Welcome to AMMSA.COM, the news archive website for our family of Indigenous news publications.

Windspeaker Publication

Windspeaker Publication

Established in 1983 to serve the needs of northern Alberta, Windspeaker became a national newspaper on its 10th anniversary in 1993.

  • October 12, 2002
  • Terry Lusty

Page 1

A move by the Federation of Metis Settlements (FMS) to have the Alberta government transfer Metis Settlement lands in fee simple to the Metis people of Alberta received a minor setback when the Alberta legislature tabled a draft proposal, Resolution 18.

The resolution, cooperatively prepared by the government and the FMS requires an amendment to the Metis Settlement Act…

  • October 12, 2002
  • Donna Rea Murphy, St. Paul

Page 1

Representatives from the Blue Quills Native Education Centre in St. Paul met with Deputy Prime Minister and local MP Don Mazankowski Saturday to protest funding cuts planned for programs.

Centre president, Joe Dion, and chiefs and Elders of the seven local reserves involved in Blue Quills, met to discuss alternatives to the cuts that would kill the program.

  • October 12, 2002
  • Guiou Taylor

Page 13

Guilt or innocence is a legal finding reaching by judges or juries. Leonard Peltier was found guilty of several crimes in U.S. after his extradition from Canada in 1973.

It is not the mandate of Windspeaker to re-try the legal cases.

However, in this analytical story, freelance writer Guiou Taylor portrays Peltier as one in a long line of warriors who, over 500…

  • October 12, 2002
  • Kim McLain

Page 12

Alberta Native artisans will soon have a crack at big money and recognition. The Alberta Indian Arts and Crafts Society (AIACS) has just announced a call for entries for the 1987 Alberta Contemporary Native Crafts Competition.

Entries will be accepted in the following categories; Traditional skills used on modern articles, Ceramics/pottery, Fashions (contemporary, new…

  • October 12, 2002
  • Howard T. Rainer

Page 6

Soon hundreds of high school graduations will gather proud parents, relatives and admiring friends to high school campuses across the United States and Canada.

Thousands of graduating seniors will step forward and receive their diplomas while commencement speeches of admiration and admonition will be spoken.

While all this is going on, where will the Natives of…

  • October 12, 2002
  • Guest Editorial by Terry Lusty

Page 6

Editorial

Mothers.

Who are they? What are they? Why honor them with a special day?

First, they brought each and every one of us into this world. They nurture us as young babes, give us food, love mental and spiritual strength.

Our mothers comfort us when needed, talk to us and counsel us so we can learn and share their wisdom, care for us when we are…

  • October 12, 2002
  • Terry Lusty

Page 5

A public rally to increase awareness and encourage public support for the return of Leonard Peltier to Canada will occur in Edmonton on Tuesday, May 12 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

The rally, part of a North American tour entitled "Solidarity with South African and Native American Political Prisoners," is geared to freeing political prisoners. Two dozen American cities have…

  • October 12, 2002
  • Dorothy Daniels of White Braid Society

Page 4

"It's powwow time!"

That's all the Immigration officer of the Canada-US border said when he saw the van and car loaded with White Braid Society members ? adults, teenagers and children ? feather bussels hanging from window hooks and drum music playing on the tape decks.

And powwow time it was at the "Gathering of Nations" in Albuquerque, New Mexico, April 17 and 18…

  • October 12, 2002
  • Mark McCallum

Page 3

With only two days notice, Edmonton Metis and Native organizations put on a benefit dance and raised over $1,000 for the Dr. Anne Anderson Native Heritage and Cultural Centre, in jeopardy of closing down in recent months due to government funding cutbacks.

"The government (Native Services) kept promising that they would give me funds to run the place And then all of a…

  • October 12, 2002
  • Albert Burger

Page 5

Staff cuts brought about by decentralization of sevices, have hit the Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council (LSLIRC). But director John R. Giroux says the 14 employees were laid off "because the bands are assuming responsibilities of the regional administration" and at least four of the 14 employees were simply transferred to bands.

LSLIRC, Giroux says, "is in the…

  • October 12, 2002
  • Windspeaker Staff, Edmonton

Page 5

The Nechi Institute of ST. Albert will receive $735,731 under the Canadian Job Strategy's Innovation program to operate a national three-year training project announced Employment and Immigration Minister Benoit Bouchard recently.

The project is designed to develop and test a model to train Native people from across Canada to be professional trainers. AT this time there is…

  • October 12, 2002
  • Terry Newborn, Hobbema

Page 3

It was confirmed recently by Larry Hendricks, minor hockey director in Hobbema that John Chabot, a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins National Hockey League team, will be coming to Hobbema on May 13, 1987.

John Chabot is an Algonquin Indian from the Maniwaki Reserve in Quebec, but now resides in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where the Penguins are located.

John Chabot is…

  • October 12, 2002
  • Owenadeka

Page 4

Despite popular demand, I'm back this week to continue giving special recognition to a few people in the world of Native affairs. You may remember that this sometimes takes the form of a pat-on-the-back or a kick-in-the-pants.

Picking up where I left off last week, my first hurrah goes out to the people organizing the Calgary Winter Olympics. They torpedoed a plan to…

  • October 12, 2002
  • Terry Newborn, Edmonton

Page 2

Peter Manywounds, political advisor to the Indian Association of Alberta (IAA), says the impact of Bill C-31 is "one of the important items on our agenda presently."

At the IAA assembly last June, delegates directed the IAA to seek an extension to the June 28, 1987 deadline for bands to draw up membership codes and have them approved by Indian Affairs. Bands not complying…

  • October 12, 2002
  • Windspeaker Staff

Page 2

The leaders of the four national Aboriginal peoples organizations are angry that they have been totally ignored at the constitutional talks held at Meech Lake recently.

"It is incredible that Brian Mulroney and the premiers can contemplate such major amendments to Canada's Constitution without us, especially when most of the agenda items affect us," said Georges Erasmus,…