Hay River

Image of Hay River, Northwest Territories English Mission site. A windmill and an unidentified building is at left, a [church] is at centre and the [school] at right. Summer scene.

Aboriginal youth posing for camera; two young men standing in back, smaller children seated on ground. Summer scene.

Study consisted of sharing circles with five groups of grandmothers in four regions, semi-structured interviews conducted with 24 mothers, chart audit of 597 babies born in 2016, and examination of practices reported during well-baby visits.

Looks at the Mackenzie Place High Rise originally built in 1975 to house anticipated employees coming to work on the Mackenzie Valley pipeline.

RCAP 167 contains a transcript of the sitting of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples at the B.G. Sivertz Community Centre, Hay River, Northwest Territories, Thursday, June 17, 1993. The file contains a variety of presentations by Metis, Dene, Government, and community groups.

The file contains a general discussion between Rocky Simpson, Robert Ross, Abbey Crook, and Commissioners Georges Erasmus and Paul Chartrand. The participants mainly discuss fisheries, Metis, and general Aboriginal identity issues. Rocky Simpson, Robert Ross, and Abbey Crook's earlier presentations to the Commission on this day can be viewed on this site.

The file contains an individual presentation by Alex Morin, a concerned fisherman, discussing the Aboriginal fishery on Great Slave Lake, and his personal struggle for Metis and general Aboriginal fishing rights.

The file contains an opening prayer and opening remarks from the sitting of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples at the B.G. Sivertz Community Centre, Hay River, Northwest Territories, Thursday, June 17, 1993. Following an opening prayer by Sarah Sibbiston, Commissioner Georges Erasmus welcomes the participants then discusses the mandate, goals, composition, and progress of the Commission to date.

File contains a presentation by Abbie Crook, Representative, Northwest Territories Friendship Centres. Crook provides a history of the eight Friendship Centres in the Northwest Territories and emphasizes its role as "a major link between Aboriginal people and the majority community, bridging the cultural gap between the two worlds and creating an environment of understanding and appreciation." He calls for increased funding as cutbacks in the 1980s have caused hardship to the people the Friendship Centres seek to help.

The file contains a presentation Chief Bernadette Unka of the Deninu Kue First Nation. Chief Unka discusses the history of her people who reside at Fort Resolution, NWT. Chief Unka discusses how Treaty, Metis, and Euro-Canadian people were at one time united in one government at the community, but how her people re-established band governance in 1990 due to their Treaty rights being slowly eroded.

The file contains a presentation by Irvin Norn of the Deninu Kue First Nation. Norn, the Band Administrator, discusses the historical background, the concerns, and the day-to-day issues that his band experiences with respect to membership. Norn discusses Treaty Eight, social services, education, justice, housing, health, renewable and non-renewable resources, and taxation. Following the presentation Commissioners Georges Erasmus and Paul Chartrand discuss some of the issues raised with Norn.

The file contains a presentation by President Rocky Simpson of the Hay River Metis Nation. Simpson summarizes a group discussion and its' findings held to discuss a new relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people of Canada, self-determination for Aboriginal peoples within Canada through self-government, economic self-sufficiency for Aboriginal people, and personal and collective healing for Aboriginal people and communities. Simpson makes a variety of recommendations to the Commission on these points.

The file contains a presentation by Executive Director Roy Fabian of the Hay River Treatment Centre. Fabian discusses cultural oppression in Dene history, and the healing process which is neccessary to treat its effects. Fabian stresses the need for the Dene to listen to the Elders and practice their teachings. Fabian also discusses his views on the land claims process, and how cultural oppression has lead to social issues such as child abuse, family violence, and housing problems. Fabian also elaborates what he sees as the need for Aboriginal individuals to start healing themselves.

The file contains a presentation by Archie Catholique, Joe Boucher, and Ellen Bielawski of the Lutsel'Ke Dene Band. Catholique discusses concerns with a nearby hydro dam, flooding, and the loss of two experienced Elders through the ice due to it. Boucher, an Elder who speaks via a translator, discusses the impact of flooding at Nonacho Lake on gravesites, animal populations, and Dene life in general. Follwoing the presentation Commissioner Georges Erasmus makes some comments on the contents.

