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.
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Mike Martelle has won national martial arts championships in the past, but his most recent title has added significance. That's because the Mohawk Native was able to capture a Canadian title with his very first martial arts instructor, Kwok Chang, in attendance.
Martelle participated in this year's Canadian tai chi and kung fu championships held in Markham, Ont. in…
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PRO BONO
Dear Tuma:
A couple of weeks ago, our chief was sick and asked me to attend a meeting as his proxy. I went and after the meeting the secretary came up and gave me a cheque. I asked what the money was for and she told me that it was an honorarium. I'm not sure what to do with the cheque. Should I keep it? Should I give it to the band? Tell me what to do.…
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NASIVVIK
One has to take pause to appreciate the sheer amount of work and preparation that must have gone into pulling off the First Ministers' Meeting (FMM) on Aboriginal issues, held Nov. 24 and 25 in Kelowna, B.C. The dynamics of securing commitments from the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to deal tangibly with Aboriginal issues is a supreme…
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THE URBANE INDIAN
Just the other day I had an uncomfortable demonstration of two different types of stupidity demonstrated by two different types of men. Unfortunately, I was one of them.
It didn't happen recently. In fact it happened several years back, but it was only a few days ago I found out about it. And it's left me feeling... I guess odd would be the best…
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JUST A PRETTY FACE ... What do the words articulate, eloquent, polished and professional all have in common? They are all words that would not be used to describe Adam Beach's presentation performance at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards in Toronto on Nov. 25. Beach (Smoke Signals, Windtalkers) accompanied Much More Music's Richard Cazeau (The Loop) onto the stage of the John…
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The north wind blew into Toronto on Nov. 25, and riding in on a gust was a huge talent called Tagaq. The Inuit throat-singer took to the stage during the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and took the audience's breath away with an aggressive performance of her contemporary take on the traditional women's vocal game.
A standing ovation greeted the performance, but she…
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If you think the international powwow and the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards gala are the only activities worth talking about during Canadian Aboriginal Week in Toronto, you've got another think coming. In recent years, people involved in a variety of industries have taken advantage of the huge draw of festival week setting the time aside to hold gatherings of all sorts.
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Starlight Tour: The Last, Lonely Night of Neil Stonechild
By Susanne Reber and Robert Renaud
Random House Canada,
427 pages, $35 (hc)
On Nov. 29, 1990, Cree teenager Neil Stonechild was found frozen to death in a field in an industrial area outside Saskatoon. Fourteen years later, a public inquiry would find clear evidence that Saskatoon police had…
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Accusations in the House catch up with MP
By Paul Barnsley, Windspeaker Staff Writer, Ottawa
Those who follow the goings-on in the House of Commons knew that a storm was brewing when Ted Quewezance took his place in front of the microphone and patiently waited for Jim Prentice, Conservative Party of Canada Indian Affairs critic, to finish his presentation to the…
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It will be close to one year before most of the compensation money that will be paid to survivors of residential schools will be distributed, but those over 65 years of age will receive payment much earlier.
"There will be an early payment to the elderly, meaning in this case 65 and over, in a matter of weeks," said Phil Fontaine, National Chief of the Assembly of First…
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Over and over again in Ottawa in early December, the message was "get out and vote."
With close to $9 billion worth of commitments-when you combine the figures from the residential school compensation agreement and the promises made during the First Ministers' Meeting (FMM) in Kelowna-the only thing left to bring it all to fruition is the election of a government that will…
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Two Aboriginal groups held protests outside the site of the first minister's meeting (FMM) on Nov. 24 and 25.
The first day saw friendship centre employees and supporters vying for attention against a protest mounted by federal correctional officers who were there to criticize Prime Minister Paul Martin because his government has not satisfied their demands for better pay…
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Only one region-British Columbia-actually sat down and signed an implementation agreement (the Transformative Change Accord) with the province and federal government after the two-day first ministers' meeting (FMM) on Aboriginal issues was held in Kelowna Nov. 24 and 25. For the rest of the country, things will be worked out in the coming months and years.
But the prime…
Page 5
Dear Editor:
Your recent editorial ("Getting it right" Page 5, November 2005 edition) on the attempts currently underway towards renewal of the Assembly of First Nations, cut to the heart of the matter in respect of the legitimacy of national Aboriginal organizations.
In a perfect world in which Aboriginal self-government flourished, and where Aboriginal and treaty…
Page 5
Dear Editor:
We would like to congratulate the Aboriginal leaders in British Columbia and across Canada who worked so hard and so patiently to secure a tripartite accord with the federal and provincial governments at the Aboriginal Summit held in Kelowna on Nov. 24 and 25. Now we would like to request all the Aboriginal leaders to unite and support us so that we can make…