The RCMP/QFN Summer Student program was launched in 1999 through the Federation of Newfoundland Indians and has been a great stepping- stone to help students decide in a career in the RCMP is the right path for them. This 9-week program runs from June to August and includes a training session at the RCMP Headquarters in St. John’s (all expenses paid). Throughout the summer, students visit campgrounds, daycares, youth camps, and similar venues to promote safe and healthy communities. Students give presentations on bike safety, sun and water safety, bullying prevention, and online safety. They also provide presentations to seniors, attend community events, and assist with administrative tasks at the depot. The Education and Training Department are now accepting applications for the Summer of 2025. Applications can be found here: https://qalipu.ca/qalipu/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/RCMP-QFN-Summer-Student-Program-Application-Revised-October-6-2023-1.pdf

Students can earn $16.00 per hour and must have completed high school, identify as Indigenous (priority given to QFN members), be between the ages of 19-29 as of June 30, hold a valid driver’s license, registered as a full-time student and planning on returning to studies in the Fall, not have a criminal record and be successful in the RCMP screening process.

It is nearly the end of the term for Central Region Vice Chief, Andy Barker. Andy is finishing his fouth term on council, having previously served three terms (9 years) as the Exploits Ward Councilor. Andy was invited to offer some outgoing words for the message from the Chief this week.

Typically, nowadays, political leaders tend to run a campaign with a slogan that will guide their course of action if their party forms the government. In the USA in 1992, the Democratic Party’s Presidential candidate Bill Clinton campaigned with slogan, “It’s the Economy Stupid”. That slogan was coined by Clinton’s campaign strategist, James Carville.

At our last Environment and Natural Resources Committee meeting in September, as Chair, I expressed the point of view that Qalipu First Nation needs to be more active in the better care of our planet; walk in the moccasins of our ancestors. Thus, I gave Carville’s slogan a twist with, “It’s the Environment Stupid”.

New sources are constantly informing us about natural disasters all over the world, with such disasters tied to global warming. Whether you believe in global warming or not, the health and safety of all life on this planet is totally dependent upon clean air, water, and land. To achieve a cleaner environment much of the corporate world needs a good kick in the shins – do better than you are doing. However, before you start putting the boots to industry, you might want to determine if you need a few kicks yourself by questioning your own behaviour. Do I constantly waste food thus pressuring the food industry to produce much more food than we actually need? Do I wait in drive- throughs for minutes on end all the while my vehicle pollutes the atmosphere with exhaust fumes? Do I use the highways, byways, and waterways as my personal dumping grounds for food and beverage containers and household refuse? Do I drive my off-road vehicle anywhere I please be it on peat lands or shorelines? Do I buy, year after year, fashion trend clothing and footwear that all too soon ends up in landfills here or abroad? Do I use more and more plastic decorations (sources of nano plastics pollution) for such events as birthday parties, graduations, Halloween, and Christmas? Do I make a rigorous valiant effort to recycle, reduce, and reuse? It is a humongous, but not impossible challenge, to rejuvenate our precious blessed world. However, to ignore that challenge, we do so at our peril.

It’s the Environment Stupid. Msit No’kmaq.

Voter Information packages are enroute! Members will begin receiving their voter information packages October 16 through to October 24.

• If you have an email listed on your KINU membership profile, your voter package will be emailed to you starting October 16 through to October 18.
• Please remember to check your emails ‘junk’ folders if you don’t see it in the main inbox.
• If you do not have an email address on KINU, your voting package will be sent to you via postage mail at the address listed on your KINU profile.

No email address listed on KINU, or not sure what postage address is listed in your KINU?

You can seek assistance by contacting the voter’s helpline that is opening October 16^th at 9:00am NL Standard Time.
The helpline will be accessible daily from October 16^th until October 24^th from 9am to 6pm and on October 25^th from 9am to 8pm.
The helpline number is 1-888-281-8683.