By Kelly Louiseize
Connecting the mainland of Moosonee with Moose Factory Island, and the the rest of the North via a $100-million infrastructure project is one of the potential developments that has sprung from a strategic planning venture among First Nation communities.
Wakenagun First Nation community team leaders have united with Mushkegowuk council, along the James Bay coast, and Wakenagun Community Futures Development Corp. (WCFDC) in an attempt to initiate economic development within the region.
Stan Luttit, chief executive officer of Moose Cree First Nation, says like many other communities they began the process of assessing the community’s needs at a planning forum in 1995. Since then some of issues brought forth at the meeting were addressed, but others were shelved. In the last several years however, their committee resurrected the general strategic plan and focused on issues pertaining to the youth, elders and the general population. In total about 200 tasks were brought to the table by community members.
“We wanted their input in terms of what their visions are for the next number of years,” Luttit says.
Some of the major tasks being discussed for immediate considerations are transportation access, Native language and building a charter of rights for the Moose Cree First Nations, says Luttit.
Since the only way to get to Moosonee is by train or plane, the community has decided they need to have an all-season road to connect the region with the rest of Northern Ontario. In addition, a bridge, which unites the mainland of Moosonee to the Moose Factory is also a potential development, he says. Although the First Nations are only in preliminary discussion stages, Luttit estimates the cost of implementing the infrastucture to be tagged at about $100 million.
They also want to revive the Moose Cree First Nation language.
“This was very clear in our meetings with the youth and with the elders,” Luttit says.
“Let’s not erode it, lets start doing things in the community to help preserve our heritage.”
The third major issue is developing their own constitutional process.
“This will show to us who we are as a people, how we function and what our government and framework system should look like,” Luttit says.
Collaborative efforts to bring development issues to the forefront will be ongoing among the First Nations.
Albalina Matatawabin, general manager for the WCFDC, says the organization wants not only to assist the James Bay coast communities in expanding business and community ventures, but also to be part of the strategic planning process. They believe it will help the people be well positioned for future endeavours.
“Participants from each community will provide input into the project, and we will find out what exactly each community wants and needs,” Metatawabin says.
Since each group has different needs, a plan will be tailored for each community with emphasis on participation.
“It is the people of the community that are going to drive the economic community plans,” Metatawabin says.
“We are only there to assist.”
A similar meeting was held in 1994, when WCFDC gathered information on various community issues and economic growth potential initiatives in the area, however no action was taken.
This time, Employment and Training Services for Mushkegowuk council is partnering up with WCFDC to help in both regional economic development, and the human resource side of the project.
