APTN Draws National Attention. (APTN Page, Facebook)

There’s a story Paul Barnsley likes to tell about a newsroom, which shall remain nameless, in Southern Ontario. When a reporter was leaving the paper, the story goes, a fist fight broke out over the resulting shift in beats. The loser would have to cover Six Nations Council.

“Most reporters, if they get put on the aboriginal beat, they do their darnedest to get off as quick as they can,” says Barnsley, executive producer of investigative news for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. “It’s easier to cover city hall or to cover a provincial legislature or federal Parliament. It just is.”

It’s a rare moment in the spotlight for APTN, a network that languishes high up on the dial, and whose newsroom operates on a much smaller scale than its mainstream competitors. “There’s a lot of people in this country that don’t know we exist,” says Barnsley.Barnsley, 54, is responsible forAPTN Investigates, the show that broke the Bruce Carson story – a government-connected scandal that has been picked up by every major news outlet in the country, and has received a lot of attention on Parliament Hill.

Launched in 1999, APTN offers programming about first nations, Inuit and Métis, ranging from cartoons (Little Bear) to drama series (Blackstone) to news programming in English, French and several aboriginal languages. Most of the programming originates in Canada, but you’ll also find Hollywood films and Northern Exposure reruns – and a lot of infomercials.

With an annual budget of about $37-million (based on 2008 figures) APTN derives the bulk of its revenue from subscriber fees. That year, the federal Canadian Heritage department gave the network $2.1-million; advertising brought in about $2.5-million. APTN’s hiring policy favours aboriginal candidates, and more than three-quarters of the staff are native. (Barnsley, incidentally, is not.)

On the news side of the operation, APTN airs APTN National News on weekdays; and on alternating Friday nights, the current-affairs programs APTN In Focus and APTN Investigates. Their mandate: focus on aboriginal issues, and also provide an aboriginal take on other news.

“Please don’t take offence,” Barnsley said during an interview this week, “but the mainstream media doesn’t really spend a lot of time on aboriginal issues in-depth and doesn’t necessarily understand them that well.”

Since launching in 2000, APTN’s news operations have grown substantially, with 11 bureaus now across the country, each staffed, when at full complement, by a cameraperson, a video journalist and a reporter. They cover stories of interest to aboriginal viewers. Among them: funding issues, court proceedings, Assembly of First Nations activities, and protests.

APTN’s investigative unit, based in Winnipeg, consists of seven people, plus a half-time Web writer who’s shared with the news operation. Right now, due to the Carson story, they’re operating with nine people.

For some journalists, APTN is a launching pad into the mainstream media. Others come to APTN from non-native outlets, sometimes because they’re dissatisfied with the treatment of aboriginal stories by their networks.

But there can be real frustration breaking intensely human stories – especially when nobody notices.

Karyn Pugliese, 41, was with APTN for six years beginning with its news programming launch, and now hosts the current-affairs show @issue on iChannel. “One of the reasons that I had to leave APTN was that I was getting too emotional. There are certain stories that I have a hard time talking about without starting to cry because you go into communities and you see who are nice people. They have loving families and they’re living in conditions that are just intolerable.”

Pugliese knew people in those communities often spoke with her – sometimes about a taboo subject, against the wishes of others – in order to effect change. But she also knew her stories wouldn’t necessarily accomplish that.“You sometimes see W5 or CBC break the story and then at the end of the day when they go for their Canadian Association of Journalists awards they can talk about how that made a big difference. You sit there and you watch over the years the amount of stories that APTN has broken, and the really quality work and quality journalism and facts, and follow the money. They put all this research and all this effort into it, but it doesn’t have the same impact.”

The Carson story has certainly been an exception.

Earlier this month, Jorge Barrera (that Web writer) and freelance journalist Kenneth Jackson broke the story alleging that Carson, a former PMO adviser, used insider connections as he lobbied on behalf of a company trying to land contracts to sell water filtration systems to native reserves with severe water quality problems.

It was a story APTN was planning to reveal on the season finale of APTN Investigates on March 25. But when the PMO called in the RCMP, the Ethics Commissioner and the Lobbying Commissioner, Barnsley knew he had to act immediately. As a result, APTN wound up scooping itself. Two hours after learning the PMO was taking action, the network ran a short item on its national newscast. It posted an online piece that night.

The sensational story has been picked up everywhere. “When you have CBC national, CTV national, The Globe and Mail, The [Toronto] Star, every big paper, every big media organization now saying this story was broken by APTN, all those news consumers out there are going, ‘Who?’ Now they know who we are,” says Barnsley.

“I think this will give them enormous profile as an organization that does serious journalism,” says Candis Callison, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.

