Gespe’gewaq Mi’gmaq Resource Council

ANNUAL REPORT
2010

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 OUR WORLD IS FOREVER
CHANGING, AND WE ARE
CHANGING WITH IT.

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Will you ever begin to understand the meaning of the soil beneath your very
feet? From a grain of sand to a great mountain, all is sacred. Yesterday and
tomorrow exist eternally upon this continent. We natives are the guardians
of this sacred place.
- Peter Blue Cloud, Mohawk

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Table of contents
Year in Review ..................................................................................................................... 2
CANDO award ................................................................................................................... 4
National Chief Visits............................................................................................................5
Honoring our Elders ........................................................................................................... 7
Unique Way of Telling a Story ............................................................................................ 9
Projects
Elver .............................................................................................................................. 10
PLAMU ......................................................................................................................... 11
Netugulimg ......................................................................................................................... 12
Meet the Staff ..................................................................................................................... 13
Tia’mugwet Youth Initiative 2009 ................................................................................... 20
Social Media and You .........................................................................................................23
Margaret LaBillois Scholarship .........................................................................................25
ISO Certification .............................................................................................................. 26
Charlo Fish Hatchery ........................................................................................................27
Donald Marshall Jr. ............................................................................................................28
Financials ........................................................................................................................... 29

ISO 9001:2008 certified Quality

Management System implemented.

Editorial and This document was produced

Production Team 3rd ANNUAL REPORT by the Gespe’gewaq
John Murvin Vicaire ISSUE #3 / VOLUME 01 Mi’gmaq Resource Council
communications and marketing
Mark J. Sark
This report is printed on FSC cer- department.
tified recycled paper, which is
GMRC The editorial team would like
manufactured carbon neutral us-
94B Riverside East, Listuguj, QC to thank the numerous staff
ing 100% renewable electricity.
GOC 2R0 members who helped make this
418.788.3017 annual report possible.
www.migmaqresource.org
help us make a difference
Year in Review
Message from the CEO
Friends,
F or an organization as young as ours, every year
feels different from the one before. We are con-
stantly learning and adapting. These rapid advances
and growth can add to the feeling that we are moving
faster than ever. Nevertheless we need to remind our-
selves why we are in business.
Year 2009-2010 has been a momentous one for the
Gespe’gewaq Mi’gmaq Resource Council. As we
reflect on our past programs and accomplishments,
our community supporters and most importantly the
people and organizations we have had the
pleasure of assisting and working with,
I would first like to take the oppor-
tunity to pay tribute and to reflect
on the legacy of Donald Marshall
Jr. His passing was an enormous
loss not just for his family and
the community of Membertou,
but for the Mi’gmaq nation as
well. He was a champion for ab-
original and treaty rights.
Having the privilege of knowing
Donald Jr., I know he would be happy
to see the work we are embarking on. As
we move forward with another year of opera-
tions, Donald’s legacy should serve as an inspiration
to all of us. Believe in what you do; practice what you
believe; share your blessings with others; volunteer
cheerfully; and be upbeat and positive. Together we
are striving to make things better for our first nations
communities.
We have maintained our focus in the last year. Re-
cently our organization completed its 2-year strategic
plan. Our Plan is a blueprint for future operations. It
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outlines what we will be engaged in and where we
want to be in the next two years. A copy of this plan
has been forwarded to the DFO, this document as
well as our completed internal evaluation document
is available online.
To further assist us we also brought on a new chief ex-
ecutive assistant, who is responsible for strengthening
our infrastructure and works closely with the board of
directors and our teams in legal, finance and impact
assessment, and so on, to support our programs in our
proposal submissions.
Because we are a non-profit with the
Chiefs of our three member commu-
nities as our only board mem-
bers, we recognize the need for
outside voices to help guide our
strategies and stretch our think-
ing. We have used advisors in the
past, but early in the fiscal year
we decided to propose a formal
process which would strengthen
our board, and recommended an
advisory committee to work directly
with the organization by giving us ex-
pert counsel and critical advice. The advisory
committee will play a significant role in making sure
we are doing a good job of listening to diverse voices
and learning from our mistakes.
The board approved the terms of reference for the
Committee and we have begun discussions with po-
tential members and creating an internal team to sup-
port them. We plan to announce the members of the
advisory panel this summer or early fall.
Although some of the expert voices come from out
Although some of the expert voices come from out-
side our organization, we are working hard to bring
people in-house who can guide us on our core issues
and help support our mission. We are taking great care
to create the right jobs and then recruit people who
can help us make real progress. Building internal ca-
pacity through training and recruitment can be costly,
however; in the long-term, the benefits will outweigh
the initial costs.
It is a tall order to grow responsibly. Many of the proj-
ects we involve ourselves with are difficult to address.
It is a matter of record that our people once had a way
and the means to live in harmony with nature. Our
people also had our own way of governing and our
own form of government. Today we are essentially
starting from zero and in some ways we are operating
from a handicap in that we don’t always have the lati-
tude or funding to do the things we would like. This
creates a number of interesting challenges as you can
imagine. Many of the problems we face defy simple
solutions. That is one of the reasons, we as an organi-
zation chose to address these challenges. Many of the
solutions will not come overnight and will take years
to overcome.
ing our agenda forward. However, I am optimistic
because we’re already seeing some progress tak-
ing place. Seeing more of our youth take interest
in the environment is good beginning.
This is truly an exciting time in history. So much
is going on and the potential to make positive
impacts in our communities is achievable. I can
think of nothing more important than standing up
for our rights while protecting Mother Earth. The
more deeply I become involved with the funda-
mental issues facing us, the more I see what is
possible, and the more I want to do. With more
and more of our natural resources being depleted
we simply cannot wait for others to do what we
have been granted by the Creator to do.

