Anishinawbe Blog

CALEDONIA – (June 8, 2006) There could soon be more situations like Caledonia.
Ontario’s First Nations bands are threatening the federal and provincial governments with more occupations if aboriginal land claims aren’t settled soon.

The 100 chiefs have pledged their support to Caledonia protesters, with Grand Council Chief John Beaucage saying the bands will come to each other’s aid.
The 100 Chiefs were bused in to Douglas Creek Estates on the eve of the occupation’s 100th day.

“We are all one nation across this country,” said Grand Council Chief John Beaucage, who represents 43 First Nations across the province.

Other chiefs say they might resort to tactics like the Caledonia occupation to get the government’s attention.

NIPISSING FIRST NATION – (CCNMatthews – June 20, 2006) – Chiefs of the Anishinabek Nation have committed to making their 42 communities smoke-free environments.

During their June 12-14 annual Grand Council Assembly, Anishinabek Chiefs adopted a set of guidelines to phase in no-smoking policies over the next few years.

“I have envisioned a smoke-free Anishinabek Nation. I am happy to say that this decision by our Chiefs brings us one step closer to that reality,” said John Beaucage, who was re-elected as Grand Council Chief of the 42-member Anishinabek Nation. “We are doing this for the health and well-being of our children and our communities.

“Tobacco was given to us as a gift from the Creator to be used in healing, ceremony and prayer. This will be foremost in our minds,” added Beaucage.

The Grand Council Chief has been appointed to the Minister of Health Promotion’s Smoke-free Ontario Campaign Committee, and has worked to create an understanding of traditional tobacco uses, cancer and cancer care, jurisdictional issues and First Nations self-regulation.

Anishinabek Chiefs-in-Assembly endorsed a resolution to “…encourage the development and promote the use of Anishinabek tobacco laws and regulations that are respectful of our traditional uses of tobacco, seek to ameliorate youth tobacco misuse, and regulate smoking in First Nations public buildings and areas…”

Chiefs chose to adopt their own by-laws and regulations to implement this policy, while at the same time rejecting the imposition of the Smoke-Free Ontario Act on their communities. First Nations maintain that provincial laws do not apply on federal reserve lands. Their resolution specified that no-smoking policies would represent “…our own measures decided upon by our First Nations and through subsequent by-laws and regulations appropriate to our needs in each of our respective First Nations”.

A workplan will be developed by the Union of Ontario Indians by the Fall of 2006 with a target of seeing the first member community entirely smoke-free by early 2007.

The Anishinabek Nation incorporated the Union of Ontario Indians as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 42 member First Nations across Ontario. The UOI is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact.

NIPISSING FIRST NATION – (CCNMatthews – June 20, 2006) – Chiefs of the 42 member communities of the Anishinabek Nation have unanimously created an official language policy.
During their June 12-14 annual Grand Council Assembly, the Chiefs endorsed a resolution declaring that the official language of the Anishinabek Nation is Anishinaabe-mowin, or the Ojibwe language.

“This is a historic decision for our First Nations, and a significant step in coming out from under colonial rule and restoring our own Nationhood,” said John Beaucage, who was acclaimed by the Chiefs to serve another term as their Grand Council Chief. The Grand Council Assembly serves as a traditional annual gathering for member communities of the Anishinabek Nation, as well as the annual general meeting of the Union of Ontario Indians Inc.

“Our language is sacred, and protecting and restoring it is a priority for our Chiefs,” said Beaucage. “It is the vision of this official language policy that our people will once again think in Anishinaabe-mowin by ensuring that Ojibwe is once again the language of our ceremonies, our gatherings, and our working life.”

The official language policy is in step with the Anishinabek Nation’s unanimous support for the establishment of the Anishinaabe-Mushkegowuk-Onkwehonwe Language Commission that will support the language development needs of all First Nations in Ontario. Outgoing Deputy Grand Chief Nelson Toulouse, who did not seek re-election, was officially appointed as Commissioner to this new body that was modeled after the Maori language commission in New Zealand.

The resolution states that “the Anishinabek Chiefs-in-Assembly hereby declare that Anishinaabe-mowin, shall herein and forever, be the official language of the Anishinabek Nation… and “hereby acknowledge that English is the language of the Crown and is a working language of our people”.

The official language policy also adopts immersion programs as the preferred method of instruction in Anishinabek Nation schools.

“Ojibwe as a second language or conventional Ojibwe language instruction shall be phased out in favour of immersion and fluency programs for school-aged children,” said Grand Council Chief Beaucage.

The resolution also calls for the establishment of workplace immersion programs and learning opportunities for First Nation employees.

The resolution commits the Chiefs-in-Assembly to encourage and support “opportunities for learning, and that each member of the Anishinabek Nation civil service shall be granted two weeks of language development leave and/or workplace language immersion programming.”

Anishinabek Nation Headquarters on Nipissing First Nation will implement the workplace language programming this summer. Satellite offices located in Thunder Bay, Curve Lake and Muncey-Deleware will follow suit soon after.

The 42 member First Nations will mandate and regulate the official language policy through their respect Band Councils, Agencies, Boards and Commissions by the year 2010.

The Anishinabek Nation incorporated the Union of Ontario Indians as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 42 member First Nations across Ontario.

SAND POINT (June 13, 2006) – With resounding applause and ovation from participating Chiefs, Elders, Youth and Women, John Beaucage was unanimously acclaimed as the leader of the Anishinabek Nation to ascend to the office of Grand Council Chief.

“I am very pleased and grateful for the overwhelming support of the leadership in endorsing my solutions-based agenda and allowing me to continue as Grand Council Chief,” said Beaucage who will serve a three-year term.  “This new mandate ensures the Anishinabek Nation will play a strong leadership role in addressing health needs, social issues, poverty and housing.”

At the annual Grand Council of the Anishinabek at Sand Point First Nation, John Beaucage was acclaimed as Grand Council Chief following nominations yesterday.  Earlier today, the Chiefs-in-Assembly also elected Glen Hare as Deputy Grand Chief in a traditional standing vote.

As incumbent Grand Council Chief, Beaucage ran on a revolutionary campaign that included the May 17th release of a historic “Political Manifesto”, which is gaining significant interest among First Nations across Canada.  This document includes such concepts as advancing traditional government, eliminating the Indian Act in 10 years, eliminating First Nations poverty in 20 years and declaring Ojibway the official language of the Anishinabek Nation.

Beaucage was first elected as Grand Council Chief in a by-election in October 2004.  He is the former Chief of Wasauksing First Nation and Board member of the Union of Ontario Indians.  An economist by education, Beaucage also worked over 25 years in the Canadian civil service.

The Chiefs-in-Assembly elected Glen Hare as the new Deputy Grand Chief of the Anishinabek Nation.  Hare is the former Regional Grand Chief of the Robinson Huron region and former Chief of M’Chigeeng First Nation.  Hare is a strong advocate for social and child welfare issues as well as hunting and fishing rights. 

“I appreciate the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way in addressing the issues facing our First Nations,” said Deputy Grand Chief Hare.  “I look forward to working with Grand Council Chief Beaucage and the Union of Ontario Indians in advancing the vision of the Anishinabek Nation.”

Hare will also serve a three-year term.

The Anishinabek Nation incorporated the Union of Ontario Indians as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 42 member First Nations across Ontario. The UOI is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact.