May 10, 2012

OTTAWA – On Sunday May 6, the Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission in Ontario held it’s Annual General Meeting in conjunction with the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario) and elected 4 individuals to positions on the provincial executive including Jaime Koebel as President, Doug Pawas as Northern representative, Ted Martin as South-Western representative, and Steven Vanloffeld as the Toronto representative.

“It’s very exciting” exclaims Chad Cowie, National Co-Chair of the APC. “We’ve re-established the APC in Ontario with a fantastic new team. People are taking notice of what we’re doing and we’re only 3 months into our mandate!”

Steven Vanloffeld, the new Toronto area representative says while there’s still work to be done, he’s looking forward to the challenges ahead.

“We need to find passionate, motivated and inspiring Aboriginal people to fill vacant roles. We need a strong and focused executive to accomplish the work that lies ahead- increasing awareness about the APC, and demonstrating how we can be the voice for change for our communities” explains Vanloffeld.

“We have to meet the ever-changing needs of our membership; we have to come up with new and innovative ways of communicating with each other; we have to engage everyone in free and open dialogue. It’s the only way we can ensure the continued success of the Liberal party” adds Ted Martin, the APC’s new South-Western Ontario representative. “Regardless of whether you’re rural or urban, on-reserve or off-reserve, Métis, Inuit, or First Nation, we have to work together for the betterment of our people and our communities.”

And for the APC, rebuilding is #1 on the agenda says Darren Harper, the Vice-President (Membership & Organization).

“We’re focused on moving forward” he explains. “We’re reaching out to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians on an on-going basis and we’re responding to the issues that they’re dealing with – it’s also very important to note that the APC’s increase in membership is reflective of our direction.”

The APC recently tweeted a 27% increase in APC membership since the Liberal party’s Biennial Convention in January.

The APC is currently working on re-establishing Commissions in Manitoba, Quebec, and in Alberta and is looking for interested people to join in the process. If you would like additional information, please see the rebuilding section on the APC website.

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For more information on the Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission, contact:

Kevin Seesequasis
Vice-President (Communications)
Contact Us

THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF
The Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission (Manitoba)
will be held at:
Norwood Hotel
112 Marion St, Winnipeg, MB
Friday, May 11, 2012, 4:30pm

*Note: Nominations from the floor will be accepted for all APC (M) Table Officers

Related Documents:

• Notice of AGM: APC (M)
• DRAFT Constitution: APC (M)

For more information, please visit the Liberal Party of Canada (Manitoba) website.

April 26, 2012

OTTAWA- The Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission of the Liberal Party of Canada released the following statement today in response to Conservative Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq’s drastic cuts to Aboriginal Health:

On Monday, April 23^rd in the House of Commons, Conservative Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq avoided a question regarding Aboriginal Health cuts by stating that she found the particular line of questioning to be ‘unacceptable’.

Minister, with a mission to advance and promote the health and well-being of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis people through collaborative research, Indigenous traditional knowledge, capacity building, and community led initiatives, the APC finds it unacceptable that 100% of health funding was cut to the National Aboriginal Health Organization.

With a goal of preserving Aboriginal culture, achieving equal opportunity for Aboriginal women, and having a role in shaping legislation relevant to Aboriginal women, the APC finds it unacceptable that 100% of health funding was cut at the Native Women’s Association of Canada.

With a goal to secure a healthy space for Métis people in Canada, the APC finds it unacceptable that 100% of health funding was cut at the Métis National Council.

And the cuts didn’t stop there.

When health funding was cut to other Aboriginal organizations – such as the 40% reductions at the Assembly of First Nations and at the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, or the 100% cut to the Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada health budget – the APC found that too, unacceptable.

But most importantly, the fact that health funds have not been reinvested into already under-funded communities for front-line Aboriginal health services; and that you refuse to answer legitimate questions from First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people surrounding these devastating cuts by hiding behind your ethnicity – Minister, we find that completely unacceptable.”

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View “Health Minister Aglukkaq accuses Liberal MP of crossing racial line“ on APTN.ca (Apr 23)
View “Health cuts leave Aboriginal groups shocked“ on APTN.ca (Apr 20)

For more information on the Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission, contact:

Kevin Seesequasis
Vice-President (Communications)
Contact Us 

Here’s what she had to say:

KS: Thank you very much Dr. Blackstock for taking time out of – what I’m sure is a very, very busy day – to speak with the APC. I wanted to congratulate and thank you for your efforts in child advocacy and for your specific role in bringing this case to where it is today. You must be completely overjoyed!

