Alberta Sweetgrass

Grizzly Oil Sands ULC, Grizzly Oil Sands Inc., Ulliac Oilfield Consultants Ltd., and Jason Ulliac have been charged under Alberta’s Water Act for work undertaken on three oil sands exploration projects between December 2010 and March 2011 near Fort McMurray. These projects required the use of an approved amount of surface water to freeze access roads and to…

The results of a public inquiry into the Aug. 27, 2009, death of Raymond Charles Yellowknee, 37, incarcerated at the Edmonton Institution, have been released. Yellowknee hanged himself using a belt looped through an exposed conduit. The investigation determined that leading up to his suicide, Yellowknee had been assaulted by two inmates and following that incident had been threatened. After…

First Nations leaders across the province have expressed opposition to the passage of Bill C-45, which occurred Dec. 14. Along with numerous Idle No More rallies and roadblocks held throughout the month of December and across the province, statements were issued by the leaders. Referring to the bill as an “undemocratic and racist piece of legislation,” Athabasca Chipewyan…

A four-month internship in Africa has convinced Ashley Dennehy that she can continue to do valuable work in her own community.
Dennehy, a 23-year-old from the Samson Cree First Nation, was one of 10 Aboriginals who took part in a pilot project in Africa organized by the Canadian International Developmental Agency. CIDA supports sustainable development activities which are aimed at…

Despite recommendations from the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate, the number of Aboriginal children in care continues to increase.

“That we made a recommendation last year for government to take action in partnership with Aboriginal people to start to change that trend and recognizing that the government has spoken and there has been a number of discussions ongoing that in fact…

Aboriginal Elders hold prominent, vital and respected roles in their communities — positions that are bestowed on a select few.
This is why a local Elder is concerned with an apparent trend he has seen taking shape in Edmonton.

Jerry Wood, an Elder in Residence, educator and cultural facilitator at Grant McEwan University, says he is commonly encountering people of non-Aboriginal…

Beating an alpaca skin drum with a Peruvian Elder, learning how to build and cook traditional food in an earth stove, and tasting guinea pig were just a few of the experiences Chance Roasting of Hobbema had on a 10-day trip to Peru.

Roasting, who was attending school at Tsuu T’ina, was one of five outstanding youth from Calgary and Edmonton area nominated by their schools to participate…

Michelle Thrush has been recognized once more – this time as an Aboriginal Role Model.

The Calgary-born Cree actress has met with success in films and television, such as Northern Exposure, North of 60, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee and Highlander, and has 25 years of experience in the arts industry. In 2011 she was awarded a Gemini for best performance in a continuing leading dramatic…

Tân’si, kitatamiskâkowâw awa nehiyaw iskwew Dorothy Thunder ehisiyihkâsot Little Pine First Nation, Saskatchewan ohci. Metoni nanâskomew onekihikom‚wa epekiskinohamâkot nehiyaw pimâtisiwin. 

 [Hello and how are you? You are all greeted by this Plains Cree woman Dorothy Thunder from Little Pine First Nation, Sask. She is very thankful to her parents for teaching her the Cree way of life…

The gift of a large brown rock and an urge to skip a night class became the turning point that changed Jason Carter’s life. It was the night his inner sculptor emerged.

 “One night, I had to go to a class and was looking for a reason to skip,” he recalls. “I picked up the rock, scraped at it, took it onto the deck and used the tools I had – a screwdriver and a wrench – and I turned it…

Aboriginal youth across the province are discussing the challenges they face when transitioning out of government care services — information that will form the basis of a report brought to the legislature in the New Year.

The Office of the Child and Youth Advocate, an independent Office of the Legislature, launched 15 focus group consultations in October and November in urban, rural…

Two southern Alberta First Nations are using provincial government money gleaned from the Civil Forfeiture Fund to fight gang activity.

The Stoney Nation received $135,000 for its Youth Engagement Strategy in Morley and its satellite community of Eden Valley, while the Kainai Family Early Intervention program at Standoff also received $138,000 for it Eagle Eyes Program.

“Gangs…

An Inuit beneficiary card is not sufficient identification for a young Inuk boy from Kuujjuaq, Quebec, who now lives in Alberta, to obtain a provincial fishing licence.

“I have been inquiring about a domestic fishing licence from Fish and Wildlife for my son, and have been given quite the run around,” said Helene Paul.

Paul began pursuing the fishing license for her son Michel,…

Even though the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation says the federal government’s caribou recovery plan has not addressed all concerns, neither the ACFN nor the handful of other First Nations that forced the government’s hand on protecting the woodland caribou will be pursuing further legal action on that plan at this point.

In October, the federal government released its Boreal Woodland…

Students, faculty and staff from Bow Valley College’s Aboriginal Addictions Services Counselling certificate program gather for the 15th annual Wellness Walk, which launched National Addictions Awareness Week.

National Addictions Awareness Week marked

 “For our students the Wellness Walk is more than a symbolic gesture,” said Dr. Bill DuPerron, dean of the School…