A Spring Update from Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government’s Executive Office

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The Executive Office at Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government (LMG) is responsible for maintaining and managing the organization’s overall resources and operations and working closely with Chief and Council on community matters.

The Executive Office team is as follows:

  • Bassem Abdrabou – Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
  • Jeff Basque – Chief Operating Officer
  • Melinda Martin – External Affairs Coordinator
  • Lacriesa Wysote – Senior Executive Assistant
  • Macy Metallic – Junior Executive Assistant

The team has been working diligently on a Centralized Funding Database that collects and stores data when it comes to finances within the organization. This will increase the chances of funding opportunities for community needs, upcoming projects, and employees. Soon, the Executive Office will be looking for funding liaisons from each directorate and department in LMG to work directly with the Centralized Funding Database. The team is working with the Finance Directorate to increase its capacity to adapt to the growth in the community, which includes updated and modernized financial procedures. They are currently working with Finance and HR on finalizing a salary scale project throughout the organization. This project will target each directorate and department, and offer more transparency, equity, and fairness when it comes to employee salaries.

The Executive Office welcomed their newest addition to the team. Melinda Martin took on the role of External Affairs Coordinator in March of this year. Several directorates and departments are involved in multiple high-level negotiations with outside parties. Melinda’s role will be to establish and work with a centralized Negotiations Team within LMG and Finance to support processes that would seek the best overall negotiation results.

One of the team’s main tasks is addressing community needs when it comes to wellness and way of life. In October 2023, the Listuguj Wellness Renewal Initiative (LWRI) was created, consisting of several members throughout LMG. This initiative promotes health and wellness in the community, from its youth to its Elders. The LWRI held two successful events and has provided information on available resources and programs, with more to come.

The Executive Office has been working with the Listuguj Health Services Directorate to secure funding for the operations and maintenance of the Waqatasg Elder’s Facility to ensure all Elders receive the utmost medical care with knowledgeable staff and state-of-the-art equipment and supplies.

One of the most important projects that is handled by the team is the Land Code and the Zoning Law. These projects promote economic development, help to prevent and resolve disputes, allow quiet enjoyment on properties, and enhance environmental protections in designated residential, industrial, and commercial areas.

At the end of February, there was a Public Security Directorate announcement regarding leadership changes. Peter Arsenault resumed his role as Director of Public Security. This will allow Arsenault to assist in more capacity when it comes to funding, negotiations, and other matters. Sharon Barnaby was appointed as the Interim Chief of Police. The decision for this change was made to strengthen the Public Security team to the best of its ability and continue to serve and protect the community.

Another important ongoing project is the Specific Claim Negotiations. The claims were accepted in 2019 and 2020 for the Restigouche River Islands (just west of the reserve) and the railway that passes through the community. The Executive Office and the Office of Chief and Council are currently working with a legal team for this project, and negotiations and evaluations are underway.

The Capital and Infrastructure Directorate has been busy with several upcoming projects and housing developments. Here is a list of ongoing projects and upgrades in the community:

  • Housing Accelerator Fund Agreement – to secure more housing funds for this upcoming season.
  • The building of the Turtle Lodge. (Funded by ISC.)
  • New Band Office concept plans.
  • Riverside Phase 2 & 3 progress – starting this Spring.
  • “Atlantic Drive” development – a call out for tender will be posted in May with Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) committed to paying 80%.
  • The building of two new sanitary lift stations – call out for tender posted earlier this month. (Funded by ISC.)
  • An upgrade to the water line at Isaac Lane (for Listuguj Hills) and paving part of Isaac Lane. (Funded by ISC.)
  • Working to obtain funding from ISC for an Autism Centre at Alaqsite’w Gitpu School.
  • The installation of new cameras, and lights for Glitaw Park, along with the installation of lights in different areas throughout the community.
  • The intention to build 20 new housing units this Summer.
  • Working to obtain funding for a community arena.

The Executive Office would like to extend its gratitude to the Capital and Infrastructure and Public Works Teams, for all of their hard to work on current and ongoing projects in Listuguj.

