Anishinawbe Blog

April 29, 2007

Random thoughts on a beautiful weekend

Filed under: Personal — Bob Goulais @ 12:24 pm

Boozhoo niindwaymaaginidoog:

I just wanted to drop you a few lines to let you know what I’ve been up to. 

A Beautiful Weekend
This morning, I took a walk in the bush and along the shoreline of Lake Nipissing.  This afternoon, I spent a relaxing day here at home, working on my bundle for my second degree.  It was a beautiful day today.

Taabik CD to be released
This week, the Taabik Singers recorded our first CD entitled “Forever Young”.  It was an excellent couple of days in the Kawartha area at Summit Sound Studios.  A perfect backdrop to sing 12 new drum songs.  We also established a new website at www.taabik.com. I’ll post some new photos from the official CD photo shoot.

A Teacher of Men
My thoughts a prayers go out to my boss, Grand Council Chief John Beaucage and his family.  They are mourning the loss of his Dad, Sam Beaucage.  Sam passed away a week ago Thursday.  I had the chance to go to Wasauksing last Friday and do a pipe ceremony with Peter Beaucage, John and his family.
I’ve been recollecting the loss of my own Dad.  I’ve been missing him lately.  Today I visited the place where (Perry’s Dad) Ben McLeod’s ashes were laid to rest.
Dads are incredible people.  My Dad was my first teacher.  He brought us hunting and fishing and taught us valuable skills even though many of us don’t use them anymore.  I’ll should make a better effort to practice my treaty rights: hunting, trapping and fishing.  Even if it’s only once or twice a year.

Outstanding Councillor
Speaking of Perry, I just read the NFN Newsletter that was brought to my door today.  Perry McLeod-Shabogesic has a full four page report to the community.  It is very impressive. Great communication to the community, great representation and accountability.  PMS would make good Chief material.  Way to go, my friend.

Liberals need to run more women candidates
It is essential that the Liberal Party of Canada run more women candidates!!  At the Liberal Convention in December, I supported our Liberal Women’s Commission and lobbied hard for a resolution to ensure this priority it reflected in Party policy.  Needless to say I was disappointed as Marva Wisdom did not get the Liberal nomination for the riding of Guelph.  I met Marva at the Liberal Convention last December and she struck me as a very exciting and different candidate.  I will be urging our leader, Stephane Dion to appoint her as a candidate in another riding.  I hope to see her behind the scenes until that time.

Tom King wins NDP nod in Guelph
Despite my disappointment in the Liberal nomination in Guelph, I am excited and interested in the NDP’s choice for that riding.  Renowned First Nations author Tom King will be the NDP candidate for Guelph in the next election.  What’s one more NDP seat in the House of Commons.  Go get ‘em, Tom.  “Stay Calm-Be Brave-Wait for the Sign.”

The Liberal Dream Team
Congratulations to Justin Trudeau who won the Liberal nomination in Papineau and Gerard Kennedy who won the Liberal nomination in Parkdale-High Park.  What a team!

