Category:        Administrative Support

Location:        Grand Council Treaty#3, Kenora, ON

Salary:             $25,000 – $35,000

Closing Date:  September 7, 2010

Grand Council Treaty #3 offers an exceptional opportunity for an individual with excellent organization and time management skills.  The candidate will be responsible for providing administrative, clerical and secretarial support to ensure that services are provided in an effective and efficient manner.  The individual will type correspondence, reports and other documents; maintain office files; take minutes at meetings; distribute minutes; coordinate repairs to office equipment; maintain confidential records and files; maintain records of decisions; arrange for payment of honorariums; arrange meetings, conferences and conference calls; prepare proposals: supports the efforts of the Treaty #3 youth council; be available to travel on business related trips. 

Qualifications:

A minimum of grade 12 secondary school diploma or GED; Business secretarial certificate or equivalent; Work experience may be considered; Minimum 2 years office experience; Ability to relate to youth; Able to maintain a high level of accuracy and attention to detail; possess very effective organization; time management and written communication skills; strong computer skills i.e. Word, Excel, Power Point and MS Outlook; knowledge of social and cultural aspects of First Nations; Ability to communicate in Ojibway would be considered an asset.

Applicants must clearly demonstrate in their covering letter how they meet the qualification requirements of this position.

Send application To:   Skip Gryschuk, Acting Executive Director

Grand Council Treaty 3

P.O Box 1720

Kenora, Ontario P9N 3X7

Fax:  807.548.5041

Email:  executive.director@treaty3.ca

2010-2011 After School FN Funding Proposal_2010Aug13_protected

Budget Guidelines for MHP After School Program_2010Aug13

If you have further questions or require more information please contact  Armand Jourdain Sr. or Yolanda Fobister at  the Grand Council Treaty #3 office # at 807-548-4214.

June 30, 2010

HST- What You Need To Know

Will I be exempt from the HST?

- On July 1st, the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) comes into effect in

Ontario.

- First Nation status card holders will have to pay the 13% HST for

the months of July and August only.

- Starting September 1st, First Nations status card holders will be

exempt from the 8% provincial portion of the HST at the point of

sale for eligible off-reserve purchases.

- Status card holders will be refunded the 8% provincial portion of

the HST for July and August.

- As is current practice, purchases made on reserve remain tax free.

2

How do I get my money back for purchases made in July and

August?

- Status card holders can file a refund application with the Ontario

Ministry of Revenue to get refunds for purchases made July 1st to

August 31st, 2010.

- Refund application forms may only be submitted between

September 1st, 2010 and November 1st, 2010 and must be

accompanied by:

o Original receipts

o Photocopy of both sides of the Indian Status

Card

- Refund application forms will be available after August 1st only!

- Refund application forms will be made available:

o At your Band Council Office.

o Online at the Ministry of Revenue website at

www.ontario.ca/taxchange

o By calling 1-866-ONT-TAXS (1-866-668-8297)

Where do I fax, email or mail the refund application forms?

This information will be found on the refund form.

Who should I contact if I have questions?

For more information, call 1-800-337-7222 or 1-866-668-8297 or visit

www.ontario.ca/taxchange.

GRAND COUNCIL TREATY #3 COMMENDS THE GOVERNMENT OF ONTARIO FOR MAKING GOOD ON ITS COMMITMENT TO PROTECT THE POINT OF SALE EXEMPTION BUT QUESTIONS THE “BRIDGE PROPOSAL” AND ITS IMPACT ON ELDERS AND LOW INCOME FAMILIES

NEWS

Grand Council Treaty #3 communities in Ontario rely heavily on the off-reserve stores found in Kenora, Red Lake, Fort Frances, Sioux Lookout and Dryden, Ontario.  “Our relationship with vendors in Treaty #3 territory need to be one of respect for our inherent and treaty rights,” states Chief Warren White of Naotkamegwanning First Nation.   “The Province of Ontario needs to be clear what is expected of Vendors during the two month period where the point of sale exemption should be in place but for the inability of the Canadian government to administer it.”

