our annual report 2014-2015

annual
report
2014
2015
origin...
Message from the President-Chief Executive Officer
Communities of Native Alliance of Quebec
Message from the MP for Roberval-Lac-Saint-Jean
Message from the MNA for Roberval
Message from the National Chief and National Vice-Chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
For an effective recognition of the aboriginal peoples of Quebec and Canada, Camil Girard
Message from the Director of Building Operations
Message from the Supervisor for social community interventions
Message from the Male Supervisor for Building Operations
Message from the Female Supervisor for Building Operations
Message from the Legal Counsel
Message from the Supervisor for Foremen
2015 Goals, Conclusion and Acknowledgments
Pourvoirie du lac Husky
Kisis Technologies
Members of the Board of Corporation Waskahegen
Corporation Waskahegen
112, avenue de l’Église, bureau 204
Dolbeau-Mistassini, QC G8L 4W4
Tel.: 418 276-7551 | Fax: 418 276-8302
E-mail: corpo@waskahegen.com | Website: www.waskahegen.com
Copyright – Bibliothèque nationale du Québec and National Library of Canada, 2015
CONTENTS
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Origin...
The cover of the report also highlights this reality: the land, a witness
to rich Native history and footprints evoking the cohabitation that is
possible between two peoples and the desire for progress.
To understand the present, it’s important to know our history. Both
to trace the footprints of our ancestors and also to see the signs of
how our land has evolved, making us what we are today. With this in
mind, we’re pleased to present our latest annual report.
Year after year, Corporation Waskahegen, through its dynamism and
convincing results, reminds us to what extent its presence is a necessity. The game hasn’t been won yet, but there is hope that one day
the origin of our people will finally be recognized and we will then be
able to take control of our own destiny and development.
The origin takes us to the very essence of our roots, to a starting
point. A place, certainly, but also a nation, an environment and a reality.
So this word speaks to us because it reminds us that we can refer to
it and find the source of everything.
To conclude, I’d like to express my most sincere thanks to the whole
Corporation Waskahegen team, which has been working tirelessly to
make sure that the people we serve have the best possible services, as
well as our partners who share our goals and help us achieve them.
Native heritage in Quebec is rich and diverse. As mentioned by Camil
Girard, who incidentally has written an excellent text in this report,
going beyond the recognition of fundamental rights, the concept of
alliance and shared sovereignty between the Native population and
the erstwhile French and English rulers serves as a framework to
understand the scope of the negotiations that have been going on
for many years.
Gilles Bérubé
Président-directeur général
gilles bérubé
President-Chief Executive Officer
For the past 43 years, this is how Corporation Waskahegen has been
involved in a tangible way for the well-being and autonomy of offreserve Natives in Quebec from the perspective of recognizing
their ancestral rights. It manages and administers a housing stock of
more than 2,000 units in some 117 areas across Quebec, has no less
than ten branches to cover the vast territory and offer a panoply of
services (employment, training, community social intervention,
architecture, habitat improvement programs, construction project
management and economic development). All this with the sole
objective of ensuring a better future for off-reserve Natives.
Like Corporation Waskahegen, this year’s report throws light on the
origin and the nature of the bonds that linked different nations from
their very first contact while reinforcing the concepts of authenticity,
hospitality and mutual aid that prevailed. In short, it paints a picture
of the distinct and free Native character by revisiting the past.
