Community Foundation

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A community foundation is different than standard charitable funds. It is permanent. It grows year after year. And it has more money for community projects, year after year.

How is that possible? Interest.

The simple explanation is: large sums of money generate substantial amounts of interest. A portion of the interest money is put back in to the fund, and the other portion is used for projects.

“You can expect annual growth between three and five per cent, per year,” said Naiomi Metallic, a lawyer at Burchells LLP in Halifax, who is originally from Listuguj.

Three per cent of one million dollars is $30,000.

Metallic, and a small group of others have been volunteering their time to establish this community foundation. It is called the “ Listuguj Aboqonmadultinech Community Foundation.” “Aboqonmadultinech” means “let us help one another in Mi’gmaq. It is already at approximately $20,000.

It will be the very first community foundation owned and operated solely by a First Nations community.

The idea was sparked when the loss-of-use settlement agreement was announced. Travis Wysote and Marissa Martin considered how to put individual distribution to community purposes. Then they connected with Metallic.

“She gave us a lot of structure,” said Wysote. “She had a lot of resources.”

One resource was a fellow lawyer with experience in charitable law, First Nations, and community foundations.

“He was telling stories about how – like in Vancouver or Victoria – they started with maybe $10,000, 50 years ago,” Metallic said. “But now it’s a multi-million dollar trust, and they do all kinds of amazing stuff.”

Once fully established, discussions will begin on what sort of projects and fundraising the foundation will focus on. Wysote and Metallic spoke of scholarships, and Pow Wow donations – which Wysote and Martin already contributed to this year, in the name of the foundation.

Other exciting ideas include a potential land trust to help purchase land, language camps, and emergency funds.

“I think we all have different hopes and aspirations when it comes to the end goal of the community foundation,” said Wysote. “But I think it’s a very useful platform to try and achieve those different ends.”

Metallic said the next step is creating a terms of reference. They want every aspect of the foundation to be clear, transparent, and accessible.

“These are permanent things,” Metallic said. “Once we get our community foundation designation – we’re going to be around. It will be something that will be here after I pass, so it’s going to be able to do good work. We’ve got time. Time is on our side.”

Find the website here and the Facebook page here and see the video of Metallic’s presentation at the Listuguj Wealth Symposium below:

Lawsuit over terminal

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A lawsuit filed by the Mig’mawei Mawiomi Secretariat (MMS) is simple – the crown did not consult First Nation’s people before developing on their land.

Executive Director of the MMS, Troy Jerome, refers often to several legal precedents when explaining the grounds for the lawsuit. The key is a ruling that the crown must consult First Nation people when developing on their land.

“Chaleur Terminals” in Belledune is moving forward, and the Mi’gmaq have not been consulted.

The company did hold an information session.

“The crown cannot delegate its duty to consult,” Jerome said. “How does Chaleur Terminal, or any of its parent companies know how to deal with an aboriginal right?”

Another source of contention is the New Brunswick Government’s insistence that the matter is for the federal government, according to Jerome.

Troy Jerome in his office on July 30.

Troy Jerome in his office on July 30.

“They should of engaged with the feds and made sure the feds engaged with us before they issued any permits. You cannot just say, ‘we’re issuing permits, you go talk to the feds,’” Jerome said. “You’re the crown … It’s the crown that has a legal obligation. It’s the crown that has a fiduciary duty.”

“It’s the province in this case, which represents the crown, that removed us from our land, put us on these reserves, and it has the fiduciary [duty].”

Jerome said there is a misconception that Mi’gmaq people oppose all projects.

“[We’re] looking for where they can be involved in. Where we can benefit, but at the same time, not ruin our way of life.”

There are concerns over the actual project – 110-car trains moving along the Restigouche River twice a day, carrying product from the Alberta tar sands, to be stored and exported. Jerome – and many others – would like to know the various impacts such a project could have on the area.

Jerome said he has not been given any such information. He does, however, have a document

But that is not the basis of the lawsuit.