CB: I’m absolutely overjoyed! It’s a great day for First Nation children, and it’s a great day for all Canadians who believe that no child should be left behind because of their race.

KS: It is a great day indeed! For those people who don’t really have an understanding of what you’re doing, or your organization, could you provide us with some background information about the FNCFCSC and how this you got to where you are in terms of this case?

CB: The Caring society was developed by a group of First Nation child welfare agencies practicing all over the country.  We felt there wasn’t a national voice where we could share ideas… there was no common place for us to come together and tackle common issues, and one of the biggest issues was that the federal government was under-funding child welfare services on-reserve. We were seeing record numbers of First Nation children going into child welfare care, in our view, unnecessarily. As a result, the FNCFCSC was born and in 2005, we began conducting joint research with INAC, now AANDC. We brought in about 20 leading experts with many doctorate degrees in disciplines such as economics, psychology and child welfare. We found that the federal government was short-changing First Nation child welfare by approximately $109 million dollars, excluding Ontario and the territories. Our work was backed by the very best evidence and at that time, the government was running $14 billion dollar surpluses… and they walked away from the work we had done! We were left in a precarious situation; we kept thinking ‘what do we do about this’, it was the children who were suffering. We had reached a point in our work where we had documented the inequality, we had worked on the solution jointly to address the inequality, and the thing is, it was affordable. It was such a minor cost to the government, and they still weren’t willing to do it! In 2007, we had got to the point where we thought we had to take some drastic action and we began preparing the file with the Human Rights Commission against the Government of Canada alleging that they were racially discriminating against children by under-funding child-welfare services on-reserve.

KS: You spoke about – how in 2006 – the government walked away. It is something that made me immediately think about Prime Minister Paul Martin’s Kelowna Accord and the $100 million dollars for children, the $1 billion for housing, and the $1.3 billion dollars for health. Do you feel that the money earmarked in the Kelowna Accord would have negated the need for the legal action against the government?

CB: In my understanding of the Kelowna Accord, it certainly would have provided relief on the issues that drive First Nation children into welfare care: poverty, poor housing, and substance abuse. What concerned me when the government killed Kelowna was that it didn’t propose another solution! Here we are, some 6 years later and the children are still suffering, and there’s still no solution. I always say that a year in the life of lawyers and government officials may not be too long, but a year in the life of a child is monumental- we cannot wait a minute to ensure that First Nation children have the same opportunities as their fellow Canadians.

KS: Speaking of equal opportunities, the government tried to block the case saying that it wasn’t fair to compare federal services to provincial services. Can you expand upon why you think the government took that stance?

CB: It’s shocking to me that we had to bring the case to court in the first place. Second, it’s been very disturbing to see that the government has been fighting so strenuously against having this case heard on it’s facts. It raises an important question: “What are they trying to hide from?” They’ve been pursuing legal loop holes and delay tactics one after one another, and more than that, they’ve been putting their own interests ahead of vulnerable children.  The argument that they’re using is not ‘are these children are being racially discriminated against and thus going into child welfare unnecessarily?’, but rather the government is asking ‘is it fair for the federal government to be compared against the provincial governments in providing the same services?” That’s nonsense to me. Kids are kids. The federal government has an international, legal, and moral obligation to make sure every child counts and that there’s an equitable investment in all children.

KS: You spoke about international obligations, does the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples come into play here?

CB: It does come into play. As well as a whole series of binding agreements that Canada has signed over the years dating back to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Certainly the Convention on the Rights of the Child which was signed in 1992… requires that Canada not discriminate in the delivery of services. We have the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which says the same thing- you cannot give people less because of their race, and yet regardless of all the conventions that Canada has agreed to uphold, they’re fighting in the courts to perpetuate a regime where First Nation children get less because of who they are.

KS: Moving away from the rights-based aspect of discussion, there are people who don’t necessarily know a lot about First Nation child welfare, could you provide some general insight and maybe a few important things we all should know?

