ISSUE 1
KIDS CORNER
Hey Kids!
To celebrate the kick-off of this first
newsletter we have a kids’ contest. It is
called What’s This Fish?
Kids, if you can name each fish below in
Algonquin and send your answers to
marylynnpoucachiche@gmail.com you can win
your own Fish T-shirt!
If you get the names right Marylynn will email
you back to ask what size t-shirt you are. Good
luck! We will post the names and photos of the
winners in the next newsletter.
Kekegan Camp (Bark Lake) preparing cultural
site for land based activities for ABL members
ITS YOUR BIRTHDAY!
Hey kids, if it is your birthday coming up let
Marylynn know and she will put your birthday
on the community calendar so we can say
Happy Birthday to you!
Have a great Halloween and be safe!
Mukluks hand-made by Rachel Jerome
Message from the Chief and Council
Since our term began in 2020, it has not been an
easy trail to walk. There have been many challeng- October 2022 ABL Newsletter
es but above all is the path forward to work together
to live in a healthy, harmonious, and vibrant commu-
ABL nabwodjgeywiin
nity.
Our elders have a vital role in sharing and passing
down that knowledge. Our members, including our
Youth, are our most valuable assets to carry on the
Angie Maranda and family preparing smoke meat at their family camp site Mitcikinabikok Inik values and become our future
leaders. We have a vision. Welcome to the first issue of the ABL monthly Community Newsletter. Here you
will find community news and updates from Chief and Council and departments on
ABL will build a healthy and strong community by
community projects, planning, and activity announcements. Deadlines for member
pooling our resources, sharing our skills and work-
ing co-operatively like our ancestors. A community and staff contributions are the third Thursday of each month. Please send your
where everyone is respected, well-nourished, calendar and news items to news@algonquinsofbarrierelake.com
and adequately housed, where our language and Your feedback is welcome. We’re listening. We also plan to have other forms of
education systems can thrive and healthcare and communication to promote our community. Our communications team will be
Kokom Louisa Ratt Camp Larouche with Diamond and
economic development benefits are available for
his brother, Landis. Learning how to clean “peneh” (partridge)
everyone.
launching www.algonguinsofbarrierelake.com in November.
We want balance with other land users and a
support system for our members where we together
implement a long term plan for community develop-
ment aimed at restoring and improving our social
Head start cultural activity with Gail Nottaway
and living conditions. Part of that support system is
and our young participant, Marlene. Fall 2022 getting back on the land for healing purposes. We
Bark Lake fall 2022. Shanelle, Mikis and Wabagoni
are strong on language and culture and our sacred
relationship to the land.
Net setting with elder Louisa Ratt and Norman Matchewan
As leaders of our community, there are a lot of neg-
ative impacts we have encountered over the years,
but there is also a lot of potential and opportunities
to improve our community’s well-being, and with Photo: Prefab home
that comes, improving our ways of thinking, seeing,
and doing.
HOUSING
Among our goals is to improve the delivery of
OCT/NOV 2022 our programs and services and to depoliticize
administration by bringing back the Mitchikanibikok
Implementation Agreement IA Current Housing Situation
SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT Anishinabe Onakinekewiin. Under the IA agreement, one of the main Housing has always been an issue for our
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
goals is to address the housing crisis by community and it has been the same issue
We also want to engage with external resources expanding the reserve so that the commu- over the last 20 years that we are still trying to
Cultural Break
Begins who specialize in certain skills and expertise to nity can begin to build infrastructures such accommodate our members on 59 acres. This
30 Costume Photos
31 Attention: 1 2 3 4 5 support our move forward with due diligence. Our as houses for members, offices, and a new problem has led to some of our members mov-
Pumpkin Carving
Orange Shirt 2023
Design Ideas Due
First Nations Minor
Broomball Festival
priority is to build up our own people and this coun- school building. The agreement is intended ing to nearby towns, however with rising costs
Door Decorating October 31st
Due by 12 noon Begins cil is 100% committed to creating a better future for to support our community moving to a better in urban areas our families are facing evictions,
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 our community members. place long term. and elders and members are relocating to live
First Nations Minor
Broomball Festival on the land in the family territories.
