ISSUE NO. 85, APRIL 2015 MARCH BREAK CAMP 2015 MNO Infi nite Reach March Break Camp participants. From left to right: Brittany Bazinet, Gabe Picard, Paul Robitaille, and Heather Van Wyck. Métis students embrace their culture and make lifelong connections during four-day retreat See pages 3 - 5 Métis artist Strawberry Métis youth helps design Ceremony seeks honoured for her TO2015 justice for Missing achievements medals & Murdered Indigenous Women 40025265 Page 10 Page 11 Page 17 M V 2 April 2015, Issue no. 85 T Youth enjoy a bonfi re at the 2015 M Métis Nation of Ontario Infi nite Reach V March Break Camp A , N. Produced by the Métis Nation of Ontario Communications Branch: Julie Cruikshank Mike Fedyk Marc St. Germain Sara Kelly Roxanne Brisson Contributors Tera Beaulieu Rachelle Brunelle-McColl Julie Druker Kelly Campagnola Cherie Dimaline Colin Field Dr. Alis Kennedy Jennifer Lafontaine Christa Lemelin Sahra MacLean Joanne Meyer Beverley Newton Jennifer Parkinson Amanda Pont-Shanks Verna Porter-Brunelle Submissions: Communications Branch Métis Nation Of Ontario 500 Old St. Patrick Street, Unit D Ottawa ON K1N 9G4 [email protected] Publication #: Pm 40025265 Submission Policy: MNO encourages contributions from MNO citizens and staff. All submissions are edited to conform to the Canadian Press Style Guide as well as for grammar, repetitiousness, spelling and to accurately refl ect the offi cial names and titles of individuals, organizations, bodies and agencies referenced in submissions. With the exception of letters to the editor and submissions to the family section, all submissions should NOT be written in the fi rst person. The recommended length for a submission is between 400 and 600 words. Submissions longer than that may be edited for length. 2015 Submission deadlines: May 15, 2015 September 4, 2015 November 1, 2015 Recently Moved or Moving Soon? Don’t forget to change your address with the Registry so that you will continue to receive your Voyageur and updated information from the MNO. Call 1-855-798-1006 ext 2 or send an email to [email protected] M V April 2015, Issue no. 85 3 NATION MARCH BREAK CAMP 2015 “Be Proud of what you learned” Métis students embrace their culture at the 2015 MNO Infi nite Reach March Break Camp by | MNO Staff his March break, 23 Métis history and a shared sense of you are going into post secondary to create a network within your participant Gerald Lavallee, who high school students, six identity and really creates a sense of education.” community and within your college spoke about the once-in-a-lifetime Infi nite Reach facilitators family and community. As well, it’s The MNO Infinite Reach of other Métis learners, and provide adventure that he took part in this and Métis Nation of really fun!” Network is comprised of Métis post- support and assistance to each other past summer. TOntario (MNO) staff gathered in Held at the Canadian Ecology secondary students who have the and to let your school community Students also participated in Mattawa to embrace their Métis Centre, the Métis Nation of Ontario common goal of working together know who the Métis people are.” activities that allowed them to culture and heritage at a retreat (MNO) Infi nite Reach March Break to enhance their post-secondary Throughout the camp students connect with their Métis roots and fi lled with jigging, campfi re socials, Camp is a four-day retreat that offers experience. The program eases participated in Métis cultural nature such as a trapping workshop wolf howls and cultural activities. a chance for youth to connect. the transition of Métis high school activities, including a workshop on led by MNO Mattawa Métis Council “It’s a unique experience. There “It is a wonderful opportunity students to post-secondary by Métis music and dance led by MNO President Nelson Montreuil. MNO is nothing like this that I’ve ever to connect with other Métis youth creating a community where they Education Offi cer Anne Trudel; a Traditional Knowledge and Land come across before,” said MNO who are going through the same can share experiences and support viewing of the documentary How Use Coordinator Katherine Stewart- Infinite Reach Facilitator Gabe experiences as you,” said returning one another in their academic the Fiddle Flows, which explores McNeil also led a workshop on Picard. “It brings so many people participant Chantelle Gouliquer pursuits. the question of what it means to Métis way of life and traditional together from so many different from Atikokan. “It also gives you Gabe explained that the MNO be Métis; and a presentation by knowledge studies. backgrounds that have a shared insight on what to expect when Infi nite Reach Network is “a way 2014 MNO Canoe Expedition (Cont’d on page 4) PCMNO Senator Verna Porter-Brunelle (L) and MNO Education Offi