Our youth network is holding an election for the Qalipu Mi’kmaq Youth Council starting February 28 – March 28th! If you are a self-identifying Mi’kmaq youth (14-30) and would like to run / register to vote in this election, please visit our elections website for more information: https://sites.google.com/view/qynelections/home
A quillwork workshop with Melissa Peter Paul will take place on March 5, 2021 @ 2pm. Register online for a chance to take part! There are twenty seats available, selected registrants will be notified after registration closes on February 19.
*DUE TO HIGH DEMAND PLEASE NOTE THAT TWENTY PEOPLE WILL BE RANDOMLY SELECTED. ONLY THOSE SELECTED WILL BE CONTACTED.
Interested parties should register here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XSB6DXH
An election for Qalipu Chief and Council is coming up in October 2021.
Voting will take place over the course of a seven-day voting window and will be done over the phone or online using a PIN that will be sent to voters in the mail.
We need your mailing address to send your voter information package and PIN.
The first draft of the voters list is now online. This will be updated weekly as voters update their profiles.
If you see the words “contact us” next to your name it means we have incomplete information on your file, and you may have trouble voting in the upcoming election. If you see these words please, give us a call at (709) 647-3009 between the hours of 9:00 and 4:00, Monday to Friday, to discuss and make updates.
Every voter should verify that we have your correct mailing address, please review your membership profile in ginu here: https://qalipu.ca/login-options/
Hire an Indigenous student this summer and we’ll pay their wages! Visit the Education and Training Youth Program information page to find out more and to apply. Click here: https://qalipu.ca/youth-programs/
*Applications are due by April 2nd 2021, at noon.
Along the shores of Black Bank Beach, it will not go unnoticed the positive environmental impact one woman has made in her community. Nancy Pearson of St. George’s, Newfoundland continues to dedicate her time to raise awareness of the ocean pollution across our province, simply by taking a bag on her daily walk! She first noticed the excessive pollution, both being dumped and washing up on the beach, when she would venture out with the family dog, Pixel. Wanting to involve her community in her efforts, she planned a Black Bank clean up in 2017 which became an annual event due to the positive feedback she received. Nancy decided that she wanted to bring awareness to a larger audience, so she created her Instagram account “@abagawalk” which promotes picking up a bag of garbage every time you are out for a walk. Her account has quickly gained global popularity, amassing hundreds of followers from all over the world. To encourage participation, Nancy introduced giveaways for followers to enter. Followers would submit photos of themselves with a bag of garbage they picked up from their walk, entering them into the monthly giveaway. These giveaways allowed Nancy to reach a broader audience, with giveaway winners from far and wide, including Turkey, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Nancy’s goal is to recruit as many people as she can to join the movement to end polluting of the oceans and encourage the cleaning of waste in our natural environments. The easiest way to join the movement is to start going for walks and bringing along a bag to pick up any garbage you come across. Social media is a great platform for spreading awareness on important issues, including the fight against pollution. Anyone who picks up garbage on their walks are welcome to submit an entry to “@abagawalk”, where your photo can be posted and help promote the cause while inspiring others to take part as well. In addition, your name will be entered into a draw, where you can win prizes such as reusable face masks, bracelets, and hair scrunchies, all of which are handmade by Nancy. If you wish to share your photos to your personal social media accounts, especially those on Instagram, Nancy encourages anyone to tag @abagawalk for her to reshare it with her followers!
https://www.instagram.com/abagawalk/
Participating in this movement not only has a great impact on environment, but also to our health! It has been proven that being outdoors in nature can significantly reduce the effects of some mental illnesses, including anxiety and depression. Walking is also a great form of exercise, which can improve your cardiovascular health, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Since COVID-19 is still very prominent in all our lives, it is more important now than ever that we take time out of our day to get outside and exercise. Overall, combining both daily walks and picking up waste will not only help improve your health, but it will also leave you feeling accomplished as you make a noticeable difference in your community, our beaches, and oceans that can continue to be enjoyed for years to come!
Written by Jameson Pearson
Grenfell Campus is working toward Indigenization priorities with the commitment to fly Grand Council Flag of the Mi’kmaq Nation permanently on campus.
Dr. Vianne Timmons, OC, president and vice-chancellor, Memorial University, and Dr. Jeff Keshen, vice-president (Grenfell Campus), were presented a Grand Council Flag of the Mi’kmaq Nation by Chief Dr. Mi’sel Joe, Chief of Miawpukek First Nation, and Chief Brendan Mitchell, chief of Qalipu First Nation, on Saturday.
In a ceremony to take place in the coming months, the flag will be raised where it will fly at Grenfell Campus permanently. The flag will fly next to the Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Memorial University flags.
