RCAP 32 contains files from the sitting of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples in Waswanipi, Quebec. This sitting of the Commission contains presentations on a variety of subjects such as education, health care, unemployment, child and family welfare, and the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. Each presentation can be viewed individually on this site.
File contains the sitting of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples at Wendake, Quebec City, Quebec, on Wednesday, November 18, 1992. Includes presentations by the Huron-Wendat Nation, other Aboriginal organizations and several academics. For detailed presentation titles see file. File is an English translation of the original French transcript.
File contains a presentation by Aboriginal Students from Algonquin College. The students voice a variety of concerns related to education, race relations, grass roots politics, cultural revival, the justice system, history curricula, drug and alcohol abuse, health service facilities, and assimilation. Following the presentation the assembled Commissioners discuss the students concerns with them.
File contains a presentation by Elder Catherine Cooper believing the Elder Council and the Youth Council should work together to ensure the youth learn about their culture and history. She briefly discusses health care problems and hunting and fishing rights.
File contains a presentation by Chief Allan Happyjack and Jack Blacksmith that first provides a brief history of Waswanipi. Their presentation covers a wide range of issues, including the justice system and policing, hunting and trapping, the environment and health care. The speakers believe that the Canadian and Quebec governments have either ignored, set aside or in breach of major sections of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Danielle Descent
Description
File includes a presentation by Danielle Descent. Descent discusses health and social services issues (including disease, suicide, addictions, family violence, education, and culturally related matters) in Sept-Iles/Maliotenam. Following her presentation the assembled Commissioners thank her for sharing her views on these issues.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Roland Chamberlain
Jacquelin Cossette
Description
File contains a presentation by Dr. Roland Chamberlain, clinician, and Dr. Jacquelin Cossette, clinician. Dr Chamberlain discusses the health needs of Aboriginal communities in Northwestern Quebec, specifically alcohol related physical health and violence related issues. Dr. Cossette makes a variety of recommendations to enhance the overall health of Aboriginal communities, and the need to provide francophone equivalents of some English educational materials. Following this the assembled Commissioners discuss community health related topics with the two practitioners.
File contains a presentation by Edith Gull expressing deep frustration with the drop-out rate of students and the apathy of parents. A new school was built in 1989 but attendance is poor and Gull feels that drug and alcohol abuse, among other social issues, are common roadblocks for getting an education. Gull introduces the next speaker, John Kitchen, chairman of the Elementary School Committee.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Ghyslain Beaule
Description
File contains a presentation by Ghyslain Beaule, Abitibi-Temiscaming Regional Health and Social Services Board. Beaule discusses the composition and mandate of her organization and then goes on to discuss the jurisdictional, financial, and community issues it faces. Following the presentation Commissioners Dussault and Blakeney discuss some of the issues raised with Beaule.
File contains a presentation by the Jean-Marc Penosway and Claire Penosway. Jean-Marc and Claire are two youths from Grand Lac Victoria who requested to speak with the Commission. They discuss a variety of problems they have faced including family breakdown, drug and alcohol addiction in the family, racism and discrimination, foster care, and related matters. Claire requests a private audience with the Commissioners later to discuss a personal matter, which the Commissioners accept.
File contains a presentation by Johnny Epoo, Avataq Cultural Institute. Epoo discusses his organization which was founded in 1981 and its relation to both archaeology in the area and the preservation of the Inuit language. Epoo complains of the extraction of northern artifacts to the south, and a lack of funding for basic operations of his organization. Epoo also discusses traditional Inuit medicine and his organizations efforts to catalogue these techniques.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Johnny Naktialuk
Description
File contains a presentation by Johnny Naktialuk. Naktialuk recounts the history of his people's experience with Euro-Canadian healthcare, and makes some recommendations on midwifery and other areas of health for contemporary times. Naktialuk also discusses the importance of education in addressing the social problems faced by his people. Following the presentation Commissioner Rene Dussault discusses the lack of trained health care professionals in the region with Naktialuk.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Kenneth Emberley
Description
File contains a presentation by Kenneth Emberley. Emberley briefly discusses the Oka Crisis, then presents on the connection between being an administered people and many of the social ills plaguing Aboriginal communities. Emberley then presents a series of ideas on imping the Land Claim process, preserving Aboriginal rights, the need for a whistle-blower's law, and dealing with the legacy of residential schools. The remainder of the presentation deals with world affairs and resource use as the presenter thinks they pertain to the goals of Aboriginal peoples.