cer Anne Trudel (R) playing traditional music. MNO Infi nite Reach March Break Camp participant Heather Van Wyck enjoying the outdoors. March break campers learning traditional dances. M V 4 April 2015, Issue no. 85 MARCH BREAK CAMP 2015 March Break Camp participants got to experience nature and tap into their Métis pride through workshops and snowshoe hikes (Cont’d from page 3) favourite camp activity missing and murdered Aboriginal for many of the women and girls. These workshops participants was the embraced one of the main themes snow shoe hike. “Just of the camp—honouring Métis beingA outside in the woods with women and one’s self as a Métis the nature surrounding person. Cobourg us, it’s just amazing,” student Hannah Bazinet said Sudbury student This is my enjoyed the healing Melanie-Rose Frappier. third year here blankets workshop, “This is my third year which she said has here at the Infi nite Reach at the In nite helped her come to March Break Camp, and Reach March terms with some of the every time I get to learn Break Camp stuff I’ve been dealing new things.” and every time I with as a teenager.” Participant Alexandre This year also Fox McCoy had never get to learn new included workshops had the opportunity to things.” on Youth Suicide go snow shoeing before. - Melanie-Rose Prevention led by “We really got to enjoy Frappier MNO Consultant and the nature setting [and] Toronto and York really get in touch with Region Métis Council [our] nature side,” he said. President Tera Beaulieu. Tera is MNO Victims Services currently completing her PhD in Coordinator Marsha Depotier and Counselling and Psychology at the MNO Infi nite Reach March Break Camp participants Melanie-Rose Frappier (L) and Taylor Cosman (R). MNO Violence Against Aboriginal OISE-University of Toronto. Her Women Coordinator Sahra McLean research examines the supports led two Healing and Wellness and challenges of Métis traditional sessions. They focussed on Métis knowledge in addressing the life healing blankets and the Faceless transition needs (mental health, Dolls project—an art project education and employment) of originally developed by the Native urban Métis homeless peoples. Women’s Association of Canada One of her goals is to help youth that has been customized for the build and maintain self-esteem and MNO to commemorate the lives of pride in who they are as Métis MNO Infi nite Reach March Break campers participate in a traditional knowledge workshop. people and realize the strength they Market Projects Rae-Anna Gardner. can draw from their communities. Having everyone sit PCMNO Senator Verna Porter- Tera said that “one of the most together, [the youth] Brunelle and Métis Knowledge beautiful things about participating Holder Joe Paquette were also in [in the camp] is really the sense get to learn from attendance. Every morning they of community and belonging that one another and feel led the group in prayer and shared emerges organically when you bring Métis culture and heritage with Métis people together in a circle or validated in their the students. MNO Manager of in a room.” di erent experiences.” Education and Special Projects Bringing Métis youth together Scott Carpenter says that bringing - MNO Consultant and Toronto at events like this camp is key, Métis youth and elders together at according to Tera, as it allows them and York Region Métis Council events is essential. to listen and learn from one another President Tera Beaulieu “We have our elders who are and build a sense of connection and sharing their stories, and from community. together, they get to learn from one our youth come different types of “From a health and wellness another and feel validated in their questions that we have not asked in perspective we know that those are different experiences.” the past, so it challenges us to think critical pieces to achieving health Students also participated in beyond what we’ve known and and wellbeing,” said Tera. “It helps workshops that provided them encourages us to keep learning,” in breaking down that sense that I with an overview of the future job he explains. “The MNO is looking am alone, or I am isolated in my market, and information on various to our youth for the future. We’re experiences of being bullied or post-secondary opportunities and proud of who they are and what experiencing abuse or not really potential funding. March Break they’re going to be able to bring to being sure where I should go in the Camp participants also took part in the Nation as we move forward.” MNO Infi nite Reach March Break Camp participant Paul next step of my journey with respect a resumé writing workshop led by Robitaille works on his Faceless Doll project. to education. Having everyone sit MNO Interim Supervisor of Labour (Cont’d on page 5) M V April 2015, Issue no.