Voices Of The People

2010-08-26T07:26:00.002-07:00

Back from Att

2010-04-22T18:49:00.001-07:00

So we are back from the remote community of Attawapiskat. We returned from filming. It has been well over a week. My intention was to write about my extended stay in the community. There is so much to tell. How can I possibly describe the experience accurately? There are so many dynamics involved. There are many different aspects of the experience that pull you in different directions. What you see, the sounds you hear, the air you smell, the air you feel, the taste of the water, looking in the mirror and seeing the effects of the air and water on your skin and feeling their effects in body, and having a particular feeling in your heart while speaking with people of the community and really opening your eyes, your heart, and your soul to their history and experience, is all part of what every one of us experienced there. However, it was not something that could be captured by image or sound. It is something that is experienced on a much deeper level. It leads to such a greater understanding and empathy for their situation.

During the past week I really needed to take a rest from the project. Emotionally and mentally I felt quite weak. I can only imagine how one feels living the situation. I did not want to burn out and to feel that our efforts would be in vain. At first thought, we are working against status quo, what the mining companies are vying for, what the governments want to accomplish, and what the general population's perspective is, however skewed, on First Peoples. However, I am a very positive person and I really do believe that is not what nature or the universe intended. The world naturally works towards cosmos or order. It works itself out for the better. It is always balancing itself, taking everything into account. This may take hundreds of years, but it happens. We are part of this cosmos. We are part of the universe. We all have a hand in making this balance a reality.

Final Trip to Attawapiskat for filming

2010-04-05T08:33:00.000-07:00

It has been a long winter trying to find funds for, and coordinate, this long awaited trip. It is finally happening. The crew is already on their way to Timmins and will be leaving tomorrow via Thunder Airlines to Attawapiskat. There is a lot to film. Our trip in January provided us with insight into some of the greatest challenges the people of Attawapiskat face and as a result we were able to come up with a video script to try and capture the images that best represent those challenges. A picture is worth a thousand words. How true this is. Capturing a culmination of the history of these First Peoples is quite difficult. Many do not realize that the state of affairs of Attawapiskat and other communities is a culmination of the wrongs that done against them throughout the history. How to communicate this will be a challenge. We WILL do it, but it will be a challenge. The cycle continues. Governments, land exploitation, underfunding, destruction of culture and ways of life. One step forward, two steps back. Or perhaps more accurately stated, one step forward, two shoves back.

I am confident that through awareness and education, the people of Canada will begin to feel a sense of compassion as they have for others around the world facing similar challenges. We will begin to hold our government and each other, accountable for all of the people in our great nation.

I will be leaving tomorrow night for Timmins then joining the others in Attawapiskat on Wednesday. Until next time!

A Productive Week...

2010-03-07T07:42:00.001-08:00

I just wanted to provide everyone with an update on where we are with the documentary. After much research, interviews with present and past community members and leaders, after seeing and experiencing the plight of the people of Attawapiskat, and reviewing our footage, the complete content and sequence of the documentary film started to roll in my mind. There is so much to tell about the situation. Many members on and off the reserve are experience different challenges. However, there are definite common issues that are acute and require immediate visibility. We want to encourage everyone to give and to support the community through donations, however, there also has to be a movement for change. The situation will not change if the Nation is not aware of the source of the poverty, homelessness, and social condition. As a result of much review of all of our material, I was able to take last week to write the draft script. This will provide us with our path in order to be able to shoot the balance of footage we require to capture the situation and progress towards completion of the documentary.

I want to thank everyone for their continued support in our endeavour to create awareness and for the part all of you have played in the process.

???Harper???

2010-02-18T09:41:00.000-08:00

I have one thing to say to Harper "How can you possibly rationalize this when many of the First Peoples of our country are crying out for the same things and you turn your back! Why?!"

http://www.afghanistan.gc.ca/canada-afghanistan/priorities-priorites/services.aspx

What an evening!

2010-02-15T12:46:00.000-08:00

The evening went extremely well. It was a success. At the last minute we decided to change salons in the museum to accommodate a smaller crowd. Needless to say, this turned out for the best. It was as if we captured everyone's positive energy and intention in that room.