While there has been great interest in the political scandal in the mainstream media, APTN has continued to follow the issue at the centre of the story: the poor water quality in native communities.

“There are incredibly important stories out there that aren’t being told right now, and now we’re being given the opportunity to do that,” says Barnsley. “And they’re the kind of stories that can make life better for an awful lot of people who maybe right now have got some real challenges they’re facing.

“The more successful the show is, the better our chances of getting more resources, to do it even better.”

This isn’t the first story APTN has broken to mainstream – and political – attention, but it’s been a real morale booster at company headquarters in Winnipeg and at bureaus across the country.

“This is a story that has affected the government of Canada, the Prime Minister,” said Barnsley. “If the government falls … a lot of the pundits are saying that this story will have played a role in that.”

N.B. This story has been changed to reflect the following clarification: As of 2010, APTN no longer receives funding from the federal government.

another sasquatch sighting! (NCI News)

BIGFOOT SPOTTED SOUTH OF CHURCHILL (03.25.10)

This mysterious image was captured on Thursday, March 17th in one of the most remote regions of northern Manitoba. The photographer, Walter Madonick was riding on a train from Churchill to Thompson when be snapped the picture. He stated there were many witnesses who were amazed to see a figure walking across the baron landscape, “Many of us on the train excitedly looked out the window to the west and there it was, way out in the distance. What we saw – were not sure, but many believed it was “Bigfoot”.
The train’s exact location was estimated to be about halfway between Churchill and Ilford where no known camps sites or trapper cabins are located. Upon closer examination of the photo, the figure appears to be carrying a dead deer. It is widely known in northern Manitoba that a trapper would not venture into this territory without a snowmobile or much less carry heavy deer carcass across a wide river through deep snow. The figure remains a mystery and only adds to the legend of Bigfoot’s existence within northern Manitoba.

UFC/MMA Thoughts

UFC is coming to Canada, GSP takes on Jake shields, Dana White is calling for Anderson Silva and GSP to fight. It makes no sense, except that White is likely jealous of the fame and image that GSP has earned. White seems to want to be the face of the UFC and likely feels threatened by GSPs popularity. The fight makes no sense. Jon 'Bones' Jones, is the boss at 205 now. Anderson should take him on. There are alot of interesting fights for GSP on the horizan, Carlos Condit, and with the UFC purchasing Strikeforce, Nick Diaz vs GSP.
I think in the future, there will be alot of fighters having problems with thier head. there are alot of fighters that keep figihting again and again after brutal knockouts. Kieth Jardine, Wand Silva, Liddell.
As for boxing, we still haven't seen Mayweather VS. Pacman, and likely never will. Not seeing the good heavyweight match-ups, and most of all, stacked cards like the UFC has.
UFC should be interesting again, another season off TUF starts,
in Canada, The MFC is headed to Windsor. Pavelich should work on a marketing strategy like UFC does. something creative. One of the most colorful fighters on there is Kajan Johnson.
April 9th. I am looking forward to tonight Strikeforce championship between Nick Diaz and Paul Daley. Paul Daly has knock out power, and the common fan gets blinded by that fact. if Diaz has good defense, he will pick him apart and show he is a one dimensional fighter. I hope diaz stops him in the 4th or 5th round. In the Co main, Gegard Mousassi is taking on Jardine, how many tough fights can Kieth Jardine go through. no one had harder fights in the UFC than him. Gegard has this one, and I hope to see him in action in the near future against top ranked 205ers. April 17th. Leave it to mma fans to to call jon jones the muhammed ali of mma. The only similarities the two fighters share is their athletic ability and becopming champions at young ages. Ali fought more than opponents, he stood up to the government and refused to kill other poor people in the Vietnam war, he fought assimilation when he embraced Islam and changed his name from Cassius Clay to muhammed ali. 

Nick diaz is voicing his opoinion about being underpaid as a mma fighter. As a champion, who fights anybody, he is one of the biggest draws in the sport as well. Top Boxers get paid millions, while diaz clears 100,000 grand with bonus if he wins, and gets a bonus. June 10th, tomorrow Shane Carwin take on JDS to solidify the number one contender. much is being made of shane carwin coming in at a lighter weight. I think only fools think its cause of a diet change only. There has been long standind suspision that Carwin has used steriods to put himself into the position he in now. JDS has called out Lesnar and Allistar Overeem for steriod abuse. I am rooting for JDS in this bout and looking forward to a good slugfest between him and Cain for the Heavyweight championship. Its official, Nick Diaz is taking on GSP this fall. looking forward to the build up to that bout. Lesnar is out with a reoccuring infection and requires surgery, it was amazing he bounced back after the first bout. Donald Brashear made his mma debut in quebec, crushed a tomato can in a very non competitive fight. I am waiting to her when Steve Bosse is back in action, and when Derek 'The Lion' Parker is back to fighting after trying out work for a year. He is only 27, turning 28. I believe he has the heart, but he has been in alot of tough fights, and it will be interesting to see how he holds up in battles to come. I wish him luck.  June 12th. JDS won his fight, showing that boxing is still alive and doing well. fight veteran Yves Edwards got knocked out real bad by Sam Stout. Makes one wonder what kind of camp he had coming in, any shots to the head, or if it was just an accumilation from his 60 plus fight career. These are the guys I would like to see walk away, nothing left to prove.Ken Florian knocked out Diego Nunes, I didn;t like how he was preaching god this , god that, god/creator empowers people, but doesn't win or lose fights.  Brian Stann is a contender at middleweight, looking very good since he dropped to 185.

