Went to MANITOBA!!!

Hi All,
I am not sure who reads this at all, but if you do, then I am glad! It's just a way to let people know what is new in my life, keep track of my whereabouts etc.

Well, I went to Manitoba on June 17th. I got into Portage La Prairie, Mb, and my cousin Cathie met me at the bus station. I was staying at hers and her husband Mike's place, with their 3 kids. My bus was to leave the next morning.

We headed over to the Chicken Coop buildings. They're not actually Chicken Coop buildings, but they used to be read and white, and the shape of them kinda resembled Chicken Coop, but now they have been repainted etc. They were just down the block from my cousin Cathie's. We went over to see my cousin Tania(nee Maud) Catcheway, and to head over to her Father In Law's place, James Catcheway, who was my Mom's half brother. Gilbert Catcheway, brother in law to my Mom's half sister Flora ( nee Catcheway) Catcheway, was also there. So I explained why I was there, to get people/elders to sign my declarations showing who my Mom's father and mother were(Johnny Catcheway and Ida Houle-Chartrand). They were more than happy to sign. We talked about family tree history, Skownan Reserve etc. Thanks to my cousins. sisters Cathie and Tania translated as my Uncles spoke pretty much in Saulteaux, our language.

Next morning, Cathie drove me to Bus Depot, and I got to Ste Rose du Lac, Mb, and after a bit of a wait, my cousin Bruce Chartrand came to pick me up. The next person that signed my declaration was my Grandma Ida Houle-Chartrand's younger brother, the Reverend Abraham Houle. They were in the midst of holding TENT MEETINGS for a Revival, and I promised to come attend the services.

Next person to sign was Elsie (nee Catcheway) Marsden. She was my Mom's first cousin. Else's dad Alexandre Catcheway, and Florence's dad, Johnny Catcheway were brothers, sons of Gaspard Catcheway and Elise Boucher.

My Grandma's youngest sister, Cecille Houle was the next person to sign. I had a good visit with her. It was neat, also, because 2 of her boys became Christians at the Tent Meeting, and got baptized in Waterhen Lake, so that was special for her and all of us.

My Auntie Melva, also signed. She was the youngest daughter of my Granda Ida Houle-Chartrand, but she had always heard her mother disclose my Mom Florence (and her twin Rose)'s father was Johnny Catcheway.

So I had all the signatures I needed, and then my Auntie Rose also decided to sign too. That was a surprise! So I have finally sent all the documents to Ottawa. We shall see what will happen, and if I get my Treaty.

I also got to meet Joseph Maud, a former Band Councillor of our Reserve. We drove to Camperville, Mb and I got to see the Church, the graveyard and meet Myrna(nee Beauchamp) Richard, who I had been talking to about family tree, genealogy, and she got to show me some old books from the 1800's documenting marriages, births and deaths, that the Church preserved, so that was awesome to get some family information. We only got to visit for about an hour and a half, but it was awesome.

My visit to Skownan lasted 10 days, and I came back to Saskatchewan for 2 days and then headed to Edmonton, to see Mom and my siblings. Mom was so happy to see me, before she took off to sunny Costa Rica. I will miss her though.

Cameron

My 34th Birthday, celebrated on July 2, 2006 in Edmonton, with Jeanne, Debbie, Mom and Cori, as well as with Patrick and Nigel(Cori and Debbie's partners).