Hearing Elaine and her son's voice and drum was moving. You could feel it deep in your soul. The sound of the drum is so intense. It is like a heartbeat. When they sing and drum it is like you can hear the earth's heartbeat. They are so connected with the earth, and hold so much respect for the world in which they live.

Then Elder Annie St. George got up to speak. She spoke about respect for all living things, about how each and every living thing has its place in the world. She spoke of how the First Peoples welcomed the European's, healed them, and shared their land with them. She spoke of how many referred to First Nation communities as "third world". She wanted to correct them. They are now "fourth world", the forgotten ones. Where "third world" countries receive press and recognition of the challenges they face, the First Peoples have become somewhat of an invisible nation.

Cindy Blackstock, from the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada spoke. She explained the lessons from the totem poles. There was so much silence in the room which was a reflection of the recognizance and acceptance of Cindy's words by the audience. They held so much meaning and really called out to everyone to re-assess their place in the world. I want to share just a short excerpt which affected me profoundly.

"Like billions of good people of all cultures who went before me, my name will echo at best for a few generations before I immerse into the basket of the ancestors. What I was taught, and

what the poles know, is that only when you live your life knowing that you will be forgotten can you be sufficiently free from the seduction of your own needs and wants to prioritize the passage in perpetuity of the most sacred of teachings of your people.

Our legacy, my legacy, survives in the basket not in the picture frame.

The ancestral basket carries many essential truths about what it means to be human: freedom, equality and dignity are all there. The freedom to be the person you are, the freedom to love, and be loved; the freedom to dream, the equality of opportunity to achieve those dreams and the dignity to live and die in ways your ancestors and children would be proud of. We believe in these things not only because our ancestor’s did but because they are essentially true about what it is to be human. They are as good and relevant now as they were then. They are the nurturing ingredients that the old decaying poles put into the ground for new life to grow from."An address by Cindy Blackstock in support of First Nations children’s

equality at the Museum of Civilization on February 13, 2010

Grand Chief Louttit then got up to speak. He spoke about his people. He talked about his people of the Nishinawbe Aski Nation and then more specifically about the people of Attawapiskat. He was passionate and troubled. He was incensed at how today, in this time, that the First Peoples still did not have their place. How could there be a million dollar mining company on their land and there be so many people suffering of homelessness, hunger, substandard health care, and education? He said he was tired of speaking, tired of repeating, tired of calling out for help.

Then there were the Peace Flame drummers. There were quite moving as well. The beat of the drum always calling out to our hearts and souls.

Thank you to everyone. Each and every person contributed to the event. A big thank you to everyone who donated goods to be auctioned. The artwork was beautiful and relevant to the event. Thank you for everyone's energy to help us move forward in this journey. The success of this documentary will be due to the fact that it is truly from the "Voices of the People". It isn't one person or another, or a few people that are making this documentary. From the artwork to the interviews, from the events to the energy of the people in the room Saturday, every person's intention will a make a difference, will help make it successful. We will all contribute to the basket that Cindy speaks of and offer it up to generations after us. Our contribution is small but it won't be insignificant.

Attawapiskat - Day 3

2010-01-12T16:49:00.000-08:00

Sunday, January 10th, 2010

You know, it is difficult now to write about what I see. Throughout everything I have seen, I have regressed or either progressed (depending on how one sees it) to a purely emotional state.

Rosie tells us what it is like to feel homeless. During the sewer back up of 2005 she became homeless. She does not retell her experience from the perspective of loss of material possessions but rather the blow to her sense of self.

