One Journey Many Blessings Presented by Nakuset Executive

One Journey Many Blessings Presented by Nakuset Executive Director, Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal Co-chair, Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy Network February 28, 2016

Objectives • Share my experience as a native adoptee. • Raise awareness of the progress of the Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy Network. • Offer suggestions on how you can actively move forward with reconciliation

By the late 1960 s, 1 in 4 status Indian children were picked up by social workers. Termed the "Sixties Scoop", despite the fact that the apprehension and adoption of Aboriginal children still continues to this day.

My first modelling job: Margaret Murray, age 3

Life as a Jewish Indian • Mikvah (Jewish baptism) given a new name and hebrew school- parallel to residential schools • Childhood difficulties ( looking different, not accepted by the Jewish community, advised to say that I was Israeli) • Consequently, I rejected my own Cree culture.

Life as a teen • Extreme unhappiness, bombarded with negative views of Aboriginal people. • Confusion concerning my identity. • Parents expected to be a prostitute and a drug addict. • Self-hate. • Left home at 18.

What saved me • Unconditional love from my Bubbi, my Jewish grandmother. • Always believed in me, even when I didn’t.

Bubbi and Grandpa

Born again Indian • • • Age 21 saw Dances with Wolves – immense pride! Struggled and succeeded in regaining my Indian Status. Began working as a model and actor, specifically in Aboriginal roles. Used my newfound status to complete my degree at University. While at University, spearheaded the organization Advocacy for Native Adoptees. • Sought out and became active in the Urban Aboriginal Community. (Worked at the NFCM, and the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal since 1998. )

Portrait at the Musée de la Civilisation in Quebec City

Reconnecting • With the support of my grandparents, I met some of my biological family. • Sought out a relationship with my biological sister, Sonya Murray. • Was featured in a documentary with my sister about growing up in two worlds (Past Lives, 2005, and later 8 th Fire by CBC) • Visited my reserve, Lac La Ronge.

Biological Family

With Mom, Auntie and Uncle

Walking the Talk • Currently, as the Executive Director of the NWSM, I am actively reaching out to and sensitizing non-Aboriginal organizations to the realities and struggles of urban Aboriginals and providing culturally relevant resources.

Amendments to the Youth Protection Act • The changes to the Youth Protection Act, concerning adoption may cause another sixties scoop. When an Aboriginal child is adopted into a non-Aboriginal family, they lose their Indian Status or treaty rights which includes but is not limited to: • Land entitlement. • Free medical services (psychologists, dentists. . . ) • Post secondary education, which includes the tuition fees, books, and living allowance (which is more income than receiving welfare).

Impacts of the Sixties Scoop • • Supressed identity, identity crisis. Psychological, emotional problems. Not belonging in white culture. Loss of language, culture. Loss of Indian status. Seen as “Apples”. Difficult for non-Aboriginal homes to foster positive cultural identity.

Impacts of the Sixties Scoop • 85% of adoptions fail. • As adults, majority of adoptees struggle with addictions. • The majority of adoptees pursue their roots. • When adoptees return to their community, they often experience culture shock, which may be devastating. • 1985 Kimelman report, he referred to the Sixties Scoop as : “Cultural genocide”.

Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy NETWORK • The NETWORK was created in 2008 by the Aboriginal community to improve the quality of life and services available to our people.

Purpose Provide opportunities for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal organizations serving Aboriginal people in the greater Montreal area to broaden their achievements by – and create measurable and sustainable improvements in – the following: • Creating opportunities to develop and strengthen working relationships. • Sharing information and transferring knowledge about Aboriginal people’s needs – including available services, useful resources, and potential opportunities; • Prioritizing needs; exploring and initiating joint projects that address gaps and minimize the duplication of services;

The Steering Committee • One representative of each working committee • Governmental partners: – – – the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, the City of Montreal, the Secretariat des affaires autochtones, the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador the Makivik Corporation • An Elder

Our Working Committees • • • Health Social services Communications Youth Art • Culture Employability-Training-Education

Social Service Committee • Meets at Batshaw on a monthly basis. • Facilitates collaboration between Batshaw and the NWSM to recruit Aboriginal foster parents for the Aboriginal children in care. • Created a cultural manual for non aboriginal parents who foster or adopt Aboriginal children.

Adoption Manual • Practical Information on how to obtain Aboriginal, Inuit and Metis status. • Resources for Non-Aboriginal parents on how to retain their adopted or foster children’s culture. • Coping mechanisms for Adoptive parents • Common myths and stereotypes about Aboriginal children. • Positive Aboriginal role models.

Cabot Square • The Justice sub-Committee of the NETWORK proposed to complement existing efforts in order to improve safety in Cabot Square and its surrounding area. The sub-Committee developed a project that aimed to establish the foundation for Montreal’s first Strategy for Community Safety and Wellbeing in order to respond to the needs of the target Aboriginal population in Cabot Square. • To develop a strategy to prevent community safety issues from worsening. The strategy aims to situate Montreal as a model city that fosters local coordination, promotes social inclusion and co-existence, and to provide efficient services and improve wellbeing and safety Montreal. • The study was completed in 2013. • Many partnerships were created, as well as jobs and future employment.

Summer Activities

SPVM Collaboration signing ❖Cultural training for Police officers ❖Procedure on MMIW ❖Prevention plan for Urban Aboriginals ❖Comite vigie autochtones

June 25 th, 2015

June 25 th, 2015

June 25 th, 2016

Television show

Indigenous Power

Television Columnist

Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy NETWORK • We have quarterly gatherings to update the community on the progress of our work. Please check our website for more information. You can call the Coordinator Ramelia at (514) 872 -9897. www. reseaumtlnetwork. com

Additional Information • Familiarize yourself with the services of the NWSM. Our website is www. nwsm. info • Check out the Indigenous Power website at indigenouspower. ca • Don’t hesitate to ask questions. You may call me at toll free number 1 -866 -403 -4688.