GMRC 2010 Annual Report

8/8/2019 GMRC 2010 Annual Report

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ANNUAL REPORT

2010

Gespegewaq Migmaq Resource Council


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OUR WORLD IS FOREVER

CHANGING, AND WE ARE

CHANGING WITH IT.


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Will you ever begin to understand the meaning of the soil beneath your veryfeet? From a grain of sand to a great mountain, all is sacred. Yesterday andtomorrow exist eternally upon this continent. We natives are the guardians

of this sacred place.- Peter Blue Cloud, Mohawk


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This document was producedby the Gespegewaq

Migmaq Resource Councilcommunications and marketingdepartment.

The editorial team would liketo thank the numerous staffmembers who helped make this

annual report possible.

Editorial and

Production TeamJohn Murvin Vicaire

Mark J. Sark

GMRC94B Riverside East, Listuguj, QCGOC 2R0418.788.3017

www.migmaqresource.org

3rd ANNUAL REPORT

ISSUE #3 / VOLUME 01

This report is printed on FSC cer-

tifed recycled paper, which is

manufactured carbon neutral us-

ing 100% renewable electricity.

Table of contentsYear in Review ..................................................................................................................... 2

CANDO award ...................................................................................................................4National Chief Visits............................................................................................................5

Honoring our Elders ........................................................................................................... 7

Unique Way of Telling a Story ............................................................................................ 9

Projects

Elver .............................................................................................................................. 10

PLAMU ......................................................................................................................... 11

Netugulimg .........................................................................................................................12

Meet the Sta..................................................................................................................... 13Tiamugwet Youth Initiative 2009 ...................................................................................20

Social Media and You .........................................................................................................23

Margaret LaBillois Scholarship .........................................................................................25

ISO Certication .............................................................................................................. 26

Charlo Fish Hatchery ........................................................................................................27

Donald Marshall Jr. ............................................................................................................28

Financials ........................................................................................................................... 29

ISO 9001:2008 certifed Quality

Management System implemented.


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help us make a dierence


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Year in ReviewMessage from the CEO

Friends,

For an organization as young as ours, every year

feels different from the one before. We are con-

stantly learning and adapting. These rapid advances

and growth can add to the feeling that we are moving

faster than ever. Nevertheless we need to remind our-

selves why we are in business.

Year 2009-2010 has been a momentous one for the

Gespegewaq Migmaq Resource Council. As we

reect on our past programs and accomplishments,

our community supporters and most importantly the

people and organizations we have had the

pleasure of assisting and working with,

I would rst like to take the oppor-

tunity to pay tribute and to reect

on the legacy of Donald Marshall

Jr. His passing was an enormous

loss not just for his family andthe community of Membertou,

but for the Migmaq nation as

well. He was a champion for ab-

original and treaty rights.

Having the privilege of knowing

Donald Jr., I know he would be happy

to see the work we are embarking on. As

we move forward with another year of opera-

tions, Donalds legacy should serve as an inspiration

to all of us. Believe in what you do; practice what youbelieve; share your blessings with others; volunteer

cheerfully; and be upbeat and positive. Together we

are striving to make things better for our rst nations

communities.

We have maintained our focus in the last year. Re-

cently our organization completed its 2-year strategic

plan. Our Plan is a blueprint for future operations. It

outlines what we will be engaged in and where w

want to be in the next two years. A copy of this pla

has been forwarded to the DFO, this document a

well as our completed internal evaluation documen

is available online.

To further assist us we also brought on a new chief executive assistant, who is responsible for strengthenin

our infrastructure and works closely with the board o

directors and our teams in legal, nance and impac

assessment, and so on, to support our programs in ou

proposal submissions.

Because we are a non-prot with th

Chiefs of our three member commu

nities as our only board mem

bers, we recognize the need fo

outside voices to help guide oustrategies and stretch our think

ing. We have used advisors in th

past, but early in the scal yea

we decided to propose a forma

process which would strengthe

our board, and recommended a

advisory committee to work directl

with the organization by giving us ex

pert counsel and critical advice. The advisor

committee will play a signicant role in making sur

we are doing a good job of listening to diverse voiceand learning from our mistakes.

The board approved the terms of reference for th

Committee and we have begun discussions with po

tential members and creating an internal team to sup

port them. We plan to announce the members of th

advisory panel this summer or early fall.

Although some of the expert voices come from out


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Mark J. Sark, CEO

Gespegewaq Migmaq Resource Council

Although some of the expert voices come from out-

side our organization, we are working hard to bring

people in-house who can guide us on our core issues

and help support our mission. We are taking great care

to create the right jobs and then recruit people who

can help us make real progress. Building internal ca-pacity through training and recruitment can be costly,

however; in the long-term, the benets will outweigh

the initial costs.

