Wishing you a Holy and Merry Christmas, we invite you to celebrate great housing news with us! Above, you’re looking at some very happy Kitcisakik Algonquins in an almost completed new home. These first Canadians have lived for uncounted generations at Grand Lake Victoria in northwestern Quebec in Third Word conditions, without hydro or running water – total population 386. After decades of vain efforts to gain federal recognition as an Indian Reserve, Kitcisakik Chief Edmond Brazeau contacted Frontiers Foundation’s Quebec Field Co-ordinator Lylas Polson, an Algonquin himself. After three years of fruitless pleading for either or both Ottawa and Quebec dollars, Frontiers offered Kitcisakik the use of two of our Woodmizer portables to mill their own timber plus $64,000 for other materials and Lylas’ supervision. Then last February a splendid new partner joined the enterprise: Emergency Architects of Canada. This appropriately dedicated group has already provided volunteer architects, detailed house plans and $35,000 worth of donations for the first five homes.
Meanwhile in Ontario (off-reserve) and in Manitoba (on and off-reserve) as well as in Kitcisakik we are planning to use ASTSIF (Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund) federal dollars to piggyback certifiable construction trades training on our existing housing activity. Thus the Aboriginal dream of using their own resources, their own skills and their own sweat to build their own fully-serviced homes is coming true.
In the very far north, our Arctic educational volunteers are busy again in Inuvik, Ft. Simpson, Wrigley, Nahanni Butte, Hay River, Paulatuk, Ft. Smith, Ft. Good Hope, Ft. Liard, and Ft. Providence.
In Haiti, our ACCORD partners have opened the new St. Michel de L’Attalaye school, with 268 kids in eight classrooms. Other great news, Executive Director Marco Guzman recently returned from Bolivia to report dozens of Altiplano schools newly furnished with hexagonal tables and chairs built at VEA’s workshop.
Your gift to Frontiers Foundation designated for Operation Beaver in Canada or overseas, or alternatively your pledge for Project Amik II a reality (now in the planning stage) will be as faithfully applied as it will be gratefully received.
Charles R. Catto, C.M., Founding Director
Lawrence Gladue, C.M., President
Marco A. Guzman. LL.D., Executive Director