CB: Well child welfare is really about providing protection for children. Providing them the supports they need to live with their family in ideal circumstances. In the vast majority of situations, that can be safely accomplished. There are situations where children do need to be removed for their own safety on a temporary basis- until the family situation can be addressed. On reserve, provincial child welfare laws apply to First Nation agencies with the federal government providing the funding. As we discussed earlier, the federal government does so – to a far less level – making it much more difficult for agencies to provide the supports families need to keep children in their homes. As a result, today, we have 3 times the number of First Nations kids in child welfare than when we did during the residential schools era.

KS: Speaking of Residential Schools, do you think that First Nation children in-care will suffer the same effects that Residential School survivors cope with today?

CB: Well, there are lots of parallels, for example many children are placed in non-Aboriginal families away from their communities and suffer cultural-dislocation. We looked into Canada’s documents that we’ve received through Access to Information and the government says that they understand that they’re under-funding First Nation child welfare resulting in growing numbers of children in-care; they go on to further explain that they’re concerned that when these children grow up, they’ll come knocking at the door of the federal government wanting some sort of financial compensation because they were abused or neglected in child welfare care. So, it really paints a picture for Canadians that the government knows what it is doing is wrong, and that it’s harmful. Instead of addressing these issues, they’re trying to protect themselves.

KS: Looking forward now, what does Wednesday’s announcement mean for First Nation children in-care, and where do you go from here?

CB: Well, it means that First Nation children will finally get their hearing in court. That’s hoping that the federal government doesn’t appeal and try and drag out the process more. Assuming they don’t, it would mean that all the evidence would be put out for Canadians before the courts and perhaps we’ll finally get the justice and equality these children deserve. It’s been delayed now for the last 5 years. In terms of process, we are planning for the hearing on the facts and we’ve got meetings with our legal counsel. We want to create a social movement in Canada among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people so that – regardless of what government is in power – understands that this type of inequality is no longer socially, or politically viable in the Canada of today.

KS: What can Canadians do to bring awareness to your cause at the grassroots level?

CB: We’ve got a website called fnwitness.ca that has all of the court documents regarding this case. We invite all people to visit the site and sign up to be a witness – it takes less than 2 minutes and is absolutely free – in doing so, we’re not asking you to take our side, we’re simply asking you to watch. Watch what’s happening here and – for yourself – decide whether the Canadian government is doing the right thing for Canadians and the right thing for First Nation children in this court case. There are nearly 10,000 people who’ve committed to being a witness making it one of the most-watched cases in Canadian legal history!

KS: Yes, I was just on the site, it’s fantastic to see so much support for what you’re doing!

CB: It’s really heartwarming to see, and the other thing to note is that when we filed the federal court case, we lost all government funding. So if people are able to make a donation so that we can continue to work on behalf of children, that is always greatly appreciated. We’re a small organization of only 4 people so we’re able to keep over-head costs low, and positive outcomes for kids high!

KS: Any last words for our readers?

CB: We’ve been so overwhelmed by the support of non-Aboriginal children. They’ve been writing letters, coming to rallies, talking to their friends and family, and really educating us all on the lack of fairness for First Nation children. Children know love and fairness in a way that adults have forgotten. For example, on February 14th, we had between 5 and 600 children from every cultural and spiritual group out in front of parliament saying that now is the time for fairness. Kids are really leading the way and showing us what reconciliation is about – the rest of us need to catch up to them!

KS: I couldn’t agree more! Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to discuss this very important issue with us. We’re committed to working to ensure equality for all children and that this issue receives the attention that it deserves. Congratulations and best wishes on your coming journey!

CB: I really appreciate your efforts Kevin. Thank you for helping to create awareness on what we’re doing. I’m really encouraged that there is much more dialogue about this issue. Take care!

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To view Dr. Carolyn Bennett‘s (Liberal Aboriginal Affairs Critic) statement on the ruling, click here.

For more information regarding the Federal Court’s decision, please contact:

Cindy Blackstock, PhD
Executive Director, First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada
Ph: (613) 230-5885 ext. 222 or Email: cblackst@fncaringsociety.com

For more information on the Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission, please contact:

Kevin Seesequasis
Vice-President (Communications)
Contact Us

*Note 1: Participation in this interview does not imply affiliation to or endorsement of any political party or entity*
*Note 2: Interview was published in the language it was conducted*

THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF
The Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission (Ontario)
will be held at:
Toronto Sheraton Centre
123 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON
Sunday, May 6th, 2012, 9:00am – 10:00am

Registration Fee:
The deadline for EARLY PAYMENT will be Monday, April 23rd, 2012 at 5:00pm.

