Middle schoolers create 10,000-piece mosaic to honour residential school survivor

This year for Every Child Matters — The Power of the Individual to Effect Change, students in Saint John focused on residential school survivor Andrea Simon, who is now an elder of Abegweit First Nation. (Nipun Tiwari/CBC)

 

VIDEO:  https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/project-orange-mosaic-saint-john-bayside-middle-school-9.7220810 

 

N.B. artist Cyndi Nash shared her work with Fredericton public during museum residency

CBC News · August 20

This painting is called 'The Warrior.' Cyndi Nash painted it one night after she suffered a painful stubbed toe. (Ann Paul/CBC)

This is part of a series called Ann's Eye, featuring the work of Ann Paul, a Wolastoqey content creator. You can see more Ann's Eye pieces by clicking here.

Ann Paul and Cyndi Nash share the same birthday.

"That's how we became kindred spirits," Paul said. 

For Paul, though, her connection to Nash, a Sixties Scoop survivor originally from St. Mary's First Nation, also known as Sitansisk Wolastoqiyik, deepens when looking at Nash's art.

While visiting Nash's artist-in-residence display at the New Brunswick Museum, Paul said the vibrant, playful colours reminded her of finding her inner child.

WATCH | Cyndi Nash's childhood was full of darkness, but now her life is full of colour 

Sixties scoop survivor helps New Brunswickers be creative

With her own bright, colourful paintings on display, artist Cyndi Nash was also helping people make their own art during her stint as artist-in-residence at the New Brunswick Museum.

"You'll walk up to a person that's on the journey of positivity, that journey of finding yourself and you'll see that aura around them, you'll see that beautiful, vibrant colour on a canvas," Paul said.

• Fredericton artist channels experience as a Sixties Scoop survivor through painting

Ann Paul said Cyndi Nash encouraged visitors when they didn't think their art was good. 'Anything that’s coming from you and is a reflection of you is beautiful,' Nash would say. (Ann Paul/CBC)

Cyndi Nash's paintings help her connect to who she is, Paul said. (Ann Paul/CBC)

Cyndi Nash's art on display at the Fredericton Region Museum (Griffin Jaeger (CBC))

 

First Wolastoqey nation in Canada to ratify its own Child and Family Well-Being Act

 Tobique First Nation Adopts Dedicated Child Welfare Act

Moncton, NB, Canada / 91.9 The Bend |Aaron Sousa | Jun 16, 2022

Wolastoqewiyik Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation) made history on June 8 after becoming the first Wolastoqey nation in the country to ratify its own Child and Family Well-Being Act.

Similar to the federal government’s C-92, also known as the Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, it empowers Indigenous communities to take jurisdiction over child and family services.

Neqotkuk First Nation Chief Ross Perley said this is a historic step towards self-determination, adding that it will ensure kids and their families can stay healthy, achieve their dreams and celebrate their culture while living at home.

“We have talked for a long time about making our laws and taking control over child welfare for our community, our families,” said Perley in a news release.

“The Neqotkuk Child and Family Well-Being Act makes this goal a reality.”

The Wolastoqey nation noted this was a recommendation by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to help address the ongoing legacy of Residential Schools and Indian Day Schools.

The new Neqotkuk Child and Family Well-Being Act introduces the following changes:

• Recognizes the rights of the child
• Exercises inherent right to make laws governing child welfare amongst Neqotkukiyik
• Establishes Neqotkuk jurisdiction and definition of the best interest of the child
• Unifies families through a proactive prevention-based child and family well-being model
• Builds service models representative of Wolastoqiyik Neqotkuk
• Replaces the Province of New Brunswick’s authority over child welfare matters in Neqotkuk

Neqotkuk First Nation has operated a child welfare agency, the Tobique Child and Family Services Agency Inc., since 1985, delivering services designed by federal and provincial governments.

The act will also allow the agency to design child welfare services.

“The New Brunswick Social Development department has been a solid and reliable partner and we look forward to working productively with them to implement this law and establish its support through provincial institutions,” said Perley.

SOURCE

New Brunswick pressured to unseal adoption records

Thousands of people are waiting for the provincial government to unseal adoption records

CBC News | Mar 10, 2015  

People trying to open adoption records in New Brunswick say the process has stalled under the new Liberal government.

Garth McCrea, the chair of the Coalition for Open Adoption Records, said he has been trying for three years to get the law changed so that these records can be unsealed. (Facebook)

Garth McCrea, the chair of the Coalition for Open Adoption Records, said he has been trying for three years to get the law changed so these records can be unsealed.

He said the previous Progressive Conservative government held public consultations last year about the proposed change. He said they were ready to move ahead and have a new law in place by now.
However, McCrea said the election in September of the Liberal government has put everything on hold.
McCrea said he's frustrated that the file seems to be forgotten because of the government's priority on public finances.
"I'm 50 years old, I'm an adoptee. The information has been kept from me for 50 years," he said.
"I'm a pretty patient man, I've been at this for well over three years so I know in terms of government making change that these things can take time."
New Brunswick's refusal to unseal adoption records is hampering many people from trying to reconnect with birth parents or their adopted children.
Edmonton's Susan Cockle is seeking help in New Brunswick to track down her birth parents, nearly 50 years after she was adopted in Moncton. She is making the public request for assistance because she cannot access her adoption records.
The Coalition for Open Adoption Records is being supported by many other similar groups. McCrea said he has members from across Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, who want New Brunswick to open up its adoption records.
He said all New Brunswick has to do is to adopt the rules that already exist in Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador or some of the western provinces.

Children search for birth parents

Susan Cockle has taken out advertisements in Moncton in the hopes of finding her birth parents. Groups say the New Brunswick government should open up adoption records. (Submitted by Susan Cockle)

There are many other New Brunswick cases where people are advocating for the opening of these records.
Kathy Reid was born Carol Joy Marina Stewart at the Salvation Army-run Evangeline Home for unwed mothers in Saint John in 1956.
She was adopted in 1958 and when her adoptive parents died in 1962, she was sent to live in Ontario with a guardian. She grew up with another adopted child, her stepbrother.
He was born in Ontario and has access to his birth parents.
Reid and all other adopted children born in Quebec and the Maritimes don't have that right because those provinces continue to seal adoption records.
Reid said she's frustrated by the pace of change in New Brunswick and she wrote to Social Development Minister Cathy Rogers in January.
The minister responded in February to say the department is still evaluating the information.
Rogers said the opening of adoption records is an extremely personal matter for individuals and the government must ensure the interest of all parties is taken into consideration with any proposed legislative change.

Heart-wrenching cases

Marie Crouse, the president of Parent Finders New Brunswick, said this policy of sealing adoption records affects thousands of people.
Parent Finders is a private group that is trying to put adopted children in touch with their birth parents.
She said just in her database she has roughly 4,500 people who were adopted who are actively searching for their birth parents.
She has another 850 birth parents or relatives who are looking for the child that was put up for adoption

Crouse says there are heart-wrenching cases.  

"Right now, I am researching an adopted man who married his blood sister, had a baby boy who is severely mentally handicapped because they were brother and sister," she said.

"They did not know this when they were married."

Alberta woman seeks help in N.B. to find birth parents