4
NATIVE ALLIANCE OF QUEBEC
Belleterre-Laforce
Grand-Remous
Maniwaki
Fort-Coulonge
Chapeau
Waltham
Otter Lake
Mansfield
Campbell's Bay
Île-du-Grand-Calumet
Bryson
Quyon
Hull
Rapides-des-Joachims
Kipawa-Témiscaming
Notre-Dame-du-Nord
Val d'Or
Branch
Region 05
Rouyn-Noranda
WASKAHEGEN CORPORATION
Head Office
Region 04
Head Office
Region 03
Region 02
Region 01
LEGEND
Ste-Véronique
Oka
St-Jean
Montréal
Trois-Rivières-Métropolitain
Yamachiche
St-Félicien
Roberval
Normandin
Magog
Sherbrooke
Loretteville-Québec
La Tuque
La Malbaie
Chicoutimi
Dolbeau-Mistassini
St-Nazaire
COMMUNITIES of Native Alliance of Quebec
Sault-au-Mouton
Les Escoumins
Tadoussac
Forestville
Pointe-Lebel
Chute-aux-Outardes
Ragueneau
Baie-Comeau
Mont-Joli
Maria
Sept-Îles
Bonaventure
Havre St-Pierre
St-Augustin
denis lebel AND philippe couillard
MP and MNA
First Nations have a rich and impressive heritage. From our shared
social, political and spiritual identities to our common colourful cultural baggage, our 400-year-old history has a unique origin.
I am pleased with the publication of Corporation Waskahegen’s 2015
annual report. In over forty years, the Corporation has grown, and
like the members of the Native Alliance of Quebec, has taken root in
several regions of the province. Today, it provides quality housing at
an affordable price to more than 2,000 off-reserve aboriginal households. By doing this, it offers an adapted and original solution to an
all too common problem and serves as a key element in ensuring a
good quality of life.
For 43 years now, Corporation Waskahegen has been engaged in efforts to offer services and develop initiatives to promote the growth
and well-being of off-reserve Natives. In brief, it acts as a lever to
improve the living conditions of a number of people.
By offering quality services where housing, employment, training,
economic development and community social intervention are concerned, it provides the basis of an autonomous community and a
more prosperous society.
It was only possible because good people believed in this idea. They
worked hard for years to provide not just a roof, but also a living
environment to hundreds of their compatriots and families. For all
these people, this home is a mark of shared cultural identity and
heritage.
Corporation Waskahegen is proof that hard work and perseverance
produce results. So, I would like to offer my congratulations to a
team that works tirelessly for the well-being of people in need.
So, I would like to thank the people behind this success as well as
those who are contributing to its continuity today. They are showing the path to follow, the path of pride and solidarity. Reading this
report helps us understand the scale and value of the work done, for
which they deserve our wholehearted gratitude.
My best wishes for the continued success of your mission!
The Honourable Denis Lebel
MP for Roberval – Lac-Saint-Jean
Minister of Infrastructure, Communities, and Intergovernmental
Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of
Canada for the Regions of Quebec
Philippe Couillard
Premier of Quebec and Minister Responsible
for the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Region
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betty ann lavallée and ron swain
Chief and Vice-Chief
On behalf of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, we are pleased
to celebrate the hard work and dedication of Waskahegen Corporation, now in its 42nd year of operation. Our congratulations goes
to Waskahegen on its anniversary, and our sincere thanks goes to
everyone whose efforts help to ensure that the lives of Aboriginal
Peoples living off-reserve in Québec are improved through the corporation’s programs in housing, employment assistance, economic
development, labour market development and so much more.
How we understand our own identity as Aboriginal people speaks to
our ties to our communities, to where we come from, to our origins.
And that identity will define how we move forward, both as individuals and together as members of our communities.
To Corporation Waskahegen, we send a heartfelt thank you for reminding us of the importance of our common history and how we
will build a common and prosperous future.
This year’s theme, origins, reminds us of the importance of our roots
as first peoples and of our connection to the land which is the origin
of all things. It is in reflecting our origins that the work of organizations like Corporation Waskahegen becomes so important to Aboriginal people. By integrating the teachings of our ancestors, we see
how to build programs for a prosperous future. By understanding
the land from which we come, we understand how to treat the world
around us.
Betty Ann Lavallée, CD (Ret’d)
National Chief
Ron Swain
National Vice-Chief
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
At the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, understanding our origins
informs how we approach issues today and build for tomorrow as
well. The question of identity is a significant part of our work and
the essential question that we will put before the Supreme Court of
Canada in the case of Daniels v. Canada in the coming months.
