As a member of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Fisheries Committee, I had the honour to welcome Chiefs, technicians, and AFN staff from across Canada to Corner Brook last week. For many, it was their first visit to the island, and I was proud to host them and show them around our beautiful territory.

Over our three days together, we reviewed the committee’s strategic plan and reaffirmed our commitment to proactive stewardship. At the heart of that work is the integration of traditional knowledge and science to support informed decision-making.

Our work strives to maintain our right to access traditional foods, which means sustaining our stocks through responsible harvesting so that our children and grandchildren can continue to benefit from what our ancestors passed down.

Our discussion extended to the future of our economies and how environmentally responsible, community-led wealth creation can support our people without compromising who we are.

These priorities are reflected across the full range of our water ecosystems, from offshore to inland and from eels to seals. Our committee works with AFN staff to bring issues to the Chiefs in Assembly. When these issues are supported, we enable the AFN Executive to raise our concerns with all levels of government and advocate for the protection of our resources for generations to come.

I am proud to serve as a member of the National Fisheries Committee. Each time we meet, whether virtually or in person, we learn from one another and deepen our understanding of our respective communities. I am grateful to everyone who travelled here and contributed to these important conversations. Together, we are helping build a future in which our fisheries remain strong, our rights are upheld, and our communities continue to thrive.

 

Art has a way of bringing people together and reminding us not only of the past, but who we are today. This week, I’d like to give a shout-out to the Mi’kmaq artists that continue to make important contributions to our communities through many forms of artistic expression. From music and literature, skin marking and beadwork to visual and performance arts, we are honoured to celebrate and elevate the artists in our community.

If you have been by our Corner Brook offices lately, you have likely seen the beautiful new murals that were recently installed. Local Mi’kmaq artists, Kelsey Street and Nelson White, were selected through a proposal process, and we are so proud to display their beautiful work.

It has been almost 15 years since Qalipu First Nation was federally recognized, and even though most of today’s council was not there at the start, we carry the same oath; to protect our culture, our lands, and waters, and to keep our Nation moving forward.

Our beginning was complicated, and the challenges have not disappeared, but our people have always found a way through. First Nations across this county we now call Canada, were never expected to endure, yet we are still here. Still rising. Still holding on to who we are. We continue to make meaningful progress, even when the road isn’t easy.

If you have the opportunity to visit the murals on Church Street or see other public artworks or gallery pieces our many talented artists here in Ktaqmkuk, take a moment to notice the skill and the stories they carry. In the coming weeks we will share information about the official mural unveiling on June 21 for National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Relevant Links:
Artist Nelson White: https://www.nelsonwhiteart.com/
Artist Kelsey Street: https://www.instagram.com/mossandneedle/
Writers at Woody Point: https://www.writersatwoodypoint.com/
The Rooms: https://therooms.ca/
Business and Arts NL: https://businessandartsnl.com/
Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council: https://artsnl.ca/

This week, I joined a delegation representing Newdock, Qalipu First Nation, Membertou First Nation, Horizon Naval Engineering, and Genoa Design International in Ottawa to advance discussions with federal departments, agencies, ministers, and Members of Parliament regarding Project Oqwatn (Ohk-wah-den), meaning ‘North’, our expansion plan for Newdock.

This visit strengthened national awareness of our dockyard’s importance to both Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador. Federal departments clearly recognize the growing pressure on east coast marine infrastructure as both naval and Coast Guard fleets grow. Project Oqwatn positions our province to meet those demands while creating long-term economic benefit here at home.

Canada’s Coast Guard and Navy are expanding their fleets to support Arctic sovereignty. These larger, longer vessels require places to berth for emergency repairs, maintenance, and vessel life extension. With a recognized shortage of ship repair facilities across the country, Newdock stands ready to help meet that national need.

Newdock is 95% Indigenous-owned, making it a key asset in fulfilling Canada’s commitment to Indigenous economic reconciliation. It demonstrates how Newfoundland and Labrador can lead the country in building strong, future-focused Indigenous partnerships in the marine and defence sectors.

For our province, the expansion of Newdock means high value jobs that align with Canada’s apprenticeship targets and the expanded capacity to support major provincial initiatives such as Bull Arm and Churchill Falls, among others.

We look forward to further discussions with both the Provincial and Federal governments so that we can collectively meet the needs of a nation that looks increasingly to its oceans for security, prosperity, and sovereignty. Project Oqwatn is more than an expansion: It is a statement of confidence in Newfoundland and Labrador, in Indigenous economic leadership, and in Canada’s ability to invest in and strengthen its marine capacity.

Earth Week offers an important moment to reflect on our shared responsibility to honour and protect Mother Earth, our home. It felt especially meaningful that this week, members of our team and I had the opportunity to attend the 58th National Congress on Housing and Homelessness in St. John’s.

