In the middle of a four day gathering of indigenous child and family services organizations here in British Columbia. I’m back in my room even though it’s after lunch and our meeting was supposed to have restarted because history just got made. To understand what this means, you have to have an appreciation of how the state has related to indigenous communities in this country since colonization began. The essence is that tools of law and legislation have been used repeatedly to deny the jurisdiction, rights and responsibilities of First Nations from nearly the moment European governments set eyes on …
October 19, 1990 in Peterborough, Ontario was a dark and cold autumn day with sleet falling and grim grey cloud. The only light at all was the fact that I met my beloved partner Caitlin Frost that day. Here is my anniversary poem for her. On a sleet driven day when the sky split into a million bits of darkness and rained down on the groggy morning I could never imagine that what was falling was me for you. May you all know the love I have been lucky enough to be blessed with.
Nenan is a child and family services initiative serving the treaty 8 region of northeastern BC. Have a look at their work here for simple, direct, culturally based ways of engaging everyone in their community as they create a new system deeply rooted in culture and integrated world views. Nenan has utilized the Circle of Rights Community Empowerment Process (formerly Triple A) in many communities in the north-east providing an invaluable wealth of information on the strengths, assets and resources- specifically culturally based, as well as risks and challenges to supporting children and families. A deep exploration of community values …
Lots of travel this week. During the time I was away in Ontario working with labour educators from a number of Canadian unions I heard a great line from a Canadian Auto Workers educator that sustains him when he is challenged while doing good work: “You don’t always have to like th emembers, but you have to love them.” I was reflecting on that line this week after I hosted an Open Space on Bowen Island, in my home community to provide a space for my neighbours to discuss a proposal to turn some of Bowen’s Crown Lands into a …
Drove from Hawkestone to Thornbur y Ontario villages wrapped in a beautiful warm fall day. Happy Thanksgiving all! # "The night is starry and the stars are blue and shiver in the distance. The night wind revolves in the sky and sings." http://bit.ly/cos1zV # A beautiful starry night here in Port Elgin, on the shores of Lake Huron, where a thin October moon has fallen into the bay. # Cool wind off the lake. A faint smell if snow on the air. Beginning art of hosting with 50 union educators tonight. # Tonight, cool air, clear skies, stars dancing in …