In the reaction to possibly losing this important accommodation of the inherent and treaty rights of the Anishinaabe communities in Treaty #3, a right for the protection of treaty property in the 55,000 square miles of the territory of the Anishinaabe, some important research was completed.   Dr. Fred Lazar highlighted how the loss of the point of sale exemption would hit already economic disadvantaged families across Ontario, but the stark results that would have befallen the Treaty #3 communities.  More than $667,000 in income, which is considered treaty property, would have been lost in Chief White’s community of Naotkamegwanning, this is income of single parent families, trapper’s, fishers, all dependent on off-reserve stores for their goods and services in the community of over 1100 people.

On September 1, 2010 both Canada and Ontario have agreed that the full implementation of the point of sale exemption would be available for Status Indians in Ontario.   This would mean that an individual with a valid Status card would not be required to pay the 8% of the HST that would be collected by the Government of Canada on behalf of Ontario within the Harmonized Sales Tax regime.    This practice has been in place since the sales tax was considered to be incapable of being levied against Status Indians more than 30 years ago because of section 91(24) of the Constitution Act, 1867 (“Indians and Lands reserved for Indians”) being Federal jurisdiction and the Federal Indian Act legislation.    This has been long-standing Federal and British policy, to protect the property of treaty Indians since the Royal Proclamation of 1763.

Ogichidaakwe Diane M. Kelly, the Grand Chief of 28 member communities associated with the Grand Council Treaty #3 is intending to take measures to ensure that the two months where it is proposed that Ontario will allow a “rebate” of any sales taxes paid by Status Indians because of the inability of fully implementing the HST point of sales exemption for Status Indians until September 1, 2010.    There is a two month window, where in fact, what Grand Council Treaty #3 demanded should not happen, will happen.   Single families, welfare recipients, traditional fishers and harvesters who can barely make ends meet because of Crown not willing to fully implement Treaty #3, will be forced to pay a 13% tax to fund Crown governments.  This is against Treaty #3 and will have an impact on the citizens of Treaty #3 communities who reside in Ontario.

Grand Council Treaty #3 had participated in the discussions over the week to negotiate this proposal and acknowledges the difficulty in achieving the full implementation of the point of sale exemption under the new regime.   At one point it was said that it would take 18 months to achieve the implementation, so it is certainly good news that the Government of Canada has committed to getting this done in 2 months.   Yet, there will still be impacts on low-income people in Ontario that hasn’t been properly accommodated over the summer.

First Nations in Ontario will continue to live under the “GST rules” of a point of sale exemption of the full Harmonized Sales Tax if the vendor delivers the good or service to a reserve.  In addition, the 13% tax is not administered by on-reserve vendors who will now have a significant competitive advantage if they had the same access to economic development funding and small business support that their off-reserve counterparts enjoy.    Grand Council Treaty #3 continues to push for more economic development funding and better employment and training programs to lift their citizens out of poverty.   Better fiscal relations between Canada, Ontario and Grand Council Treaty #3 is the end goal.

QUOTES:

“The citizens of Grand Council Treaty #3 that reside in Ontario should have confidence that every effort was taken to maintain this point of sale exemption,” stated Ogichidaakwe Diane Kelly, Grand Chief on behalf of 26 First Nations in Northwestern Ontario.  “We were extremely fortunate to find a path towards protecting the property of our citizens which is a treaty right in Treaty #3.   The point of sale exemption is key First Nations policy in Ontario and honours the commitment of the Crown to protect the interests of Treaty #3 communities as long as the sun shines and the grass grows, that is to say forever.”

“We will continue to advocate for a full implementation of Treaty #3 and a better understanding of the treaty by these Crown governments,” vows Grand Chief Diane Kelly.  “While we achieved maintaining the status quo, we need to serve notice to both Crown Governments that they ignore our rights and interest to the peril of the economy of Northwestern Ontario.   Couchiching First Nation proved that direct action worked, the First Nations in Ontario proved that direct action can move mountains in the HST battle, and it is a shame that the tool of last resort must be resorted to so much with the present Governments of Ontario and Canada.   Just and lasting reconciliation policy needs to have the fuller attention of these Crown representatives.”

