First Nations Voice

First Nations Voice March 2014

Building bridges between all communities

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MARCH 2014 • PAGE 7 The Waapshki Pinaysee Inini White Thunderbird The Waapshki Pinaysee Inini White Thunderbird Man Bursary is just the latest of Crystal Brown's Man Bursary is just the latest of Crystal Brown's varied accomplishments. The third year student in varied accomplishments. The third year student in Indigenous Studies traded her boxing gloves in for Indigenous Studies traded her boxing gloves in for books after a concussion in 2010, and she plans books after a concussion in 2010, and she plans to head to law school next. The $2,000 Waapshki to head to law school next. The $2,000 Waapshki Pinaysee Inini Bursary for Sagkeeng First Nation Pinaysee Inini Bursary for Sagkeeng First Nation students was created in 2011 by UWinnipeg students was created in 2011 by UWinnipeg President Dr. Lloyd Axworthy and his wife Denise President Dr. Lloyd Axworthy and his wife Denise Ommanney, after he became an honorary member Ommanney, after he became an honorary member of the community. It's part of the Opportunity of the community. It's part of the Opportunity Fund, an initiative to help students overcome Fund, an initiative to help students overcome economic barriers to higher education. economic barriers to higher education. Learn more at uwinnipeg.ca/opportunity-fund uwinnipeg.ca/opportunity-fund uwinnipeg.ca The Government of Manitoba has set aside $100 million in 2013-14 as part of negotiations toward a comprehensive final settlement package that would address all past and future claims related to the operation of the Fairford River Water Control Structure that flows into Lake St. Martin, Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Minister Eric Robinson announced today, adding that ensuring families displaced by unprecedented flooding in 2011 can return home to safer, better-protected communities would be a critical step toward a final settlement. "The devastating 2011 flood was on a scale never before seen in Manitoba, and the hardest-hit families have been away from their home communities for far too long," said Minister Robinson. "Many of these same families have had to endure decades of chronic flooding. This is an important step forward in ensuring they are able to return to homes that are safe from the threat of future flooding as we seek a fair resolution of historical claims for flooding dating back to the construction of the Fairford control structure in 1961." The negotiating framework for final settlement packages outlines flood mitigation measures, replacement lands and compensation for damages and infrastructure. It is being offered to cover past and future flooding for the four First Nations downstream of the Fairford control structure: Lake St. Martin, Little Saskatchewan, Dauphin River and Pinaymootang. According to federal figures, of the 1,888 Manitoba First Nation residents still displaced by the 2011 flood, over 1,600 are from these four communities. Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton noted that Manitoba has already built an emergency channel out of Lake St. Martin and plans to make that channel permanent. "For the first time in more than half a century, families living around Lake St. Martin will have the certainty of permanent flood protection in their traditional territory," said Minister Ashton. "We will also soon be able to finally correct the historical imbalance in Manitoba's flood control system that adversely impacted these four communities." Minister Robinson noted that his federal counterpart, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister Bernard Valcourt, has made a corresponding commitment to a federal contribution toward addressing the four First Nations issues relating to the Fairford River Water Control Structure. MANITOBA ADVANCES PACKAGE TO HELP GET FAMILIES DISPLACED BY 2011 FLOOD BACK HOME TO SAFER, BETTER-PROTECTED COMMUNITIES ManitobaHousingisofferingsingledetachedand semi-detachedhomesforsaleattheirfairmarket valueinAshern,Eriksdale,FisherBay,CraneRiver, Glenella,Hamiota,MacGregor,Melita,Sprague and Vassar. If you do not currently own a home or other property, you may qualify forfinancialassistance toward the purchase of one of these homes. For more information about the Rural Homeownership Program or one of these available properties: ' ") ! !! (in Winnipeg) ' ") ! * # ' $) (*$$% &($ RuralHomeownership Program An opportunity to own your own home MANITOBA HOUSING Comprehensive Offer Would Address Past, Future Issues Related to Operation of Fairford Control Structure: Minister Robinson

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