Ends Migwetc, ABL Chief and Council
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Cultural Break Ends
Back to School Kajabogineh-gabowitc
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 30
29
Rapid Lake Rest
Area Ideas Meeting
The Magnificent One
Meshkegominan - Cranberries Photo: Yourte (tent)
(Continued) Today, there are 71 houses in
our community and some houses are over 30
years old requiring much-needed repairs and/
or renovations. Most of our homes (houses)
are sheltering 1-2 families per home and our
community families are rapidly growing in num-
bers. Housing costs are on the rise, construc-
tion materials are getting more expensive and
our annual community housing budget barely
can cover the costs of an average family home.
As leaders, we acknowledge that there is a
need for major improvement and change with
regard to our current situation. There has been
work done in the past to address these issues
and we refer back to the “Global Proposal to
Rebuild community” led by late customary
Chief Harry Wawatie.
This proposal remains our community master
plan to address the community’s current
situation as it satisfies our growing need for ad-
ditional housing, new access roads, and a new
school for our children. (with the expansion)
Mitchikanibikok Inik
Phase One of Master Plan
Began in 2001
Hand-made gloves made by Rachel Jerome McGuire camp summer 2022
Detail Plan of 1st House Lot
2022/10/06
Cabonga Reservoir walleyes
2022 Woman’s fishing contest
We will provide updates in future newsletters Rapid Lake Rest Area and ABL
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT and our on-line economic development mail Involvement
outs on specific projects. If you would like to be ABL Chief and Council are working with the
We envision ABL community-economic on the economic development email list please Ministry of Quebec Transport (MTQ) and Sec-
development as a community-driven send your email to Norman at retariat of Aboriginal Affairs (SAA) on an en-
process where our members with the matchewann@gmail.com gagement arrangement to facilitate community
support of Chief and Council identify Marylynn Poucachiche is the new economic meetings on activities in relation to the project
and initiate our own solutions to eco- development assistant and can be reached at construction and long-term management and
nomic, social, and environmental marylynnpoucachiche@gmail.com ownership structure. We encourage members
issues to build a healthy, strong, and We will have our first business planning meet- to participate in these upcoming development
prosperous community today and for ing for the rest area on November 28, 2022 at meetings.
our future generations. 1 pm. We encourage all members to participate
in the session as there are many possibilities We are working with economic development
to discuss. If you have ideas please come to advisor Rosanne Van Schie ( https://www.linke-
the meeting. din.com/in/agroenergy/) on business possibili-
ties for the rest area development. Possibilities
Community Business Planning for community planning include a gas station
We are also looking at community business with Tim Hortons restaurant and craft store. A
development where ABL can build on the work hotel or motel is also a possibility. If you have
and ideas generated in the Economic and ideas for the development like a carving shed
Tourism Master Plan and the Rapid Lake Rest or maple syrup demonstration and sales build-
Area and Gas Station Project. These projects ing or something else you would like to realize
Snaw-naw-as owned Tim Hortons and gas station will require your input. To date, we are looking please come to the meeting.
at a community co-op model of development
Since our term, we have initiated support for where all profits go back to the members and
members to advance their personal business the community.
ideas to reality through business planning
support and access to Aboriginal Initiative
Funds to start your own business. To date,
we are supporting Tasha Matchewann with
Tasha’s Food truck business plan and Nikita
Wawatie with Anishinaabeauty Salon business
planning. We welcome any new business ideas
in the community and invite you to bring your
ideas forward to Chief and Council including
Norman Matchewan our Community Economic
Development Officer. Band members can
access up to 80% of the capital costs to start
your business with the Aboriginal Initiative
Fund ( version 4). This fund is on a first come
first serve basis so if you have a passion to
build your own business and success story
please reach out to us. The Quebec Secretar-
iat of Aboriginal Affairs is planning to visit the
community in November to discuss the AIF4.
Photo: Site of proposed Truck Stop/Gas Station. Photo: Steps to be completed before beginning the project.
Mukluks made by Jeanette Wawatie