Standing united: NAN's 49 member communities tackle range of important First Nation issues

THUNDER BAY -- Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Harvey Yesno says there’s change coming to First Nation communities.

The majority of the 49 First Nation communities that make up NAN attended a special chief’s assembly at the Da Vinci Centre. The three-day event, which started Tuesday, will have the chiefs and representatives look at a range of issues from resource sharing to infrastructure needs.

Yesno said 46 communities confirmed they would be attending, showing that First Nation people are ready to make a change.

“The elders are saying it is our time to become unified on some of these issues and we need to work together and find ways to find new partners outside our communities,” he said.

“I don’t know if we’ll get all 49 communities here but this tells me that there’s an expectation here in giving the new executive direction on some of these issues that impact First Nations.”

One of the main issues that Yesno wanted to address was the partnerships with the federal and provincial governments and improving their relationship.

He said if they want to grow their communities and create jobs then they need to have good partnerships in place with both levels of government.

“Our lands are resource rich and that’s going to be the thrust I’m hoping here to move forward on resource revenue sharing and other opportunities for everyone,” he said.

“One of the major issues we want to address is regional infrastructure like transmission lines and all-weather roads. Those will directly impact on the cost of living. If Muskrat Dam is paying $24 for three litres of milk, that’s not right. The cost of power is a big issue.

"The cost of living in communities is like a bread and butter issue.”

With limited resources, Yesno hoped by the end of the assembly they would have top two or three priorities they could focus on.

But Mattagami First Nation Chief Walter Naveau had a different issue he wanted addressed.

He argued it’s time for the government and the First Nations people to make education a higher priority.

“Education for our First Nation is not on par with the rest of Canada,” Naveau said.

“We’re trying to be equal with the rest of Canada and yet we’re on a two per cent cap. We like to call our young people the leaders of tomorrow but education is not important on the government’s list of priorities. It should be a priority that’s put on top of the list.”

Many First Nation students travel to Thunder Bay and attend Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School. He said he would like to see one-day youth staying in their communities or have a joint effort with neighbouring communities.

He added the youth lose their culture when they have to leave their communities to go to school.