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Madahbee declines Queen’s Jubilee medal

Source:Anishinabek Nation – http://www.anishinabek.ca/

Marci Becking, Communications Officer

E-mail: becmar@anishinabek.ca

UOI OFFICES (Nipissing FN) January 22, 2013 – Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee says the acceptance of a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal would be inappropriate, since the Crown’s representative in Canada has refused to discuss the broken treaty relationship directly with First Nations representatives.

Madahbee was notified that he had been nominated to receive the medal – which honours outstanding contributions to Canada in recognition of Queen Elizabeth II’s sixty years of service to the British Commonwealth — at a Jan. 24 ceremony in Toronto.

“I want to express my respect and gratitude to whomever nominated me,” said the Grand Council Chief. “But I hope they appreciate that, given the current political challenges being faced by First Nations in Canada, I do not feel it appropriate at this time for me to accept this award.

“The treaty relationship promised in the Royal Proclamation of 1763 has been broken by the current federal government. The Covenant Chain we accepted at Niagara in 1764 has been badly tarnished. Canada’s rule of law, as expressed in its Constitution and by its Supreme Court, is being ignored. The prime minister has an obligation to have the Queen’s representative involved in any discussions we have with his government about Canada’s obligations to honour the treaties.

Madahbee said the highest honour he has received was being chosen to speak on behalf of the 39 member communities of the Anishinabek Nation.

“Trinkets are no substitute for treaty rights.”

The Jubilee Medal program is administered through the office of Governor General David Johnston, the Queen’s representative in Canada, who refused earlier this month to participate in “policy meetings” with First Nations leaders in Ottawa.

The Anishinabek Nation established the Union of Ontario Indians as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 39 member communities across Ontario, representing approximately 55,000 people. The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact.

Chippewa author’s book sheds light on a dark subject

By Monica Brown, Tulalip News writer

The Round House By Louise Erdich

Reviewed by Monica Brown

The Round House is set in the year 1988 on an Indian reservation in North Dakota. The reservation is seen in an unfiltered light; a tangle of Indian housing, tribal police and questions of where their jurisdiction lies, the local gas station, the catholic church and stories of the old days. In the midst are 13 year-old Joe, Joe’s father Bazil, a tribal court judge and his mother Geraldine, a tribal enrollment specialist.

The story is told through the eyes of Joe who is now grown and is remembering back to 1988. Joe brings us back to the memory of when his mother was attacked and brutally raped and how the act was so infiltrating that it threatened to rip his world apart.

While his mother retreats into darkness and shuts the world out, Bazil begins reading old court files in hopes of gleaming something useful. Joe becomes restless and sets out for information with his friends; Cappy, Angus and Zack. The boys become immersed in a world that deals heavily with the boundaries of law, spirituality and the bonds between families and friends.

As Joe goes about in his nonchalant way seeking the truth, he questions his father and challenges him on being not just a good husband to Geraldine, but a good judge. Bazil explains to Joe and reminds him of the laws that are in place which will make this an extremely difficult case if the attacker is even found.

“…this one is the one I’d abolish right this minute if I had the power of a movie shaman. Oliphant V. Suquamish…took from us the right to prosecute non-Indians who commit crimes on our land.” Says Bazil to Joe in order to reason why it doesn’t just matter if they find who did it, what matters is where it happened.

Once you know something so inhumane, it is as Joe says “a poison in you”. In other places around the world where justice can be handed out, this sort of crime still leaves a gap in the lives of all it touches but to not be able to seek justice can leave a wound which may never heal.

Even though the story is heavy with dialogue and lacks quotations it is still an impressive and deliberate account. Louise Erdrich paints very clearly the internal and external struggle which resides with every indigenous person whether the seek it out or try to ignore it. The book is loosely based on actual events and reveals actual laws that are in place today. The Round House was published in October of 2012 and was selected as the winner in the fiction category for the 2012 National Book Award.