The Grand Council Flag, which signifies alliances between people in Mi’kmaq territory, features a cross which represents mankind, white to represent the purity of creation, the sun to represent the forces of the day and the moon to represent forces of the night.
In addition, Grenfell Campus proudly flies the flags of many of the province’s Indigenous groups in the Arts and Science atrium, along with flags representing students’ countries of origin.
“I thank Chief Dr. Mi’sel Joe, Chief Brendan Mitchell and the Mi’kmaq Grand Council for presenting us this gift,” said Dr. Timmons. “The lands that we study on, benefit from and where Memorial’s campuses are located have been occupied, managed and governed since time immemorial by Indigenous Peoples. As president I recognize the importance of having this flag on display at Grenfell; as a person of Mi’kmaw descent, I’ll be thrilled to see it flying.”
Reconciliation in Canada takes many forms, said Chief Mitchell.
“Several months ago, Qalipu First Nation made a request to Dr. Timmons to have the Mi’kmaq Grand Council Flag flown permanently at Grenfell Campus,” said Chief Mitchell.
“On behalf of our Nation, I am pleased to see that we are taking an important step today in presenting the flag to be flown at Grenfell campus, on the traditional territory of the Qalipu First Nation. I thank President Timmons and Vice-President Keshen for acknowledging the Mi’kmaq Nation in Newfoundland. Today, we mark an important step toward our own reconciliation, with the Grand Council flag being proudly displayed in recognition of the First Peoples of this province. I also wish to thank the Mi’kmaq Grand Council for its support in this significant milestone.”
The flying of the Grand Council flag, a flag that has been flown since the nineteenth century, is a sign and symbol of opportunity to teach others about the Grand Council, said Chief Joe.
“I hope people see this as a schoolbook, not just a piece of fabric, that will teach us about hundreds of years of the history of our people,” said Chief Joe. “Mi’kmaq people have an obligation to educate people. The more we know, the more we can learn. We can look to this flag and how our history is being taught in schools and universities as has been identified as an important part of Truth and Reconciliation.”
There are more than 300 Indigenous (having First Nations, Inuit, or Métis ancestry) currently enrolled Grenfell Campus.
“We value our role as leaders in creating opportunity for Indigenous populations, and we recognize we have much to learn as we work toward Indigenization,” said Dr. Keshen. “The raising of the Grand Council Flag is an ongoing territorial acknowledgement that Grenfell Campus is situated on Mi’kmaw territory. This is a significant step towards building a campus that celebrates the ancestry and cultures of our Indigenous students.”
To watch a video of the presentation, please click here https://youtu.be/VxMzP9W1t3Q
The next regular meeting of Council will be held at 9 am on Saturday, February 6, 2021.
Members are encouraged to tune in to a live-stream of the meeting which is accessible through the Ginu membership database.
Ginu login: https://qalipu.ca/login-options/
If you need help accessing your profile, or have questions about how to view the live-stream, please contact our Indian Registration Administrator (IRA) at 709-634-4010 or 1-855-263-6440 Monday – Friday; 9am – 3:30 pm or request help at membership@qalipu.ca
Agenda for the meeting: Click Here
Ask Chief and Council a question at the upcoming meeting: https://qalipu.ca/leave-a-message-for-chief-and-council/
Randy Green is a Marine Planner with MAMKA at Miawpukek First Nation and is currently working on gathering and consolidating input from Indigenous people on amendments to the Navigable Waters Act. Specifically, proposed changes to the Act related to ‘minor works’.
Please see below for information provided by Mr. Green and contact him with any questions or feedback that you may have.
Please send any comments, questions, concerns via mail or e-mail, to:
Randy Green, MAMKA South, Miawpukek First Nation, Conne River, NL, A0H 1J0
rgreen@mfngov.ca
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The Canada Revenue Agency is pleased to host a live and interactive webinar for Indigenous Peoples in Canada on benefits and credits available to them. An audio-only option will also be available. Some of the topics that will be covered include:
* Canada child benefit
* GST/HST credit
* Disability tax credit
* Emergency response benefits
* Northern residents deductions
* Community Volunteer Income Tax Program
* Helpful tools and tips
Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and get answers throughout the webinar.
If you are an organization that offers services to Indigenous Peoples, you can register for the webinar and are encouraged to share the registration information with your clients.
English session: Wednesday, January 20, 2021, at 2 pm, Eastern time
French session: Wednesday, January 20, 2021, at 11 am, Eastern time
Duration: About 45 minutes
Register now! (https://live.webcastcanada.ca/go/cra-jan20-21?utm_source=txtp&utm_medium=eml&utm_campaign=frrwbnrngns)
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