Tory proposal ‘designed to mislead’ Canadians: Gore

Filed under: Uncategorized — Bob Goulais @ 10:25 am

By Kevin Donovan
Toronto Star

The Conservative government has taken the easy route and produced an environmental plan that is a “complete and total fraud” on the Canadian public, former U.S. vice-president Al Gore told a Toronto audience yesterday.
“(Harper) is under a lot of pressure and he has chosen the easy wrong over the hard right,” Gore thundered to applause from the packed crowd.
Critics of the Harper government’s plan say that while it talks the talk – the overall theme is reducing greenhouse gas emissions – it is vague and fails to spell out the specific regulations that will be needed to effect change. Gore said the plan was “designed to mislead the Canadian people.”
The backdrop for Gore’s remarks was the Toronto Green Living Show, the first “green consumer show” hosted by the city. Two hundred exhibitors jammed the Direct Energy Centre at the exhibition grounds, showing everything from solar panels for houses to hybrid fuel vehicles to home roasting of organically grown coffee.
In a convention room nearby, Gore made the latest stop of his global warming road show, presenting a compelling, live version of his now famous slide presentation, “An Inconvenient Truth.” This week he’s given the talk eight times, including once in Regina and once in Calgary, in the province that contains the oil-rich tar sands, a carbon energy source he says poses an extremely serious threat to the environment.
In Toronto, David Suzuki was in the audience, fresh from a confrontation with Tory Environment minister John Baird, whom he accused Friday of bringing in a disappointing plan.
Baird has said his plan, which he says will slash greenhouse gases 20 per cent below current levels by 2020, is the toughest in the world over the next 13 years.
Also in the audience to hear Gore yesterday was Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. Gore said he and the premier would meet privately later in the day. Gore said he hoped the Liberal premier could take a leadership stand he has not seen from the Conservative Prime Minister.
Before Gore put up his first slide he told the audience he wanted to make a comment and he wanted to make sure he did it before the media had left. Gore than lashed out at the federal conservatives for focusing on intensity of emissions rather than tough, overall reductions in the absolute amounts of pollution.
He went on to say that Canada is a country known for moral leadership and “standing up for what is right in the world.” Baird released a statement later in the day yesterday in which he tried to deflect Gore’s criticisms.
“The fact is our plan is vastly tougher than any measures introduced by the administration of which the former vice-president was a member,” Baird said in the statement.
Baird’s statement also offered an invitation for Gore to discuss climate change and the Conservatives’ environmental policies with him.

With files from Catherine Porter and Canadian Press

April 24, 2007

Federal study validates proposed new Anishinabek Nation law

Filed under: Anishinabek — Bob Goulais @ 12:26 pm

NIPISSING FIRST NATION – April 24, 2007 – The principles of the first modern Anishinabek Nation law are validated by key recommendations of a newly released federal report on matrimonial real property.
“It took an exhaustive and expensive federal study to prove what we have known all along,” said Grand Council chief John Beaucage. “Our people know best how to govern ourselves.”
A national consultation process, launched last year by Indian Affairs Minister James Prentice, released its 500-page report today, including recommendations that First Nations develop their own laws and enforcement processes dealing with matrimonial real property issues.
“This is exactly in line with the Anishinabek Nation position,” Beaucage said. “We have proposed a template to help our communities to create their own local regulations designed by and for their citizens.”
The Grand Council chief said his office was still analyzing other aspects of the federal report, tabled today by ministerial representative Wendy Grant-John, that deal with proposed establishment of interim federal rules that would allow the courts to make orders regarding possession of homes on reserve.
The draft Anishinabek Nation law – designed to govern and protect the interests of spouses and families in the event of a marriage dissolution – was endorsed March 23 by representatives of the 42 Anishinabek member First Nations at a special assembly in Sault Ste. Marie.
The draft law was developed after an intense schedule of nine consultation meetings held across Anishinabek Nation territory over a 40-day period this spring.
Final ratification of the law is expected to take place at the Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Assembly at Alderville First Nation in June.
Under the terms of the proposed law, member First Nations will have one year to pass community regulations, based on the framework provided in the nation’s law.
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 Union of Ontario Indians 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.

April 17, 2007

Providing opportunities for healing

Filed under: Uncategorized — Bob Goulais @ 12:27 pm

—–Original Message—–
From: Goulais, Bob
Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 7:47 PM
To: ‘menasekwe@yahoo.com’; ‘crystal_seed@hotmail.com’; ‘daanthon@nmu.edu’; ‘marcia.peters@wifn.org’
Cc: ‘Rainey Gaywish’
Subject: Address to the Anishinaabemowin Teg ConferenceBoozhoo niindwaymaaginidoog: 

Attached is Grand Council Chief John Beaucage’s address to the Anishinaabemowin Teg Language Conference.  I apologize for the lateness in getting this to you.  We spend quite a bit of time on the road and in our member First Nation communities.

Grand Council Chief John Beaucage acknowledges the note that you passed him following his address at the Language Conference.  Your note reflected the need to address healing in our communities and among our leadership.