As an organization we are in an excellent position to

take big risks, and we are willing to make changes
when we learn new information. That is why we have
been at the forefront in addressing many fisheries is-
sues regarding the federal and provincial government
by way of formal written responses. It is important to
mention that we cannot solve resource management
and environmental problems single-handedly. For one
thing, our corporate resources are a “drop in the buck-
et,” compared to what is really needed.

Clearly, government support is critical for our long-

term success. But government cannot do it alone and Mark J. Sark, CEO
we should not continue to expect it. It will take wide- Gespe’gewaq Mi’gmaq Resource Council
spread public will and creative collaboration across
all sectors public, private, and nonprofit to find solu-
tions to many of the issues and problems within our
territory. We all have to take some responsibility for
these issues and we need to commit to solving them
together. Playing the blame game does little in mov-

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 Gespe’gewaq Mi’gmaq Resource Council
wins National Award
O n October 8, 2009, the Council for the Advance-
ment of Native Development Officers (CANDO)
held the nationally recognized Economic Developer
of the Year Awards at the River Cree Resort and
Casino in Enoch, Alberta. The Award ceremony was
held in conjunction with the CANDO 16th Annual Con-
ference and General meeting. In recognition of
the outstanding achievement and contri-
butions of Aboriginal business in the
Canadian economy, CANDO pres-
ents three awards each year in the
following categories: Individual
Economic Developer, Com-
munity Economic Developer
and Aboriginal Private Sector
Business Award. This past year
Gespe’gewaq Mi’gmaq Re-
source Council was presented
with the 2009 Aboriginal Private
Sector Business Award, during the
national awards ceremony.
In making the announcement, Alfred Loon,
President and Board of Director of CANDO stated,
“GMRC has worked hard to grow its business in
Northern New Brunswick and in the Quebec region,”
and further, “We are grateful for the work that GMRC
is currently doing by bringing about awareness on the
importance of taking care of Mother Earth, while pro-
viding employment opportunities for First Nations.”
“CANDO is one of the pre-eminent First Nation orga-
nizations supporting economic development in Can-
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ada and I am greatly honored to receive this award,”
stated Sark. “While this honor recognizes the qual-
ity of work done by the organization in supporting
our Mi’gmaq communities within the region,” add-
ing, “real credit belongs to the members of staff who
come to work each and every day giving it their all.
It is their contributions that have helped shape
GMRC into the dynamic company it is
today.”
Since 1995, CANDO has been
hosting the Economic Devel-
oper of the Year Awards to
recognize and promote recent
or long-standing Aboriginal
economic development initia-
tives throughout Canada in the
following three categories: In-
dividual Economic Developer,
Community Economic Developer
and Aboriginal Private Business Sec-
tor. They also present an award of rec-
ognition to each runner-up. In previous years
it was the tradition of CANDO to award the Economic
Developer of the Year Award, and three Recognition
Award Winners. In 2002 a new category was intro-
duced, the Individual Economic Developer of the
Year and in 2008 another category was added Aborig-
inal Private Sector Business. For more information on
CANDO visit www.edo.ca
National Chief visits GMRC
O n November 19, 2009 the National Chief of the
Assembly of First Nations Shawn A-in-chut At-
leo made a brief stop to our office in Listuguj. During
his visit the National Chief was given an overview of
our organization. This was followed by a presentation
of an official GMRC hooded sweatshirt and a hand
made cedar feather box. This was a great honour for
our organization and we would like to thank Chief and
Council of Listuguj First Nation for inviting the Na-
tional Chief to our community.
Aside from being the National Chief Shawn A-in-
chut Atleo is a Hereditary Chief from the Ahousaht
First Nation. Shawn is supported by his wife Nancy
and their 2 adult children, Tyson and Tara. Traditional
teachings guided A-in-chut to serve First Nations as a
leader, negotiator, facilitator, mediator, strategic plan-
ner, and president of his family-owned private post
secondary training institute.
ship with University of British Columbia, University
of the Western Cape South Africa, and University of
Linkoping Sweden).
A-in-chut is a founding member of the BC First Na-
tions Leadership Council. The council was formed
when the Regional Chief, along with the political
executive of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs and First
Nations Summit, signed a historic Leadership
Accord in March 2005, overcoming decades of dis-
cord in BC. This Accord calls on all three organiza-
tions to work together to protect the interests of First
Nations in BC and to ensure that Aboriginal Title and
Rights and Treaty Rights are recognized, accommo-
dated and reconciled through government-to-govern-
ment relationships.

