Cree leaders reflect on 2013 discuss aspirations for 2014

As the New Year approaches we all begin to engage in the familiar ritual of looking back at the highs and lows of the past year to examine our successes and failures while looking towards to future at everything we want to achieve in this time of renewal.

It was with this in mind that the Nation decided to poll as many Cree community, government, industry and entity leaders we could reach to find out what this past year was been like and what their aspirations are for the future.

We sent them the following three questions:

1) Please tell us how your 2013 went and what details you would like to share with the rest of the Cree world about it?
2) What is your dream (for your organization and for yourself as the leader of that organization) for 2014?
3) How will you carry out that dream?

The answers that follow came from the hearts and minds of those who wished to share their hardships, achievements, hopes and dreams. Some are incredibly heartwarming and some just outright startling.

The Nation would like to thank each participant for sharing their thoughts with fellow Eeyouch.

Chief Reggie Neeposh
Oujé-Bougoumou Cree Nation

Wachiya! Kwey!

On behalf of the Council and the entire community of Oujé-Bougoumou I would like to extend our best wishes to everyone for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I would like to share with the Nation readers some of the highlights of 2013 in our community.

a) Participation in Signing Ceremony for Complementary Agreement #25
We were honoured to participate in a very major step related to the final establishment of Oujé-Bougoumou as the ninth Cree community under the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. We participated, along with Cree Nation of Mistissini, in the signing of Complementary Agreement #25, which provides for the transfer of lands from Mistissini to Oujé-Bougoumou. This agreement provides the land, which will form the basis of Oujé-Bougoumou’s land regime.

This was an opportunity not only to mark an historic occasion, but it also provided us with an opportunity to express our thanks to the members of the Mistissini community who have been so supportive for many years of our efforts to have our own village. Mista-meegwetch again to the people of Mistissini.

b) Journey of Hope
In our continuing effort to address the needs of our community’s youth, and to ensure that no one in our community is left behind, we have continued an innovative youth engagement initiative. I have long held a personal vision of working with our young adults faced with difficult life challenges by exposing them to a healing and restoration journey based on the land. Our first initiative, in March 2012, took place at the Camp Corvette site at km 282 on the Hydro-Québec Road where 12 of our young Cree adults participated in a project to help them define their dreams and visions, and to help them to achieve those objectives. We shared the important Cree values and principles that could help guide them in the future. As a result of this innovative program nearly half of the participants have returned to school to further their educations.

This local program is directed at working with two segments of our community’s youth – those who we deem to be “high risk” and those who are already involved, in one way or another, with the justice system.

Our unique initiative, which has been implemented over the last two years, essentially consists of taking identified youth and young adults on a healing journey in a land-based setting. The youth are provided with an opportunity to both have direct experience with Cree traditional activities, while at the same time, they have an opportunity to speak openly and freely about their personal challenges and struggles within a safe and accepting environment.

Based on the success of the first year of this program, we held a further session for our youth in February-March 2013 involving 14 of our young adults. I believe that this program has been very successful as a way to strengthen Cree values, our traditional way of life on our land, and it has provided a unique opportunity for our young adults to receive the support and attention they need as they face the future.

c) Impact and Benefits Agreement (BlackRock Metals)
After several years of negotiations we successfully concluded an Impact and Benefits Agreement with BlackRock Metals, Inc. This company is establishing a project to develop the iron and titanium resources at a site within our traditional territory. The IBA provides for a range of environmental monitoring and control measures, training, employment and contracting opportunities for the life of the mining project, which at this time is estimated to be at least 30 years. We are looking forward to a positive and mutually supportive relationship with BlackRock Metals for many years to come.

