Manitoba Pipestone - Aboriginal News Briefs - June 2014

Ebb and Flow First Nation evacuees return home

With $8.7 million from the federal government for 29 new homes and primary road work on Ebb and Flow First Nation, which was completed in April, all remaining 2011 Manitoba evacuees from that First Nation will be returning home. As of early May, there were 51 long-term evacuees from Ebb and Flow First Nation.

“Returning evacuees home is an important step in the recovery of our community,” said Chief Nelson Houle, in a news release. The federal government is also working with the province and First Nation governments to return flood evacuees from other Manitoba First Nations to their home communities.

Task force releases plan to end homelessness in Winnipeg

Winnipeg’s Community Task Force to End Homelessness recently released its plan which, among other recommendations, calls for the creation of a new non-profit organization to provide leadership, coordination, and centralized funding, with the sole focus of ending homelessness in Winnipeg. The goal is to create a streamlined process that fast-tracks homeless individuals into housing, similar to the emerging best practice of Housing First. The four key focuses of the plan are: create a “one-stop” resource and centralized intake targeted to the needs of people at risk of homelessness, so they can easily access all available information, help and money; create a person-centred system of care; increase the supply and availability of housing to combat Winnipeg’s low
vacancy rate; and conduct an annual census of homeless people, and make the data easy to share. Ultimately, the plan calls for the creation of 7,500 affordable housing units. The task force which created the plan was convened by United Way and Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council. It consulted with those who were involved with homelessness, including a Council of Elders, non-profit service providers who work daily to meet the needs of people on the street, government policymakers and the private sector.

Lawyers, companies overcharging survivors for IAP claims

Lawyers for the chief adjudicator of the Independent Assessment Process were in Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench earlier in May seeking an order that claimants should have to pay only approved legal fees. The Indian Residential Schools Adjudication Secretariat, which awards settlements in Indian residential school abuse cases beyond the Common Experience Payments, is claiming that more than 30 lawyers and agencies across Canada, that help survivors fill out forms needed to file for compensation, are charging more than the fee schedule. Dan Shapiro, chief adjudicator of the IAP, says overcharging could deprive survivors of the full benefits they are entitled to under the $5-billion Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. The ruling, which involves a Winnipeg lawyer and a form-filling company, is pending and could be applied across the country.

New
nursing station for Mosakahiken Cree Nation

A new nursing station will be built on the Mosakahiken Cree Nation to replace the existing facility and better support quality care in the community. The new facility will be approximately 7,700 square feet. Staff accommodations will provide four units for the nurses, visiting physicians and other health professionals who work in the nursing station. With the new facility, there will be access to Telehealth services, three exam rooms and one two-stretcher trauma room, a multi-purpose room for a variety of needs, including education and spiritual ceremonies, and three offices for visiting physicians and professionals from the Manitoba Renal Program, the Northern Regional Health Authority, the regional diabetes program, the mental health program and the midwifery program. The current facility was built in 1983 and is approximately 1,700 square feet.

Arctic
Beverages purchased by three Aboriginal companies

Paskwayak Business Development recently entered into an agreement with Athabasca Basin Development and Prince Albert Development Corp. to purchase Arctic Beverages, a Pepsi franchise company servicing Northern Manitoba, portions of Northern Saskatchewan, Northwestern Ontario and Nunavut. Arctic Beverages is the only First Nations owned Pepsi franchise in Canada. Since its formation, the company has expanded to become a distributor of Frito Lay, Canada Bread, Jack Links, Nestle Ice Cream, Parmalat, and Pepsi. Paskwayak Business Development is the commercial holding company owned by the Opaskwayak Cree Nation. Prince Albert First Nation Business Development is the business development division of the Prince Albert Grand Council, representing 12 First Nations in northern Saskatchewan. Athabasca Basin Development is owned by the seven Aboriginal communities in northern Saskatchewan's Athabasca Basin and has grown to include complete or partial ownership in 11 companies providing a wide range of services.