laiptossatioet Seetitut DEPT. OF INDUSTRY & COMMERCE IfVovfnce of MooMak] ROOM 137 - PHONE WH 6-7439 LEGISLATIVE BUILDING 31ptembLx_104_1962.- WINNIPEG 1, MANITOBA FIRST INDIAN NAKED TO CEDAR LAKE POST A further expansion of the provincial government-sponsored community development program was announced this week, with the first appointment of a community development officer of Indian ancestry. Hon. John Christianson, minister of welfare, named Joseph Irvine Keeper, 34 as community development officer for the Cedar Lake and Moose Lake settlements in the Grand Rapids forebay area. Mr. Keeper, who was born at Norway House, will be st.tioned at Cedar Lake. He will move to the northern settlement in late September with his wife, the former Phyllis Beardy of Big Trout Lake, Ont., and their two children. Mr. Keeper assumes his new duties following two years' experience as a liaison officer, working out of the Winnipeg office of the community development service. Percy James Bird, 33, also of Indian ancestry, has been appointed liaison officer with the department of welfare development service. He will work out of Winnipeg under the supervision of Jean H. Lagasse, director of community development. Mr. Keeper's responsibilities at Cedar Lake will be to assist, by way of economic and social self-help projects, in the re-establishment and re-location of some 600 people of Indian and Metis ancestry prior to completion of the Grand Rapids hydro electric project in 1964. The site of their present homes will be under water when the forebay area is flooded. The resettlement program c:-,11s for the establishment of a completely new Indian village on Cedar Lake to replace the present village of Chemahawin. The new village will be on the south shuro of the lake opposite Collins Island. -more- -2- FIRST INDIAN NAMED At Moose Lake, the program will involve the relocation and construction of new dwellings to replace those presently on lower levels of the lake which will be affected by the higher water. In all, 56 now homes will be built in the two areas, and an additional 54 dwellings will be moved and restored. Most of the cost of resettlement will be borne by the Manitoba Hydro, as provided in a memorandum of understanding signed between the department of mines and resources and the Manitoba hydro-eloctric board in 1960. The town-planning section of the department of industry and commerce has drawn up a plan for the new Moose Lake settlement and a plan for the Cedar Lake townsite is currently being drawn up. In addition, a new 40-mile road will connect Cedar Lake village with the Gypsumville-Grand Rapids highway. Grading of the first 20 miles of this road is already underway. "It is hoped that a community development program, commenced at this time, will help to cushion the impact of these changes -- changes that will bring much that is strange into the lives- of the people concerned," Mr. Christianson said. Mr. Keeper received his early education at Norway House and later at- tended high school at Portage Residential School, Portage la Prairie. A student at the University of Manitoba, he completed third year science studies. The new community development officer brings a wide knowledge of northern Manitoba to his new post. Ho worked as an underground miner at Flin Flan for two years and later joined the staff of the international Nickel Company, at Thompson, working there from 1957 to 1960. Mr. Keeper served with the Canadian Army, as a surveyor and field engineer, for a total 5,/21 years. His army service included 14 months in Korea and 19 months in Germany. In 1960 he was employed by the Manitoba Hydro Electric Board to take part in the water levels survey of the Grand Rapids forebay area. When the two- month survey was completed, he joined the just-formed community development ser- vice. Mr. Keeper, son of Olympic runner Joseph B. Keeper, has been an active member of the Indian council of Winnipeg's Indian and Metis Friendship Centre, and has served on numerous Indian and Metis conference committees. He was a member, for the past year, of the temporary executive of the newly-estab- lished National Indian Council. -more- -3- FIRST INDIAN NAMED Mr. Bird, who replaces Mr. Keeper as liaison officer, was born on the Sandy Lake Indian reservation near Prince Albert, Sask. He is a member of the William Charles Band,Carlton Agency. Ho received his secondary educati.m at Prince Albert Collegiate and, after working for five years in northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, enrolled at Emmanuel College, Saskatoon, for four years' theological training. Mr. Bird joined the community development service in November, 1961, as an assistant to James Whitford, community development officer at Grand Rapids. He moved to his present job in Winnipeg early in June. A father of four, he is married to the former Elizabeth Young of The Pas. -30- .