Shawn graduated in 2003 with a Masters of Education

in Adult Learning and Global Change from the Uni-
versity of Technology, Sydney Australia (in partner-

A sign of respect between two chiefs

GMRC Board member Chief Everett Martin of the Eel
River Bar First Nation extending hand of friendship to
National Chief upon his visit to GMRC headquarters.

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It is important for GMRC to continue to seek guidance
and knowledge from our Elders. In doing so strengthens
the relationships with our communities and also within
them.
Honouring our Elders

I
n January, GMRC held an Elders Gathering in others come to-
which well over 40 Elders and community mem- gether to share
bers participated. The purpose of the Gathering the knowledge
was twofold. First to share information with them and wisdom.
regarding Salmon research that we had undertaken,
which incorporated Aboriginal Traditional Knowl- Participants were
edge (ATK) and Aboriginal Ecological Knowledge invited to feel
(AEK) and secondly, we wanted to honour our Elders free to come to
by taking the time to listen to their concerns regarding the GMRC build-
their role in the community. ing and meet with
research staff and
A dinner was held in the evening to honour three management at
Elders from our community: Robert Brisk, Isaac any time to voice
“Ike” Metallic and Lilly Vicaire, who assisted GMRC their concerns or
in their research by participating in Elder interviews. just to visit.
Their participation was invaluable, as it offered us Elders’ Gathering report available
the opportunity to preserve, protect and sustain local The Elders Gath- online @ migmaqresource.org
knowledge. ering has laid the
groundwork for an active and informed Elders Advi-
It was pointed out at the beginning of the gathering sory Council, which will serve to bridge the gap be-
that GMRC recognizes and values Elders, Fishers and tween community and our scientific research by pro-
Woodsmen knowledge as a rich environmental re- viding information and advice related to ATK.
source, which is at risk of becoming ‘extinct’ if proper
measures are not taken to protect, preserve and sustain We would like to acknowledge and thank the Elders,
it. The participation and sharing that occurred rein- Gji Geptin Andrew Denny and Geptin Fred Metallic
forced our organizations belief that there is significant of Listuguj for their participation.
potential for reciprocal learning when Elders and

Elders contribute a sense of harmony and well-being to our Nation

The role of Elders has become increas-
ingly meaningful in our communities,
especially for those communities who are
losing their language and culture. Elders
are important for their symbolic connec-
tion to the past, and for their knowledge
of traditional ways, teachings, stories and
ceremonies. It was very common for re-
spected Elders to be called upon to help
with major decisions regarding our com-
munities.

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Unique way of telling a story
This new tool is an example of how GMRC adds val-
ue to their approach to resource management through
the incorporation of traditional knowledge and a focus
on raising awareness and educating the public on en-
vironmental issues.

“We strongly believe that passing traditional knowl-

edge from the elders to our youth is key to strengthen-
ing the Mi’gmaq culture and ensuring its survival,”
says Victoria Metallic, GMRC’s Environment Man-
ager. She adds, “With this unique approach, we are
providing information about what we’ve learned
from our elders, and at the same time transferring that
knowledge to our youth.”

L
ast summer we began research on the American
eel. The purpose of the research is to gather infor-
mation on the number of elvers (young eel) traveling
through certain areas of Gespe’gewa’gi.
Download an electronic copy of the photo novel on
GMRC’s website at http://www.migmaqresource.org.
You can also find other exclusive content on GMRC’s
Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/Migmaq.

During the early stages of the project Janine Metal-

lic, a PhD candidate in Educational Studies at McGill,
was asked to share some of her knowledge on research
methods relating to indigenous ways of knowing. Ja-
nine was born and raised in Listuguj and occasionally
consults GMRC on various research projects. One
of the ideas she presented to the staff was the use of
a photo novel as a unique way of telling stories and
sharing information.

Photo novels are like comic books, but pictures of

real people in real settings are used along with caption
bubbles and text. So far the concept has been well re-
ceived by the youth and older generations as well. An
early copy of the photo novel was shown to a group
of grade 5 students. Craig Isaac, who assisted on the
project and features in the photo novel, recalls one of
the kids saying, “Wow, I really like the pictures! Can
I keep it?”

