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Top News - April - 2003
Published April 14, 2003
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Hotel recognized for dedication to employees
Reserve set to grow
La Ronge trapper's festival fun for all agesThis is only a partial listing of the stories featured in the April 2003 issue of Saskatchewan Sage. If you are not receiving your own copy of Sage, then you have missed out on a lot.
Hotel recognized for dedication to employees
Carmen Pauls, Sage Writer, Lac La Ronge First Nation
An emphasis on workplace training and literacy has helped a First Nation-owned hotel win two high profile honors.
On March 14, the La Ronge Motor Hotel, which is fully owned by the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, was named Business of the Year by Tourism Saskatchewan. And, on April 15, the Conference Board of Canada will present the hotel with the 2003 Small Business Award for Excellence in Workplace Literacy.
When he arrived at the hotel in 1997, general manager Clarence Neault brought with him a long history in the hospitality industry and, more importantly, a passion for apprenticeship, certification and workplace training. His timing proved excellent. The local Northlands College literacy program, under Bebe Ivanochko, was going strong, and the government was already investing money into workplace education programs.
As well, Neault's superiors with Kitsaki Management, the band's business arm, were supportive of any efforts to improve employee capability.
"Training local people to (acquire) the skills required for industry standard, the model is right there from the band," said Neault. "There was no resistance."
Where Neault did run into problems was in dealing with attitudes from people outside the band administration.
"The motivating factor (for the training emphasis) was the prevailing notion that it couldn't be done," he said. "The attitude seemed to be to blame the employees for skill shortages and lack of work ethic, rather than adding education to solve the problem."
Rejecting that notion, Neault started applying for government training dollars, much of which came attached to literacy projects. Initially, he thought he was manipulating the literacy programs to get funding for his workplace training initiatives; however, he soon realized that literacy was, in fact, "the missing link" for many of his employees. Basic language and math skills soon worked their way into Neault's in-house training plans.
Amongst the hotel's initiatives were a pair of training videos, produced locally and aimed at housekeepers and restaurant staff, and the WOLF Project. WOLF (Workplace Open Learning Fulfillment) was a multi-year initiative in which housekeeping staff studied together to acquire the basic literacy and work-related skills needed to become nationally certified housekeeping attendants.
With the success of the WOLF Project, the pride and pleasure that the housekeeping staff has taken in their accomplishment is rubbing off on other staff. While a manager can preach the benefits of training all he or she wants, said Neault, they also have to keep in mind the power position they are in, controlling an employee's hours, dress, etc. If training is seen as just another manager-imposed idea, "they're not going to buy into that," he said. "It's only human nature (to resist)."
However, once a "learning culture" is established, as it was amongst the housekeeping staff, it's much easier for others to buy in, Neault said. Now that the learning model has been established in the housekeeping department, his next step is to start training the managers in his other 11 departments, so that they can subsequently train their own staff.
"Rather than bring managers from outside, (the hotel's approach) is 'grow your own,'" Neault said.
Looking again at the attitude of blame that spurred him to pursue this training model, Neault's frustration spills over. "There is no difference (between northern Aboriginal workers and their white counterparts)," he said. "They're just workers."
The only difference, in fact, is exposure to training and opportunity, and now they're receiving those things, Neault said.
"Once the partners-the employees-were on board, their commitment (to the benefits of workplace training) was unwavering."
Matt Ross, Sage Writer, Onion Lake First Nation
If all goes according to plan, Onion Lake First Nation will soon substantially increase its reserve size and, with the expansion, gain access to potentially tens of millions of dollars in annual revenue.
The First Nation is in the process of purchasing 108,000 acres of land, which will almost triple Onion Lake's reserve land base once the new lands are converted to reserve status.
The land is being purchased under the Treaty Land Entitlement Agreement, signed between a number of Saskatchewan First Nations and the provincial and federal governments as a means to make up for discrepancies between the amount of reserve land the First Nations should have received, and what they actually received.
