Honoring Indigenous People - December 2017

Rotary News

At the Rotary District 7070 Conference in Niagara-on-the-Lake earlier this month, 32 people from a number of clubs participated in a Kairos Blanket Exercise. Nicole Patterson of the East York club organized the event and was narrated by Bear Standing Tall. Thank you, Nicole and Chief Bear Standing Tall. People who have participated in these exercises have found it to be educational, thought provoking and very moving.

The Barrie-Kempenfelt Rotary Club, backed in part by a District Grant, is working closely with One Laptop per Child to provide 12 laptops to Sandy Lake Reserve children.

Also in connection with One Laptop per Child, the International Service Committee (which includes Indigenous Services) of the Rotaract Club of Toronto organized a volunteer evening where members assisted OLPC Executive Director Kate Hodgson with their holiday letter campaign. Great work.

The Rotaract Club of Toronto is having their annual fundraiser at La Maquette on February 22, 2018 to assist the Anishnawbe Health Centre of Toronto (www.aht.ca). We will forward additional information on tickets when available. The club is looking for sponsors. If you can assist, please contact Joseph Hanna (josephatef@hotmail.com).

HIP Chair, Chris Snyder recently attended the Frontier College annual update of their Summer First Nations Reading Camp program. The Rotary Club of Toronto has supported in the past. MIRR minister, David Zimmer, the Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell were in attendance as was former Lieutenant Governor James Bartleman who started the program. Mr. Bartleman gave HIP excellent guidance during our start up including suggesting we focus in education which we have done. He was brought up to date on our activities. He now devotes much of his time to writing about Indigenous issues. He has a new book coming out next year had has agreed to do a podcast about it. We will keep you posted.

HIP has appointed John Currie as our Executive Director. We are all excited about having John in this role and excited to have grown to a point where we need a director. Welcome, John. John is a member of the Rotary Club of Pickering and has been doing yeoman's service on HIP's Gifts-in-Kind program as well as other initiatives. We are finalizing our business plan for 2018. In brief, it calls for increasing club involvement to at least 150 clubs, establishing relationships with approximately 30 new Indigenous communities (ideally every club having a relationship with an Indigenous community, expanding our board coast to coast, raising more money from a number of sources and expanding the Gifts-in-Kind). Our focus continues to be education particularly with an outdoor and cultural focus and of course awareness. We need everyone to be engaged to make these goals happen. When the plan is finalized, we will post it online.

We have done a podcast with the Honourable Bill Graham about his book Call of the World and comments on Indigenous issues. Check the web for podcasts.

Also on HIP, John Currie, Lisa Farano and Chris Snyder will be attending the Nation to Nation Conference in Ottawa November 27th & 28th. There is a great line up of speakers including Paul Martin, Joe Clark, Bob Rae, Ministers Bennett and Philpott, National Chief Perry Bellegarde, Ovide Mercredi, Isadore Day, Stephen Kafkwi and many other Indigenous Peoples. It will be a wonderful learning opportunity as well as an opportunity to further develop relationships with key people. We will report next month.

What is your club doing? Please email Julie Dunaiskis (julie@eccgroup.ca) with a brief summary so we can post on the HIP website and provide an update in upcoming newsletters. This will help other clubs and provide a sense of how we are involved. We do not know the precise number of clubs across Canada who are involved in educational and awareness activities, however, our guess is at least 100. Some were involved well before HIP, many on their own and some because of our encouragement and leadership.

Photo Album - We have added several photos from the Northern First Nations Coat Drive.

Request a Speaker - Would your club like to have a Speaker at an upcoming meeting? If so, please check the list of available speakers on our website under Resources/Speakers List. Or contact Tom Sears (tsears@sympatico.ca) to propose a date and a subject you would like the person to speak about i.e. a) about HIP b) a project or c) awareness of the issues. Ideally these talks will inform members and guests and hopefully engage members in becoming involved in an Indigenous program, donating money and developing a relationship with the local Indigenous community. We are happy to help you connect with the community close to you.

Other News

A reminder, you can find our slightly revised brochure on our website under Resources (Rotary HIP - HIP Brochure). If you would like to use it, you may print and distribute to your networks. If you need more, contact us and we can send. We have also improved our Facebook page and added a twitter handle. We have over 200 FB followers and 60 twitter subscribers to date. If you would like to be a friend on our Facebook page, click :  https://www.facebook.com/HonouringIndigenousPeoples/ to see our new site. You can like, follow and share. We also encourage you to check our website and contents regularly. Encourage your friends too. Also, send Julie (julie@eccgroup.ca) the email address of anyone who you think would like to receive our newsletter.

We receive many comments on our website, however, we have grown considerably since it was first created. Our communications committee lead by Fred Lawlor, John Currie and Shirley Hawkins and administered by Julie is currently reviewing our website and other communication materials.

