Archive for category: Community

Listuguj’s Josie Slaughter has been fostering animals in the community over the past year. Although she does not have an official role with Listuguj Animal Control, she volunteers to take in some of the animals before they find their forever homes.

Slaughter is a big animal lover and first got interested in fostering after she adopted her first cat, Sir Pounce. She did a lot of research on how to properly raise cats and completed Neonatal Kitten Foster Training at the Toronto Humane Society. While Slaughter was working for the Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government, she offered her fostering services to Bylaw Enforcement Officer, Vera Isaac, which was greatly appreciated and needed.

When it comes to the importance of fostering animals in the community, Slaughter said, “Since Listuguj doesn’t have an agreement with the SPCA and no shelter of its own, any animals apprehended by Listuguj Animal Control have nowhere to go unless there are volunteer fosters available.”  Listuguj Animal Control will assist in providing the cat and dog food and handle any vet visits the animals might need as well.

Slaughter has fostered many dogs and cats and takes care of them until a good adopter is put in place. One of her recent animals, was a dog named Maverick, who she cared for while he recovered from leg surgery. Maverick has since found his forever home with a loving owner.

Roaming dogs pose a challenge in the community, and concerns have been raised about irresponsible pet ownership. Something that can help with this ongoing issue is spaying and neutering pets. Please see the following points from the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA):

• The CVMA supports all efforts to prevent unplanned breeding (including spaying or neutering of companion animals by licensed veterinarians) and recognizes this is an integral part of pet ownership.
• Spaying or neutering dogs and cats can provide health and behavioural benefits such as reduced risk of some diseases and undesirable behaviours that are influenced by reproductive hormones.
• The CVMA advocates for pre-pubertal spaying or neutering of all sheltered dogs and cats, which is critical for addressing the serious concern of pet overpopulation in Canada.
• Pet owners should consult a licensed veterinarian when deciding timing of spay or neuter surgery for an assessment of the risks and benefits given their pet’s breed, size, behavioural characteristics, and planned use of the pet.
• The current veterinary professional workforce shortage may affect accessibility of spay and neuter procedures.
• The CVMA advocates for further research into the ideal timing of spaying and
  neutering of cats and dogs, along with non-surgical alternative procedures.

When it comes to the future of Blueberry’s Buddies – ‘Pgumanji’j maw witapaq, Slaughter said, “One day I’d love to make my fostering efforts for Blueberry’s Buddies more formal and fundraise so that all animals I take in can be vetted and spayed/neutered before adoption but I’m not quite there yet.”

Thank you for dedication and care when it comes to the animals in our community, Josie!

If you are interested in fostering animals in the community, please contact Vera Isaac at 506-987-4524.

By Ann Marie Jacques

Weli’egsitpug, Hi my name is Keetha Metallic and I am your new Culture and Language Coordinator at  Listuguj Elder’s Home named “Waqatasg”.

I am so happy to have this opportunity to work with our elderly. I coordinate the activities in our facility, and I also work with other departments regarding the Elderly.

We also have a volunteer group that volunteers for our clients at Waqatasg and I just want to say thank you, Welalieg. For all the volunteers that take the time in their busy lives and spend some time with our clients. You do bring so much more into our facility.

You are more than welcome to come and visit or volunteer anytime, just give us a call at 788-3495 and we can set things up.

Welalieg,

Keetha Metallic/ Language and Culture Coordinator

Waqatasg, Nation Lane

Listuguj, Quebec

G0C 2R0

May 14, 2025, Listuguj, QC –Ian Lafrenière, Québec’s Minister Responsible for Relations with the First Nations and the Inuit, met with Chief Scott Martin and council members of the Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government to sign a framework agreement establishing a new negotiation process between the two governments. The agreement recognizes that the Listuguj Mi’gmaq have a unique culture, language, legal tradition, and national identity. It establishes a government-to-government negotiation table with Québec to build respect and mutual trust in the spirit of peace and friendship.

“Signing today’s agreement is a step in the right direction,” said Chief Martin. “Our relationship with Québec hasn’t always been easy. There hasn’t always been respect for our rights, our laws, our treaties, or our territory. With this new negotiation process, that is starting to change.”

The agreement supports future negotiations regarding the recognition of Listuguj’s treaty and Aboriginal rights, including Aboriginal title.

