First-of-its-kind LTC partnership unites First Nations, town & hospital

Whitefish River First Nation, Sagamok Anishnawbek, Espanola and its hospital have signed a landmark MOU to build a new long-term care facility.

A first-of-its-kind partnership brings together two First Nations, municipal government, and a regional hospital to build a new long-term care home serving the Espanola–Manitoulin region. On Friday there was a traditional ceremony honouring the land where the proposed new LTC home will be built keeping elders and seniors close to home.

It was a traditional ceremony to ask the spirits of the trees, plants and living creatures’ permission to build on the land.

The Town of Espanola is providing 19 acres across from the Espanola Hospital – the proposed future sight of a new long-term care facility.

Honouring the land

“It’s to honour the land the territory of the Whitefish River First Nation. It’s something that we have to respect as part of our seven grandfather teachings and to be able to establish success,” said Whitefish River First Nation Chief Rodney Nahwegahbow, speaking with CTV News on June 26.

“At our ceremony … (we) talked about reconciliation. Talked about how communities that are in proximity to one another can come together and find ways to partner that in this particular case will service our elders from all of our communities,” said Sagamok Anishnawbek Chief Angus Toulouse.

The ceremony was also to ask for guidance to do things in a respectful way.

“It was a good time to reflect on the honour and the respect of the culture of the First Nations and it’s great to see the cooperation between the hospital, the First Nations and Town of Espanola,” said Sudbury East-Manitoulin-Nickel Belt MP Jim Belanger.

“What I hope it provides for our community is a place for our elders to stay and to live in harmony with the rest of their families close to them and for the whole area,” said Espanola’s mayor, Doug Gervais.

As of Friday, there was only one long term care facility in Espanola with 32 beds and 130 people on a waiting list. The town is the closest community with a LTC facility to both the Whitefish River First Nation and Sagamok Anishnawbek.

“It will be home to many of our seniors and elders and to give them that dignity the space the sense of belonging the care that they deserve,” said Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige.

At the end of the ceremony, everyone placed tobacco in the fire, a gesture asking the spirit of the fire to help guide the project.