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Camil Girard is an aboriginal rights expert. There is a lot to learn
from his latest works. Here, we reproduce an excerpt from the book
Nistassinan, Notre Terre. Alliances et souveraineté partagée du peuple innu
au Québec, published by Les Presses de l’Université Laval, 2014
authored by Camil Girard with contributions by Carl Brisson.
So, we think that these management methods necessitated various
forms of intercultural alliances on the ground that helped forge
relations with aboriginal nations and other actors in the territories.
Special alliances and treaties fell into place, which mixed both European and aboriginal customs.
For an effective recognition of the aboriginal
peoples of Quebec and Canada
For aboriginals and more so for those of us of European origin,
it is important to build intercultural spaces with a new shared intercultural history through which old sources can be reread. This
will help us revisit our colonial (15th and 16th centuries) and national
(19th century) histories.
Camil Girard, associate professor, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi and
Groupe de Recherche sur l’Histoire (GRH-UQAC)
Founding alliances… based on the recognition of the rights of
aboriginal peoples in New France
The recognition of the fundamental rights of Natives in the current negotiations with the Innu people is almost an extension of principles similar to
those that existed at the time of the first contact with the French in 1603
and those that the British preserved in the Royal Proclamation of 1763.
The French and British Crowns wanted to enter into a partnership with
the Natives of New France and Canada to establish a viable colony and
develop a distinct economy based on respect, sharing as well as peaceful
and harmonious coexistence.
In Quebec, the Innus (Montagnais) were the first allies of the French
and they never ceded their territories situated in what is now the
north-east of Quebec. The Crowns could have only affirmed their
presence in these territories of the King’s Estate with the alliance of
the aboriginal peoples on those lands.
camil girard
Historian and professor
To enable these principles to be applied safely, they were affirmed
through a nation-to-nation alliance with the Natives.
The current negotiations between the Canadian and Quebec governments and the Innus have been going on for more than thirty years.
To arrive at a negotiated agreement between the parties, it is important
to take a long-term perspective with welcoming and collaborative
relations contrary to the dominant discourse that has built up since
the first contact in the 16th century to the present day. It is against
the backdrop of the long-time occupation of their territories and the
relationships cultivated from the very first intercultural encounters in
Quebec that the history of aboriginal peoples must be analyzed for
the recognition of their fundamental rights.
This work is centred round the hypothesis that beyond the concepts
of discovery and conquest, lawmakers had to develop ways to manage
and use territories based on the customs and needs of all the actors
involved with the Crown, including aboriginal peoples.
In this work, the concept of alliance and shared sovereignty between
the aboriginal peoples and the Crowns serves as the framework to
understand the scope of the recognition of Innu rights on their
Territory in north-eastern Quebec (Nitassinan/Nistassinan). In this
respect, the first contacts with merchants in the 16th century, the first
alliance in 1603 with the Montagnais (Innus) and their allies and the
first great Commission of King Henri IV in November 1603 defined
the nature of the relations that France established with the aboriginal
peoples in New France.
This idea of a nation-to-nation alliance that endured during the
French regime would have a considerable impact on the management of aboriginal peoples’ territories, in particular in Quebec and
especially in the north-east, the Innu territory. France, then England
after the Conquest of 1760, would scrupulously respect the “Indian”
territory.
The situation changed radically with the creation of the United
Province of Canada (1841 – 1867) and the Dominion of Canada
in 1867. The policy of creating reserves (from the 1850s) and the
Indian Act (1876) affirmed the implementation of a policy of expropriation of lands, extinguishment of individual and collective rights
and the assimilation of aboriginal peoples.
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From allies under previous regimes, they became marginalized minors
under the guardianship of the new country being created, Canada. It is
in this context of discrimination, especially towards aboriginal women
who married non-Indians, that terms such as “Indians on reserves,”
“non-status Indians,” and “off-reserve Indians,” which are now subsumed into the Native Alliance of Quebec (NAQ), appeared.
