The Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band is going to be monitoring climate change in your area and we need your help!

I’m Jasmine Pinksen, a Qalipu member, Master’s Student, and for this summer working with the Qalipu First Nation who will be assisting in completing the Talikiskik? (how’s the weather?) project. This project seeks to better understand climate change here in Newfoundland by setting up climate monitoring stations throughout NL and by getting your feedback and assistance.

Volunteers Needed!

It’s as simple as an occasional check in at a weather station in your area to see that it has not been destroyed, stolen, or malfunctioning.

Your assistance will contribute to beneficial local research that will help to better understand weather, snow/ ice melt patterns, fruit set times for berries, and many other climate related indicators.

This is great experience for youth interested in pursuing careers in science, birdwatchers, hikers, berry pickers, and pretty much anyone who loves to be outdoors. You do not need to take on multiple stations or even go to one station multiple times, but the more help the better. Together if we each take a small walk once every week or so we will be able to better understand our climate and how it is changing on a large scale. Many hands make light work!

To join our team of volunteers or to ask questions and give feedback please contact:

Jasmine Pinksen
jasminepinksen@gmail.com
709-649-8802

The Health and Social Division at Qalipu strives to improve the lives and wellbeing of our members and communities.  We promote health education, active living, mental health, and spiritual and cultural practices in all our programs and services.  We take a holistic approach; the health and wellbeing of our members is important to us.

Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Program

Currently Qalipu coordinates and oversees the administration of the Medical Transportation Benefit, and the Mental Health Counselling Benefit.  The division continues to set goals that will see the transfer of additional Non-Insured Health Benefits from Indigenous Services Canada to the Band.  This continued growth will allow for greater capacity and expertise within the Band, our province, more employment opportunities, and improved response times.

We have staff in various office locations to help you navigate and understand your health benefits.  Please contact us.

NIHB Support Specialists: Ensure membership reimbursements are screened, scanned and directed in timely and effective manner.  Prepare preapprovals for Mental Health and Medical Transportation Benefit. Coordination of travel and accommodations for medical appointments, assess and process reimbursements. 

NIHB Navigator: Ensures broadest possible access and understanding of the NIHB program, educates membership and communities on their benefits, advocates and liaise on behalf of membership  with respect to health benefits.

Howard Thistle
709-679-5743 or 855-675-5743
hthistle@qalipu.ca

Manager of Health Services: Provides leadership to the Health and Social Division, builds partnerships and collaborations, increases capacities and addresses concerns.

Mitch Blanchard
709-634-8046
mblanchard@qalipu.ca

The Youth Summer Employment Program provides wage support to community organizations who, in turn, provide indigenous youth with meaningful employment and skills.

Businesses are selected from each of the nine Wards, and one recipient is chosen from locations outside the Wards as well.

Indigenous youth can apply directly to these businesses who are successful recipients of the Youth Summer Employment Program.

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The Government of Canada issued this newsletter to provide Indigenous peoples with information related to Bills C-68 and C-69, including engagement opportunities on regulatory and policy development.

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The Qalipu First Nation wishes to advise its membership that effective April 18, 2019 the Ward Councilor for the Corner Brook Ward, Brian Dicks, has been granted a thirty day leave of absence and will not be available for regular duties of the Ward Councilor.

A Corner Brook Ward meeting took place on March 5, 2019 and will occur again as usual in the Fall.

The Corner Brook Membership Orientation session will go ahead as planned 7:00 PM on April 24 at Bennett Hall-Masonic Hall with the support of staff and other members of the Council in the western region.

This leave of absence is supported by the Chief and Council.

Members from the Corner Brook Ward are encouraged to contact their Vice Chief Keith Cormier or Chief Brendan Mitchell if they have questions, concerns, or wish to connect during this absence from office for the Corner Brook Ward Councilor.

In 2012, Parliament approved changes to Navigable Waters Protection Act and changed its name to the Navigation Protection Act. The changes came into force in 2014. The Government of Canada promised to review these changes, as well as restore protections and introduce modern safeguards.

In February 2018, the Government of Canada introduced proposed legislation Bill C-69. The proposed changes to the Navigation Protection Act in Bill C-69 would create a new Canadian Navigable Waters Act (CNWA).

This new Act aims to better protect the public right to travel on all navigable waters in Canada by:

• expanding the Act to regulate major works (for example, dams and bridges) and obstructions on all navigable waters
• introducing a fuller definition of “navigable water”
• creating a more inclusive process to add navigable waters to the list – known as the Schedule
• considering cumulative effects on navigation of multiple projects in a navigable water
• introducing a new public resolution process to address Canadians’ navigation concerns before a work is built

It will also allow Transport Canada to engage more closely with Indigenous peoples to:

• create new agreements and arrangements for how we administer the Act (monitoring, enforcement)
• ensure Indigenous knowledge is considered and protected
• explicitly include transport or travel to exercise Indigenous rights in the definition of “navigable water”
• ensure that potential adverse impacts on Indigenous rights are considered before making a decision under the Act

Lastly, the new Act aims to create more accessible and transparent processes, including:

• a new online registry with information about projects and regulatory approvals
• a requirement for owners to provide advance notification for works on any navigable water
• a requirement that owners provide opportunities for early engagement for works on any navigable water

Qalipu First Nation is working with Transport Canada to engage Indigenous peoples in the consultation process to strengthen awareness and gather views related to the proposed changes to the Act.

For more information on the Canadian Navigable Waters Act, the handbook can be viewed at: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/themes/environment/conservation/environmental-reviews/nav-handbook-e.pdf

If you have any questions or comments, contact Alyssa Hunter at Qalipu’s Natural Resources Department. Email: ahunter@qalipu.ca Phone: 634-1500

All members of the Band are invited to attend an upcoming Orientation Session, particularly new members who may have a lot of questions about what it means to be a member of the Qalipu First Nation.

Orientation Sessions will feature a general overview of all programs, services and benefits, and we will have subject matter experts available to answer questions on Education, Health, Indian Registration, and to share plans on the upcoming Community Planning that will take place across all Wards. Ward Councilors and the Central Vice Chief will be on hand to meet with you as well.

Members in Central Newfoundland attending this session will be the first to receive their copy of the new Membership Information Guide—a colorful and easy to read quick reference guide to every program, service and benefit that is available to you as a member of the Band.

We hope to see you there!

Sunday March 17

Grand Falls, Mount Peyton Hotel, 2:00:-4:00 PM
Gander, Lions Club, 6:30-8:30 PM

Monday March 18

Gander Bay Community Centre 6:00-8:00 PM

Western Newfoundland members please keep an eye out for an announcement regarding the western leg of the tour! Coming soon.

Qalipu First Nation is pleased to announce that we now have support in place to assist applicants with understanding, and responding to, the self-identification reassessment letters that were recently sent out to applicants previously denied on the self-identification criterion.

This reassessment is the outcome of a court case, Wells et al. v. Canada, the result of which was a change to the timeframe within which self-identification documents had to be dated, and addition of the right to an appeal for applicants denied on the self-identification criterion.   Recipients of these letters which were mailed on January 31, 2019 now have the opportunity to submit additional self-identification documents or indicate the documents on their file that fit within the new timeframe.

The deadline to respond to the reassessment letters is May 13, 2019.

Did you receive a letter? Are you wondering if you should have? Are you confused about what the letter means and how to respond?

Our support team is now in place to help.  Please reach a member of the team to set an appointment in an office near you, or to talk through your questions over the phone.  Please see below for team contact information: