NEWSMAGRENFREW

PHOTO GALLERY BELOW

They had me at the opening prayer.

I first came across it maybe thirty-five years ago, back in North Bay, where an Ojibway reserve was right next to the city, its residents an integrated part of the place. As well, many Indigenous children from northern reserves attended the same high school as I did, so there was a Native presence in my school that exposed the rest of us to aspects of First Nations culture.

It was Chief Dan George who introduced me to the Creator Prayer, not in person mind you, but through a VHS video tape I was viewing while studying English as a Second Language at Nipissing University.

Continue reading →

Two busy men coming together on a hot Saturday morning to discuss the common good. One, the Warden of Renfrew County, was on his way to the AMO, a conference of all Ontario municipalities in Ottawa. The other, a late-to-the-party hobby journalist, was attempting to give off the impression of being busy by attending a pow-wow hosted by the Algonquins of Pikangikum.

Time was short, so I, the hobby journalist, wanted to get as much information about VTAC as I could, thankful that I had the opportunity in the first place, albeit brief.

The result is informative and engaging, all the result of the Warden illuminating the back story of VTAC, something important to every resident in this County.

While not my original intent, I’ve decided, with permission, to post the entire 18 minute conversation, because I think people need to hear, and need to know how this thing got started, how it was nurtured and implemented, and what the track record might be to date.

Continue reading →