ISLANDS BULLETIN NO. 7 March 30, 2005 To all Islands people, ISLANDS SPIRIT RISING GWAII SGAANAWAAY SIIGAA IIJAA March 30, 2005 To all Islands people, INTERESTING FACT - If you converted the total number of trees cut on Haida Gwaii into telephone poles and lined them up end to end, they would circle the earth 24 times. Out of respect for the Decock family and the memorial for Doug Jr. and Trevor held in Port Clements this past weekend, the Yakoun Line was taken down for a few days. As of Tuesday the line is back up and the camp is becoming more comfortable – a cookhouse is being built and toilets are in place. Masset Mayor Barry Pages visited both lines yesterday and expressed strong support for this action. Mayor Pages encourages the government to come up here and enter into negotiation to address the issues and find creative solutions together — not ignore the issue. Spirits are high and commitment is strong. People from the Honna and Yakoun Lines headed north to attend a Healing dinner for Margaret Edgars who suffered an aneurism last year while reading the section on plants of the Haida Land Use Vision. It was a well attended dinner with good speeches and fun times. We are all very happy that Margaret has fully recovered and that she is continuing her work to bring attention to plants and the land. Margaret says she is supportive of this action to change the way the Islands’ forests are managed. In the new Ministry of Forests digs, locally known as the White House, District Manager Len Munt is heading off-Island for a while and Cindy Stern (formerly Krishka) will be picking up the active files. Some of you may recall that Ms. Stern was District Manager on the Islands a while back. In the past couple of days there have been discussions between the CHN, local government and the Provincial government here on-Island. Brascan has been in contact with the CHN but there has been no word from Weyerhaueser. BEING PART OF THIS People have been asking how they can be part of Islands Spirit Rising. There are more ways than we can count: you can stand on the line, donate food and other materials for the camps, fundraise, distribute bulletins, and recruit others to lend a hand! See reverse side for more ideas. Please call May Russ in the north, 626-5252 and Melinda Pick in the south, 559-4468 or 559-8834) if you can help in any way. WINNERS! The raffle organized by Jenny Cross raised $447,48. Pete Thompson won the wool blanket with the Reg Davidson design. Taang.gunaay Satu Grinder won the salmon cushion. And Dianne Daschuk won the eagle scarf; congratulations all and watch for more raffles and prizes. VOLUNTEER SIGN UP INFORMATION Call May Russ to sign on: 1-250-626-5252 or toll free 1-888-638-7778 or home 626-5037. Call Nika’s Danny at 559-8133 and leave a message if the machine comes on. To strengthen our action we are inviting people to join us at the line. Shifts on the Line have been set up. They are 4 hours each – a small investment to ensure our Islands future. Please contact Melinda Pick or at 559-8834 or or Cindy Blake. Information is also available at www.haidanation.ca