The Pendleton Blanket
The Circle of Life blanket honours Tribal Elders who teach that all things are interrelated and an equal part of the whole. It is a reminder that we are all children of the earth, and we all share an equal place in the circle. The four sacred colours - yellow, red, black, and white - represent the four directions of humankind and when mixed together create brown, the colour of Mother Earth. The east represents the sun and is yellow. The south represents the warmth and vitality of lifeblood and is red. The west represents the darkness in the night sky and is black. And the north signifies the purity of snow and is white. Each direction also represents a stage of life. East symbolizes birth, south the vitality of youth, west the maturity of experience and north the wisdom of age. The Circle of Life
blanket includes blue for the sky and green for the Earth.

CHIEF AND COUNCIL CONTACTS
CHIEF GIL GOERZ quadbuds@xplornet.com or gjgoerz70@gmail.com
COUNCILLOR DAYLE CALLIHOO-CAMPBELL mfndrcc@gmail.com
COUNCILLOR DAN GODBERSEN danman1975@live.com
COUNCILLOR ROY GOERZ roygoerz54@gmail.com
COUNCILLOR BONNIE GORDON bstrawson84@hotmail.com
*Website: michelfirstnation.com
Email: michelfirstnationofficial@gmail.com

This has been another challenging year with the unexpected passing of Councillor Syd Courtepatte and the recent resignation of Councillor Mavis Callihoo. Councillor Syd Courtepatte passed away on January 16 and served on Council for seven years, most recently from 2016 until his passing. Syd took great pride in representing Michel First Nation, assisting members with genealogy, and teaching traditional crafts. His love of family was abundantly clear. His presence, stories, and traditional views
are deeply missed.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has really put a damper on activities and resulted in the cancellation of the 2021 Annual General Meeting for the second year in a row. The health and safety of all members but especially children and Elders, guided this decision. Important updates will continue through the website, Facebook and mailouts.

Nov. 17 brought very good news from Indigenous Services Canada. They have agreed to initiate preliminary discussions with the groups who represent different members of Michel First Nation and descendants. It has been made clear that all groups must come together and present a united front at these discussion tables. We look forward to working together for the benefit of all Michel members; past, present, and future.

Michel First Nation / Friends of Michel Society applied for funding from the Alberta Residential Schools Community Research Grant program and the proposal was recently approved. Michel First Nation / Friends of Michel Society has applied to the Federal (CIRNAC) Residential Schools Missing
Children Community Support Funding and the proposal is under review. Funding under the Provincial Mental Health Support Program was applied for but has been denied.

We continue to be accepted as intervenors by the Canada Energy Regulator (CER) on major pipeline
projects. This allows us the opportunity to present Michel First Nation as a signatory to Treaty Six and to acknowledge that although we no longer have a land base, we are still an Aboriginal collective with Treaty Rights. These projects, which run through our Traditional territory, can and do have adverse effects on Michel members who continue to pursue the rights to hunt, trap, fish, pick medicines and gather in these areas.

We are actively involved with the City of Edmonton in the various projects they are undertaking, particularly with any disturbance in the river valley. This includes the Light Rail Transit, excavations around the E.L. Smith Water Treatment Plant and at the E.L. Smith Solar Farm. EPCOR is also
planning to build berms and/or retaining walls around the Rossdale and E.L. Smith Water Treatment Plants to protect these facilities against any flooding of the North Saskatchewan River which may occur in the future. We have participated in various meetings with the City of Edmonton and EPCOR. We have monitored at an archeological dig at the E.L. Smith Solar Farm near the Water Treatment Plant. The City is appreciative of the input Michel and other First Nations have provided to ensure respect for the land and traditions.

We are involved with the Villeneuve Landing Network. The VLN is a collaborative community-based entity comprised of municipalities, First Nations, and local agencies. Their mandate is to develop and promote the Villeneuve Airport into an internationally significant center for commerce and major events. This will attract industry and manufacturing to the airport using the facility as a distribution center for their products. The Villeneuve airport is located on the former Michel Indian Reserve #132, and we have requested to be involved in this initiative as there will be some economic opportunities for Michel as the project develops. Chief and Council continue to represent Michel First Nation to local communities sharing our history and struggles to reinstate the Michel Band.

Michel First Nation / Friends of Michel Society applied to the Indigenous Community Support Fund again this year for support for our membership who are suffering hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The application was approved, and we will receive this funding in the next week or so. This is not a wage subsidy program and is designed to provide funding for food, transportation, cleaning supplies, Seniors support, child and family supports, and online learning support. An application form is included in this mailout. If you are eligible to apply and have not received COVID-19 Support Funding from any other First Nation source, please fill out the form and send it back to us. An application is available on the website.
You can either scan & email it back to:
michelfirstnationofficial@gmail.com
or mail to: Michel First Nation
22-53009 Range Road 20
Parkland County AB T7Y 2G8
We will process the application and send a cheque by return mail.
*PROCESSING WILL BEGIN 2 WEEKS AFTER THIS MAILOUT*