Louise Erdrich, a member of the Turtle Mountain band of Chippewa, wrote this story to bring to light “the tangles of laws that hinder prosecution of rape cases on many reservations”. With The Violence against Women Act being rewritten and the Idle No More movement spreading across the globe this book could not have been released at a more appropriate time.

Native American women veterans celebrate president’s inauguration

CBS News January 21, 2013, www.cbsnews.com

PUEBLO WEST, Colo. – About 2,800 groups applied to be part of the Inaugural parade on Monday. The president’s inaugural committee chose 60, including one with deep roots in this land.

They often perform to a sound of pageantry centuries old. They are the first Native American Women Warrior color guard: all veterans, all proud of their ancestry and the nation they serve.

Mitchelene BigMan is the group’s founder. Sgt. Big Man served 22 years in the Army, including two tours in Iraq.

“We’re like the heartbeat of America,” BigMan said. “We’re Native Americans. We’re still here, and I think we’re even stronger now than we were before.”

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Nearly 5,000 Native American women have served in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. BigMan’s grandmother served in WWII.

“She was small,” she said. “She was only five feet and maybe 100 pounds but they said she was one of the meanest ones they had.”

BigMan laughed and admitted she wasn’t that different from her grand mother.

BigMan was born and raised on the Crow reservation in Montana. Unemployment was high. Alcoholism and domestic violence were chronic. So, she enlisted at age 21 and went on to become a mechanic supporting a combat battalion.

Mitchelene BigMan served as a mechanic in the Army. / CBS News

“It was an all-male battalion,” she said. “When I showed up, they were really disappointed, and the tension, I could just see it. First of all I’m female, a minority and a Native American. I had to prove myself three times as hard sometimes.”

And she did. When she retired after two decades, she formed the Native American Women Warriors. The group includes all ranks and branches of service. They promote diversity and equality in the military and on reservations.

In today’s parade, they displayed their badges of military service on their native warrior dresses — dresses worn during a traditional dance for prayer and healing.

“I think it’s time for us to heal, not only as veterans but as a nation,” she said.

“Healing” for the warriors and for the nation they served is something worth a dance about any day including today, each said.

Mayor to present State of the City address on Jan. 25

Source: The Marysville Globe, http://www.marysvilleglobe.com

MARYSVILLE — Mayor Jon Nehring will give this year’s State of the City address at 7 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 25, during the Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce Business Before Hours monthly breakfast.

The presentation will take place in the Canoes Lounge of the Tulalip Resort Casino, located at 10200 Quil Ceda Blvd.

Nehring plans to review Marysville’s accomplishments over the course of the past year, and look at what lies ahead for the city in 2013. Among the highlights, he will discuss the upcoming downtown revitalization initiative and public participation opportunities, as well as budget measures that support new walkway and road improvements, trails and public safety. The Smokey Point manufacturing and industrial center, which Nehring deems key to stimulating job growth and promoting economic development, will also be on the agenda.

The program will be videotaped to air the following week from Feb. 1-8, with simulcast viewing times of noon, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Marysville TV 21 on Comcast, and TV 25 on Frontier.

For breakfast cost and reservation information, contact the Chamber by phone at 360-659-7700 or via email at admin@marysvilletulalipchamber.com.

Burn bans lifted for King and Snohomish counties; Stage 1 burn ban continues for Pierce County

JANUARY 21, 2013. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is lifting the air quality burn bans in King and Snohomish counties, effective at 1 p.m. on January 21, 2013. A Stage 1 burn ban continues for Pierce County until further notice.

“We are lifting the burn bans in King and Snohomish counties because winds are picking up and temperatures are warming,” said Dr. Phil Swartzendruber, agency forecaster. “But Pierce County is still under the influence of cold and calm conditions, which could cause pollution to build up in areas where wood-burning is common. We need to keep a Stage 1 burn ban in effect to protect air quality in those communities.”

“We encourage everyone who doesn’t rely on wood heat to use instead their home’s cleaner source of heat until weather conditions change.”