As pointed out by Sylvain Ross, Innu leader from Essipit, in the preface of the work: “How is it that 400 years later, the status of Natives –
and as far as I am concerned, that of Innus – went from Allies to wards
of the State? That in the eyes of mainstream society, they are no longer
indispensable, but rather undesirable? That today we treat our once
commercial partners like minors reduced to the status of beggars?”
Drawing inspiration from the words of Robert Bourassa, we may
conclude that Canada and Quebec should understand very clearly that
whatever is said or done, Natives are and will be always, distinct and
free peoples and Nations who are able to take their destiny and development into their own hands.
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Regions
Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Outaouais
Saguenay Lac-Saint-Jean,
Chibougamau-Chapais
Côte Nord
Gaspésie
Branches
Rouyn-Noranda
Val d’Or
Maniwaki
Mansfield
Quebec City
Montréal
Dolbeau-Mistassini
Sept-Îles
Baie-Comeau
Mont-Joli
To continue on the path of collaboration, this year, all the members of the management team responsible for housing participated
in the drafting of the property management report. Their role is
crucial because they support and supervise employees in provincial
areas, which helps us respond to our clients’ expectations and also to
meet the requirements of our main partners and financial backers,
which are the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ) and the Canada
Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
martin voisine
Director of Building Operations
Aboriginal values
Since its inception, Corporation Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du Nord
has always subscribed to traditional aboriginal values in its management and relations with its clients, employees and partners.
In 2014, with this spirit of respect, mutual assistance and
commitment, the Corporation Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du Nord
team continued to make all the efforts necessary to offer its offreserve aboriginal clients the best possible housing conditions.
Apart from these aboriginal values, each member of the team stands
out by their openness to the clientele by showing empathy and
fairness. Each supported the other (clients and colleagues) to
enhance collective well-being.
Teamwork
Managing 2,000 housing units across 117 municipalities in Quebec
is no easy task. To do this, we rely on a management team that is
always available and in contact with our 36 employees working in
10 branches spread out over six regions.
In this report, you will be able to see the results obtained by the entire
Corporation Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du Nord team for the benefit
of our clients who really need them.
Salient facts and statistics
Housing conditions have changed for the better since the inception of
Corporation Wasakahegen/Habitat Métis du Nord, but there is nevertheless room for more improvement.
The following are salient facts and statistics on off-reserve aboriginal
housing. According to an article published by the National Collabora-ting Centre for Aboriginal Health with the title Housing as a social
determinant of First Nations, Inuit and Métis health:
•
•
10
Housing for Aboriginal people must be considered within the
context of demographic pressures. The Aboriginal population in
Canada is young, increasingly urban and growing at a rate nearly six
times faster than the non-Aboriginal population;
Almost half of the Aboriginal population (48%) consists of children and youth under the age of 24. While there have been improvements over the past decade in the availability and quality of
housing for Aboriginal people, these improvements have so far
failed to keep pace with these demographic pressures.
92
0$
83
6$
89
40
8$
11
71
19
12 $
95
31
$
87
36
5$
69
59
5$
72
47
9$
86
78
1$
61
00
0
64 $
95
1
$
70
23
3
$
93
11
74
80
$
14
40
89
$
20
35
97
$
27
8
3
0
67
31
3
2
31
7
100 000
12 $
1
81
1
$
11
8
94
0
12 $
5
22
5
$
11
8
12
1
$
10
2
95
1
$
91
05
7
$
11
5
96
3
$
11
5
13
5
90
$
12
0
$
10
6
26
0
$
26
9
12
150 000
8
$
200 000
20
$
$
$
250 000
10
New housing units
For two years now, Corporation Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du
Nord has been working in collaboration with the SHQ, through the
Accès Logis program to add 36 new housing units. In 2014, we made
progress on two files concerning housing units to be constructed in
Maniwaki and Déléage, which should start taking shape in 2015.
Bad debts
Where bad debts are concerned, we had $106,260 in 2014. This is also
one of the best results we have had since the year 2000.
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Despite Corporation Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du Nord’s positive
reports year after year on housing, in the light of the foregoing salient
facts and statistics, it must be admitted that there is much work to be
done to make more quality and affordable housing units available for
off-reserve Natives.
