retrofitting our existing houses,” Derocher stated. “In the last year alone we touched 170 of our 230 units.”

He said this couldn’t have been achieved without a lot of support.

“Hats off to the leadership because they’re the ones making sure there’s additional money so things are done well,” Derocher said, adding Indian and Northern Affairs’ (INAC) annual allocated funding for housing is outdated. “In the past, INAC provided us with X amount of money and that’s all you could build – basically a match box with a couple of doors and a bathroom so to speak. Because the band is throwing in more money into their housing program we can now build 1,200-1,300 sq. ft. homes.”

When you get a bigger house, Derocher said, and nicely built, he believes people are going to take pride in it, in terms of ownership.

How has this happened?Derocher noted they work closely

with Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, taking advantage of what’s available.

“CMHC has given us the opportunity to access all their programming,” he said. “We’ve applied for everything they’ve got under the sun to provide for the First Nations.”

Flying Dust has partnered with other entities to train its members.

“Within the last two years, and the partnerships we have had with CMHC and SIIT (Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies) we currently have a workforce in excess of 30 construction workers, journeyman, apprentices and sub-trades,” he added. “We do our own electrical, plumbing, drywall… you name it, we have access to everyone who’s qualified to do our work and that’s one of the things I pride ourselves on. Many of the workers here have been put through the proper training – the five major safety tickets, a home builder program where we had nine successfully complete the course. Now we’ve got another 11 taking their first-year apprenticeship level one ticket and plan on training for level 2. That’s one of the goals I have for next year.”

Derocher is now a certified housing manager as he recently graduated from a housing management course in Calgary.

“That’s a long time coming,” he remarked. “I think the government now realizes housing’s got to change and training the people who run the programs on-reserve… that’s the best thing they could have done instead of continuously throwing money at the First Nations and not having someone properly administer a program or know how to properly build.”

Students from Kopahawakenum Elementary School (K-4) on Flying Dust First Nation pose for a picture on the nearby sliding hill. Construction on the expansion to the existing school is currently underway and will include higher grades in the future.

Flying Dust First Nation is a Cree First Nation band government located adja-cent to the City of Meadow Lake.

It’s currently governed by chief Jeremy Norman and four councillors – Tyson Bear, Connie Derocher, Richard Derocher and Marie Gladue. Flying Dust is a mem-ber of the Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) whose offices are located on the reserve.

With more than 1,250 members (512 living on-reserve and 745 living off-

reserve) the community has developed a reputation as a progressive and strong community. Facilities on-reserve include the Kopahawakenum School (K-4), a health clinic, an elders building, an ad-ministration building, a bank, a commu-nity hall, a community church, a health office, a radio station, a youth centre, infrastructure/maintenance compound, daycare, a hockey arena, gas station and convenience store.

The Flying Dust First Nation has devel-

oped several business partnerships to increase its business portfolios to Prop-erty development, oil and gas and for-estry. It manages a 12,000-acre (49 km2) farming, sand and gravel operation. Flying Dust is a treaty land entitlement band with the capability of purchasing 6,788 more acres of land. Flying Dust has a long-standing partnership with the City of Meadow Lake and they have worked jointly on several major projects in the region over the last few decades.

Flying Dust First Nation has a unique history, its own extraordinarylandscape and numerous human resources and possibilities.

CHIEF JEREMY NORMAN

February 28, 2019 n Northern Pride n Page 14

February 2019 Volume 2 • Issue 2

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November 2018 Volume 1 • Issue 9

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PROJECT NAME DESCRIPTIONLand Based Cultural Activities Cultural teachings and other Cultural activities: i.e., beading, sewing, working with hides, leather, etc.

Land based survival skills using elders as teachers for hunting, animal tracking, trapping, snaring, � shing, � re making, food preservation, Cree cultural camps and gathering medicine etc.

Honoring Our Youth Round Dance – ceremonies, round dance, mental self-esteem, team building etc.

The youth are being counseled as many are still hurting and grieving family and friends who were lost due to suicide.

Land Based Youth Programs & After School Activities Land based cultural camps focused on healing the cultural way, healing through ceremonies, sweats, and feasts. Land based hunting trips to identify the cultural aspects missing in the community amongst the youth; cooking meals with what they found in the bush. Teaching the youth the 4 aspects of life and balance (mental, spiritual, physical, and emotional) through cultural medicine wheel lessons.

Therapist Services Children at risk between the ages 3 -18 years old received both mental health assessments and professional therapist services counselling as needed. These services directly addressed trauma, abuse, suicide ideation, attempts and threats, anxiety, depression etc.

Elder Support Services Traditional mental health teachings through engagement of the youth and elderly ex: Gender role spirituality and the teaching of belonging, meaning, purpose and hope.