By Ann Marie Jacques and Executive Office

Sports and Recreation at AGS

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Listuguj’s Alaqsite’w Gitpu School (AGS) thrives on the personal growth, well-being, and education of students in the classroom, and this is also the case when it comes to sports and recreation. Physical education teachers Jennifer Morrison and Tyler Gideon work hard inside and outside of the school with students to ensure they are receiving the best coaching and mentorship when it comes to playing sports.

Jennifer Morrison has been a physical education teacher at AGS for the past four years. She started during the COVID-19 pandemic, and during this time, sports had to be put on hold. Fast forward 2-3 years later, and sports and recreation are at an all-time high in the Nursery to Grade 8 school.

Morrison stated that she was hesitant at first when she was offered the job as a physical education teacher. She wasn’t sure she was familiar and comfortable enough with various sports and rules, but ultimately it ended up being better than she could ever have imagined. Gideon joined AGS two years ago. He has an impressive background when it comes to sports and coaching with over 30 years of experience. The two teachers collaborated with many people to make AGS sports what it is today. Morrison said, “We’ve had a lot of people come together through coaching, chaperoning, and volunteering to help these programs really kind of take off.” Since Morrison and Gideon are the physical education teachers, this is beneficial when it comes to finding students who are passionate about sports, and who show willingness to learn and play in a team setting.

Both Morrison and Gideon are advocates for creating opportunities when it comes to sports and recreation. AGS combines passion and culture in its sports teams. Morrison and Gideon believe sports open doors and are always eager to recognize and acknowledge the student’s determination and progression.

Last year in 2023, the school started with one boy’s middle school basketball team (grades 6-8) – Gitpu’g, which eventually led to an elementary-aged basketball team (grades 3-5) – Gitpu’ji’jg. Having an elementary-aged basketball team was a first for AGS, and it came with major success that this year, the school was able to compile a second team for this age group. All basketball teams are now co-ed.

Last year, many students expressed interest in a volleyball team. With the help from volunteers, a volleyball team was formed. There were five coaches during the first year, who worked with the students on the rules and logistics of the game. The school now has two girls’ volleyball team called Gitpui’sqwaq and a boys’ volleyball team.

AGS also offers soccer, cross country, mountain biking, softball, track and field, and as of last month, swimming. They are continually working at bringing new sports and recreation activities to the school.

This year, more students than ever expressed interest in joining sports teams. A lot of students are joining multiple sports teams in the school as well.  “Every team that we had last year, we more than doubled them this year, and there are still kids who are wanting to join,” said Morrison.

For those students who may not be quite ready to commit to a team, but would like to get a feel for sports, AGS offers intramurals. These are various sports played in the gym or soccer field during recess times. There are intramural playoffs and championships, which give the students exposure and a taste of what playing sports competitively is like.

AGS competes in various sports jamborees during the school year. Last year there were four jamborees held throughout the season. These jamborees consist of all the teams that the school typically plays against (Campbellton Middle School, Lord Beaverbrook School, Jacquet River School, etc.) Listuguj held a basketball jamboree for one of the Gitpu’ji’jg basketball teams in February. The team was undefeated for the second season in a row.

The school also attends the annual First Nations Education Council Inter-School (FNEC) Games. This brings together athletes from all First Nations schools in Quebec. This year it is being held in Laval, Quebec from May 23-26. The coaches plan on bringing a number of teams and athletes to participate. This will be Morrison’s third year attending the FNEC Games. This is a great opportunity for the students to play amongst other First Nation communities.

Every year the school celebrates its athletes with a Sports Banquet.  Last year there were roughly 150 attendees at the sports banquet, Morrison is expecting the turnout to be bigger this year. Several awards are handed out, such as Athlete of the Year – in which a feather with the student’s name will be on display in the gym. This is for middle school-aged students. Last year they introduced the Gitpu’ji’jg Athlete of the Year, which goes up until grade five. A feather is given to students to go up on the wall for this as well.

When the school year comes to an end, Morrison and Gideon offer sports and recreation summer camps for students. This is typically a three-week program over the summer break.

All the sports and recreation wouldn’t be possible without the hard work and dedication of the teachers, coaches, volunteers, and parents. They are always seeking volunteers and recruitment to help when it comes to coaching and chaperoning students and athletes at AGS. If you are interested, contact 418-788-3100.

