Lieutenant Governor issues appeal for books for Aboriginal children

Caledon OPP Constable Tracy Adams is heading up the local effort to collect children's books for Aboriginal communities.

The Hon. James K. Bartleman, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, is appealing to Ontarians to once again bring the magic of books to Aboriginal children by donating new or gently used books during the month of January. Books can be dropped off at any OPP Detachment across Ontario or at the 17 Toronto Police Services Stations across the GTA.

Donations are accepted at the three Caledon OPP offices in Caledon East, Caledon Village and Bolton, during office hours. The drive continues through Jan. 31. OPP are asking the books be geared toward children, whether they are educational or for fun.

Constable Tracy Adams is heading up the local effort. She has an Aboriginal background (Six Nations) and began her career in northwestern Ontario, where she saw, first-hand, some of the unfortunate living conditions and lack of resources in First Nations communities.

The Lieutenant Governor believes in the transformative power of books. "Too many native children in remote fly-in communities do not know how to read. Too many lack selfesteem. Too many lack hope. Too many believe that no one cares about them. Too many take their lives in despair. And too many do not have ready access to libraries that we take for granted elsewhere in the province," said Bartleman.

"And without books, the children will never learn to read, will never develop the selfesteem that comes from obtaining an education and will never escape the despair that fuels the suicide epidemic among children and youth that has been raging out of sight and out of mind in the north of our province."

Three years ago the people of the province responded magnificently when the Lieutenant Governor launched an appeal to establish libraries in the remote communities. This time his focus is on obtaining new or gently used children's and teenage books to top up these libraries. Any surplus books will be provided to native communities elsewhere in Canada.

"I am proud that the OPP is once again opening its detachments as book collection sites and that the Canadian Forces, through the Land Force Central Area, the army in Ontario, have again offered their assistance and will help to deliver books. The addition of Toronto Police Services to this second book drive will ensure that residents of Canada's largest city will have ease of access as to where they can drop off books."

Since 2004 Bartleman has introduced four initiatives to promote aboriginal literacy: The Lieutenant Governor's Book Program; School Twinning Program; Summer Literacy Camps; and, Club Amick, a reading club for children in fly-in First Nation communities.