Latest news with #Gull-Masty
National Observer
10 hours ago
- General
- National Observer
One in seven First Nations impacted as Canada battles raging wildfires
As wildfires scorch Canada amid its second-worst wildfire season on record, Indigenous leaders and experts say the country's approach remains reactive — leaving Indigenous communities disproportionately vulnerable. At a Monday press conference, federal officials reported that 707 wildfires are currently active nationwide. The extreme fire activity has strained firefighting resources, prompting Canada to deploy over 560 international firefighters from six countries alongside Canadian personnel. This situation is particularly dire for Indigenous communities. Jen Baron, a postdoctoral researcher and incoming assistant professor at the University of British Columbia's Centre for Wildfire Coexistence, said this year's fires are occurring in regions such as Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Maritimes, where such large-scale activity has been less common historically. Many First Nations communities are 'overexposed and underserved.' Remote, fly-in communities with minimal access routes face significant risks in evacuation and recovery. The infrastructure gaps make an already dangerous situation much worse, Baron said. Since April 1, 165 emergency events have affected 134 First Nations, resulting in 88 evacuations. Currently, 25 Indigenous communities continue to battle wildfires, with 12,000 members still displaced, primarily in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Atlantic Canada, said Mandy Gull-Masty, Minister of Indigenous Services Canada at the press conference. One in seven First Nations in Canada have been evacuated this season, said Niigaan Sinclair, an Indigenous scholar and commentator. 'That's hotels, emergency services, Red Cross — people are being moved out of their homes on an unprecedented scale,' he said. 'Many evacuees face substandard food and lack crucial wraparound services when placed in hotels. You can't just dump people into unfamiliar urban settings without support, especially when there is a long history of trauma, poverty and health challenges.' 'We need resources ready before emergencies happen,' said Niigaan Sinclair, an Indigenous scholar and commentator. Kyra Wilson, grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, at a press conference on Aug. 8 said the insufficient support for evacuees, including shortages of food and inadequate shelter, is unacceptable, citing long delays from agencies like the Red Cross. 'I know of situations where families are put in hotels and they've been living on microwavable Kraft dinners because they don't have a kitchen and there's no restaurant in the hotel,' she said. Gull-Masty said the government is funding over 300 emergency management roles within First Nations, tribal councils and Indigenous organizations nationwide. 'This investment in local leadership and preparedness is the key to stronger, safer communities,' Gull-Masty said. Sinclair said the wildfire response continues to focus on firefighting and evacuations after disasters strike, rather than investing early in community capacity and infrastructure. 'We need resources ready before emergencies happen,' he said. Wilson agreed, pointing to the lack of local firefighters and support for them. 'We have people in communities that can fight these fires, and they're not allowed to. Why do we not have people in our communities that are trained to fight the fires? Why do we have to expect anybody outside our communities to come and save us? We can save ourselves,' she said. Some federal investments have targeted these gaps. This week, officials announced a $540,000 commitment to two wildfire training programs: $335,000 for the Yorkton Tribal Council in Saskatchewan to support the training of 35 new volunteer firefighters, and just over $200,000 for the Rural Municipality of Piney in Manitoba to train up to 60 individuals. These efforts are part of a larger $28 million effort aiming to train more than 1,000 wildland firefighters by 2028, with a focus on rural and Indigenous communities.
