Flying Dust community planning delegation attends meetings in Ottawa
As part of their Comprehensive Community Planning (CCP) process, three Flying Dust representatives attended meetings in Ottawa last week to share the work being done locally.
Flying Dust Chief Jeremy Norman, Economic Development Director Albert Derocher, and Community Planning Coordinator Joseph Tootoosis were invited to present to top officials at both Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development and the Assembly of First Nations about the Flying Dust CCP and its priorities. The overall goal of the Sept. 7 meeting was to share information to be included in a report to the Prime Minister’s office this fall, namely on the new fiscal relationship between Canada and First Nations.
Tootoosis began his role with Flying Dust in October 2015, and in early 2016, a series of community engagement meetings began to take place with a cross-section of Flying Dust community members. He said band leadership has been supportive, including Chief Norman and fellow council members. During these meetings, many of the community’s needs, strengths and goals were outlined, and Tootoosis along with leadership from Flying Dust have been working towards implementation and funding.
“Community planning benefits First Nations, not just the plan itself but the process,” he said. “One thing [during the Ottawa meeting] that was outlined was not just the need for new monies, but the need to plan to spend those monies.”