We are also looking forward to 2014. Here are just some of the issues that are on the horizon for us in the coming year.

a) Continuation of Journey of Hope
We will continue to reach out to our high-risk youth with the intention of getting everyone on a positive track, which can lead to a meaningful and fulfilling life. I will be organizing similar sessions for this next year. By all accounts, the Journey of Hope has thus far been a success. This is an initiative which we believe needs to be sustained and continued annually as it addresses issues which are critical to the positive development and growth of the community’s youth.

b) Collaboration with Cree Nation Youth Initiatives
We are looking forward to working closely with the Cree Nation government in the implementation of capacity-building outreach initiatives to our youth. They can be encouraged to obtain training and education and develop important skills so that they can make a contribution to the building of the Cree Nation. We are fully committed to this crucial initiative on behalf of the Cree Nation and we will do our part in Oujé-Bougoumou to make this initiative a success.

c) Final Steps to Recognition of Oujé-Bougoumou
We look forward in 2014 to finalizing all the remaining steps to be fully recognized as a Cree band under the JBNQA. We anticipate that this will take place during the first quarter of 2014. Finally, all the measures will have been taken to bring our community into the JBNQA as a full and equal band, along with the other Cree bands. This achievement will give us one more reason to celebrate and we are looking forward to that event.

d) Creation of Assinica National Park
We are also moving forward toward the creation of the Assinica Cree Heritage Lands project, which will see the transformation of the current wildlife reserve into both a park and a portion remaining as a wildlife reserve. It will be managed by Oujé-Bougoumou with local control over the remaining wildlife reserve.

e) Abandoned Mine Restoration
We have continued to work diligently to ensure that the restoration work related to the Principale Mine site, an abandoned mine within our traditional territory, is carried out with full involvement of Oujé-Bougoumou and according to the highest environmental standards. At the same time, the restoration work will provide important employment and contracting opportunities for our members.

f) Capital Projects
We are looking forward to a number of capital projects over the next year that will fill a need for various facilities, and at the same time, will provide employment opportunities for our people. We will, for example, during 2014, see the expansion of our Capissisit Lodge, which will increase our capacity to accommodate more visitors. It will also provide new conference facilities for a wide range of meetings, workshops and conferences.

It is our belief in Oujé-Bougoumou that there is so much to be grateful for, and there are so many opportunities before us – as individuals, as a community and as a nation. We are looking forward to working hard for the continuing development of our community, and in the building of our Cree Nation. We are entering the New Year filled with optimism, enthusiasm and hope.

Robert Baribeau, President/CEO
Cree Construction and Development Company

1) First I would like to thank every one of our employees whether it is in CCDC, Gestion ADC or one of our joint ventures/partnerships. It is you, the employees, who make us what we are. I also want to thank all of our partners and clients for your trust year after year.

It’s been a year of many changes for our companies; there have been many departures and some new faces in our companies. We have had some successes in forming new relationships with aspects to future mining projects that will play an important role in providing construction and employment opportunities in the coming years for our people.

A slow construction season has given us time to reflect on our operations and we have made adjustments to all levels of operation. It has been a good opportunity to adjust to these new circumstances in our market.

2) Our vision for 2014 is to continue to participate in the Cree Nation building through participation in contracts and providing project management services. As for Gestion ADC we will look forward to working with our recently formed partnerships in catering and housekeeping.

As president of CCDC I look forward to seeing the Cree Nation companies playing a bigger role in development projects happening in our territory this year. In 2013, I know many companies, including our own, would have liked to have seen a larger portion of contracts happening in Eeyou Istchee go to Cree companies. I am hopeful and determined that this coming year we will see all levels of Cree government and entrepreneurs exercise the proper influences to guarantee that Crees will benefit from the activity that is happening within our borders.

3) How will you be carrying that dream out? I think that in order to ensure that the Cree businesses have a greater access to opportunities we must begin communicating together in a regular manner. We must meet with our leaders and inform them of what is happening in Eeyou Istchee and ask for their collaboration in meeting with the developers so that we can open a positive dialogue with them. Communication is the key to any successful relationship.

At this time I would like to take the time to wish everyone a very happy holiday season with their families! Enjoy your time with family and keep the little ones happy and busy during this special time of the year! I also want to wish each and every one of you a Prosperous New Year filled with health, love and happiness!

Virginia Wabano, President
Cree Women of Eeyou Istchee Association (CWEIA)

May the New Year bring these wishes to all of you, warmth of love, comfort of home and joy for your children. Hopes and dreams, a light to guide your path, helping hands to strengthen unity, serenity and peace within your mind, heart and soul. Happy New Year wishes for you all.