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Elver project
F or thousands of years, the Gespe’gewaq Mi’gmaq
lived in tune with the land. Today, we continue
to share relations with many aspects of the environ-
ment. These relations can be seen through our diet,
our tools, our clothing, and our ceremonies. One
particular relation of interest is with ga’t, a once
abundant traditional food.
Over the years, many traditional foods have remained
prominent in our diet, such as the plamu, however,
we have been made aware that there has been
a decline in the number of community members who
fish ga’t. The reasons for this are varied, but when
speaking with community members, their main reason
for the decline in fishing was attributed to concerns
for the environment, which in turn affected their diets,
and further contributed to the eel fishing tradition not
being passed down. We believe that revitalizing our
relationship with ga’t will not only enhance our own
well-being, it will also enhance our understanding of
the fish.
It is this history, relationship, and health concern for
the eel that the GMRC took the lead to develop the
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project “Estimating Relative Abundance of Juvenile
American Eel (Elvers) in Gespe’gewa’gi”.
In consultation with our elders and other resource
users, we were informed of the best possible places
where elvers can be found. Forty-one (41) elvers were
found in total in the Pabineau Falls, Eel River, and
Restigouche River. This elver project also allowed
elders to share with us their stories, experiences, and
knowledge about ga’t; learning that ga’t was a valued
food source, source of medicine, and ceremonial
being.
By monitoring and building an inventory of the
elvers found within our estuaries, and combining that
information with our Mi’gmaq knowledge and under-
standings, we can begin laying the groundwork for
future work directed at reinvigorating a Mi’gmaq way
of living in a modern society while helping to rebuild
a valuable resource for our communities.
PLAMU project
J ust like the eel, the salmon has been part of our lives
for thousands of years. The first phase of “Impacts
on Mi’gmaq traditional food from environmental ex-
posure in the Restigouche River” began in May 2008
and concluded in March 2009 with more questions
and more insights than we had originally anticipated.
In 2008, the primary area of interest was to determine
whether the consumption of Restigouche River salm-
on should be limited due to dioxin and furan releases
from surrounding industrial facilities. The second
area of interest was to determine if the potential pres-
ence of contaminants in wild Atlantic salmon affected
the communities desire to consume the traditional
food. About half of all participants surveyed believed
salmon is being affected by contaminants in the
environment, close to 90% of participants continued
to consume salmon from the Restigouche River. This
sparked further investigation into the relationship
between the salmon and the people. So began phase
II.
This time around, in addition to collecting samples,
the research team took an active role in learning what
it means to fish.
What was learned was that salmon and salmon fishing
is so intricately woven into who we are as a people.
When someone fishes, one gets a sense of respon-
sibility, accomplishment, productivity, respect,
companionship and knowledge, providing for the
basic foundation for the development of a healthy
community.
Regarding our physical health, our technical analy-
sis revealed the presence of contaminants, however,
salmon alone will not cause any adverse effects to
your health. In fact, in many studies, the positive
effects of consuming traditional food in your diet, in a
relatively healthy environment, outweigh any risks.
Although it is always important to advocate for healthy
rivers and habitats, it is just as important to advocate
for a healthy relationship between the salmon and our
people because continuing to fish for salmon, and
continuing to include salmon in our diet, can effec-
tively promote a sustainable relationship between us
and the plamu.
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Netugulimg
Culture and You
“Preserving, strengthening or renewing cultural and or spiritual
practice beliefs and values associated with Netugulimgewel is a key
in developing successful resource management.”

P
erhaps one of the most important principles
governing our relationship with Mother
Earth is “Netugulimg.” Mi’gmaq have al-
ways maintained a special relationship with
the land. A relationship based on needs and values
extending back literally thousands of years. Existing
“Peace and Friendship” treaties acknowledges this
right.
Mi’gmaq and the land embodies the essence of our
intimate sacred order. Unfortunately this order was
disrupted with the arrival of the first Europeans. One
of the things GMRC will be doing over the course
of the next number of months will be to look more
closely at Netugulimg. We are at an important time
in our history as First Nations and the value of Indig-
enous resource management practices are only now
beginning to be respected.
While our relationship with Mother Earth has been
altered we are nevertheless moving forward in re-
connecting by developing new strategies, which will
allow our people to have a greater voice in how our
resources are managed within our traditional territo-
ries. The relationship between our people and the land
embodies a scared relationship that still exists even if
it’s difficult to observe at times.
only started the journey in reconnecting and reedu-
cating ourselves on its value. Of course this will take
time and effort but we are committed in making a dif-
ference in how we do things.
Some of the actions we will be taking in 2010-
2011 are:
• Engage resource users, knowledge holders and
elders on activities associated with Netugu-
limg;
• Increase programing with our communities’
youth by using fishing, hunting and forestry re-
lated activities as a means of teaching;
• Assist in developing comprehensive resource
management plans, which communities could
adopt apart from current federal or provincial
plans currently being followed; and
• Increase access to and sharing of cultural cus-
toms and beliefs through the use of Netugu-
limgewel, as a means of reviving and preserving
our scared link between Mi’gmaq and Mother
Earth.