According to Joe Carter, the band's director of Lands, Trust and Development since 1996, the economic opportunities this area holds are substantial. All told the band needed to spend $7 million to purchase these acres, but forestry and oil and gas revenues will easily bring Onion Lake high returns on its investment
To improve cash flow, Onion Lake has taken some bold steps, including by-passing Indian Oil and Gas Canada (IOGC) the arm of Indian and Northern Affairs that manages oil and gas activities on First Nations lands, and dealing with the oil companies themselves through the newly created Onion Lake Energy.
The purchase of the new lands hasn't been finalized yet, as the First Nation is still working to address all pre-existing third party interests, which for the most part involves negotiating replacement oil and gas leases with companies already operating on the land.
While the official transfer of the land to the First Nation, and the subsequent granting of reserve status, have yet to take place, Onion Lake First Nation hasn't wasted any time in taking advantage of the resources found on, and under, its soon to be expanded land base.
Onion Lake Energy has entered into a partnership with PanGlobal Ventures Limited, which will give the First Nation a bigger return on its investment than they would receive by going through the IOGC.
The partnership agreement with PanGlobal will also mean community members will benefit from increased employment opportunities.
"Any and all work that we have the capacity or capability to do with respect to the industry here, we have first right of refusal on all of that. So it's great for our people here, both employees and also prospective subcontractors, to get a lot of the spin off," Carter said.
La Ronge trapper's festival fun for all agesCarmen Pauls, Sage Writer, La Ronge First Nation
Competitors of all ages and skill levels had a chance to show off their trapper's skills, during the annual La Ronge Trapper's Festival, held March 12 to 15 on Far Reserve south of La Ronge. The festival, held at the Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre, (JRMCC) kicked off on March 12 with a "fun night" with contests to test your skill in lying, crying, laughing, whistling, pie eating, egg rolling, mummy wrapping, spouse finding (you had to already BE a couple!) and egg racing. A family dance followed.
On March 13, Senator Myles Venne School held a youth trapper competition, and a hockey challenge between the Prince Albert Grand Council and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band was held at the Mel Hegland Uniplex arena. In the evening, there was a Red River jig competition, a buckskin parade and an English/Cree singing competition with awards for the top three male and female vocalist as well as special prizes for top performances of instrumental, rock, country and Cree songs.
On Friday, the JRMCC had craft tables set up, and events included an indoor poker rally, a square dancing competition and the first of the junior and senior king and queen trapper events.
Competitors for the title of king and queen trapper must demonstrate their skills in a number of events, including the buckskin parade, jigging, moose calling, goose calling, trap setting, leg wrestling, traditional portage, ice chiseling, tea boiling, bannock making, traditional snowshoe, log toss, log sawing, log chop, log saw split and pile, nail driving, and axe throwing.
Saturday featured a pancake breakfast, an Elders' social and games, another indoor poker rally and poker table, craft tables, a dart tournament, sled dog races and sprints, a co-ed broomball tournament, a jigging contest, a "trappers' ball" and the remainder of the trapper events and award presentations.
This year, Norman McKenzie of La Ronge came in first in the Senior King Trapper competition, with Richard Charles of Stanley Mission coming in second, Abel Crane of The Pas, Man., placing third, and Derwin McKenzie of Cumberland House finishing in fourth place.
In the Senior Queen Trapper competition, Carla Buck of The Pas claimed top spot, with Clarissa Burns, also of The Pas, placing second. Third place went to La Ronge's Christine Ravenis, while Sophie McKenzie of Grandmother's Bay placed fourth.
In Junior King Trapper competition, Jessie McLeod of Brabant Lake placed first, Junior McKenzie of Grandmother's Bay took second, and Phillip McKenzie, also from Grandmother's Bay, took third place.
Flora Hardlotte of Brabant Lake placed first in the Junior Queen Trapper competition, with Jeannie Charles of La Ronge taking second place, and Lydia McKenzie of Grandmother's Bay taking third place.
Prizes were also awarded for the King of Kings, the top trapper contestants in the festival circuit. Derwin McKenzie of Cumberland House placed first overall, with Richard Charles of Stanley Mission finishing in second place.
The Franklin Carriere Most Sportsmanlike Trapper Award, which honors veteran "King Trapper" competitor Franklin Carriere (who competed again this year), was also handed out at the festival. The winner for this award is chosen by the competitors. This year the award went to Christine Ravenis of La Ronge.