Jack Wilson introduced our guest speaker for the evening. Ross Thompson is from Stonewall, a semi-retired Fish and Wildlife Biologist who enjoyed a career in Manitoba working as a Provincial Parks Biologist, Regional Wildlife Biologist and Chief of Wildlife Management. In the 1980’s he was Chair of the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq Caribou Management Board, which started in 1982 to coordinate management of the barren ground caribou between 5 government levels and 4 different aboriginal groups. In 2004 Ross was reunited with the BQCMB as the part time Executive Director. After a 12-year stint as the Mayor of Stonewall, Ross still is involved in many volunteer groups in his community and Interlake Region.

 

Ernie Bussidor is from Tadoule Lake, while Napoleon Denechezhe is from Lac Brochet. They are present to talk regarding their involvement in youth programs and living in the north in balance with the caribou. Both Ernie and Napoleon are Dene First Nations people. Ernie is Chief of Tadoule Lake while Napoleon has been a Member of Council at Lac Broche 6 times.

 

Ross Thompson advised that caribou are the life blood of the North. The BQCMB is investing in the youth in these communities because youth is the future. The caribou meat provides a very high protein source for the communities. The value of the meat is estimated at $20million/year.  All the other parts of the animal are used for various purposes. Very little is left as waste. The question put forward now is “where did the caribou go?”. The survey now indicates a population of ~200K caribou. In the 1990’s the count was 450K caribou. The BQCMB is working with youth by supporting land camps, skill contests, posters and prose contests, scholarships and awards. The BQCMB and the communities have a common mission, ‘healthy kids, healthy activities’. All ages are involved, and the goal is ‘meat preservation’. Only take what you need and use all you take. www.arctic-caribou.com

 

Napoleon Denechezhe is from Lac Broche. In 1973 the band was moved from Broche, their traditional hunting grounds. He has been on the Band Council for 6 terms. The caribou are important for their livelihood. The Dene people are caribou followers. They make tools, blankets, clothing- all from the caribou. The meat is extremely important for their survival. The goal with the education of the youth is to protect the health of the caribou herds. The importance of the hunt and giving them the skill set to reduce the waste on a hunt. The elders want to get the youth away from the video games and get involved in the culture camps of the past.

 

Ernie Bussidor is the Chief of Tadoule Lake. The Band was relocated to Churchill in the past for many years. Eventually the people decided that they need to move back to their old ways on the land. The community of Tadoule lake was developed (1973). Ernie’s father was American military and his mother was Dene. His grandparents raised him. In 1973, they had to learn how to live off the land again. Teaching the youth is paramount. He told a story of a canoe trip that was organized for youth in the community. This included anyone up to 30 years of age.  Eight people were selected, and some said they were avid canoeists. At the first set of rapids, 2 canoes were swamped. The trip took 6 days along Seal River which has such pristine waters that you can drink directly from it. Every Fall they look to the North and wonder “where are the caribou?”. The weather is changing, and Fall is lasting longer. Ernie advised that they are living on chicken now as they wait for the caribou. They hope to see the caribou soon. They make the best clothing, very light to wear yet very warm. The clothing is made of two hides with the inner hide having the fur turned in to the body. The outer hide has the fur turned out to the weather. The Dene are living along the treeline from Hudson Bay to the Arctic Ocean. They have their own language that is said to be one of the hardest to learn. They are linguistically related to the southern Apache and Navajo.

 

Ross Thompson concluded by asking Rotary to explore opportunities to work with the BQCMB in the North with the teaching of the youth. Ross closed with advising us that his name in Cree is said to be ‘crazy like a Frenchman’ or ‘never know where this guy is coming from’.

 

Q/A.

 

Q - Nancy Morris wondered if the young are leaving the North?

A - Ernie advised that the Tadoule Lake community has ~300 people living in it. The Tadoule Lake Band has ~ 1000 members on the reserve list.

 

Q - Bob Antymniuk asked with the caribou #’s going down to ~200K, what can be tried to increase the numbers?