“It is based directly on the authorization the provincial government gave to build that terminal.”

The court date is set for January 18th.

“We are going into a project management kind of scenario with our lawyers.,” Jerome said. “We’re not going to wait until December to prepare ourselves. We’ll be ready way early.”

He said an important aspect to the preparations will be the principle of Etuaptmum – two eye seeing. Using the strengths of multiple perspectives when understanding or explaining anything.

“From the aboriginal perspective – we know what it is,” said Jerome. “But we need to show western science to a western judge so that he can look at it and say, ‘ok, what they’re saying is backed up by science.'” 

Experts in multiple fields are being lined up.

As of July 30th Jerome had not received a response from any of the parities

Bonnie Doyle Creber, a Communications Director with the NB Government said it would not be commenting on the matter while it is before the courts.

Michelle Perron,  a Media Relations representative with  the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, decline to comment and stated the federal government was not named in the litigation. She also provided this link about the government’s duty to consult.

23rd Annual Pow Wow

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There are tons of headaches when organizing something as big as the Pow Wow.

There’s food and water to find, dancers and drummers to register and coordinate, vendors to verify and ensure have taken their safety course, and many many volunteers to find for important jobs.

But it’s all worth it for Lita Isaac and Marilyn Jacques – two coordinators who have been helping since the very first Pow Wow, 23 years ago.

The goal is simple – make people feel safe and welcomed.

Jacques and Isaac hope  everyone will leave with something, whether  a gift or just a positive experience.

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Two long-time organizers, Lita Isaac and Marilyn Jacque.

“Even a free coffee makes you feel good,” said Isaac.

They can both talk at length about plans to make people feel welcome and appreciated.

From children to elders, to dancers  and strangers – no one is forgotten.

“Friday night is for the elders,” said Isaac. “Saturday night is for the dancers and the drummers.”

It all starts with a sacred fire Thursday morning. Friday is the Wellness Fair, and there’s music that night.

Saturday starts with a big breakfast under the tent, before Grand Entry at noon. The dancing and drumming continues that night, after a traditional feast.

Sunday morning everything is cooked, so that campers waking up late still have something to eat.

For Isaac and Jacques it’s automatic to help make the Pow Wow happen.

“I just call it my medicine,” said Jacques.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” said Isaac. “In fact, there’s times when I forget to go home.”

Seeing anyone happy and comfortable is reward enough for the organizers. But it’s extra satisfying when they see kids involved. They’re drawn to it, they say. They’re guaranteed to be around, especially when the tent arrives.

“They’re feeling part of this,” said Isaac, proudly.

What’s in a name?

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Nujignua’tegeg comes from Nujignau’teget. The first refers to a thing, the second to person – or more accurately a function performed by a person. 

“Nujignua’teget is a person who’s recognized for their ability to inform and/or has been appointed to inform – either on behalf of the community or the leadership,” said Dr. Fred Metallic. “It’s a mechanism for communications between the leadership and its people.” 

The fact that it is in the language suggests that there has been a long traditional use and understanding of the importance of such a role. But it also applies to far broader functions. 

“There’s many people who could serve that purpose,” said Metallic. “Depending on the situation – because leadership was quite situational – then that would dictate who the Nujignua’teget would be.” 

Clearly the Chief often assumes this role, but even the head an extended family would be considered a nujignua’teget. 

A key component to the term is “nuji,” which recognizes there is some official capacity to the role.

“Everybody can be an informer, but not everybody is an official informant,” said Metallic. “Gnua’teget is what you’re doing – you’re informing. But ‘nuji’ makes it an official one.” 

This term sums up the function of this newsletter. It will provide a space for people and organizations to inform the community. But – like the term – it will be more than that. It will perform the more fundamental function of representing great parts of the community back to itself.

“(Nujignua’teget is) something that’s done within the community,” said Metallic. “But it’s also something that serves communities in general.”