While work has begun in developing a more compre-

hensive understanding of Netugulimgewel, we have

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“
Meet the Staff
I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to work with a
proud and successful organization such as GMRC.
Gwe’, ni’n teluisi Craig Isaac. Wigi aq tleiewi
Listugujg. Nugumijaq teluisipnaq Mabel Isaac aq
Nmijgamijaq teluisipnaq Michael Isaac Sr. ‘Ngij
teluisit Lynn Isaac. ‘Njignam teluisit Raymond Ward.
‘Ntus teluisit Lashawnee Isaac-Myo. Lashawnee
nanipuna’t. Etllugwei GMRC suel newtipunqeg.
I
am the grandson of the late Mabel Isaac and Mi-
chael Isaac Sr. I am the son of Lynn Isaac and the
brother of Raymond Ward. I am also the proud father
my beautiful 5 year old daughter Lashawnee Isaac-
Myo. I have been working here at GMRC for almost
a year now.
I am the Project Assistant here at GMRC. I do a lot of
work out in the field. I am very grateful to have been
given the opportunity to work with such a proud and
Craig Isaac
Project Assistant
successful organization such as GMRC. Within my
first year I have learned a lot. It was my first summer
in my life that I went fishing. Learning to set nets and
gut and clean salmon is something I have never done
before. Also working with the youth on our moose
hunt project was a great experience due to the fact
that just like them I too was learning about our hunt-
ing and fishing traditions.
During the winter and spring I had been working with
our communications/quality assurance coordinator
John Murvin Vicaire. He and I have been working
hard to keep our facebook and twitter pages a success.
I also had the opportunity to attend meetings and
workshops this past month which was a great learning
experience. I am looking forward to what lies ahead in
the future. Everyday is a learning experience.
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“
Victoria Metallic
Environment Manager

If we are to truly make positive changes for the environment, we

could consider taking a more Mi’gmaq approach.

A part from taking personal responsibility to respect

the land, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to take
what I’ve learned and to turn it into a profession. It’s been
3 years since I started working for GMRC, but what I’ve
learned will no doubt last me a lifetime.
I’d like to take this opportunity to say that this continues to
strengthen my belief that if we are to truly make positive
changes for the environment, we could consider taking a
more Mi’gmaq approach; allowing the cycles of the land
to govern our use of the resources.

It’s been an honor to work with our youth, to learn from
our elders, and to develop research projects that support the
transfer of Mi’gmaq knowledge between the two. Spending
days on the river, learning about the salmon and eel, and
hearing our language has indefinitely shaped my views and
continues to lay the foundation for me to develop projects
that help enhance our relationship with the resources.
As the seasons have gone by, I’ve learned that enhanc-
ing our resources goes beyond maintaining restocking
programs. Enhancing our resources means enhancing our
relationship with it, making use of our knowledge, our
language and our culture. This approach is definitely
different from the standard resource management
practices, but what we are seeing is that the standard
resource management planning isn’t working and that it
may be time for a re-evaluation.
On a recent trip to Cape Breton to examine eels, we were
asked what were we doing out to late, and we replied light-
heartedly, “We have to follow the cycle of the eels”. But it
is true; we cannot tell the eel or salmon to meet us Wednes-
day at noon, nor is it easy to tell them when and where to
grow.
We have a summer filled with salmon and eel fishing, sam-
pling, and monitoring so that we can better understand how
we can live in harmony with the land. I anticipate this year
to be even more fun and exciting than the last. There is
nothing more rewarding than having our hunters, fishers,
and caretakers sharing their knowledge with us.

14
“
Tasha Metallic
Research Associate

I have learned the importance of Aboriginal Traditional & Ecological

Knowledge and that as an Indigenous person we relate to our local
ecosystems.

A s my first year working with GMRC is almost

done, I can say with the utmost confidence that it
is one of the most rewarding, exhilarating, and chal-
into my everyday workday and is strongly interwoven
in GMRC’s research so that we can make a stronger
impact to science, government and our own Mi’gmaq
lenging jobs I have ever had. This is truly a unique people.
organization here in Listuguj, and we should all take
pride in knowing that we have an organization in our I am excited this year because we will be taking on
community that is an excellent leader in environmen- several projects and working more closely with the
tal issues, that listens to its people and takes strides to youth in the community. We will be working once
implement such actions. again with the salmon and a new project that involves
the American eel. The youth is where is all begins.
As a biologist, I was taught in University that science They are our future leaders.
has to be concrete and measurable. Since I started
working at GMRC I have learned the importance of And so, I look forward to another eventful and excit-
Aboriginal Traditional & Ecological Knowledge and ing new challenges this year with GMRC!
that as an Indigenous person we relate to our local
ecosystems. ATK knowledge, practices and beliefs We’lalioq
have been handed down from generation to genera-
tion. These two knowledge systems combined have
been termed “Two-eyed Seeing” by a prominent
Mi’gmaq Elder. Two-eyed Seeing is now embedded

15
“
Anne Gladue-Buffalo
Chief Executive Assistant

The organization continually strives to educate their peers, govern-

ment, industry and the community of the importance of recognizing
this knowledge and protecting indigenous rights to these resources.
Tansi,
M y name is Ann Gladue-Buffalo. My family and
I have travelled here from Samson Cree Nation,
in the Maskwacis Territory, or what is more common-
continually strives to educate their peers, government,
industry and the community of the importance of rec-
ognizing this knowledge and protecting indigenous
ly referred to as Hobbema, AB. rights to these resources.