CWEIA Board of Directors and Staff

For 2014, the CWEIA has the following on their agenda:
• Gender-based consultations in three communities: Whapmagoostui, Chisasibi and Mistissini
• Regional event on March 8 for International Women’s Day (pending funding)
• A healing conference for men/women
• A Canadian Human Rights Commission – Aboriginal Women’s Roundtable, February 2014

Chief Paul Gull
Waswanipi First Nation

The year 2013 marked a major change for Aboriginal people right across Canada. As a Cree nation we have seen many events focusing on the capacity to build our communities and our people.

The Cree First Nation of Waswanipi prides itself for the strength of our youth and the skills of our Elders.

We have seen an extraordinary number of graduates in 2013, and our youth are working hard to achieve their educational goals. This means success for the development of our community.

This year we also opened new facilities for our Elders. I am glad that our cultural department hosts our Elders and brings them together. They are the support and backbone of Waswanipi. They make some of the best lunches I ever had!

One vision for our community is the development and potential of biomass projects. We are presently reviewing projects, and hopefully Waswanipi will implement a biomass heating plant. These types of projects are greener, provide quality heating and rescue power consumption. It is an interesting time for growth and we are reviewing many additional possibilities.

I would like to wish all communities a happy New Year. It is exciting time in the Cree Nation and I look forward to the challenges of 2014.

 Bella Moses Petawabano, Chair

Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay

1) This year we celebrated the opening of new Community Miyupimaatisiiun Centres in Eastmain, Nemaska, Mistissini and Waswanipi, where we carried out extensive renovation and extension of the existing building. Notice that we don’t call CMCs “clinics” or “dispensaries” anymore.

They are much more than places you go to get a pill or a bandage. We have developed a community health approach that supports families through every stage of life. The coming years will see construction of the remaining CMCs as well as a brand-new hospital in Chisasibi.

The central platform of my campaign was to support sustained efforts to improve the quality of services in our communities. I’m very proud of the progress we have made in the last year, including a 30% increase in mental-health consultations in the communities, strengthening our Youth Protection system with more training for YP workers, and the launch of the first mobile FASD diagnostic clinic in Canada.

As part of our continuing effort to bring increased transparency to our organization, our new website, www.creehealth.org, was launched in December 2012. We also have a Facebook page and Twitter feed under the “creehealth” name. These tools proved very important for communicating with the population during the forest-fire crisis last summer, which saw the evacuation of 261 community members from Eastmain to Val d’Or. The Cree Health Board was very involved in that crisis because it was the vulnerable population that was evacuated, and it is the Cree Health Board that identified those people based on a review of their medical file.

We welcomed four new members to our board this year: Patricia George of Whapmagoostui, George L. Pachanos of Chisasibi, Lisa Shecapio of Oujé-Bougoumou and Ida Gilpin of Wemindji.

Remember, your elected community representative is there to listen to your concerns and suggestions about health and social services provided by your Cree Heath Board. I will personally visit many communities in 2014 accompanied by the Commissioner of Complaints and Quality of Services of the Cree Health Board. Together we will address the many issues faced by community members.

2) In terms of services we know that there will be increased tele-health services thanks to the ECN fibre-optic network, which has now been hooked up to the Cree Health Board establishments. This will greatly reduce the need for people to travel down south for their appointments. Soon we will be offering eye exams for people with diabetes, mental health consultations by videoconference, and other services like speech therapy are being explored.

I also want to mention Iiyuu Ahtaawin Miyupimaatisiiun Planning. This project is working with each community to help develop a vision and plan for Miyupimaatisiiun. Our communities are growing and changing fast, and we need to ensure that we are building healthy and happy communities where children can play safely, people can live active lives, eat good food, especially traditional food, and care for each other. In speeches I gave this year at conferences on health and healing, I often spoke about Chiyaameihtamuun – living together in harmony, according to our most cherished traditions. This is my dream for the Cree Health Board and for all our people.

