 
 Mamow
Sha-way-gi-kay-win/ The North-South Partnership for Children is
building a network of caring relationships to improve life for
children, youth and families in remote First Nation communities.
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What's New?
Support
the KI Six: Land rights, not mining rights
Attend Wednesday, April 9 rally, 6 p.m. in downtown Toronto at
Ryerson Student's Union, 55 Gould St. (between Victoria and Church)
Land
rights, not mining rights.
Recent Ontario Court
decision to jail First Nations leaders hurts children
The North-South Partnership for Children is voicing strong opposition
to the recent incarceration of six people from Kitchenuhmaykoosib
Inninuwug (KI), a member of the North-South Partnership for Children
in northwestern Ontario. The six are in jail for upholding indigenous
and Canadian law.
In March, Chief Donny Morris four councillors and one community
member were jailed for six months for contempt of court. They
refused to allow mining exploration on their traditional lands
without their permission.
Chief Donny Morris, my colleague, my friend and co-chair of Mamow
Sha-way-gi-kay-win, a kind and a gentle person, is in jail for
a cause that is crucial to the well-being of his community. The
children, youth, mothers, fathers and grandparents are struggling
with these actions of the province," said Judy Finlay, former
Ontario Child Advocate and co-chair of the Partnership in a March
26 media release.
Support Aboriginal
rights: Write a letter
Six First Nations people have been incarcerated for speaking out
against the Ontario Superior Court ruling that disregards their
constitutionally-protected Aboriginal right. Please write to your
MP and MPP to ensure Aboriginal rights are upheld.
Please personalize
this letter, ensuring it is in your own voice and send
it to the Premier, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, your local
MPs and MPPs. The addresses and contact information are listed
below. Please circulate within your various networks. It is important
that it is not mass emailed as it needs your separate voices in
order to have an impact.
Thank you for supporting and taking action in regards
to this issue.
Michael Bryant,
Minister of Aboriginal Affairs
mbryant.mpp@liberal.ola.org
[His mailing address is in the original letter]
Dalton McGuinty, Premier
Legislative Building
Queen's Park
Toronto ON
M7A 1A1
dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
You can find your local MP here:
Members
of Parliment List
You can find your local MPP here:
Ontario
Members of Provincial Parliment
Other Partnership
News
A big thank you after Pikangikum fire
In October, smiling residents of Pikangikum
First Nation took delivery of food and sports equipment and even
beds sent north to help the community recover from a devastating
fire that burned the school.
"It was wonderful to see children, parents and grandparents
smiling, walking out with all the goodies in their hands because,
as workers, we have attended this church on sad occasions [attending
funerals when a suicide had occurred]", said a Tikinagan
worker who coordinated the delivery. "We want to say a BIG
THANK YOU for the people that donated."
The North-South Partnership for Children gives
special thanks to the following donors
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The
Power of Sports for Kids Program - Sport Chek |
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Friends
of Tikinagan |
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Donate a bed program by Sleep Country - facilitated by Choices |
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Guelph
Food Bank |
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FTC
Canada |
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Tikinagan
Child and Family Services |
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All
of our other volunteers and donors who continue to support
donations for First Nation communities. |
Click
here to see photos of the Pikangikum First Nation
"supply chain." (In case you're wondering, the Coors
Light boxes contained jars of peanut butter.)
Joining the Caring
Circle: Membership opened to more partners
In the fall, the Partnership Governance Circle approved new terms
of reference for organizations and individuals wishing to
join the Partnership. To apply to join, go to Mamow
Sha-way-gi-kay-win Partner Commitment form. 
Partnership
potential proven
In just 18 months, the North-South Partnership for Children has
grown from an idea to a reality that helps First Nations' children
with food, clothing, camp, canoes, musical instruments and more.
Learn how we did it and how we've shown that the North-South Partnership
is viable. 2006/2007
Annual Report.
Planning for a
stronger future
The
North-South Partnership strategic plan outlines our plans
for the next three to five years. We will work to build strong
partner relationships and increase awareness of needs in remote
First Nations communities. We also want to strengthen communities,
involve more volunteers in projects, increase revenues and build
an effective operation.
Making Music - New instruments
welcomed
A group of volunteers from Guelph, Ontario, gave Webequie First
Nation guitars, a keyboard, and drums. In October 2007 a volunteer
helped set up a music program with community members. The volunteers
are exploring initiatives for expanding the initiative. For photos,
see Making Music.
Articles and Links of
Interest
Conditions in Tikinagan Territory
Learn more about why First Nations children, families, communities,
and agencies in northwestern Ontario welcome outside partners.
Read
"A slap in
the face of Canadians," a Globe and Mail article
in which reporter Margaret Philp describes the haunting conditions
in remote First Nations communities in northwestern Ontario.
For more on the factors that undermined family life in remote
northern Ontario and to learn about the native service model Tikinagan
Child and Family Services' uses to providing child welfare services,
read Coming
Home: The Story of Tikinagan Child and Family Services
by Maurice Brubacher together with the People of Tikinagan.
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