Mental Health Human Resources A youth mental health position was created to work with the youths, families and community prevention workers. The goal of the initiative was to work with all stakeholders to ensure the best outcomes for the youth either through a family case plan or other methods. This position under the guidance of an elder and therapist will push to empower youth.

Mental Health Related Events Cyber bullying workshop addressing the impacts of bullying on children & youth. The workshop taught them coping mechanisms. There were workshops on youth addictions and impacts on mental health.

Jordan’s Principle Mental Health Support PROGRAM GOALTo ensure First Nation children have access to the services they need.

Jordan’s Principle is a child-� rst principle that applies equally to all First Nations children, whether resident on or o� reserve. It covers health servic-es and social support for First Nation children in situations where the child doesn’t have access to publicly funded programs. The Federal government committed up to $382 million over 3 years, starting in 2016 to March 2019 towards funding Jordan’s Principle. MLTC secured some funds through mental health services for 8 MLFN’s communities for the period of September 2017 to March 2018. Improving Mental health and healthier youth are two of the � ve top health priorities according to MLHSDA’s 10 year health plan. Jordan’s principle is focused on children between the ages of 0 – 18 years old.

Below are highlights of Activities which have been coordinated at the First Nation Level through Jordan’s Principle funds (group activities, cultural activities and individual activities). For more information, contact Abdulrahman Araga at (306) 236-5817.

Mental Health/Therapy Support

At the 2018 MLTC Leadership Conference, Nov. 19 and 20 in Saskatoon, two Meadow Lake First Nations individu-

als were acknowledged for their past tribal leadership of the Meadow Lake Tribal Council.

Eric Sylvestre of the Birch Narrows Dene Nation who � rst served as MLTC Vice-Chief for a number of years and

then Tribal Chief from 2010 - 2018, was honoured. Also recognized was former MLTC Vice-Chief Dwayne Lasas

of the Waterhen Lake First Nation who held the position from 2011 - 2017.

Former Vice-Chief Dwayne Lasas (left), and former Tribal Chief Eric Sylvestre were recognized in Saskatoon Nov. 19.

Police officers and lawyers alike recently had an opportunity to gain some new insight in terms of how they view the legal system.

Members of the RCMP, Crown prosecutors, Legal Aid workers, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Environment, front line community workers, and more were in attendance for a special training session on sentencing circles. Hosted by the Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) through funding received from Justice Canada, the event took place Jan. 23 at the Meadow Lake Civic Centre and was led by retired judge Linton Smith.

“I’ve done a few of these in the past,” Smith said. “This time, MLTC put on a program for Meadow Lake and other communities within the Meadow Lake Tribal Council region. I was there to share my experiences, as I have been in attendance for several hundred sentencing circles in and around the Regina area.”

MLTC hopes, by providing the recent training session, it will bring the formal legal perspective and the aboriginal perspective into local justice programs. The goal was to educate and incorporate the aboriginal perspective when utilizing and facilitating sentencing circles by understanding the core

principles of restorative justice, examining the process/steps of a sentencing circle, participating in mock sentencing circle dialogues and taking home the knowledge to their communities and utilizing this restorative approach.

“I am very optimistic about sentencing circles and how useful they can be,” Smith continued. “There are a number of reasons I feel this way, but most importantly – some 150 years ago or so – a treaty was signed in which we agreed with each other to share the responsibility of administering justice. To me, sentencing circles are an excellent means of doing what we were obliged to do when that treaty was signed.”

Sentencing circles promote community building and healing those affected by crime, and those who have committed a crime. It is about repairing relationships; allowing victims and perpetrators to reconcile and heal as part of the outcome of a criminal incident.

 Traditionally, many aboriginal communities have used the talking circle as a way of bringing people of all ages together for the purposes of teaching, listening, and learning. Talking circles, peacemaking circles, or healing circles are deeply rooted in the traditional practices

MLTC provides training on sentencing circles

of aboriginal people. These cultural practices held the person in question responsible for their actions in front of his/her valued community members. Those who did wrong were supported or guided in a positive direction, which gave them the opportunity to make amends. 

“It is a different way of thinking about crime and our response to crime,” noted Christine Derocher, senior director of programs for MLTC. “It focuses on repairing the harm caused by crime and reducing future harm through crime prevention.

It requires offenders to take responsibility for their actions and for the harm they have caused.”

Derocher said it also allows for a sentence to be given that is satisfactory to the victims, while also allows the offender to make amends and to be reintegrated back into the community.

As for the recent training session, Smith said it was very well attended.

“There must have been about 100 people there,” he said. “Everybody got right into it and really showed a lot of interest.”

Retired judge Linton Smith, who has been in attendance for several hundred sentencing circles, led the recent training session.

March 13-15SASKATOON INN &

CONFERENCE CENTRESASKATOON, SK

www.mltcfullcircle.ca