By Ann Marie Jacques

Senator PJ Prosper Visits Listuguj

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Earlier this month, Listuguj received a visit from Senator Paul J (PJ) Prosper. The visit was facilitated by the Mi’gmawei Mawiomi Secretariat (MMS) and consisted of a meeting with MMS and the Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government’s (LMG) leadership. The day ended with a tour of the community.  Senator Prosper is currently taking part in a “listening tour” all over Canada where he is visiting various Mi’kmaq/Mi’gmaq communities and listening to the issues and challenges they continue to face. Senator Prosper was joined by the Director of Parliamentary Affairs, Claudine Santos.

Senator Prosper is from Paqtnkek (Afton) Mi’kmaw Nation in Nova Scotia. He is a practicing lawyer with over 25 years of Indigenous legal experience. He is the former Chief of Paqtnkek, where he served for seven years. He was then elected as Regional Chief, where he represented all Chiefs in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland with the Assembly of First Nations. His role as Senator is a new one, having been appointed in September 2023. When it comes to his position, he said, “We deal with a lot of laws before they actually become laws. They usually come to us as a bill, which is a draft law, and then it goes through the parliamentary process.” Senator Prosper sits on several committees and boards, such as the Indigenous Peoples Committee and Legal and Constitutional Affairs. In terms of leadership, the Senator practices the 7 Sacred Teachings: Love, Respect, Courage, Honesty, Wisdom, Humility, and Truth.

The meeting was held at the Natural Resources building. An opening prayer was done by Elder Dennis Gedeon. Opening remarks were made by Interim Executive Director of MMS, Chasitity Mitchell, and Chief Scott Martin. Chief Martin raised issues and concerns within the community. Senator Proser and Santos took note and offered assistance regarding useful tools and information on federal funding options for Indigenous peoples.

The tour started with a stop at Alaqsite’w Gitpu School where the Senator was greeted by the Youth Chief and Council Leadership and Treaty Education. Senator Prosper toured the school with stops in the Ceremony Room, Mi’gmaq Immersion classrooms, and the Outdoor Education building. During his visit to the Ceremony Room, the Youth Chief and Council Leadership asked the Senator a number of questions regarding his role in the Senate, leadership, and reconciliation. When it comes to the youth representing the future, Senator Prosper said, “People will always have their perceptions of who Mi’kmaq people are, what we do, and how we are the way we are. You cannot build anything that has any real value and meaning without the involvement of youth.”

The next stop was at the new Waqatasg Elders Facility where the tour was led by CEO Bassem Abdrabou, and facility administrator Rheal Raymond.

Other stops on the tour included new and upcoming developments in Listuguj, such as the police station, housing developments (Listuguj Hills), Listuguj gardens, and the Turtle Lodge.

Senator Prosper was highly impressed with Listuguj. It was an honour to have him visit the community and meet with leadership, staff, and community members.

Wela’lioq to MMS for making this visit possible!

By Ann Marie Jacques

LISTUGUJ INVITED TO PRESENT ITS AQUACULTURE PROJECT 

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On May 8th, the Listuguj Natural Resources Directorate, in partnership with the Raymond Lagacé Public Library in Atholville, will be holding a presentation about our scallop aquaculture operations, geared toward local schools. Organizers are hoping to be successful in bringing elementary classes from Listuguj and Atholville together to attend the presentation.

Maureen Isaac, Manager of the Aquaculture project will bring her Science team to do the presentation and show the different phases of the scallop production, the material used, and a hands-on experience to sew a scallop lantern net. “It’s important to share Mi’gmaq culture and traditional knowledge in a modern-day economy. Tigog or Atholville as it’s called today, is an important part of Listuguj’s history and we are glad that we were invited to do this presentation to a young audience” she said. 

“We’d like to thank everyone who will attend the presentation and encourage our communities to continue learning about Listuguj’s culture and its aquaculture project,” said Kevin Soussana, manager of the library.

For more information contact:      

Kevin Soussana, Phone : (506) 789-2914                                                                            

Raymond-Lagacé Public Library                                                                                                       

 275, rue Notre-Dame St., Atholville,

Chief’s Corner with Chief Scott Martin – April 2024

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April was a great month. We had some sunshine and had some great events happen in the community. It was great to meet with Senator PJ Prosper, and the Director of Parliamentary Affairs, Claudine Santos, along with the MMS team earlier this month. I was able to speak on some concerns and issues in the community and appreciated the Senator’s feedback and information on resources available to us.