For more information contact:  Darlene Curci, political.office@treaty3.ca  Telephone:  (807) 548-4214

Website:  http://www.treaty3.ca

The Child and Family Services Act (CFSA) require the MinisterChildren and Youth Services to review the Act and publicly report the results of the review every five years.the last review, a new provision was included (Sect 226) that requires the Ministry to seek input from First Nations Leadership, Aboriginal Organizations and Children’s Aid Societies on scheduled reviews of the CFSA.Section. 226 requires Child Welfare agencies “when providing services to a person who is an Indian or native persons or in respect of children who are Indian or native persons, with a view to ensuring compliance by societies (agencies) with those provisions.”

Once MYCS announced the review in December 2009, discussions and coordination were underway with GCT3 and the two Anishinaabe Child Care Agencies, Weechi-it-te-win Family Services and Anishinaabe Abinoojii Family Services to ensure that the scope of the project was covered by all parties and minimal duplication and overlap occurred. In February 2010, GCT3 received formal confirmation of funding from MCYS and the project was brought to the Treaty #3 Chiefs Committee on Social Sustainability for direction and guidance to completing the project as per the GCT3 Engagement Strategy. Next, consultations were completed with the Chiefs of the First Nation communities of Grand Council Treaty #3. Interviews were conducted with seven questions of the service and service delivery to First Nation children and families.

A preliminary report of findings was brought back to the Chiefs Committee for discussion and direction. Also invited attendees to the Chiefs meeting were the representatives from WFS and AAFS who provided an overview of their respective completed reports.

It was strongly and consistently identified that the compliancy of the Child and Family Services Act for non-Native CAS’s were not met and those services provided by the Native CAS excelled. These disparities exist even though there are historic inadequacies of lack of funding to the Native Child Welfare Agencies, which provide the Service in a manner that is consistently considered positive by the Community. Finally, the support of the federal and provincial leadership is required to continue to improve the care and service to the communities, families and children of Treaty #3.

Treaty#3 Women’s Council

On March 5, 2010, the Grand Council Treaty#3 Women’s Council and staff attended the Greenwood Inn in Winnipeg for a Strategic Planning Session facilitated by Diane Redsky. Sasakwe-Gagido-Ikweg (Giving Life to our Voice ) was a two year plan to assist the women in moving forward. Members of the Women’s Council are: Ogichidaakwe Diane M. Kelly, Joanne Petiquan-Moore, Karen Kejick, Darlene Paypompee and Judy Morrison.

Gender Equity in Indian Registry Act

In April 2009 the Court of Appeal for British Columbia ruled in the case of McIvor v. Canada that the Indian Act discriminates between men and women with respect to registration as an Indian and violates the equality provisions in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In its ruling, the Court gave Parliament one year to amend the provisions of the Indian Act that were found to be unconstitutional.

In order to comply with the Court of Appeal’s decision, the Government of Canada has moved forward with legislative amendments to certain registration provisions of the Indian Act.

The proposed amendments to the Indian Act will only extend registration to eligible grandchildren of women who lost status as a result of their marriage to a non-Indian man before April 17, 1985.

First Nations Citizens in 60s scoop Litigation

In Toronto April 26-29, 2010 the case launched by Marcia Brown (Martel) and Robert Commanda is being heard by a Judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. The purpose of those hearings is for the Judge to hear arguments presented by both plaintiffs to have this case proceed as a class action. If the Court rules in their favour, then they may be “representative plaintiffs” representing a large number of persons all of whom had a common experience and seek the same judicial remedy.

Anishinaabe Family Services and Weechi-it-te-win Family Services and Treaty #3 shared in the cost of a bus to allow individuals to hear the case in Toronto.
Many First Nations families and communities have lost children as a result of the Sixties Scoop, many of whom never came home. The Ontario Chiefs in Assembly passed a resolution in November 2008 in support of holding government accountable for the 60s Scoop.

Band By-Law Project Initiative

The objective of the initiative was to develop common First Nation band by-laws and rebuild Treaty#3 First Nations law-making capacities. A Band or First Nation By-Law is a local law passed by Chief and Council and is only applicable on-reserve.

In an effort to collect the existing by-laws in the Treaty#3 First Nations, outreach to the communities began with a written request to all Treaty#3 Chiefs of all existing by-laws. Follow-up calls were made thereafter to each community. Where initial contact was unsuccessful or where communities did not respond a community visit was arranged.