It is a tall order to grow responsibly. Many of the proj-

ects we involve ourselves with are difcult to address.

It is a matter of record that our people once had a way

and the means to live in harmony with nature. Our

people also had our own way of governing and our

own form of government. Today we are essentially

starting from zero and in some ways we are operatingfrom a handicap in that we dont always have the lati-

tude or funding to do the things we would like. This

creates a number of interesting challenges as you can

imagine. Many of the problems we face defy simple

solutions. That is one of the reasons, we as an organi-

zation chose to address these challenges. Many of the

solutions will not come overnight and will take years

to overcome.

As an organization we are in an excellent position to

take big risks, and we are willing to make changeswhen we learn new information. That is why we have

been at the forefront in addressing many sheries is-

sues regarding the federal and provincial government

by way of formal written responses. It is important to

mention that we cannot solve resource management

and environmental problems single-handedly. For one

thing, our corporate resources are a drop in the buck-

et, compared to what is really needed.

Clearly, government support is critical for our long-

term success. But government cannot do it alone andwe should not continue to expect it. It will take wide-

spread public will and creative collaboration across

all sectors public, private, and nonprot to nd solu-

tions to many of the issues and problems within our

territory. We all have to take some responsibility for

these issues and we need to commit to solving them

together. Playing the blame game does little in mov-

ing our agenda forward. However, I am optimistic

because were already seeing some progress tak-

ing place. Seeing more of our youth take interest

in the environment is good beginning.

This is truly an exciting time in history. So much

is going on and the potential to make positive

impacts in our communities is achievable. I can

think of nothing more important than standing up

for our rights while protecting Mother Earth. The

more deeply I become involved with the funda-

mental issues facing us, the more I see what is

possible, and the more I want to do. With more

and more of our natural resources being depleted

we simply cannot wait for others to do what we

have been granted by the Creator to do.


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On October 8, 2009, the Council for the Advance-ment of Native Development Ofcers (CANDO)held the nationally recognized Economic Developer

of the Year Awards at the River Cree Resort and

Casino in Enoch, Alberta. The Award ceremony was

held in conjunction with the CANDO 16th Annual Con-

ference and General meeting. In recognition of

the outstanding achievement and contri-

butions of Aboriginal business in the

Canadian economy, CANDO pres-ents three awards each year in the

following categories: Individual

Economic Developer, Com-

munity Economic Developer

and Aboriginal Private Sector

Business Award. This past year

Gespegewaq Migmaq Re-

source Council was presented

with the 2009 Aboriginal Private

Sector Business Award, during the

national awards ceremony.

In making the announcement, Alfred Loon,

President and Board of Director of CANDO stated,

GMRC has worked hard to grow its business in

Northern New Brunswick and in the Quebec region,

and further, We are grateful for the work that GMRC

is currently doing by bringing about awareness on the

importance of taking care of Mother Earth, while pro-

viding employment opportunities for First Nations.

CANDO is one of the pre-eminent First Nation orga-nizations supporting economic development in Can-

ada and I am greatly honored to receive this award

stated Sark. While this honor recognizes the qua

ity of work done by the organization in supportin

our Migmaq communities within the region, add

ing, real credit belongs to the members of staff wh

come to work each and every day giving it their al

It is their contributions that have helped shap

GMRC into the dynamic company it i

today.

Since 1995, CANDO has bee

hosting the Economic Deve

oper of the Year Awards t

recognize and promote recen

or long-standing Aborigina

economic development initia

tives throughout Canada in th

following three categories: In

dividual Economic Develope

Community Economic Develope

and Aboriginal Private Business Sector. They also present an award of rec

ognition to each runner-up. In previous year

it was the tradition of CANDO to award the Economi

Developer of the Year Award, and three Recognitio

Award Winners. In 2002 a new category was intro

duced, the Individual Economic Developer of th

Year and in 2008 another category was added Aborig

inal Private Sector Business. For more information o

CANDO visit www.edo.ca

GespegewaqMigmaqResource Councilwins National Award


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On November 19, 2009 the National Chief of theAssembly of First Nations Shawn A-in-chut At-leo made a brief stop to our ofce in Listuguj. Duringhis visit the National Chief was given an overview of

our organization. This was followed by a presentation

of an ofcial GMRC hooded sweatshirt and a hand

made cedar feather box. This was a great honour for

our organization and we would like to thank Chief and

Council of Listuguj First Nation for inviting the Na-

tional Chief to our community.

Aside from being the National Chief Shawn A-in-

chut Atleo is a Hereditary Chief from the Ahousaht

First Nation. Shawn is supported by his wife Nancyand their 2 adult children, Tyson and Tara. Traditional

teachings guided A-in-chut to serve First Nations as a

leader, negotiator, facilitator, mediator, strategic plan-

ner, and president of his family-owned private post

secondary training institute.