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
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A household is said to have pressing housing needs if its residence
does not conform to at least one of the acceptability standards
(quality, size and affordable rent) and if 30% of its income before taxes
is not enough to pay the median rent of acceptable housing in the area
(reference: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation).
4
•
300 000
250 000
200 000
150 000
100 000
50 000
0
18
•
91% of annual household incomes are below $30,000 in tenant
households;
74% of tenant households that do not have the opportunity to reside in a Corporation Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du Nord spend
more than 25% of their income on housing;
54% of households have pressing housing needs.
8
•
Accounts receivable
In 2014, we ended the year with $70,233 in accounts receivable. It is
one of our best results in 15 years.
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Also, according to the study conducted by Axe management in 2008
on off-reserve aboriginal housing conditions:
50 000
0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
After the addition of these 36 new housing units, we would like to
capitalize on the momentum and add even more housing units for
off-reserve Natives.
For the past few years, we have had excellent results on these two performance indicators. Our greatest pride is that we are succeeding in
maintaining accounts receivable and bad debts at low levels while remaining available to our clients. We are trying hard to find solutions,
in partnership with our clients who have difficulties paying rent, so
that they can keep their housing unit. In this way, we are respecting
the traditional aboriginal values of respect, mutual assistance and commitment.
Performance indicators
Corporation Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du Nord managers have
always administered the housing stock in the most economical
way possible. We have always made it our duty to contribute to the
improvement of the use of public finances. Our management has
always been and continues to be conscientious and responsible.
Vacant housing units
Another indicator remains important for us, which is vacant housing
units. We pay special attention to make sure that our vacant housing
units are made ready for occupation in the shortest delay possible. According to the established procedure, our sub-contractors must make
this task a priority.
Because we benefit from the financial collaboration of provincial and
federal institutions (SHQ, CMHC) for the management and maintenance of our housing stock, we must show our partners our skill in
managing public money. Some performance indicators enable us to
show our effectiveness, particularly, our accounts receivable and bad
debts.
Since 2010, we have maintained a monthly average of 62 vacant housing units, which represents 3.1% of all our 2,000 housing units. To
understand the results obtained clearly, we must consider that our
housing units are spread over 117 municipalities across Quebec. We
concede that it’s a large territory and this reality is a constraint because
our sub-contractors must sometimes travel long distances to carry out
repairs to make the unit ready to be rented again.
In the short term, we would also like to create 28 other housing units
in the municipalities of Saint-Félicien (Saguenay- Lac-Saint-Jean),
Sherbrooke (Estrie) and Rouyn-Noranda (Abitibi-Témiscamingue).
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Véronique Bérubé
Supervisor for social community interventions
And if we
happened…
stopped
judging
and
remembered
what
I have been a community social worker for Habitat Métis du Nord
for 10 years now. For many, I’ve gone from the wicked social worker
who would judge them and take their children away from them to
the kind social worker who offers them solutions and assistance to
understand society, keeping in mind their values, beliefs, habits and
family.
In my opinion, we must begin by understanding before judging.
If we do a little bit of research on all that the Natives have gone
through, from residential schools to the massive adoption plan that
they were victims of in the 1960s because of which many of them
were divested of their cultural identity and communities saw their
children being snatched away from them…. Ask yourself this: would
you go back with your eyes closed to this system and would you
encourage your children to turn to it to look for resources or help
without any misgivings? That’s why it is important to have a team of
six social workers who know the aboriginal reality and who work for
the same goal, which is to improve their quality of life through our
organization.
We are the bridge, we represent accessible assistance, a first-contact
resource and a lesson in trust and mutual respect. All this has the
effect of not only helping, but also of preventing many social, economic and cultural problems that Natives are unfortunately confronted with.
In conclusion, what must be remembered, in my opinion, is that we
must learn to understand. When we understand, we save time. And
as the old saying goes, time is money, but for our clients, time is also
children, life and the future.
