Treaty Relations

trcm.ca 3 Treatiesarelivingdocumentsthatendurebeyondthetimesinwhichtheywerewritten.Theyrepresent Treatiesarelivingdocumentsthatendurebeyondthetimesinwhichtheywerewritten.Theyrepresent aperpetualandsolemnobligationtoobservetherightsandprivilegesofthesignatoriesinlawand aperpetualandsolemnobligationtoobservetherightsandprivilegesofthesignatoriesinlawand spirit. Asunionorganizations,AlliedHydroCouncilanditsaffiliatedpartnersareproudtorepresent spirit. Asunionorganizations,AlliedHydroCouncilanditsaffiliatedpartnersareproudtorepresent First Nations workers at Keeyask and Keewatinohk. Through training and employment support, First Nations workers at Keeyask and Keewatinohk. Through training and employment support, wewillcreatealegacythathelpsAboriginalworkersrealizethepromiseenshrinedineachTreaty. wewillcreatealegacythathelpsAboriginalworkersrealizethepromiseenshrinedineachTreaty. 100-605 rue Des Meurons, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2H 2R1 (204) 956-7425 100-605 rue Des Meurons, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2H 2R1 (204) 956-7425 H umour. Who would think it's the bridge we need to get us all talking. but for two Manitobans – one a standup comedian; the other a university professor, laughter is just the ticket for building healthier relationships and successful partnerships. Comedian Chad Anderson believes that if we can't laugh at our problems, then we're not going to solve them. So when he takes the stage at Rumor's Comedy Club or the Comedy Festival, he's not afraid, as a member of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, to let his cultural roots show. Anderson now has a comedy bit that plays off the audience's response to his statement that the Maclean's article was right on the money. That leads to what some will consider a rather risqué conversation about stereotypes. But to him, it's all in good fun and it's important. "I was guilty of believing that all Asian people were good at computers and math," he quips. "That's not a horrible stereotype to have about your culture — I would kill to have that stereotype, that all Aboriginal people are smart." At the University of Manitoba, assistant professor Cathy Rocke's research and recent publication, The Use of Humour to Help Bridge Cultural Divides: An Exploration of a Workplace Cultural Awareness Workshop, is much more serious. Still, it too is based on the premise that humour can ease tensions and create a safe atmosphere for addressing difficult issues in an open dialogue. Stories featuring Chad and Cathy and the efforts of countless others across Manitoba who are creating stronger relationships and successful partnerships between Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals are at the heart of this special supplement. Created jointly by the Winnipeg Free Press and the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, we invite you to read on and learn more about so many who are making such a difference throughout Manitoba. Entitled "Sharing in Success," this magazine builds on the long history of partnerships between First Nations and Europeans in Canada. In fact, the joint venture experiences, gained over hundreds of years, helped shape the settlement of Canada, the Treaty process and even some ventures still on the go today. Starting with the fur trade, which was definitely two sided, historian Arthur Ray describes it as "Canada's first transcontinental resource extraction industry." led for many years by Aboriginal entrepreneurs, not only was the fur trade one of the most influential economic partnerships in Canada, it also laid the foundation for the longest surviving retailer in North America — the Hudson's Bay Company. While relationships between First Nations and non- First Nations have not always been equal, there are many saying that there's a cultural revitalization underway in Manitoba and that the best is yet to come as we openly strive to create stronger, more unified communities. On page 13, make sure to read about Alex Knott; the once shy student from Teulon who gained confidence learning about his proud First Nations roots through the Treaty Education Initiative. With just a bit of encouragement, he has grown into a self-assured young man capable of empowering audiences of thousands. On the economic side, read about Fisher River Cree Nation's partnership with the University of Winnipeg and plans to build an organic fish fertilizer plant. Not only will it create jobs and opportunities, it will also play an important environmental role in freeing our waterways of this invasive species. The partnership between TRCM and the Free Press is developing a new path to showcase that like never before, working together in many different ways, First Nations and non-First Nations are succeeding together. With young leaders like Michael Champagne or the students leading the START movement or thousands of others involved in the Cool-2Be-Kind campaign, things are changing. If we do nothing else, we should allow ourselves to be led by our young people who are willing to shake the bonds of negativity and misunderstanding by drawing on our mutually shared and successful history together. In that, there is endless potential. ❚ James Wilson is the Treaty Commissioner of the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, a neutral body mandated to strengthen, rebuild and enhance the Treaty relationship and mutual respect between all Manitobans. On Twitter @jamesbwilson_ Feel free to share this publication with others by accessing the electronic version of "Sharing in Success" found on the website of the Winnipeg Free Press. winnipegfreepress.com/publications SHARING IN SUCCESS WORkING TOGETHER TO CREATE STRONGER COMMUNITIES By James Wilson

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