Kwe’

On behalf of Qalipu Council, our Executive Committee, and staff, I welcome you to our Annual General Assembly (AGA) 2020. Our approach to conducting our AGA this year differs from past years in that a virtual meeting, made available through live streaming, will allow a greater number of our members to view and participate in the AGA.

In recent months, there have been many precautions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.  This situation has changed the way we interact, communicate, work, and socialize.  Qalipu First Nation continues to deliver beneficial programs and services to its membership.  While it’s not business as usual, we have been able to maintain a satisfactory level of service. I wish to take this opportunity to thank our Council and staff for their dedication and commitment in support of our members during this time. Going forward in dealing with COVID-19, we will continue to take necessary precautions to protect our staff and members. I encourage everyone to take this situation very seriously whether at home or at work by following prescribed measures to protect you and your family.

Qalipu First Nation was able to secure funding for our membership to offset some of the negative impacts of COVID-19. Funding program opportunities to date total $2,228,272 consisting of $52,975 COVID-19   Support Fund, $678,311 from a Community Emergency Response Fund for Emergency and Off Reserve and $1,496,987 from Canada’s Economic Response Plan for Post Secondary Student Support. In addition to Government of Canada’s support, Qalipu recognized the need to contribute an additional $266,745 to provide further support.

We are now coming to the end of year two of the three-year term of this Council. I wish to thank Councill members for their continued support and collaboration in advancing Qalipu on behalf of our members. Progress and successes have been achieved in many areas during the past year. A major accomplishment has been certification with the First Nations Financial Management Board. This certification involved a significant effort by staff and Council to enable Qalipu to become the fourth First Nation Band in Atlantic Canada to achieve this distinction. Certification with the First Nations Financial Management Board will ensure that Qalipu has the financial independence needed to grow as a Nation.

First Nations Financial Management Board certification was an integral step in the path towards ten- year grant funding which was introduced in 2019. The funding agreement marks a significant departure from our previous annual allocation of funds. The new ten-year funding arrangement allows Qalipu to tailor its own programs, carry money forward from year to year and focus on a vision for the future that is driven by people and communities. In conjunction with the ten-year grant funding arrangement, Qalipu is developing a Comprehensive Community Plan.

Qalipu continues to be an active member of the Assembly of First Nations and the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat. Membership in these organizations was achieved July 2018 and April 2019 respectively. During November 2019, senior representatives of the Mi’kmaq Grand Council visited Qalipu First Nation for the first time. This visit was a significant opportunity to establish a positive relationship with the Mi’kmaq Grand Council and Mi’kmaq of Atlantic Canada. Grand Council representatives included Grand Chief Norman Sylliboy, Grand Keptin Antle Denny, Keptin Stephen Augustine and Keptin Chief Mi’sel Joe.

Qalipu First Nation, in conjunction with its consultant, has been engaged in developing an updated Strategic Plan. Discussions were conducted with Council, staff, and members through community engagement sessions. This plan, which has a ten-year outlook, will be finalized in the third quarter of this year. I thank everyone who participated in this important initiative.

This past summer saw the cancellation of many significant cultural events here in Newfoundland, in Atlantic Canada and throughout Canada. Our staff at Qalipu compensated for the loss of in-person gatherings by using a virtual approach made possible through technology to share cultural initiatives.  Staff, community members and community organizations collaborated to share cultural information and teachings to our broader membership.

Enrolment in Qalipu First Nation continues to be an item of concern for Council. On November 15, 2018, the Government of Canada and the Federation of Newfoundland Indians agreed to enter into exploratory discussions to address outstanding concerns regarding members of the Canadian Armed Forces, veterans, RCMP and FNI members or members of other organizations named in the 2008 Agreement in Principle and who were denied membership in Qalipu. Despite discussions beginning in earnest during December 2018, we are yet to finalize agreements to allow these groups membership in Qalipu. The veterans file has advanced positively, and discussions have been favourable as we now near finalization of an Agreement. Regarding those   affiliated with the FNI, discussions are ongoing with Canada and an Agreement will be forthcoming. Eventually, Qalipu members will become engaged in a ratification process to enable executing any new Agreements with the Government of Canada regarding enrolment.

Other initiatives for which discussions are ongoing include the establishment of an urban reserve and development of a Mi’kmaq language program at Qalipu.

In the coming year, we expect to see significant initiatives come to fruition. Qalipu members will experience a high level of community engagement by our Council as we endeavor to create a better tomorrow for our people and our Nation. Let’s commit to working together in peace, harmony and unity as we move forward.