I have always been drawn to working in the environ-
mental sector and as I am very process and detail-ori-
entated, I was so thrilled to come across a position
with a first nation environmental organization with
ISO certification. I was honoured to have been cho-
sen for the position of Chief Executive Assistant and I
joined the GMRC team August 2009.
I have really enjoyed working with the board of direc-
tors, management and staff, and have gained valuable
experience in the operation of a non-profit, and insight
into fisheries issues, Mi’gmaq rights and responsibili-
ties as well as the policies of Fisheries and Oceans
Canada. I hope I have been able to add value to the
organization and contribute to its continued success.

It has been very rewarding experience to work with an
organization that actively incorporates the use of in-
digenous knowledge and practices into their scientific
research, promotes environmental awareness and lo-
cal resource management practices. The organization
On behalf of my family I would like to thank all those
who have showered us with Mi’gmaq hospitality and
continue to welcome us into the community.

16
“
Leslie Mitchell
Finance Clerk

A team that prides itself on taking up the challenge of looking out for
our natural resources within Gespe’gewa’gi.

H ello my name Leslie Mitchell. I am a proud

Mi’gmaq mother, daughter, sister, auntie and
niece. I love my extended family, which includes the
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our
newest addition Ann Gladue-Buffalo to the GMRC
family. It is my honor to have the opportunity to work
beautiful community of Listuguj, where I was born with Ann. She has much to offer our organization.
and raised. I believe in life long learning, learning Listuguj welcomes you, Ann.
from our elders, and continuing to build upon my aca-
demic achievements.

I joined the Gespe’gewaq Mi’gmaq Resource Council

in the spring of 2008, I have been fortunate to have the
opportunity to use my knowledge, skills, and experi-
ence in office administration and to integrate myself
into the team that prides itself on taking up the chal-
lenge of looking out for our natural resources within
Gespe’gewagi.

The past year I have been training in basic bookkeep-

ing practices and look forward to developing my skills
in this area. I believe that in some small way, we can
each contribute to the overall communities’ self-suffi-
ciency by doing the best job that we can.

17
“
Brian Isaac
Commercial Fisheries Liaison Coordinator
Working with GMRC has allowed me to gain experience and valuable
knowledge in the commercial fishing industry.
H i my name is Brian Isaac and for the past year and
a half I have been fortunate to be one of GMRC’s
team members. In this short period as the Commercial
Fisheries Liaison Coordinator it has been both exciting
and challenging to work and represent the First Nation
communities of Pabineau, Eel River Bar and Listuguj
in the commercial fisheries. This opportunity has al-
lowed me to gain experience and valuable knowledge
in the commercial fishing industry.
In the last year we have experienced a number chal-
lenges such as the collapse of the Lobster industry and
a decline of some species like snow crab. Not only
does this threaten our participation in commercial fish-
eries but future generations as well. Our licenses are
communal so any disruption in fisheries has a greater
impact to our communities. Coming from a back-
ground of strong beliefs of our right to these resources
passed on to me by my late father “Michael Isaac Sr.”,
has strengthened my belief of our need to become ever
more involved in the management of these resources.
18
However with every right comes great responsibili-
ties. To meet this responsibility a working group has
been established and is currently working towards a
First Nation management plan starting with the Lob-
ster fishery. If successful it will become a template
for other commercial fishery initiatives of co-manage-
ment.
Since the Supreme Court of Canada’s monumental
decision on Marshall our participation in the commer-
cial fishery industry has grown such that the oppor-
tunity for our communities to begin moving towards
sustainable resource management is here and we must
seize the moment. With the determination of organi-
zation like GMRC and its dedicated staff this can be
accomplished.
Thank you and I look forward to another year at
GMRC to serve our communities in working towards
sustainable resource management.
“
John Murvin Vicaire
Communications/Quality Assurance

Now that the foundation is solid, things are beginning to happen

much more quickly.

I t’s been almost four years now that I’ve been work-
ing with the GMRC team and I can already see the
changes happening, within our communities, in this
with me and allowing me to assist them in achieving
the organization’s mission and vision for our people.

short period of time. We have a lot of work ahead of us as a community

In the beginning most of the work centered around
creating and building an organization. Now that the
foundation is solid, things are beginning to happen
much more quickly.
Someone recently asked how working with the people
at GMRC has influenced me. What immediately came
to mind was, “what if things were different and I never
had to opportunity to work here?”
and as the Mi’gmaq Nation. It important to know that
GMRC is working hard to better our situation with
the management of the natural resources in our dis-
trict Gespe’gewa’gi.
All too often governments ignore the Mi’gmaq
people. Well we’re here to shout loud and clear that
we are here, and will once again fulfill our roles in
taking care of Mother Earth.

There would have been many missed opportunities

and I am almost certain that I would not have been
able to develop the skills and the experience for what
I am passionate about. Nature and Imagery.