Hamilton Spectator
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Minister Mandy Gull-Masty has made a career out of beating the odds
At just 14 years old, an age when most are worried about high school, Minister Mandy Gull-Masty was facing the challenges that come with being a mother. 'I was like every regular teenager, I had my own issues,' Gull-Masty said. 'I didn't always make the best decisions, mine turned into being a teen mom.' But the resourceful and determined teenager from Waswanipi, Quebec, would quickly learn that life is all about making the most out of her circumstances. As the first Indigenous Minister of Indigenous Services Canada, and the first woman to be elected to the office of Grand Chief of Eeyou Istchee before that, Gull-Masty has made a career out of beating the odds. Now she hopes her journey can inspire other Indigenous women to pursue a career in politics. But all of this was all still a lifetime away for the young Gull-Masty. Following high school, Gull-Masty aspired to follow in her mother's footsteps, who was a secretary for the local band council in Waswanipi. 'Seeing my mother in that role, where community members were coming to her, other employees were coming to her. … 'was like, wow, she is really in a role where she's able to help everybody,'' Gull-Masty said. 'So, I want to be like my mom.' As the mother of two young children, Gull-Masty was determined to set a positive example for them by attending university. 'Something about having them in my life made me hyper aware of the responsibility of caring for somebody,' Gull-Masty said. 'And I think that transferred into my career path as well.' It was her mother who first encouraged her to enter Cree politics, remembering how deeply invested she was in the affairs of the band council politics as a child. 'I remember talking to her on the phone and saying, 'Mom, no way,'' Gull-Masty said. 'There's no way that would ever happen. People would never vote for me.' Gull-Masty admits she was hesitant to run at first, worried about her past and that her limited Cree language skills, stemming from a childhood spent in the south, would automatically discredit her in the eyes of many voters. But her mother reminded her that, at least the latter, could be fixed with a little bit of effort. 'The Cree foundation is in your mind,' Gull-Masty recalled her mother telling her. 'You just have to exercise your language ability and it will come back. It will strengthen.' Then word got around in the tight knit community of Waswanipi, and soon after, others in the community began to approach her saying the same thing. 'It snowballed when somebody heard that and came to see me and said, 'you know, Mandy, we think that you could do this and we want to support you,'' Gull Masty said. When Gull-Masty became the first woman to be elected the Grand Chief of Eeyou Istchee, 20 years after the last woman held the position by appointment, she saw it as an opportunity to open political spaces for Indigenous women. Terrellyn Fearn, Project Director at the Turtle Island Institute for Indigenous Science, said that systemic reform and cultural shifts are needed to make room for Indigenous women in leadership. 'Reconciliation in politics is more than just land acknowledgements' Fearn said. 'It means creating space for Indigenous women to lead, to be grounded in feminine thought and contribution.' Three years into her term, Gull-Masty organized a Women's Leadership Conference aimed at helping Indigenous women enter politics. Gull-Masty recalls they had initially hoped for 40 attendees at most, only for more than 300 to show up, from every Indigenous nation in Quebec, including the Inuit. 'We even had to turn people away at the door because the hotel was upset that we were reaching the maximum capacity for the fire codes,' Gull-Masty said. Irene Neeposh, chief of the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi, was part of a wave of female chiefs across Eeyou Istchee who were inspired to enter politics by Gull-Masty example. 'I think the inspiration that I hope that Indigenous people can find from this, I think I hope it'll be a positive one and one to encourage our I would say duty to spread out,' Neeposh said. 'If we want change, we can't sit on the sidelines.' Before Gull-Masty's election, only two of the 22 council representatives in the Cree nation were women. By the end of her term, over half of the council was made up of women. Now, as the Member of Parliament for Abitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik–Eeyou, she hopes to expand that example onto a national scale. For Joshua Loon, a Cree father of two young girls, Gull-Masty's leadership brings a sense of pride. 'I want my children to recognize who they are as Cree women,' Loon said. Gull-Masty hopes her appointment sends a message, not just to Cree, but to Indigenous women across the country, that change is possible. 'Statistically I was a teen mom, I should not be where I am,' Gull-Masty said. 'Statistically, as an Indigenous woman in Canada, the level of harm that could happen to me, is pretty high. So, I don't think there are any barriers in life that are too high if you want to achieve something. The strength in you and resilience you have as a woman can take you into any spaces you want to be in it.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
01-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Digging for Opportunity – Crees take greater role in mining industry