“We want to improve the lives of our community members by exercising our self-determination. We want to increase our presence on the territory. We want our Mi’gmaq laws to be recognized,” said Chief Martin. “I am very happy Québec is willing to explore how we can make this happen.”

The new framework agreement does not define or limit Listuguj’s Aboriginal or treaty rights in any way.

Negotiations are anticipated to begin without delay. The framework agreement has a term of 10 years, after which there is an option for renewal.

In March, the Listuguj Community Health Services Directorate announced that Dr. Jean-Paul Dedam, M.D., will be joining their team as the new physician in the community. Having a physician in Listuguj is something that Listuguj Community Health Services (LCHS) has been working towards for quite some time. They wanted someone with experience in caring for Indigenous people, with ties to the community and Mi’gmaw culture. Dr. Dedam was a perfect fit for the position.

Dr. Dedam is a Listuguj community member, who grew up in Maine. Prior to taking on this new role, Dr. Dedam was living and working in New Mexico. He is temporarily residing with his uncle, Herbie Martin and Elizabeth Barnaby, and is in the early stages of learning Mi’gmaq. He is hoping to take Mi’gmaw Immersion classes later in the year. Although this will be his first time living in Listuguj, he said, “In the back of my mind, I was always preparing myself to come here.”

He has been a Board-Certified Family Physician since 2009. He went to college, medical school, and did his residency training in New England. He has outstanding work experience having worked in hospital settings, running a non-profit organization in Nicaragua, facilitating a Diabetes Empowerment Group, working on Cancer Center Symptom Management and is a Board-Certified Medical Acupuncturist. Dr. Dedam understands the trauma that Indigenous people face, and how that plays a significant role when it comes to health. He said, “The root of almost all health disparities in Native communities, other than some degree of poverty – varying by community, is trauma. Historical trauma and unfortunately ongoing childhood trauma.”

Dr. Dedam recognizes how cultural healing and practices can be beneficial to individuals. He has taken part in sweat lodge ceremonies and recently attended his first Mi’gmaw sweat lodge in Eel River Bar. He said, “I do think that ceremony and traditional practices have the potential of helping Native communities in that healing journey.”  Eventually, Dr. Dedam would love to bring more Indigenous medical staff and students to Listuguj to practice medicine.

LCHS Director, Donna Metallic, spoke about the importance of having a family doctor in the community. She stated that it was a long process for Dr. Dedam, and how exciting it is that it has now become a reality. She said, “It’s very important, because he’s a community member, he’s going to see firsthand, the realities of living in a First Nation community and addressing the colonization and the traumas.” Metallic spoke about the rise of addictions in the community, and how a doctor is needed more than ever.

LCHS recently had a meeting with the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (Ministry of Health and Social Services “MSSS”), Centre intégré de santé et de service sociaux (Integrated health and social services center “CISSS”), plus partners at the Maria hospital, Dr. Dedam and clinic staff at LCHS. LCHS expressed their needs through the Mawlugutijej Cancer project. They stressed that the community needs to feel connected and have access to health care and resources. Dr. Dedam will be working with a family of physicians with the Groupe de médecine de famille (Family Group Medicine “GMF”). There has been an agreement with the MSSS for Listuguj community members to be able to bypass any Medicare card issues they may be dealing with. There will be a Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) navigator available at LCHS that will do applications for individuals who currently do not have a Medicare card.

Dr. Dedam will be offering house visits, he’ll be working closely with the Listuguj Community Social Services and the Listuguj Wellness Renewal Initiative, as well as Mawiomi Treatment Centre in Gesgapegiag and the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal. Metallic said, “Dr. Dedam being here for the past few weeks, it’s been a whirlwind of visits, site visits, meeting with the different stakeholders that we have here, our sister community of Gesgapegiag as well. So that he really gets an understanding and a feel of what the portrait of our community is here.”

Dr. Dedam will begin his role as Physician at LCHS starting May 1^st. Over the past few months, LCHS has been asking community members who do not have a family doctor, to contact them with their information. Those community members without a family doctor, will be taken as patients by Dr. Dedam, and will have access to his services. As of right now, Dr. Dedam will have an office at the Waqatasg Elders Facility.

If you have any questions regarding Dr. Dedam’s services, or for any other services offered at Listuguj Community Health Services, please call 418-788-2155.

Welcome Dr. Dedam!

By Ann Marie Jacques