Montreal Lake Cree Nation hosted a Youth Empowerment Conference starring various Indigenous role models on July 14-15.
Montreal Lake Prevention Services (MLPS) hosted the conference to inspire and support indigenous youth in the community.
“It’s important because it gives the youth an opportunity to see that anything is possible,” said Patricia Gunville, Manager of MLPS.
“No matter what you want to do in life, it’s possible. To reach their dreams, to go for their goals, to be who they want to be, to know that it’s possible, no matter where you’re from.”
Montreal Lake Prevention Services offers many different programs and resources for the community of Montreal Lake, and Little Red River, which is an adjacent community shared by Montreal Lake Cree Nation and Lac La Ronge Indian Band.
“What we’re trying to do is connect our people with services and resources in order to have a healthier living, healthier lifestyle,” said Gunville when explaining what MLPS does for the community.
Gunville mentioned that she wants members of the community to live a good life, away from drugs, addictions, gangs, and violence, which are all synonymous with poverty in many indigenous communities.
MLPS is developing programs that support members with budgeting, life skills, parenting, and issues like grief and loss.
Cree treaty teachings and treaty education are available to teach members and youth about how treaties affect their lives and history, along with Cree Language Classes set to start in the fall.
“My goal is, I would like the culture coordinators in order to get our people back to where they were prior to contact. I know we’ll never get there fully, but as long as we do the best we can to ensure that they have their identity, they know where they are, and they’re proud First Nation Cree Montreal Lake band members,” expressed Gunville.
Each community has one cultural coordinator, who teaches members and youth traditional ceremonies, prayers, and song. The cultural coordinator is also responsible for teaching the making of traditional crafts, such as drums and rattles.
Currently MLPS has camps/gatherings for youth of Montreal and Little Red, every second weekend, in Waskesiu. Gunville stated that youth are always excited to go, and engaged with their activities, the program is always at full capacity, and the youth ask for more.
“The youth love it so much that they always want to go back. We’re trying to get everybody in both communities to be able to have a chance to go and experience the camp,” said Gunville.
MLPS is looking to hire a Land Based Coordinator to have experience working on the land, and will be responsible for taking youth into the land to learn traditional knowledge, such as medicine and herb harvesting, with the traditional protocol that goes along with it.
MLPS only has four staff members in Montreal Lake and three staff members in Little Red. Gunville noted that her staff struggle with burnout due to all the programming, workshops and events that they participate in.
“Because the funding is limited, we can only hire so many people,” said Gunville.
MLPS does not have their own building to accommodate the workers they need.
MLPS provides school supplies for community members, and tries their best to support urban members with what they have, despite limited funding.
For members living on reserve, many struggle with finding income for themselves and their families due to lack of economic opportunity.
“It’s limited because everybody wants a job and you can only have so many jobs on the reserve. So that’s the reason for a lot of people being on social assistance,” said Gunville.
A portion of funding goes towards helping families secure housing, and works closely with families with children in care with Child and Family Services.
Food hampers can be provided to members when needed, as well as helping families travel to Prince Albert to purchase groceries.
MLPS also provides support for those battling addictions in partnership with the health centre’s NNADAP (National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program) and local detox program.
“They want to change their life, and if they’re coming back into the same environment and don’t have the support, then it’s easy to relapse,” said Gunville.
Gunville explained that they support members before and after they receive help for their addictions.
Montreal Lake Cree Nation is an isolated community in north central Saskatchewan, approximately 64 kilometres north of Prince Albert.
Youth do not have resources to leave the reserve, and run out of things to do especially during the summer, so in addition to the other partners MLPS works with, they also work closely with Montreal Lake Leadership and the youth centre to create programs and events for youth to participate in.
Gunville went on to mention and thank her staff for bringing the speakers in, because she was not aware of who some of the presenters were before the conference.
“They know the people who are coming, I don’t even know who North$ide Baby is, but they do,” said Gunville.
Dakota Favel, Lylah and Lorenzo Janvier, Hadlen, Ethan Bear, and North$ide Baby all took the stage in Montreal Lake for the conference.
Dakota Favel was born in Ile-a-la-Crosse, and started his career as a professional musician. Favel then moved into youth mentoring as a Indigenous Mentor for the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division, then to a Youth Care Leader for Eagles Nest Youth Ranch. He also does work as a Master of Ceremonies, and a motivational speaker. Favel was the emcee for Tuesday July 14, along with his own message and personal story that he shared with the youth.
Lylah Janvier and her father Lorenzo Janvier took the stage following Favel, with their story of how their business came to be. Lylah Janvier is the CEO of Craze Candy shop, based in Edmonton, Alberta, at only 12 years old. Craze Candy shop has a large following on both Instagram and Tiktok.
To finish off the day, Anthony Hanson, a world recognized magician and hypnotist, known as Hadlen performed for the youth, with magic tricks, hypnosis demonstrations, along with his own personal story.
On Wednesday, July 15, Ethan Bear shared his personal story of hard-work, resilience and identity. Bear is from Ochapowace Nation, as is a proud Plains Cree athlete, who currently plays for the New York Islanders in the National Hockey League.
Later that day, Dawson Patison-Bear, known as North$ide Baby, took the stage to share his music and message for the youth of Montreal Lake. N$B was born in High-Level, Alberta, and began first producing beats, then added his voice. Today he is a indigenous role-model and performer, who tours in both cities and reservations.
Gunville explained that the reason she brought these specific performers in was because the youth seem to feel more comfortable seeing indigenous role models and seem to be more receptive. She further went on to explain that the message she wants the youth to take is one of inspiration, despite difficult circumstances.
“That was why I brought these certain people, and they’re all indigenous, and I just want them to be inspired by that. To know that because you’re indigenous, you still have it in you to do what you want, regardless of the outside world,” said Gunville.
“I hope it instills in them, in their hearts, in their soul, in their mind, that they can do it. That’s my dream. That’s my goal.”