Rosie, God bless you. For all that you do for your family, your community, and your aura that projects itself far and wide, thank you. I am sure that I speak for Laurie and myself that our lives are richer for knowing you. You are so wise beyond your years. I do believe that you have the spirits of generations past inspiring you and providing you with the guidance, courage, and especially hope (when others have given up) to serve your community and instigate change. You are a VERY powerful spirit. Believe it. You are. I miss you , Rosie. You taught me a lot about myself. I feel transformed by you and your family's presence, and by what you shared with us. I am indebted to you. You have revealed to me another part of my spirit....and now I can't go back... I can't eat like I used to, I can't sleep like I used to, I don't see things with the same perspective. I continue to ask myself why.... All this just makes me want to cry...I was brought to believe that everyone was equal. That was wrong. Now I know that was only in principle. There is no equality or balance in our nation right now. There is just no other way to describe it.

When you don't have a home, you don't fee safe or secure. You don't feel grounded. The

kids pick up on this and the family begins to slowly fall apart. Rosie recounts what it was like to be homeless. She tells us what it was like to lie in her husbands eyes and cry at night wondering where they would lay their head. She is a strong woman. Rosie said that Robbie told her "It will be okay". This is what Rosie tells us. It will be okay. She has offered it all up to the Creator. Something inside me believes her. She has such passion and resolve. It must be true. If the community did not have people like her, well I just don't have an answer to that question. Homelife suffers, school life suffers, drug and alcohol abuse are rampant. So many things contribute to this but there is one thing that is constant...it is the absence of feeling a place of belonging. There is a reason why there is significant healing among the aboriginal population that turns to their traditions. I guess it would be like being lost and going back to retrace your steps...it is the only sure way to get to where you know you have to be.

We learn that there are benefits to working in the mine that may or may not translate into hardships for their families. With access to money, comes access to problems. These are either personal , professional, or familial problems. With money comes easier access to drugs and alcohol as well as the means to leave their families. Many times, for the first time, people are working and earning decent wages. Unfortunately at the end of the week or two weeks they return to an atmosphere of devastation and despair. It was difficult for us to see and feel for 3 days. We do not have family there. However, we felt deeply. We felt very deeply. Every soul touched us.

I truly believe that Chuck Strahl has to look into their eyes. He must look into the individuals' eyes to see the pain and despair. He has to listen with his own ears and hear their crackling nervous voices that want to speak out but through generations their spirits have been beaten down and broken. Many cannot accurately express the devastation that they are currently living.

However, their spirits are not broken. Many are working with their families and the community to transcend their hardships. They are turning to their traditional ways to heal , transform, and break the cycles of pain and desperation. They are rebuilding their community by rebuilding their families then turning toward their community and inviting them to do the same. Our First Nations' Peoples are traditionally sharing, caring, loving, and particularly trusting. They have opened their lives to us and have shared their traditions in order to help our healing as well. It is time that we become cognizant of their plight in Canada and become active members of their community in creating awareness of their situation.

We are all brothers and sisters working toward a common goal. Our First Peoples had agreed to share their land and have adhered to their commitments....share....why do we reprimand our young for having a difficult time with this concept when as adults we do not adopt it? We all need to re-evaluate and assess how we are contributing to their current situation. The rest of the nation needs to learn to share. We seem to not have a difficult time doing this internationally.

Someday we will all look deeply into someone's eyes....we will be leaving this world....we will look into those eyes knowing we did all could do...we will either smile knowing that there is hope, or we will smile thinking that there is nothing more we could do....I have felt, seen, and heard the cries from the community. As Rosie says...we're still here.....yes you are...you are survivors...you don't have to do this alone...We WILL come together as a nation. The power of positive thinking, encouragement, good intention, is mobilizing. I do believe this. Everyone must let go of their personal stakes and offer up their intentions to the Creator so that he may work.

This is the impact the last day had on me. That day, my experience was not so visual as it was spiritually transforming.

Day 2 in Attawapiskat

2010-01-12T11:10:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 9th, 2010

I got up to put more logs on the fire and to sit down and write. Someone was trying to get their snowmobile started and has finally succeeded. My eyes are burning. I can hear dogs howling. We used this morning to do some video blogging, writing, and posting to the net. Rosie calls us to check up and her dad knocks every once in a while to make sure we're okay in here. There was a fight outside next door. Rosie said that is quite common here, it happens every day. All I hear are dogs barking outside. Laurie and I spend most of the morning reflecting, taping a video blog, and writing. We are supposed to meet with Greg later in the afternoon. There are many people that we want to meet and many images we are anxious to capture.

