ᒥᐅᑫᐧᐊᓂᐧᐠ ᑲᐅᑭᒪᐊᐧᑭᓱᐊᐧᐨ
Meet the Managers
ᐁᐡᑕᕑ ᒪᑫ | Esther(Ester) McKay
ᒥᒋᑲᓂᓴᑲᐦᐃᑲᓂᐠ | Bearskin Lake esterm@tikinagan.org
ᑲᐱᐊᐊᐧᔑᔑᐃᐧᐨ, ᐁᐡᑕᕑ ᒪᑫ ᐅᐱᒥ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐊᐣ ᐊᐧᐃᔭᐣ. ᐁᑭ ᐅᒋ ᑭᑭᓇᐊᐧᑕᐱᔑᐣ ᑲᑭᐱᑐᑕᒧᓂᐨ ᐅᓂᑭᐦᐃᑯᐣ, ᑲᑭᐱᒥ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑯᐨ ᐊᒐᑯᐱᒪᑎᓯᐃᐧᓂᐠᐧ ᐃᒪ ᐅᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᒥᒋᑲᓂᓴᑲᐦᐃᑲᓂᐠ ᐃᐡᑯᓂᑲᐣ.
“ᐊᐁᐧ ᑲᑭ ᐅᑕᑕᒥᔭᐣ ᒥᓯᐁᐧ ᑲᑭᔑ ᐸᑭᑎᓂᑎᓱᐨ ᐊᔭᒥᐦᐁᐃᐧ ᐊᓄᑭᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᒥᓇ ᓂᒪᒪ ᑲᑭᐱᒪᓄᑭᑕᒪᑫᐨ ᐊᔭᒥᐦᐊᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᐅᑕᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧᒧᐃᐧᐣ ᐁᑭ ᐊᐸᒋᑐᐨ ᐃᒪ ᐅᑌᓇᐣᐠ ᑲᑭ ᑕᓇᓄᑭᐨ, ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐁᑭ ᑭᒋᓀᐣᑕᑲᐧᓂᐠ ᐅᑕᓇᐣᐠ ᒥᓇ ᓄᑯᑦ ᑲᔑ ᐸᑭᑎᓂᑎᓱᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᐃᐧᒋᐦᐊᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐣ ᒪᓂᑐᐣ ᑲᑭᔑ ᒥᓂᑯᐊᐧᐨ.” ᐃᑭᑐ ᐁᐢᑕᕑ.
ᐁᑲᐧ ᓄᑯᑦ ᑲᑭᒋᔭᐦᐊᐃᐧᐨ, ᐁᐡᑕᕑ ᐃᔑ ᑲᑫᐧᒋᒥᑎᓱ, “ᐊᓂᐣ ᑫᑭ ᑐᑕᒪᐸᐣ ᒋᑭ ᐃᐧᒋᑐᔭᐣ ᓂᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᐣ?” ᐊᒥᑕᐡ ᑲᑭᔑ ᑭᑫᐣᑕᒪᐣ ᐁᑭ ᐊᓂ ᐅᔑᓭᑭᐣ ᐊᐱ ᑲᑭ ᒪᒐᔭᐣ ᓂᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ 16 ᑲᑕᓱᐱᐳᓀᔭᐣ ᐁᑭ ᐊᐣᑕᐃᐧ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᐃᐧᔭᐣ ᑕᐃᐧᓂᐣᐠ.
ᐃᐁᐧᓂ ᑲᑭ ᑭᑭᓄᐡᑲᒪᑯᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᑭ ᓴᑭᐦᐊᐊᐧᐨ, ᐅᑭ ᑭᑫᐣᑕᐣ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᐁᑭᒋᓀᐣᑕᑲᐧᓂᐠ ᓂᔕᐧᔦᐠ ᑲᐃᔑ ᐱᒪᑎᓯᓇᓂᐊᐧᐠ. ᒥᑕᐡ ᐃᒪ ᑲᑭ ᐅᓀᑕᐠ ᒋᐊᓄᑭᑕᑭᐣ ᐱᒪᑎᓯᐃᐧᓇᐣ. ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᐃᒪ ᑲᑭ ᐃᐡᑯᓄᐃᐧᐨ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᑭᒋ ᐃᐡᐸᐠ ᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᑕᐣᑐᕑ ᐯ, ᐁᐡᑕᕑ ᑭᐊᓄᑭ ᑎᑭᓇᑲᐣ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᑲᓂᐱᓂᐠ. ᐊᒥᐦᐅᒪ ᑲᑭ ᐅᒋ ᑭᑫᐣᑕᐠ ᐊᓂᐣ ᑫᔑ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐊᐨ ᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ.