So quite simply, I feel forever indebted to this organi-

zation and the people I work with for sharing their lives

19
Tia’mugwet 2009
Youth Initiative
T
he vision of the Gespe’gewaq Mi’gmaq Re-
source Council is to assist First Nation
communities within the traditional district of
Gespe’gewa’gi, by creating awareness and under-
standing and gathering support to further sustainable
natural resource management. This is the spirit of
‘Netugulimg’ and the sacred relationship that exists
between the Mi’gmaq and our natural world.
We see a future where we can work together, manage
our resources and have a greater say in how they are
managed, while at the same time build cultural bridg-
es with the common goal of effective natural resource
management practices.
We believe that youth represent the future of our na-
tive communities, and that their health and well-being
determines the future health of our communities. By
investing in our youth and giving them a sense of
place and tradition a community ensures it has bright
and capable leaders.
One of the most important principles governing the
Mi’gmaq relationship with hunting and fishing is
“Netugulimg.” Netugulimg is the process of supply-
20
ing oneself or making a livelihood from the land, and
“Netugulimgewel” refers to the applicable rules or
standards. It is through the use of Netugulimgewel
that we embarked on a youth sponsored moose hunt-
ing activity in the fall of 2009.
To accomplish our objective, we focused our resourc-
es on projects that work specifically with youth, and
incorporate culture and tradition to address social is-
sues such as drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnan-
cy, mental health or other social issues. We wish to
engage more of our youth in the future by using the
principles relating to Netugulimgewel on these key
priority areas:
• Preserving, strengthening or renewing cultural
and/or spiritual practices, beliefs and values as-
sociated with Netugulimgewel;
• Engage youth, resource users and elders in activi-
ties within Netugulimg that demonstrate positive
approaches towards obtaining traditional knowl-
edge, practices, beliefs, values and culturally ap-
propriate harvesting activities;
• Increase youth leadership and their capacity to
lead through integrated educational or mentor-
ing programs using hunting and fishing activi-
ties as a means of teaching; and

• Increase access to and sharing of cultural cus-

toms and beliefs through the use of Netugulimg-
wel, as a means of reviving or preserving our
scared link between with Mother Earth.

SOME INTERESTING MOOSE FACTS

The moose is the largest member of the deer family
currently roaming the planet. Moose eat willow, birch
and aspen twigs, horsetail, sedges, roots, pond weeds
and grasses.
Moose eat leaves, twigs, buds and the bark of some
woody plants, as well as lichens, aquatic plants and
some of the taller herbaceous land plants. Moose can
actually feed under water.
Moose also have a beard like a flap under their chin
called a dewlap or bell, male moose have large antlers
that are shaped like scoops that can measure 60” or
better tip to tip and can weigh in excess of 70 pounds.
A full grown moose can weigh up to 1,800 pounds
and stand 7 feet tall at the shoulder, making moose
one of the northern hemispheres largest land dwelling
mammals.

Cow moose have been known to live for as long as 20

years. Bull moose may reach 15 years of age.

While a male may use its antlers to hold off a preda-

tor, a moose’s sharp hooves are its first line of defense.
Moose are able to kick out in all directions, but gener-
ally use their front feet.

A moose’s long legs allow it to move easily over

rough terrain and through deep snow. A moose can
run almost as fast as a horse, or about 30 miles per
hour for a short time period.

Living in harmony and sharing “the spirit” of the moose

This past fall GMRC was able to distribute 3 adult moose to the communities of Eel River
Bar, Listuguj and Pabineau First Nations. Additional moose meat was donated to the Christ-
mas Daddies in Listuguj for community distribution.

21
22
Good Times

That was a nice

shot Cago!
I said hold the rope and Hey this is a lot
stop *!$#@% around, this of work!
place isn’t for clowns.

This isn’t like Xbox eh boys?

When you kill something on
TV you don’t have to clean
it!

Work?! What’s
that? I’m only 15
yrs old!

I can almost taste

the meat now.
Social Media and You
“As we move forward with our growth, we are
leaving nothing to chance.”

The positive im- sees social media

pact that social as a new “tool” for
media can have effective business
on businesses is marketing and future
just beginning to be sales for our services.
realized. Social me- Currently we are using
dia uses web-based 4 popular networking
technologies to trans- sites; Facebook, Youtube,
form and broadcast mono- Google Buzz, and Twitter.
logues into social media This past year we also invest-
dialogues. Their use supports ed in updating our website which
GMRC’s continued efforts by now allows us to share even more
keeping community members in- information about our services and
formed on what we are doing. It also what we are up to.
allows us to share knowledge and infor-
mation at real-time. We believe that social media is a driv-
ing force in defining our services and let-
As social media continues to grow, the ability ting others know what we are doing.
to reach more people is also increased. GMRC

facebook.com/Migmaq youtube.com/Migmaqresource

twitter.com/Migmaqresource google.com/profiles/Migmaqresource

23
 Ò ur youth are our future. They must be
O
prepared to accept the challenges the future
holds.Ó

24
Margaret LaBillois
Scholarship Fund
About
Margaret LaBillois
Margaret LaBillois has always been
and will always be a true Mi’gmaq
leader. In 1970, she was elected the
Chief of Eel River Bar, becoming the
first female Chief in New Brunswick.