Clean Air Agency staff follow a protocol set by state law to determine when and where to issue a burn ban, and when to lift a burn ban.

During a Stage 1 burn ban:

No burning is allowed in fireplaces or uncertified wood stoves. Residents should rely instead on their home’s other, cleaner source of heat (such as their furnace or electric baseboard heaters) for a few days until air quality improves, the public health risk diminishes and the ban is cancelled.
No outdoor fires are allowed. This includes recreational fires such as bonfires, campfires and the use of fire pits and chimineas.
Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.

It is OK to use natural gas, propane, pellet and EPA-certified wood stoves or inserts during a Stage 1 burn ban.

The Washington State Department of Health recommends that people who are sensitive to air pollution limit time spent outdoors, especially when exercising. Air pollution can trigger asthma attacks, cause difficulty breathing, and make lung and heart problems worse. Air pollution is especially harmful to people with lung and heart problems, people with diabetes, children, and older adults (over age 65).

The purpose of a burn ban is to reduce the amount of pollution that is creating unhealthy air. Puget Sound Clean Air Agency staff will continue to monitor the situation.

For more information:

Hundreds rally to protect gun owners’ rights

KIRO TV news, kirotv.com, Saturday, January 19, 2013

OLYMPIA, Wash. — More than a thousand advocates gathered in Olympia Saturday to fight for the right to bear arms.

The rally was part of a national movement in support of the rights of gun owners.

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Deborah Horne spoke with a few advocates at the rally.

David Taylor, of Yakima, told the crowd that he plans to introduce legislation to protect the rights of gun owners in the state.

“Our rights come from God. Not from the government,” said Taylor. “The government did not give us those rights, and it cannot take them away. This is our line in the sand. We will not go quietly into the night.”

Many other gun rights advocates took a stand and delivered their message that the right to bear arms is sacred.

“But I feel it’s something that’s being exploited by gun prohibitionists to try to take away the rest of our important rights,” said Andrew McConaghy.

Taylor, a state legislator, promised to take the fight to his colleagues and will soon introduce the Firearms Freedom Act.

“And that legislation includes the statement any federal rule, law regulation or order attempting to ban or register firearms or magazines, unenforceable in Washington state,” said Taylor.

Supporter Linda Siler was glad to be a part of the rally.

“Ever since these shootings have happened, it’s really taken away from the preamble of the second amendment, which says that our second amendment is about keeping our government from infringing on us,” said Siler.

Similar rallies were held around the country on Saturday.

In Texas, a lawmaker proposed legislation that would block any federal ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. If it ever became a law, it would violate the U.S. Constitution.

In New York, thousands voiced their opposition to a federal weapons ban. People rallied because they wanted federal lawmakers to reconsider the recent policy change concerning weapons.

Idle No More Art: Posters Promote A Revolution

By Jesse Ferraras, The Huffington Post B.C.

Artists have become a vibrant part of Idle No More, illustrating the movement in bold colours as it sweeps across Canada.

The work of Emily Carr student and Kwakwaka’wakw member Lou-Ann Neel has gotten the most exposure.

Her work “Our Home on Native Land” altered the Canadian flag by replacing the maple leaf with a traditional raven design and by attaching mountains and trees to the red borders. She later added the “Idle No More” slogan and the design was printed on bags, hats and T-shirts.

Neel’s design got a big platform when it appeared on a T-shirt worn by Canadian singer Nelly Furtado. She tweeted a picture of herself with the message, “‘Canada- Our Home On Native Land’.. I couldn’t agree more.”

Winnipeg-based Dwayne Bird designed posters known as the “Indigenous Rights Revolution” series.

The posters generally show a hand holding an object in a rousing gesture. The object is a feather in a few photos, while in others it’s a sign or a smartphone.

Bird’s designs inspired the work of Comox, B.C.-based artist Andy Everson, who is known for his indigenous take on Star Wars’ characters.

Everson’s Idle No More designs show hands holding feathers against various backgrounds such as an eagle rising or a medicine wheel.

