Science Camp 2000 will be a week-long overnight camp, for junior high students. The camp features outdoor, hands-on science and cultural activities.

Science and cultural activities are combined to help students discover science from a cultural perspective. Our goal is to expose students to science in a fun and positive atmosphere which may encourage them to pursue careers in science.

There are two camp sessions:
July 9-15  and  July 16-22

The camp will be held at the Coast Guard College, Sydney, Nova Scotia.  Mi’kmaq students who are completing grade seven, eight or nine are eligible.  Application forms are available on our web site kinu.ns.ca/camp/camp2000.html.

Each Band Council will be required to sponsor their students.  The cost is $400 per student ($700 outside Nova Scotia). Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey will administer funding arrangements with Nova Scotia Bands, so that students do not have to. All other First Nation Bands should contact Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey for detailed funding arrangements

In April the Board of Directors in Nova Scotia passed a motion to use Community Educational Gathering Strength funds for a Science Camp.

Subsequently DIAND announced that funds were sent to each band in Nova Scotia without separating out Science Camp money.

Students from the Wagmatcook First Nation School won the March-April Time Capsule Contest sponsored by Atlantic Canada’s First Nation Help Desk (firstnationhelp.com).

The class used their knowledge of the Medicine Wheel, which was a part of their Social Studies class taught by their teacher, Doreen Richard, to reflect the four divisions: Spiritual, Mental, Physical, and Emotional.

For example, because they are so proud of their Mi’kmaq language, the students decided that the newly published Mi’kmaq/English Bible and a CD of Mi’kmaq chants would be important items to include.  These two items are representative of their spirituality and language.
Chief and Council will now be approached to arrange the location and timing of the placement of the time capsule which will be buried until the year 2025, (one fourth of 100 years).

The time capsule will include:

Dream Catcher, Medicine Wheel, Sacred Colours, Bible, Treaties, Music, Pictures, Recipes, Flags (the Grand Council Flag and the Mi’kmaq Nation Flag), Wampum Belt, Sweet Grass, and Sacred Plants (sweet grass, sage, cedar and tobacco).

Planning and negotiation training sessions took at the World Trade Centre in Halifax May 24-26.  The sessions, including mock negotiations, were conducted under the guidance of experts from St. Mary’s University.
Those pictured taking part in the negotiation training are (left to right) Nancy Boudreau, Lauretta Welsh, Brad MacRae (instructor), Marjorie Gould, Clarence Smith, Chief Lindsay Marshall, Allan Bernard, Darren Googoo, Chief Morley Googoo,  Suki Starnes and Barry Evans.

The current five-year funding agreement, averaging $30 million per year, is scheduled to expire March 31, 2002.  The agreement states that negotiations for the next generation agreement will begin during the fourth year.  The Board mandated that a negotiation team begin working to develop the background and work plan needed for such an important undertaking.  This workshop served as a launchpad for those activities.

Many ongoing Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey activities  will provide information for the negotiations.  The Capital Committee will provide information about physical and financial requirements.  Strategic and operational plans will provide a framework for identifying needed resources while committees such as those dealing with special educational will help complete the picture.

All participants had high praise for the sessions.  After two days of theory and practicums, the third day was devoted to holding mock negotiations simulating sessions with Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey and the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

Chief Lindsay Marshall, Chair, and Marjorie Gould, Executive Director, recently attended a gathering that was called by AFN to discuss an action plan to deal with the specific of the Auditor General’s Report.  The report alerted the nation to gaps related to Aboriginal elementary and secondary education.  Among the many issues raised by the report, were:

4.1 Indian and Northern Affairs Canada cannot demonstrate that it meets its stated objective to assist First Nations students living on reserves in achieving their educational needs and aspirations.  For example, the Department does not have the necessary assurance that First Nations students are receiving culturally appropriate education.  Moreover, the progress in closing the education gap for Indian students living on reserves has been unacceptably slow.  At the current rate of progress, it will take over 20 years for them to reach parity in academic achievement with other Canadians.

Phil Fontaine, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, many Native delegates, and most national and regional representatives of DIAND were in attendance.  The fact that all of the major stakeholders were gathered together created the opportunity for a meaningful exchange and dialogue.  There was much discussion about “visioning,” creating a vision for Aboriginal education in Canada.

A Memorandum of Understanding making Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey the administrator of regional language initiative funds in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland was signed by the Assembly of First Nations and Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey.

The ALI Committee will meet to consider the criteria and terms of references for community proposals.