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| While the Chiefs of Ontario office continues the process of re-structuring, the Regional Chief must juggle the national agenda with provincial and regional concerns. Add to the mixture a dramatically downsized office, and everyone's doing triple duty. | ||
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| For years I've heard Chiefs discuss the dilemma
of dealing with community concerns while attempting to address the
large provincial and national issues which consume so much of their
time away from their homes and families. Between my duties as AFN
Regional Vice Chief and my responsibilities to serve the 134 First
Nations in Ontario, the pace set for us this summer has been hectic. The Chiefs of Ontario staff and Liz Thunder, in our AFN Liaison Office, have been busy attending countless meetings, writing reports and putting together briefing notes. In addition, with the advent of our website, the COO office has received innumerable requests for information-some from as far away as Italy and Germany. No one's complaining (no time). It's just a fact of contemporary life. All First Nations communities, Tribal Organizations and PT0s are experiencing similiar challenges. At the Chiefs of Ontario (COO) office, the changes are really just a part of a much needed re-structuring which began this past year. Recent decisions by the Chiefs in Ontario have been made to reduce the size and mandate of the office to its original intent. By getting out of program delivery, much needed revenues will be free to do the most good where it is most needed-at the community level. At the provincial level, the Planning and Priorities Committee has met. Following a very successful Lands for Life media conference at Queen's Park, the committee decided it was time to implement a long-term communications and lobbying strategy on all pertinent issues. It will identify major issues such as Lands for Life, Ontario Works, Casino Rama revenue distribution and longterm health care. The strategy will also prioritize issues, identify target audiences and establish timelines for action. The report will be ready before the Special All Ontario Chiefs Conference in December. In the meantime we have attended a public forum on Lands for Life in Sault Ste. Marie on September 12. The session paralleled the Batchawana Pow Wow and Border Crossing. We have also met with John Donnelly (INAC) to discuss a community planning study for Sand Point First Nation, the construction of a high school at Pelican, assistance for the construction of a school and financial arrangements at Fort Albany, and the high costs of freight in the north due to last year's warm winter. Meetings with Medical Services Branch, Corporate Services, continue under the able direction of Merv Dewasha, and it is expected that an agreement will be implemented by spring. COO has moved forward on the northern office at Fort William First Nation all summer. It hired staff for the Social Services and Policy Analyst portfolios. A receptionist has been hired as well to field queries. As promised I am making an effort to visit First Nations communities this year in addition to attending PTO and PPC meetings and, while we don't have the financial means to visit every community every year, we will attempt to make visiting individual communities a priority. Work continues at a hectic pace at the AFN level. We met with Nelson Mandela and supported Bishop Beardy's Sacred Walk for Healing when it passed through Toronto this past September. We have raised First Nations concerns about the capping of funding by INAC. We are pushing the Fiscal Relations agenda forward, and we will continue meeting with INAC officials to sort out the Agenda for Action for First Nations and get approval for the AFN/INAC initiative for policy development specific to the Lands, Trusts and Services sector. It is important that this process include regional involvement. Each region must determine the process that best meets its circumstances. On virtually all fronts progress is being made, albeit at an agonizingly slow pace. Patience is necessary but when I think back to the way things were in the not-so-good-old-days, a great deal has changed for the better. We owe a debt of gratitude to all the elders, chiefs, councillors and dedicated individuals whose work and sacrifice helped mark the path we follow today. Season's Greetings I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a joyous and peaceful holiday season. It is a special time of the year when First Nations traditionally reflected on the benevolence of the Creator and the wondrous gifts of nature with which we have been blessed. This year we have much to be grateful for. Please, take the time to reflect on our good fortune, count the blessings we have and most of all enjoy this special time of the year. Visit with friends and relatives and take time to relax with your family. I wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. |
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