Health and Healing is a significant priority for our Nation.  Anishinaabe mno bimaadziwin is a part of Grand Council Chief’s “Political Manifesto” (Article 6) and is one of eight priorities in our overall organizational strategic plan.  
We have our own Anishinabek Health Commission and secretariat to address the administration of health in our 43 member First Nations.  Their vision and mandate is to integrate a holistic health model of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.  

Over the past year, we have also pushed for a healing component from the National Residential School Settlement Agreement.  Much of that will be undertaken through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that will begin its work soon.

However, you are quite right when you bring up the need for true healing among our communities.  There isn’t a full understanding of what healing is, especially what that means from the Anishinaabe perspective.  Many of our community members don’t even recognize they are unhealthy, and don’t understand why we don’t have healthy communities.

Unfortunately, we can’t force people to heal.  All we can do is present people (including our leaders) with opportunities to heal.

That’s why we’ve decided to move forward on our Anishinabek Language Immersion Institute – which may help bring back our understanding of our own perspectives and ways.  That’s also why we’ve re-established our Clan System model for our Leadership Council – which we hope will lead to a re-newed sense of ownership and comfort with our own system of governance.

We’ve decided to re-establish the Three Fires Confederacy – which may help bring our communities an understanding of our traditional protocols, processes and way of governance.  Most importantly, we have asked to host the 2007 Three Fires Midewiwin Summer Ceremonies.  By integrating ceremonies into the Three Fires Confederacy Gathering (August 20-29, 2007 at the Ojibways of Garden River, Ontario Canada), we hope to bring a broader audience to the Midewiwin way of life.  We especially hope our Chiefs, Tribal Chairpersons and the average Anishinaabeg citizen would take back something.  We hope this entire experience will be an opportunity for healing for all who attend.

A’pchi miigwetch for your interest and feedback.

Mi iw,

Bob Goulais
Chief of Staff &
Executive Assistant to the Grand Council ChiefAnishinabek Nation – Union of Ontario Indians
Head Office:  Nipissing First Nation
P.O. Box 711, North Bay, ON  P1B 8J8
Ph. (705) 497-9127   Fx. (705) 497-9135  CELL:  (705) 498-5250
E-mail:  goubob@anishinabek.ca�
Internet:  http://www.anishinabek.ca/

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April 14, 2007

Anthony Rota, acclaimed Liberal candidate

Filed under: Personal — Bob Goulais @ 12:27 pm

Nominated by: Bob Goulais
Seconded by: Richard Fortin
Carried.

Speech by Bob Goulais

Boozhoo. Greeting Ladies and Gentlemen:

It gives me great pleasure to nominate Anthony Rota as the Nipissing-Temiscaming Liberal Candidate for the next federal election.

Anthony Rota is not one to toot his own horn. He has a lot of admirable qualities. As a traditional man, I instantly recognize and can relate to the qualities of humility, kindness, gentleness, caring and respect.

Although he speaks softly to his constituents, he has a loud voice among his colleagues, caucus and in Government.

He has represented our interests well at Veterans Affairs and with the Standing Committee on National Defense.

When the Liberal Party was in government, he was chair of the Northern Ontario Liberal Caucus. Under Prime Minister Paul Martin, he chaired the full Ontario Liberal Caucus – the largest of any group of Members of Parliament.

Under Bill Graham, he served us well as critic for FedNor.

That experience and leadership will not go unnoticed.

It is my feeling, that Anthony is part of a new generation of the Liberal Party. In fact, I think Anthony is a leader among this new generation.

Ladies and Gentleman, I don’t pull any punches. I’m not a follower. We in Nipissing-Temiscaming expect good representation and expect leadership from our Member of Parliament.

Anthony Rota is that member. Anthony Rota is that leader.

I won’t make excuses for those in our Party who showed us dishonour. I won’t be afraid to stand up and say our Party needs change to ensure those mistakes are not repeated.

But those changes are here, under Anthony Rota and our leader Stephane Dion. Mr. Dion is a honourable and capable leader. His vision of economic prosperity, social justice and environmental sustainability – is a vision of Canada that I can support.