How Indians might actually get to pick the next Indian Affairs minister by Rick Harp

With a spring federal election a distinct possibility as the reigning minority Conservative government faces defeat by the opposition, there’s no time like the present to start prognosticating about the prospects of MPs chances for re-election.

I am particularly interested in those races where the Aboriginal vote could play a key role by virtue of their numbers. And few would be more interesting or potentially consequential than the contest that’d unfold in the BC riding of Vancouver Island North.

That’s because Vancouver Island North is represented by none other than current Indian and Northern Affairs Minister John ‘No Race-based Fishery’ Duncan. And last time around, the Honourable member and rookie Cabinet minister just barely eked out a victory for his party over his closest rival, as seen by these CBC election results from 2008:

CON John Duncan 26,166 votes (45.78%)

NDP Catherine Bell 23,681 votes (41.43%)

GRN Philip Stone 4,563 votes (7.98%)

LIB Geoff Fleischer 2,391 votes (4.18%)

IND Jason Draper 361 votes (0.63%)

As you can see, a total of 57,162 votes were cast in the last election in Duncan’s riding, a race he won by just 2,485 votes, or apx. four per cent more than the second-place NDP candidate. Here’s the thing: Aboriginal people make up 9% of that riding, or up to double the margin of victory.

In 2008, there were 88,077 electors on Elections Canada’s list for the district. According to a Nov. 2010 piece in the Georgia Straight,

In Duncan’s riding of Vancouver Island North, which the Conservatives won by less than 2,500 votes in 2008, there were 10,065 residents of aboriginal descent. This is according to a page compiled by Statistics Canada.

Even if we assume half of that total Aboriginal population in this riding is of voting age, that’s still 5,033 people — more than enough to cancel out the 2,485 votes it took to get Duncan into office, should they vote as a bloc.

In other words, it could be Indians who hold the fate of the Indian Affairs minister in their hands.

And before anyone else says it, I am well aware that my headline is technically misleading, in that Indians may not actually get to ‘pick’ the next Indian Affairs minister, but, should they decide to collectively exercise their electoral muscle (not to be confused with pectoral muscle), they sure as hell will get to veto the current one. Call it the first shot fired across the bow by the brown baby boom. (I also acknowledge I am substituting ‘Indians’ for all Aboriginal people in the riding, essentially for poetic license. A more exact number-crunching needs to be done.)

Now, of course, I’d be the last person to assume that every Indian opposes the Conservative party: indeed, some are proudly card-carrying members. All I’m concerned with here is what I find to be something of a delicious irony: that, for once, Indians will get the chance to say ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ to whoever lords over them as minister of their ‘Affairs.’ True, it’d be a symbolic (and, some might say, mostly-hollow) victory, but if nothing else, it could send a message as to what we think of what’s being done on our collective behalf. And if it starts to awaken us to our voting power if and when we do act as a bloc, that might not be such a bad thing either.

And so, enemies of the current office-holder of the Indian Affairs department, you now have the means of initiating a “Dump Duncan” campaign.

• Friends of Duncan, you should now be aware of what you could be up against should you wish to protect your recently installed Captain of the Indian Industry. Proceed accordingly.

Culture of Support

First Nations don’t support each other’s business. Other ethnic groups have a culture of support, for example, Chinatown’s. First nations have lost their sense of sharing due to the residential school influence. FN are not working co-operatively and collectively. They do not support each other because of their lack of identity and confidence. They have developed a sense of leaning towards other people for support. FN have a big problem of working together and sharing, this causes social problems that makes communities, reserves of insecurity. FN don’t have family support because they lost their sense of identity, confidence and self esteem. The concept of negativity has been the goal of history to make First Nations feel inferior, that only other nations are superior.  People that went to residential schools are still bitter. FN treat each other the way they were by residential schools and government. This treatment was negative, it fostered no self confidence, no self-esteem, you learn things how you were treated. A lack of culture of support example, can be used in Keeseekoowenin. The band started a gas bar and small grocery store, but a lot of band members did not shop there because they thought, they believed, the store in town owned by non aboriginals was more positive and legitimate. Keesee Lumber Yard, purpose was purchasing power through wholesale rather than retail. This purchasing power was meant to be collective and volume oriented. The objective was FN to work together and purchase together to get max volume of funding. In Keeseekoowenin, both the lumber yard and gas bar have failed. Fn has lost sense of collectiveness, but rather would like to work independently.

