A message from the chiefs August, 2002

We are pleased to bring greetings to all the people in our communities, the staff, and our friends and partners on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Keewaytinook Okimakanak.

We would like to thank the Creator for all He has given us and for watching, guiding and protecting our organization for the past ten years.

We also acknowledge and thank our elders, both those living and passed on. Their lives and deeds have brought strength and conviction to our work and their determination sustains us through good and bad times.

We have much to look back on with pride and a sense of accomplishment. We believe that much of our success can be attributed to one thing -- we have always remembered who we are and where we have come from. Our organization respects the values of our people and makes them part of everything we do: honour for the Creator and His work, love and knowledge of the land and its teaching, and the transmission of our traditions through our languages. These are the elements that have built Keewaytinook Okimakanak. They are why our organization is strong and effective.

There is much to celebrate in ten years, much progress in our communities, and growth in the organization. We have worked in partnership to bring the best we can for the good of our communities. But there is nothing better to celebrate than our ability to remain true to our beliefs and principles. With such a foundation, we can face the future, whatever it brings, with a strong faith in the organization and its work