"Grand River makes great friends on Pine Tree canoe ride"

By Marie Lauren Gregoire

BRANTFORD - The Grand River was awash with canoeists for the ninth annual ride down the river with the Pine Tree Native Centre. Participants in the journey down the Grand came from many walks of life and many cultures. They pushed off the shore two-by-two to make friends in "Fast Water, Fast Friends."

Pine Tree Native Centre organizes the ride, not race, down the river every year for native and non-native people to learn more about each other.

"It was designed as a race relations event and it was originally for law enforcement and aboriginal people," said Trudy Jones, director of Pine Tree Native Centre and event organizer.

"Everyone had a good time the first trip and we expanded it to include politicians, lawyers, doctors and we've had First Nations from overseas, Canada and the United States," said Jones.

This year the event attracted participants from as far away as North Dakota and England. Most participants are from Six Nations and surrounding area including Brantford, Hamilton, Thamesville, Cayuga and Caledonia.

"We started out with 40 canoes and 80 participants and it pretty well grew," said Jones. "Now there's a waiting list and a deadline."

Jones expected 300 participants and 150 canoes this year, but there were some extenuating circumstances that affected attendance this year. The weather and the river certainly didn't affect the canoe ride for the 180 participants this year.

Police officers, politicians, lawyers, doctors, businessmen and health professionals attended the event for the sixth or seventh time. For a very few uninitiated this was their first year in the event.

"Every year we bring people out from the detachment and have fun," said Allan Rogers, community relations and recruiting officer for the RCMP in Hamilton. "We bring out our constables, public servants and we bring out officers from London."

Every year there are different organizations participating in the event. This year representatives from the Hamilton Police Services, Brantford Police Services, the RCMP, OPP and the Aboriginal Health Centre were among the many groups that participated.

The organizers match people in pairs and send them for a two hour ride down the majestic Grand River.

"You learn to work as a team with your partner, you learn about them and their job, their perspective and they get to learn about you," said Jones.

Dave Levac, MPP for Brant, participated in his fourth river ride.

"I love it and I love doing it," said Levac. "It's a fabulous concept-putting people in a canoe that traditionally in some cases did not know of each other's roles," said Levac.

Levac said there was a gap between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people's understand of each other.

"Pine Tree Native Centre and Trudy loked at it and said what can we do to bring some normalcy and trust," said Levac.

The canoe ride has brought together people from different walks of life to learn about each other. The canoe trip, in it's ninth year, has generated friendships that grow strong with each year.

"It's a fun day and an opportunity to meet a lot of people," said Brad Cotton, community service officer of Brantford City Police. "It fosters some really good feeling between the community, between those that are involved," said Cotton in his fifth year in the event.

The participants make at least one new friend and get to interact with people from different backgrounds.

"It's something that brings a lot of people together from different kinds of organizations and agencies," said Cam Bomberry, social worker of the Children's Aid Society, Native Services Branch. "Just on the bus ride I met people, small world," said Bomberry.

The event, which boasts a high rate of participation, offers many opportunities for communication. The bus ride, the canoe trip, the feast and the dance are all opportunities to meet people.

"In a group of strangers you don't know you take the step and introduce yourself," said Bomberry. "I guess that's what it's all about."

Some seasoned participants come back every year and look forward to the trip and the chance to meet old friends and make new ones.

"The camaraderie, the meal, all of it is fun and we look out for it every year," said Eddie Fisher, restauranteur in Hamilton. "Every year it gets bigger, and bigger and it's a fabulous day to spend with friends," said Fisher.

The canoe ride, the largest in Ontario, also offers a spectacular view of the Grand River and a great environment to talk and get to know one another. The river ride is peaceful and quiet, the silence broken only by playful splashing and tipping over.

"We do this every year," said Ken Fisher, owner of F&M Signs Limited in Hamilton. "It's an excellent day for everybody and a day of fellowship. You see some wildlife out there-the great blue heron, some ducks and geese," said Fisher.

The Grand River, a designated Canadian Heritage River, affords an excellent scenic view of the natural environment.

"In the water, in a canoe, it's a nice atmosphere," said Bomberry. "You see something different all the time, it's really relaxing. If people don't do [canoe] on their own, then at least this gives them a chance to do this, to put their minds in a good place," said Bomberry.

After the canoe ride, some wet and some dry canoeists retreated to the grand pavilion for a great feast. There were cabbage rolls, baked beans, roast beef and salads as well as strawberry juice, dessert and fruit.

The celebration of the canoe ride and the feast concluded with drumming and dancing. Drummers sang and beat the drum and everyone who could danced the Round Dance together. The day finished for most with the end of the dance when everyone rushed the drummers.

"I think it was better in quality, everything was a little simpler," said Jones. Pine Tree provided a fun-filled event for the 180 people that registered for the day.

"Fast Water, Fast Friends" was made possible in 1992 with grants from the provincial and federal government. Today, the registration fee and donations from Brantford Police Services and Aylmer Police College make the event possible.

"We pretty well break, even," said Jones. "It's an expensive day but it's worth the day."

Grand Experiences co-ordinates the canoes, a couple river rafts and the life jackets. Pine Tree ensured everyone enjoyed the day and had an opportunity to make a new friend.