With Eeyou Istchee recognized as a top-tier global mining destination, Cree leaders are now more visible at influential industry events. A pragmatic approach to government-industry collaboration has enabled extensive Cree participation in the region's exploration and extraction projects. At the Resourcing Tomorrow conference in London last December, former Grand Chief Mandy Gull-Masty emphasized that as sustainability is central to project development, collaboration must focus on mitigating long-lasting impacts while promoting development opportunities and knowledge sharing with community members. 'Engaging early with the Indigenous community allows for the protection of your investment,' Gull-Masty asserted. 'It removes barriers to communication and surprises in the project management chain. Social acceptability begins with the point of contact.' Most companies operating in Eeyou Istchee today appear to have learned that lesson, partnering with communities to overcome resistance and engage local workforces. Ahead of a copper-gold exploration drilling campaign near Chibougamau this year, Cygnus Metals sponsored events and identified community priorities in Ouje-Bougoumou. 'Working with the community for a project that benefits them as well is important,' said Nick Kwong, the company's chief operating officer. 'It's producing well-paying, long-term jobs, building that training so the next generations can be part of the workforce. What's really nice in Ouje, there's a new training centre that was just built last year.' At the CIM Connect conference in Montreal May 4-7, Kwong worked with Jarris Gull, director of mining services at Waswanipi's Asinii Consulting. Waswanipi Development Corporation president Marcel Happyjack delivered a presentation about a transmission line the community built to connect the Windfall mine to the Hydro-Québec grid. Working relationships with mining companies have changed immensely since the Cree Mineral Exploration Board (CMEB) was created out of the Paix des Braves agreement in 2002. Its efforts at bridging companies with communities were acknowledged with a sustainable development award at the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association's gala in November. 'I've made conferences and presentations in Alberta, BC, Australia about how the Crees are doing,' said Youcef Larbi, CMEB chief geologist and director general. 'The Crees are doing very well because they thought about good strategy from the beginning, benefiting from this development that's going to happen anyways.' Noting violent confrontations worldwide between mining companies and Indigenous communities, Larbi suggested that Billy Diamond wisely negotiated a compromise with developers in the 1970s while the more resistant neighbouring Algonquins have remained relatively impoverished. With about 630 active projects in Eeyou Istchee, CMEB's mandate is to highlight the region's mineral potential while guiding exploration companies in respecting the people, culture and land. While mining claims are filed across nearly the whole territory, there are currently only about 30 significant projects. 'There are a thousand projects before you get one off the ground,' Larbi explained. 'We have seven Cree exploration companies and 30 Cree prospectors on the land, all of them independent. The Australians can't be here, so they deal with our companies.' After new provincial regulations introduced last year, exploration companies must apply for authorization to carry out work like excavation or rock stripping that impacts the land. The CMEB communicates extensively with the Cree Trappers' Association about activities on the land while promoting the hiring of Crees to increase social acceptability. Although gold was CMEB's initial focus, lithium is increasingly important and, despite Stornoway's bankruptcy, a huge diamond deposit remains. Altogether, Larbi estimated that less than 200 Crees work directly in mining, which he suggested wasn't necessarily bad because 'mines are not a way of life' and rarely active more than 15 years. He believes their geology program at Centre d'études collégiales à Chibougamau in partnership with Apatisiiwin Skills Development (ASD) offers more empowering career opportunities. Although the challenging program's success rate is less than half, graduates are in high demand. ASD provides training funds and salary subsidies to promote Cree employment in the industry, working with companies to support Cree capacity building and developing courses to meet specific needs through the Cree School Board. At the Éléonore goldmine on Wemindji territory, the Opinagow Collaboration Agreement signed in 2011 states a goal of employing as many Crees as possible. Although Newmont sold the mine to Dhilmar in November, regular on-site training programs should continue. At the end of 2024, 53 of its 807 employees were Cree. 'They're predominantly heavy equipment operators,' said ASD program manager Stephane Petawabano. 'Unfortunately, the current workforce isn't too happy regarding their promotional opportunities. They see their peers climb the ladder faster, which is concerning.' With Cree turnover at the mine three times higher than average, a recent employee retention report revealed allegations of stereotypical attitudes and favouritism affecting promotions. The report addressed cultural communication differences and the challenges of being far from family. 'Some guys don't like working with women,' said Mary-Jane Rabbitskin. 'Some guys talked in French on the radio [thinking she couldn't understand] and I responded back. That's when they got quiet. I think for some Crees they put down their confidence – they can't get me.' Rabbitskin was one of only four Crees selected from 200 applicants for Éléonore's semi-annual training program. She thinks the other woman in her cohort quit after some explosives blasting underground were too close for comfort. With experience driving 12-wheelers in Chisasibi, Rabbitskin enjoyed driving all types of trucks in the mine. 'I got to drive 45-ton and 60-ton trucks underground,' Rabbitskin said. 'At first it was scary because it was so dark – it was really deep. But I was confident and good at it and I'm going back again.' She'll initially be working above-ground with Tawich Construction when returning to the site next month. Saying that there's demand for drivers at the Galaxy lithium mine near Km381 of the Billy Diamond Highway, Rabbitskin appealed for more women to join the profession. 'In Chisasibi, people are so proud to see a woman be a truck driver and I'd like to see that in the mining industry,' said Rabbitskin. 'I've always been all alone. I see little girls wanting me to use the biggest horn and I get so proud. A woman told me her girl saw me and wants to be a truck driver too.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