Online Registration now active. English Only.

To Register for the LPC (O) AGM, click here.

Related Documents:

• Notice of AGM: APC (O)
• Declaration of Intent to Stand as an Officer for Election
• DRAFT APC (O) Constitution
• Registration Form 
• Information Sheet

April 12, 2012

OTTAWA - “The need for rebuilding and renewal in Ontario is imperative” says Chad Cowie, the Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission. “With Harper’s Budget, Attawapiskat and the hundreds of other Aboriginal communities across the country can no longer afford to be without a voice.”

“The Conservatives have demonstrated how they intend on dealing with Aboriginal people – jets over schools, jails over health care, third-party managers instead of actual housing…it’s all indicative of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s do-nothing approach when it comes to strengthening the relationship” says Cowie.

The Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission (Ontario) will be hosting it’s Annual General Meeting in conjunction with the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario) at the Toronto Sheraton Centre in Toronto, ON, Friday, May 4th through till Sunday, May 6, 2012.

To Jaime Koebel, the Interim President of the APC (O), a renewed Aboriginal Commission in the province means more than just electing new people to existing structures.

“Things like recognizing traditional territory, or having Elders open and close meetings at Liberal functions, these are not just token gestures, but powerful actions that demonstrate respect and recognition and foster greater awareness of Aboriginal culture and people.”

There are approximately 300,000 Aboriginal people in the province – or about 2% of Ontario’s population – and understanding the diversity of First Nation, Metis, and Inuit communities is key.

“We want to promote that diversity; we’re looking for committed and active individuals to provide us with the advice and awareness necessary for meaningful contributions at the both the provincial and federal levels” says Koebel.

“We’ve drafted a constitution that needs to be ratified, we need more people to do the important outreach and policy work that is necessary for rebuilding” says Darren Harper, Vice-President of Organization & Membership for the APC. “There are many ways to collaborate as Aboriginal Peoples and we’re looking to build a successful and inclusive team approach to accomplish this.”

Available APC (O) Executive positions include:

• APC (O) President
• APC (O) Women’s Representative
• APC (O) Youth Representative
• Northern Regional Representative
• Eastern Regional Representative
• Central Regional Representative
• South-Central Regional Representative
• Toronto Regional Representative
• South-Western Regional Representative

“A proactive approach will ensure that genuine changes for First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people in Ontario are realized” says Koebel. “The APC (O) will be the example that other provinces follow.”

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To view the DRAFT Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission (Ontario) Constitution, click here.

For more information on the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario) AGM, click here.

For more information on the Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission, contact:

Kevin Seesequasis
Vice-President (Communications)
Contact Us

March 25, 2012

OTTAWA - The Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission of the Liberal Party of Canada released the following statement today in response to Conservative Minister of Natural Resources, Joe Oliver:

Conservative Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver’s speech to the Vancouver Board of Trade last week where he characterized Aboriginal communities as ‘socially dysfunctional’ is a slap in the face to all Aboriginal people across Canada and fails to take into consideration the economic diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities across the country.

In a time when unemployment and education are at the forefront of political issues, the continued marginalization of Canada’s Indigenous population through such statements is completely counter-productive.

Statements such as his only serve to reinforce negative stereotypes and cause Aboriginal people across the country to legitimately question Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s sincerity when it comes to ‘strengthening the relationship’.

The Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission of the Liberal Party of Canada is committed to fostering a relationship with Aboriginal people that is based on trust, understanding, constructive dialogue, and mutual respect. We join Liberal Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development critic, Dr. Carolyn Bennett in her call for the Minister to retract his statement and apologize to all Canadians for his degrading, disrespectful, and completely irresponsible statement.”

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For more information on the Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission, contact:

Kevin Seesequasis
Vice-President (Communications)
Contact Us 

It is true that Canadians want to know that justice will prevail in sentencing society’s most heinous crimes like pedophilia and murder. We are a society that wants to stand up for victim’s rights and to protect families. The United States took a similar tough-on-crime approach starting in the 70s, with most states introducing one method or another of mandatory sentencing. In many states there is a ‘three strikes you’re out’ approach towards criminals. In 2003, then Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, stated “the three-strikes law should not be modified, it’s proven to be an excellent deterrent to violent crime”.

