First Residential School survivor receives first Common Experience Payment
Youth help complete 2nd annual NWT Aboriginal business conference
First Residential School survivor receives first Common Experience Payment
Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine presented Ms. Mary Moonias, of Muskwachees Cree Nation (Louis Bull First Nation), with a letter on October 4th confirming that she is the very first survivor of Indian Residential Schools to receive a Common Experience Payment, as result of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement.
Mary Moonias was flocked by reporters after a press conference accouncing that she was the first recipient of 80,000 to receive a Common Experience Payment from the Canadian government. This settlement marks the largest in Canadian history at $5 billion.
“[This] is truly a historic moment for Mary Moonias and every single survivor of Indian Residential Schools. It is a tremendous honour for me, on behalf of the Assembly of First Nations, to celebrate this historic moment with Ms. Moonias as the first person to receive a Common Experience Payment. Ms. Moonias is now part of a living legacy. We congratulate her and wish her well in her future endeavors,” said National Chief Fontaine.
National Chief Fontaine also reflected upon the significance of the Settlement Agreement.
“The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement is the largest settlement agreement ever awarded in Canadian history, and it is a monumental achievement for every single survivor. The total value of the Settlement Agreement is nearly $5 billion and each survivor can expect to receive a Common Experience Payment on average of $28,000.00, depending on how many years they attended the schools. The Common Experience Payment made to Mary Moonias is the first of approximately 80,000 that will be made to every single eligible recipient by the time the Settlement Agreement is fully implemented,” concluded National Chief Fontaine.
AFN Alberta Regional Chief Wilton Littlechild, who is also a citizen of the Muskwachees Cree Nation, said the announcement has special significance. “Mary Moonias is someone I have a tremendous amount of respect for. On behalf of the Muskwachees Cree and all First Nations in Alberta, we congratulate her for being the very first recipient of the Common Experience Payment in the entire country. It is a tremendous honour and a great source of pride for all of us,” added Regional Chief Littlechild.
For Mary Moonias, who has had a career teaching First Nations children, it was a day she said she will never forget. “I honestly can’t believe that I was the first one to receive this Common Experience Payment. For me, it isn’t just about the money; it’s also about the healing. I accept the payment, but it can never fully make up for what I experienced in Residential School. The federal government is finally beginning to own up to what it did to me and to every other First Nation person who was taken away against our will from our families, our homes, and our communities. We all need to heal from this past, while recognizing that we have all different experiences as a result of residential schools. Having the National Chief Phil Fontaine present me with a letter confirming this Common Experience Payment is a moment that I will always treasure. I am a private person, but I agreed to mark this moment in our history because it is something that I will leave as a legacy for my children and grandchildren. I want them to always remember who they are and where they come from. Most of all, I hope it gives our future generations the courage to be proud of who they are and to always strive to be as successful and as happy as possible.”
The Assembly of First Nations is the national organization representing First Nations citizens of Canada.
Youth help complete 2nd annual NWT Aboriginal business conference
By Dene Skylar
Officials from industry, governments, business, Aboriginal businesses and Aboriginal youth organizations from across the NWT and Canada came together during the week of October 16-18, in Yellowknife, NT to attend the 2nd annual NWT Aboriginal Business Conference & Tradeshow. The conference was a resounding success and Native Journal was there to report on the event.
NWT Premier Floyd Roland (back row, centre) and Minister Michael Macleod (middle row) with youth.
The theme of the NWT Aboriginal Business Conference was “Establishing Economic Cooperation,” with a focus on “Northern Business and Workforce Development.” This conference is very timely as the NWT’s economy is one of the fastest growing economies in Canada. The NWT has three producing diamond mines and one proposed diamond mine currently in the regulatory process, growing mineral exploration and the proposed Mackenzie Gas Pipeline also in the regulatory process. The three diamond mines alone have doubled the NWT’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) since 1999.
John Bekale, Chairman of the Denendeh Development Corporation (DDC) which hosted the conference pointed out many linkages to the conference theme. He told the sold out audience, “In 1982, when DDC was first created by the Chiefs of Denendeh, we set out three goals for our people. Employment, support for Aboriginal business and education for the youth.” Chairman Bekale provided a presentation that expanded on these goals. He explained the exponential employment opportunities for northerners created from the Ekati, Diavik and Snap Lake Diamond Mines. From zero employment opportunities in 1996 to over 10,000 person years of employment opportunities by 2006. Bekale also noted that the cumulative spending by these three mines went from zero in the early 1990s to over half a billion dollars in 2006 alone. Of this figure, Aboriginal businesses received close to a quarter of a billion dollars in business. Bekale also spoke about the importance of education and training. He explained that Aboriginal grade 12 graduates rose from 44 in 1992 to 188 graduates in 2006 and stated, “2006 marked the first year that the majority of NWT graduates were Aboriginal.” The NWT has a population of just over 40,000 people and great strides have been made to advance the socio-economic status of the NWT’s Aboriginal peoples and northerners, but more needs to be done. Organizations like the DDC are doing their part to foster cooperation to continue the success.
Participants at the conference included an incredible list of charismatic energetically exciting business leaders. Along with the hundreds of business executives, managers and front line workers and their important speaking and business workshops was the added important element of a youth component to the conference. Aboriginal youth were treated to a business blitz of quality information to inform, educate and inspire them to get the skills necessary to be successful in careers of their choice. One youth was very emotional when he told Native Journal, “Coming to this conference really opened my eyes. It really made me aware of the opportunities and what is going on in business in our lands. It changed my life because I know what I have to do now to achieve success.”
Darrell Beaulieu told the packed Explorer Hotel conference hall, “I’m glad we followed the advice of last year’s first NWT Aboriginal Business Conference when they advised that we invite the youth. We invited the youth this year and they made it a success.” Another significant event at the conference was the creation of the Northern Aboriginal Business Association.
The conference also featured an incredible line up of traditional and modern Aboriginal entertainment. From the powerful traditional Dene Drums of the Bechoko Youth Drummers to the ever awe inspiring Dene Hand Games Competition – participants and guests were wowed!
As the very successful 2nd Annual NWT Aboriginal Business Conference drew to a close with hundreds of people crowded into the Great Hall of the NWT Legislative Assembly, I watched in joy as the Dene joined in a circle of community business spirit unity with business people, youth and Elders from all across the country dancing, smiling and singing to the Dene drums.