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About

Ganawenim Meshkiki's Mission

Our mission is to protect medicines, water, plants, animals and knowledge that are essential to our collective survival and well-being through community based environmental protection, stewardship and knowledge sharing initiatives.

Our History

The permits issued for the HIW Wind Energy Centre by Henvey Inlet First Nation (“HIFN”) under its Environmental Stewardship Regime and by Environment and Climate Change Canada under the Species at Risk Act both include an “Offsetting Plan”, commonly referred to as the Eastern Georgian Bay Initiative (“EGBI”). The plan requires the delivery of activities not included in the permit’s mitigation schedules which will benefit certain identified species and, in that way, offset anticipated residual species impacts of the project. The offsets require programming in relation to conservation of biodiversity in the Eastern Georgian Bay Region, primarily for:

Target Species at Risk

  • Kirtland’s warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii);
  • Massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus);
  • Eastern foxsnake (Pantherophis gloydi);
  • Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii);
  • Eastern musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus); and
  • Spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata)

GMI’s Origin

Henvey Inlet Wind (“HIW”) is required to fund the EGBI at the rate of $1M per year. Ganawenim Meshkiki (GMI) was established by HIFN to act as Trustee for the Eastern Georgian Bay Initiative funding and manage the delivery of the wind farm offsets through the appropriate expenditure of funds contributed by HIW.

GMI’s Purposes and Objectives

  1. To develop, sponsor and fund conservation initiatives which offset potential impacts of the Henvey Inlet Wind Energy Centre on species at risk and biodiversity within the Eastern Georgian Bay Region.
  2. To assist member First Nations in the governance and management of environmental issues within their reserves and traditional lands.
  3. To receive and manage funds and other property granted to the corporation for its purposes.

Governance

GMI is governed by a board of directors appointed by Henvey Inlet First Nation. The board of directors is made up of Henvey Inlet band members and includes Patrick Brennan, Maureen Kagagins and Kimberley McQuabbie.  In September 2019, the board of directors appointed Patrick Brennan as GMI’s Interim Executive Director, with the approval of Henvey Inlet First Nation as required by the corporation’s articles of incorporation. The board of directors appointed Maureen Kagagins as the corporation’s secretary-treasurer in 2020. The board of directors developed and adopted By-Law No. 1 of the corporation and a standard-form contribution agreement for all EGBI grants. 

Scientific and Indigenous Knowledge
Advisory Panel

HIFN established a Scientific and Indigenous Knowledge Advisory Panel (SIKAP) comprised of Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals with expert-level scientific knowledge and Indigenous knowledge to:

  1. ensure that the corporation’s management of the EGBI program is guided by good scientific judgment and Indigenous knowledge, and consistent with the objects of the EGBI as set out in Appendix K of the permits issued by HIFN and ECCC to HIW for the Henvey Inlet Wind Energy Centre;
  2. assisting the board in the development and adoption of annual EGBI results frameworks, targeting specific offset results through requests for proposals and direct purchases of services; and
  3. producing an annual EGBI program effectiveness review for the board’s approval.

Based on GMI’s mandate to act as Trustee for EGBI and manage the delivery of EGBI offsets as prescribed in the Offset Plan, HIFN identified the need for members with expertise in Traditional Knowledge, herptiles, and avian species. The following experts were selected by HIFN to serve as members on the SIKAP:

  • Chief Wayne McQuabbie – Anishinabek Knowledge Expert
  • Kyle Hunt – Science Chair
  • Peter Burke – Avian Expert
  • John Urquhart – Herptile Expert

When requested by the GMI board of directors, the SIKAP reviews funding proposals and provides recommendations to the board on the alignment of the initiative with GMI’s mandate.

Henvey Inlet First Nation

Henvey Inlet First Nation (HIFN) is comprised of three separate Reserves. Henvey Inlet Reserve No.2 is located on the northeast shore of Georgian Bay. French River Indian Reserve No.13 is 11 km north of the Henvey Inlet Reserve No.2 and Cantin Island, which is part of the French River Indian Reserve No.13. All Reserves are located within the Robinson Huron Treaty Territory. There are approximately 975 on and off-reserve members.

Our people have been stewards of the Lands since time immemorial and rely on the Lands for survival by sustainably harvesting food and medicines. Our primary obligation is to protect the Lands for future generations.

HENVEY INLET FIRST NATION