Véronique Bérubé
Supervisor for social community interventions
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dominic gagnon
Male Supervisor for Building Operations
Community centres
Corporation Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du Nord offers community
services at two centres: the le Pavillon Mawandoseg, which celebrated
its 9th anniversary, is situated on Pincourt Street in Quebec City and
offers its services to 100 households in the neighbourhood; and the
Maison de Quartier de la rue des Rondiers in La Tuque, inaugurated
on June 2, 2014, which serves 32 households.
The La Tuque centre is currently running in the form of a pilot
project for a year. Given its success attributable to project leader
Mélissa Lauzon, we expect it to continue next year.
Community centres fulfil the same mission, which is to develop
a place of belonging for the community by offering a venue for
meetings and various activities. Several steps have been taken to
do this: collective kitchen, sports activities, gardening, storytelling,
spirituality, job search, etc. Members can enjoy many educational
and prevention workshops: addiction, intimidation, dropping out
of school, management of emotions, good habits and aboriginal
customs.
These projects were started to respond to demand with the invaluable
help of the Native Alliance of Quebec and the neighbouring communities.
With community organizations, regional businesses and generous
citizens as partners, members contribute to cleaning, repainting and
decorating community centres and organizing activities to provide a
warm and convivial environment.
Their success is growing and the survival of our community centres
is linked to the amazing involvement of their members and the continued efforts of employees there.
Dominic Gagnon
Male Supervisor for Building Operations
Special activities have been conducted to teach members about
aboriginal origins: cooking game, spirituality and symbolism, natural
remedies and aboriginal storytelling evenings.
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patricia lebeuf
Female Supervisor for Building Operations
Annual visits
Remembering one’s origins, culture, traditions and perpetuating them
by transmission to future generations is a good way of influencing
one’s community so that it practises the traditional aboriginal values
of tolerance, sharing, concern for the community, openness to others
and respect for the living environment.
In 2014, 1,767 housing units were visited as part of our employees’
annual visits out of a total of 2,004. The remaining 12% will be
prioritized next year. The aim of these visits is to ensure that our
tenants live in a safe and healthy environment which was the original
founding wish of Corporation Waskahegen for off-reserve Natives.
We also check the physical state of our housing stock and we ensure
that the law is respected.
Shelter Enhancement Program (SEP)
Corporation Waskahegen has been offering shelter enhancement
programs for the Société d’habitation du Québec from the beginning. It is with the Emergency Repair Program that we started
helping the first few aboriginal families.
In 2014, we had a new turn. The Quebec government’s budget was
developed with a view to fixing public finances. No budgetary envelope was allocated for the Réno Village program and the Emergency
Repair Program. So, these programs are being studied and we are
waiting for directives from our managers.
Where the Residential Adaptation Program (RAP) is concerned,
which helps people with reduced mobility through the joint work
of our inspectors and occupational therapists from the area to adapt
their homes, the SHQ now allocates budgets based on the file in
question. They can be hired depending on budget availability. So,
there is no certainty about the time it would take for us to execute
these files because they can be postponed until the next program at
any time.
So, we regret having to keep the assistance that we were able to provide through these programs for so many years in limbo.
Patricia Lebeuf
Female Supervisor for Building Operations
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•
•
•
Community life: sharing and giving are a necessity. Only a
few possessions such as jewelry and weapons are individual.
Everything else is common and contributes to the survival of
the group. Hospitality is an obligation.
Managers: managers are spokespersons and coordinators and
must continuously demonstrate their compliance with the rules
of community life, particularly by offering hospitality regularly
and giving generously.
Conflict resolution: consensus is the method used to resolve
conflicts; elders listen to and guide opposing parties towards a
solution.
In fact, the majority of these regulations still hold true for Aboriginals. Even though they must adapt to Western laws and regulations,
their conduct continues to be guided first and foremost by their
deep-rooted values and cultural mores.