This belief system was developed by taking away language, culture and history because it was inferior to non aboriginal culture. Therefore FN don’t have confidence in one another. History has been negative to FN. Same thing with the cities north end, its negative, people have no confidence to vote, becoming a nation of grievance, blame, blame, blame, police force in the north end, mad at police because they don’t talk to the Indians or walk the beat. FN people didn’t go to the polls to support our candidates. Out of two candidates, Shaneen wins and her opponent runs as independent. Second candidate takes votes instead of bowing out. Color isn’t going to make difference if attitude never changes. Public opinion needs to change. Maud was discredited; nothing was mentioned if it was possibly a car with people pretending to be police with intentions to get people riled up. He was on a bus, had to catch a bus back into the city. it did damage, and mainstream is going to think that all our stories are lies. It re-enforces that we are not telling the truth. Evidence shows you lie once, you can lie again.

FN Issues Blog

http://indigenouspeople.blogspot.com/

Starting with a strong foundation, by Ann Simpson

In 1994, World Vision Canada, a Christian humanitarian relief and development organization, began a program to focus on economic, social and community development in aboriginal communities across Canada.  The program is guided by the 12 members of the World Vision Canada Aboriginal Council, ten of whom are of aboriginal ancestry.The Council’s first task was to meet with members of a number of aboriginal communities in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario to identify their most critical needs.  All the communities agreed that the lack of adequate affordable housing was a top priority which required new and creative solutions.  In fact, representatives of several communities already had been meeting to discuss
forming some sort of housing co-operative to help address this problem.Robert Maytwayashing, a former Councillor for the Lake Manitoba band, was one of the community members who was concerned about the housing situation.  Familiar with World Vision’s work abroad, Robert was interested in the idea of implementing an innovative housing project, but notes that community members had to be convinced.  “First Nations are generally leery of ‘Big Brother’ lending a helping hand,” he says.  However, the community agreed to work with World Vision Canada when the organization proved its sincerity on another matter.  The
Band Council had issued a cheque to World Vision Canada for a workshop which ultimately never took
place.  When Terry Leblanc, World Vision Canada’s Director of Aboriginal Programs, returned the cheque
to the band, the Council came to view the organization as a potential trustworthy partner. With input from the Lake Manitoba band and several other communities, and with the assistance of community development specialist Ernest Dyck,World Vision Canada developed a self-help, community- based approach through which community members could build their own houses using alternative, low-skill construction techniques. A proposal for  pilot project funding was made to the Homegrown Solutions  program of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, which granted $20,000 for either a stackwall or balewall house construction
project.Choosing straw Once the pilot funding was obtained, the first step was to determine which alternative construction technique would be most suitable and appropriate.  After a literature review and discussions, the‘Nebraska-style’ balewall technique was selected.This technique, originally developed in Nebraska inthe mid-1800s, uses straw bales pinned and reinforced with rebar and coated with stucco inside and out.The balewall technique was chosen because it provides a high insulation level and high fire resistance and is relatively simple and affordable: $50 or less per square foot if the home is ‘self-built.’  The other construction technique considered – stackwall,which uses pieces of firewood stacked on top of each
other in a mortar matrix – was deemed unsuitable forlow-skilled labour, less efficient and less insulating.
Making it happen Three communities – Lake Manitoba, SiouxValley and Cumberland House – had expressed interest in participating in the pilot project.  Lake Manitoba and Sioux Valley are First Nations communities in Manitoba, and Cumberland House is a Métis settlement located beside the Cumberland
reserve in Saskatchewan.  “It took seven or eight months to dream, visualize, promote and sell the project,” says Terry LeBlanc.  The effort paid off as a variety of partners came on board.  An engineer in Winnipeg, Yashe Boge, developed the house design free of charge and Delta Blueprinting from the Interlake region of Manitoba contributed the blueprints.  World Vision Canada representatives and community members made presentations to business people who might be interested in the project – such as lumber, manufacturing, electrical and plumbing supply companies – and a number of businesses donated materials.  Newton Enterprises contributed windows and doors, Manufab Building donated roof trusses and Mississauga Electrical supplied electrical components and installation.Schweitzer-Mauduit, which produces paper from
waste flax straw, donated straw bales and paid to transport them to the community.Representatives from the three communities travelled to Calgary for workshops with an architect who had worked with straw-bale housing, and to Window Rock, Arizona, to learn from members of the Navajo nation who had used the technique.  The funding for these trips came from the Homegrown Solutions grant and from the communities themselves.Building  and financing Construction began in Sioux Valley, then in Lake Manitoba and subsequently in Cumberland House.  Two houses were well under way in Sioux Valley when they were destroyed by fires set by vandals.  The community decided to focus on resolving the issues behind the vandalism before proceeding with further construction. Construction of the first house in Lake Manitoba began in the fall of 1997, and the house was closed in before the winter.  In conventional housing