This is the time for the new generation of Liberal Party. The Dream Team of Ignatieff, Dryden, Rae, Kennedy, Hall-Findley will be the team that will lead us back to Government.

Anthony Rota is a part of that Dream Team.

Ladies and Gentlemen: I work with government on a regular basis. I’ve met with MPs and Ministers under Chretien, Martin and yes under Stephen Harper.

Under various Liberal governments since 1994, we didn’t get questioned why we wanted to talk – we were simply given the opportunity. Liberal members and members of Cabinet were always open and helpful. Of course, we don’t always see eye to eye – but we always had the opportunity to talk.

As First Nations governments, we undertook an extensive, year-long negotiation process to work with the Liberal government and the First Ministers to create a set of principles, goals and investments that would have dealt with First Nations poverty and improved social conditions. The result was the Kelowna Accord.

Under the Harper government, the door has been closed. There is very little real dialogue anywhere across the country.

When we do get an opportunity to meet the Conservatives, the reaction is always the same: (“Whoa… WHOA. Aren’t you with us?”)

I have a strong warning to all Canadians, and the people of this riding. 

The Conservative Party is no longer a “Progressive Conservative Party”. It is no longer a party of the people. (I know I don’t belong there.)

Under this Harper Minority, they’ve tried to tame their policies in an effort to build public opinion. But we know how much Liberal, Bloc and NDP members of the committees tempered their already weak legislative agenda.

Harper’s feigned attempt at a “vote” on the same sex issue is another good example. The Harper government saved face by letting the issue drop, despite it being a hot-button topic for every hard-core Conservative across the country.

Now imagine, an un-tempered Harper Majority Government. Do you think it would have stopped at a simple House of Commons motion? What would happen to the rights of same-sex couples?

What would the aboriginal agenda look like under a Harper Majority Government? We’ll I tell you, there would be a lot more poor First Nations people. But I also tell you there would also be a lot more situations like Ipperwash, Caladonia and unrest among our communities.

From my perspective, the Conservative government is not honourable: they outright cancelled the first, new national social program in decades: the National Child Care Program. They outright cancelled the first, major agreement between First Nations governments and the First Ministers: the Kelowna Accord.

“Whoa… WHOA. I thought you were with us?”

No Mister Harper – I’m not with you.

Conservatives have a narrow vision of Canada. A Canada that excludes the poor. A Canada that excludes same sex relationships. A Canada that excludes aboriginal people. A Canada that is intolerant. A Canada that is ignorant.

The Liberal Party, and Nipissing-Temiscaming, in particular, is a community that will never exclude the poor. We will never exclude aboriginal people. Nipissing-Temiscaming is not intolerant. Nipissing-Temiscaming is not ignorant.

That is why Nipissing-Temiscaming will always be Liberal!

On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada, the members of the Nipissing-Temiskaming Federal Liberal Association – I hereby nominate Anthony Rota as our candidate and incumbent Member of Parliament of the riding of Nipissing-Temiscaming.

Thank you.

April 12, 2007

Rota unchallenged as Federal Liberal nomination meeting goes Saturday

Filed under: Uncategorized — Bob Goulais @ 12:31 pm

By Kate Adams
BayToday.ca

The Nipissing-Timiskaming Federal Liberal Association will meet Saturday at 11:00am at the Clarion Resort for their official nomination meeting.
The meeting is expected to see MP Anthony Rota acclaimed to the post as no one has stepped forward to challenge the incumbent. The cutoff to file nomination papers closed earlier in the month.
Riding President Dan Cléroux will make opening remarks followed by a representative from the local Young Liberals.
Rita Smirle, will formally introduce Rota and Bob Goulais will nominate the Federal Liberal candidate with Richard Fortin will second the nomination.
Rota will be making formal remarks at 11:15am.

Mother Earth Water Walk

Filed under: Personal — Bob Goulais @ 9:31 am

http://www.motherearthwaterwalk.com

April 1, 2007

Keynote Address to the 13th Annual Anishinaabemowin Teg Language Conference.

Filed under: Anishinabek — Bob Goulais @ 12:32 pm

By Grand Council Chief John Beaucage

For the complete text of the speech click here.

