Categories: Canada

Can Holmes fix native reserves?

HGTV’s Holmes on Homes recently joined forces with the Assembly of First Nations and will oversee an initiative aimed at building sustainable homes on reserves

by Jane Switzer on Thursday, August 12, 2010 1:40pm - 0 Comments

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Mike Holmes, the most famous handyman in the land, has accepted a rather ambitious project: to improve the lives of people in First Nations communities. The 47-year-old host of HGTV’s Holmes on Homes recently joined forces with the Assembly of First Nations and will oversee an initiative aimed at building sustainable homes on reserves. “We’re going to make sure,” he says, “that all the products we use are mould-free, water-resistant, termite-resistant.”

To start, Holmes plans to select an Ontario community in the next month for the pilot project.

It will be modelled after Wind Walk, a “Holmes Community” with 450 eco-friendly and sustainable houses currently under development near Okotoks, Alta. Since one of the challenges facing First Nations communities is an understanding of proper building practices, Holmes says, a First Nation Centre For Excellence will also be created. There, members of the community will be taught eco-friendly building skills. And though his team will oversee the effort, Holmes wants to include as many locals as possible in the building process.

Many of the details still have to be hammered out. But Holmes, who partnered with actor Brad Pitt’s Make It Right foundation in 2008 to rebuild a home in New Orleans, destroyed by hurricane Katrina, for a woman raising her six grandchildren, says, “If it was 50 homes being built, our target date [for completion] would be one year.” The funding for the pilot, as well as future projects, will come entirely from the First Nations communities. “Certain bands and certain areas have been putting money aside for restructuring,” he says. The ultimate goal: to provide those in First Nations communities with the tools to rebuild. “I don’t mean a hammer, a level and a square,” he says. “I mean an education system so they can do it themselves.”

Tags: eco-friendly, first nations, HGTV, Holmes on Homes, Mike Holmes, ontario, sustainable housing

JBr

It's amazing people can find ridiculous things to say about anything. It shows some people are hard wired to opportunism's whisper for 0.15 seconds of fame on www2.macleans.ca.
http://www.cfne.org cfnebear

it really begs the question, why didn't Indian and Northern Affairs hire Mike
with the native community ! uh … duh!
because the government thought they could do a better job without him?
because a bunch of computer operating office worker bureaucrats can solve the problems better
than a true working professional who actually does real work?
give me a break
have a look at the reality
the state of some of these neglected government assisted native projects
are worse than some third world countries!
this also shows a good attempt to work with the native community
as opposed to simply dictating what to do
Indian and Northern Affairs should be truly ashamed
can't wait to see the show
and don't worry no one at Indian and Northern Affairs will be fired , they will simply just get another desk
kudos to Mike and to co-operation and helping

Sherl

I agree with CINEBEAR, about Indian and Northern Affairs neglecting ALL North American Native Communities. I am a member of the Tobique First Nation, (AKA, Maliseet Territory) in New Brunswick. Housing is such a needed commodity on all First Nation's Communities. There does not seem to be a way out of this crisis that we suffer from overcrowded homes and is not a very healthy way to live no matter what creed, race or color, but we are concerned for our children and our elderly members. We can never receive help because Indian and Northern Affairs is being greedy with our money and is stealing at a rate of 2,000,000.00 per year and we are constantly being judged by them for a few bad apples that exist in that proverbial bottom of the barrel.

I for one would like to see our communities begin to thrive. Although we are living in the twenty first century, we are still being treated as what we have always been called "Savages". In our communities, there are many Native People who are educated. Many have doctorates under their belts, diplomas hiding in our houses and not being utilized because of the "D" word-DISCRIMINATION, which was instigated by the GOVERNMENTS.

I would like to see a professional such as MIKE HOLMES teach the members of our community "To Make It Right". We need and deserve beautiful homes, also. Right now, we are putting up with Half-Assed carpentry and we have to deal with mold problems, leaking roofs, crooked walls, crooked windows, outdated materials in our homes. What do you say about stupidity like that? Where is the TLC?

Sherl

Paul Cole

First nations people need better homes and to clean up their own act. We live 500m from a band in Western Canada has many good homes around it. First nations punks break in homes, steal property, commit vandalism, drunken brawls, drug dealings, etc. while their band office does nothing. The RCMP are spineless and morally bankrupt to go in and proactively and reactively police these people because of scarred histories between the cops and them. More than 250 calls in 2009 were attributed to 911 eemergencies to this local band and most of them were not ambulance or fire assistance. That's embarrassing…..

Our morons in government rather give billions to terrorist countries or other whiners like Africa, Pakistan, Peru or others. They are walking a traitorous path in betraying needy Canadians including first nations. Help Canadians first, Mr. Harper instead of reducing us to a third world nation.
Toni

The one thing that confuses me is how so many negative thoughts could be applied to such a good thing…does the title really matter that much? It is what your own mind makes it out to be..I, like so many others, have never believed Mike Holmes could do what he does for free..He gets paid and gets publicity..and look how he uses those resources..He gives it back to so many..and yet we are so comsumed with the policital that we can take a good deed for what it is..I feel very sorry for all of you people reguardless of your color..The ignorance displayed here is appauling to me..You all sound like you are so full of hate you could never be greatful for anything. And if your so ignorant that a good deed has to be picked apart and compared to sainthood all i can say it..GROW UP..i have to picture some of these comments as a 5 year old at the computer..i can't believe there are adults out there that still generalize and entire race of people on a few they have drove past..maybe you should try looking at the positive more often..I promise your life will bcome a much happier place if you do…so sad

guest

Well said Toni….my family and I used to visit the reserve near us on a regular basis. There are some beautiful homes there and you can see the pride these people take in them, then there are some that are not very nice….but you know, that can be said about any community. It's funny how some people are so quick to judge others. I've met some really great people on the one near me. One day,when my truck broke down, the only people who stopped to make sure we were okay and who offered to help, were the people who lived there, everyone else just drove past us. We were even offered a warm place to wait for the tow truck. I think it's great that Mike wants to help and I applaud him.

Mary Lou LaBillois

Mike you are amazing any chance I get I watch your episodes on TV. Every time i view an episode I dream and wish that you can offer our first nations people some hard core education of carpentry because we so need it. I live on a first nation community in northern new brunswick and recently my home was flooded due to a storm surge. When the high tides and wind stopped I had about 18 inches of water in the finished basement. While removing the damaged contents including flooring, walls, etc. questions surfaced about the structure of the home. The foundation was cracked, mold was extensive, it was just improper workmanship. My home was build 22 years ago and back then their were no experienced carpenters. The experience was very traumatic and as a result of the storm I would like to relocate my home to higher grounds. Can you help my First Nations Communiuty? I'm proud to say the government has approved funding for relocation but I am sceptical about one kind of skilled carpenters I will get. Everything about my home is so wrong, I should not be able to hear the windows and doors whisling and I should be kept warm while indoors.
saskboy

I look forward to seeing the light he shines on the neglected homes that Canadians pledged to fund.
J Braun

I look forward to "neglected Canadians" pledging to fund their own home's lights.