‍Present:

Angus Toulouse
Anna Marie Abitong
Arnelda Bennett
Lawrence Solomon
Leroy Bennett
McKenzie Toulouse
Michael Abitong
Nicole Eshkakogan
Paul Eshkakogan
Rhonda Stoneypoint
Sheldon Toulouse

Staff:

Andrea Hajt-Jacobs, Director of Council Secretariat
Claudette Jones, Acting Director of Education
Juanita Skruibis, Director of Family, Child, and Community Services
Meggan McCracken, Acting Director of Finance (virtual)
Melanie Lazarus, Director of Community Wellness (virtual)
Ross Assinewe, Director of Planning & Infrastructure
Samantha Keysis, Director of Lands, Resources, & Environment
Sean Cassidy, Director of IT & Communications
Susan Deschamps, Director of Long-Term Care

Guests:

Ainslee Kent, Orbis Risk Consulting
John Lees, Orbis Risk Consulting
Ryan McLeod

Regrets:

Nelson Toulouse Darla Boston, Administrative Assistant – Political Office

Opening Prayer by Leroy Bennett

Meeting called to order @ 9:41 AM.

Motion 2023/07 #01

Sagamok Chief & Council motion to accept the agenda as presented and amended. Moved by: Arnelda Bennett Seconded by: Leroy Bennett A/O: 0 Discussion: CARRIED

Elections Working Group Update – Elders Council

Update provided by McKenzie Toulouse on the current findings regarding the status of the Elders Council and their Terms of Reference. As stated in the Briefing Note, there are practices that the current iteration of the Elders Council have adopted that do not fall within their Terms of References as they exist now. This includes operating outside of the duration for Committees of Council, and a new Council should have formed following the end of Council’s previous term in August 2022. Recommendations are being made to suspend Elders’ Council meetings until the August 2024 Election to follow the views expressed by non-Elders Council elders at the monthly forums. At future forums, further input will be gathered to shape the new iteration of the Elders’ Council, including its operation, structure, and approach as an advisory group within the community.

Motion 2023/07 #02

Sagamok Chief & Council motion to accept the recommendations proposed by the Elections Working Group to suspend Elders’ Council meetings until the roles and responsibilities and that all excursions except for the Robinson Huron Treaty Gathering in Sault Ste. Marie also be suspended are clearly defined and accepted,; further that the Council Secretariat provide administrative support for the Monthly Elders’ Forum.
Moved by: Nicole Eshkakogan
Seconded by: Anna Marie Abitong
A/O: 0
Discussion: Nicole Eshkakogan – the term Elders’ seems to cause some disenfranchisement in the community, considering that the definition put forward by Sagamok has a tendency to shift over time. Suggesting that further discussion be had from a strength-based approach to make it more inclusive. Regarding the Elders’ Forums, we need to look into having the cost be shared across departments, and to ensure we have our governance structure available for the purposes of funding and proposals.
McKenzie Toulouse – in the interim between now and the August 2024 Election, it was suggested that the Elders could be called together for services such as crisis assistance while providing them an honorarium. Arnelda Bennett – We can’t forget that this thinking can also apply to our Youth Council as well, when we do have one that has sufficient members.
Anna Marie Abitong – I think that rather than suspending the Elders’ Council meetings until after the Election in 2024, we should instead make a goal of suspending them until the roles and responsibilities are clearly defined.
Leroy Bennett – To further Nicole’s point on the term Elder, I do feel as though it can be exclusionary as the definition has its roots in the Catholic Church. A term I’ve seen used that could be more inclusive is Knowledge Keeper.
CARRIED

ZEI – Mining Feasibility Study BCR
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Motion 2023/07 #03

Sagamok Chief & Council motion to approve BCR 2023-07-07 – ZEI Mining Feasibility Study Application Support.
Moved by: Anna Marie Abitong
Seconded by: Nicole Eshkakogan
A/O: 0
Discussion: The BCR will be walked around for signature once the correct indexing number has been confirmed.
CARRIED

Elections Working Group Update – Dates for Off-Reserve Consultation

The General Community Information Session is scheduled for July 12th, with an Elders Information and Feedback Session scheduled for July 18th. Further information sessions are also scheduled, with an evening session being held August 23rd. Sessions are also being held for members who live outside the community, with an in-person session in Sault Ste. Marie on July 21st, Sudbury on July 23rd, Toronto on July 29th, and Ottawa on August 19th. Those sessions will also be held virtually for those who reside off-reserve, but not within the cities mentioned. Locations are also being considered, with the Delta Waterfront Hotel for Sault Ste. Marie, the Native Canadian Center for Toronto, and the Wabano Center for Ottawa. Sudbury has yet to be determined due to concerns over the required space, but considerations have been made for the Caruso Club, N’Swakmok Native Friendship Center, and the United Steel Workers Hall.