“I am truly honoured and humbled to be here before you today as part of the Anishinaabemowin Teg language conference.
This gathering continues to be a beacon for all those who speak Anishinaabemowin; and, those who want to speak the language”….“I will be personally working with National Chief to re-engage the National Language Strategy to ensure full and proper resourcing to our community language initiatives.
No longer should we have to fight each other for scraps under the Aboriginal Languages Initiative.�
No longer should we have to underpay our language teachers.
No longer should we have to wonder if our grandchildren will speak our language.�
No longer should we have to wonder if our Anishinaabemowin language will survive”…Our Official Language Strategy
“As part of my Political Manifesto, the Anishinabek Nation took a significant step to revitalize the language by establishing Anishinaabemowin as our Official Language.
The resolution was moved by Grand Council Elder Gordon Waindubence and Seconded by Elder Merle Assance-Beedie.
The resolution states that Anishinaabemowin IS the Official Language of the Anishinabek Nation. English is the language of the Crown and will be a working language of our people”…“As a part of this mandate, we are moving on a practical, “do-able” Language Strategy.
We are going to work towards establishing an immersion language institute at the Anishinabek Educational Institute.
We are going to work towards offering immersion language training to our communities.
More importantly, we are going to work to offer Language Teacher Training to teach as many speakers as we can ‘how to teach immersion’”…

Language in our Civil Service
“We are going to provide mandatory language immersion training to the Union of Ontario Indians civil service.
I am confident to say, that in short order, every employee of the Union of Ontario Indians will be required to either speak Anishinaabemowin, or commit to becoming proficient in our official language.
We are committed to making those practical policy changes.
Most importantly we are urging our individual First Nations to do the same.
As a part of our “sovereign approach to self-government”, under our Section 35 inherent rights, I would like to see an Anishinabek Nation Law developed that would create official language regulations in our member First Nations.
We are going to establish a language development office at AEI to assist in the implementation of the Official Language resolution and work towards this Anishinabek Nation Law”…

Language in Self-government
“For the past ten years, the Anishinabek Nation has been negotiating a final agreement with the Government of Canada respecting Education.
This agreement will remove participating First Nations out of the education provisions of the Indian Act and restore our jurisdiction in this area.
This self-government agreement will allow the Anishinabek Nation to establish our own culturally-appropriate education system.
What an official language policy provides us with is the mandate to ensure Anishinaabemowin and immersion delivery is given the priority over English.
We will have the right to invest in our own curriculum, teacher standards and choose our preferred system of delivery.
It is my vision, to see that the Anishinabek Education System will be delivered in the Anishinaabemowin Language”…

Three Fires Confederacy Gathering announcement
“It is an exciting day for me to be here. I get the pleasure of sharing some news with you and leave you with a personal invitation.
Today, I’m here to announce that we will be hosting a Three Fires Confederacy Gathering, August 20-26 in the Baawating/Sault Ste. Marie area.
The gathering will be co-hosted by the Union of Ontario Indians, Assembly of First Nations, Shingwauk Kino-maage Gamig, Three Fires Society, Algoma University College and Sault College.
It will be the first time we have had this gathering since 1991″…
“I hope you will join me, National Chief Phil Fontaine and Three Fires Society Grand Chief Eddie Benton-Banai at this historic gathering in August”…

For the complete text of the speech click here.

Grand Council Chief Beaucage and the Anishinaabemowin Teg delegates from Wasauksing First Nation.

Lisa Osawamik, Grand Council Chief Beaucage, Charmaine Benz, Ron Yellowman and Martina Osawamik at the Anishinaabemowin Teg gathering.

Grand Council Chief Beaucage makes a cheque presentation, on behalf of the Union of Ontario Indians to Isidore Toulouse, President of Anishinaabemowin Teg.

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NOTICE: The Anishinawbe Blog is copyright (c) 2009 BobGoulais.com, Nipissing First Nation, Ontario Canada. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, distribution, electronic transmission or unauthorized use, without the expressed permission of the author, is strictly prohibited.

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