Bridging gaps between aboriginal and non-aboriginal groups, and dispelling myths of mental illnesses, are two of James Bartleman’s biggest focuses during his tenure as Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario.
He discussed his experiences with both during his visit to Rainy River District last Wednesday as part of his week-long tour of Northwestern Ontario.
“One of my priorities as Lt.-Gov. is promoting good relations between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people,” Bartleman said to the more than 50 people gathered at a public reception at La Place Rendez-Vous here last Wednesday night.
Bartleman, who was sworn in Ontario’s 27th Lt.-Gov. back in March, is a member of the Mnjikaning First Nation. But because his mother was aboriginal and his father white, he admitted he was trapped between cultures for a time.
“I felt I was not a member of the white community or the aboriginal community,” he explained.
From his own experiences, Bartleman said it is important to embrace both heritages.
“You have to be proud of your roots, proud of your aboriginal roots and your white roots, and be sustained by the best of both worlds,” he urged the crowd made up of both aboriginal and non-aboriginal people.
As part of this tour, Bartleman also was exposing his youngest son, Alain, to some of his aboriginal heritage.
The 12-year-old accompanied his father to many sites, including the Seven Generations Educational Institute here and the Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre (Manitou Mounds) last Wednesday.
“Children, offspring of mixed marriages between Indian and white people, Swedes and Poles. . . . This is the future, people with links to all these worlds,” Bartleman continued later at the reception.
“We have to be proud of how we live and our roots so we can break down the elements of mistrust between these groups,” he stressed.
In addition to embracing the cultural heritage of all Ontarians, Bartleman’s message also included discussing the realities of mental illness, which became a part of his life while he was high commissioner in South Africa.
“I was badly beaten up,” he recounted. And as a result of the attack, Bartleman said he entered a very severe depression.
“Everyone has sad points in their life but depression is very different,” he continued as the room grew quiet.
“I bored my staff talking about the incident and was so depressed that the government moved me so I could bore the staff at another post.”
Writing a book, therapy, and pharmaceutical help all assisted Bartleman in coping with his depression—and now he wants to help others.
He urged people with depression to seek help and to talk about their experiences instead of sinking to a desperate point where they are contemplating things such as suicide.
Bartleman added people with mental illness are not alone.
“This is a great taboo subject,” he admitted. “People won’t talk about it yet 25 percent of the population suffer from it from one time to another.”
As for Rainy River District, of which his tour also included a tea and stop at the refurbished #4008 steam engine in Rainy River on Wednesday afternoon and a private dinner at the Rendez-Vous before the public reception, Bartleman had nothing but good things to say.
“I was raised listening to CBC and hearing the weather from Fort Frances . . . and I always wanted to go to where CBC was always reporting that weather forecast.
“I’m 62 years of age and finally I’ve achieved my dream,” he quipped.
Bartleman also visited Pickle Lake, Kenora, Quetico Provincial Park, and Manitoulin Island during his trip to Northwestern Ontario last week.
“This is just as beautiful as Lake Couchiching in Orillia,” he said, gazing out the window of La Place Rendez-Vous onto Sand Bay.
“The real Couchiching,” he joked.