Dianne Reid, President/CEO
Aanischaaukamikw (the Cree Cultural Institute)

1) Aanischaaukamikw just celebrated its first year of operations with such a variety of visitors from government officials, Cree businesses and organizations, student groups, and visitors from Panama, a Himalayan princess soon to be queen, a WWA wrestler and Hollywood star Adam Beach! I would like to see people to check out our award-winning website and contact the amazing staff that work for Aanischaaukamikw, check our Twitter and Facebook sites.

2) Aanischaaukamikw received its Category A status as a standard museum. I would like to promote the richness of a living culture of Eeyou Istchee to the world. Here we come in 2014!

3) Cyberspace is global and making that connection to all museum partners throughout the world can make the connection to Cree artifacts and objects in other museum institutions. Of course, this will need international marketing dollars to do this.
Our outreach activities to the communities also must be the key to the living culture of Eeyou Istchee. Come and see us at www.aanischaaukamikw.ca

Rodney Mark – Deputy Grand Chief

2013 was a year of change for me and my family.

First there was my mother-in-law’s passing; I sure will miss her rabbit and dumplings. She was an amazing cook and loving mother to her children, her grandchildren will miss her and we be thinking of her during the holidays.

The second change was leaving my job as Chief of Wemindji; I will surely miss all of those kickass planning session we did over the eight years.

Third change was being elected as Deputy Grand Chief; this was super exciting and I am looking forward to the next four years.

My hope for the New Year (is of course for us to be KICKASS Nation), to have clean and safe communities for our people and for the Grand Council/CRA to be more responsive to local leaderships.

How will we achieve this, is to be more present in the communities and to work with local leadership.

Message to you all: be kind to yourself, be awesome, laugh out loud and believe in the beauty of your dreams. Merry Christmas and have KA (Kick Ass) New Year.

Chief Stanley George
Whapmagoostui First Nation

1) 2013 was another year that just flew right by me in the blink of an eye.

So many changes and challenges are taking place that as the leader, it is very hard to breath it all in.

The elections took place in August 2012 and it takes a lot of time for people to swallow the power of democracy despite all the facts and realities.

Merely winning by 7 votes, with two candidates running, the commotion really escalated and did not calm down until early winter.

But what is done is done and we have to move on, the world doesn’t stop turning when you win or lose, and it won’t end either.

Whapmagoostui First Nation has been plagued by past financial woes that have been escalating drastically since 2006.

To be honest, when I first was elected in 2009, I walked into a $9.2 million deficit.

Today, these challenges still take a toll with our progress and anticipated development. It has been four years we have been under close scrutiny with AAND-INAC. This has caused our credibility to be flushed down the drain in the eyes of our suppliers, contractors and certain levels within the CRA.

Despite that, with dedication and commitment from certain senior staff of the WFN and direct assistance from CRA’s financial advisors, we have managed to eliminate 55% of the cumulative deficit.

We even managed to pull a stunt within our community by pursuing landscaping project, a future glimpse of how we can develop our community and restore confidence to investing in our own town. Our main focus was on housing renovation.

A big portion of our special projects fund was injected to roofing, exterior and minor interior renovation in our existing social housing units.

As a risk in the eyes of officials, a privilege to us, after three long years of no housing construction due to the setbacks in the hands of AAND, we finally took a chance and constructed two social housing units. This will indicate to our members that housing is top priorities in the next five years.

2) My first and utmost priority is to eliminate the community deficit.

By the end of 2014, Whapmagoostui will be debt free and the next Chief will not be walking into the same awkward situation that I did.

Our people have to understand that we can no longer live the moment and look at what will benefit us today. We have to understand that everything that is given to us should not be taken for granted.

The message has to be clear, what we have, we are borrowing from our children and their children. Every dollar we misspent, they will feel the impacts. Every natural resource we destroy and take away, they will feel the impact.

Another thing I will be working on is restructuring and realigning our organization to accommodate our future needs and services. This will play a vital role with all the new agreements we have been signing.

Like many leaders and chiefs, I have many dreams and visions, but if I am a lone voice in the wilderness, I will not succeed, I will not prevail. I serve the people and they basically decide if my visions will prosper and blossom. Our communities have to realize that we need to focus on ourselves first so we can think and act accordingly in the best interest of our future generations. The lateral violence must end and we have to find community-based programs to deal with them. This has always been my dream with little success.