"ᐃᒪ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᐊᔭᐊᐧᐣ ᑭᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ ᒥᓇ ᐃᒪ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᑲᐯᔑᐊᐧᐨ. ᐊᒥᐦᐅᐁᐧ ᐁᔑ ᑭᑫᐣᑕᒪᐣ ᑲᒪᒥᑎᓀᐣᑕᒪᐣ ᓂᑲᓂᐡᑲᐃᐧᐣ. ᓂᒥᓀᐧᐣᑕᐣ ᒋᐃᐧᒋᑐᔭᐣ ᒋᒪᐡᑲᐊᐧᑭᐣ ᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᐃᒪ ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᑲᔭᑭᐣ ᐃᒪ ᓀᑫ ᐅᑭᑫᐣᑕᒪᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᐅᒋ ᐊᔕ ᑲᑭ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᓇ ᑫᑯᓀᓇᐣ ᑫᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᔑ ᓂᑲᐣ. ᓂᒥᓀᐧᐣᑕᐣ ᒋᐱᓯᐣᑕᐊᐧᑲᐧ ᒥᓇ ᒋᐃᐧᐦᐊᑲᐧ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐊᓂᐣ ᑲᔑ ᒥᓂᑯᐃᐧᓯᔭᐣ. ᒪᑎ ᑲᓂᑲᓂ ᒥᑲᓇᑲᐊᐧᒥᐣ ᑫᔑ ᐱᒥᔭᐊᐧᐨ ᓂᑲᐣ ᑫᐊᓂ ᐸᐱᒪᑎᓯᐊᐧᐨ.”
Ever since she was a child, Esther McKay has been helping others. It was something she learned by watching and learning from her parents, who provided spiritual support for her community in Bearskin Lake First Nation.
“My late father’s dedication to the church and my mother’s continual duty to provide church service in the Oji-cree language in an urban setting, speaks volumes to their past and present dedication to helping others with the gifts given to them from the Creator,” said Ester.
Now an adult, Esther finds herself asking, “What can I do to help my community?” The answer to this question began to take shape when she left her community at 16-years-old for high school in an urban area.
With the guidance of loved ones, she learned how important it was to live in two worlds. It was there she decided to become a social worker. While pursuing her Social Work degree at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Esther worked for Tikinagan during the summer months. This firsthand experience taught her how to better support families.
“The answers lie within the communities and their membership themselves. This is what I am drawn to when I think about Niigaanshkaawin. I look forward to helping communities strengthen their families through their own knowledge of what has worked so far and what can help in the near future. I look forward to listening and helping the First Nations in whichever capacity I am lead. Let us break trail for the new generations to come.”
ᕑᐊᐧᐱᐣ ᐸᐣᑎᐣᐠ | Robin Bunting
ᐅᐱᔑᑯᑲᐣᐠ ᐃᐡᑯᓂᑲᐣ, ᑲᐧᐣᐡᑕᐣᐡ ᓫᐁᐠ ᐃᐡᑯᓂᑲᐣ | Lac Seul First Nation & Constance Lake First Nation robinb@tikinagan.org
11 ᐁᐣᑕᓱᐱᐳᓀᐨ, ᕑᐊᐧᐱᐣ ᓂᑕᑦ ᑲᑭ ᓇᑭᐡᑲᐣᐠ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔑᐃᐧ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ.
“ᒥᐦᐃᒪ ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᓂᑕᑦ ᐁᑭ ᐃᓀᐣᑕᒪᐣ ᐁᑲ ᑲᐧᔭᐠ ᐁᑲᓇᐁᐧᐣᑕᑯᓯᔭᐣ ᒥᓇ ᐁᑭ ᓭᑭᓯᔭᐣ,” ᕑᐊᐧᐱᐣ ᐁᑭᔑ ᑲᓄᑫᐨ. “ᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᓂᑭᓭᑭᐡ. ᓂᑲᓄᑫ ᐁᑭ ᐃᓀᐣᑕᒪᐣ ᐁᑲ ᐃᐧᑲ ᐁᓇᐣᑕᐁᐧᐣᑕᒪᐣ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᐡ ᐃᐁᐧ ᒋᐃᓀᓂᒧᐨ.”
