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2TuesdayNovember182014POLITICSFIRSTNATIONSNEWSBRIEFSAlbertaB.C.FirstNationsfilesuitsagainstSiteCdamprojectTwonorthernAlbertaFirstNationsareinsistingthefederalgovernmentoverturnitsapprovaloftheSiteChydroproj-ectthethirdproposeddamonthePeaceRiverinnorth-ernB.C.ThesuitswereledonNov.14aftertheprojectreceivedapprovalfromboththeprovincialandfederalgov-ernments.TheMikisewCreeandAthabascaChipewyanFirstNationssaytheywerenotconsultedproperlynorwerethedownstreameffectsonthePeaceAthabascaDeltafullyconsidered.FourFirstNationsinB.C.havealsoledsuit.AssemblymembersvoteinfavourofNWTombudsmanRegularmembersoftheLegislativeAssemblyvotedunani-mouslyinfavouroftheGNWTbringingforwardlegislationtoestablishanofceoftheombudsmanfortheterritory.ThemotionwaspassedonNov.6afterbeingintroducedbyDehChoMLAMichaelNadliwhoisalsochairoftheStandingCommitteeonGovernmentOperationswhichtabledare-portontheissueearlierthisyear.Asteptowardincreasedaccountabilitytheombudsmanwillhavepowerstoconductcondentialinvestigationsbutwillnotbeabletochangeorreversegovernmentdecisions.DominionDiamondhaltsfundingforLutselKearchivingprojectAninitiativetocollecttraditionalknowledgefromeldersinLutselKehasstoppedafteroneofthemainfundersDo-minionDiamondsdeclinedtocontinuenancialsupport.DominionmadeitsannouncementinaNov.10lettertotheLutselKeDeneFirstNation.Theprojecthasalreadygarneredatleast326998fromDominionandBHPBillitonandan-other100000fromthefederaldepartmentofHeritageaswellasanundisclosedamountfromDiavik.Thebandsaysitstillneeds148000tonishtheproject.LastyearsFortSmithFOODANDTOYDRIVEwasahugesuccessthankstoKaesersWallysDrugsNorthernStoreNorthernJournalFortSmithFireDept.SmithsLandingFirstNationSaltRiverFirstNationFortSmithMtisAndallthepeopleinFortSmithwhomadedonations.THE2014CHRISTMASFOODANDTOYDRIVEisonSaturdayDecember13.FormoreinformationpleasecontactDianneBenwellat867-621-0921MaytheLordBlessyouall.IndigenouswomensharestrengthsstoriesatrstcircumpolargatheringByDALICARMICHAELNinaLarssonsharedherex-perienceasprojectleadforthersteverIndigenousCircum-polarWomensGatheringlastFridayinaprofoundlynaturalwaywhilebouncingheryoungbabytryingtogethimtoburp.Inawayherbalancingactwasrepresentativeofmanywomenwhosuccessfullyllmultiplerolesasafamilymem-berprofessionalcommunityleaderandculturalprotector-abalancethatmanyisolatedNorthernindigenouswomentrytoachieveoftenwithlit-tlesupportorempathyfromthosearoundthem.Supportingindigenousfe-maleleaderslikeLarssonbyprovidingthemwithanetworkofsimilarlydrivenwomenwastheforcebehindthegatheringheldinYellowknifeNov.12to14.TheeventwasorganizedbymembersofDeneNahjoagrassrootscollectiveaimingtorevitalizeindigenousculturesandtraditionsintheNorth.Overahundredcircumpo-larfemaleleadersgatheredintheNWTcapitalforthethreedaysofworkshopsstorytell-ingpoliticaldiscussionsandcelebrationsofwhattheyhadachievedandwhattheycon-tinueworkingtowards.Wewantedtocreateanet-workofindigenouswomenthroughseveralterritorieswhoareworkingonprojectsLarssonsaid.Wewantedtoconnectthemwithindigenouswomenwhoareveryaccom-plishedsotheycouldsharetheirknowledge.Oftentimeswomencreateprojectsinisola-tionandwithoutanyrecogni-tionsowewantedtohonourthesewomenandmakesurethattheyarerecognized.Up-and-comersemphasizedOneofthemainthemesofthegatheringwasbuildingsupportforyoungindigenouswomencurrentlyonthepathtobecomingleadersintheircommunitiesandbeyond.MandeeMcDonaldamas-terscandidateattheUniver-sityofVictoriasIndigenousGovernanceProgramwasoneofthoseyoungleaderspresentattheconference.OnethingIhavefoundmostpowerfulaboutthisgath-eringishavingtheopportu-nityandthespacetohearalotofdifferentwomenssto-riesshesaid.Thegatheringhasbeenalotofstorytellingwomentalkingabouttheirex-periencesthingstheyvedoneallthesedifferentthingsthathavehappenedhowtheyvecoped.Formethatsbeenre-allyinspiringtohearaboutthesewomensjourneysandwhatthechallengesarehowtheyovercamethemandhowmuchhopetheyhaveandhowoptimistictheyareaboutthefutureofanation.Ithinkthatisareallypowerfulthing.AprogrammanagerfortheNWTsbushuniversityDechintaMcDonaldspokeonapanelaboutland-basededucationandhowitcanhelpreconnectyouthtotheirheri-tage.Throughouttheweekshecametorealizesomestarkdifferencesbetweenthechal-lengesfacedbytheattendingeldersandtheissuesinfrontofhergeneration.Oneofthemainchallengesforusisthatthroughcoloni-zationwerenotasculturallygroundedastheoldergenera-tionsareMcDonaldsaid.Alotofthem...havetonnesofexperiencewithlandclaimsnegotiationsandpoliticsandelectionsorarecommission-ersandtheyreinthepubliceyebuttheystartofftalkingabouthowtheywereraisedinthebushfortherst10yearsoftheirlives.ThroughherworkatDechintaMcDonaldhopestohelphergenerationregainitsconnectiontotheland.Theresasenseamongalotofyoungpeoplethatabigpartofleadershipinatra-ditionalindigenoussenseisgoingbackhavingapresenceonthelandandreclaimingtraditionandculturalprac-ticesthattheydidnthaveac-cesstogrowingupshesaid.WalkingwithourcircumpolarsistersOnthefinaldayofthegatheringWalkingWithOurSistersco-leadTanyaKappospoketothewomenaboutcollectingthepiecesoftheacclaimednationalartinstal-lationthatservesasawaytohonourlostwomenandgirls.Iwantedtoimpartthemes-sagetotheladiesherethattheseeffortsofWalkingWithOurSistersbeganwithanideaofonepersonanditbecamesomethinggreatandeveryonewantstoknowaboutitandhearaboutitandpeoplearebeingimpactedbyitinsomewayshesaid.Ijustwantedtotrytoexpressthemessagetothemdontfeelsopowerlessbecausemaybeyouliveathomeinyourcommunityandyoudontthinkthatyoucandoanythingbutyoucan-youcandoitnomat-terwhereyouare.AstheendoftheeventnearedKappoexpressedherhopeforthewomeninattendance.IfeelreallyinspiredbywhatIseeandwhatIfeelishappeninghereKapposaid.ThesenseoftogethernessandcommunitythatsbeingcreatedamongsttheparticipantshereisimportantbecauseIthinkitreallybuildsstrongfoun-dationsforthemtogohomenowandstartdoingthingsforthemselvesorintheircom-munitiesandIthinkitreallyhelpsthemfeelempoweredinawaythatmaybetheydidntfeeljustfourdaysago.FashiondesignerandelderMeekaKilabukofIqaluitsharesstoriesofgrowinguponthelandandhertimeastherstsecretary-treasurerofInuitTapirisatofCanada.ShehasalsoservedaspresidentoftheQikiqtaniInuitAssociation.PhotoMeaganWohlberg