Latest news with #L'nuey
CBC
a day ago
- Politics
- CBC
L'nuey and Parks Canada seek board members to co-manage protected lands, historic sites
Details of how Parks Canada and Mi'kmaq will co-manage sites on P.E.I. are falling into place 3 hours ago Duration 2:04 Social Sharing The First Nations group L'nuey and Parks Canada are looking for board members to help co-manage P.E.I.'s protected lands and historic sites, taking the next step on an agreement they have spent years crafting. "The agreements were signed and negotiated over many years. I believe the negotiations started even way back in the early 2000s," said Geraldine Arsenault, the field unit superintendant for Parks Canada on Prince Edward Island. "These agreements for both the new national park reserve and for the Toquktmekl agreement, these agreements were both signed at different moments in 2024." The new boards will consist of five members, including two selected by L'nuey and two chosen by Parks Canada. The fifth, who will chair, will be appointed by the board members. "Now we're at the phase of implementation of these agreements, and the first part of that implementation is to form the boards themselves, so that they can advise on the governance of these places," said Arsenault. The boards will oversee places like Pituamkek National Park Reserve off P.E.I.'s North Shore and national historic sites such as Province House in Charlottetown, Cavendish-North Rustico and the working inn at Dalvay-by-the-Sea. Jenene Wooldridge is the executive director of L'nuey, an organization focused on Indigenous rights for the Mi'kmaq community on P.E.I. "We advance and protect Mi'kmaq rights, and we focus on the areas of governance development, all negotiations and consultations for the Mi'kmaq," she said. "L'nuey is proud to be able to support the Mi'kmaq leadership over the past number of years. They have been steadfast in making sure that these agreements come to fruition and that we are able to now get into the implementation phase." Bringing Indigenous perspectives Arsenault said reconciliation has been very important for Parks Canada. "We've been working for a very long time with the Mi'kmaq of Prince Edward Island to really bring in the Mi'kmaw perspective to how we manage our national historic sites and our national park," she said. "And now with the new national park reserve Pituamkek, it really brings a piece of Mi'kmaw traditional lands into the family, if you will, of protected sites." Wooldridge said the boards will have different priorities. "Pituamkek is a brand-new national park reserve, so it's really building it from the ground up. It's going to be looking at what the potential visitor experience could look like, where are their protected sites, that wouldn't be so good for visitors or lots of people being around," she said. "Also access will be a discussion, I'm sure, for those co-management boards, so it's really more of the operational discussions that will be happening, building from the ground up for Pituamkek." Wooldridge said that the other board will look at existing national historic sites and the national park. She said they hope to have these board positions filled by the fall. "The recruitment is open now, and we encourage Mi'kmaw community members who have interest or expertise in culture, governance, environment, you know, community engagement, to put their names forward because all of those perspectives matter."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
L'nuey and Parks Canada seek board members to co-manage protected lands, historic sites
The First Nations group L'nuey and Parks Canada are looking for board members to help co-manage P.E.I.'s protected lands and historic sites, taking the next step on an agreement they have spent years crafting. "The agreements were signed and negotiated over many years. I believe the negotiations started even way back in the early 2000s," said Geraldine Arsenault, the field unit superintendant for Parks Canada on Prince Edward Island. "These agreements for both the new national park reserve and for the Toquktmekl agreement, these agreements were both signed at different moments in 2024." The new boards will consist of five members, including two selected by L'nuey and two chosen by Parks Canada. The fifth, who will chair, will be appointed by the board members. "Now we're at the phase of implementation of these agreements, and the first part of that implementation is to form the boards themselves, so that they can advise on the governance of these places," said Arsenault. The boards will oversee places like Pituamkek National Park Reserve off P.E.I.'s North Shore and national historic sites such as Province House in Charlottetown, Cavendish-North Rustico and the working inn at Dalvay-by-the-Sea. Jenene Wooldridge is the executive director of L'nuey, an organization focused on Indigenous rights for the Mi'kmaq community on P.E.I. "We advance and protect Mi'kmaq rights, and we focus on the areas of governance development, all negotiations and consultations for the Mi'kmaq," she said. "L'nuey is proud to be able to support the Mi'kmaq leadership over the past number of years. They have been steadfast in making sure that these agreements come to fruition and that we are able to now get into the implementation phase." Bringing Indigenous perspectives Arsenault said reconciliation has been very important for Parks Canada. "We've