Metis plan ambitious expansion program

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Timmins' Metis Nation council has 10 new faces on its board as a result of an election Sept. 16, and the board is already planning an expansion to its premises.

New president Nicole Bond said the first priority of the council is to get board training for all new members on the team. The next step is to get a larger building.

"We are looking at purchasing (a building) . . . we're hoping to get a building big enough to suit everybody's program. . . . Right now where we're renting would be difficult to have any other programs come in at this time," she said.

The Timmins local was established 10 years ago, and is part of the Metis Nation of Ontario, an organization that provides programs in training, cultural development, and social services to its membership.

Since its establishment, the Timmins group has run a diabetes program; various job training initiatives; a long-term care program; the Aboriginal Business Service Network; and a well-baby program.

For the future, Bond said, a gambling program is being considered.

"One of the things that I would like to have is more culturally based programs . . . teachings, you know . . . maybe one-week courses or weekend courses," Bond added. She said their cultural committee would perhaps teach how to make a birchbark canoe, how to make Metis sashes, and it would provide healing circles, with Metis teachings. Also they want to teach more Metis history.

"I would like to try to run this place the way that my boss runs her place: people are allowed to have an opinion, people are allowed to be heard. What we have is a very, very strong team, and we work very closely together in collaboration, we try to help each other, we try to promote each other's mental, physical, spiritual health. And I think that when you have that as a team, as a collective, that things run a lot smoother," said Bond. "I think that atmosphere is here just on a different level."

The other members of the new Timmins council are Robert Vien, vice-president; Leonard Rondeau, Senator/Elder; Natasha Lefebvre, youth representative; Anne Couture, treasurer; Linda Gibson, secretary; and board members Billy Deschamps, Jess Lefebvre, Al Lefebvre, and Yolande Longpre.