Alberta Sweetgrass

A report by the Parkland Institute says if Alberta considers expanding water markets it will disadvantage First Nations communities. Jeremy Schmidt, author of Alternative Water Futures in Alberta, said expansion of water markets will also harm the environment and restrict the public’s access to water. Schmidt said the province needs a more flexible plan that can respond to future uncertainties…

The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and Mikisew Cree First Nation joined environmental groups in submitting comments to the Joint Review Panel considering the adequacy of Shell’s proposed Jackpine mine expansion application and Environmental Impact Assessment. Closing date for submissions was mid-December 2011. Once the panel is satisfied information is adequate it will announce details of…

Led by NorQuest College, the Collaborative Delivery of Foundational Learning for Rural Learners project will identify the learning needs of adult learners within NorQuest’s stewardship region to better prepare them for post-secondary education or employment opportunities in their communities. The project will offer four content streams targeted to rural learning needs. Pre-high school…

Stoney, Siksika, Kehewin and Frog Lake First Nations are moving from paper-based immunization records to a digital database. The Community Health and Immunization Program is a centralized, easy-to-track system for recording vaccinations electronically. It aims to become the first program in Alberta to seamlessly communicate with the provincial health registry, creating a complete record of a…

Diane Camponi, Tiffany Johnson, Vanessa Peigan, Cassie Big Sorrel Horse, and Leslie Iron Shirt, all of Alberta, are among 24 Aboriginal youth to receive $1,000 each through Canada Post’s 2011 Aboriginal Education Incentive Awards. Since 2004, the Aboriginal Education Incentive Awards have been celebrating the hard work of those who have embraced a renewed pursuit of learning. Applicants must…

Twenty-six youth were recently recognized through the ATCO Pipelines Aboriginal Education Awards Program, with ceremonies held in Edmonton and Calgary. The ATCO program is aimed at supporting Aboriginal students from Aboriginal communities near ATCO facilities. These awards, bursaries and scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate leadership capabilities and strive to be role models…

The first round of community hearings for the Northern Gateway Pipeline are taking place in Edmonton for six days beginning Jan. 24. Most of the interveners giving evidence in the first round, which ends in March, will be First Nations and Métis organizations. A second round, lasting until July, will hear from a wide variety of people. Interveners will have a chance to cross-examine Enbridge…

Two of the 10 newest recipients of the RBC’s 2011 Aboriginal Student Awards are from Alberta.

“It was an honour to find out that I had won,” said Henry Heavy Shield, of the Kainai First Nation. “When I received the call, I was told that there were hundreds of applicants and only around 10 scholarship winners. Also, as a student, especially a student living in Vancouver, it’s a really…

Thanks to a recent focus group meeting, officials with KidSport Alberta have a better understanding on how to improve their Aboriginal Sport Initiative.

A similar focus group staged in 2009 resulted in the ASI being launched in 2010.

This initiative focuses on creating sport opportunities for Aboriginal youth as well as increasing awareness of the KidSport Alberta program in…

Results are in from a country-wide contest among First Nations students in grades four and five and show that mathematics is fun at Miyo Wahkohtowin elementary school on the Ermineskin First Nation in Hobbema.

Grade five students Amarae Young and Daidrien Buffalo placed second and third, respectively, in the Wiseman Mathematics contest which has participants from First Nations in six…

Whenever members of the Circle for Aboriginal Relations meet, they network and share knowledge as a key to creating a broad understanding of different perspectives. The non-profit group, which has been in existence since 2004, consists of professionals from diverse backgrounds who work within Aboriginal communities.

Sandy Sanderson is director of Aboriginal relations with the group and…

It took him awhile but Vernon Watchmaker can finally boast that he has graduated from university.

Watchmaker, a 35-year-old father of seven, received his Native Studies degree from the University of Alberta at the mid-November convocation.

 “It’s something I always wanted to do since high school,” said Watchmaker, who was born and raised on the Kehewin Cree Nation. “And I’m…

Jesse Scott is rather keen to ice an Aboriginal girls hockey squad that will represent Alberta in some prestigious tournaments.

But Scott, who will be the head coach of the club, has a difficult task ahead of him to convince players and their parents, and perhaps more importantly, sponsors to buy into his program.

Scott, who lives in Calgary, wants to enter an Alberta-based First…

Money and time are preventing officials with the Alberta Spay Neuter Task Force from doing even more work in First Nation communities across the province.

Since 2008, the group has travelled to various Aboriginal communities where they have worked with residents to control their pet overpopulations.

Besides spaying or neutering cats and dogs, officials with the ASNTF can…

A look back at the year that was 2011

The past year was one of taking action and being noticed.  This past year marked one of accomplishments for Aboriginal people in Alberta.  Whether through protests by membership, court action led by leadership or demonstrations that saw leadership and membership combined, Aboriginal people clearly left the message that they would…