Rosie makes it over around 2:30. We begin a casual conversation and then decide it would be a great idea to interview her. The interview begins. How does she describe the crisis in her community? She is not quite sure where to start. We hear words like sexual abuse, alcohol, gas, drugs, cocaine, attempted teen suicide, history of homelessness, decrepit houses, falling water infrastructure, contamination, sadness, frustration. They have banned social dancing. They require special permission from the band to hold a dance even for a wedding.

Rosie mentioned that a lot of the problem stemmed from the lack of proper housing, crowded housing which then had an impact on self esteem, self worth, which then spilled over into more family problems and school problems. She told us a story of how the residential schools have impacted her life and how it impacts the lives of those in the community. How they have started the healing circle. She is strongly focused on her family's healing and well being as well as the community's "little people".

We decided to go out to see if we could meet with Greg Shisheesh or with Jackie Hookimaw-Witt. Jackie said that we would could meet at 9 am tomorrow which was great. We made our way over to the church grounds on the riverbank where we could see the winter road. Many are currently busy watering the winter so that they can bring supplies up. Many times, instead of flying goods in this time of year, they will do without while waiting for the road to complete and open. This mode of transportation is much more cost effective than the alternative of flying it up. I took pictures of the road, the church, and the humble cemetary. Right next door is the run down closed contaminated daycare which, according to Rosie, will soon re-open. We then drove over to the homeless shelter to film and take some pictures. There were families living in 10 by 10 rooms. People in the community had made bunk beds for the kids and then a bed for the parents. Single rooms were about 10 by 6. We moved on to the kitchen and eating area. Unfortunately this is the only common that they have for these people and families. There is no area for the kids to play either inside or outside. Since there are several contaminated sites around the community, much of the community is contaminated. There was a birthday party taking place in the eating area. The tables are beaten up. They eat on paper plates. The grandmother of the birthday boy had asked to be able to cook supper for the group of kids. She was cooking a turkey, baked potato, stuffing, and cranberry jelly. One little boy in particular was fascinated with Laurie's camera. Laurie set it down on the table in front of the kids and let him be "behind the scenes". He was quite impressed. I talked with the cook for a while as well. He mentioned that money for food is supposed to come from the band council, however, many times the families will chip in money to buy food. What happened to the band council providing money for the food? Well according to the cook, it seems that they are so far in debt that when the issue purchase orders it can take them a while to pay the invoices. If the invoices are not paid, the food company does not accept purchase orders from the council. With the money the cook has, he plans carefully and accordingly in order to stretch it. It is much more cost effective to deal with food stores in Moosoonee or Cochrane and fly the food up than to buy from the local store. It costs about 3 times as much to buy from the local store. The build up of debt is largely due to the fact that in the instances when the Chief declared a state of emergency, the Government of Canada is supposed to pay for evacuation as they would for any other community. Yes, just like when they paid the army to go in and clean the streets of Toronto when it SNOWED! and the city of Toronto declared a state of emergency. HOWEVER, the Government of Canada DID NOT recognize Attawapiskat's plight as a state of emergency and the expense is on the First Nation community. We moved on to the washrooms, bathrooms, shower rooms, and laundry rooms. The buildings, that were donated by DeBeers, were trailers put together from the old camp. Apparently in the IBA agreement, all goods or supplies used by DeBeers are first offered to Attawapiskat for use. However, these trailers were initially destined for another reserve prior to Attawapiskat requesting them for emergency shelter. It is powered by a generator. There are approximately 60 people living there right now and they expect to accept more in the coming weeks. The building is quite industrial. It resembles either a storage depot or a jail. Although the community calls it a homeless shelter, DeBeers calls it "emergency housing". Some members of the community think that the difference in nomenclature is to deflect their denial that there is a grave problem here in the community. We left and went back to Alex's house. As we arrived, a call was coming in for me. It was Pierre. It was great to hear from him. When he passed Benjamin the phone, I couldn't contain myself. It started to spill out. I realized that I was in a land of despair and destitution while connected to a land of plenty and prosperity. At that particular moment in time, I could not reconcile the two. I felt like my heart was tearing for these people. I hung up. I apologized for being so emotional. Rosie put her arm around me to comfort me and tell me it was okay. I told her that she should not be comforting me, but that I should be the one comforting her and offering her support. I apologized for falling short on that.