Shawn graduated in 2003 with a Masters of Education

in Adult Learning and Global Change from the Uni-

versity of Technology, Sydney Australia (in partner-

A sign of respect between two chiefsGMRC Board member Chief Everett Martin of the Eel

River Bar First Nation extending hand of friendship to

National Chief upon his visit to GMRC headquarters.

ship with University of British Columbia, University

of the Western Cape South Africa, and University of

Linkoping Sweden).

A-in-chut is a founding member of the BC First Na-

tions Leadership Council. The council was formed

when the Regional Chief, along with the political

executive of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs and First

Nations Summit, signed a historic Leadership

Accord in March 2005, overcoming decades of dis-

cord in BC. This Accord calls on all three organiza-

tions to work together to protect the interests of First

Nations in BC and to ensure that Aboriginal Title and

Rights and Treaty Rights are recognized, accommo-dated and reconciled through government-to-govern-

ment relationships.

National Chief visits GMRC


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It is important for GMRC to continue to seek guidanceand knowledge from our Elders. In doing so strengthensthe relationships with our communities and also within

them.


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I

n January, GMRC held an Elders Gathering in

which well over 40 Elders and community mem-

bers participated. The purpose of the Gathering

was twofold. First to share information with them

regarding Salmon research that we had undertaken,

which incorporated Aboriginal Traditional Knowl-

edge (ATK) and Aboriginal Ecological Knowledge

(AEK) and secondly, we wanted to honour our Elders

by taking the time to listen to their concerns regarding

their role in the community.

A dinner was held in the evening to honour three

Elders from our community: Robert Brisk, IsaacIke Metallic and Lilly Vicaire, who assisted GMRC

in their research by participating in Elder interviews.

Their participation was invaluable, as it offered us

the opportunity to preserve, protect and sustain local

knowledge.

It was pointed out at the beginning of the gathering

that GMRC recognizes and values Elders, Fishers and

Woodsmen knowledge as a rich environmental re-

source, which is at risk of becoming extinct if proper

measures are not taken to protect, preserve and sustainit. The participation and sharing that occurred rein-

forced our organizations belief that there is signicant

potential for reciprocal learning when Elders and

The role of Elders has become increas-

ingly meaningful in our communities,

especially for those communities who are

losing their language and culture. Elders

are important for their symbolic connec-

tion to the past, and for their knowledge

of traditional ways, teachings, stories and

ceremonies. It was very common for re-

spected Elders to be called upon to help

with major decisions regarding our com-

munities.

others come to-

gether to sharethe knowledge

and wisdom.

Participants were

invited to feel

free to come to

the GMRC build-

ing and meet with

research staff and

management at

any time to voicetheir concerns or

just to visit.

The Elders Gath-

ering has laid the

groundwork for an active and informed Elders Advi-

sory Council, which will serve to bridge the gap be-

tween community and our scientic research by pro-

viding information and advice related to ATK.

We would like to acknowledge and thank the Elders,

Gji Geptin Andrew Denny and Geptin Fred Metallic

of Listuguj for their participation.

Elders Gathering report available

online @ migmaqresource.org

Honouring our Elders

Elders contribute a sense of harmony and well-being to our Nation


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Last summer we began research on the Americaneel. The purpose of the research is to gather infor-mation on the number of elvers (young eel) traveling

through certain areas of Gespegewagi.

During the early stages of the project Janine Metal-

lic, a PhD candidate in Educational Studies at McGill,

was asked to share some of her knowledge on researchmethods relating to indigenous ways of knowing. Ja-

nine was born and raised in Listuguj and occasionally

consults GMRC on various research projects. One

of the ideas she presented to the staff was the use of

a photo novel as a unique way of telling stories and

sharing information.

Photo novels are like comic books, but pictures of

real people in real settings are used along with caption

bubbles and text. So far the concept has been well re-

ceived by the youth and older generations as well. Anearly copy of the photo novel was shown to a group

of grade 5 students. Craig Isaac, who assisted on the

project and features in the photo novel, recalls one of

the kids saying, Wow, I really like the pictures! Can

I keep it?

This new tool is an example of how GMRC adds val-

ue to their approach to resource management throughthe incorporation of traditional knowledge and a focus

on raising awareness and educating the public on en-

vironmental issues.

We strongly believe that passing traditional knowl-

edge from the elders to our youth is key to strengthen-

ing the Migmaq culture and ensuring its survival,

says Victoria Metallic, GMRCs Environment Man-

ager. She adds, With this unique approach, we are

providing information about what weve learned

from our elders, and at the same time transferring thatknowledge to our youth.