ᐊᒥ ᑕᐡ ᐃᐁᐧ ᑲᑭ ᐃᓀᐣᑕᒪᐸᐣ ᑭᓄᐊᐧᑲᐡ ᐁᐊᓄᑭᑕᒪᑫᔭᐣ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔑᐃᐧ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ, ᓂᑕᑦ ᐁᑭ ᑲᓇᐃᐧᑭᑐᓀᔭᐣ ᐃᒪ ᐅᒋᐳᐁᐧ ᒥᑲᓇ ᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ 1998-1999. ᕑᐊᐧᐱᐣ ᐅᑭ ᐱᒥ ᑲᒋᑎᓇᐣ ᐊᓂᐣ ᑲᐃᓯᓭᓂᐠ ᒥᓇ ᑲᔑ ᐱᒥᐃᐧᒋᑲᑌᓂᐠ ᐊᓄᑭᑕᒪᑫᐃᐧᐣ 12 ᐊᐦᑭ ᐁᑭ ᐊᓄᑭᑕᒪᑫᐨ ᐃᒪ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᐡ ᒥᓇ ᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᑲᔭᑭᐣ ᐅᐣᑌᕑᐃᔪ. ᒥᔑᓇᐧᔦᐠ ᐃᐡᑯᓂᑲᓂᐠ ᑭᔭᐃᔕ ᒥᓯᐁᐧ ᑭᐁᐧᑎᓄᐠ ᐅᐣᑌᕑᐃᔪ ᐁᑭ ᐊᓂ ᐅᒋ ᑭᑫᐣᑕᑭᐣ ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᑲᔑ ᐊᓄᑲᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᑫᔑ ᒥᓄᔭᒪᑲᓂᐠ ᐅᑭᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ. ᒥᐡᑕᐦᐃ ᐅᑭᑫᐣᑕᒪᐃᐧᐣ ᐃᐁᐧ ᐅᒋ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔕᐠ, ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐠ ᒥᓇ ᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ, ᒥᓇ ᐃᐡᑯᓂᑲᓂᐃᐧ ᓂᑲᓂᑕᒪᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐱᒥᐃᐧᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔑᐃᐧ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᒥᓇ ᑲᔦ ᐁᑭ ᐅᒋ ᐊᔭᒥᑕᒪᑫᐨ ᐅᓇᑯᓂᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᑲᐃᓯᓭᓂᐠ.
ᒣᑲᐧᐨ 2013, ᐃᒪ ᑭᐃᔑᑯᓯ ᑲᐧᐣᐡᑕᐣᐡ ᕑᐁᐠ ᐃᐡᑯᓂᑲᐣ ᐁᑭ ᓂᑲᓂᑕᒪᑫᐨ, ᓂᔕᐧ ᐁᑭ ᐱᐣᑎᑫᓭᐠ ᐅᓇᔓᐁᐧᐃᐧᓂᐣᐡ. ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᐡ ᐁᑲ ᑲᑭ ᐅᒋ ᐅᑕᐱᓇᐠ ᐅᑭᒪᑲᓂᐃᐧ ᐱᒥᐸᑐᐃᐧᐣ, ᕑᐊᐧᐱᐣ ᑭᐃᓀᐣᑕᑦ ᒋᐃᐧᒋᑐᐨ ᑲᔑ ᐱᒥᐃᐧᒋᑲᑌᑭᐣ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᐃᒪ ᑭᑕᔑ ᑫᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ ᑲᔑ ᑕᑲᐧᑭᐣ. ᐁᑭ ᑭᑫᐣᑕᐣᐠ ᐊᓀᐸᓂᐦᐃᐁᐧᒪᑲᐠ ᐊᓂᐣ ᑲᔑ ᑲᓇᐁᐧᓂᒪᔭᐠ ᑭᓂᒐᓂᔑᓇᐣ ᒥᓇ ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐠ ᑲᔑ ᓇᐣᑕᐁᐧᐣᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᐃᐧᐣ. ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᐡ ᐸᐣᑭ ᐁᑭ ᐊᔐᑲᐸᐃᐧᐨ, ᐅᑭ ᐊᐧᐸᑕᐣ ᐁᓇᐣᑕᐁᐧᐣᑕᑲᐧᐠ ᑭᑕᐧᑦ ᒋᐊᐧᓂᐡᑲᓇᒪᐠ ᑭᑐᑕᒧᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ ᒥᓇ ᑲᔑ ᐅᓇᔓᐊᐧᓂᑎᓯᔭᐠ.