Laurie went to get her tripod so we could make our way back to the homeless shelter to interview Robbie, Rosie's husband. When we got there, he was not up for being interviewed. However, we were able to meet Deputy Chief Theresa Spence. She was living in the shelter because she had given up her house to a young mother with many kids who had been living in a tent house like we are. The kids were being impacted and were not able to go to school. They were getting up in the morning after having slept on a cold plywood floor to go take a shower next door. She provided us with some great information. She mentioned that she would speak with Theresa Hall so that we could meet her at lunch in between training sessions tomorrow.

We made our way back to Alex's where everyone was playing bingo. Laurie and I had supper which was cup of soups then began writing. Janie, Rosie's sister, called to chat and see how we were doing. She was so great to check in with us and thanked us for our endeavour in creating awareness. She mentioned not to forget to speak with her father because he had a lot to say.

As Laurie put her head down, Rosie came over for a visit. She was accompanied by her daughter Sky, 16, her brother Morris, and her father Alex. Her dad checked the fire one last time before he left but Rosie, Morris, and Sky stayed for a little visit. Rosie said that she had come to tuck Laurie in. We all chuckled. Looking back, last night when Rosie had come by and Laurie was sleeping, she said that she reminded her of her son sleeping, then we all giggled. Rosie brought up the story of the Sasquatch. Her and Sky were speaking of the fasting ceremonies that had been held. I asked Sky about her impressions on her first fasting ceremony. She was not at liberty to provide this feedback as it is a very sacred personal experience that is kept to one's self. She did describe what happens during a fasting ceremony. First there is the sweat lodge in which they cleanse themselves. They go out into the bush and are allowed 4 sticks and 1 tarp to contruct their teepee. Instructions are quite precise on how you sleep for all 4 nights, and in which positions each night. Rosie and Sky described their traditional dances and why they do them. They are for healing. There are grass dancers who are typically boys, the fancy shawl dancers, and jingle dress dancers. They explained the difference between a traditional pow-wow and a competitive pow-wow. They also explained that those who use traditional indian ceremonies to make money are disrespectful since the ceremonies are sacred to them and the spirits. You don't pray for things but you pray to the creator and to the spirits for healing.

That night was a better night. I slept from about 3 am until 7.

Our first day in Attawapiskat

2010-01-11T02:31:00.000-08:00

Friday, January 8th, 2010

The plane began its descent to Attawapiskat. The sun was shining and we could see the community from a distance. It looked much smaller than any of the photos I had seen. As we approached I could see snowmobile tracks in a wide open area. I wondered who the artist was that had made the design in the snow. The minute we touched down in Attawapiskat is the point at which the story really begins.

We proceeded to the security building where they went through all of our bags and luggage. We were not able to leave until they had completed searching through everyone's bags. I looked out the window and saw Rosie there walking around outside waiting for us. I knew it was her right away. She has an aura about her. She stands tall and confident and exudes an air of goodness. When we exited the security building she walked up to meet us and greeted us with that great welcoming smile of hers. She helped with our bags and we put everything in the back of the truck and proceeded to make our way to her father, Alex' house. Her mom and dad had moved back into the house before Christmas. They had been evacuated from the house in the summer due to the sewage back up. The basement was now very conservatively repaired to a quasi livable state in my humble opinion. The balance of the house is in severe need of major renovations and is not fit to live in. The windows, soffit and fascia, doors, and roof need to be replaced, not to mention a more efficient method of heating due to the age of the system and their physical location. Alex heats with a wood furnace and his oven and stove.