3) I will continue to make the best of my term. There are too many politicians in my community where a lot of decisions are being made based on public opinion. It is always a challenge for a chief with his council to operate like this as they are constantly being threatened to be overthrown by the opposition and their supporters. This dilemma has to end or it will continue to follow our future leaders. The thing I hear about myself the most is that I am uneducated and too young to lead the community. I will continue my journey. All the decisions we make are transparent and consistent to our financial recovery face.

Challenges of being a young leader is that the Elders have to respect you, respect the decision and empower my generation to lead. After all, it won’t be long when we will become the elders of our own communities. We must continue to be united, continue to have one voice and respect the visions of our leaders. I am merely asking guidance and support from the Elders, stand with us and stand by us as you have always done in the past. The decisions and direction we make today, will greatly benefit our grandchildren. We have done nothing wrong and we will continue to move forward.

Jo-Ann Toulouse, Executive Director
Chibougamau Eenou Friendship Centre

2013 was a challenging year for the Chibougamau Eenou Friendship Centre. Community members are increasingly busy and confused by the closing of the hostel service, leading them to believe that the centre itself is closed. We are very happy to say that we will be 44 years old next week and going strong!

Amongst many projects, the Awash Utamet Childcare Centre, a 60-place publicly funded urban Aboriginal Childcare hosting both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children, is in architectural plan-mode. Come spring, we expect to have been through the tendering process and well on the way to the construction phase. This will be a tangible aspect to building bridges in our community and developing friendships and respect at a very early age. We are grateful for the partnership of the Centre d’étude collègiale à Chibougamau and community efforts that are making this dream come true.

For the first time, the Cree Trust invested in the core funding of the Centre, providing much needed funds to help sustain activities and services. Though modest, the funding made a vital difference that was felt throughout the year. Also, 2013 allowed us to double the size of our shop not in quantity of goods but finally having the room to respectfully display the fine craftsmanship of our artisans. We increased proximity with our community through an expanded calendar of activities, instigated collaborations and potential partnerships for all of Northern Quebec through the Entrepreneurial Symposium and hired amazing staff to do the best work in the world – serve our community! I love my job! Does it show?

We are living history day by day. For years, I have said that the eyes of the world are upon us, watching how we build and nurture profound social change in the territory in respect and honour of all peoples and all things. The new regional government is our testament and ambition to construct an inclusive, pro-active and attentive governance willing and able to lead the region in our collective best interests for the long term. Our dream and intent is to lend our support and competence to actualise that governance in the daily lives of our community and region.

Our mission is to help improve the quality of life of our people living and transiting through town. It is our heartfelt wish and intent to provide all members near and far, with an adequate building within which to host them. The centre as it is now is small, old and very tired. A $5 million project, it is time to make come true; $750,000 has been committed thus far. In 2014, we will empower our partners to champion this project and invite the community to contribute in tangible ways through various initiatives that will leave their mark.

We are at a crossroads as a service provider. The pressure to provide social and culturally respectful training and services throughout our area mounts and we respond to this shift through the hiring of new staff and new projects built with our partners for long-term growth. As an active community leader, the CEFC is sustained in its efforts by the people who access the programming and services of the centre. All of us make the centre what it is and will be in 2014, and in the years to come. Our dream is to remain as pertinent tomorrow as we have been since 1969. Our motor is remaining ever-aware of the evolving needs of the community and responding with success in that timely, culturally relevant and competent manner that are the hallmarks of friendship centres across the country.

Happy holidays!

Joshua Iserhoff
Youth Grand Chief

1) First and foremost I want take this time to wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope that it may be a healthy and prosperous one for you and your family.

I believe that we did well this year and the challenges that we have encountered had us work harder to better the organization and its programs.

I believe that our youth have been given a significant challenge, especially from the successful Roundtable on Capacity Building back in March. Following that, I had a clearer vision of where we need to go and how to get there.

Over the past year, a main focus has been the creation of a strategic plan for CNYC, a process that is not yet complete. The planning committee I assembled met numerous times throughout the year to come up with a revised mission for CNYC, some very ambitious program objectives and a proposed new organization structure to carry this plan forward.