Today however, California sings a different tune because interestingly, it has more – not less – people incarcerated than France, Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Singapore and the Netherlands combined; and spends 11% of its budget on prisons and 7.5% on higher education. In 2010 – in an apparent reversal of his position – former Governor Schwarzenegger stated: “What does it say about any state that focuses [more] on prison uniforms than on caps and gowns? It’s simply is not healthy”.

In the last 30+ years, a tough on crime and the war on drugs mentality has been implemented and we’ve seen crime in the United States increase substantially:

A comparison between US and Canadian incarceration rates was first done by Julian Falconer. He stated that there are many variables in comparing the two countries, yet he misleadingly used only homicides as a baseline comparison – which clearly showed that between the two, the levels of homicide incarceration were virtually the same.

According to Corrections Canada (in 2004-2005) Canada spent an average of $88,000 per inmate; in the same year, our country spent just over $8,000 per student in elementary and secondary school. It is probably fairly safe to quote Gov. Schwarzenegger again, “what does it say…. when our country is spending 20x more per inmate than we do per student annually.”?

The war on crime and drugs has been expensive for the United States, and at a cost of over $50 billion per year, after 30+ years of backwards legislation, the US has realized that a different approach is required. The shift across the US to focus more on higher education as a deterrent for crime and rehabilitation programming (even in the state of Texas) as opposed to mandatory sentencing is welcome both to the criminal justice system, as well as to the American tax payer.  As further evidence of their new approach, the US has also repealed legislation like the Rockefeller drug wars in the state of New York.

“Aboriginal people are among the poorest in Canada. They experience significantly higher rates of unemployment and lower rates of educational attainment than the rest of Canadians. And they experience high rates of suicide, substance abuse, imprisonment and other social ills. This comes at enormous cost, both socially and economically, to Aboriginal peoples and to Canada in general.” Studies such as the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ “The Income Gap between aboriginal peoples and the rest of Canada” have concluded that there is a direct correlation between levels of education, poverty, and crime.  Lower education rates in First Nations people create larger levels of poverty that directly contribute to an increase in crime.

Between 1996 and 2006 the Aboriginal population grew 45%, compared with 8% for the non-Aboriginal population. In 2006 Aboriginal people (First Nation, Inuit, and Métis) comprised a total of 4% of the total Canadian population yet constituted 24% of the admissions into provincial/territorial prisons and 18% of admissions to federal penitentiaries. In some provinces and territories the rates of Aboriginal incarceration climb to as high as 80% of all inmates.

These high rates of imprisonment remain despite changes made to the Criminal Code including s. 81 healing lodges, the s. 718.2(e) of the Criminal Code and it’s applicability through the R. vs Gladue case. First Nations people already have a troubled history of systemic and direct discrimination. Without the focus being placed on reintegrating more people through connecting them to their culture and identity, then we will continue to see high levels and gross overrepresentation of Aboriginal People incarcerated.  Currently, twice as much money is spent in the prison system on overtime for prison guards then on remediation programs. Also, only 2% of the federal prison budget is spent on aboriginal programming.  Restorative Justice and reintegration clearly is not getting the attention or the financial resources it deserves. Under Bill C-10 there are zero dollars for additional preventative programming.

In 2005-2006 the Canadian federal corrections budget was $1.6 billion; today it is double that price at $3.2 billion. With the introduction of Bill C-10 the cost of our justice system is guaranteed to rise yet crime levels in Canada are at their lowest rates since 1973, and are continuing to drop annually.

We need to think about the threat of incarceration as an effective deterrent to crime. Who will be left footing the brunt of Bill C-10? It will not be the criminals. It will be each and every one of us as Canadian taxpayers and those who will lose their husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, and brothers and sisters. The toll we will pay as Canadian families will be monumental.

Some have stated that the cost to Canadians could be billions of dollars per year, but there is no idea from anyone: lawyers, judges, the Prime Minister, Members of Parliament, or even tax payers as to how much Bill C-10 is going to cost. The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) has stated that Bill C-10 will probably not cost the federal government but is rather a fiscal offloading onto the provinces and territories. He estimates that it will cost roughly $8 million per year on a federal level, but could cost provinces and territories more than $125 million per year. These estimates by the PBO do not include the cost of building new prisons. The numbers are just formulated around the changes to conditional sentences that Bill C-10 introduces.

