G reetings! Welcome to the fifth edition of the official Chiefs of Ontario magazine, the Advocate. As Ontario Regional Chief, I would like to send my warm regards to our readers and those who have graciously donated their time to ensuring this edition is a success. Chiefs of Ontario is emerging in the wake of new leadership and creating a new distinct path. My mandate as Ontario Regional Chief is to collaboratively bring communities within Ontario together and create a sustainable platform for each First Nation to engage in discussions relating to their own communities and territories on both provincial and federal levels of government. My objective is to lead our communities with a heart-centred leadership style, meaning my goal is to create space and amplify First Nations’ voices – something that we, as a nation, have been working toward together for many years. In this edition of the Advocate, you will find key pieces focusing on what’s happening environmentally and how it is affecting First Nations, not only in Ontario, but globally. We as Indigenous peoples are the protectors of the land and Mother Earth, and preserving the environment that encompasses us is more important now than ever. As we progress together to reclaim our true shared heritage and traditional teachings, we also must instill this know- ledge within our youth and future generations. I encourage all of our readers and community leaders to continue to demonstrate how asserting our land use and treaty rights will ultimately be for the betterment of our communities and surrounding areas. The negative effects of climate change, such as disruption of wildlife habitats and contamination to our land and waters, are posing a serious threat to the First Nations and our quality of life. As Chiefs of Ontario continues to evolve, we hope this edition of the Advocate can be a guide for what to expect. We are striving to be inclusive and knowledgeable of each unique need of the First Nations communities within Ontario. As Ontario Regional Chief, I’ve dedicated the next three years of my service with Chiefs of Ontario to rebirth, potential and growth. I am excited for what lies ahead, as we continue to focus on advancing our youth and communities. Ninanaskamon MESSAGE FROM THE ONTARIO REGIONAL CHIEF The Chiefs of Ontario ADVOCATE magazine is the official voice of the COO. Published two times per year, the magazine focuses on the main priorities of the organization. The goal of the publication is to expedite COO’s mission to facilitate discussion, planning, implementation and evaluation of all local, regional and national matters affecting Indigenous Peoples in Ontario. Published for: CHIEFS OF ONTARIO 468 Queen Street East, Suite 400 Toronto, Ontario, M5A 1T7 Tel: (416) 597-1266 Toll free: 1 (877) 517-6527 Fax: (416) 597-8365 www.chiefs-of-ontario.org Publisher Maurice P . LaBorde Editor Carlyn Schellenberg Senior Design Specialist Krista Zimmermann Editorial Contributors l Chiefs of Ontario Jamie Monastyrski, Trevor Greyeyes, Lenny Carpenter, Ashley Albert, Julie Cookson, Jasmine Kabatay, Ira Timothy, Genna Benson Sales Executives Brenda Ezinicki, Gary Fustey, Derek de Weerdt Published by: 33 South Station St. North York, ON M9N 2B2 Tel: (866) 480-4717 robertt@mediaedge.ca 531 Marion St. Winnipeg, MB R2J 0J9 Toll free: (866) 201-3096 Fax: (204) 480-4420 www.mediaedgepublishing.com President Kevin Brown Senior Vice President Robert Thompson Director, Business Development Michael Bell Branch Manager Nancie Privé All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the Chiefs of Ontario. Published February 2019 Publication Mail Agreement #40787580 Advocate is printed on 10% post-consumer FSC certified paper using soya based inks. When necessary to mail an issue in an enclosure, we use an environmentally- friendly, 100% oxo-degradable poly-wrap. Looking Ahead ROSEANNE ARCHIBALD Ontario Regional Chief SUMMER/WINTER 2018/19 – Chiefs of Ontario Advocate magazine   12  l