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Community Member Acknowledgements

During the Community Forum, which was held on February 1, 2018, several very special community members were honoured.

Reepa Evic Carleton

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Reepa was born in Cumberland Sound, Nunavut, and then relocated to the community of Pangnirtung at the age of five. While living in the North, Reepa worked as a Housing Manager and a community Social Worker. In 1989 she moved to southern Canada, where she has spent more than 20 years working with Aboriginal communities as a support worker, trauma and addiction therapist, and coordinating activities, both locally and internationally, in the areas of substance abuse and fetal alcohol syndrome.
In 2002, Reepa helped co-found the Mamisarvik, an Inuit specific treatment program that worked with over 700 Inuit people.  She has been instrumental in providing input on several publications. Reepa currently works as a Support Coordinator in the Family Well-Being Program with the Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre.
In 2017, Reepa was awarded the Chapin A’sin Elder Vern Harper Award, which was announced on National Aboriginal Day. This award is presented by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and is given annually to an Aboriginal helper or practitioner in Ontario who demonstrates excellence in using culturally-based treatment approaches to help Aboriginal people experiencing a mental health and/or substance use issue.

Wendy Lanouette

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Wendy Lanouette with her daughter Danielle
Wendy Lanouette is Ojibway from the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation, located on the tip of Georgian Bay. She has lived in Ottawa for more than 25 years, with her husband, Jerry, and their two children, Joseph and Danielle.
Wendy worked for close to 10 years as the Coordinator for the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition, working closely with Ottawa’s Indigenous service providers, as well City of Ottawa staff and many other partner organizations. Wendy singlehandedly organized many major community events, and programming, as well as acting at the main contact for coalition inquiries. Wendy was also heavily involved in coordinating support for the Kingfisher Lake community members who were evacuated to Ottawa in 2011.
In addition to her work with the OAC, Wendy has dedicated her career to service for the urban Indigenous community and has volunteered her time on multiple planning committees. Wendy is passionate about the work she does within, and on behalf of the Aboriginal community.

Theland Kicknosway

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During our Community Forum on February 1st, 2018, the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition celebrated the achievements of Theland Kicknosway.

 

Theland Kicknosway is Wolf Clan, Potawatami and Cree, and is a member of Walpole Island in Southern Ontario. He is 14 years old, a singer, grass & hoop dancer who has performed at numerous high-profile events both locally and nationally. In 2015, he led the procession for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s swearing-in ceremony with a drum song. Theland recently completed his third 130 km run from Gatineau to Kitigan Zibi, to raise awareness for the children left behind from Missing and murdered Indigenous Women.

In 2017 alone, Theland was a recipient of the 2017 Take a Stand – Spirit Award, was named sixth in the top 25 people in the Capital by Ottawa Life magazine and was also named as one of the top 50 youth in the #OC150 Award.  In March 2018, Theland will receive the Indspire award for Culture, Heritage and Spirituality, the youngest recipient to receive an Indspire award, outside of the youth category.

To help support Theland’s 4th run, please visit his Facebook page.

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