Out of twenty one communities where the project was able to make contact eleven confirmed that they had by-laws and ten did not. Two communities identified that they did not wish to participate. By-laws received to date can be categorized in the area of health, traffic, law and order, zoning, intoxicants and trespassing.

A proposal submission has been made to carry on the work for the 2010-2011 fiscal year which would provide an opportunity for communities to work with the elders, Treaty#3 police and justice officials in reviewing the draft template by-laws and developing a strategy for implementation. One of the key frustrations identified by communities has been the issue of enforcement and prosecution of band by-laws.

Disabilities Meeting

On March 15, 2010 Grand Council Treaty#3 hosted an initial meeting for disabilities. The purpose of the meeting was identify issues that required the advocacy of leadership and information to be brought to Assembly. Individuals affected by a disability face many challenges in their day to day living. Some of the key issues identified were the need for improved transportation services, need for improved support/respite services, accessibility in their home and their community, and barriers to employment.

There are future meetings required to begin to propose solutions for the identified issues and begin to prepare a lobby kit for the Chiefs. One of the key tasks at the office is to begin to collect information which is Treaty#3 specific to ensure an effective lobby.

Commission to Promote Sustainable Child Welfare

In June 2009, the Ministry of Children and Youth Services announced the creation of a Commission to Promote Sustainable Child Welfare. The Commission has retained Ms. Ene Underwood, Mr. Barry Lewis and Dr. Wendy Thomson to carry out the Commission’s mandate. The Commission has the capacity to explore a variety of strategies, including the establishment of performance measures and targets, changes to Ministry and CAS business processes, effective accountability structures between the Ministry and CASs, policy changes, supporting consolidation planning, and issues on other parts of the children’s system. Given the wide reaching mandate and authority of the Commission, Ogichidaakwe Diane M. Kelly and the respective child welfare agencies in Treaty#3 advised the Commission on the proper protocols to consult Treaty#3 leadership and the agencies prior to engaging in their work in the Treaty #3 territory.

Self-delivery as an option for full exemption of the 13% HST.   The Province is working with First Nations on exempting “Status Indians” with Certificates of Indian Status (“Status Card”) of the 8% portion of the HST.  In lieu of a final agreement with First Nations in Ontario, a rebate program is being negotiated.  Grand Council Treaty #3 demands that the HST not be administered through a rebate system, which will be common to all Ontarians in the transition to the HST.  The Grand Council Treaty #3 has been consistently advocating for the Point of Sale exemption and is requesting that Northwestern Ontario merchants and municipalities join in their cause.

“Are we to support governments that consistently fight our claims and interests?” asks Ogichidaakwe Diane Kelly.  ”We have full government jurisdiction in our territory and the citizens living within the 55,000 square miles of our territory, we never created a tax treaty with Canada or any other government,” she explains.   “The HST should not be administered in our territory in such a way to circumvent our place in this territory as the original government who signed a Treaty with the Queen of England.”

“Further,” states the Grand Chief of the Anishinaabe Nation in Treaty #3, “until the treaty is fully implemented we have arguments that our share has been paid in full, many times over with the treaty obligations of Canada being ignored and disrespected.”   Over 30 million ounces of gold has been illegitimately taken from the territory without any benefit, yet a benefit sharing agreement was promised in Treaty #3.  To date, little to no benefit sharing has been given to the Treaty #3 communities for almost 140 years of resource extraction.

An earlier media release follows below.

In March 2009, both the Federal and Provincial governments announced a Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) goal within Ontario and set a unilateral deadline of July 1, 2010 for implementation. Grand Council Treaty 3, joined all Ontario First Nations in criticizing both the process and policy behind the announcement. Fundamentally, these governments intend to infringe inherent jurisdiction and the treaty relationship through the HST initiative.

Section 87 of the federal Indian Act has long-stood for a treaty promise of protecting the inherent jurisdiction of First Nations and their traditional governments. Grand Council Treaty 3 is the historic, traditional government that has pre-existed Canada and any European contact within the area now known as Northwestern Ontario and eastern Manitoba. The 55,000 square miles of Anishinaabe territory, also known as Treaty 3 territory, has always been governed by the Anishinaabe Nation of the Grand Council that surrounded Rainy Lake, Lake of the Woods and the English River watersheds.

