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Community focused with a grassroots appeal. Established in 1993 to serve the needs of the Indigenous people of Alberta.
Onion Lake Cree Nation filed a statement of claim Nov. 26 in federal court challenging the Harper government’s requirement that First Nations make public their financial information. “We decided enough is enough,” said OLCN Chief Wallace Fox, at a news conference in Edmonton. “The mischaracterization of the monies owed to Indians as taxpayers’ money has led to racism against my people. We did…
The recognition keeps coming for Elder Elsie Yanik, who also received her honourary doctor of laws degree from the University of Alberta earlier this year.
Four of the 14 outstanding Indigenous Canadians announced as recipients of the 2015 Indspire Awards are from Alberta. Earning the Lifetime Achievement award was Métis Elsie Yanik. Métis Ron E. Scott took the Arts…
“It was a tiny little room, and it went about 30 feet in. It was just in the corner where these old, old pipes were… They said that’s where the kids were abused.”
Owen Morris, a teacher from Frog Lake First Nation, described a room he saw on a recent tour of the Blue Quills College in St. Paul. Blue Quills, a functioning college today, operated as a residential school between 1931 and…
In November, the RCMP made a recruitment stop on O’Chiese First Nation. It was one of a number of community career presentations geared towards Aboriginal communities as part of the Alberta RCMP’s latest recruitment blitz.
“The RCMP has deemed it a priority to recruit quality applicants from a wide range of backgrounds, to better reflect our Canadian population,” said spokesman Const…
Kikino Métis Settlement understands the importance of the Aboriginal Head Start program.
Between 1964 and 1970 when Kikino students were bussed to Lac La Biche, only two students graduated. In 1989, the community re-opened its school and a few years later, the Aboriginal Head Start program came to the community.
“When we brought in Head Start, there were 15 students in the…
Perhaps it was a longshot wish.
But for Mikki Adams, a coach of an Inuit girls hockey team from Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, a request she initiated ended up with a considerably different outcome thanks in large part to arguably the best women’s hockey player in the world.
Earlier this year Adams sent an email to Hayley Wickenheiser asking the Canadian hockey star to come to Nunavut…
Gary Moostoos, respected Elder and social worker with Boyle Street Community Services, says an apology needs action in order to be accepted.
“I have always been taught that in order to apologize to someone you have to make amends first. ‘I’m sorry’ is very, very easily said, but in my culture when someone does something wrong to someone else they need to regain the respect and trust…
“I feel honoured and humbled,” said Kevin McNichol, former executive director of HomeFront Calgary, who was recently recognized for his many years of work in domestic violence. “I’m humbled because I’m aware that the award is not just for me. There are a lot of people with big vision dealing with domestic violence in our community.”
Established in 2012 by the Alberta government, the…
Continuation of funding for band constables was on the agenda when provincial and territorial justice ministers met with the federal government in Banff in mid-October. Funding for the program expires March 31, 2015. Federal Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney said the program fell short of its goals and money will be reallocated into the First Nations Policing Program. The 45-year-old…
Blood Tribe Housing has engaged ATCO Sustainable Communities to support the re-opening of a 20,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility, owned and operated by the Blood Tribe to build housing for community members. ATCO will provide management and operations support to complete 24 townhouses for the community by March 2015. This initiative follows the successful completion of the Saipoyi…
Alberta Auditor General Merwan Saher singled out the joint Canada–Alberta plan for oil sands monitoring when he stated a need for “improved results analysis reporting.” Says The Report of the Auditor General of Alberta – October 2014 about the oil sands monitoring program, “The plan describes projects the two governments agreed to carry out over three years starting in 2012. The…
Saddle Lake Cree Nation has been joined by Hupcasasath First Nation in sending letters to the Premier of China condemning the Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement. Saddle Lake Chief Leonard Jackson concludes his letter by stating, “Finally, this agreement faces extreme opposition by Indigenous Nations of these lands, and many Canadians alike; therefore The Peoples…
The need to strengthen relationships with Aboriginal people was among the topics discussed when Premier Jim Prentice met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper for the first time. Prentice holds the portfolio of Aboriginal Relations in his Cabinet. The two leaders also focused on Alberta’s economy, energy and the need for skilled labour in the province, according to a news release. The meeting…
Sgt. James Bennett, of the Blood Tribe Police Service, was named as one of two recipients of the Police of the Year Award, handed out by the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association in Quebec on Oct. 21. Bennett has been a member of the BTPS since 2009. His community work includes involvement in the Kainai Headdress Society, Kainai Pow Wow, Army Cadets, the Special Olympics Torch Run and he…
Horse Lake is one of many First Nations that are benefitting from the distribution of free sports equipment from an Edmonton-based organization.
The Horse Lake First Nation received hockey equipment valued at more than $100,000 on Oct. 8 thanks to a partnership with Sport Central.
Sport Central, a volunteer-run organization that has been around for 23 years, has primarily helped…