Newsletter Date

Volume 1, Issue 1

Authority’s New Vision, Mission & Guiding Principles

2

A New Vision, Mission and Guiding Principles Cont’d

3

Awards and Achievements 4

Events 5

Community Service 7

Congratulations Submit a story

8

Inside this issue:

On July 15, 2018, Mona Buors, MMF representative for the Interlake Region and former Asso-ciate Minister for Health as well as Heritage, Culture, Sports and Youth, was named Child and Family Services Minister. Minister Buors will also serve as the Associate Minister of Children, Youth & Families. She is an educator with 35 years of experience teaching from kindergarten to Grade 12. Being completely bilingual, she is also a translator for many literary books. Please join us in welcoming Minister Buors and the wealth of experience she brings with her.

JoAnne Remillard, (left) newly elected in May 2018 as a Winnipeg Metis Association Board Member, will serve as Associate Minister for Metis Child and Family Services.

Our long-time Minister Judy Mayer is taking on a new portfolio as Minister of Constitution, Metis Rights and Metis Nation Agenda/Governance. We thank her for her 16 year commit-ment to our children, youth and families and offer her our deepest wishes for much success in this portfolio which is so important at this historic time for Metis and Metis Rights in Canada.

We would also like to thank Mr. Carol Laramee (bottom left) for his time served with us as our

Associate Minister and former Authority Board Member.

To learn more about the newly-elected MMF Government, please see page 4.

MMF President Appoints Mona Buors as

Metis Child and Family Services Minister

A New Vision, Mission and Guiding Principles For A New Child Welfare Era With Manitoba’s child welfare legislation under review and the federal government mak-

ing greater investments in Indigenous child welfare, there is hope for changes that would

allow Indigenous child and family services agencies to provide services in a manner that

better suits our respective cultures and community needs as well as captures the spirit

of what was originally intended for Devolution. It is in this spirit that our Metis Child and

Family Services Authority and Board of Directors changed our Vision, Mission and

Guiding Principles to better reflect this changing landscape of child welfare in Manitoba

and the input we received from our Métis citizens through a series of child welfare

consultations in March 2018. continued on page 2

Met is CFS Newsletter—Summer 2018

Minister Judy Mayer Minister Mona Buors

Page 2 Met is CFS Newsletter—Summer 2018

Page 3 Mét is CFS Newsletter—Summer 2018

It is in this same spirit that we shared our vision and plans for the future with staff at both our agencies in a series of

visioning sessions that took place in late May and early June at our agency offices in Winnipeg, Brandon, Dauphin and

Swan River. Thank you to the agency offices for their warm welcome. Many staff were very engaged in the discussions

and eager to hear about and contribute ideas to how we can move forward in ways that better help our families to heal

and bring them together. Thank you all!!!

A New Vision, Mission &

Guiding Principles For A

New Child Welfare Era continued

Page 4

2018 Sees an MMF Election and Cabinet Shuffle An inauguration Ceremony was held June 11, 2018 at the Delta Hotel Grand Ballroom in Winnipeg to swear in the Man-itoba Metis Federation Members elected in May’s Provincial Election. The Honourable Janice Filmon, Manitoba’s Lieu-tenant-Governor, presided over the ceremony where each elected members spoke their Oath of Office and signed that Oath, formalizing their role in our Manitoba Metis Government and their commitment to our Métis Citizens. On July 15, 2018, President Chartrand announced his Cabinet. For more information: www.mmf.mb.ca

Genaille (left) is a highly-respected Elder in Duck Bay, Manitoba, where she spent 41 years teaching grades K-6. She is a traditional healer and language keeper, a commu-nity volunteer, and Elder for the Northwest Metis Council.

MMF Minister Mona Buors presented Elder Genaille with a red shawl and feather.

Authority Board Elder Mitch Bourbonniere Earned A Winnipeg Police Services Citizen Appreciation Award on April 12th

Métis elder Elizabeth Genaille was Inducted as an Honoured Grandmother at the 17th Annual Keeping the Fires Burning event, Held June 14th in Winnipeg

Robb Nash and Barbara Bruce Receive Order of Manitoba in July

A BIG congratulations goes out to Robb Nash and

Barbara Bruce. Many of you will know Robb from

the two major concerts our Authority hosted in 2017.

Barbara is a proud Métis woman who has played

leading roles provincially and nationally in Truth and

Reconciliation, Economics and Business.

Marc Boyer Became an Authority Board

Member at our May Board Meetings in Brandon.

Awards and Achievements

Met is CFS Newsletter—Summer 2018

Page 5

Seven youth who had reached the Age of Majority and

were leaving, or who had left the agency’s care, were

honoured. It was a truly beautiful evening, filled with

poignant moments, laughs and some tears. Kudos to the agency staff who

worked so hard and lovingly to make sure every detail was well thought out

so that our youth could leave feeling loved and appreciated as well as sup-

ported by the agency, our Métis community and our Elders.

Michif Agency Hosted their First-Ever Age of

Majority Celebration in Brandon May 25th

Our Authority’s C.E.O., Billie Schibler presented a Compliance Certificate

of Achievement to Metis Child, Family and Community Services’ Winni-

peg team led by Melody Chateauneuf. Michif CFS Agency’s team led by

Kaylee Phillips in Portage La Prairie also earned a certificate. The certifi-

cate recognizes a service team at each agency with the highest standard

of compliance in funding criteria, digital photos, and face to

face contact, while maintaining the lowest number of Wait-

ing Closure files for the fiscal year.

