the cemetery to see if I could find my Mom’s place of rest,” says Gallup. Rod Hyde, President of the Fort McKay Recreation Society and long­time Fort McKay School Principal and hockey coach, is researching the cemetery to assist people like Gallup in finding the final resting place of family mem­bers and lost loved ones. Hyde says that he and local resi­dent Scotty Stewart have been working with the band on the pro­ject for many years now. They have identified many of the graves but there is a large window of time

When the community came togeth­er to clean up the Fort McKay Cemetery it was our Elders that took charge, with our most senior elder, Flora Grandjambe leading the way. “I have plenty of family in the cemetery,” says Grandjambe. “My Mom, my Dad, four brothers, a sister, my 2 girls, aunties, uncles, nephews and nieces, they are all buried here.” The clean­up was hosted by Fort McKay Metis and Fort McKay Recreational Society. Close to all of the participants in the clean­up were community elders and in­cluded: Flora Grandjambe, Techla Powder, Lina Gallup, Ernest

Tremblay, and Scottie Stewart. The Elders did not hesitate to get down and dirty to remove long grass, branches and debris from the gravesites. Many of the sites are well marked; however, many remain a mystery to who is exactly buried there. Lina Gallup, another Fort McKay Elder, has confirmed that her Mother, Helen Boucher, is buried there but does not know where. Gallup returned to her home Fort McKay more than half a century after she and her two sisters were taken away and put in a residential school. “The very first thing I did when I returned to Fort McKay was go to

Caring for our ancestors P. 1

ELDERS LEAD CLEAN UP

Time For Community Health Check The Fort McKay First Nation and Fort McKay Métis Nation Local 63, in partnership with Alberta Health and Wellness and Alberta Aboriginal Relations, announced their shared commitment to work together on a community health assessment for the Fort McKay community. “We are incredibly encouraged by this show of commitment from the Government of Alberta,” stated Raymond Powder, Deputy Chief of the Fort McKay First Nation. “Our Chief and Council, in part­nership with leadership from the Fort McKay Metis Community, have expressed for quite some time now that there is a great need to conduct a health assessment study of our community. We need to better understand the state of our people’s health, and how the envi­ronment around us is impacting our health, not just physically, but also emotionally and spiritually. There is still much work to be done, but this is certainly a big step in the right direction.”

A letter of intent was signed be­tween Fort McKay leaders and Ministers of Alberta Health and Wellness and Aboriginal Relations whereby all parties agree to jointly undertake not only a community

health assessment but also the design and implementation of activities for identifying Fort McKay residents’ health issues and concerns, and addressing them effectively. “This community health assess­ment is an historical first for Al­berta,” said Gene Zwozdesky, Minister of Health and Wellness. “Community leaders in Fort

McKay have shown tremendous leadership and cooperation in ad­vancing this process that will be carried out with, by, and for the community.” “This community­driven initiative will help determine the health priorities of Fort McKay resi­dents,” said Dr. Andre Corriveau, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. “The collaborative process will result in development of a plan to ensure the right mix of services and programs to improve the overall health of the communi­ty.” The community health assessment will also aim to facilitate the de­sign, implementation and delivery of programs, services and other activities to improve the health and wellness of Fort McKay communi­ty members. A committee repre­sented equally by First Nations and government stakeholders, and overseen by the Minister of Health

December 1, 2011—Volume 1—Issue 1

MCKAY METIS MESSENGER

fortmckaymetis.com

Prez boosts health P. 1

5 million trees replaced P. 4

Grandfather of business P. 2

See: New Headstones P.3

See: How Healthy? P.3

“We are ready to roll up

our sleeves …”

­ Metis President Ron Quintal

It has been a busy few months for the Fort McKay Metis Com­munity, with a number of developments that will help to move our

community forward. I am very proud that the community come together toward the end of last summer to complete a Grave Yard Clean­up, that we were able to sign an agreement with the Government of Alberta to undertake a community based health study, and that we have

increased our business opportu­nities with McKay Metis Man­agement Inc, as well as our own contract at the PTI camp on the corner. These initiatives will provide jobs for community members and resources to under­take community projects. I am also excited about the in­creased partnerships we are de­veloping with the Fort McKay First Nation. By working to­gether we will ensure our com­mon vision for a community, a community that is self­reliant, self­determined, and self­managed, can be realized.

I believe the most important initiative we have undertaken, is the creation of our new Commu­nity Organization the Fort McKay Metis Community. Through this new organization we will be able to self govern, set policy for membership, land, and housing, and be the true Otipemisiwak “our own bosses”. I hope that you have enjoyed reading our new newsletter. The McKay Metis Messenger will update our members monthly on current events, upcoming events, and a snap shot of the work we are doing to move the

President’s Message

Metis Continue Their Ancestors Business Legacy throughout Canada’s history, it has also allowed them to excel in the business world. “The Métis have always been a working people,” Quintal explains. “When the fur trade stopped and was no longer viable, the Fort McKay Métis went to work in the oil sands. “I can count at least 20 members of this community who trapped their en­tire lives, and when the money wasn’t so great anymore, they went to work in the oil sands.” “That’s one of the great things about the Métis people—they’re able to adapt to their environ­ment,” he continues, adding that this quality saved the Métis when the Aboriginal people were being shuffled onto reserves by the Ca­nadian government.“The Métis didn’t have a reserve to go to—they weren’t given anything. They had no choice but to fend for themselves.” The Fort McKay