30-05-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Nunavut health minister eyes ‘fresh start' with federal government
With a new leader at Indigenous Services Canada, Nunavut Health Minister John Main is hoping for a 'fresh start' with the federal agency as the Government of Nunavut seeks a deal to fund the Non-Insured Health Benefits program. Main will head to Ottawa next week after this legislative sitting ends on June 3. He hopes to meet with Mandy Gull-Masty, the new Indigenous Services minister , who earned the cabinet position following her victory in the Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou riding in last month's federal election. Securing federal funding for NIHB — a program that covers costs such as medical travel and dental and vision care for Nunavut Inuit — is what Main says is his top priority. The GN's previous NIHB funding agreement with Indigenous Services Canada expired at the end of March. Since then, the Health department has been in what Main called a 'holding pattern,' in seeking an agreement for a new deal. 'There is some hope there that with the new minister, we'll see a change in the approach,' Main said, describing Gull-Masty as 'a minister who is intimately familiar with northern life.' Main said it's important that Indigenous Services Canada properly funds NIHB because it is a federal program which the GN administers for Ottawa. Without full funding, the Health department is forced to eat into its own $580-million operating budget to cover shortfalls. Main has previously threatened to return administration of the program to the federal government if a deal can't be reached. 'We need to be devoting our energy to other things that are more important, such as better diagnosis and screening for cancers, better mental health treatments for Nunavut residents, better infrastructure to provide for their needs at the community level,' he said. The Health department is seeking a $236-million commitment from Indigenous Services Canada to cover the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026. The previous funding agreement was $190 million over two years, which expired March 31. But, Main said, 'The biggest figure that we continue to mention is 100, as in 100 per cent of the cost needs to be covered by the agency that owns the program, which is Indigenous Services Canada.' Nunatsiaq News requested an interview with Gull-Masty. Staff at Indigenous Services Canada acknowledged the request, but as of Friday neither Gull-Masty nor the department have responded to Main's recent comments. Main said he hopes the next NIHB commitment provides more long-term certainty because previous territorial health ministers have had to deal with the same challenge. 'When you see a repetition or you see a pattern that keeps coming up and taking up a lot of resources and energy, it makes you wonder: Isn't there a better way to solve this problem?' he said. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Exclusive interview with Canada's first Indigenous minister of Indigenous Services
Mandy Gull-Masty has just made history as the first Indigenous person to take on the role of Canada's minister of Indigenous Services. She now steps into a position that directly shapes how programs and support are delivered to First Nations, Inuit and Métis people across the country. A member of the Cree Nation from Waswanipi in northern Quebec, and a former grand chief of Eeyou Istchee, Gull-Masty's appointment is a milestone for Indigenous representation at the highest levels of federal government. She takes on a portfolio fraught with deep challenges. Her ministry is responsible for matters like reforming the child welfare system, closing the infrastructure gap and ensuring clean drinking water and equitable services for Indigenous communities — issues that have long been points of contention between Indigenous leaders and the federal government. 'The expectation is very high of myself to ensure that I am being a role model and bringing Indigenous representation and an Indigenous voice to this space and cabinet,' said Gull-Masty. In an exclusive interview with Canada's National Observer, Gull-Masty describes how her experience as a recipient of Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) programs shapes her decision-making, how Indigenous knowledge informs her climate priorities, the immense pressure and historical significance of her role and her approach to incorporating Indigenous perspectives into federal policy. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. You've lived on the receiving end of these systems, and now you're leading one. How does that experience shape the way you make decisions? Being on the other side of the table as a recipient of the services that come from their department from two former ministers that I had a really good working relationship with, I can say that I felt supported as a client. I came into joining the Liberal Party because of how good that relationship was with the minister. In terms of ISC itself, I was the one signing the forms, but my staff always said this could be a lot more simple. [There is] a lot of bureaucracy, a lot of different steps to follow. These are some of the same things I've heard from other chiefs. So, for me, I think it's going to be really what this Mark Carney-led government is looking at: efficiency; offering a quality service; respectful of their culture, respectful of their identity, and that it is in true partnership with them. As the first Indigenous minister of Indigenous services, you carry many hopes and pressures — from Indigenous communities, government and the public. What is the hardest part of holding that responsibility every day? The pressure is incredibly high. The pressure is high because I think the expectation is high from those who I will serve. My focus is really for it to be carried out in a good way. And I have to share that I had one of my first meetings with an Indigenous leader. The comment that I received