Welcome to AMMSA.COM, the news archive website for our family of Indigenous news publications.
Established in 1983 to serve the needs of northern Alberta, Windspeaker became a national newspaper on its 10th anniversary in 1993.
In the recently tabled federal budget, the government has committed to look more closely at private property ownership of reserve lands, claiming it is the only way First Nations can achieve their full economic development potential.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” said Robert Louie, chair of the First Nations Land Advisory Board and chief of Westbank First Nation.
“All of the work…
First Nations in Eastern Canada have won a court injunction against the federal government preventing a plan to impose on-reserve social assistance cuts.
Ottawa had planned to impose a welfare program that would harmonize First Nations social assistance with that of the rest of the eastern provinces beginning April 1.
But on March 30, Federal Court Judge Sandra Simpson issued an…
A major victory was won on April 18 when a federal court ruled that the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal failed to give a thorough airing to the issue of discrimination in federal funding to child welfare services on reserve. The court has ordered a new hearing on the issue. The tribunal had dismissed a case, filed by Cindy Blackstock of the First Nations and Family Caring Society and the…
The dunnvillechronicle.com reports that
community officials in Haldimand County, Ont. were so concerned about a rally scheduled to mark the sixth anniversary of the OPP raid on Douglas Creek Estates that they met hoping to put restrictions on rally organizers. Haldimand Mayor Ken Hewitt wanted a discussion on imposing an injunction on organizers of the Peace, Respect and Friendship in…
The number of former residential school students claiming compensation through the Independent Assessment Process for physical, sexual and emotional abuse is forecast to be more than two times higher than originally predicted.
With an increase of applications expected from now until the deadline date of Sept. 19, it is believed that close to 30,000 former students will have submitted…
“It’s one thing for governments to be able to close our doors, but they can’t close our minds,” said Satsan Herb George, executive director for the National Centre for First Nations Governance.
Almost two weeks after the federal budget was brought down, George received word from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada that funding for the centre had been cut. The organization…
Dear Editor:
We are at a tipping point in the progression of human history and are now making the final decisions that will lead to the slow suicide of our species or its salvation. For too long we have walked heavily on this earth and our massive footprint can now be seen from space.
We have accomplished wonders and committed atrocities. We have built monuments to our greatness…
It seems to us that the Aboriginal Affairs ship being captained currently by MP John Duncan has been set adrift by its political master, Prime Minister Stephen Harper. It’s not only just off course; there seems to be no course charted at all, and that’s a disgrace after all this time. Aboriginal Affairs is just a cork bobbing in high seas, aimless, directionless, hopeless, hapless and of no…
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Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo is not as critical as his regional counterparts of the federal budget that was brought down on March 29.
“It leaves room for hope,” said Atleo, although he admits that the budget – toted to hold more First Nations-specific initiatives than any other Conservative budget – isn’t everything asked for…
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The federal budget tabled March 29 committed $275 million to First Nations elementary and secondary education over three years. But that figures falls well short of the $500 million the Assembly of First Nations said is required to bring on-reserve learning up to par with provincial schools.
“(The government) made a commitment at the Crown gathering…
March 31 - Globe and Mail
A surprising victory was won Saturday night in an Ottawa boxing ring when MP Justin Trudeau beat his opponent Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau.
By most accounts Senator Brazeau was favoured to win the bout.
But although Brazeau came out strong in the first round of the Olympic-style match on Saturday, he appeared to tire quickly. By the second…
Right from the start, Brendt Thomas Diabo doubted his pursuit of a solo music career. It was April 2011, and he had just started recording songs for his solo music project called Thomas Doubting.
It wasn’t that he lacked the musical talent – he has plenty – or that he suffers from stage fright. It’s just that, as Diabo puts it, it is simply in his nature to doubt. Hence the name,…
A State of Emergency was declared in two Ontario First Nations as the annual ice break up on the Albany River threated flooding. Kasheshewan and Fort Albany First Nations began an evacuation of “vulnerable residents” on March 24. Some 300 residents were expected to be taken out of the communities to Kapuskasing or Wawa, but the emergency abated by March 26 and the evacuation was suspended.…
CBC News reports that two First Nations men from northern Manitoba are exempt from paying taxes on income earned from fishing. In the Court of Appeals, Revenue Canada argued the fishing income should be taxed because it was garnered off reserve. But the court upheld the original 2009 decision that said the
Norway House members were exempt even though the fish weren’t caught on reserve.…
The Regina Leader-Post reports that the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations is not pleased with the province’s budget, saying the organization is disappointed that there wasn’t more in it for First Nations youth. Vice-President Morley Watson told the paper that the FSIN wanted investments that would have trained up the young labor force and prepare them for work. There was also no word…