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NorthernersElders19TuesdayDecember172013WishesyouajoyousChristmasoverflowingwithfinehealthwarmfamilyandfondmemories.NWTMTISNATIONMerryChristmasHaveasafeandsuccessfulholidayCONTACTUSATFortSmithNTTollFree8778722216www.nwal.comYourconnectiontoYellowknifeHayRiverEdmontonFortMcMurrayRedDeerandKelowna.BelovedFortChipcouncillordiesincarcrashByMARIACHURCHFriendsfamilyandtheMikisewCreeFirstNationinFortChipewyanaremourn-ingthepassingofWillieCourtoreilleabandcouncil-lorwhowaskilledlastweekinahead-oncarcollisiononHwy.63.CourtoreillewasdrivingtoEdmontonTuesdaymorningwhenhistruckwashitbyanarmouredvehicleheadingtoFortMcMurray.Bothdriv-erswerekilledasaresultofthecollision.ApreliminaryRCMPin-vestigationsuggeststhatpoorroadconditionscausedthecrashwhichshutdownthehighwayformostofthedayandpromptedpolicetoaskdriverstouseextremecau-tionanddriveaccordingtoroadconditions.TheMikisewCreeFirstNationreleasedastate-mentThursdaymourn-ingthepassingofCour-toreilleabornandraisedFortChipewyanmanwhoservedasbandcouncillorformorethan20yearsmanyofthosealongsidehisbrotherChiefSteveCourtoreille.Wethankhimforhisyearsofservicetoourcom-munityandwewillmisshimdearlyasourleaderourElderaHusbandFa-therGrandpaandmostofalltosomanyasacaringfriendtheFirstNationstated.OnbehalfofallCouncilandmembersoftheMikisewCreeFirstNationweexpressoursincerestcondolencestohiswifeMarieandallhischildrengrandchildrengreat-grandchildrenandgreat-great-grandchildwhomhelovedsomuchandspokeoffondlysooften.FriendssharememoriesofCourtoreilleDavidPoitrasgrewupwithCourtoreilleinFortChipbeforemovingtoFortSmithin1963andsharedastoryoftheiryouthwithTheJournal.PoitrasandCourtoreillebothattendedtheHolyAn-gelsresidentialschoolwhereoneyearavisitingpriestgavethestudentsachallengeThestudentwhocouldwriteJesusMaryandJosephprayforusthemosttimeswouldwinapurewhitesledpuppyhehadbeenbreeding.Wewereallwritingineveryspareminutewehad.WeallwantedthatpuppyPoitrasrecalled.IntheenditwasannouncedthatCourtoreillehadwonthepuppyahugedisappointmentforalltheotheryoungstu-dentswhohadbeenwritingtheirlittleheartsout.Around40yearslaterPoi-trasbumpedintoCourtoreilleattheWoodBuffalorecampandbroughtupthememoryofthepriestschallengeandthewhitepuppyaskinghimwhathadhappenedtothedog.CourtoreillesresponsewasnotwhatPoitraswasexpecting.HesaidItdidntdomeanygoodtowinitandsoIaskedhimHowcomeHesaidItdiedamonthafterIgotitbecauseIcheated.IhadtwootherguyswritingformetooPoitraslaughedheartilyatthememory.Despitehischildhoodshe-nanigansPoitrasdescribedCourtoreilleasarespectfulandkindpersonwithareadysmileforfriendsandstrang-ersalike.HealwayshadkindwordsforpeopleandImnotsayingthisjustbecausehesgone.TherealWillieCourtoreillewasaverykindpersonandhere-spectedotherpeoplehesaid.FortSmithsRaySander-sonSr.workedcloselywithCourtoreillewhiletheywereemployedwithParksCanadasreresponseteamforWoodBuffaloNationalPark.Courtoreillehadalotofknowledgeofthelandandwater...Hewasverypassion-ateaboutthatandhelikedtoshareitSandersonsharedonFacebook.FortChiplostagreatmanbrotheragreatfatherhusbandunclegrand-fathergreat-grandfatherarespectedelderatruefriendtoallthatknewhim.AviewingwasheldattheSerenityFuneralHomeinEdmontononFridayandafuneralwillbeheldinFortChipewyanatafuturedate.HealwayshadkindwordsforpeopleandImnotsayingthisjustbecausehesgone.TherealWillieCourtoreillewasaverykindpersonandherespectedotherpeople.DavidPoitrasPhotoMikisewCreeFirstNationWillieCourtoreilleservedascouncillorfortheMikisewCreeFirstNationformorethan20years.