I was invited to participate by Regional Chief Mitchell as he is the Assembly of First Nations portfolio holder for Housing, Homelessness, and Infrastructure. Chief Mitchell continues to be deeply engaged in addressing housing challenges facing First Nations communities across the country.

These national conversations give us the space to share the realities and priorities of our communities while learning from innovative approaches emerging in other regions. We also connected with our provincial partners to reaffirm our shared commitment to increasing housing across the island. We are stronger when we build together.

Housing is connected to everything, health, language, ceremony, family, and community identity. This gathering brought together housing leaders and community partners from across Canada, all united in ensuring safe, affordable, and sustainable housing for the people we serve.

The focus on sustainability felt especially significant during Earth Week, reminding us that housing solutions must not only meet the needs of our people but also respect and protect the lands and waters that sustain us.

Our team is committed to advocating for affordable, accessible housing solutions that reflect the needs of our people, and to advancing approaches that honour our responsibility to care for Mother Earth for generations to come.

Housing & Homelessness

I want to share some of the work I’ve been involved in recently and the shifting conditions I am witnessing on the land. At this time of year, the landscape is transforming rapidly. With the snow melting and brooks opening up, travel is becoming unpredictable. I urge everyone out on the land to be cautious, the snow is deteriorating and no longer holding, and conditions can shift without warning. Please ensure someone knows your route and your expected return time.

Recently, I have been involved in wildfire resilience planning with the City of Corner Brook to help communities prepare for these changing conditions. Alongside this work, I have also been working through the Environment and Natural Resources department and engaging in early discussions with partners such as Kruger. Kruger currently has a five-year operational plan in place, and while a “Two-Eyed Seeing” approach is not part of that existing plan, conversations are beginning to explore how we can move in that direction in the future. This represents an initial step toward building stronger relationships and improving how forest resources are managed and waterways are protected over time.

This work reinforces the importance of ensuring the Nation is at the table from the very beginning of any project or environmental assessment. When our knowledge is included from the outset, it helps ensure that lived experience shapes decisions before they are finalized, rather than being sought as an afterthought. True partnership means being involved at the design stage to help protect sensitive habitats and culturally significant areas before work begins. This is essential to ensuring development respects the land we all rely on.

We are already seeing the effects of a changing climate. Lower water levels and altered fish habitats are clear signs of how sensitive these ecosystems have become. My work with Fisheries and Oceans Canada on brook trout populations is personal for me. I grew up fishing these waters when they had clean rock beds and steady flows. Today, warmer temperatures and reduced forest cover are changing that reality. When we lose the canopy along riverbanks, the water loses its protection.

All of these changes are connected. When landscapes are disturbed, water moves faster and erodes more easily, contributing to the flooding we are now seeing. Healthy natural areas along our rivers and streams are our strongest defense, acting as a buffer that protects water quality and builds flood resilience. The land is changing, but it continues to teach us. Our responsibility is to listen, adapt, and ensure we are protecting these resources for the generations to come.

 

K’we relatives,

As we move through the changing season and mark the arrival of the Spring Equinox on March 21, a time of balance, renewal, and new beginnings, I want to take a moment to reflect on the work we’ve been doing together over the past month.

March has been a meaningful and full month, grounded in connection, advocacy, and forward movement for our people.

I had the honor of participating as a panelist on climate action alongside Chief Misel Joe and Stanley Oliver from the Labrador Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the College of the North Atlantic and ECO Canada in St. Johns. These conversations are so important. They ensure that Indigenous voices, knowledge, and stewardship are not only included, but centered, in discussions about climate change and adaptation. Our perspectives are rooted in generations of living in relationship with the land, and they must guide the path forward.

I also traveled to Goose Bay, Labrador to attend the 9th Annual Reconciliation Council Gathering. Being in that space, alongside Indigenous leaders, partners, and community voices, was a powerful reminder that reconciliation is not a single action, it is ongoing work. It is built through relationships, truth-telling, and a shared commitment to doing better for future generations.

One of the most important conversations I had this month was meeting with First Light and the Minister of Justice, to speak about Indigenous overincarceration in Newfoundland and Labrador. This is a deeply personal and systemic issue that continues to impact our families and communities. I brought forward not only the realities we are seeing, but also the need for change, change that reflects healing, supports alternatives to incarceration, and addresses the root causes tied to intergenerational trauma.

As we step into spring, a time our ancestors recognized as a season of renewal, I carry forward a sense of hope. Hope that through these conversations, partnerships, and advocacy efforts, we are planting seeds for stronger, healthier futures for our people.

This work is not done alone. It is guided by our teachings, our Elders, our families, and each of you.

Wela’lin for your continued support, your voices, and your strength.

Colleen Paul
Vice Chief, Qalipu First Nation