was, 'I never thought I would be sitting across the table from an Indigenous minister ... I never thought I would see the day in my lifetime.' So, that is really something that is very historic for me, and I want to be sure that I'm representing all my relations well in doing that role. That first meeting [with the Indigenous leader] went incredibly well, because we shared a commonality: a history of family who went to residential school, that we came from communities; our favorite dish our kookums made us when we went hunting. It was the first time I got to sit with an Indigenous leader, share that, receive feedback … to feel that connection of who we are and our identity. Really, I signalled to them that there is a change that is going to come from this department — but it is also one that is going to be very inclusive of [them]. What is something most Canadians don't understand about being a federal minister, especially an Indigenous minister? In terms of Canadians at large, it is not well understood the amount of work and responsibility that you have. You are working seven days a week, 12 hours a day. You need to have the right people around you to support you, and you need people to understand that when you're offering a solution, you need their support in being able to defend them, being able to defend what you're trying to offer them. As an Indigenous minister, I think what people don't understand — and probably even Indigenous people don't understand — is you are serving six per cent of the population. You are serving over 600 communities, 50 different nations, their own culture, their own language, their own identity — and they're all at different stages of relationship with the government. That is a huge learning curve. You're learning to be an MP. You're learning to be a minister. You're learning about your relationships, and you're learning how to have those relationships with a new representative who is of their culture. You've previously described a kind of 'trifecta' between yourself, Crown–Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty, and Northern and Arctic Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand — each of you focusing on different but overlapping parts of Indigenous policy. Can you explain what that actually looks like in practice? We had a really great meeting earlier this week. We have been helping, guiding, coaching one another through this process of becoming an MP, becoming a minister, sharing our visions. There's a lot of commonality, committing to each other that we will work together; having a standing meeting, ensuring that every quarter we're having a dialogue, representing and having presence with one another. I think that's really important for people to see how we are serving Indigenous Peoples — from where the future will take them to how we will build them up, serve them, carry them forward and offering them opportunity. We want to build and maximize the time that we have to work together. That's a real privilege. A lot of people worry that government 'consultation' has become more of a checkbox than real listening. What needs to change to make those conversations meaningful? We received from the prime minister yesterday our mandate letters. We are asked to look at what we're doing. How can we improve it? Make it more efficient? Modernize it? My priorities are responding to outstanding issues. The big ones are Jordan's Principle; Child and Family Services. We have a bill we're pushing through, looking for support, building relationships. It's not just me at the helm. Obligation to Indigenous Peoples — it crosses many departments, so I'm helping ministers and caucus members understand how they can support me and how I can support them. Once these steps are done, there will be a clearer way; my goal is to have a document people can read and understand, 'how I support what she wants to do as minister?' It starts with relationship-building, listening, reaching out to leadership and Indigenous nations. It's a lot of work, calls, emails, but you'll see something soon. You're new in the role and I understand you're only getting things started. But what is your broader vision for the next 100 days? When might the public see a clear plan or the document that you just mentioned? Honestly, you have to give me a little bit of grace and leeway. I can't even give you a timeline. My focus right now is getting to work on time, sleeping enough to do this job well, and responding as quickly as I can, and working to build my staff — that's really what you need to be able to respond. So there's a little bit of a grace period that's needed. But soon. Soon doesn't mean 12 months. Soon means... not two weeks, but pretty soon. As someone with some leadership experience in environmental work, what climate issue feels urgent to you? How do you plan to advance it in a system that moves slowly? I think that for me, one of the big priorities that spans across Canada is really incorporating Indigenous knowledge and the relationship with the territory. They are, what do you call that, the canary in the coal mine? They go there daily, understand when water has shifted, when Earth is different, when the forest is acting differently. That's critical information, not just from one person camping for a weekend, but based on millennia of family, lineage and information being transferred. I think that has a lot of value and should not only complement Western science, but be equated as equally important when doing planning and research. How do you balance your Indigenous identity with the demands of your ministerial role? Is there a bit of tension in blending the two? I don't think there's a need to balance it, and I don't think there's a tension. Who you are, who your identity is, is you. You can't turn that off. You're Mandy Gull-Masty, MP, and you have to have a blend of those two things. I don't feel the tension. These are people that I serve now as an MP, but there are people I have relationships with that I identify with. Sonal Gupta / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada's National Observer