Once we visited the house, we made our way to the back where the tent frame, our temporary quarters, was located. Rosie unlocked it and we entered. There were two beds made at the back of the room with a couch in the middle. In front of the beds there is rug. There are three openings which serve as peep holes rather than windows. They are covered with plastic and adorned with little curtains. They installed a table for us, made sure we had electricity, and Alex set up a phone line for us. The protocol is that when the phone rings he picks up in the house. If it is for us, he will ask them to call back. Rosie's dad chopped some wood and showed us how to start the fire. Instructions are quite precise on how to keep it going through the day and night.

Rosie took us for a tour of the community. We drove to the homeless shelters that DeBeers put up. According to DeBeers, this was above and beyond what they have to do. According to the community, it is part of the IBA agreement. We saw the church, riverside, an outdoor rink with kids playing hockey. We saw a lot of dogs. Rosie said that many are stray. Most people get around in snowmobiles and trucks. There are many boarded up houses and in some cases people live in them. In some cases, more than one family lives in them. There is a contaminated daycare/nursery that was shut down but that they will be reopenning soon despite the contamination. The fire station is contaminated. Some portables are still contaminated. The teachers residence is contaminated. The school...gosh the school...we entered the grade 8 classroom. When they say that their children are being schooled in portables, they are using generous words. These are not the same portables in which other children in Ontario are schooled. These are decrepit unsafe, unhealthy boxes. What a blow to a "tween's" already fragile ego and esteem. The bathrooms are right in the classroom. The doors to bathrooms do not close properly on their own. The exterior door does not close properly. There is mold underneath the portable. So much so, that the custodians refuse to work in the crawlspace when required. There is a bottle of water with cone cups for them to use. There is no space for books, art supplies, cleaning supplies. However, their spirit is not broken. I spoke with three young ladies who were quite proud of their art. Sarah is their teacher who is quite caring and who is also angered with the situation these young spirits are experiencing. She is not convinced that they or their younger siblings will see a new school as promised. She noted that a new school was in the budget two years ago. Oh, we will be back.

Across from the school is the contaminated fire station. With huge wooden doors one wonders about the trucks behind them.

We made our way to the airport from there so that Rosie could pick up donations that had come in. There was a full cart. Rosie and I began to load to load the truck. Rosie said that she is a little hard of hearing but luckily she was able to hear the faint cries of a couple of pilots who accidentally locked themselves inside of a building and unlock the doors for them. They graciously helped us finish loading the truck.

We took a ride to the post office where her husband arrived with their daughter on the snowmobile. There she saw a teacher with boxes. She stopped, went and got the boxes and told her to squish in for a ride back to her residence.

Finally, we made our way back to our shelter. Rosie and her dad showed us how to lock the door extra well with the piece of wood across the door. She said if anyone managed to get in, you use the wood to knock them between the legs and then between the eyes. She has a great sense of humour. She continually checks up on us. Her father chops wood for us.

Laurie and I tried for the most part of the night to boil water. The water must get to 99 degrees because it is hot but never boils. Soup, granola bars, and fruit squiggles are my diet for the next few days.

I am laying here with the light on, the alarm set so I can put more wood on the fire, and the plastic roof is dripping on me as the snow melts away above. I can hear dogs howling and barking, someone trying to start a truck but has been having no luck, the snow sliding off the tarp roof, and people screaming. Rosie, her dad, her brother, and her daughter came by to check on us. Laurie was already asleep. Earlier Laurie had anwered the phone and it was NAPS that called. Well Laurie thought that was nickname for someone. Turns out it was the local police. Alex is supposed to call them when there is anyone drinking around the house. Rosie was adament about not opening the door to anyone. Apparently there are drinkers, people who take pills, and people who sniff gas. Instructions were that if someone knocked and kept knocking not even to say anything but to call her and she would call her dad would come out and shoo them away. We all had a good laugh at the phone call that Laurie picked up. We were also joking around about being safe tonight. Rosie assured us that we would be. Rosie gave me the number to the police and ambulance in the case of an emergency. She told me to tell them that I was Alex Kataquapit's tent house. She had me repeat it several times to make sure I could say it.