The CNYC board will be meeting in January to review the draft, and then from there I hope to take it to all 10 communities and regional entities for consultation, as well as Council/Board.

We have been working very hard now for over a year to come up with this strategic plan which will align the Cree Nation Youth Council with the vision of the Cree Nation as a whole. It is now our opportunity to show the Cree Nation that we accept the challenge before us and that we can do our part.

2) My dream for CNYC is to see it become the organization that is truly the champion and the catalyst for youth development in Eeyou Istchee.

With all the agreements signed by the Cree Nation leadership in the last 10 years or so, we are finally able as a people to be the masters of our own destiny and create a strong and prosperous Aboriginal nation.

The leadership has said that for this vision to be realized there needs to be a focus on the youth. It will be up to the youth to develop the skills, the knowledge and the capacity to take on this challenge and learn how to genuinely control the territory.

There is an incredible amount of responsibility that our youth will be entrusted with so we need to have dynamic, educated, driven youth who will take on the challenges from what has already been accomplished by our leaders.

We are being called upon to step up to the plate and to accept the challenge of building the Cree Nation. To do this it is crucial that we strengthen CNYC and its role, function and responsibilities.

3) The “call to action” directed at youth by the Cree Nation leadership has been serious. This is why the Roundtable on Capacity-Building was held and it is why that initiative is now going into all the communities beginning in January.

Over the coming year, I plan to finalize the CNYC strategic plan in consultation with our many stakeholders – youth, community leaders, CNG leaders and the many regional organizations and entities that play a key role in youth development. From there we will begin the process of transforming the organization to become more effective, results-oriented and accountable. The planned new structure will also assist CNYC in coordinating activities with other stakeholders, and in diversifying our funding sources so we can achieve more.

By the end of 2014, I hope it will be clear that youth want to be an important part of the modern Cree Nation, that we are ready to do what we can to further the vision of the Cree Nation, and that we understand what we are being called upon to do in order to contribute to the building of a trailblazing and strong Cree Nation which can be a model for the world.

Kathleen Wooten, Chair
Cree School Board

1) The Cree School Board has worked on many projects over the year, but three things it has done this past year are: first, the Council has gone full swing into its Ownership Linkage meetings with some Cree Nations and Cree entities.

This is an opportunity for the Council to listen to the Cree Nations and entities, organizations and other groups about their educational concerns. As a result of these Ownership Linkage meetings, the Council prepared a summary of the trends that derived from these meetings.

As well, the Council reviewed and amended its Ends and Executive Limitations policies as a result of the concerns raised by the various Cree Nations and entities. Second, a highlight for the Board was joining the Cree Regional Authority on a fact-finding trip to New York City regarding the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ). HCZ developed various programs to support school-age children, in particular children at risk, to succeed at school. “Whatever It Takes” is the mantra of the adults who work in the Harlem Children Zone schools; they work to help the children attain success in the HCZ schools from daycare to college. Third, the Council, through its Governance Development Committee, initiated two review processes and set up two working groups. One working group is reviewing the Cree Education Act and the other is reviewing the Cree Component of Cree Education. The premise of setting up these review processes is to reinforce and strengthen the Cree aspects of both the Cree Education Act and the Cree component of Cree Education.

2) Having initiated the change process to improve the quality of Cree Education, my dream is to create a Cree education system that has a consistently high graduation rate of 95% plus. So, maybe not for 2014, but hopefully within a few years.

3) While the overall graduation rate for 2012-13 dropped slightly this year, some community schools saw an increase in their graduation rates. For example, Voyageur Memorial School was one school whose graduation rate increased this past year. The Cree School Board needs to address the consistent low graduation rates from its schools. The Cree School Board is and will be working to address this issue; it is aware that certain factors have an impact on the graduation rates such as drop-out rates, absenteeism and so on. Support systems, such as helping the students to prepare for their provincial exams, as well as instituting the Guaranteed Viable Curriculum at the Secondary Levels (from Secondary I to Secondary V) will need to be developed to assist our students to succeed. The School Board will do whatever it takes to ensure that all children succeed within its system. The Cree School Board will carry on the momentum that it has started to improve the Cree education system; the Cree School Board must also work in partnership with parents, teachers and other members of the Cree Nation in order to succeed in reaching its mission.