Download an electronic copy of the photo novel on

GMRCs website at http://www.migmaqresource.org.

You can also nd other exclusive content on GMRCs

Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/Migmaq.

Unique way of telling a story


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Elver project

For thousands of years, the Gespegewaq Migmaq

lived in tune with the land. Today, we continue

to share relations with many aspects of the environ-

ment. These relations can be seen through our diet,

our tools, our clothing, and our ceremonies. Oneparticular relation of interest is with gat, a once

abundant traditional food.

Over the years, many traditional foods have remained

prominent in our diet, such as the plamu, however,

we have been made aware that ther e has been

a decline in the number of community members who

sh gat. The reasons for this are varied, but when

speaking with community members, their main reason

for the decline in shing was attributed to concerns

for the environment, which in turn affected their diets,and further contributed to the eel shing tradition not

being passed down. We believe that revitalizing our

relationship with gat will not only enhance our own

well-being, it will also enhance our understanding of

the sh.

It is this history, relationship, and health concern for

the eel that the GMRC took the lead to develop the

project Estimating Relative Abundance of Juvenil

American Eel (Elvers) in Gespegewagi.

In consultation with our elders and other resourc

users, we were informed of the best possible place

where elvers can be found. Forty-one (41) elvers wer

found in total in the Pabineau Falls, Eel River, an

Restigouche River. This elver project also allowe

elders to share with us their stories, experiences, an

knowledge about gat; learning that gat was a value

food source, source of medicine, and ceremonia

being.

By monitoring and building an inventory of th

elvers found within our estuaries, and combining th

information with our Migmaq knowledge and under

standings, we can begin laying the groundwork fo

future work directed at reinvigorating a Migmaq wa

of living in a modern society while helping to rebuil

a valuable resource for our communities.


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PLAMU project

Just like the eel, the salmon has been part of our lives

for thousands of years. The rst phase of Impacts

on Migmaq traditional food from environmental ex-

posure in the Restigouche River began in May 2008

and concluded in March 2009 with more questions

and more insights than we had originally anticipated.

In 2008, the primary area of interest was to determine

whether the consumption of Restigouche River salm-

on should be limited due to dioxin and furan releases

from surrounding industrial facilities. The second

area of interest was to determine if the potential pres-

ence of contaminants in wild Atlantic salmon affected

the communities desire to consume the traditional

food. About half of all participants surveyed believed

salmon is being affected by contaminants in the

environment, close to 90% of participants continued

to consume salmon from the Restigouche River. This

sparked further investigation into the relationship

between the salmon and the people. So began phase

II.

This time around, in addition to collecting samples,

the research team took an active role in learning what

it means to sh.

What was learned was that salmon and salmon shing

is so intricately woven into who we are as a people.

When someone shes, one gets a sense of respon-

sibility, accomplishment, productivity, respect,

companionship and knowledge, providing for the

basic foundation for the development of a healthycommunity.

Regarding our physical health, our technical analy-

sis revealed the presence of contaminants, however,

salmon alone will not cause any adverse effects to

your health. In fact, in many studies, the positive

effects of consuming traditional food in your diet, in a

relatively healthy environment, outweigh any risks.

Although it is always important to advocate for healthy

rivers and habitats, it is just as important to advocatefor a healthy relationship between the salmon and our

people because continuing to sh for salmon, and

continuing to include salmon in our diet, can effec-

tively promote a sustainable relationship between us

and the plamu.


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Craig IsaacProject Assistant

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Meet the Sta

Gwe, nin teluisi Craig Isaac. Wigi aq tleiewi

Listugujg. Nugumijaq teluisipnaq Mabel Isaac aq

Nmijgamijaq teluisipnaq Michael Isaac Sr. Ngij

teluisit Lynn Isaac. Njignam teluisit Raymond Ward.

Ntus teluisit Lashawnee Isaac-Myo. Lashawnee

nanipunat. Etllugwei GMRC suel newtipunqeg.

I

am the grandson of the late Mabel Isaac and Mi-

chael Isaac Sr. I am the son of Lynn Isaac and thebrother of Raymond Ward. I am also the proud father

my beautiful 5 year old daughter Lashawnee Isaac-

Myo. I have been working here at GMRC for almost

a year now.

I am the Project Assistant here at GMRC. I do a lot of

work out in the eld. I am very grateful to have been

given the opportunity to work with such a proud and

successful organization such as GMRC. Within my

rst year I have learned a lot. It was my rst summer

in my life that I went shing. Learning to set nets and

gut and clean salmon is something I have never done

before. Also working with the youth on our moose

hunt project was a great experience due to the fact

that just like them I too was learning about our hunt-

ing and shing traditions.

