
Kwé Kwé
Newsletter │ Volume 12 – Issue 2 │ Fall 2025
Message from the President Chief
Kwé Kwé dear members,
I hope you had a wonderful summer and are ready to welcome autumn and the upcoming winter season. By the time you read this, autumn, the equinox, the harvest season, and the time to give thanks for Mother Earth’s bounty will already be behind us.
We must remember that our ancestors hunted to survive. The fruits of the hunt allowed them to endure the winter months. They prayed before taking the life of an animal and gave thanks with tobacco if the hunt was successful. With wisdom and respect, they took only what they needed to live. They passed this legacy on to us: the responsibility to protect Mother Earth and all her inhabitants.
We are beginning the season with a brand-new Board of Directors! I am especially proud to welcome these young people who will help bring new energy to our community. Kassandra is returning as Communications Officer, Lynda is our new Treasurer, Caroline is our new Secretary, and Monique and Kimberly continue to serve alongside me. Their experience on the Board is invaluable. You will find more details about the Board’s composition below.
Last August, Monique, Lynda, Claudette, and I took part in the provincial Annual General Meeting held in Jonquière. We must continue to take pride in our Indigenous identity.
Our team is working diligently to create a rich and engaging calendar of activities for the year ahead. Please remember that we are all volunteers, and it is up to each of us to contribute and help our community thrive.
Once again this year, we invite you to join us for our much-loved Solstice celebration, with an even greater focus on our children. I look forward to connecting with you.
We invite you to share your thoughts on our newsletter by sending us your comments.
Happy reading!
In peace and friendship,
Lucie Veilleux
President

Message from the Director of Communications

New Corporate Discounts for Members
We are pleased to announce the online publication of our Corporate Discounts Table, featuring special offers available to our community. A big thank-you to Dominique Patrice, our Community Economic Development Director.
You will find a variety of advantageous offers on several products and services.
Are you interested in offering a discount to our members?
Please contact us at: aaqcommunaute059@live.ca
As this table is dynamic and may be updated at any time, we encourage you to consult it directly on our website to ensure you are viewing the most up-to-date version.
View the table on our website:
Stay tuned—new offers may be added soon!
Kassandra Durand-Lafleur
Director
A sincere thank you to our valued donors for their generous contributions and continued support.
Many thanks to Daniel Lafontaine of SAGA Electrical and Construction. Thanks to his generous contribution, we are currently exploring a scholarship project for our student members.


We also wish to acknowledge the contribution of the City of Gatineau, our official partner, which continues its support for the year 2025, as well as the collaborative work of the provincial office.
Profiles of the New Board Members
Secretary, Caroline Bisson
Kwé Kwé, hello dear members,
My name is Caroline, and I am a newly elected member of the Board of Directors of Community 059, where I am pleased to serve as Secretary. I am of Algonquin descent from Lac Barrière in the Outaouais region, and it is an honour for me to actively contribute to our community.
I am currently pursuing my legal studies at the University of Ottawa. After completing my Bachelor of Laws in Quebec civil law last spring, I am now in my final year of studies, at the end of which I will obtain a Juris Doctor in Common Law. This academic path allows me to better understand the two major legal systems that coexist in Canada, particularly in our region, and it also strengthens my desire to become involved in meaningful projects for Indigenous communities.
As part of my common law studies, I am currently writing a research paper on the role of Canadian law in the marginalization of Indigenous peoples. This work revisits history while also examining the place of Canadian law today in the relationship between the state and First Nations. This topic is very close to my heart, and I would be pleased to discuss it with those who share this interest.
I decided to put forward my candidacy for the Board of Directors in order to better understand the mechanisms that support our members, while also contributing to decisions that serve the best interests of our community.
I am very happy to be part of this wonderful team and I truly look forward to meeting many of you, especially during the Winter Solstice.
Migwetch,
Caroline