Now, this “aboriginal code of conduct” is sometimes difficult to
reconcile with the legal and organizational framework governing
today’s society. For instance, for a people to whom hospitality is an
obligation, the legal concept of “undeclared occupant” is difficult
to explain. This means Corporation Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du
Nord’s legal department must ensure that laws are respected and also
explain and justify them to their clients.
josée bérubé
Lawyer, Legal Counsel
Legal Counsel
Nowadays, individuals and businesses are subject to laws, norms and
regulations in their daily lives. Western society has a judicial system
to make people respect established laws and punish illegal actions. At
Corporation Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du Nord, like in most businesses, the lawyer or the legal department is in charge of ensuring
that activities take place within the law.
Belonging and goals
At Corporation Waskahegen, we have made education and awareness, rather than automatic punishment, our priority. We recommend
regulations and mediation rather than litigation. In fact, we make
tools available to help people apply rules while respecting aboriginal
values and culture. By basically working in this way for and with the
people, the legal department ensures that it remains effective, but
also culturally sensitive, accessible and empathetic.
But at the heart of our organization, the mission of the legal department is much broader and distinguished by its relevance, origins and
goals.
From many points of view, last year was one of accomplishments for
the legal department. We settled several important matters, updated
tools and documents used by employees, consolidated the team and
developed the Legal Guide.
Origins (or a little bit of history)
When the Europeans first arrived in America, aboriginal societies
had been living on the continent for a long time and they were organized and had already adopted rules of conduct. For the Natives,
these rules represented their values and beliefs, which could not be
violated, even if they were not written. Some of these rules were
common to all First Nations. The following are a few examples:
•
Family: children are considered assets, loved deeply, given
attention and tenderness and subject to few constraints. Each
member of the family – mother, father and children – are equal.
Elders represent memory and wisdom.
So, we can say that more than ever we are a responsible aboriginal
legal department which is proud of its roots and faithful to its origins
Josée Bérubé
Lawyer, Legal Counsel
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The main tool that we have been using to plan our budgets for
coming years is the building health check report. Each building and
its units are visited by a certified inspector every five years. The report
consists of observations from various priority levels, thus revealing
the state of the building. With the help of this tool and the expertise
of our foremen, we manage to keep our budgets well balanced.
Several events can be stumbling blocks to the execution of major
works. For instance, in remote areas, a shortage of contractors can
affect the cost. Other important factors that are out of our control
have an impact on the budget and these are disasters and urgent
repair works that are unforeseen. Like the founders, who had to
overcome many obstacles, we too must constantly show flexibility
and re-evaluate our priorities.
At the end of the day, our foremen and technical team have to
constantly find new solutions to achieve our common goal, which is
to maintain the housing stock in the best possible state by investing
the budget at our disposal.
Sébastien Desrosiers
Supervisor for Foremen
sébastien desrosiers
Supervisor for Foremen
Major construction works and building health check report
At the beginning, more than 40 years ago, Corporation Waskahegen
only had a few housing units. Over the years, without forgetting its
humble beginnings, it has become what it is today with a housing
stock of 2,000 units for off-reserve Natives.
Since then, several aspects of the preventive management of our
housing units have changed. Today, we have managers with a lot of
experience under their belt. Budgets have also increased proportionally
with time.
For 2014, we have around $4,800,000 for major works. Despite the
large sum, there are gaping needs and we think it is essential for the
provincial and federal governments to maintain their contribution at
the same percentage for the next seven or eight years.
As at the beginning, we invest each dollar in our RAM budget (major
works) as judiciously as possible. That’s why it’s important to target
the work to be done properly and set the right priorities. The search
for new contractors at competitive rates by our foremen helps greatly
in the efficient use of the budget. It is out of respect for our origins
that we need to act in this way. Over the years, the advent of computers has brought us many tools with which we can optimize the
maintenance of our housing stock.
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2015 Goals
Tenant guide
We plan to amend our tenant guide for the coming year. Several items
in the code of conduct for each tenant must be added and/or revised
to promote better understanding among clients so that they get along
well as neighbours, keep the housing stock in a good state of repair
and respect the laws in force. This tool is a compendium of building
regulations and is an integral part of the lease signed by the tenant.
