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Windspeaker News Briefs - June

Author

Compiled by Debora Steel

Volume

29

Issue

3

Year

2011

THE TREATY FOUR FIRST NATIONS
flag and the Metis flag will be flown at Regina City Hall, and not just for a special occasion. The installation of the two flags will be permanent. City council voted to spend $10,000 to establish two flag staffs in the courtyard in front of City Hall. The new flag poles will be going up in mid-July. Regina will be the first city in Canada to recognize First Nations and Metis people with the flags, which will join the Union Jack, Canadian flag, provincial flag and City of Regina flag. The Treaty Four and Metis flags will also be raised in council’s chambers.


THE 2014 NORTH AMERICAN INDIGENOUS
Games will be hosted in Regina. The announcement was made May 16. Regina had previously bid for the 2008 and 2011 NAIG, but lost out to the Cowichan Valley, B.C and Milwaukee, respectively. The U.S. host however backed out of this year’s games and they had to be cancelled. The Games includes 15 sports with athletes ranging in age between 15 and 19. Most of the venues will be in Regina. The facilities of the 2005 Canada Summer Games will be used for many events. The event has a budget of $10.35 million. The provincial government will contribute $3.5 million, as will Sport Canada. The City of Regina will chip in $1 million and will hire one full-time person to handle planning. Other funds will be raised through registration and other activities. The event could mean a $30-million payday for the local economy.


THE STATUS OF WOMEN CANADA
has funded a three-year project of the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) that builds on the Sisters in Spirit campaign that brought to light the situation of missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada. “Evidence to Action” will focus on raising awareness of the issue of violence against Aboriginal women and girls. It will promote education measures designed to assist Aboriginal women and girls to remain safe, and will provide access to tools and supports for women and their communities that address violence. NWAC will also assist families and communities to understand, prevent and respond to violence against Aboriginal women and girls. NWAC will also provide culturally-relevant training for police officers, educators, justice officials, frontline healthcare workers, social service providers and community leaders and any other members of Canadian society interested in stopping violence against Aboriginal women. “We are excited about the mandate to move from the evidence that we have generated to concrete action inspired by the vision and diligence of the five-year Sisters in Spirit initiative,” said Jeannette Corbiere Lavell, NWAC president.


THE FIRST NATIONS UNIVERSITY OF CANADA
Board of Governors has appointed Dr. Doyle Anderson as its next president. Anderson currently serves as executive director of the Indigenous Nations Institute and Director of the Native American Business Administration Program at Idaho State University. He will assume his duties on Aug. 2. Anderson completed his doctorate degree in interdisciplinary studies with a dual emphasis in First Nations business management and organizational analysis at the University of Saskatchewan. He completed the First Nations MBA Program at the University of Saskatchewan and holds a B.Sc. in environmental engineering from Montana Tech of the University of Montana. Dr. Anderson is a member of the Red Pheasant First Nation. He is the founder of the Indigenous Nations Institute and the Native American Business Administration Program at Idaho State University. Earlier in his career, he was assistant professor of Business and director of the Certificate in Indigenous Business Administration Program for the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College, Saskatoon Campus (now First Nations University of Canada).


THE LAW SOCIETY OF UPPER CANADA
will allow Lakehead University to open a law school in Thunder Bay that will give preference to northerners and First Nations students. It will be the first new law school in Ontario in more than 40 years if the provincial government approves the initiative. Ontario has about 42,000 lawyers, with about 300 who self-identified as Aboriginal, according to statistics from 2006.


THE ASSOCIATION OF IROQUOIS AND ALLIED INDIANS (AIAI)
say they continue to wait for Ontario to engage in a dialogue on the issues surrounding First Nations-made tobacco products. Bill 186, which would amend the Tobacco Tax Act to reduce contraband tobacco, continues in the Legislative Assembly, but does not address “the province’s refusal to recognize products of federally licensed First Nations tobacco manufacturers as ‘marked’ or legal, despite the fact that these firms are in compliance with strict health, safety and labelling requirements, and are inspected by federal officials on a regular basis,” reads a press release. “It is clear that the right to levy taxes and impose criminal records takes precedence over the rights of Aboriginal peoples in Ontario,” said Grand Chief Randal Phillips. “Despite the rhetoric of building partnerships, improving relations and working together to resolve issues, this new legislation will be the catalyst for continued conflict.”