Well I slept with the light on for most of the night. I say "I" because I think Laurie would have turned it off. She slept like a baby. I was up and down keeping the fire stoked but also had a sense of restlessness in me. The sense wasn't a result of fear but a reflection upon what I had seen over the course of the day. When we leave, Attawapiskat will still exist. Time will go on. They cling to hope. Hope that their kids will be educated and be able to eventually transform their reserve into a thriving self sufficient community where they can embrace their culture and live with access to basic needs.

Going to Attawapiskat...

2010-01-02T17:12:00.000-08:00

Well it has been a while since I have checked in. It has been quite busy over the holiday season, however we have never ceased to work.

We have reached out to many different organizations requesting support for our documentary. The results have been positive and we have booked appointments with some of them in the new year. We gather that the reason the balance of organizations have not gotten back to us is due to the holidays.

We will be leaving Ottawa this Thursday, January 7th and arriving in Timmins. We will be leaving for Attiwapiskat on Friday at 10 am. We will be trying to meet with either Grand Chief Louttit and/or Charlie Angus between the time we arrive in Timmins and the time we depart for Attawapiskat. The weekend has a lot in store for us. We will be filming as well as conducting interviews. There are so many great people in Attawapiskat that are very passionate about their culture, their community, and fellow neighbours. We can't wait to speak with them. I have been so fortunate to connect with the Kataquapit family. Janie, Rosie, Helen, and their father Alex have been so welcoming already. Thank you.

Things will be quite busy this week preparing for the trip. We are happy to be able shed some light on the situation of the Attawapiskat community and to be able to recount what they have been living to others. My dad always told me that "the squeaky wheel gets the grease".

I also believe that it is not only voice that instigates change but intention. I once read in a book written by Deepak Chopra that there was a scientific experiment in which they had three separate groups of people in three separate rooms. Group one was the praying group. Whether or not they believed in prayer was of no importance nor taken into account. Of the other two groups, group number two was a control group for whom there were no prayers said, and group number three for whom group number one prayed. Both group number two and number three had physical monitors which monitored brain waves, heart beat, etc. The group for whom group number one was praying had distinct changes taking place physically. We are all so connected. We all have such an impact on each others lives.

Our voice will be loud and it will be strong. They will hear. Most importantly they will listen. It is only all of our coordinated voices that will make a difference. It is not just our project but everyone else who speaks up on their own behalf, on their community's behalf, on their peoples' behalf, on their nation's behalf, on humankind's behalf, that will make a difference. Can't back down. In unison, our voices will be loud enough. It will sound like thunder...

We're planning our visit...

2009-12-20T15:11:00.001-08:00

Everything seems to be coming together for our documentary. There are so many different people willing to help in one capacity or another. This leads me to believe that we are on the right track. If the nation and the world are ready to hear the "Voices of the People", maybe it is time for the change they have been waiting for to take place. During his campaign, National Chief Shawn Atleo declared "It's our time".

There are many people coming forward not only to tell us about their experiences as members of the community, but visitors and friends of the community whose lives have been touched by the people of the Attawapiskat First Nation. Many have expressed their support for them and our initiative to provide a medium through which they can be heard.

I am trying to get a lot of background and research work done during this time but it is quite difficult with everyone winding up for the holidays. Many people seem to busy with preparations for Christmas and visits to friends and family. I am guilty as well.

We have set a date for the weekend of January 8th to visit the Attawapiskat First Nation. I am currently putting together a list of questions for my interviewees. This list include residents, friends, people who have lived or worked on the reserve, politicians, as well DeBeers personnel. If anyone can provide to me names of people whom they think we should interview, or questions that they think are relevant, PLEASE PLEASE email me.

angelamoleary@gmail.com

firstnationsdocumentary@gmail.com

So many of you have expressed your support. Thank you. Always please keep in touch. Hopefully we can meet with some of you the weekend of the 8th.

Have a great week. Take care, and have a safe and merry Christmas.