During the winter and spring I had been working with

our communications/quality assurance coordinator

John Murvin Vicaire. He and I have been working

hard to keep our facebook and twitter pages a success.

I also had the opportunity to attend meetings and

workshops this past month which was a great learning

experience. I am looking forward to what lies ahead in

the future. Everyday is a learning experience.

I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to work with a

proud and successful organization such as GMRC.


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Apart from taking personal responsibility to respect

the land, Ive had the wonderful opportunity to takewhat Ive learned and to turn it into a profession. Its been

3 years since I started working for GMRC, but what Ive

learned will no doubt last me a lifetime.

Its been an honor to work with our youth, to learn from

our elders, and to develop research projects that support the

transfer of Migmaq knowledge between the two. Spending

days on the river, learning about the salmon and eel, and

hearing our language has indenitely shaped my views and

continues to lay the foundation for me to develop projects

that help enhance our relationship with the resources.

As the seasons have gone by, Ive learned that enhanc-

ing our resources goes beyond maintaining restocking

programs. Enhancing our resources means enhancing our

relationship with it, making use of our knowledge, our

language and our culture. This approach is definitely

different from the standard resource management

practices, but what we are seeing is that the standard

resource management planning isnt working and that it

may be time for a re-evaluation.

Id like to take this opportunity to say that this continues t

strengthen my belief that if we are to truly make positivchanges for the environment, we could consider taking

more Migmaq approach; allowing the cycles of the lan

to govern our use of the resources.

On a recent trip to Cape Breton to examine eels, we wer

asked what were we doing out to late, and we replied ligh

heartedly, We have to follow the cycle of the eels. But

is true; we cannot tell the eel or salmon to meet us Wedne

day at noon, nor is it easy to tell them when and where t

grow.

We have a summer lled with salmon and eel shing, sampling, and monitoring so that we can better understand how

we can live in harmony with the land. I anticipate this yea

to be even more fun and exciting than the last. There

nothing more rewarding than having our hunters, sher

and caretakers sharing their knowledge with us.

Victoria MetallicEnvironment Manager

If we are to truly make positive changes for the environment, wecould consider taking a more Migmaq approach.


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As my rst year working with GMRC is almost

done, I can say with the utmost condence that itis one of the most rewarding, exhilarating, and chal-

lenging jobs I have ever had. This is truly a unique

organization here in Listuguj, and we should all take

pride in knowing that we have an organization in our

community that is an excellent leader in environmen-

tal issues, that listens to its people and takes strides to

implement such actions.

As a biologist, I was taught in University that science

has to be concrete and measurable. Since I started

working at GMRC I have learned the importance ofAboriginal Traditional & Ecological Knowledge and

that as an Indigenous person we relate to our local

ecosystems. ATK knowledge, practices and beliefs

have been handed down from generation to genera-

tion. These two knowledge systems combined have

been termed Two-eyed Seeing by a prominent

Migmaq Elder. Two-eyed Seeing is now embedded

into my everyday workday and is strongly interwoven

in GMRCs research so that we can make a strongerimpact to science, government and our own Migmaq

people.

I am excited this year because we will be taking on

several projects and working more closely with the

youth in the community. We will be working once

again with the salmon and a new project that involves

the American eel. The youth is where is all begins.

They are our future leaders.

And so, I look forward to another eventful and excit-ing new challenges this year with GMRC!

Welalioq

Tasha MetallicResearch Associate

I have learned the importance of Aboriginal Traditional & EcologicalKnowledge and that as an Indigenous person we relate to our localecosystems.


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My name is Ann Gladue-Buffalo. My family andI have travelled here from Samson Cree Nation,in the Maskwacis Territory, or what is more common-

ly referred to as Hobbema, AB.

I have always been drawn to working in the environ-

mental sector and as I am very process and detail-ori-

entated, I was so thrilled to come across a position

with a rst nation environmental organization with

ISO certication. I was honoured to have been cho-sen for the position of Chief Executive Assistant and I

joined the GMRC team August 2009.

It has been very rewarding experience to work with an

organization that actively incorporates the use of in-

digenous knowledge and practices into their scientic

research, promotes environmental awareness and lo-

cal resource management practices. The organization

continually strives to educate their peers, governmen

industry and the community of the importance of rec

ognizing this knowledge and protecting indigenou

rights to these resources.

I have really enjoyed working with the board of direc

tors, management and staff, and have gained valuabl

experience in the operation of a non-prot, and insigh

into sheries issues, Migmaq rights and responsibil

ties as well as the policies of Fisheries and OceanCanada. I hope I have been able to add value to th

organization and contribute to its continued success.

On behalf of my family I would like to thank all thos

who have showered us with Migmaq hospitality an

continue to welcome us into the community.

