Don’t Let a Nickel Hold Up a Dollar FNNBOA President's Message, Spring 2014

RETROSPECTIVE

 Housing inspection services delivered by FNNBOA to First Nations communities

A national non-profit organization is fighting in the trenches of First Nation housing. First Nations National Building Officers Association (FNNBOA) is a volunteer organization that represents a profession offering technical services in residential construction and renovation on-reserve.

FNNBOA members are qualified to deal with house plan reviews, inspections, recommendation of repairs, and they provide technical advocacy and advisory services for on-reserve housing.

Chief Keith Maracle, Tyendinaga, Ontario, is secretary of the volunteer board, “There are approximately 250 to 300 employed in this sector,” a small number in relation to the number of First Nation Indian Act-governed communities in Canada, no less than 700 inhabited Indian Reservations.

FNNBOA faces a peculiar challenge to expand the role of its officers in First Nation housing, “We are seen as regulatory,” said Chief Maracle, and regulations are apparently not something to be desired in the fractious world of First Nation housing.

FNNBOA members are qualified to inspect housing construction, “We have occupational standards, a code of ethics, and certification procedures to inspect houses on reserve.” Chief Maracle says FNNBOA members are qualified to support CMHC and mortgage approvals, INAC leasehold guarantee programs, and reports to Environment Canada.

Richard ‘Bud’ Jobin is co-President of FNNBOA who hails from central Alberta. Since 2002 when they laid the organizational groundwork, these two men have been advocates of professional First Nation housing services, “Certified inspection of First Nation housing is becoming a compliance issue,” says Bud, “which impacts on mortgage and insurance.”

It may not be here but the age of reason is coming over First Nation housing policy and FNNBOA intends to have First Nation housing inspection services in the ready. They have training affiliations with George Brown University, Humber College, NAIT, and Vancouver Island University to produce qualified First Nation Housing inspectors.

Bank creating viable housing market

Royal Bank of Canada illustrates the growing importance of certified inspection services in First Nation housing. RBC introduced a program this spring to help First Nations capitalize on economic growth opportunities.

RBC announced a new mortgage program called the Leasehold Mortgage Program to, “provide First Nations members with greater flexibility and choice when it comes to financing the purchase or construction of a home.” It also helps create marketable housing in reserve communities.

“RBC has worked with First Nations leaders/governments for many years to find and provide options for financing a home in the same manner that is offered off a reserve,” said David Cutway, manager, Residential Mortgages Policy, RBC.

“This new CMHC default-insured program . . . allows qualified borrowers on qualified reserve lands to obtain a home mortgage, benefitting both the purchaser and the First Nation community.”

Financing of on-reserve housing has been limited in the past, said Mr. Cutway. “For example, First Nations members had to obtain a band or Ministerial Loan Guarantee (MLG) to secure a loan to purchase a home on reserve land. In addition, the First Nation government was responsible for the construction, maintenance and repair of these homes.”

The Leasehold Mortgage Program can help First Nations improve economic development through the construction of new homes, renovations to existing homes, purchases of new or existing homes, and construction of duplexes to four-plexes.

First Nations communities may also use the program to attract non-Aboriginal homebuyers to properties developed on leasehold land, such as the housing development projects undertaken by the Westbank and Tzeachten First Nations, both of which are located in British Columbia. Ed note There is no advertising sold in support of all the research and writing, so feel free to donate in aid of the important message delivered:

The Pacific Trail Pipelines Limited Partnership, a CBC report

Bob Rae to head First Nations board for B.C. pipeline

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/07/24/pol-bob-rae-chairman-board.html?cmp=rss

Klahowya Village - The Legend of the Spirit Bear

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You can do anything with God's help: God Opens Doors: Kisemanitow Peyohtena Iskwahtem

 

 Angelique Merasty Levac has done it again, achieved great things out of her faith in God, when the Individual Achievement Award was awarded by the B.C. Achievement Foundation, Jan. 27, 2009, at the Pan-Pacific Hotel in Vancouver, B.C..

