Ontario Regional Chief Candidate: Elaine Johnston – ‘Stronger Together’
Waawassgonehkwe Ndzihnikaas Mshiikenh Ndoodem Niidaw Genaabaajiing Noodizibaa. Aaniin, Watchai, Sago. My Spirit Name is Flower Woman of the Turtle Clan of Serpent River First Nation. I am honoured to put my name forward for Ontario Regional Chief.
I have a strong connection to Spirit and believe in using our Traditional ceremonies and practices to guide our daily lives. My Great Grandmother Annie Lewis Kiwadjiwon honoured me with my Spirit name before I was born. It is who I am and defines my purpose on this Earth. Our Ancestors gifted us with this sacred gift of connection to Spirit and to all of Creation.
I am a proud Anishinabekwe and have dedicated my life to service for our people. I am a Registered Nurse by profession and have worked in many First Nation communities within the Anishinabek and NAN territories. This experience has given me some valuable knowledge of many issues our people face on a daily basis. I have mentored many of our people to be their own leaders. We need to inspire hope. I do my best to operate with kindness and respect. My intention is to speak on your behalf with honour, humility and from a place that is just and fair for the highest good of all people.
My Leadership skills have been built over time. I have over 25 years in leadership. I served my community as Chief for over 4 years and 10 years on Council. I was Vice Chair of Mamaweswen, the North Shore Tribal Council. When I was Chief, I lobbied for and will continue to lobby and advocate for clean potable drinking water. I have served on numerous committees such as the Chiefs of Ontario, Chiefs Committee on Health sharing the Chair position, on the Social Services committee, Chief Committee on Energy where we were successful in eliminating the “Delivery charge” for First Nations Hydro bills. I have and continue to serve on numerous Board and committees. It is important that you know that I participated in a sweat and ceremony to support our legal team for our Treaty on our Annuities case.
My primary intent as Regional Chief is advocacy and action to address the issues that affect First Nations. We are “Stronger Together” while respecting jurisdictions and our diversity and I will work to unify our communities in strength. We have the inherent right to govern ourselves. We have Aboriginal and Treaty rights. Nation building is key. We will have some rough times, however guided by ceremony and Spirit we can overcome. Our Ancestors taught us this over our history. We need to operate from strength and create the space for dialogue about solutions. Open the doors for dialogue, open the doors to government and open the doors to inspire hope and change.
I am known for creating space and pulling people together for dialogue on our Treaty, Rights and on Economic prosperity. I will advocate for a Rights and Treaty table so Leadership can discuss your issues with the Crown. We need to continue the Economic Prosperity Table discussions already developed. The Covid 19 pandemic has affected us all. We will have to deal with the after- effects of the Covid 19 pandemic. Both levels of governments are operating with deficits. We need to be prepared to keep our priorities at the tables.
Secondly, we all want healthy and safe communities, and it is with that in our minds and hearts that we need to address the issues of safe drinking water, housing, education, health, child welfare, missing and murdered women, girls and boys, human trafficking and much more. Resources are needed in the First Nation communities. This is where the real work happens. I will commit to build a strong team that can bring their expertise together to develop a political, legal and communication strategy in our efforts to ensure that our communities receive the funding necessary to meet all our needs in all of those areas that will make our communities healthy, safe and self-sustaining.
Thirdly, one serious issue that is impacting First Nation communities is the opioid crisis. It is affecting our children, our families and our communities. In this respect, I will call upon and lead the leadership in developing Land based strategies, sports programs and strength-based activities that can be shared and discussed. We need to put all our expertise and strength together to give our young people hope and inspiration for the future.
We always need to be advocating for our Mother Earth. We have the responsibility to protect the lands and waters. Climate change is a major concern that will affect generations to come. Our children and youth will be brought together with Leadership to discuss and ensure that this is always one of our priorities.
Restructuring of the Chiefs of Ontario has always been a discussion at the Chiefs assemblies. My late father was Chief when the Chiefs of Ontario was formed. He informed me that the Chiefs of Ontario was originally formed to be an advocacy organization. We need to fulfill the original mandate. I hear this from the leadership. Resources are needed at the First Nation community level or as close as possible. I intend to work with leadership to make this happen.
Finding the 215 plus children in the graves at the Residential School in Kamloops BC has spiked our people’s emotions and grief. The legacy of the trauma of the Residential Schools and the racism that our people experience is raising the anger, anguish and pain. Again, I will call upon and lead the leadership in engaging our people to do some positive healing actions to move forward. We will pressure all levels of government in addressing the systemic racism we as First Nation people feel and experience. We must do this for our children, our grandchildren and our generations to come.
I am not perfect. You have my commitment that I will do the best I can as your Regional Chief. My Elders have advised me that my Spirit name Waawaasgonenhkwe (Flower Woman) is my reason for being on this our Sacred Mother the Earth, as a Healer, a Leader and a Teacher. This is who I am. My experience over the decades has prepared me to serve. I ask for your vote and the opportunity to work with you in service for our people. Miigwetch