Tansi,

Anne Gladue-BuffaloChief Executive Assistant

The organization continually strives to educate their peers, govern-ment, industry and the community of the importance of recognizingthis knowledge and protecting indigenous rights to these resources.


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Hello my name Leslie Mitchell. I am a proud

Migmaq mother, daughter, sister, auntie andniece. I love my extended family, which includes the

beautiful community of Listuguj, where I was born

and raised. I believe in life long learning, learning

from our elders, and continuing to build upon my aca-

demic achievements.

I joined the Gespegewaq Migmaq Resource Council

in the spring of 2008, I have been fortunate to have the

opportunity to use my knowledge, skills, and experi-

ence in ofce administration and to integrate myself

into the team that prides itself on taking up the chal-lenge of looking out for our natural resources within

Gespegewagi.

The past year I have been training in basic bookkeep-

ing practices and look forward to developing my skills

in this area. I believe that in some small way, we can

each contribute to the overall communities self-suf-

ciency by doing the best job that we can.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our

newest addition Ann Gladue-Buffalo to the GMRCfamily. It is my honor to have the opportunity to work

with Ann. She has much to offer our organization.

Listuguj welcomes you, Ann.

Leslie MitchellFinance Clerk

A team that prides itself on taking up the challenge of looking out forour natural resources within Gespegewagi.


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Hi my name is Brian Isaac and for the past year and

a half I have been fortunate to be one of GMRCsteam members. In this short period as the Commercial

Fisheries Liaison Coordinator it has been both exciting

and challenging to work and represent the First Nation

communities of Pabineau, Eel River Bar and Listuguj

in the commercial sheries. This opportunity has al-

lowed me to gain experience and valuable knowledge

in the commercial shing industry.

In the last year we have experienced a number chal-

lenges such as the collapse of the Lobster industry and

a decline of some species like snow crab. Not onlydoes this threaten our participation in commercial sh-

eries but future generations as well. Our licenses are

communal so any disruption in sheries has a greater

impact to our communities. Coming from a back-

ground of strong beliefs of our right to these resources

passed on to me by my late father Michael Isaac Sr.,

has strengthened my belief of our need to become ever

more involved in the management of these resources.

Working with GMRC has allowed me to gain experience and valuableknowledge in the commercial shing industry.

However with every right comes great responsibili

ties. To meet this responsibility a working group habeen established and is currently working towards

First Nation management plan starting with the Lob

ster shery. If successful it will become a templat

for other commercial shery initiatives of co-manage

ment.

Since the Supreme Court of Canadas monumenta

decision on Marshall our participation in the commer

cial shery industry has grown such that the oppor

tunity for our communities to begin moving toward

sustainable resource management is here and we musseize the moment. With the determination of organi

zation like GMRC and its dedicated staff this can b

accomplished.

Thank you and I look forward to another year a

GMRC to serve our communities in working toward

sustainable resource management.

Brian IsaacCommercial Fisheries Liaison Coordinator


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John Murvin VicaireCommunications/Quality Assurance

I

ts been almost four years now that Ive been work-

ing with the GMRC team and I can already see thechanges happening, within our communities, in this

short period of time.

In the beginning most of the work centered around

creating and building an organization. Now that the

foundation is solid, things are beginning to happen

much more quickly.

Someone recently asked how working with the people

at GMRC has inuenced me. What immediately came

to mind was, what if things were different and I neverhad to opportunity to work here?

There would have been many missed opportunities

and I am almost certain that I would not have been

able to develop the skills and the experience for what

I am passionate about. Nature and Imagery.

So quite simply, I feel forever indebted to this organi-

zation and the people I work with for sharing their lives

Now that the foundation is solid, things are beginning to happenmuch more quickly.

with me and allowing me to assist them in achieving

the organizations mission and vision for our people.

We have a lot of work ahead of us as a community

and as the Migmaq Nation. It important to know that

GMRC is working hard to better our situation with

the management of the natural resources in our dis-

trict Gespegewagi.

All too often governments ignore the Migmaq

people. Well were here to shout loud and clear that

we are here, and will once again fulll our roles in

taking care of Mother Earth.


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20

The vision of the Gespegewaq Migmaq Re-

source Council is to assist First Nation

communities within the traditional district of

Gespegewagi, by creating awareness and under-

standing and gathering support to further sustainable

natural resource management. This is the spirit ofNetugulimg and the sacred relationship that exists

between the Migmaq and our natural world.

We see a future where we can work together, manage

our resources and have a greater say in how they are

managed, while at the same time build cultural bridg-

es with the common goal of effective natural resource

management practices.

We believe that youth represent the future of our na-

tive communities, and that their health and well-beingdetermines the future health of our communities. By

investing in our youth and giving them a sense of

place and tradition a community ensures it has bright

and capable leaders.

