NAN Chiefs Meet In Thunder Bay

Forty Nine Nishanwbe Aski Nation Chiefs and other leaders are converging on Thunder Bay starting Tuesday.  They are here for a Special Chiefs Assembly that takes place at the Da Vinci Centre. Topics being discussed range from winter roads to prescription drug abuse to resource development.

Local Teachers Protest

Public high school teachers in Thunder Bay are joining teachers in the rest of the province in labour action in their protest against the McGuinty government.  Locally teachers are showing how angry they are at legislation that imposed a two year wage freeze on most of them by refusing to, among other things, attend after hours meeting. Caccamo says extra curricular activities like school sports will not be affected.

Toronto Bound

It's off to Toronto Tuesday morning for city officials who have a meeting scheduled with Energy Minister Chris Bentley.  MPP Bill Mauro says he arranged the gathering so they can express their concerns to the minister first hand about the possible mothballing of the Mission Island power plant

Methadone "Killing Our People": Social Worker

A social worker from Toronto says the overuse of Methadone is doing serious harm to First Nations people across Northwestern Ontario. Bridget Perrier says the use of the drug, which helps addicts kick drugs like oxycontin, is only causing a more serious problems because it's simply transfering one addiction for another.  Perrier says "it's killing our people". 

First Nations Partnership Formed

The Grand Council of Treaty 3 and the Anishinabek Nation have formed a unity to work together on common issues. Chiefs from both communities have agreed to share knowledge on traditional law making processes that are within the traditional Anishnabek law. Treaty 3 spokesperson Dale Morrisseau says one of the main issues they will work together on is protection of treaty rights. Morrisseau says both communities have been working on the same processes so it makes sense to come together and share ideas.