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Qalipu First Nation and Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services – Western Zone Announce New Indigenous Patient Navigator
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Message from the Chief – October 26, 2023
Kwe’
Have you noticed some of the great information being shared this month for Mi’kmaw History Month? Sports, language, music and values are some of the many topics of focus for this annual celebration of our shared Mi’kmaw history.
Here at home in Ktaqmkuk perhaps the most important place we can turn our attention this month is to our identity and belonging as a part of the Mi’kmaq Nation. Unama’ki aq Ktaqmkuk (Cape Breton and Newfoundland) is one of the seven districts that make up Mi’kma’ki, the traditional homeland of the Mi’kmaw people.
We are unique in that we have lived most of our history outside the bounds of the Indian Act. Our Mi’kmaq ancestors living on the island were denied rights and acknowledgement when Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949. The government of the day, in fact, said that they didn’t exist.
But exist they did and like the caribou for whom our Nation is named, our ancestors wandered far and wide building families and lives alongside and interwoven with European cultures. It was more than sixty years later, after decades of advocacy by our Mi’kmaq leaders, that Qalipu First Nation was created. This acknowledgement by the government didn’t change who we are but it provided for acknowledgement of our Mi’kmaw ancestors and their many descendants who could now stand up and claim Indian status in their place.
This is not the story of every First Nation, but it is our story.
Identity is founded in our relationships with each other, our language, values, spirituality, our connection to the land, and our relationship with the greater Mi’kmaq Nation which extends all the way from Maine to Newfoundland.
I call on you to take pride and share in our successes both from our past and present and take every opportunity to lift each other up.
I also ask you each to take time to consider how we can more fully embrace Mi’kmaw values. How can we make life better for the Mi’kmaw community as a whole? Is there a way we can be supportive, especially with community members in need like seniors or those going through crisis? How can we each be more involved in our First Nation, beyond benefits and into participation and belonging?
Let us continue to grow our understanding of this shared history and identity and go forward together, building our Nation.
Wela’lin,
Chief Brendan
Annual General Assembly – Grand Falls-Windsor
Qalipu’s Annual General Assembly will take place on Sunday, November 5, 2023, in Grand Falls-Windsor at the Mount Peyton Hotel (Newfoundland Room) from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. All Band members in the area are encouraged to attend.
Qalipu staff will be on hand to share resources and answer questions and Indian Registration staff will offer FREE passport-style photos and take care of your SCIS renewal if needed.
There will also be prize giveaways, music, a light lunch and an annual report that includes a presentation on the bands’ audited financial statements. There will also be a special door prize provided by a Mi’kmaw artist!
Chief Brendan Mitchell and the team hope to see you there.
Please pre-register by calling 709-634-5111
Council Meeting – November 4, 2023
The next regular meeting of the Chief and Council will take place in Grand Falls-Windsor at the Mount Peyton Hotel (Mill Room) on Saturday, Nov 04, 2023, from 11 am to 3 pm.
To register to attend this meeting, please call 709-634-5111
Community Conversations – Meadows
Come out for a chat and a cup of tea!
Qalipu First Nation invites band members in the Meadows area to meet them at the Town Hall on October 11th at 6:30 PM. Staff members from all departments will be on hand to share information about programs and services, talk about upcoming opportunities, and gather feedback for the Band’s future direction.
Band Manager Charles Pender noted that this is the second in a series of community gatherings that will move across the territory, visiting areas where the Band has not yet hosted a meeting.
“We were in Port au Port last month and it was a very positive event. We had a good showing of community members and some great conversations. We hope to see a nice turnout in Meadows as well.”
Details regarding additional dates and locations for the Community Conversations will be shared on the Band’s website www.qalipu.ca.
Council Meeting Report – September 23, 2023
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Council Meeting Minutes – July 23, 2023
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National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
How will Qalipu First Nation commemorate the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation?
Paul Pike, Cultural Outreach Officer for the Band, shared details on Monday Morning Live:
“Stephenville is going to be having a gathering at 1:30 pm at the Jerome M Pavilion, that’s for the ceremonial start. We’re asking the whole community to come out and join us at 1:30 PM. That’s Friday, September 29th. If you’re wondering where that is, it’s right behind McDonalds in Stephenville.
Also, at 7 pm there’s going to be a virtual presentation by Lottie Johnson from Eskasoni First Nation at the College of the North Atlantic at the lecture hall. Now that’s going to be starting at 7 but we really want people to show up probably 6:30 ish. Because this is very important, to hear from our Elder, to share their story about their experience at residential school. We don’t want to be wandering in, you know, in the middle of it, you know what I mean.
Also, that same presentation will be available in other locations. In Grand Falls-Windsor, they’ll be gathering at 6:30 at the Corduroy Nature Centre building for this very same presentation. And in Gander, they will be meeting at the Crossroads Family Resource Centre at 6:30.
In Corner Brook, there’s going to be multiple things happening as well. At 3 Church Street, we’ve got events starting at 9:00 a.m. There’s going to be a banner signing, community walk, and ceremonial start followed by a song by the Corner Brook Aboriginal Women’s Association. And then that same presentation that I talked about with Lottie Jonson is going to be held at the Arts and Culture Centre in Corner Brook and that will be starting at 7:00 Pm and again we ask people to show up a little earlier.
And it’s also going to be available in DeGrau at the Edna May Benoit Women’s Centre at 6:30 PM.
There are lots of places to be able to take in the events and show our support for the residential school survivors. And of course, if you have an orange shirt to wear in support of them, that would be awesome.
It’s an opportunity for us to come out as our Mi’kmaw community and to share, be there, and be present, with the residential school survivors.”
Paul also reminded youth about the logo contest whose prize is $250, cultural supplies, books, swag, a $500 donation to the winner’s School Breakfast Program and the winner’s logo will be featured on next year’s t-shirts produced by the Band for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
Health and Wellness Survey: Issues in our Communities
This survey seeks to understand the needs, concerns, and aspirations of QFN members, with the goal of creating initiatives to enhance the community’s health and wellness.
There will be a draw for one of ten $100 gift cards for those who wish to leave their contact information in the space provided at the end of the survey. Limit one entry per person. Note that no personally identifiable information will be used in the analysis of survey data. Please complete your response by 11:59 p.m., October 10th, 2023.
Complete the Survey Here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/322BKG2
Council Meeting – September 23, 2023
The next regular meeting of Chief and Council will take place on Saturday, September 23 at the Days Inn in Stephenville. The meeting is scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will be streamed live through the ginu membership portal.
To register to attend this meeting in person, please contact Suzanne at 709-643-5111