projects, work on the interior generally continues during the winter, but straw-bale housing experts recommended that the exterior be completed first and construction was halted for the winter.  “We have
learned since then that the technique can be accommodated to the seasons,” says Terry LeBlanc.  Community members now have developed sufficient expertise in straw-bale housing construction and have
begun to do interior finishing work during the winter months.  In a region where winters are long, the ability to build houses all year long is important.The Lake Manitoba house was completed in the fall of 1998.  The cost of the house was an estimated $45,000 after donations of labour and materials, or about $43 per square foot (compared to $70 per square foot for a conventional single-family home with modest furnishings).  More houses are planned to be financed using band funds and through participation in federal programs available to First Nations communities.The situation is different for Cumberland House.  Because it is not a First Nations community, it does not have access to the same resources as the other two communities.  Instead, Cumberland House has been experimenting with a co-operative revolving loan fund to finance the homes.
World Vision Canada has facilitated the formation of a housing co-operative in Cumberland
House, and has provided management and administrative training.  The goal is to raise the initial capital
for the co-operative through construction of two homes using donations of labour, materials, land andcapital.  These houses then are to be used as equity for loans from financial institutions, while their occupants pay rent at market rates.  Funds from the loans and from the rental of the two houses will form the basis of a revolving mortgage loan fund which will capitalize the construction of the next two units (labour will be donated by co-op members through ‘sweat equity’).  These units, in turn, will be mortgaged by the co-op, the residents will pay rent and the funds obtained will be added to the loan fund. At the end of the project (when ten houses
have been built), the members of the co-operative will take title to the houses.  At that time, the total
debt of the co-op will be divided by the number of houses to determine the final mortgage on each home.
The amount of the mortgages will not exceed the ability of each household to make the payments at rates
provided through social assistance.In practice, this model for funding construction has proved more difficult than anticipated, chiefly because of the problem of obtaining capital. The co-op recognized that it was not realistic to expect extensive donations of materials on an ongoing basis, and had hoped to obtain a capital grant from Saskatchewan Housing.  Unfortunately, it was not successful in doing so.  “The community has had to find ways to do things without cash resources and to find ways to increase cash resources – sometimes by
soliciting contributions from individuals,” Terry LeBlanc explains.  As a result, the pace of construction has been slower in Cumberland House. Lessons learned Originally, World Vision and the communities agreed to try to work together in order to maximize the learnings from the project.  The construction schedule was planned so that individuals from the various communities could work together to learn
the construction techniques.  The goal was to have individuals train other members of their communities in the straw-bale technique.  However, because the various phases of the project took longer than
expected and proceeded at different rhythms in each community, this method did not prove feasible.
Volunteer labour was an important component of the project, both in terms of the actual construction and with respect to the community-building function of the project.  The future homeowners and their neighbours donated labour to the building     effort.  In addition, World Vision volunteers from outside the community helped with the construction. Robert Maytwayashing notes that it can be challenging to coordinate volunteer labour, keep construction moving, and sustain enthusiasm and momentum when inevitable delays occur.  As a result, at some points in the construction, it was necessary to hire members of the community’s regular construction crew to help speed things along. Despite these challenges, the project demonstrated that self-build straw-bale construction is a practical alternative for aboriginal communities seeking affordable, energy-efficient housing. The high  insulation value of the homes is a definite advantage in northern communities, and volunteers found the technique easy to learn and adaptable.  “Sometimes people would have part of a bale up and then decide they wanted to do something differently and pull it down,” says Robert Maytwayashing.  “With this technique, it is relatively easy to make changes as you go along – you don’t have to pull out nails or discard lumber.” He also notes that the houses are very solid and would recommend the straw-bale housing technique to other aboriginal communities. As First Nations communities move towards increased self-governance and locally-based project management, the lessons from this project are instructive.  “We have learned that we can do it,” says Terry Leblanc.  “Just because it has never been done doesn’t
mean it can’t be done.  There are innovative models of housing that can meet aboriginal housing needs
more cheaply and effectively.”