been working for a very long time with the Mi'kmaq of Prince Edward Island to really bring in the Mi'kmaw perspective to how we manage our national historic sites and our national park," she said. "And now with the new national park reserve Pituamkek, it really brings a piece of Mi'kmaw traditional lands into the family, if you will, of protected sites." Wooldridge said the boards will have different priorities. "Pituamkek is a brand-new national park reserve, so it's really building it from the ground up. It's going to be looking at what the potential visitor experience could look like, where are their protected sites, that wouldn't be so good for visitors or lots of people being around," she said. "Also access will be a discussion, I'm sure, for those co-management boards, so it's really more of the operational discussions that will be happening, building from the ground up for Pituamkek." Wooldridge said that the other board will look at existing national historic sites and the national park. She said they hope to have these board positions filled by the fall. "The recruitment is open now, and we encourage Mi'kmaw community members who have interest or expertise in culture, governance, environment, you know, community engagement, to put their names forward because all of those perspectives matter." She said non-Indigenouse Islanders are also welcome to put their name forward if they have experience in those areas.
CBC
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Community leader, environment groups recognized for reconciliation efforts on P.E.I.
Two P.E.I. organizations and a local community leader were honoured Tuesday at the fifth annual Reconciliation Recognition Awards in Charlottetown as part of Indigenous Awareness Week. The week is dedicated to honouring and celebrating Indigenous peoples, their cultures and contributions. Jenene Wooldridge, executive director of L'nuey, said the occasion not only highlights Indigenous culture, but also celebrates the work non-Indigenous people are doing on reconciliation. "We always look forward to kicking it off with our annual Reconciliation Recognition Awards to highlight Islanders who have done such good work in promoting allyship and reconciliation through their actions and their work all year long," Wooldridge told CBC News. "These are folks who don't have to do that work, and it's not necessarily easy work, but they choose to be good allies to the Mi'kmaq and so we are honoured to be able to highlight their actions and the work that they do." As part of the week's events, L'nuey will be launching two new traditional Mi'kmaw place names on signs in Rustico and Cavendish, adding to a growing list of more than 40 traditional Mi'kmaw place names on road signs across P.E.I. Honouring reconciliation through arts Julia Campbell, founder and creative director of P.E.I. Fashion Week, was recognized for using her platform to support reconciliation through the arts. Campbell has created inclusive spaces that honour and elevate Mi'kmaq and other Indigenous designers, artists and storytellers, the organization said. Through her leadership, P.E.I. Fashion Week has evolved into more than just a celebration of style — it's become a venue for cultural expression, education and healing, L'nuey said in a news release. "This is a huge honour for me. I was very surprised and humbled to… be recognized for work that has been very enjoyable for me, collaborations that have meant so much, and an immense amount of learning and unlearning that has come through through this allyship," Campbell said. "It's been very easy for me to honour, through art and fashion... Indigenous peoples. Their work is so deeply rooted in storytelling and the culture around Indigenous design and Indigenous fashion, and Mi'kmaw fashion here in P.E.I. It's been beautiful for me to be able to see their work through their lens and be able to share that with people across P.E.I. and across Canada." Recognizing land-based reconciliation Two environmental organizations, the Nature Conservancy of Canada and Island Nature Trust, were also honoured for their efforts in land-based reconciliation and partnerships with the Mi'kmaq. The organizations have worked closely with Mi'kmaq on the Island on areas like the Pituamkek National Park Reserve and have integrated Indigenous knowledge into their conservation efforts. Lanna Campbell, the P.E.I. program director for the Nature Conservancy of Canada, accepted the award on behalf of the organization. "I just feel incredibly honoured and humbled to receive this award. I think when you're doing the work, you're unsure if you're doing it right, and so it just feels really wonderful to be recognized by our Mi'kmaw partners," Campbell said. Simon Andrea, the land acquisition manager at Island Nature Trust, accepted the award on behalf of his organization. He mentioned a recent collaboration with L'nuey and the Epekwitk Assembly of Councils to acquire land for protection as an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area. So far, they have helped protect about 1,400 acres. "At Island Nature Trust, we're the largest private landowner on P.E.I. We own over 12,000 acres of land, and we recognize that that is the unceded lands of the Mi'kmaq people, and ... being able to incorporate cultural uses, uses that have been going on for thousands of years, is really important to us," Andrea said.