One of the most important principles governing the

Migmaq relationship with hunting and shing is

Netugulimg. Netugulimg is the process of supply-

ing oneself or making a livelihood from the land, an

Netugulimgewel refers to the applicable rules o

standards. It is through the use of Netugulimgewe

that we embarked on a youth sponsored moose hunt

ing activity in the fall of 2009.

To accomplish our objective, we focused our resourc

es on projects that work specically with youth, an

incorporate culture and tradition to address social is

sues such as drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnan

cy, mental health or other social issues. We wish t

engage more of our youth in the future by using th

principles relating to Netugulimgewel on these ke

priority areas:

Preserving, strengthening or renewing cultura

and/or spiritual practices, beliefs and values associated with Netugulimgewel;

Engage youth, resource users and elders in activ

ties within Netugulimg that demonstrate positiv

approaches towards obtaining traditional know

edge, practices, beliefs, values and culturally ap

propriate harvesting activities;

Tiamugwet 2009Youth Initiative


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21

The moose is the largest member of the deer family

currently roaming the planet. Moose eat willow, birch

and aspen twigs, horsetail, sedges, roots, pond weeds

and grasses.

Moose eat leaves, twigs, buds and the bark of some

woody plants, as well as lichens, aquatic plants and

some of the taller herbaceous land plants. Moose can

actually feed under water.

Cow moose have been known to live for as long as 20

years. Bull moose may reach 15 years of age.

While a male may use its antlers to hold off a preda-

tor, a mooses sharp hooves are its rst line of defense.

Moose are able to kick out in all directions, but gener-

ally use their front feet.

A mooses long legs allow it to move easily over

rough terrain and through deep snow. A moose can

run almost as fast as a horse, or about 30 miles per

hour for a short time period.

Increase youth leadership and their capacity to

lead through integrated educational or mentor-

ing programs using hunting and shing activi-

ties as a means of teaching; and

Increase access to and sharing of cultural cus-

toms and beliefs through the use of Netugulimg-

wel, as a means of reviving or preserving our

scared link between with Mother Earth.

This past fall GMRC was able to distribute 3 adult moose to the communities of Eel River

Bar, Listuguj and Pabineau First Nations. Additional moose meat was donated to the Christ-

mas Daddies in Listuguj for community distribution.

Moose also have a beard like a ap under their chin

called a dewlap or bell, male moose have large antlers

that are shaped like scoops that can measure 60 or

better tip to tip and can weigh in excess of 70 pounds.

A full grown moose can weigh up to 1,800 pounds

and stand 7 feet tall at the shoulder, making moose

one of the northern hemispheres largest land dwelling

mammals.

Living in harmony and sharing the spirit of the moose

SOME INTERESTING MOOSE FACTS


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22

Thatwasanice

shotCago!

Heythisisalot

ofwork!

Work?!Whats

that?Imonly

15

yrsold!

ThisisntlikeXboxehboys?

Whenyoukillsomething

on

TVyoudonthavetoclean

it!

Isaidholdtheropeand

stop*!$#@%around,th

is

placeisntforclowns.

Icanalmosttaste

themeatnow.

GoodTime

s


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23

facebook.com/Migmaq

twitter.com/Migmaqresource

youtube.com/Migmaqresource

google.com/profles/Migmaqresource

The positive im-

pact that social

media can have

on businesses is just beginning to be

realized. Social me-

dia uses web-based

technologies to trans-

form and broadcast mono-

logues into social media

dialogues. Their use supports

GMRCs continued efforts by

keeping community members in-

formed on what we are doing. It also

allows us to share knowledge and infor-mation at real-time.

As social media continues to grow, the ability

to reach more people is also increased. GMRC

sees social media

as a new tool for

effective business

marketing and futuresales for our services.

Currently we are using

4 popular networking

sites; Facebook, Youtube,

Google Buzz, and Twitter.

This past year we also invest-

ed in updating our website which

now allows us to share even more

information about our services and

what we are up to.

We believe that social media is a driv-

ing force in dening our services and let-

ting others know what we are doing.

Social Media and You

As we move forward with our growth, we areleaving nothing to chance.


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25

AboutMargaret LaBillois

Margaret LaBillois has always been

and will always be a true Migmaq

leader. In 1970, she was elected the

Chief of Eel River Bar, becoming the

rst female Chief in New Brunswick.

In recognition of her leadership quali-

ties and signicant contribution to

sustaining Migmaq traditional skills

and practice, Margaret was awarded

the Order of Canada in 1998 and in

2005 the province of New Brunswick

awarded her the Order of New Bruns-

wick. Her leadership path had begun

many years before in 1939 when she

became the rst person to graduate

from high school in Eel River Bar. She

went on to serve our country in World

War II as a nurse in the RCAF.