Needle in a Haystack, by Len Kruzenga, Windspeaker Contributor

The Lake Manitoba First Nation, a two-hour drive north-west of Winnipeg, may have found the proverbial needle in a haystack as they prepare to move a family of six next week into the first straw-bale construction home completed on a Manitoba reserve. Less than two years ago, community leaders say they began an exhaustive search for an innovative way to alleviate the backlog of 100 families waiting to for new homes to replace their existing ones, which are simply crumbling apart. 

What they found in that search, say band officials, was straw-bale home construction - renewable, sustainable, simple to construct and, at a cost of $50,000, nearly 30 per cent cheaper to build than the dozen comparable $75,000 woodframe homes recently constructed on the reserve. 

That means the reserve could conceivably build three straw-bale homes for the cost of two woodframe houses. 

"It was an experiment that proved we can build better, build smarter and cheaper," said recently elected Chief Margaret Swan. "With our housing needs being so acute it is essential that we find a way to maximize every housing dollar we have at our disposal and this looks like the way to accomplish this." 

Recent protests in Winnipeg by members of nearly a dozen bands in the province who allege financial mismanagement by their own chiefs and councils, including the failure to direct funds earmarked to improve housing conditions on reserves, serve to underscore the need to develop initiatives that Native communities can participate and have confidence in, said Swan. 

In the case of the Lake Manitoba project, the ebullient chief proudly pointed out that residents volunteered their own time and labor to help get the house built. 

While the new home was funded out of the reserve's current housing budget allocation, all volunteer labor and materials were factored in to determine the $50,000 price tag, said Swan 

However, the 18 months needed to complete the home was longer than expected as band members went through the sometimes painstaking process of learning how to build homes based on an unfamiliar concept. 

"We had to rewire the house a couple of times because even Manitoba Hydro wasn't to sure how it should be done," conceded former band councillor Robert Maytwayashing. 

But now that they have the technique down pat, Maytwayashing says the next straw homes - two more are planned for construction next year - could be built in about six months and for even less. 

"The next straw home can probably be built for $40,000," he confidently predicted. 

What makes the project so satisfying for the community, says Swan, was the support they received from non-Native business people and local trades people who helped them complete the project. 

"It was really encouraging to see people from outside the community assist us by donating their time and expertise, and in some cases even construction materials, to help us see this project through." 

A Winkler-based company, Shweitzer-Mauduit, donated the 350 flax-straw bales needed to construct the walls of the new home, while Oakville entrepreneur Henry Kleeman donated his labor to install a state-of-the-art epoxy-based floor covering throughout the 1,100 sq. ft. home. 

Kleeman said it was important to support a reserve looking to develop their own solutions for their housing crisis. 

"It is a terrific project. The whole thing has developed community pride and confidence and clearly demonstrates that contrary to public perception there are Native communities trying their hardest to come up with practical ways of helping themselves." 

And the "straw house," as it is referred to by most residents of the community of 350 people bordering on the eastern shore of Lake Manitoba, appears to be a perfect fit for the reserve's housing needs. 

In addition to its cost benefits, Maytwayashing says the concept is environmentally sound, using an easily renewable resource - flax straw - and provides the opportunity for residents to do a lot of the work themselves. 

It's a theme echoed by Terry LeBlanc of World Vision Canada, who was contacted by reserve leaders when they learned of the organization's work in providing expertise for alternative housing projects. 

"This type of housing is ideal for Native communities to develop construction skills that they can use for themselves as well as export to other communities," said LeBlanc, who heads the Aboriginal programs department for the humanitarian organization. 

The potential for other reserves to capitalize on the Lake Manitoba experiment is readily apparent, said Barry McKay, who along with two dozen others, traveled from the Rolling River reserve near Riding Mountain National Park to get a first-hand look at the unique construction method. 

"Like most First Nations we also need to find ways to get the most bang for our housing dollar and develop usable skills," he said. "This type of home looks like the way to go." 

Chief Swan told visitors who braved the driving rain during the home's unveiling that her community would assist other reserves by sending community members to provide their recently acquired expertise. 

"That's what gives our people true ownership of this type of initiative and it's something we can share with other communities," she said. 

Although there are numerous examples of 100-year-old straw homes in Nebraska, the move towards this type of construction of homes is only now beginning to catch on, said LeBlanc. 

"There are fewer than 3,500 straw bale homes presently constructed in North America." 

However, it appears that Canada's reserves are at the forefront of increasing the popularity of the novel construction method. 

Reserves in Alberta and British Columbia, as well as Metis communities in Saskatchewan have already built several straw bale homes, and in Manitoba, the Sioux Valley reserve near Brandon, is presently building two straw home of their own. 

From all outward appearances, the modest white bungalow nestled on a two-acre parcel of land, looks no different than a regular wood frame construction home and gives no hint that it's entire perimeter is constructed of 350 densely compressed flax-straw bales. 