Angela

Attawapiskat will get a new school

2009-12-12T15:45:00.000-08:00

"After years of lobbying -- including a campaign by its children -- the northern Ontario community of Attawapiskat is getting a new school"..as reported in the press. This is such great news. The commitment from the Government of Canada has been made. Yay! Although this commitment of a new school has been made before and then reneged. Everyone hopes that this is a step forward toward fixing some of the crises on the Attawapiskat community. Although, there is something in that particular press article that raises a flag. According to the article, the Indian Affairs Minister, Chuck Strahl, said that it was "in the department's official capital budget". Then, further down the article, it states that the department "didn't estimate the total cost". Perhaps I am ignorant as to how federal government budgets work, however one would reason that in order to fit an expenditure of such a significant amount into a budget, a total estimated cost of a project would be required. This would especially be of importance if this particular project was a top priority. In order to ensure that there are enough funds for completion of the project a total estimate would be required. After all, we have all witnessed the great investments made by the federal government on First Nations communities only to have funds cut and projects left incomplete or handing over the project to the community without proper resource capacities to complete or support the project. This tendency of the government tends to propagate a stereotype that the community members don't care about what "we have just given them" or "all of the money we have spent on them". Now let us just set some things straight. First of all, most of what is provided to the communities (usually only after many meetings, pleadings, and protests) are considered to be basic rights for Canadians. Once the projects are FINALLY approved and commence, the feds seem to drop the ball without proper handover. Success of a project is much more than providing financial resources. Success of any type of project includes proper implementation of the deliverable. Perhaps successful implementation isn't the federal government's end goal. Perhaps it is. Maybe for them, in these cases, being unsuccessful is actually succeeding with an alternate agenda. Maybe it isn't. However, we do continue to question and we must continue to question.

Day 2-Circle of Trade Show

2009-12-09T18:49:00.000-08:00

I dropped Laurie and her mother off today at the exhibit. We set up the slideshow but still NO SOUND...arrrgh! Actually, silence is sometimes golden. The pictures tell the story quite accurately. Laurie received a lot of great feedback from those that were visiting our table. She also received great tips and direction from people. It is so enriching meeting and speaking with a variety of people who are able to offer different experiences and perspectives on the issues that we are documenting. You may think that you have approached and studied a subject from every possible angle, then someone with an amazing unique mind crosses your path and spins more wheels into motion.
Just a reminder, we would like to hear from those in Attawapiskat who can tell us about their experiences or their family's experiences with regards to the diesel spill, the school, the sewage backup, the evacuation, or housing situation. Please email me directly at firstnationsdocumentary@gmail.com

Circle of Trade Show

2009-12-08T17:33:00.000-08:00

Returned from the Circle of Trade Show this evening. I was finally able to show the slideshow but without any music. People seemed quite interested in the living conditions on the Attawapiskat First Nation reserve. Some people were aware of the situation and some weren't. However, everyone did agree that awareness needed to be created. The rest of Canada and the world should know about how we currently allow people to live in substandard housing and be educated without proper schools. They should know how the politicians turn their backs on the First Peoples of our country....over and over again. We send Canadians overseas to help build communities and schools in far away countries. What about our own people, the Canadians that the government has forgotten about or are trying to brush under the carpet. I guess they figure if they keep all Canadians in the dark about it they can get away with it. After all, out of sight out of mind. I am sure that this is what the federal government is counting on.

Beginning to raise awareness

2009-12-07T18:08:00.000-08:00

Today we set up the table at the "Circle of Trade Show" at the Special Chief's Assembly in Ottawa. We are handing out pamphlets and a one pager on the situation in Attawapiskat and our documentary project on the subject. We will be presenting a slideshow at the table on subject. Also, our website is finally complete. Please visit www.voicesofthepeople.ca
Let the fundraising begin. Our goal is to commence filming on the Attawapiskat First Nation community by the third week of January. They need help yesterday. By filming this documentary we are not only trying to raise awareness nationally, but internationally. Third world conditions present in a first world country. It is quite unbelievable but unfortunately very real.