Sunday, November 28, 2010

Brabant Lake:Open for Living

JMJ

November 28,2010

 Did you know that the city of Montreal once had 60 people? Brabant Lake may not reach three million but there is potential here folks, for a thriving healthy community.

FACT: Brabant Lake is Not a reserve. No ethnic group or band has controlling interest or title to this community. You don’t have to be Dene, Cree, or Inuit or belong to Peter Ballentyne, Hatchet Lake or La Ronge Band or any other band to live here although you can be any of those things. You don’t have to be white, Scots, French, Ukrainian, Mennonite  or Metis although you can be any of those things. It is officially the Northern Settlement of Brabant Lake and is run by the Northern Municipality Act which mirrors any other community in Saskatchewan. When more people move in it will become officially a village. When even more people come it can have town status. For practical purposes we call it a village.

FACT: There is No housing shortage. Right now there are five houses in excellent condition that are boarded-up. These are public houses and one has to apply to La Ronge Housing Authority. Let us know when you have done so so we can keep an eye on your application. We want all houses to be in a position for rent-to-own or lump sum purchase and you can work with us to see that this is so.There is plenty of room to build your own house or park a trailer in the North.

FACT: Northern Saskatchewan is part of the province of Saskatchewan and the country of Canada. Some people in Northern Saskatchewan have acted like they can be a law unto themselves and to everyone else. This has never been legal. In 1985 the Department of Northern Services was disbanded because it was to quote official government documents “ a bureaucracy run amok.” A law was past to stop the abuses of power in the North but it was never seriously enforced because pand eople continued to live in fear and the government let the abuses to continue. All laws applicable to Canada and to Saskatchewan are applicable in the North. We must all work to see that the people of the North have the same rights and responsibilities of anyone else.

FACT: There are excellent educational and recreational facitlities: To name a few: An independent Catholic school with high academic standards including success in upgrading people’s skills from basic literacy to Bible classes for children and adults . A very large swimming pool called Brabant Lake and people who can teach swimming and safety lessons, cross country skiing, canoeing, snowmobiling, hiking, fishing, and more.  There are great opportunities for photography and scenic painting, bird watching and nature study. We even found a bug that to date hasn’t been identified by experts!.

FACT: There are a lot of economic opportunities. There are mines that are opening all aroung us. Brabant Lake is a centre where people from the Far North and the larger Southend community travel. There are plenty of undeveloped commerce opportunities waiting to be developed. It is a tourist spot for canoeists all over the world. If one is willing to be hard working and energetic there will be work for you. 

FACT: Your spiritual needs can be met. We have Christian camps throughout the summer, Christian conferences and will have more of them.  We have a chapel and Christian teaching integrated throughout the school curriculum. We are always working on getting a permanent priest and will continue to do so.

 Come join us and build a life for you and your family. Love, in Christ, Gay