All of her life Margaret has shown her

commitment to the value of education

both traditional and western, and in

1982, she graduated from Lakehead

University with an Honours Degree in

Native Languages.

In honour of the our esteemed and re-

spected Elder Margaret LaBillois and

recognition of our greatest asset Our

People, the Gespegewaq Migmaq

Resource Council (GMRC) has estab-

lished the Margaret LaBillois Educa-

tion Policy.

Margaret LaBillois

Scholarship Fund


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26

Gespe'gewaq Mi'gmaq Resource Council maintains itsCertification for Quality Management Systems and is now ISO9001:2008

As an organization we are always working towards building a better way of doing business. Our communities an

our respective clients expect this. One of the competitiv

advantages we have over the competition apart from sur

rounding ourselves with quality people is our attention t

management.

The Quality Management System developed within th

GMRC is process driven, and emphasizes the importanc

of understanding and meeting customer requirements; th

need to consider processes in terms of added value; ob

taining results of process performance and effectivenesand; continual improvement of processes based on objec

tive measurement.

The benet to our community members, clients, stake

holders and partners is the assurance of the continual im

provement of the organizations overall performance an

efciency, as well as its effectiveness. In 2009 GMRC

once again maintained its ISO certication.

ISO Certication for

Quality Management


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In April of 2009 the Gespegewaq Migmaq Re-

source Council and the Charlo Salmonid En-

hancement Centre Inc. (CSEC) announced that they

signed a Memorandum of Understanding that aims to

strengthen their commitment on the preservation of

the Atlantic salmon in the Restigouche region.

Wishing to build on our continued success working

in the eld of aquatic resource and oceans manage-

ment, our goal is two fold. First, create employment

opportunities for our community members and sec-

ondly promote awareness on the importance of sound

stewardship practices through enhancement related

activities.

Both the GMRC and the CSEC intend to work togeth-

er on various projects associated with conservation of

salmon resources in various watersheds, as well as,help each other by building capacity and nding other

potential opportunities for the sh hatchery. While in

the primary stages at this point, they may also take a

look other markets and perhaps rearing other species

besides salmon and trout.

This partnership further demonstrates that GMRC is

always planning for its future and how to get more

people interested in aquatic and resource manage-

ment. This joint co-operation serves as an example of

the success that can be achieved by working closely

together and by building strategic partners, said Chief

Everett Martin of the Eel River Bar First Nation.

We see ourselves as having more of a signicant roleto play in how the resources are managed in this terri-

tory, and we must be willing to take a more proactive

approach by ensuring there are resources for future

generations. Its in our best interests to work collab-

oratively if possible.

Charlo Fish Hatchery


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He was a friend to anyone who had the pleasure of meetinghim. He was a true ambassador of Migmaq Rights. He wasa Migmaq leader, who put his peoples needs before his own. He

had the skills of a true leader, a hunter, an avid sherman, and was

a gifted speaker. He was kind, humble, concerned, and always had

the time to talk to people. He had compassion for humankind and

was a good friend to many. He had a great sense of humor evident

through the twinkle in his eye and heartfelt laughter.

Junior fought many battles in his life. An inquiry into his wrongful

conviction created a basis for others in the country to nd justice

for wrongful imprisonments. The recommendations from the

report on the inquiry has changed the course of the Nova Sco-

tia justice system and created a somewhat better system for those

who are marginalized and discriminated against in our society due

to their race.

After settling into a life of new-found freedom after being impris-

oned for 11 years, Junior went shing and was arrested for shing

eels out of season. This was the beginning of a legal battle that

would eventually see the Supreme Court of Canada Decision af-

rm our rights as members of the Migmaq Nation, and members

of Migmaq First Nation Allies, to hunt and sh as we did prior to

European invasion. In 1999 this decision sparked a major battle

between the Migmaq, non-native sherman, and the Canadian

government.

Juniors greatest battle was for his own life, as he endured a dou-

ble lung transplant several years ago. In spite of his failing health,

Junior continued to work within the communities, especially withyouth to create better lives for our people. He had run a youth sur-

vival camp for many years because he believed in helping youth

nd positive directions in their lives.

To those of us who knew him and believed in him, he will be sadly

missed. To his mother and family, thank you for sharing your son

with the world, especially with the Migmaq Nation.

Honoring Donald

Marshall Jr.


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Financials


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GESPEGEWAQ MIGMAQ RESOURCE COUNCIL INC.

Balance Sheet as of March 31, 2010


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GESPEGEWAQ MIGMAQ RESOURCE COUNCIL INC.

Combined Statement of Revenue and Expenditures

For the Year Ended March 31, 2010


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Documents

GMRC 2010 Annual Report