United Food & Commercial Workers Union
Local 1400

Aboriginal Committee

Committee Members

Committee Chair

Marjorie Huard
Saskatoon Credit Union, Saskatoon

Darren Piper
Local 1400 Staff, Regina
Melissa Obey
Salvation Army NRO, Regina		 Corrie Colbert
Confederation Superstore, Saskatoon
Harry Multon
Superstore, Prince Albert

Karen Akerman
Extra Foods, Melville
Deborah Goodwin
Extra Foods, Saskatoon		  

Please Contact the Union Office toll free at 1.800.274.4036 for information on how to join the UFCW Local 1400 Aboriginal Committee or contact a committee member.

Events

Watch for upcoming events.

UFCW Local 1400 Aboriginal Committee Report
by Marjorie Huard, Committee Chair
UFCW Local 1400 Aboriginal Committee

Fall/Winter, 2007

The members of the UFCW Aboriginal Committee will continue to work with the Women’s Committee and the Youth Committee in fundraising. Although we are a small group, we continue to learn from each other.

It is also a great pleasure to work with the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) Aboriginal Committee, comprised of twelve members who are all very active within their own unions and in the community. The individual strengths that each member brings to the committee ensure that we will continue to be one of the most active and organized committees in the Canadian Labour Council (CLC).

One of the goals of the UFCW Aboriginal Committee is to provide our members the opportunity to learn more about the history and issues that Aboriginal people face today. We have been very successful; not only has Local 1400 had two full Unionism on Turtle Island courses and presented a shortened workshop for our members, but word has spread about the success of the course through our local, Spring School and Prairie School for Union Women, and other unions are now requesting the course directly for their members.

I had the opportunity to co-facilitate Turtle Island for the Communications and Paper Workers Union (CEP) in April of this year in Saskatoon. As a result of the response from that course, I was asked to again co-facilitate for them in November in Winnipeg. The CEP will be including participants from their offices in BC, Alberta, and from Toronto. Also in November, I will be co-facilitating the course for the Saskatchewan Government Employees’ Union (SGEU).

The five Equity Committees of the SFL include the Aboriginal, Human Rights, Solidarity and Pride, Women’s and Youth Committees. The SFL is sponsoring an Equity Conference November 26th and 27th in Regina designed to educate union members on equity issues. Each committee is responsible for hosting three three-hour workshops and I will be co-facilitating A Peek at Turtle Island.

Oral stories pass on the attitudes, values, beliefs, knowledge and history of First Nations people. For Aboriginal people, storytelling is both a gift, and a very old custom. I would like to share a story presented at each workshop of Turtle Island

An old grandfather said to his grandson, who came in to him with anger at a friend who had done him an injustice.

“Let me tell you a story. I, too at times, have felt a great hate for those who have taken so much with no sorrow for what they do, but hate wears you down and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking a poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times.”

He continued, “It is as if there are two wolves inside of me. One is good and one does harm. The good one lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offence when no offence was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way.”

“But…the other wolf…ah!

The littlest thing will send him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all of the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing.”

“Sometimes it is hard to live with two wolves inside of me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit.”

The boy looked into his grandfather’s eyes and asked, “Which one wins, Grandfather?” The grandfather smiled and quietly said, “The one I feed.”

I wish you peace and joy in throughout the upcoming Holiday Season and the very best in the New Year.


For more on the Unionism on Turtle Island course, please see the Education and Training Report Page.

2007 & 2006 Aboriginal Committee Report Archives