Operational Work Plan Overviews

Council had requested the departments prepare an operational overview on how each department would carry out their proposed workplan. All were received for Council review, with the first to be reviewed being the Family, Community, and Social Services Unit as presented by Juanita Skruibis.

Family, Community & Social Services Unit Operational Work Plan – Juanita Skruibis

Juanita had met with Roger Jones, John Lees, Ainslee Kent, and McKenzie Toulouse to discuss the FCSSU and what direction it should be guided towards. The operational plan presented was created prior to the discussion previous. The department currently has 4 band reps, 2 family support staff, and 4 admin staff; there is currently a vacancy for Child & Family Advocate Manager. The current staff are putting in “chronic overtime”, and time is at a premium for them. According to Nicole Eshkakogan, there are staff that are currently doing work that falls outside the scope of funding, or cannot be reported back, so reskilling those staff to more meaningful work is advised and funding can continue to be accessed. On the subject of the community support, the food bank is in need of additional funding as it is currently overbudget, spending $250,00.00 in Food Sovereignty. Much of the funding was received from one-off COVID grants. Suggestions are made to remove the food bank from Juanita’s focus and establish a unit with a budget that reflects the community needs funded using own source revenue. Further, the food bank needs a clearer structure for distribution and sufficient nutrition as needed. Members also access the food bank because they have money but no transportation to purchase groceries. Food sovereignty is another focus, be it from locally established community farms, the to-be-built greenhouses, or other initiatives.

On the subject of future goals for the Child & Family Advocacy Unit, Juanita is putting forward a proposed unit of 31 staff, with Band Reps who are focused on specific regions of the province, Jordan’s Principle workers, a Case Aide, Elder/Cultural Support, Legal Support, and a variety of administrative staff for system and resource navigation and assistance. It was suggested that any services currently under FCSSU that aren’t listed on the new proposed structure, such as the Youth Center or Physical Wellness should be placed under a more fitting department, as to not remove focus from the unit. The primary goal of the unit should be primary prevention and intervention. Given the scope of the discussion had, further discussion about this workplan will be scheduled on the next agenda.

Mental Health & Addictions Operational Work Plan Overview – Shelley Watt-Proulx

For the MH&A Unit, Shelley has suggested a plan for the coming year, with a focus of creating a sense of hope, belonging, and connection for those within the 3 “buckets” of proposed programming. The first is Community is the Medicine, focusing on Clinical Counseling, Education & Prevention; receiving funding through ISC, Nogdawindamin, and the Ministry of Health. Second is Culture, encouraging exploration and cultural enrichment through ceremony, traditional teachings, and family circles; funding would also be accessed through ISC and Maamawesying. The third is Shelter; MH&A would have a Housing Liaison, and provide either Residential Aftercare, wellness planning, and relocation prevention; or Emergency Shelter available after hours, and would access as an entry to MH&A services as needed. With both, there is a through-line of safe shelter wherever that may be for the client. Aftercare is funding by Ontario Health, with a proposed use of the deferred Dept. 27 funding to run the pilot for the emergency shelter while permanent funding is sought.

As an additional discussion for Susan Deschamps, Long Term Care Director, and Melanie Lazarus, Director of Community Wellness, there is a lack of mandate put in place for the Elders’ Eagle Lodge, and this has led to a number of disparate services being offered that are ultimately outside the scope of what a care facility should be. Recommendations are being made to properly provide a mandate for the goals of the Eagle Lodge, and move services that have been lumped there to more appropriate departments. Further, the nurses that provide services there are to receive training to properly address the day-to-day medical needs of both the community and the Lodge residents.

Closing Remarks

As the meeting has run longer than expected, remaining items such as the Operational Plans on the agenda are to be deferred (?) to a future Council meeting.

Motion to Adjourn meeting by Paul Eshkakogan

Second by Lawrence Solomon

Carried

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Closing Prayer by Nelson Toulouse

Meeting adjourned at 8:07 PM.

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