The expectation for any Federal-Provincial initiative that could impact the ability of the Grand Council Treaty 3 to govern within Treaty 3, is that a government to government process would be jointly determined and implemented by the parties within the treaty framework. Unilateralism has been largely criticized by Canadian Courts and been replaced with regimes of Consultation policies and accommodation frameworks.

The ability of Treaty 3 citizens to utilize their Status Cards to receive point-of-sale exemptions on provincial taxes is more than symbolic of sovereignty, it is a practical and real act of sovereignty by citizens of the Grand Council. Representatives of the Grand Council Treaty 3 in 1873 said that they would only sign Treaty 3 as a Nation, and that the Queen’s representatives were only to negotiate with the Nation and not individual communities. This important jurisdiction to negotiate treaties and to govern the territory has always been held by the Grand Council Treaty 3, since time immemorial.

Billions of dollars in resources have been extracted from the 55,000 square miles of Treaty 3 territory which was instrumental for investment into Canadian Confederation, and was done in a manner that ignored the promises made in Treaty 3, and this policy had been described as “economic apartheid.” The citizens of Treaty 3 could not hire lawyers to fight for their rights, were not party to the St. Catherine’s Milling case which narrowly interpreted Treaty 3, and could not even purchase licenses to extract resources. This apartheid-like policy made it impossible for the Anishinaabe to share in the wealth of the territory in the twentieth-century.

A Political Statement by the Grand Council Treaty 3 on the HST was delivered to Minister Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance for the Government of Canada today in Kenora, Ontario.

QUOTES:

“The PST exemption is not merely symbolic, but in two important ways, it tells the rest of Canada that we are both sovereign and distinct peoples in this region. The Point of Sale exemption stands in the way of asking for more revenues from a group of people largely marginalized through the treaty history of Ontario.” explains Deputy Grand Chief Simon Fobister of Grassy Narrows First Nation. “Ontario has unjustly enriched itself over more than 120 years and now wants to administrate the HST, illegally, to collect taxes from the citizens of Treaty 3 to support activities that clearly discourage treaty implementation and adversely impact our rights and interests.”

For more information contact:

Website: http://www.treaty3.ca

“STRENGTHENING THE NATION AND BEING UNIFIED IN ACTION”

South Beach Casino and Resort, Brokenhead Ojibway Nation

Monday-Tuesday, March 29-30, 2010

DRAFT AGENDA

9:00 Welcome by Ogichidaakwe Kelly

9:30 Overview of the Agenda: Chair Joan Jack

Opening comments by Chiefs in Assembly

10:15 a.m. Action Plan on Treaty Right to Education: Roundtable

12 noon Lunch provided

12:45 p.m. Break

1 p.m. Fiscal Relations with the Governments of Canada, Ontario and Manitoba

- Sara Mainville

2 p.m. General Discussion on GCT3 Strategy and Sustainability of GCT3 operations

2:20 p.m. Break

2:30 p.m. Action Plan on Co-management and the Grand Council Treaty #3

(Roundtable)

3:30 p.m. Break

5 p.m. Dinner and Entertainment

7 p.m. Don Burnstick, Comedian

TREATY #3 CHIEFS RETREAT

STRENGTHENING THE NATION AND BEING UNIFIED IN ACTION

South Beach Casino and Resort, Brokenhead Ojibway Nation

DAY 2 – MARCH 30, 2010

DRAFT AGENDA

9:00 Overview of the Agenda by Chair, Joan Jack

9:30 Welcoming by Minister Eric Robinson, Province of Manitoba (TBC)

10:15 a.m. Action Plan on Resource Revenue Sharing throughout Territory (Roundtable)

- Implementation of Manito Aki Inakonigaawin

- Overview of Regulation 2010-1

12 noon Lunch provided

12:45 p.m. Break

1 p.m. Economic and Social Sustainability Actions Plans (Roundtable)

2 p.m. Break

2:15 p.m. Cultural Sustainability Action Plan (Roundtable)

3:30 p.m. Closing and Next Steps