Bill C-10 further marginalizes certain demographics of our society such as those who are struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues. Bill C-10, the Conservative crime agenda, fails to understand the connection between issues of addiction and mental health and the issue of crime. It also clearly disadvantages the most vulnerable members of our society, including Canada’s Aboriginal Population.

The Liberal Party of Canada is committed to pursuing a crime and justice approach that is evidence-based, cost-effective and focused on crime prevention – not one that is focused on backward, ideological approaches that have proven so expensive and completely ineffective in other jurisdictions.

If Prime Minister Harper wants so much to be like the Americans, perhaps he should learn (like they did) from their classic dumb-on-crime mistake.

March 9, 2012

Ottawa - The Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission released the following statement on the occasion of the 2012 Arctic Winter Games:

More than 2000 young men and women participated in 20 different sporting events this week at the 2012 Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon. Traditional Dené games such as snowsnake, stick pull, and hand-games, along with other sports like speed-skating, skiing, curling, and wrestling do much to reinforce cultural identity, pride, and community spirit among Canadian northern youth.

In 1970, former Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Pierre Trudeau proudly opened the first Arctic Winter Games in Yellowknife, NWT. Today, more than 40 years later, the games continue to be a fantastic demonstration of the athleticism and pride that our fellow Canadians of the North have in their unique culture and traditions.

The Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission is very proud to recognize the organizers and volunteers of the Arctic Winter Games on job well done and to recognize the youth competitors who have traveled far-and-wide to represent their communities and showcase their talent and skill. Through their participation, they are demonstrating to the rest of the world that sport is an integral part of our history and is vitally important for the future health and prosperity of our people.

Congratulations to all the athletes, coaches, volunteers, and organizers on a successful 2012 Arctic Winter Games!”

Mr. Justin Trudeau, Liberal Member of Parliament for Papineau and Post-Secondary Education, Youth and Amateur Sport Critic also had this to say:

Nearly 42 years ago, my father opened the very first Arctic Winter Games in Yellowknife with the goal of promoting, through sport, the wonders of Canada’s North and its people.  This week, over 2000 young men and women gathered together in Whitehorse.  We can all be proud of the values embodied by the Arctic Winter Games, which are those that we strive for in all youth activities and sports.  I’m very happy to congratulate all the competitors in this year’s Arctic Winter Games!”

Dr. Carolyn Bennett, Liberal Member of Parliament for St. Pauls and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Critic also released a statement:

On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Liberal Caucus in Parliament, I would like to congratulate the over 2000 competitors who participated in this year’s Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse which highlighted traditional Arctic Sports and Dene Games. We encourage all Canadians from coast to coast to coast to take pride in Canada’s competitors from the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik and Northern Alberta, and congratulate them on a successful Games!”

For more information on the 2012 Arctic winter games, visit: http://www.awg2012.org/

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For more information on the Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission, contact:

Kevin Seesequasis
Vice-President (Communications)
Contact Us 

Here’s how it went:

CJ: Zach, thank you so much for taking some time to chat with us about the 2012 Arctic Winter Games. You’ve had so much success in your journey thus far, we want to congratulate you on all that you have achieved and thank you for being such a great role model for so many Canadians!

I guess the first question I’d like to ask you is what are you doing right now?

ZB: Right now I am in an attic of a potato farm in Belgium.  I am here racing a group of races called the Spring classics.  They are some of the hardest road racing events in the world.  I am here to help my team try and win races and to improve my form for my specific events leading into the 2012 Olympics Games this summer in London.

CJ: That’s very exciting, and after that?

ZB: From here I go to Los Angeles to prepare for the upcoming World Championships in Melbourne that start in April!

CJ: How did you get into cycling?

ZB: I wrestled throughout high school in the Yukon and then with the University of Calgary for 2 years.  I saw friends getting injured and put out of the sport so I decided I need to find a cross-training method that was not as hard on the body in order to increase the longevity of my wrestling career.  My family has always been into cycling- like mountain bikes and touring.  My dad is an Outdoor-Education teacher so the transition was pretty obvious.  Soon after training on the bike, I decided I was enjoying it more then the wrestling and felt there was nothing more I could achieve in that sport. I made the switch to cycling at first with the intention of just racing provincially as a recreational competitor.