 "I flew up there and they paid all my expenses. Me and (my sister) Marie went. She was my helper and we flew inthere and they booked us at the PanPacific Hotel. It was themost beautiful place I ever stayed. I felt like a princess," she laughs.

 Then she said, "We took a taxi to Value Village in East Hastings to spend three or four hours there on our first day. We walked all of East Hastings. I wanted to see  where all the street people hang out. We went shopping in  there and oh how our feet were sore. I was shopping for a  skirt, and I got a nice like top to go with it.

"It was really sad," however, "My heart went out to people. It was really sad to see all the street people. It's like George Street in Prince George but a larger size. Seeing our own people living the life in the street was hard. We just prayed for them. I told my sister, 'Marie these are our own people.' You wanted to help. I wanted to give money to everybody. My sister kept saying, 'We got to keep going.'"

The next evening was the banquet and ceremony. "We had salmon with a sauce with wine and my little sister got a little tickled. They said I had two minutes to deliver my speech. I really wanted to reach these people. It's not all my doing. God is doing for me. I had a standing ovation. They clapped one minute, and when I turned around  to look at the Premier's helper, he said 'Turn around,' and that's when I felt like a person from a trap-line."

But "You could hear a pin-drop while story. It was part of the story that I wrote for a book that I have written called Kisemanitow Peyowhten Iskwahtem -- God Opens Doors. I had to condense it into two minutes. I wanted to share my belief in what God has done for me. It was over 400 people (and they were only expecting 300). It was the the most beautiful room with crystal hanging from the ceiling."

"I began my speech with 'Tansi,'" Angelique said, and then she told how she proceeded in Cree: "I thank my Creator for blessing me with this gift of birch bark biting. This gift has given me opportunities I never would have dreamed of."

And she continued, "And now the great honour of receiving this award. With great respect I thank my teacher Angelique Merasty. I began birch bark biting in 1980. I knew it was the Creator who directed me to this ancient art work.  . . And now here I am."

Angelique said, "I got a standing ovation for that speech. I prayed to God and I said I want to praise You in my speech.   It took us two days to write it. I got a lot of help from a lady who walked in to my store a week before.

"She was the Premier's speech writer, and she told me "You know what the people want to hear Angelique? They want to hear your personal story." The evening went wonderfully, but "It was really stressful for whleuntil I did my speech."

She won the award for the success of running Angelique's Native Arts for 15 years in Prince George, B.C., which she started after learning to create one-of-a-kind birch bark biting art works, a tradition of the Northern Woodland Cree women.

During the speech, she said, "I touched a lot of people. When I was standing up there and receiving the standing ovation I was smiling and my face was getting sore from smiling. The Creator said this is honouring me."

"I had to raise my hand to Him when I was coming down the stairs. I had to give him the glory. And a lady sitting at my table said, 'Oh Angelique! You made me cry.' I had people from Prince George who came up to me to thank me. I felt overwhelmed."

She added, "I didn't know how to deal with the attention so I gave God all the glory. Can you imagine? If there were some people sitting there feeling down I probably encouraged them."

Out of this engagement Angelique received an offer, "I may be going and doing speaking engagements; motivational speaking is going to be in my future. I can encourage people. The lady who suggested it said, 'Angelique, you are a walking artist."

She relishes the motivational speaking opportunity, "I have a great outlook. You can do anything with God's help."

God Opens Doors by Angelique Merasty Levac (with Mack McColl)

Angelique Merasty Levac is author of a book entitled God Opens Doors, Kisemanitow Peyohtena Iskwahtem, in print September 2012. The publisher is Indian Life Books of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and they have followed her art and business career and admired her Christian walk for many years. 


God Opens Doors – Intertribal Life Ministries

Angelique with granddaughter Mercedez

     

"I was born at Midnight Lake, Manitoba," said Angelique Merasty Levac. "It is bush and nobody lives there,” in the far northern reaches of central Canada.