Flax-straw bales are ideal because of their low moisture content, high density and pest resistance, according to Herb Nelson, a flax fibre expert. 

Inside the home 18-inch deep window sills throughout, indicate this is no ordinary home, boasting an insulation factor of R50, and walls which are touted to be able to withstand 100-mile-per-hour winds. 

"When we started this thing we heard every three-pig and big bad wolf joke in the world," quipped Swan. 

But all jokes aside, the home secured Canadian Mortgage and Housing Commission approval and has a fire-rating double that of wood frame homes. 

And in a community where monthly hydro heating costs average $350 a month, the new energy-efficient home is expected to cut that bill by over one-third. 

For Swan and others in the community the real satisfaction of a job well done will come when the new owners of the home move in. 

Pointing to the bright well-lit kitchen, and superbly finished detail throughout the home, a tired but proud Swan, says it will be a moment for everyone in the community to celebrate. 

"Now that everyone can see for themselves that the community has the where-with-all to get something done on their own, we can build on this first step." 

Gazing out of the living-room windows on neighboring homes in desperate need of replacement, Swan harbors no illusions. "We won't have time to sit around and pat each other on the back. We've got a lot more work to do."

Interesting Articles Links

 No Running Water Up North for those "Dirty Indians".

Jordan's Principle, Source> A.M

Jordan’s Principle: CCOH  Speaking Notes

On December 12, 2007, the House of Commons unanimously passed a Private Member’s Motion 296 tabled by Member of Parliament Jean Crowder (The New Democratic Party of Canada) in support of Jordan’s Principle. The child-first principle ensures that federal and /or provincial funding disputes do not interfere with First Nation children accessing government services that are available to other Canadian children.

Jordan River Anderson, of Norway House Cree Nation, spent his short life unnecessarily in hospital because federal and provincial governments could not agree on who should pay for government services to status Native children on reserves, even when the services are provided to other Canadian children without question.

Jordan was born with complex medical needs, and because the federal and provincial governments provide so few services to support families with special needs children on reserves, Jordan had to be placed in foster care. In a government policy that baffles common sense, the federal government will pay foster parents to look after First Nation children with special needs, but will not provide support for the child’s own family to care for them at home, even when there is no abuse or neglect.

Sadly, Jordan’s case is not an isolated one; research has repeatedly shown that hundreds of First Nations children are caught in payment disputes within, or between, the federal and provincial governments each year. The problem is lived out in the lives of children every day, and even though Motion 296 was passed in the House of Commons on December 12, 2007 – no provincial/territorial government has fully implemented Jordan’s Principle or meaningfully engaged First Nations in developing an implementation plan. Motion 296 will continue to remain only a moral victory unless it is fully adopted and implemented by all Canadian Governments.

Jordan’s Principle must not be narrowed in scope to be exclusive to children with complex medical needs. This principle applies to all government services available to children, youth and their families.

Jordan’s Principle requires that that the government department of first contact pays for the service to the child without delay or disruption.  The paying government can then refer the matter to inter-governmental processes to pursue repayment of the expense.

Jordan’s Principle is consistent with government obligations set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and many federal, provincial and territorial child focused statutes.

Jordan’s Principle is also consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, of which Canada has recently become a signatory.

-Article 18 reads, “Indigenous peoples have the right to participate in decision making in matters which would affect their rights, through representatives chosen by themselves in accordance with their own procedures, as well as to maintain and develop their own indigenous decision making institutions”.

Article 19 reads, “States shall consult and cooperate in good faith with the indigenous peoples concerned through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their free, prior and informed consent before adopting and implementing legislative or administrative measures that may affect them”.

Article 21 reads, 1.) “Indigenous peoples have the right, without discrimination, to the improvement of their economic and social conditions, including, inter alia, in the areas of education, employment, vocational training and retraining, housing, sanitation, health and social security”.

2.) “States shall take effective measures and, where appropriate, special measures to ensure continuing improvement of their economic and social conditions. Particular attention shall be paid to the rights and special needs of indigenous elders, women, youth, children and persons with disabilities”.

Article 22 reads, 1.) “Particular attention shall be paid to the rights and special needs of indigenous elders, women, youth, children and persons with disabilities in the implementation of this Declaration”.

2.) “States shall take measures, in conjunction with indigenous peoples, to ensure that indigenous women and children enjoy the full protection and guarantees against all forms of violence and discrimination”.

The Canadian Medical Association has weighed in on the issue through an editorial (2007 – “Jordan’s Principle, governments paralysis”) where it advised that First Nations governments should sue to receive fair medical treatment. If the governments are unsure of their responsibility, Amir Attaran(co-author and University of Ottawa law professor) said, they merely need to look at the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees equal treatment for all Canadians, and let common sense prevail.

