Category Archives: Community

Police Brutality Against First Nations

In my entire life, and I am not a young man, I have never seen an SQ (Sûreté du Québec) police officer who was not white. From my years growing up in Pontiac County to my present day life at … Continue reading

Posted in Community, Idle No More | Leave a comment

The Tree of my Mind’s Eye

When I was young (it seems to me, not all that long ago) I imagined in a barren field, a leafless tree. It looked lonely and desolate like a forgotten teaching, rhyme nor purpose now non-existent, a death of sorts, … Continue reading

Posted in Community, Spirituality | 1 Comment

Humour can still be found: even during a Pandemic

Dropped into a corner store today to purchase ‘The Citizen’ and was immensely impressed to see that the shop owner had hired a local to wipe things down in his little store. The employee held a cloth in one hand, … Continue reading

Posted in Community, Spirituality | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Coronavirus, Let’s be Sensible and Compassionate

The Spanish Flu of 1918 killed over 50 million people throughout the world’s populations. How horrific it must have been for good people back then, who watched helplessly, as a dearly loved relative, especially children, died of the flu. When … Continue reading

Posted in Community, Spirituality | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Memories

There are memories that haunt me, I see them in my distant past and wish they had never occurred. I Wish I Could ForgetI recall that as an innocent 6-year-old boy, hearing white people shout, “Go back to where you … Continue reading

Posted in Community, Spirituality | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Request to the Freezing Moon

A fire was lit, bringing spiritual warmth and physical comfort to the people standing close to its welcoming flame. Tobacco from an honourable hand was offered to its coals and the fire, at that time, became sacred. The spirits of … Continue reading

Posted in Community, Spirituality | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A Hawk Comes to Feast

In Ottawa on December 7, after helping out with some union work, I slowly and solemnly made my way to North River Road park to put some tobacco down beside a white birch tree. I did so to shed some … Continue reading

Posted in Community, Spirituality | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Autumn Teachings

Of the four seasons, autumn is the one you should closely examine if you wish to discover soul searching teachings, most of which touch on the emotional health of human beings. Beauty and grandness are at the forefront of the … Continue reading

Posted in Community, Spirituality | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Anglican Apology: For Spiritual Harm the Church caused the Indigenous Peoples

“Our purpose as human beings,” I was told years ago by an old man of Cree ancestry, “is not to try to understand who or what Creator is, but rather, it is to heap daily praise on the abundance Creator … Continue reading

Posted in Community, Idle No More, Spirituality | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Verna Polson, Grand Chief Extraordinaire

There are many reasons why a woman like Verna Polson was elected by Algonquin leaders to be the Grand Chief of the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation. Verna possesses all the major characteristics which define the perfect Chief. She is strong willed, … Continue reading

Posted in Community, Idle No More | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments