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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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Dear Editor:
I whole-heartedly disagree with the exorbitant pensions and severance packages that our retired and defeated MPs receive. I agree with a letter writer to the Saskatoon Star Phoenix who asks how Jim Pankiw, Saskatchewan's most infamous federal parliamentarian, could receive a $70,000 severance package (this on top of his healthy pension) for stirring division…
Page 5
Dear Editor:
I enjoyed reading the article "Grassroots network prepared to fight 'collaborators'" (August 2004 Windspeaker). You let Mr. Taiaiake Alfred know that there are many here in Saskatchewan that are prepared to join the movement.
We do not have much use for our present so-called leaders of the First Nations people. They are more department of Indian…
Page 5
Dear Editor:
It's interesting to note that anyone convicted of committing atrocities against Aboriginal women and children, such as former judge David Ramsay [see "Ramsay sentence disappoints Aboriginal leaders" July 2004 Windspeaker], get to serve out their sentences at minimum security facilities. Even though Mr. Ramsay once held the power of the judicial process in one…
Page 5
Dear Editor:
Recently, I was informed that the Canada revenue agency would revise its existing law to change the Aboriginal education system in Canada. Aboriginal students are going to be paying some heavy taxes on their education endeavors.
The Liberal government plans to fully tax students based on their tuition, living allowance, books and other supplies.
…Page 5
Dear Editor:
I've always listened to people about the negative actions of their chiefs and councils, and I must say that these accusations are true, but our people must understand that they put these people in office, mostly by being bribed or given false promises. And these communities' heads seem to forget the people and the things they promised when they get the votes…
Page 5
It's a little ironic, and more than just a bit hypocritical, for the Northwest Territories vice-chief for the Assembly of First Nations to be pooh-poohing a thing like the AFN charter. (See Windspeaker's story on page 8 for details.) It is, after all, the rulebook for an organization that has kept Bill Erasmus and many of his colleagues gainfully employed and well fed for a great…
Page 22
"I am Dekanawidah and with the Five Nations' Confederate chiefs I plant the Tree of Great Peace." With these words begins Gayanerekowa, the Great Law of Peace, also called the Great Law or the Great Peace, under which five nations-Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca-ended their years of warring to form the Iroquois Confederacy.
The speaker of these words was…
Page 19
Most artists live well below the poverty line. They create art in a market economy that does not compensate them fairly for the work they produce.
According to a Statistics Canada special report from the late 1990s (the last time the arts sector was surveyed), the median annual income for writers was $7,500, and for painters and sculptors just $4,000.
Despite the…
Page 19
Gilles Sioui is a well-known name in Quebec music circles. He is celebrating 30 years in the business with the recent release of his third CD, Old Fool.
This popular bluesman, whose Huron name means rising sun, grew up in Wendake, the Huron-Wendat community located a few kilometres north of Quebec City.
He was a sportsman on the brink of a university league…
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There are many more trees on Juno Beach now than there were 60 years ago, observed Native veteran Philip Favel. It's the first time he's seen the beaches of Normandy since World War II, a day in early June. D-Day.
"There were hardly any trees or shrubs back then," he recalled.
Favel, a member of Sweetgrass First Nation (Strike Him On The Back), travelled to…
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For five days in July people from around the planet will converge on Edmonton to share their knowledge about and experiences with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Working Together to Keep Our Dream Alive is the theme of the 8th SIDS International Conference, taking place July 2 to 6 at the Shaw Conference Centre and marking only the second time the conference has been…
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An Aboriginal youth inline hockey team from Alberta is about to make a bit of history.
The Alexander First Nation Braves will compete in the World Inline Cup, scheduled for July 5 to 11 in London, Ont.
The Braves, who will take part in the boys' under-12 category, are the first Aboriginal squad to take part in the six-year history of the tournament.
The…
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Artist-Eagle & Hawk
Album-Mother Earth
Song-Indian City
Label-Arbor Records
Producer-Chris Burke-Gaffney, Vince Fontaine and Brandon Friesen
Mother Earth is the fifth album released by Winnipeg-based Eagle & Hawk and earned the group a nomination in the Best Music of Aboriginal Canada category at this year's Juno Awards. The band's…
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Renowned Metis author, playwright, film-maker and teacher Maria Campbell is working on her master's degree, writing a thesis on homeland and identity. A new play and a collection of short stories and poetry are also in the works. Campbell was recently recognized for her contributions to Canada's literary and cultural identity, receiving the Canada Council for the Arts Molson…
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This year's Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards (CAMA) will be bigger than ever before. Organizers have announced they have added five new award categories-Best Fiddle Album, Best International Aboriginal/Indigenous Album, Best Inuit Traditional Album, Best Jazz Album and Best Aboriginal Music Radio Program.
At last year's CAMA, winners were honored in 17 categories.
…