BOARD [Ontario partners with First Nations to create jobs
Musslewhite Mine, Ontario]
SUPER [Adele Flaubert
Manager of Aboriginal Affairs, Musslewhite Mine]
Adele Flaubert: This is Musslewhite Mine, we're in North-Western Ontario, close to the 52nd parallel. We are about 450 km north of Thunder Bay. We are a gold mine. They fly-in, fly-out remote operation. Currently we have about 25% employment rate for First Nations, and that is roughly about 130 people here at the mine-site.
SUPER [Heather Wapenisk
North Caribou Lake resident]
Heather Wapenisk: I work for Wendigo Catering at the commissary, I also do bookkeeping. I like it because it is kind of like a small community.
BOARD [North Caribou Lake, Ontario
Heather's hometown]
SUPER [Eli Kakekayash
Councillor, North Caribou Lake First Nation]
Eli Kakekayash: For the mine, I guess there's hardly any jobs around. When the mine came, the people here are more employed more. It helps the families.
Heather Wapenisk: My son is 11 months. It's one week in, one week out - and I don't have to be at work for so long - away from my son.
Adele Flaubert: We're always developing and growing our relationships with the communities, looking for new opportunities for them: training and advancement.
SUPER [Brad Duguid
Minister of Aboriginal Affairs]
Brad Duguid: Musslewhite employs about 370 workers, around 20 to 25% are aboriginal and most from the 5 nearby First Nations communities. Positions vary from entry-level, to the most senior level positions. But it is more than that. Musslewhite purchases approximately $10 million in goods and services from companies owned by First Nations entrepreneurs. That's true partnership. That's insuring that all peoples benefit from the existence of this mine.
Heather Wapenisk: I want to upgrade my schooling and see what else I can do for the mine. I like working on this site.
BOARD [ontario.ca/mndm]