Top from left: Sarah Bath, Billie Schibler, Maggie Marin,

Michif’s E.D., Kaylee Phillips, Quinton Sanderson, Authority

Chief Quality Officer Karla Hildebrand-Eden, Susan Ander-

son and Kaitlyn Cowie. Missing: Camille Giesbrecht

Bottom from left: seated; Greg Besant, MCFCS Agency

E.D., Melody Chateauneuf, Billie Schibler; Standing; Bree

Anderson, Lauren Paluck, Stacey Campbell, Courtney

Wrightson, Jamie Munro, Rachelle Fray, Tina Shumilak,

Jannelle Wentz-Chisholm

Compliance Recognitions

Events

Congratulations to Amanda Glassock who became Metis CFCS Agency’s Executive Assistant in May after serving as the Administrative Assistant at Standing Committee for more than 10 years

A BIG Congrats

goes out to Josh Ferland who graduated from the MMF's Metis Employment and Training Pipeline 101 Course that finished June 9th

Met is CFS Newsletter—Summer 2018

Page 6

Metis CFS Authority Held its Annual Summer Team

Day at Assiniboine Park with a BBQ

Staff competed in teams in a variety of team building exercises. Hail to the victors! (left)

Also, Information Technology’s, Tristan Gabriel, won his second bocce ball title and the right to wear the Tartan Crown once again!

Metis Child Family and Community Services Agency (MCFCS)

Staff Appreciation BBQ

One was held at each office in June. About 150 staff attended and enjoyed having Scott

Maksymyk and Greg Besant cook BBQ for them.

The Michif CFS Staff Participated in their

Agency Day at Clear Lake

Michif’s Executive Director Maggie Marin is

shown in the office’s reception area.

Michif’s Portage La Prairie Office Moved

to a new location at 29 Royal Road South

Michif Head Office in The Pas Held an Open

House In their Office on June 8th

Staff had the opportunity to hear about the upcoming changes in child welfare and talk

about the important question, “Is it good for the children?” They heard a very heartfelt

presentation made by a former child in care. Employees with 5 and 10 years of service

were recognized. It was a very informative and fun-filled day that included staff trying

their hand at Spray Paint/Stencil Art.

About 250 children and family members enjoyed bouncy castles, a fire truck and firemen, lots of games and activities, a BBQ, therapy dogs, face painting, crafts, hair braiding, prizes, and stands from service providers and associates (Metis Employment & Training, VOICES, the Manitoba Advocate for Children, Manitoba Foster Family Network). Thank you to the many agency staff who volunteered and visited with the kids.

Metis Child, Family and Community Services Agency Hosted a Children In Care (CIC) Picnic

Met is CFS Newsletter—Summer 2018

Page 7

Community Service

At last June’s Red Heart Garden Ceremony to recognize our Métis

and Inuit Survivors, our Authority planted an apple tree in front of

the MMF Building to commemorate the occasion and to feed our

community who have lost their way through the generational effects

of residential and day schools. We are pleased to report that a year

later, our tree has not only survived, but has bloomed and is

producing apples!

The Authority’s Métis Red Heart Garden

Ceremony Bears Fruit …

Greg Besant, Metis Child, Family and Community Services

Agency’s Executive Director regularly plants a 1/4 acre organic

vegetable garden for his family–and to create his secret salsa! To

deal with the planned abundance, vegetables will be brought to the

office to share with visiting families and staff. Greg is shown in the

small garden he planted at the Portage Avenue office. Visiting chil-

dren and families will be able to snack on veggies while they visit.

… And Vegetables will soon Abound at our Metis

Agency

The Authority is Asking You to

Collect Your Hotel Toiletries:

little shampoos, conditioners,

lotions, mouthwash, toothpaste

and toothbrushes, etc.

Bring them to our Authority office and

we will make sure they get to places like

Siloam Mission and Main Street Project

where homeless people would greatly

appreciate them.

Please spread the word to our Métis Families!

Infinity Women’s Secretariat now have

a Women’s Clothing Program

All clothing is free. Open to all Metis women, including staff. Items

are new or gently used. (Max. 3 pieces per woman) Donations

welcomed. The program runs the 2nd

Thursday of every month.

Next date: August 9, 2018 11am - 4pm

Location: Suite 11-150 Henry Ave (IWS office)

Met is CFS Newsletter—Summer 2018

A newsletter prepared for the Board and staff of the Metis Child and Family

Services System, our Metis Government, Community and Stakeholders.

Metis CFS Authority

204 - 150 Henry Avenue

Winnipeg, MB R3B 0J7

Phone: 204-949-0220

Toll Free: 1-855-779-1277

Fax: 204-984-9487

communications@metisauthority.com

Our Agencies

If you have an interesting major milestone or event to share such as... a birth, anniversary,

work promotion or educational event like receiving your University Degree and would like to share it,

please let us know: communications@metisauthority.com

Our Metis CFS Newsletter is distributed four times per year, roughly every quarter.

Digital and print copies of this newsletter may be available upon request.

Congratulations Denise Bloch!

Our Authority’s Service Admin Assistant loves being a Grandma.

Congratulations to Mildred Dorian!

The former Michif CFS Board Member has been elected to the MMF Board in the Thompson Region and is now the

MMF Associate Minister of Energy and Mines.

Also, obviously nothing brings people together like a

baby to hold!!!!!