PLATFORM

"Ahniin, Bonjour, Hello MATTAGAMITES!
Makwa Shkiijigohn N'dizhinikaaz, N'dOgimaa-Kwe.
I am excited to be running as the candidate for CHIEF of Mattagami First Nation.

It's been really great to hear from so many of you expressing your excitement for change, and to share that you will be voting for me in this upcoming election!

I am confident that I have the education and experience to effectively lead our First Nation with INTEGRITY, CAPACITY, and PROFESSIONAL REPRESENTATION to bring us forward as a nation.

I was raised to take on this role.
I was educated to do this role.
And with your VOTE on September 30th
I will be honoured to become the New Chief for Mattagami!

I look forward to connecting with you, to talk about your ideas, issues and how we can create a prosperous future together.
In the meantime, feel free to look over some of my platform goals for my term as CHIEF."

MINO BIMAADIZWIN

Modernizing Council Functions

Council meetings will be broadcast to our members, so you can see how your elected leaders are working for you!

You can keep informed, up-to-date, and on top of issues your council deals with in council meetings.

This is also an accountability mechanism.

Official Advisory Councils

Having official representatives with a mandate to represent each of the following:

Youth Advisory Council
Women's Advisory Council
Elder's Advisory Council

Each of these councils will be tasked to provide advice and support to Chief & Council.

Each of these respective council representatives will create and participate in a variety of projects and initiatives. They will also attend functions on behalf of the First Nation; to share Mattagami's issues and perspectives, and to bring back news to share amongst their councils.

Having these advisory councils have positive effects on each of these respective groups, which leads to development, engagement and coordinated initiatives to improving their livelihood and prospects - ultimately the goal is to positively influence the empowerment to our members.

Warriors Memorial Park

Developing a memorial park in Mattagami to honour and commemorate Indian Residential School students, and our many War Veterans of Mattagami First Nation.

This project is needed in our First Nation to ensure we never forget all those who fought the bravest of battles from our nation.

The Warriors Memorial Park would consist of two monuments with the intent of being a place of gathering for both:

the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation memorial ceremony on September 30th, and
the Rememberance Day Ceremony on November 11th of each year.

IBAs, Resource Agreements, and Own Source Revenue

We need to make sure these funds are being accounted for and that direction by the members is a part of the handling of these funds. We have to make sure we are safeguarding it, and that we are also investing a portion of it for our future generations.

We don't want these funds be used as a political 'slush-fund' for people seeking to be elected. Leaders should be measured by how well we are meeting the needs and improving your quality of living for today and tomorrow's generations. We need to make decisions that address needs and also ensure the long term benefits for all our members.

Mattagami Direction Set By Members

Establishing a formal VISIONING REPORT set by the membership which would guide and direct the council, the administration, and all our other entities. It would create our annual goals. It would also establish and continue longer term planning as a First Nation.

This type of annual input would help guide and shape Nation Building, and identify the goals for Chief & Council, for our Administration departments, and for other entities of the First Nation. It helps to create a full circle of communication of making your goals our priorities.

The annual Visioning Report would tie into another annual event that is part of my platform - an annual general meeting. I'll talk about that more in the next area.

Annual Mattagami Gathering

Establishing an Annual Mattagami Gathering for our people to come home and reconnect with each other. The event would be scheduled mid-week to the weekend.

The purpose of the gathering would be for members to participate in the business side of the First Nation reporting to members with Annual General Meetings of the Mattagami Administration, Mattagami Aki GP, and the Mattagami Trust. This would also be the time for members to provide their input into the annual goal setting process to create the Visioning Report. A standard honourarium would be established to those who participate in these meetings.

The gathering would have evening entertainment showcasing local and professional entertainment artists or groups. This gathering would also be an economic opportunity for food vendors, or those wanting to create accommodations, etc.

The Annual Gathering would end off with our cultural event where we will bring back the Mattagami Powwow!

Bringing Back Ceremony, Culture & Language

We need to start annual ceremonies again. Annual fasting ceremonies, monthly sweat lodges, full moon ceremonies, to name a few. With a focus on inclusion in teachings.

We also have to make a concerted effort at language revival with our members, with a strong focus on youth if we are to see our language survive and re-flourish.

We have to improve making visible spaces for Indigenous presence through the arts.

We have to emphasize and futher develop land-based learning. We are blessed with a beautiful territory. We are the stewards of our lands, and we need our people out on the land to ensure that it is taken care of, and that we are learning or transferring those skills to the new generations coming up.

Our eyes on the land.

Land Back

Reclaiming and Reasserting our territory.

We need to take back our space. We need representation in our own territory. We've focused for too long solely on 'on-reserve' prospects or developments. We need to start looking from a lens of 'In-Territory' focus. Many of our members are living 'In-Territory' yet are expected to travel to the reserve just to access services.

Other Indigenous groups have far more representation and spaces in the City of Timmins. Why don't we have an office in Timmins? Why don't we have our own space in Timmins?

I've already had discussions with the Mayor on the issue of Land Back. And it's a conversation I intend to continue once elected in as Chief.

We also need to look at creating cultural spaces 'In-Territory' for our members to access, and creating spaces for issues such as housing. There are also other Economic Opportunities to look into.

Healthy Community

A healthy community needs healthy leaders. We have all gone through different aspects of systemic oppressive and marginalizing designs, which has disrupted so much of our existence.

We have to step out of the laterally violent remnants of survival mode and start living as a First Nation of Intention. Many of our members are showing symptoms of intergenerational trauma such as addictions, and may not understand how to navigate out of that space.

Much of this transition happens with ensuring our members understand our roots, our history and how colonialism impacted us. We also have to create healthy members by establishing a standards to ensure no one is left behind, that people are taken care of and that each of us understands our responsibility to being a healthy, productive members of Mattagami.

Thank you for taking the time to review some of my platform goals!