CJ: That’s quite an interesting path to have taken to get to where you are! I want to talk about the Arctic Winter Games. You’ve been involved for quite some time, why are the AWG important to you?

ZB: The AWG formed the very foundation of my young competitive life.  It taught me that sport could take you places, teach you things, broaden your world, and give you a path to travel on that would change you forever.  It taught me what goal setting was really all about.  AWG taught me about disappointment, surprise, negotiation (pin trading) and the value of the human spirit.  AWG can be the engine to change the lives of youth in a world where positive [youth] opportunities may not always exist.  I think it is the single greatest opportunity for circumpolar young people.  It can truly change them.  If it does that, it changes the communities they live in, and it changes the lives of all the people around them.

CJ: When you were a AWG competitor, which events did you participate in?

ZB: I was involved in Wrestling in Eagle River Alaska in 1996, Badminton in Yellowknife in 1998, and Wrestling again in Whitehorse in 2000.

CJ: What sets the AWG apart from other competitions you’ve been to?

ZB: It is a competition with a big-games feel and energy, a diversity that is only found there and at the Olympics but with a sense of community that makes it more intimate then the Olympics.  The competition is intense but the friendships are stronger then those you make at other games.  It is the true embodiment of what sport should be without the interference from invested interests.  It is sport for sport sake.  It is high quality sport with high quality sportsmanship.

CJ: What is your favourite sport/event at the AWG?

ZB: The high kicks are unbelievable.  They are such a unique expression of athleticism.  The venue is always full of silent anticipation and then sudden explosions of energy!  It is the intensity of poker with the excitement of an NHL shootout.  Plus I find the athletes who do well are never the ones you expect…

CJ: Aboriginal youth face many social and economic obstacles, and we all know that perseverance is so important to their success- do you have any advice for them?

ZB: Obstacles are what produce greatness!  They may cause you to stumble, fall, get a face full of mud, but none of these things reduce your value as a person.  No matter your past or present, you are capable of great things in the future.  The first step is taking pride in who you are, where you are from and what you are willing to work for.  AWG is a great goal and a great way to make a change in your life for the better.  The only thing preventing you from overcoming obstacles is the personal decision not to do so.  There is always a way up, a way out and a way forward.  Strength comes from knowing how to use your community for help in achieving the things you want to work towards.  If you have goals, then the journey to achieve them will be what makes you stronger.

CJ: Did you have role models growing up? Where do you find your inspiration?

ZB: I had many role models. Kris Wilson was a great Canadian wrestler who was robbed of an Olympic gold medal by poor referees. He was humble and thankful throughout the process. Liegh Verling was a coach I had. He taught me the value that every step, is a step forward – no matter how small. My father taught me that it is never to early to believe you are capable and that working hard is always a good thing – no matter what the end result. Pushing your own limits is the only way you ever know what you are worth to yourself!

CJ: I’ve had a great time, but alas, it’s time to let you get back to your training. Do you have any departing thoughts before we have to go?

ZB: Life is never easy.  It is not always pretty. And it is not what you see on TV.  It is more frightening and more beautiful than anything you can possibly imagine.  Life is nothing though, without the willingness to have the experiences – to go out into the world and DO! Goals will give you a direction to move. A purpose for seeking out experiences.  Goals will allow you to live a life you never thought you would see.  Striving for goals has taken me from a cabin in the Yukon forest, to standing on the Great Wall of China, dancing in the Red Square in Moscow, running through the rain in Sydney.  Goals have given me all I have in my life.  They have given me my friends, my wife, and all my dreams for the future.  Set goals, live life and be open to the experiences that begin to happen.

CJ: Zach, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us and most importantly, encouraging youth to achieve! On behalf of the entire National Executive of the Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission, I wish to congratulate you on your success and wish you the best on your Olympic quest!

ZB: No problem Caroline! I think it’s time that people of the Yukon and Canada truly understand what our youth are capable of… I just hope that I can be a big part of changing the lives of a generation of kids!

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For more information on Zach Bell, please contact:

Russell Reimer, MCS
Manifesto Sport Management, Calgary, AB
(403) 585-8242 or
“Like” him on Facebook

For more information on the Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission, please contact:

Kevin Seesequasis
Vice-President (Communications)
Contact Us 

*Note 1: Participation in this interview does not imply affiliation to or endorsement of any political party or entity*
*Note 2: Interview was published in the language it was received*