News & Events

This past month, the Northern First Nations Coat Drive was undertaken to collect winter coats. With collection points in Peterborough, Cobourg, Pickering and Toronto, it was an overwhelming success. Over 2,600 items were collected (coats, boots, snow pants, vests, fleeces, backpacks, slippers, socks, blankets, hats, mittens and scarves). That will provide a lot of warmth this winter to many members of the communities. HIP Executive Director, John Currie assisted in the logistics of the transportation of goods to 10 northern communities and HIP is collecting funds to support the transportation costs. Financial assistance was provided by a number of people and clubs including Scarborough Bluffs, Peterborough, Pickering, Grand Manan, many students, faith groups and organizations helped sort and package the items collected. A more complete list will be provided next month. Thank you all for another successful drive.

HIP Directors, Andre Morriseau and John Andras participated in the Career, Inspiration and Pathways Day presented by Our Children's Medicine at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School in Thunder Bay. John reports as follows:

"It was a wonderful and affirming experience. We met at least one youth at each table who had a plan for where he or she was going. We met a future Grand Chief, nurses, teacher, police and fire, air maintenance and pilots, a writer, a singer, an actor and an extraordinary artist. One 14-year old girl had never shown her photography, make-up art and painting skills to anyone at the school. That has changed and her light has been revealed. The person who wants to be Grand Chief may become connected with the NAN office.

The school is not funded. Students require backpacks, coats, shoes, sports equipment is needed. It is hoped that a partnership can be developed with DFC and other Northern Nishnawbe Education Council Schools. It is HIP's intended purpose to make sure that as many youth as possible graduate from high school and ultimately pursue post-secondary education. Principal, Sharon Angeconeb is to develop a wish list that we may hope to assist with in the future".

The McMichael Art Gallery is having a show of Alex Janvier paintings until January 2018. His paintings reflect Indigenous culture and history including his own experience of the effects of colonization and residential schools.

The Aboriginal Engagement and Outreach committee of CAMH are presenting a comedy night on November 30th with special guests Manifest Destiny's Child and Don Burnstick. Proceeds will support the Aboriginal Services Healer-in-Residence Program. HIP Chair, Chris Snyder will be attending.

Approved Projects (Rotary HIP - Approved projects)

Check the HIP website to see full project descriptions and updates. We hope you or your club can support any of the projects mentioned as follows. We need much more financial support. Please join in. Not only will you help the project become reality and assist with the educational needs but you will learn a lot as well. We are also reviewing several new initiatives. When approved, we will be providing a brief outline with a link to the project. All of the projects below have been approved by our project committee and have the full support of the Indigenous community.

Kashechewan's Paddling with the Cree

In 2016, 16 young people completed their first canoe adventure along the Albany River to Kashechewan despite some difficulties with low water levels. The members developed strong whitewater skills and were able to line canoes down the rapids. Many could not swim but they learned how to be comfortable and safe in the water.

Two groups participated in 2017 to great success. Click the following link for their exciting report Rotary HIP - Newsletters. If you would like to help cover the costs of equipment and training, you can do so online through our HIP website and receive an immediate donation receipt from Canada Helps who processes the donations for us.

You can also send a cheque made payable to HIP and indicate it is for this project. This money will help First Nations children learn a lot about themselves and their culture. The Ontario Government have given us a sizeable donation, however, we need additional funding. We also received a $2,500 donation from a donor in the UK. The cause was brought to their attention by a person working in Moose Factory. This is the largest individual donation received for this project to date.

Dolly Parton Imagination Library

Through the Dolly Parton Foundation, OISE and Native Child and Family Services of Toronto, books are supplied every month to Indigenous children from age 0 to age 5 in the GTA. If your club would like to help sponsor this program in the GTA or in a separate community, contact Chris Snyder. Additional details are outlined on our website. Already there are 180 children enrolled in the GTA program and Keith McCrady, the co-ordinator who works with Native Child and Family Services of Toronto has received many favourable comments from the recipients. We have recently received an additional $7,500 to help fund this. Audrey Powless-Bomberry from Six Nations recently endorsed this program.

One Laptop per Child Canada

OLPC Canada connects Indigenous education programs to technology designed with 21

^st century students in mind. To date, the initiative has provided laptops and tablets to more than 10,000 Indigenous youth located in 60+ communities from coast to coast. The laptops and tablets are preloaded with educational content including books and interactive programs highlighting Aboriginal languages and cultures. Please see our website for details or contact OLPC at info@olpccanada.com. A number of clubs have recently donated to this project.