Métis didn’t just survive; they thrived and continue to do so. The company is relatively new, but in the three short years the Fort McKay Metis Group of Companies (FMMGC) has been in operation, the business has seen impressive success. “It is important that that we con­tinue that legacy of good busi­ness in this area that our ances­

The Métis have a proud, longstanding heritage in the Fort McKay community. From the earliest days of the fur trade, Métis people traversed the tract­less forest and treacherous wa­terways of the north, bringing furs to eastern Canada to be shipped to the fur­hungry Euro­pean markets. In fact, the explor­er Peter Pond, a famous histori­cal figure for his exploration of the Athabascan region, was first accompanied to Fort Chipewyan by Métis guides. One of the Métis people’s most characteris­tic qualities is their ability to adapt to change. Ron Quintal, president of McKay Métis Man­agement, the Fort McKay Métis Group of Companies, and the Fort McKay Métis Community, says this quality has not only allowed the Métis to thrive through difficult economic times

Page 2

McKay Metis Messenger

Hard working Fort McKay Metis businessmen like Captain Shot (p. 1) and other river men (above) were the pioneers of business in this area and business is still good.

tors started and I am proud to say that we are doing that with our Metis Group of Companies,” says Quintal, The company rein­vests 20 per cent of its annual profits back into the Fort McKay community for housing, infra­structure, beautification, scholar­ships and other initiatives. (Writer, Rebekah Root)

community ahead. In closing I would like to invite everyone to our Santa Skate children's Christmas party, planned for December 3, 2011 at the Fort McKay Arena. The New Year's Eve party to be hosted at the Band Hall, and will preview two bands to help us bring in the New Year. Please everyone stay safe and enjoy this holiday season, and please Don’t Drink & Drive. With Kindest Regards, You’re President, Ron Quintal

and Wellness and Fort McKay First Nation’s Chief and Coun­cil, will coordinate all activities. Len Webber, Minister of Abo­riginal Relations said, “Working together on a community health assessment is one process through which we continue to strengthen the Government of Alberta’s relationship with First Nation and Métis leaders, and we hope this will serve as a suc­cessful example of trust and collaboration.

“This initiative is even more signifi­cant for Fort McKay given our communi­ty’s close proximity to a number of oil sands mining devel­opments from the Athabasca oil sands,” said Ron Quintal, President of the Fort McKay Metis Community. “We are ready to roll up our sleeves and work together on this very im­portant priority to our communi­ty.”

How Healthy Are We?

New Headstones For The Missing be found. A large cairn with the names of the missing family members will be erected in the cemetery. “It is our hope that all graves will be identified and marked with a stone marker,” says Hyde who also participated in the cem­etery clean­up. The cemetery clean­up will be a yearly event and for more infor­mation on the clean­up, locations

of gravesites or id you have in­formation on burial sites, please contact Rod Hyde at 780­7992756. Next year there is no question whether Fort McKay’s Elders will be out in force to clean up the cemetery and pay respect to their lost family members. “It is a very important place to me,” says Grandjambe.

when the graves were not being marked. Hyde says that there are stone markers from between 1918 and 1925 and then there are no more markers until 1975. “Lucky for us that in the last 20 years or so, Rick Grandjambe and others have been making beautiful homemade markers with metal plaques. This has helped us identify many of the graves,” says Hyde. Other ways that Hyde and Stewart have been able to identify grave sites is to talk with family members and to also use an existing list of all funerals that have ever been held in Fort McKay. They also have hired a company that can do tests on the possible graves in the cemetery, for example where there are depressions in the ground, to determine that they are in fact burial sites. Fort McKay’s other burial sites, the one directly across the river from the town site, and the two at Moose Lake are also being re­searched. There are also plans to com­memorate those burial sites, like Gallup’s Mother, that may never

Page 3

December 1, 2011—Volume 1—Issue 1

Fort McKay Metis President Ron Quintal signs historic agreement with former Minister of Health Gene Zawosky And Fort McKay First Nation Councillor Raymond Powder at the Legislative Build-ing, September 21, 2011.

Elders Lina Gallup, 79, Flora Grandjambe, 88, and Thecla Tremblay, worked hard the entire day.

“It is our hope that all graves will be

identified and marked with a stone marker”

Continued from P. 1

Continued from P. 1

Metis President Ron Quintal makes Connect magazine’s Top 40 under 40 2011.

Self­Reliance, Self Determination, Self Management.

P.O Box 5000 Fort McMurray, AB T9H 3G4

Phone: 780-828-2441 E-mail: manager@fortmckaymettis.com

If you would like to contribute to The Fort McKay Metis Today Please feel free to contact us.

manager@fortmckaymetis.com or 780­828­2441.

Fort McKay Metis Community

Five Million Trees Replaced

President Ron Quintal marked a milestone for Suncor’s reforestation with Wood Buffalo Mayor Melissa Blake, Ivy Wigmore, and MLA Guy Boutilier. Wigmore planted the first, three millionth and five millionth tree.

We’re on the Web! www.fortmckaymetis.com

www.facebook/fort­mckay­metis­community

a gallup publication

You are invited to our: Fort McKay Metis Community Christmas Skate On December 03, 2011, from 6pm—9pm At Fort McKay Hockey Arena Let’s all ‘skate to celebrate’ Christmas. There will be face painting, pictures with Santa, refreshments, toys give away and much more …

We would like to thank our many sponsors.

BE SURE TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR FORT MCKAY STYLE AT THE: FORT MCKAY METIS COMMUNITY NEW YEAR BASH Licensed Door Prizes Jigging Contest Appetizers Party info. TBA