Wela’lin

Chief Brendan Mitchell

Kwe’

As we approach our Annual General Assembly, coming up this weekend on September 15^th in Corner Brook and on September 29^th in Grand Falls-Windsor, I have had the opportunity to reflect on the year gone by and the accomplishments of our Nation.  It brings me great pride to report on some of this good work being done by our Council, staff, committees and community leaders to move us forward together, for a better tomorrow.

In October 2018, our new Council was elected, and I am excited about the active participation that our Councilors are demonstrating in our Ward communities, and the progress made during the past several months.

For the first time, the Annual General Assembly (AGA) is being held in both central and western regions as a means of facilitating greater direct participation by our members.   Further, also for the first time, the AGA will be live-streamed and available to those who can’t attend the AGA in person.

At this time, I would like to take the opportunity to thank our Council members for their support and collaboration in moving Qalipu forward in a positive way on behalf of our members.

On July 26, 2018 (St. Anne’s Day), Qalipu First Nation was accepted into the Assembly of First Nations (AFN).  This was a significant and important move for us as we now take our rightful place with other First Nations in Canada.  Membership in this national group, representing some 900,000 First Nation citizens in Canada, signifies acceptance and acknowledgment for the Mi’kmaq of Newfoundland.  This represents a significant step forward in our own journey towards reconciliation.  Qalipu continues to participate in all major events hosted by the AFN.

In April 2019, Qalipu became a member of the Atlantic Policy Congress (APC) all Chiefs Secretariat.  This policy and advocacy body represents more than thirty First Nation communities in Atlantic Canada and Gaspe region of Quebec.  The APC plays an important role in economic development activities in support of all Mi’kmaq, Maliseet, Passamaquoddy and Innu communities across the Atlantic Region.

Qalipu has been working with the APC in areas of Education, Community Development and Natural Resources and looks forward to new ways of collaborating and building strength as a united First Nation peoples.  Our wish at Qalipu First Nation is to work collaboratively with other Chiefs and Indigenous communities across Atlantic Canada in an effort to work to build a better tomorrow for all Mi’kmaq.

Also in this past fiscal year, Qalipu entered into a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the College of the North Atlantic (CNA) which will see both parties collaborate on the delivery of new educational pathways, as well as community and business development initiatives.  Throughout the term of the MOU the organizations will explore educational opportunities which will allow students to complete high school and transition into post-secondary education; build professional capacity in educational programming in health sciences, tourism, business development and environmental stewardship; and, explore mutually beneficially partnerships on applied research and innovation that lead to sustainable community and business development.

Qalipu was recently recognized as a committed supporter of Reservists in the Canadian Armed Forces and received the Special Award for support to the Reserve Force (Black Bear Program) on May 9, 2019, during a formal ceremony at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.  I am proud of the commitment that Qalipu has made to promote and encourage our youth to participate in this worthwhile program.  This past summer a total of eleven youth enrolled in the Black Bear Program.  Nine successfully completed the program, seven of whom were members of the Qalipu First Nation.

On March 14, 2019, Qalipu signed a ten-year grant funding agreement with Indigenous Services Canada. The agreement marks a significant departure from annually allocated funds that were often lacking in flexibility and autonomy for the Band and marks a new opportunity for creating a shared vision for the future with the members it represents.  The new comprehensive funding agreement will allow the Band to design its own programs, carry money forward from year to year, and focus on creating a vision for the future that is driven by the people and communities it represents.  In conjunction with the ten-year grant funding agreement, Qalipu will be developing a Comprehensive Community Plan.  We look forward to the active engagement of our membership in developing a long-term plan for our future.

Early in 2019, Qalipu staff and Councilors traveled around the island to deliver information sessions regarding the many programs services and benefits that are available through the Band, and to familiarize new members about what it means to belong to the Qalipu First Nation. In total, eleven sessions were hosted.  Sessions were well attended by our members who were provided with an information guide that outlined the many programs available through the Band.  The Membership Information Guide is available at our offices and on our website and is an excellent resource for all Band members.

On November 15, 2018, the Government of Canada and the Federation of Newfoundland Indians entered into exploratory discussions to “…address outstanding concerns regarding members of the Canadian Armed Forces, veterans, RCMP and FNI members or members of other Mi’kmaq organizations who were named in the 2008 agreement and denied Founding Membership.” Discussions began in December 2018 and will continue as we strive to finalize membership.

In the coming year, you will experience the same high level of engagement in our communities by our Council.  The focus will continue to be directed toward completing the many initiatives that have been identified in our strategic plan and to new initiatives that will be brought forward by our community members.  We endeavour to work together in peace, harmony, and unity with our member communities as we strive to build a better tomorrow for our people and our Nation.

Wela’lin
Chief Brendan Mitchell