Burn bans continue: Stage 1 bans in effect for King, Pierce and Snohomish counties

Please rely on your home’s cleaner source of heat until air quality improves

JANUARY 19, 2013 The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is lowering the air quality burn ban in Pierce County to Stage 1, effective at 12 p.m. on January 19, 2013. Existing Stage 1 burn bans continue for King and Snohomish counties. These bans are in effect until further notice.

“Unexpected winds last night helped clear out some of the pollution that has been building up during this air stagnation, which is why we’re downgrading the Pierce County burn ban to Stage 1,” said Dr. Phil Swartzendruber, agency forecaster. “Cold and calm conditions will continue this weekend. In neighborhoods where wood-burning is common, air pollution levels could easily reach the UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS category.”

“We encourage everyone who doesn’t rely on wood heat to use instead their home’s cleaner source of heat until weather conditions change.”

Clean Air Agency staff follow a protocol set by state law to determine when and where to issue a burn ban, and when to lift a burn ban.

During a Stage 1 burn ban:

No burning is allowed in fireplaces or uncertified wood stoves. Residents should rely instead on their home’s other, cleaner source of heat (such as their furnace or electric baseboard heaters) for a few days until air quality improves, the public health risk diminishes and the ban is cancelled.
No outdoor fires are allowed. This includes recreational fires such as bonfires, campfires and the use of fire pits and chimineas.
Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.

It is OK to use natural gas, propane, pellet and EPA certified wood stoves or inserts during a Stage 1 burn ban.

The purpose of a burn ban is to reduce the amount of pollution that is creating unhealthy air. Puget Sound Clean Air Agency staff will continue to monitor the situation.

For more information:

Stillaguamish tribe joins investigation of 4 bald eagles shot

Article By Monica Brown, Tulalip News Writer

Four bald eagles have been found shot dead in the Granite Falls area; three of the eagles were adults and the other a juvenile.

The Stillaguamish Tribe, state Fish and Wildlife, the Humane Society of the United States and Conservation Northwest have banded together to offer a $13,750 cash reward for the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible for shooting the eagles.

The Bald eagle population has improved enough that they were removed from protection status under the federal Endangered Species Act several years ago and were counted to have an estimates 840 occupied nests in 2005. However, they are still protected under other state and federal laws.

Killing an eagle is a misdemeanor under federal law and also a state crime with a maximum penalty of $1,000 and 90 days in jail with a $2,000 fine per eagle.

Brutal beating leaves shoeprint on 12-yr-old’s forehead

kirotv

Posted: 9:34 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013

MARYSVILLE, Wash. — A Marysville middle school student was beaten so brutally that the boy’s attackers left a footprint on his forehead. News of the attack spread like wildfire on Facebook, and many people in Marysville fear the beating may be part of a gang-related initiation. Police said the attacked appeared to be random.

Faint signs of Austin Calvin’s beating are still pressed into his head. But the 12-year-old looked much better Wednesday than when his father first heard his friends yelling a few blocks from their house Saturday night. Two cars full of high school-aged boys saw Austin and his two friends walking to the movies around 8:30 p.m.

“My friends, they ran. I tried to, but I didn’t get away fast enough,” said Austin.

He went down under a hail of punches, kicks and stomps that were so ferocious that tread marks were imprinted into his forehead.

“I was terrified — just speechless, and I didn’t know what to do,” said Austin.

He blacked out. His parents rushed him to Children’s hospital in Seattle He had three facial fractures and several chipped and fractured teeth. Doctors still haven’t cleared Austin to play football after his concussion and say he could have been injured far worse.

“I just don’t understand why kids are doing this, said Austin’s father, Scott Calvin.

While Austin has been recuperating, they’ve heard the same group of boys has been involved in two other violent attacks. Police have made two arrests so far and are continuing to look for others involved in the beating.

Watch the video coverage here:

http://www.kirotv.com/videos/news/high-school-boys-pummel-12-year-old/vnjx9/

Category: News