Elephant Thoughts

The Rotary Club of Uxbridge recently supported a one-week summer science program in Timiskaming First Nation, Quebec. As the first reserve created in Canada, the Algonquin community is located right on the border of Quebec and Ontario and 60% of their traditional territory is in Ontario. The Elephant Thoughts Summer Camp has been travelling to First Nations and Inuit communities nationwide since 2004 to deliver high energy, high-quality science and technology-themed programming to help engage and empower participants between the ages of 9-13. The children in last year's program had many wonderful nature experiences. The aim of the program is to help promote the "Big Ideas" relating to all fields of science and technology while creating awareness about traditional culture and Indigenous science practises. Participants are encouraged to develop confidence to ask questions and gain a better understanding of how the world around us works through hands-on materials and equipment. The goals of the summer camp are to promote science and technology, solidify a working foundation of scientific principals and methods and to encourage and excite participants to enter careers in science and technology. Your donation today will allow more children to experience nature next summer.

We continue to work with these and other groups to develop programs. If you have a project you would like others to join you in, please contact us. Application forms are on our website under Contacts if you have a project you wish us to consider or approve.

Blog (Rotary HIP - Blog)

As always, there have been many news items recently that have been added to our blog. Keep checking back for regular updates.

Resources - Films & Documentaries (Rotary HIP - Films & Documentaries)

We have added a new link to a film produced by DAREarts. The film is Fill My Hollow Bones. The film will be premiered at the end of this month on Parliament Hill.

If you have recently viewed a good film or documentary or read a book not on our list with an indigenous theme or message, please email Julie Dunaiskis (julie@eccgroup.ca) and Janet McLeod (jmm@nexicom.net) to add to our list.

Several new books include "Buffy Sainte-Marie - It's My Way" , Jack Weatherford's "Indian Givers: How Native Americans Transformed the World" a book about Indigenous achievers in both Canada and the US, Tanya Talaga's "Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death and Hard Truths in a Northern City" and Eden Robinson's "Son of a Trickster".

HIP Membership & Donations

We would like you, your club and friends to become members. You do not need to be a Rotarian to join. You can join today by selecting (Rotary HIP - Become a Member) on the HIP website. Complete the online form and send us a cheque for $100 made payable to HIP. By becoming a member, you are saying we like and support what HIP is doing. Here is $100 to help move the cause of education and awareness forward. Please note, HIP membership payment cannot be done online as it is not tax-receiptable. Please send a cheque c/o 100 Simcoe St., Suite 110, Toronto M5H 3G2 and reference the online form or send a note with your name, address, email and club(if applicable) to the above address. We will send you an acknowledgement and ensure you will receive our monthly newsletter. We have had a number of new members in the last few months. This is great... keep them coming.

November 28th was "Giving Tuesday". It is a global movement of giving and volunteering. It encourages and amplifies acts of kindness and unites communities by sharing our capacity to care for and empower one another. If you missed it, any day can be a "giving day". Donate today!

Charitable donations are accepted online through our website (Rotary HIP - Make a Donation) and the donor will receive a tax receipt immediately. You may designate funds to a specific project or to general projects focusing on education. Thank you for your continued support of our projects in particular we have had a terrific response to our ask for support for the transportation costs for shipments to the fly-in communities. We need more money. If you are able to help with this or other initiatives and want to get a tax receipt for 2017, please send in before the end of the year. You can also send in a cheque made payable to HIP and send to c/o ECC Group, 100 Simcoe St., Suite 110, Toronto, ON M5H 3G2.

Message from HIP Chair, Chris Snyder

It is becoming commonplace to hear people at the start of a meeting or gathering to acknowledge that we are present on the historical lands of and the name of the Indigenous Peoples where we are located. It is done in many government settings and many school boards have implemented it in their schools. It is also a protocol we are encouraging every Rotary club in Canada to adopt at their meeting. Some people have questioned this practice and ask why do we do this? It is a good question.

In essence, it is a way of recognizing and showing respect for the Indigenous Peoples past and present who have been living and working the land for thousands of years. Much of the land was obtained by Europeans (Canadians) through treaties, many of which were concluded through coercive and deceitful means. Furthermore, both parties came from two solitudes as Indigenous Peoples viewed the land as being communal and had no sense of individual ownership.

While the treaties gave certain rights and compensation to Indigenous Peoples, there has been much widespread abuse and disregard of these rights by Canadian governments and others. This is, perhaps, most apparent when it comes to natural resources and other situations where there is money to be made.

Over the past 150 plus years, there has also been little respect and recognition given to Indigenous Peoples. In fact, for the most part, it has been disrespect and terrible mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples. A recognition such as this also opens the door to dialogue and further discussion as evidenced by this question. While this practice of recognition and respect was being used before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Report, the report reinforced its usage. Action 45 calls for dealing with each other showing mutual respect and recognition.

Reconciliation, as we have said many times, is not just the responsibility of governments but is a responsibility of all Canadians.

It is our experience most Canadians agree and the acknowledgement gives us an opportunity to participate in a small way in this very important process. As mentioned, the acknowledgement normally is made at the first of a meeting or speech. It can take many forms, however, it can be as simple as:

"We would like to acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory of the .... people.

Meegwetch,

Chris Snyder

Chair, HIP

snyder@eccgroup.ca

416-364-0181 Ext. 2501

905-990-1735