Alberta Sweetgrass

Race, gender and sexual violence were emphasized at this year’s fourth annual Slut Walk in Edmonton.

The walk focused heavily on Canada’s missing and murdered Aboriginal women because a demographic “that has a significantly higher chance of being sexually assaulted and murdered are First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit women,” said emcee Raine Northumberland. “If you haven’t heard of the…

A familiar face is missing these days at the Alberta Children’s Services office in Slave Lake.

Sophia Cardinal, a popular receptionist at the facility for the past 28 years, retired earlier this year.

Cardinal, however, did much more than clerical work at the office.
The 60-year-old, a member of the Bigstone Cree Nation, often put clients at ease as it was welcoming for them…

A year after flood waters caused severe damage on the Siksika and Stony Nakoda First Nations, the Canadian Red Cross continues its work in the recovery phase.

“Immediately after the flood, we had teams of staff and volunteers to Siksika and Stoney First Nations, primarily focused on supporting the flood and evacuation centres as per invitation by the Nations themselves,” said…

The next time an Aboriginal person is involved in a serious police incident, the agency that investigates such occurrences could include two Aboriginal team members.

A series of officer-involved shootings in August 2013 of Indigenous men – two of which were fatal – and successive meetings between Alberta Serious Incident Response Team Executive Director Clifton Purvis and Alberta…

Evelyn Simpson and Gina Degerness stood together, holding each other and crying.  They share something no mother wants to share:  their sons are missing.  Evelyn’s son Jason Freedom Adam went missing from Edmonton on Oct. 21, 2007. 
Degerness’ son Lucas Degerness disappeared from Prince George, BC, on June 7, 2007.

The women were among the two dozen or so people who gathered on…

For Sarah Stephens and Jasmine Dionne being
recipients of this year’s Belcourt Brosseau Métis Award will make a difference.

“These awards have provided an opportunity
to focus and concentrate more on my studies, which has allowed me to achieve a
3.9 GPA. More time has equated to becoming a stronger nurse practitioner and
educate about cultural safety in the…

The University of Lethbridge has received a $400,000 gift in support of First Nations’ initiatives. The money, given by TD Bank Group, will be used to enhance educational experiences for Blackfoot and other First Nations, Métis and Inuit students. The funding will support the already established First Nations’ Transition Program and the creation of a First Nations’ Gathering Centre on the U of…

On May 22, the Alberta government unveiled the Alberta Environmental Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Agency, which is responsible for monitoring provincial air and water quality and ambient monitoring of biodiversity, previously managed by Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development. It is also leading the province’s involvement in the Joint Oil Sands Monitoring project with…

The last First Nation band involved in the Canada-Alberta Joint Oil Sands Monitoring program has officially pulled out. Fort McMurray First Nation Chief Ron Kreutzer says it was a difficult decision, but that the First Nation felt excluded and frustrated. Past members include the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Mikisew Cree First Nation, the Fort McKay First Nation, and the Chipewyan Prairie…

Thomas Lukaszuk and Ric McIver have joined Jim Prentice in seeking to become the next leader of the Alberta Progressive Conservatives. Both Lukaszuk and McIver held positions as cabinet ministers under former Premier Alison Redford. Lukaszuk was also Deputy Premier. Redford resigned her position as premier on March 23 amidst controversy of reckless spending. She remained as the MLA for Calgary…

Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health has issued a food consumption advisory for gull and tern eggs for Lake Athabasca and Mamawi Lake. The advisory followed a human health risk assessment conducted by Alberta Health in November 2013. The assessment was as the result of research undertaken by the Joint Oil Sand Monitoring program in 2012, which expressed concern regarding mercury levels.…

An investigative review released by the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate in early May indicated that lack of information sharing led to the death of a 14-day old Aboriginal baby, who, at the time, was receiving services from the provincial government. “The circumstances around this infant’s death are both tragic and troubling,” said Advocate Del Graff, in a news release. “What is…

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was the keynote speaker at the As Long as the Rivers Flow: Coming Back to the Treaty Relationship in Our Time conference held in Fort McMurray, May 31-June 1. The event was sponsored by the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and the law firm of Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP. “We are proud to host a moral leader like Archbishop Tutu, who has done such important work for his…

Federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau (third from right) with Fort McMurray-Athabasca candidate Kyle Harrietha (second from right) and members of the Sucker Creek First Nation.

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau joined Fort McMurray-Athabasca candidate Kyle Harrietha, who kicked off his campaign mid-May. Harrietha is a resident of Fort McMurray and serves as the general manager of Fort…

In 2013, 40 people died on the streets of Edmonton. Their lives were commemorated in the ninth annual Edmonton Homeless Memorial held on May 23.

“We provide the people of the community with the opportunity to celebrate, grieve, and remember those people,” said John Acheson, a trustee with the Catholic School Board and MC of the event for a number of years. He is also chair of the…