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The Huron
sitor- • April 29, 2009 Page 13
Metis canoe -maker encouraged by young audience
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Sharing the birch bark canoe his
ancestors shared with Canadian set=
tiers, Marcel Labelle says the wel-
come he receives from school children
across Ontario is a healing force.
"Idon't want my grandchildren
to go• through what I did and when
these children ask me about my cul-
ture with a glow in their eyes, I am
encouraged," he says after a.visit
last Thursday to St. James School in
Seaforth.
Growing up as a Metis in Northern
Ontario- - his dad is French and Al-
gonquin and his mom French and Ir-
oquois - Labelle says he was pushed
aside no matter where he went, not
fitting in with the English, French or
Aboriginals.
"I had some rough times as a kid.
But, I come to schools now and I'm
welcome. These students want to
know my culture and that's going to
heal this country," he says.
Labelle, . born in 1955, grew up
learning to become a trapper from
his father in the forests around Mat-
tawa, Ont.
Trapping from : September until
spring and working as a plumber
throughout the summer, -Labelle
earned a living for his family doing
what his ancestors had done until
the early 1990s.
Travelling into the city as a repre-
sentative of the Ontario . Trapper's
Association, Labelle says he started
to get death threats from members
of animal rights organizations, and
was forced to abandon his lifestyle in
the fur trade.
"In my family, people were proud of
• what they did but when I went into
the city, people wanted to kill me be-
cause I killed animals," he says.
Leaving a trade that had such
deep roots in -his culture was diffi-
cult. While he went back to school
and graduated -with a degree. in ge-
ography and environmental studies
and got a job working with heating
systems ifs. Southern Ontario, La-
belle began feeling. chest pains was
treated for a heart condition.
But, it wasn't until he went on a vi-
sion quest, spreading tobacco in the
Rockies of British Columbia, that
he found a way to live that would
still honour his heritage without the
chest pains.
"The message was to do something
more Culturally appropriate and
show people how we used to live," he
says.
He adds that he got a vision of a
canoe, which he began to built on his
kitchen table in 2006.
He now builds three canoes every
year and travels to Aboriginal sym-
posiums and schools across South-
western Ontario.
"I give the Metis perspective - the
bridge between the two cultures," he
says.
The canoe he brought to St. James
School was commissioned by the On-
tario Arts Council.
He tells the students how he walks
through the bush looking for trees
that will give him the permission to
harvest the birch, cedar and spruce
he needs to build his canoes.
His canoes are completely hand-
crafted using traditional tools and
he says that while no one taught him
how to make the canoes, lie brought
a lifetime of experience in . the bush
to know how to find the necessary
materials . and childhood memories
to put it together.
"Although I could not find a living
soul to show me how, by listening to
elders' stories, smelling the wood in
order to identify it, feeling it, learn-
ing about _: how and when bark is
peeled,, roots and wood can be used: 7
accomplished my dream of regaining
that part of my culture," he says.
Seven weeks ago, he was invited to
have breakfast at the Canadian Par-
liament and told some of the politi-
cians he met that he'd like to build
a canoe on the lawn someday. He
received an n email back that his idea
would be an excellent heritage proj-
ect.
He is also building a canoe along
the banks of the Grand River in
Kitchener as a project whose focus is
Marcel Lignite leeks eri smiling as St. James students check 'Out his crafts-
manship on a birch bark canoe.hs created to share his Metis culture.
to heal those affected by residential dred years ago, this. was the means
schools. , of transportation," he says, patting
Labelle says he believes that by his canoe. "Now, it's the vehicle. I
sharing his culture with children, share the ?culture with. We're start-
the damage done to the Aboriginal' mg afresh and this time we have an
culture through: residential .schools, open-minded audience."
government reg-
ulations -and the
refusal to honour
land treaties; wi i
be healed.
"Four
Municipality of Huron East
Crombie Street Reconstruction
Project 04017, Contract No.2
Sealed tenders, addressed to the Public Works Manager, Barry Mills, Municipality of Huron
East, 72 Main Sreet South, Box 610, Seafortih, Ontario, NOK 1WO, will be received by him
until
12:00 noon, Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The work includes approximately:
.
.
2250 m3 earth excavation
1560 tonnes of Granular "A"
3140 tonnes of Granular "B"
290 tonnes of asphalt in 2009
290 tonnes of asphalt in 2010
560 m of curb and gutter
30 lineal metres of 300 mm dia. storm sewer
120 lineal metres of sanitary sewer (200 mm dia. to 300 mm dia.)
330 lineal metres of various size watermain (100 mm dia. to 200 mm dia.)
as well as other work incidental thereto.
•
Plans, specifications and tender forms may be obtained from the office of the undersigned
upon payment of non-refundable fee of $30.00. this fee induce$ all taxes.
A certified cheque in the amount of $20,000 must accompany each bid.
Lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted.
B. M. ROSS AND ASSOCIATES LIMITED
Consulting Engineers
62 North Sreet
Goderich, ON N7A 2T4
Phone: (519) 524-2641
Fax: (519) 524-4403
www.bmross.net
NOTICE OF MEETING
Cot�A
proposed
OFFICIAL PLAN AMENDMENT #5
Affecting the p811tSr of Huron East
The Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Huron East wilt
be further considering Official Plan Amendment #5 on Tuesday1
May 19, 2009 at 7:00 pm in the Huron East Council Chambers
(72 Main St. Seaforth).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION relating to the proposed official plan
amendment can be viewed during regular office hours at the:
• Huron East Municipal Office
72 Main St. South, PO Box 610, Seaforth
Website www.huroneast.com
Huron County Planning & Development Dept.
57 Napier St. Goderich, 519-524=8394 x 3
Purpose and Effect The purpose of the proposed Official Plan Amend-
ment #5 is to change text and map designations in the Huron East Official
P1h as a result of Official Plan changes required in conjunction with a _
housekeeping review of the Municipal Comprehensive Zoning By-law.
The proposed text changes include: -f . :
1. New Extractive Resources/Mineral Aggregates policy
2. Adding Site Plan Control policy to Funel fit Homes
3. Changes to Surplus Agriculture Residential Severances
4. Adding Community Improvement policies
The proposed map changes: -Maps showing the location of the lands
subject to this proposed Amendment are available at the Huron East
Municipal Office or Website.
•
Since the March 3, 2009 public meeting, several minor changes have
been made to the text and maps.
J.R. McLachlan, Clerk
Municipality of Huron East
Phone: 519-527-0160 or 1-888-868-7513 (toll free)
Fax: 519-527-2561