File contains a presentation by Chief Jean-Guy Whiteduck of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Council. Whiteduck discusses a variety of issues concerns, foremost of which are land and land claims. Whiteduck also discusses hunting and fishing rights, past exploitation of resources, Bill C-31, education (including post-secondary) concerns, language loss and assimilation, health services, and justice issues (including courts, Native courts, and policing). Following the presentation Whiteduck discusses some of these issues with the assembled Commissioners.
File contains a presentation by Lily Sutherland focusing on child and family welfare issues. Sutherland discusses the need for more training of public health officers on First Nations and for workshops on parenting and substance abuse prevention. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains a presentation by Lionel Whiteduck, Director, Health and Social Services, Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Council. Whiteduck discusses his personal experiences with health delivery across the country, gives a brief historical background to health delivery in traditional society, discusses the need to integrate traditional ideas with modern technologies, discusses some of the social and health issues facing Aboriginal communities such as high suicide rates, the importance of self esteem, funding and juridisdicitonal concerns.
File contains a presentation by Therese Ottawa and Delima Niquay of the Regional Council on Education and Culture. Ottawa discusses family violence, addictions, and associated social services concerns. Ottawa recommends harsher sentences for conjugal violence, stronger community participation, better funding for social services, as well as discussing general women's issues, the need for increased awareness campaigns, and the establishment of men's discussion groups on the issue of family violence.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Mina Kingalik
Description
File contains a presentation by Mina Kingalik. Kingalik discusses the loss of traditional Inuit culture in Nunavik and the process by which this has taken place. Kingalik also discusses the introduction of social problems like alcoholism that have come with cross-cultural contact in the North.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Rene Dussault
Minnie Nowkawalk
Description
File contains a presentation by Minnie Nowkawalk and Closing Remarks by Rene Dussault. Nowkawalk discusses her family history and warns of the dangers of hydro developments in Northern Quebec to the Inuit people. Rene Dussault then makes closing remarks on the day's session and the sitting of the Commission is adjourned.
File contains a presentation by Rose Dufour, Department of Community Health, Laval University Hospital. Dufour delivers a presentation entitled "Intercultural Encounters: Health professionals and the Inuit clientèle." Dufour discusses different cultural perspectives on health and suggests some approaches to reconcile them in a community approach to health. Following her presentation the assembled Commissioners engage Dufour in a discussion on some of the issues raised.
File contains a presentation by Joan Moore, Atikamekw Health and Social Services Council. Moore delivers a presentation entitled "Autopsy of a Genocide" arguing that the current social problems faced by the Attikamek people are consequences of colonialism. Following the presentation Commissioners Dussault and Robinson discuss some of the issues raised with Moore.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Monik Sioui
Description
File contains a presentation by Community Worker Monik Sioui from the Kitcisakik Welfare Society. Sioui gives a brief history of her organization which services a community made up of 18 camps spread throughout Laverendrye Park, Quebec (the community has no reserve). Themes Sioui addresses are the delivery of health and social services, relations with the province, and staffing issues. Commissioners Dussault, Robinson, and Blakeney ask questions and comment during the presentation.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Simon Anichinapeo
Noe Mitchell
Annie Cheezo
Description
File contains a presentation by Chief Simon Anichinapeo, Councillor/Information Officer Noe Mitchell, and Annie Cheezo of the Lac Simon Band Council. Mitchell discusses some of the issues facing the band including social problems, suicide, and a lack of resource access. Mitchell discusses the need for self-determination for her people, and government-to-government negotiation. Next Anichinapeo gives a demographic breakdown of the reserve, and band in response to questioning by Commissioner Dussault. Anichinapeo, Cheezo and Dussault also discuss justice concerns.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Louis Bordeleau
Description
File contains a presentation by Louis Bordeleau of the Native Aid and Friendship Centre of Senneterre. Bordeleau discusses the operations of his friendship centre which deals with support to drug addicts, help for the disadvantaged, liaison services in education and health care, organization of recreational activities, inter-ethnic awareness-raising, participation in socio-economic development, and the people they service who come from the Cree (50 percent), Algonquin (28 percent), and Atikamekw (22 percent) cultural backgrounds.
File contains opening remarks by Johnny Epoo(via a translator) who represents Inuit from northern Quebec in land claims negotiations. He speaks about the Elders from his part of Canada and their concerns regarding the education system in its current state and how it could be improved. Epoo also discusses social problems like suicide, chronic welfare, problems with the RCMP, general poverty, and the need to look towards the future rather than dwelling excessively on the past.
File contains opening remarks by William Commanda of Monawakee, Quebec. Commanda talks about his own personal experiences and background including the effects of alcohol and tobacco addiction on his family and community, his trip to Denmark and positive experiences of the Danish people, and his belief that all peoples are equal.