PSAB Coordinators Conference

On February 14th , the PSAB team hosted a PSAB Coordinators meeting at the Holiday Inn in Gatineau Quebec. The event proved to be quit a success with many of the various departments and or agencies in attendance. After an opening ceremony by Aboriginal elder Roger “Big Tree” Hill, Michel Smith, acting Assistant Deputy Minister of Socio-Economic Policy and Programs at Indian and Northern Affairs Canada delivered an encouraging welcome address. After hearing Rick Hansen, Director of Advocacy and Partnerships offer opening remarks, Allen Frost provided an update on activities since the PSAB Evaluation. We then heard from Sam Dam with FoxWise Technologies Inc. and a presentation from Janice Gladue and Paul O’Byrne from MGM Communications. They spoke to us about their successes and challenges as it relates to the PSAB and dealing with the Federal Government.

Following these presentations, the group broke out into tables to brainstorm and address what problems or issues exist in moving the PSAB agenda forward. This led into a very interesting group discussion and proved to be a very informative and beneficial session. More detailed information pertaining to the information gathered during these sessions will follow shortly.

If you have any questions related to the February 14th PSAB Coordinators meeting, please contact Richard Quintal at (819) 934-1973.

The PSAB Performance Report 2002 has been published and distributed to each departments’ Deputy Minister. This document will be available on our web site within the next few weeks.

Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council

Aboriginal and Minority Supplier procurement Fair
Date: April 12th and 13th, 2005
Place: Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel
37 King Street East
Toronto, ON

The Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council (CAMSC), in partnership with the Aboriginal Workforce Participation Initiative (AWPI) is hosting this procurement fair.

An opportunity for: Major corporations to diversify their supplier base by building business links with Aboriginal and minority suppliers.

Aboriginal and minority-owned suppliers to connect with some of Canada’s largest corporate buyers.

For more details or to register:
Telephone (819) 827-1237
Fax: (819) 827-4592 or
E-mail: admin@camsc

The Various Aboriginal Nations

The Malecites

The Malecites lived in New Brunswick; their territory extended west from the Saint-John River. They were members of the Wabanaki Confederation, wich also included the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maine Abenakis and Micmacs.

Half-nomads, they lived from hunting and fishing, but they also grew corn. The main Malecite community, Médotec, was along the banks of the Saint-John River. In 1694, a plaque killed some 120 Micmacs, and the rest of the community was forced to flee the village temporarily.

The Malecites proved to be faithful allies to the French in the colonization wars; they were considered a key element in the French defence. In 1728, however, the Malecites ratified the peace treaty concluded in Boston with the English. Under this treaty, the Indians of New England and Nova Scotia recognized British sovereignty over Nova Scotia. Malecite resentment of the English continued, however, until surrender of Quebec City in 1763.

In 1828, some thirty families established a settlement in Viger (a concession of 3,000 acres of land divided into 100-acre lots) close to Rivière Verte in the Gaspé region; their actual name comes from there: the Malécites of Viger.

According to the sedentarisation policy in force at this time, the Malecites were encouraged to settle there by the government, who will give them seeds and provisions. Those methods proved wrong and, as the Malecites did not settle there, the Canadian government give up to the pressure exerted by colonists interested in those fertile lands, and Viger is retroceded in 1869.

In 1876, the federal government created the Whitworth community and in 1891 the Cacouna community, and houses are built there for the Malecites. However, the Malecites resisted a sedentary way of life for a long time. The presence of this nation in Quebec was almost forgotten by the population because the members were so spread out across the province.

The band never ceased to exist in the federal government’s register. In 1975, some hundred individuals were deemed to be part of this nation. After Bill C-31 (modifying the Indian Act) was passed in 1985, many Malecites recovered their registered Indian status. In 1987, some 130 of them gathered in Rivière-du-Loup to elect a band council. Two years later, the Government of Quebec officially recognized the Malecite First Nation. At present, the band has 537 members.

Faithful to their traditionnal way of life, the Malecites of Viger still refuse to be confined to a community; no one permanently lives on the federal communities of Whitworth or Cacouna

Erata:

In our October 1st, 2004 Newsletter, we wrote a success story in regards to Rockman Medical Supply Services Inc. Reading this article, led readers to believe that Rockman had a National Master Standing Offer in place with Public Works and Government Services. At the present time, Rockman Medical Supply Services is still working towards securing a National Master Standing Offer. This is only meant to clarify the Standing Offer issue. The October edition of the Newsletter will be corrected accordingly. We apologize for any misunderstanding that this may have caused.

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