Occupational health and safety
For the past few years, we have been part of a prevention mutual
group. We believe that the health and safety of our employees is
important. That’s why we have committed to taking the necessary
measures to protect them.
Each year, our prevention mutual group (ACCISST), processes
member files. After this evaluation, taking into account the efforts
made to apply our “Occupational health and safety policy” and our
effective collaboration, we earned the “SELECT” grade. It’s the
highest performance level in the five existing grades.
Conclusion and acknowledgements
Again this year, Corporation Waskahegen/Habitat Métis du Nord
has fulfilled its mandate in style by offering the best housing conditions to off-reserve Natives. This positive report is not a product of
chance and could not have been possible without the contribution of
several actors who had the well-being of Natives at heart.
Thank you to all our employees for their commitment, board members for their involvement and dedication, Native Alliance of Quebec
(NAQ) volunteers for their support and our government partners
(SHQ and CMHC) for their collaboration. Without the support of
each and every one of you our mission would not be accomplished.
Thank you for giving hope to our clients who are often beset with
social and/or financial problems. Your contribution is essential and
will help them have a better quality of life. I recognize in each one of
you the traditional aboriginal values of RESPECT, MUTUAL HELP
and COMMITMENT. WELL DONE!
Martin Voisine
Director of Building Operations
2015 Goals, Conclusion and Acknowledgements
Obviously, for 2015, we would like to maintain our highest standards. This recognition reflects the importance that we place on our
employees.
New housing units
As we have seen in the salient facts and statistics section, the housing
needs for off-reserve Natives are constantly growing and the supply
does not meet the demand. This is why we will continue our efforts
to add new units to our housing stock.
Intranet
This year, the management team finished its Intranet project. The
old software did not give us the freedom to make the changes we
wanted. So, we worked in collaboration with COGIWEB to find a
solution to this problem.
For a few months, we have been using more versatile software that
responds better to our goal of being able to make changes and/or
revisions ourselves. We believe we have completed more than 50%
of the work. We hope to be able to present this pedagogical tool to
board members in 2015 so that it is online the following year.
17
Nature in its savage state!
That’s what the Pourvoirie du lac Husky has to offer. Its sprawling
territory in a splendid setting with breathtaking landscapes will
enchant you for sure.
The Pourvoirie du lac Husky is known for its thousands of acres of
savage forest and countless lakes. Whether it’s for fishing, hunting or
a family holiday, in summer or winter, it’s a dream destination.
Different types of packages with a European or American plan are
available. Regardless of the length of your stay, you’ll be delighted
with the quality and abundant natural beauty of the site.
Activities for everyone and for all seasons:
• fishing;
• hunting;
• walking;
• canoeing;
• quad biking;
• snowmobile rides;
• snowshoeing;
• etc.
Accessible by vehicle, Husky Lake is situated on the 50th parallel, 200
km north of Dolbeau-Mistassini in Lac-Saint-Jean. The headwater
lake is the source of the 8km-long Mistassini River, which promises
you an extraordinary fishing experience.
Break free from the everyday grind before it gets to you and connect
with aboriginal traditions. It’ll be a vacation you’ll never forget!
Pourvoirie du lac Husky
112, avenue de l’Église, bureau 204
Dolbeau-Mistassini, QC G8L 4W4
Tel.: 418 276-7551
E-mail: info@lachusky.com
Website: www.lachusky.com
pourvoirie du lac husky
18
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Usine 330, 7e Avenue
Dolbeau-Mistassini, QC G8L 1Y7
Tel.: 418 276-1582
Website: www.kisistechnologies.com
The thermo-transformation of wood is a procedure in which heat
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19
board
Gilles Bérubé
President-Chief Executive Officer
Fernand Chalifoux
Vice-president
Jean Jolicoeur
Clerk-treasurer
Denis Larche
Director
Sylvain Sasseville
Director
Roland Normandeau
Director
Raymond Bouchard
Director