The file contains a presentation by Abbey Crook of the Soaring Eagle Friendship Centre. Crook, Executive Director of the Centre, makes a variety of recommendations to the Commission on behalf of Northwest Territories Friendship Centres. These include culture and language recommendations; education recommendations; justice recommendations; social recommendations (in terms of delivery of social services); and economic recommendations all based on a survey conducted by the Friendship Centres of their constituencies.

The file contains a presentation by the Concerned Fishermen, Chairman Robert Ross. Chairman Ross discusses his Aboriginal fishermen's organizational viewpoint regarding the environment, conservation harvesting, marketing of their own fish, and tourism. Ross makes a variety of complaints regarding the fishing operations of the Freshwater Fish Corporation on Great Slave Lake, alleging serious environmental and labour abuses.

The file contains a presentation by Jim Ivens and Bill Gagnon of the Hay River Chamber of Commerce. President Ivens welcomes the Commission, discusses his organization's mandate, and introduces Bill Gagnon. Bill Gagnon then delivers a presentation discussing the Hay River business communities views on Aboriginal relations, self-governance, culture, cross-cultural understanding, economics, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal business, self-government and definitions of self-government, education, and general business issues.

The file contains a presentation by Carl Simms, Greg Haste, and George Hinton of the Hay River Corridor Group.

The file contains a presentation by Donna Harrison of the Hay River Council for Persons with Disabilities. Director Harrison discusses learning disabilities, and their effect on both children and adults in the community. Harrison recommends that the government make learning disabilities a higher priority, makes specific recommendations pertaining to the situation in the Northwest Territories. Following the presentation Commissioners Georges Erasmus and Paul Chartrand thank Harrison and discuss some of the issues raised with her.

The file contains a presentation by the Metis Nation of the Northwest Territories by Gary Bohnet, and Garth Wallbridge. President Gary Bohnet discusses health, education (including post-secondary), economic, housing, trapping, and equity of access to programs for Metis people. Garth Wallbridge discusses the Metis Nation Accord, the failure of the NWT to develop a Metis curriculum despite developing a Dene curriculum, home ownership programs, government assistance for Aboriginal people generally, and the definition of Metis people.

The file contains a presentation by the Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Government of the Northwest Territories, the Honourable Don Morin. Minister Morin discusses some of the unique problems his agency faces, jurisdictional disputes with the federal government, their relationship with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, on-reserve vs. off-reserve housing, and the need for capital funding to go forward with their home ownership encouragement plan.

The file contains a presentation by Deputy Mayor Red McBryan on behalf of the Town of Hay River. McBryan presents a submission which summarizes the views of the Town Council and residents on self-determination, self-sufficiency, and healing. The report includes a variety of recommendations to facilitate a new relationship between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Canadians. Following the presentation Commissioner Georges Erasmus and Paul Chartrand thank Red McBryan for his contribution.

The file contains a presentation by Sharon Caudron, Claire-Anne Bouchard, and Jacquie Soroff of the Women's Resource Centre in Hay River, Northwest Territories. The three women present on "condensed information and possible solutions to address generational violence" including family violence and abuse of multiple varieties. The presenters also suggest some possible solutions to the intergenerational cycle of violence, and its' relation to the criminal justice and education systems.

File contains a presentation on behalf of Chief Pat Martel, Hay River Dene Band. Commissioner Allan Blakeney reads aloud Martel's letter to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. Martel is seeking federal assistance with establishing agreements in the Northwest Territories regarding reserve funding.

Looks at the history and milestones of St. Peter's school in Hay River, NWT, which opened in 1894.

Education Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Saskatchewan, 1976.

Summary of study of same name which was comprised of literature review and interviews with key informants and focus groups in eight communities in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and the Yukon.

Curriculum Studies: Art Education Thesis (Ph.D.)--The University of British Columbia, 1997.