It is great to see so many Capital & Infrastructure projects underway. These new projects are long-awaited and will be a great addition to Listuguj.

I would like to take this time to offer my condolences to families in the community who lost loved ones recently. I wish you all strength during these difficult times.

Siwqw – A Time for Renewal and Growth

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The Mi’gmawei Mawiomi Secretariat had the honor to host Senator Paul (PJ) Prosper and Parliamentary Affairs Director, Claudine Santos in Gespe’gewa’gi on April 2, 2024, as part of his listening tour across Mi’gma’gi. Senator Prosper, a respected advocate for Mi’gmaq rights and notable parliamentary figure, aimed to deepen his understanding of the challenges facing our MM community to champion legislative and policy reforms nationally.

The visit represented an opportunity for our communities to articulate our concerns and visions for governance, rights, and community well-being followed by a tour to visit our community developments and initiatives.


We would like to acknowledge Senator Prosper’s commitment to listening and learning from the voices of Mi’gma’qi with a profound respect for our traditions, challenges and aspirations. Here’s to moving forward in a positive way.

The day ended with a tour of Listuguj and its latest developments and initiatives, Turtle Lodge, Police Station, Public Works, Social Services, housing development, Gardens and Waqatasq Facility. We received a warm welcoming from our AGS Youth Chief and Council leadership for ceremony followed by a panel of questions from the students, including a visit to the Mi’gmaq Immersion and Outdoor Education. An enriching day wrapped in a bundle of medicine.

A special thanks to all those involved in making this initiative possible.

With efforts in growing our capacity, the MMS is accepting resumes for various fields and expertise with the effort to create a list of potential candidates for upcoming roles in the areas of: Archives/Records Management, Project Management, GIS – ARC software, Finance and Administration, Lands and Environment, Consultation – Planning and Engagement, Social Media Content, Senior Management, Communications and Governance.

You can submit your resume to resume@migmawei.ca

MMS will be launching an awareness survey in the near future, stay connected and visit our re-designed website www.migmawei.ca or send your feed-forward to stayconnected@migmawei.ca

Ap, Namultes

-MMS

Muin Ji’j Center – Bridging the Gap for Families in the Community

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The Muin Ji’j Center was created by the Listuguj Community Social Services Directorate (LCSSD) to develop another option for childcare in the community. At this time, the Mawo’ltijig Mijjuaji’jg Child Care Centre provides childcare for children up to age 4. The Youth and Family Center offers a variety of programs for children aged 5 and up. This may come as a challenge to parents looking for before and after-school care for children ages 4-6. The Muin Ji’j Center Coordinator Alicia Simon said, “It’s about bridging the gap for children that age out of the community daycare, and children who are still quite too young for programs at the Youth Center.”

The Center started in October of 2023 and is located at 18 Caplin Road. Right now, 20 children take part in the Center’s Before and After School programs, and there are four staff members: childcare workers and the coordinator. The Center opens its doors at 8 AM and closes at 5 PM. Parents/guardians can drop their children off before bus pickup, which typically occurs at 8:30 AM. After school, busses can drop the students back off at the Center until pickup from the parent/guardian.

During the Summer, a summer camp will be offered for children born from 2017 to 2019. The camp is expected to be 8 weeks long. Registrations will open for this in the near future.

The Muin Ji’j Center offers childcare and peace of mind for parents. Simon said, “Instead of just offering childcare services to families and working families in the community, we have that opportunity to create a safe environment and model appropriate play.” The children enrolled at the Center do a variety of hands-on, sensory, dramatic, and creative play. They have the opportunity to earn “Muin Ji’j bucks” by completing different challenges and tasks. With these bucks, they can purchase treats and toys in a hands-on store inside the classroom where the children operate the cash register. The children are given nutritious snacks and are encouraged to experiment and try new things when it comes to food. They take part in a regular culture class with song and drum circles, and the Mi’gmaq language.

Overall, the Muin Ji’j Center has been an important service that was needed in the community. It continues to expand and grow. If you are interested in more information on the Center, contact Alicia Simon at alicia.simon@listuguj.ca or 418-788-5147.

By Ann Marie Jacques