On behalf of the Council and the Cree School Board, I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone in the Cree Nation a safe and happy Christmas; I wish you all good health, prosperity and a joyous New Year! May our Creator bless you all!

Romeo Saganash
MP for Abitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik–Eeyou

I guess I can say, fairly, that after a difficult moment in late 2012, I returned to Parliament Hill with a renewed perspective in January 2013.

I arrived at a moment when the Idle No More Movement was at its peak, with the huge demonstration happening in front of the Parliament of Canada, while only some Chiefs accepted to meet with the Prime Minister. I recall my Grand Chief attended the meeting, and I thought it was the right decision.

Coincidently, on that very day of January 11, 2013, I introduced my Private Member’s Bill, C-469. This act will ensure that all laws adopted by Parliament are in compliance with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

 

 Donald Nicholls

Director of Justice, CRA

Each year is a blessing, and our Nation continues to grow. We have established many new things; the benefit will be seen in the life and energy that the people breathe into them. We are guided by our past, but are driven by our present and the hopes for our future. In the end, we value our families, friends and communities – and this does not change.

For next year, we hope to bring more healing, togetherness and positive change in the lives of the people we care about. We wish to have strength that a community brings to address some of the bigger change we wish. We will continue with our initiatives and new services such as conflict resolution at the community level, and build upon values.

Anything of importance has to be done with as many people as possible; it can start with your team and department, but needs to include partnerships and collaborations with other organizations and communities for change to occur and to be sustainable. So, we will continue to advocate that more people need to be involved in the solutions and growth we look forward to.

Reggie Bobbish, Director
Eeyou-Eenou Police Force

As many of you know, the Department of the Eeyou Eenou Police Force officially began its operations as a Regional Police Force in Eeyou Istchee in April 2011.

Many will recall the difficult and challenging transition we have experienced, particularly with the shortage of manpower for some of the local police detachments.

In 2013, the EEPF has delivered on its promise to train and develop more Cree police officers in order to meet the needs in terms of manpower allocations.

On June 28, 2013, a total of seven Cree police officers have successfully completed the Basic Training Program in Police Patrolling at the École nationale de police du Québec.

In addition, on December 13, 2013, we also witnessed the graduation ceremony of 14 Cree special constables.

This year alone, the EEPF has literally trained, developed and delivered more Cree police officers and special constables than ever before.

Not to mention we still have 16 enrolled in our second cohort of Cree students who are expected to complete the Police Tech program at Collège Ellis in Drummondville sometime in May 2014.

Finally, we have already received numerous applications for the third cohort of Cree students that wish to pursue a professional career as a police officer of the Eeyou Eenou Police Force.

As for our vision for the future of policing services in Eeyou Istchee, senior officers of the EEPF are constantly pushing and encouraging all local police detachments to adhere to community-based policing.

Community-based policing takes a different approach from traditional policing. This approach encourages officers to take part of the community sphere and become more socially active with the people.

After all, it has been proven, time and time again, that community-based policing and its prevention programs are the most efficient and effective way to reduce criminal activity.

We are looking to reduce crime rates proactively with the support of the public, we want to reconnect with the people we serve and strengthen our relationships based on the fundamentals of trust.

Needless to say, transforming policing practices from reactive to proactive will not be an easy task. I believe everyone can agree that it can sometimes be very difficult to change our old ways.

But with consistent effort and perseverance, we will continue to gradually transform the way we carry out our duties and play a more active role in aiding the community stakeholders.

As a matter of fact, in 2013, we were pleased to introduce a number of pilot projects prevention programs in certain communities, noticeably the Police Cadet program.

We also have the Crime Stoppers program, Gun Safety program, READY program, Vehicle Safety Inspection program, Safe Cycling program, Door Tag program, just to name a few.

In conclusion, we would like to stress out that the Department of the Eeyou Eenou Police Force cannot be fully effective in accomplishing its mission without the partnership of community stakeholders.

Finally, I would like to wish everyone a very safe Christmas holiday period and may you find joy, comfort and peace in the presence of your families and loved ones.