In recognition of her leadership quali-

ties and significant contribution to
sustaining Mi’gmaq traditional skills
and practice, Margaret was awarded
the Order of Canada in 1998 and in
2005 the province of New Brunswick
awarded her the Order of New Bruns-
wick. Her leadership path had begun
many years before in 1939 when she
became the first person to graduate
from high school in Eel River Bar. She
went on to serve our country in World
War II as a nurse in the RCAF.

All of her life Margaret has shown her

commitment to the value of education
both traditional and western, and in
1982, she graduated from Lakehead
University with an Honours Degree in
Native Languages.

In honour of the our esteemed and re-

spected Elder Margaret LaBillois and
recognition of our greatest asset ‘Our
People’, the Gespe’gewaq Mi’gmaq
Resource Council (GMRC) has estab-
lished the Margaret LaBillois Educa-
tion Policy.

25
ISO Certification for
Quality Management
Gespe'gewaq Mi'gmaq Resource Council maintains its
Certification for Quality Management Systems and is now ISO
9001:2008

As an organization we are always working towards build-

ing a better way of doing business. Our communities and
our respective clients expect this. One of the competitive
advantages we have over the competition apart from sur-
rounding ourselves with quality people is our attention to
management.

The Quality Management System developed within the

GMRC is process driven, and emphasizes the importance
of understanding and meeting customer requirements; the
need to consider processes in terms of added value; ob-
taining results of process performance and effectiveness,
and; continual improvement of processes based on objec-
tive measurement.

The benefit to our community members, clients, stake-

holders and partners is the assurance of the continual im-
provement of the organization’s overall performance and
efficiency, as well as its effectiveness. In 2009 GMRC
once again maintained its ISO certification.

26
Charlo Fish Hatchery

I n April of 2009 the Gespe’gewaq Mi’gmaq Re-

source Council and the Charlo Salmonid En-
hancement Centre Inc. (CSEC) announced that they
signed a Memorandum of Understanding that aims to
strengthen their commitment on the preservation of
the Atlantic salmon in the Restigouche region.
Wishing to build on our continued success working
in the field of aquatic resource and oceans manage-
ment, our goal is two fold. First, create employment
opportunities for our community members and sec-
ondly promote awareness on the importance of sound
stewardship practices through enhancement related
activities.
people interested in aquatic and resource manage-
ment. This joint co-operation serves as an example of
the success that can be achieved by working closely
together and by building strategic partners,” said Chief
Everett Martin of the Eel River Bar First Nation.
We see ourselves as having more of a significant role
to play in how the resources are managed in this terri-
tory, and we must be willing to take a more proactive
approach by ensuring there are resources for future
generations. It’s in our best interests to work collab-
oratively if possible.

Both the GMRC and the CSEC intend to work togeth-

er on various projects associated with conservation of
salmon resources in various watersheds, as well as,
help each other by building capacity and finding other
potential opportunities for the fish hatchery. While in
the primary stages at this point, they may also take a
look other markets and perhaps rearing other species
besides salmon and trout.

This partnership further demonstrates that GMRC is

always planning for its future and how to get more

27
Honoring Donald
Marshall Jr.
H e was a friend to anyone who had the pleasure of meeting
him. He was a true ambassador of Mi’gmaq Rights. He was
a Mi’gmaq leader, who put his peoples needs before his own. He
had the skills of a true leader, a hunter, an avid fisherman, and was
a gifted speaker. He was kind, humble, concerned, and always had
the time to talk to people. He had compassion for humankind and
was a good friend to many. He had a great sense of humor evident
through the twinkle in his eye and heartfelt laughter.

Junior fought many battles in his life. An inquiry into his wrongful
conviction created a basis for others in the country to find justice
for wrongful imprisonments. The recommendations from the
report on the inquiry has changed the course of the Nova Sco-
tia justice system and created a somewhat better system for those
who are marginalized and discriminated against in our society due
to their race.

After settling into a life of new-found freedom after being impris-

oned for 11 years, Junior went fishing and was arrested for fishing
eels out of season. This was the beginning of a legal battle that
would eventually see the Supreme Court of Canada Decision af-
firm our rights as members of the Mi’gmaq Nation, and members
of Mi’gmaq First Nation Allies, to hunt and fish as we did prior to
European invasion. In 1999 this decision sparked a major battle
between the Mi’gmaq, non-native fisherman, and the Canadian
government.

Junior’s greatest battle was for his own life, as he endured a dou-
ble lung transplant several years ago. In spite of his failing health,
Junior continued to work within the communities, especially with
youth to create better lives for our people. He had run a youth sur-
vival camp for many years because he believed in helping youth
find positive directions in their lives.

To those of us who knew him and believed in him, he will be sadly

missed. To his mother and family, thank you for sharing your son
with the world, especially with the Mi’gmaq Nation.

28
Financials

29
 GESPE’GEWAQ MI’GMAQ RESOURCE COUNCIL INC.
Balance Sheet as of March 31, 2010

30
GESPE’GEWAQ MI’GMAQ RESOURCE COUNCIL INC.
Combined Statement of Revenue and Expenditures
For the Year Ended March 31, 2010

31
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