Director and Head of Economic Development – Dominique Patrice
Hello,
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dominique Patrice, I am 51 years old and originally from the Petite-Nation region, an area I am deeply fond of and know very well. Although I have limited knowledge of my Indigenous roots, I am enthusiastic about joining your community to learn more and to build meaningful connections.
Professionally, I am a Certified Real Estate Broker (DA designation) and have been working in the field for over 21 years. I also provide production coaching in the real estate sector, supporting other brokers on their path to success, as well as sports coaching in boxing—a passion that has driven me throughout my life, both competitively and recreationally. This passion has helped me develop strong discipline, structure, and perseverance, qualities I apply daily in my work. I have also had the privilege of sharing this passion with my 21-year-old daughter, who has grown into a strong, educated, and hardworking young woman. She represents my greatest pride and my most meaningful accomplishment.
My open-mindedness and ease with people have always allowed me to build strong relationships and be of service to others. This is what led me to take on responsibility for the corporate discounts associated with the Association. I successfully convinced nearly 20 businesses to join this initiative—an achievement I am particularly proud of, as these partnerships provide direct benefits to our members.
Today, I wish to go even further by placing these qualities, along with my experience, at the service of the Indigenous community. For me, this is a concrete way to give back and to contribute by supporting those who may need guidance or advice.
Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to connecting with you.
Dominique Patrice
2025 Past Activities

“Awakening Your Drum” Workshop with Monique Renaud – March 22, 2025

Pickleball Initiation and Equipment Presentation for Our Community Space – April 7, 2025

Annual General Meeting – Introduction of the New Board Members – May 24, 2025
Board of Directors meetings
Although photos are not always taken, the members of the Board of Directors meet every two months to discuss and plan upcoming activities and to update their respective files.
Housing Committee
Low-income members of the Indigenous Alliance may be eligible to apply for affordable housing units offered by the Waskahegen Corporation. Kimberly Perrier, who is responsible for this committee, supports our members throughout the housing application process and ensures that applications are forwarded to the appropriate resources. A report on these activities is presented each year at our Annual General Meeting, and a meeting with tenants is also planned for our next assembly scheduled for May 9, 2026. You may contact us for further information.

Activities
As indicated below, please expect to receive emails in the coming weeks regarding upcoming activities, as well as updates through our Facebook page (Communauté de l’Outaouais Québécois de l’Alliance Autochtone du Québec 059). Our Facebook page remains our primary source of information and activity promotion—not only for events within our community, but also for activities from various partners and organizations that recognize and support our community.
Those who follow our Facebook page may have already seen information and activities from recent months, such as reconciliation events, celebrations of National Indigenous Peoples Day, and several free culinary arts workshops offered by the First Peoples Innovation Centre in Aylmer. You will also find job and scholarship opportunities shared by the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, videos from our Director of Economic Development explaining new ways to access member discounts with your membership card, press releases from our provincial office, as well as our own notices regarding upcoming assemblies, among other updates.

Board of Directors 2025
President: Lucie Veilleux
Vice-President and Director of Membership: Monique Marcil Morrissette
Treasurer: Lynda Marengère
Secretary: Caroline Bisson
Director of Communications: Kassandra Durand-Lafleur
Director and head of the housing committee: Kimberly Perrier
Director and Head of Economic Development: Dominique Patrice
Upcoming activities
Winter Solstice Festival : Sunday, December 7, 2025, 10:00 AM *An official invitation will follow
Planned activities for 2025–2026, subject to instructor and venue availability:
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Indigenous Crafts Workshop
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Talking Stick Workshop
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Dreamcatcher-Making Workshop
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Introduction to Indigenous Culture Workshop
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Annual General Meeting
Details will be shared by email and on our Facebook page.

Facebook Group
Please consult our Facebook group regularly for announcements, activities, and information: Communauté de l’Outaouais Québécois de l’Alliance Autochtone du Québec
Kwé Kwé!
The Newsletter of the Communauté de l’Outaouais Québécois of the AAQ
Layout and Translation: Renée-Claude Sauriol
Please send us your texts, photographs, and comments by email at: aaqcommunaute059@live.ca