A - Ross advised that the reduction is due to ‘cumulative effects’ that include climate change, disease, parasites, predators-grizzly bears.  Trying to stop development in Alaska in the caribou calving grounds. A cow will abandon the calf with very little outside interference. Ernie advised that a couple winters ago, there was a large caribou herd that settled very near to Tadoule Lake. Hunters came from long distances and too many animals were taken, and more were wasted. There was a meeting in Saskatoon about the people of Tadoule Lake ‘claiming the herd’. This did not occur. The conclusions of the meeting were that the hunters must restrain themselves. Only take what you need, reduce the kill amounts and avoid killing the cows.

 

Q - Kris Wilson asked if southern hunters join the shoot.

A - Ross advised that the southern hunter can join the shoot but, the hunt is a closely controlled ‘tagged’ hunt. There are resident and non-resident categories and it is a ‘bulls only’ hunt.

 

Q - John Inglis advised that Rotary does get involved with helping youth in many areas. What can Rotary do to help?

A - Ross suggested that a way to get involved would be to fund some of the youth training and camps. The BQCMB has no funding for these youth training activities.

 

Martin Labossiere provided a summary of an article titled ‘Rotary Day at the UN filled with peace champions and workshops. Martin focused on the ‘People of Action: Champions of Peace’. The six individuals to be honoured are;

 

 

Martin researched each individual and summarized what they have done in order to receive this honour.

 

Spare: Dave Morris (204) 832-6064

 

President Bob Antymniuk advised that he would not gloat about the Roughrider’s win this weekend, even with the Bomber’s loss he will remain humble.

 

Nancy Morris advised 2 weeks ago about her daughter’s flooded basement in the Ottawa area after heavy rains. Turns out the cause was sewer backup. Being the daughter of insurance brokers, as well as being an insurance broker herself, she did have coverage for the clean-up and repairs.

 

Mike Dudar was just very happy to be home after more travels.

 

Glenda Werbowski was willing to accept the facts as they stand after the C.F.L. football on the weekend. She put an extra dollar in the bucket.

 

Nancy Hansen was pleased that her book, ‘Routledge History of Disability’ has been published.

" The Routledge History of Disability explores the shifting attitudes towards and representations of disabled people from the age of antiquity to the twenty-first century. Taking an international view of the subject, this wide-ranging collection shows that the history of disability cuts across racial, ethnic, religious, cultural, gender and class divides, highlighting the commonalities and differences between the experiences of disabled persons in global historical context. The book is arranged in four parts, covering histories of disabilities across various time periods and cultures, histories of national disability policies, programs and services, histories of education and training and the ways in which disabled people have been seen and treated in the last few decades. Within this, the twenty-eight chapters discuss topics such as developments in disability issues during the late Ottoman period, the history of disability in Belgian Congo in the early twentieth century, blind asylums in nineteenth-century Scotland and the systematic killing of disabled children in Nazi Germany. Illustrated with images and tables and providing an overview of how various countries, cultures and societies have addressed disability over time, this comprehensive volume offers a global perspective on this rapidly growing field and is a valuable resource for scholars of disability studies and histories of disabilities. " (fom Google Books)

 

Nancy Hansen had a second Un-Happy Buck. During his travels on Air Canada, they managed to destroy Peter’s wheel chair. Air Canada is paying for it, but the inconvenience can not be made up for with cash.

 

Ed Toews has been fitted with new hearing aids that takes the sounds from the deaf side and transfers those sounds to the good working ear. Ed advised that he hopes that he can accommodate to the new hearing effects, if not -bye to $4K.

 

Dave Morris wanted to thank whoever dropped off the box of crushed beer cans. Dave counted 68 in total for Polio+. Please keep bringing them in. There was a fair amount of pop left over from the aviation museum tour night. It represents $15 to $18 worth of pop. Can be picked up for $5 to $10 for Polio+ donation.

 

 

Sarge Lyle asked one of our guests, Ernie Bussidor to pull the potential winning ticket. #243 was pulled. The win would get $70, but the odds were still 3 to 1 against. No win tonight. (sorry to the stub holder as I didn’t write it down. Oops!).

 

 

Jack Wilson ….. Watch your P’s & Q’s.

John Inglis…. Geography lesson not asked for.