CBC
24-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
P.E.I. First Nations accept $17.5M settlement offer for Hog Island land claim
Social Sharing After nearly 30 years, the Lennox Island and Abegweit First Nations have reached a historic milestone in resolving a specific land claim for Hog Island, an island off the North Shore of Prince Edward Island. Specific claims are based on historical grievances over issues like unfulfilled treaty obligations, the loss of reserve lands and mishandled First Nations funds or other assets, according to a news release issued Monday by L'nuey, the organization that represents the two groups on what is now P.E.I. The two Mi'kmaw communities have accepted a $17.5-million settlement offer from the federal government, the release said. The agreement is still subject to ratification by a community vote, with a date yet to be set. If ratified, it will mark the first specific claim settlement in the province's history, the release said. Chief Darlene Bernard of the Lennox Island First Nation called the settlement an important moment in the history of P.E.I., or Epekwitk, the Mi'kmaw name for the Island. Lennox Island Chief Darlene Bernard reacts to $72M fund for new national park 10 months ago Duration 6:17 The federal budget, tabled Tuesday, emarks $71.9 million to establish Canada's 11th national park reserve at Pituamkek — a chain of islands off northwestern P.E.I. that has great cultural significance to the Mi'kmaq. Lennox Island First Nation Chief Darlene Bernard worked to secure the money, and she spoke to CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin about what the national park designation means for her community. "Whether it is co-management agreements over protected lands, acknowledgements of the importance of Mi'kmaw history and culture in Epekwitk or the settlement of specific claims like this, they are all steps in our reconciliation journey, and we need to celebrate them all," she was quoted as saying in the release. A decades-long fight The claim dates back to 1942 when the federal government originally purchased the islands that make up Hog Island to be part of Lennox Island First Nation. Hog Island is narrow and roughly 15 kilometres long, comprised of George Island, Fish Island and Bill Hook Island. It is not connected to the mainland but is accessible by boat. It was, however, never given reserve status and is still owned by the federal government, so the specific claim was filed in 1996, citing a breach of Canada's fiduciary duty in failing to add the lands to the Lennox Island Band reserve. In 1972, the Lennox Island Band divided to create the Abegweit Band, making this a joint claim for both communities. Chief Junior Gould of Abegweit First Nation said the work isn't over yet. "We see this as just the beginning — we are actively working on more specific claims through L'nuey, and our councils will continue to push for resolution of these past wrongs as well," he was quoted as saying in the release. Meet the people working to protect and preserve Pituamkek on P.E.I. 5 months ago Duration 2:50 People with the Pituamkek Conservation Project are wrapping up their latest work. One of the big goals is to gather data on all plants and animals in P.E.I.'s newest national park reserve, and to learn more about the history of the area. We spoke to just a few of the people working on it. The release said the $17.5-million offer represents compensation for the loss of use of the lands and compensation for replacement reserve lands, should the councils choose to purchase them.