"ᐊᓇ ᐃᐧᓂᑯ ᐊᔕ ᐁᑭ ᐅᑎᑕᒪᐠ ᒥᓇ ᐁᑭ ᐊᔭᒥᑕᒪᐠ ᐅᓇᑯᓂᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᑭᓇᐃᐧᐣᐟ ᒋᐅᓇᔓᐊᐧᑕᒪᐠ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔑᐃᐧ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ, ᑭᔭᐸᐨ ᒥᐡᑕᐦᐃ ᐊᔭᒪᑲᐣ ᑫᐊᓄᑲᑌᑭᐣ, ᓇᐣᑕ ᑫᒋᐣ ᒥᔑᓄᔭᐦᑭ ᑕᐃᓯᓭ. ᐁᐧᐡᑲᐨ ᐊᔕ ᐅᐁᐧ ᑭᑐᐣᒋ ᑲᓇᐊᐧᐸᒥᑯᒥᐣ, ᐁᑲᑫᐧ ᓂᑲᑌᓂᑯᔭᐠ ᐅᑭᒪᐃᐧᐣ, ᔕᑯᐨ ᒋᒥᑲᐃᐧᓄᑕᒪᐠ ᐅᐁᐧ ᑲᑭᐱᔑ ᐃᐧᓴᑫᐣᑕᒪᐠ ᒥᓇ ᒋᐅᒋ ᐊᓂ ᒥᓄᔭᔭᐠ ᐅᐁᐧ ᐅᒋ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᐁᐱᒥ ᐊᓄᑲᑕᒪᐠ ᐃᒪ ᑲᐃᓇᑌᑭᐣ ᐅᓇᑯᓂᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᐯᓫ C-92. ᐁᑲᐧ ᑕᐡ ᐊᒥᐦᐅᐁᐧ ᑫᑐᑕᒪᐠ ᒋᑲᐡᑭᑐᔭᐠ, ᒋᒪᒪᐃᐧ ᐊᓄᑲᑕᒪᐠ ᐃᒪ ᑭᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ. ᒥᔕ ᐅᒪ ᑫᐅᒋᓯᓭᐠ ᑭᑕᐧᑦ ᒋᐅᑦᐱᑲᐸᐃᐧᑕᒪᐠ ᑭᑎᓇᑎᓯᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ ᑲᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧᔭᐠ. ᑭᓂᒐᓂᔑᓇᐣ ᓄᑯᑦ ᑲᑭᔑᑲᐠ ᑭᐃᐧᐣᑕᒪᑯᒥᐣ ᐁᐦᐊᓂ ᒥᓄᐡᑲᒪᑲᑭᐣ ᐱᒪᑎᓯᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᐁᓇᐣᑕᐁᐧᐣᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᐧᔭᐠ ᒋᓯᓭᑭᐣ ᑲᑭᓇ ᑫᑯᓇᐣ. ᐅᑕᔭᒥᑕᓇᐊᐧ. ᒪᐦᑎ ᑲᐃᐧᑕᓄᑭᒥᑎᒥᐣ ᒥᓇ ᒋᑭ ᐃᔑ ᒪᒋᓭᑭᐣ ᐅᑫᐧᓂᐊᐧᐣ ᐅᓇᐣᑕᐁᐧᐣᑕᒧᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ."
At just 11-years-old, Robin had her first interaction with child welfare.
“This was the first time in my life I felt unsafe and in harm,” Robin recalled. “It was scary. I recall thinking that I never want a child to feel this way.”
That mindset began a long career in child welfare, starting by answering phones for Ojibway Tribal and Family Services in 1998-1999. Robin continued to garner experience and knowledge with 12 years in frontline services with child and family service agencies in Ontario. She has travelled widely among First Nations across Northern Ontario learning about each community’s healing traditions. She brings extensive experience with First Nation children, youth and families, and First Nation leadership navigate the child welfare system and representation in legal proceedings.
In 2013, she moved back to Constance Lake First Nation where she became a leader for her people, serving two terms as Band Councilor. After declining a nomination for Chief, Robin decided she wanted to help bring change to the systems in our communities. Knowing everything has an impact on the way we care for our children and youth in need. Stepping back, she saw that to make change we needed to revitalize our own ways and govern ourselves.
“Although we have reached and advocated for a law to have authority in child welfare, there is so much work that needs to be done, it may take years to come. We have lived in these systems for so long, we have lived with colonization for so long, we need to acknowledge this pain and heal from this while taking the steps towards the Options set out in Bill C-92. To achieve this, it will take collaboration from everyone in our communities. Now is our time to revitalize our way as First Nations peoples. Our children today are proving to us that life is getting better because they want better. They are voicing it. Let's work together and make it happen.”