Jordan and his family’s story sadly illustrates the long standing discrimination against First Nation children. The health conditions of Canada’s First Nation children is shameful particularly for one of the most affluent countries in the world.  The passing of the private members bill in Jordan’s memory will not end the discrimination faced by countless numbers of First Nation children unless the Prime Minister takes the courageous and necessary step of declaring that the Government of Canada will fully and immediately implement Jordan’s Principle.

$$$ notes

Fiduciary is a legal description of financial obligations for FN under treaty, in 2014 they call those funding authorities by treasury board, for ex. Equalization payments and CANADA HEALTH SOCIAL TRANSFER PAYMENTS ARE ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN THE FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS. THESE TWO TRANSFER PAYMENTS WITH EXPIRE WILL EXPIRE IN 2015. These two transfer payments were established in 1994 qand 1995 to address the massive federal deficit, these two transfer payments are cost sharing arrangements between the federal and provincial governments, the first nations are federally responsible for any funding but they are implicated by these transfer payments because there is no federal legislation for funding arrangements between the federal government and first nations. The Indian act is only administrative legislation and Canada and the federal government has to use existing means of transferring money to first nations. That is why treasury board is the government department that outlines the authority for first nations funding. The last time these transfer payments were being diuscusssed between the feds and the provinces , first nations were not involved. For first nations to address financial short falls they must now be part of discussions and planning right now instead of at the expiry date of 2015. This is planning, they need to part of to address problems. Federalism, that concept of federalism, describes that Canada is a federal state, which means that Canada is made of a national govt and provincial governments, it has according to the constitution a division of constitutional powers section 91 outlines the authorites of the federal govt. sec 92 describes the provincial authorites. The federal govt is responsible for services and programs that are national interest like war ect and provincial governments are responsible for programs that are local in nature. Like welfare , education, highway traffic act ect. Federalism describes the funding regimes  between the fed and prov govt, the ques is , how does fn fit into the funding regimes, Canada by virtue of the constitution is responsible ofr first nations sec 91(24) of the constitution therefore federal government has a fiduciary obligations to FN. The confusion comes when the provincial govt have the jurisdiction like education welfare and social programs, so the basic ques is, who has the real fiduciary responsibilities of first nations.Q What causes the underfunding for fn? A.Canada is federal state, there is a division of powers, sec 91 and 92. There is no adaqute funding arrangements for first because there is no federal law . the funding that first nations receive is not treaty money. Example is welfare. Welfare is provided to first nations at the reserve not because they are treaty because they are residents of Manitoba. Jurisdiction. To understand fn funding, one has to understand Canada is a federal state with division of powers between the prov and feds. Jurisdiction is the legal term, that the provinces have in their areas. Treaties were suppose to be about natural resources. Educ, welfare, and health are not treaty rights. /most chiefs think INAC is the answer but they are so far down the ladder of decision making.

Cook and Sharpe honored at tribute boxing show. (www.fightnews.ca)

On March 19th, GoJo Gym featured All Nations Boxing Showcase which was a tribute to the career achievements of former champions Larry Sharpe and Arthur Cook. This eight bout card featured eight action packed bouts with some of the provinces best amateur talent taking on challengers from Panther Boxing Club from Edmonton, Alberta.
Larry Sharpe fought his last match six months ago losing to Adam Trupish in an effort to win the Canadian Middleweight Championship. Sharpe, 25-9, has held the WBA Federcento light middleweight title, Canada middleweight title, and WBA North American Super Welterweight title. He has fought all over Canada, made several trips to the USA, and to the United Kingdom. Despite having no amateur boxing experience, Sharpe went on to become a champion in the pros. prior to boxing, Sharpe was an amateur kickboxing champion, holding a 10-0 Muay Thai record. Sharpe's dedication to the sport, diet, and conditioning, are the qualities that have made him a champion.
Arthur Cook had an amateur boxing career with over 130 bouts, holding various amateur championship titles. He turned pro in 2000, scoring an upset win over 19-0 Albert Snowski to win the WBC Youth Heavyweight Championship title. Cook has fought and trained all over the world taking on some of the best heavy weights in the world. He has fought overseas in the United Arab Emprites, Hungry, and Kazakhstan. Cook also spent time at the famed Kronk Gym under Emanuel Steward. In Cook's last bout, he injured his knee in a losing effort to capture the Canadian Heavyweight Championship.
In amateur action on this tribute card, Donavan Thomas and Rodman Batson received 'Fight of the Night' award while Amber Groome out of Panther Boxing Club, received the 'Best Boxer' award in her win over Manitoba provincial champ Jessica Gross.