Bartleman continues efforts to promote literacy

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"Too many Native children in remote fly-in communities do not know how to read. Too many lack self esteem. Too many lack hope. Too many believe that no one cares about them."

These words, spoken by Ontario's lieutenant-governor, James Bartleman, help explain why Bartleman has made improving Aboriginal literacy a priority since he first took office.

"I have made it a priority to do all I can to encourage Aboriginal young people to get a good start in life," he said. "

Access to reading can open up the world to Aboriginal students and lead them to want to carry on in school and build a more fulfilling life, rooted in their own heritage but also in the wider world."

Growing up in a family that loved stories, Bartleman knows that books can inspire hope in young people. A member of the Mnjikaning First Nation, he stresses the importance of the oral tradition and stories being passed down through Elders. But he also recognizes the important role books can play in the life of a child.

In 2002, when Bartleman became the first Aboriginal lieutenant-governor for Ontario, he indicated that finding ways to encourage Aboriginal young people would be among his goals while in office. He began visiting First Nations communities as part of his work and noticed most of them didn't have libraries, and that even the schools had few books to offer students.

"Without books, the children will never learn to read, will never develop the self-esteem that comes from obtaining an education and will never escape the despair that fuels the suicide epidemic among children and youth that has been raging out of sight and out of mind in the north or our province," Bartleman said of the problem.

In 2004, he launched a campaign to collect books for Aboriginal communities. The efforts met with success, collecting 850,000 good quality books for 33 fly-in communities in northern Ontario. Because so many books were donated, Bartleman was also able to send books to communities in Nunavut.

In January, Bartleman called on the people in Ontario to once again help by donating new or used books to add to the library collections many communities were able to establish thanks to the books collected through the previous book drive.

Bartleman has launched three other programs to encourage a love of literacy in children.

In 2005 he set up a twinning program linking Native and non-Native schools in Ontario and Nunavut through pen pal programs and student exchanges. The non-Native schools host Aboriginal awareness days and hold annual drives to collect books, musical instruments and other educational resources for First Nation schools. About 100 Aboriginal schools in Ontario have joined the program so far.

Bartleman also established literacy summer camps in northern First Nation communities and has secured funding to continue the camps for the next four years. During the camps, children age 6 to 14 read, play games, make crafts and participate in sports, all the while building self-esteem and literacy and leadership skills.

The latest addition to Bartleman's literacy initiatives is Club Amick. Beginning in 2006, all children age 5 to 10 in 28 fly-in First Nations in northern Ontario became members of the club. Several times a year, each member gets a new book and newsletter about reading and related activities.