Welcome to AMMSA.COM, the news archive website for our family of Indigenous news publications.
Launched in 1997. A news publication specifically designed for the Indigenous people of British Columbia and Yukon.
The Rick Hansen Foundation and the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) signed a protocol agreement on May 21 to officially recognize their commitment to work together to identify opportunities that will foster awareness and promote leadership and engagement in the areas of accessibility, inclusivity, health and wellness.
The signing took place in Vancouver near the end of the Rick Hansen 25th…
Three First Nations communities in the Interior of BC were put on evacuation alert after a large forest fire was reported near Pavilion Lake, 25 kilometres northeast of Lillooet, BC last month. While the blaze was quickly contained, fire officials say they are bracing for higher than expected number of fires in the area this summer.
Kevin Skrepnek, spokesperson for the Kamloops Fire…
The Cowichan Tribes on Vancouver Island declared a State of Emergency last month due to the high number of suicides, suicide attempts and threats carried out by band members.
But while Ottawa and British Columbia have promised immediate support, the community says long-term resources and strategic planning are needed to stop the ongoing crisis.
“We are calling on the minister of…
Gathering Wisdom V for a Shared Journey brought together BC chiefs, health directors, and provincial and federal partners from across the province May 15 to 17 to discuss the future of health for First Nations in the province.
As part of the conference was a vote for the First Nations Health Council’s safety video competition, short films submitted by young people from BC First Nations…
The Yinka Dene Alliance, a group of British Columbia First Nations that has used its laws to ban the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipelines and tankers in their territories, announced April 24 that it will embark on a “Freedom Train” journey beginning April 30. The goal is to protect their rights and their freedom from the threat of oil spills. The journey starts at Jasper in Alberta and…
A small storage, run-of-river hydro facility that will create economic opportunities and help a coastal First Nation get off diesel is one of 11 new projects supported by B.C.’s First Nations Clean Energy Business Fund. More than $610,000 will go to 11 First Nations communities across B.C. For the Gitga’at First Nation, equity funding of $250,000 will support construction and operation of…
On April 20, a new agreement was signed between BC and the Kwantlen First Nation that will bring forestry revenue back into the community. The Forest Consultation and Revenue Sharing Agreement (FCRSA) reflects ‘on the ground’ forestry activity in Kwantlen’s traditional territory, located in areas along the Fraser River and Stave River around Fort Langley, Maple Ridge and Mission. The agreement…
On April 18, an open letter was sent to Premier Christy Clark and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robinson from the Musqueam making it abundantly clear their position on a condo development that is going forward on an ancient village and midden site, which the Musqueam say has been continuously occupied since the time the first pyramids were built in Egypt. It is known today as the Marpole Midden, a…
Beat Nation is an exhibit at the Vancouver Art Gallery that features a variety of artists who juxtapose different visions of Aboriginal culture with urban youth and hip hop aesthetics.
The exhibit, which features more than 20 artists from different Aboriginal communities across North America, showcases a variety of artistic mediums including video, photography, audio, painting and…
Canada has officially recognized and honoured the Cowichan sweater and the knitters that make them, as well as Interior Salish basket making, designating them Aboriginal items of national historic significance.
Peter Kent, Canada’s minister of the Environment and minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced the commemorative designations on March 22, along with 11 other Aboriginal…
The Supreme Court of Canada has called on the British Columbia Court of Appeal to reconsider its finding that five First Nations on Vancouver Island have a right to sell fish harvested in their traditional territories.
In a decision that has even legal experts scratching their heads, the Supreme Court has ordered the lower court to review a decision in Ahousaht vs Canada rendered on May…
A rehabilitated eagle was released by Kim Relcalma-Clutsei, a member of the Qualicum Band, on Saturday, April 7.
Bird handler Julie Mackey who assisted Relcalma-Clutsei with the release said it was exciting and nerve wracking at the same time.
"You want everything to go perfect … and it always does," she said.
The eagle was taken to the North Island Wildlife Recovery…
The Industry Council for Aboriginal Business (ICAB)
launched the BC Aboriginal Business Association (BCABA) in February in Prince George to foster capacity for British Columbia’s Aboriginal business owners and entrepreneurs. “The Aboriginal business owner and entrepreneur sector is growing at five times the rate of self-employed Canadians overall, but one of the challenges individuals…
K’omoks Nation on Vancouver Island has reached the agreement-in-principle phase of treaty negotiations, signing the document on March 24. The deal could see $17.5 million in cash and more than 2,000 hectares of land transferred to the nation if the final hurdles in the treaty process are jumped. While an important milestone, the agreement in principle is still a long way from a treaty being a…
After a review and consultation process,
British Columbia has approved the controversial Jumbo Glacier Resort Master Development Agreement, which gives the go-ahead to build North America’s only year-round glacier-based ski resort, despite opposition from the Ktunaxa First Nation, which regards the area as a sacred valley and off-limits for any kind of development. The resort will be…