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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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Stan Plante, president of Local 1885 in Edmonton, believes his intent has been misconstrued. A story carried in Windspeaker indicates he blamed the formation of new locals in the city for the low turnout at his group's annual assembly and that unity will eventually suffer. Since the story ran, he has clarified his position, saying he is all for the formation of new locals in the…
Ottawa, Ontario
The Inuit Broadcasting Corporation has received a $2.2-million boost from the Secretary of State to produce Inuktituk television programming for Inuit viewers in the Arctic.
"The Inuit Broadcasting Corporation is providing an essential media service. Without it there would be no Native language television service in the Arctic and that is why I am pleased to…
Joe Blyan, a self-described "war horse" within the Metis movement, became president of Metis Local 97 (Cromdale area) by acclamation March 25.
The former interim president now has a firm mandate to lead his membership and says a first priority is to set up a store front office to help people in the area and make Native people aware of the local.
"I think that's going (to mean)…
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A Metis family is still waiting "patiently" for housing officials to begin repairs on a home they were evicted from last January.
"I'm willing to wait for as long as it takes. I've been patient for nine years," says Louise Gardiner, who has been waiting to meet with housing officials since the home was inspected Feb. 16.
So far, Gardiner says she has received a…
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A $2.7-million expansion project will begin this spring at Nakoda Lodge, a conference and cultural meeting center on the Good Stoney reserve near Morley, west of Calgary.
Expansion includes a development of a 50-unit motel, as well as a proposed swimming pool, exercise room, steam room, whirlpool and sauna.
"We're still in the planning stage and we will have to…
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A new school, a hockey arena, and cultural center are all part of construction activities either taking place or in the planning stages on the Kehewin reserve.
"There's always something going onwe'd like to keep it that way," says Gordon Gadwa, elected chief for the fourth time in a row March 16.
"We've been given the green light" to plan a second school for the…
Despite having an "out of service" telephone, the Native Council of Canada (Alberta), NCC(A), office is still open for business.
"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated," jokes president Doris Ronnenberg, quoting American writer Mark Twain.
Telephone services to the office were cut off by Edmonton Telephone about four weeks ago over an outstanding amount of $3,000…
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Lubicon band Chief Bernard Ominayak is encouraged by the provincial government's change in attitude to support the band in its struggle to press the federal government to settle the 48-year-old land claim.
"The attitude of the Alberta government in the past has been (one) of strong opposition. Now the premier wants to try and encourage the federal government to settle with…
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The first in a possible series of conferences developed by Native parents for Native parents will be held April 7-9 at the Enoch reserve recreation center.
The Hon. Nancy Betkowski, minister of education, will open the conference which will open the conference which features the theme, Parents in Native Education, Yesterday ? Today ? Tomorrow.
One of the highlights…
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Hey, want to play detective?
Ever wonder about who some of your ancestors were and whether one of them may have been a famous person like Gabriel Dumont?
Now is your chance. The Louis Riel Historical Society of Edmonton is sponsoring a course one evening per week for four weeks called Tracing Your Metis Roots.
The program is designed to show people how to…
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The battle of repatriation will take to the courts April 22.
The lawyer of Corrine Whitecalf, natural mother of five-year-old Whiteney, who was removed from a non-Native foster home and placed on a Saskatchewan Indian reserve, has asked to meet with the child and Social Services in court to settle the issue.
Whitecalf claims she agreed to give up her child with the…
Edmonton, Alberta
Environmentalist Paul Watson angered Aboriginal people as he attacked trapping as a livelihood during his animal rights speech as the University of Alberta March 29.
Watson, an animal rights activist, is a former member of Green Peace and founder of the Sea Shepards society.
Native people will not stand idly by while Watson campaigns to destroy their way…
Edmonton, Alberta
Gregg Smith says he will seek re-election as president of the Indian Association of Alberta (IAA).
Smith, who is ending his first two-year term as president, says he was considering stepping down.
"I was getting a little frustrated about the way things were moving but now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel."
He feels the association has…
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Native people are three times more likely to be unemployed than other Albertans and a federal program designed to alter this situation will soon be studied to determine its effectiveness.
The Employment Equity program was set up in 1986 to initiate preferential hiring of Native people, women, the disabled and visible minorities within the federal sector.
Starting…
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Edmonton's own Gordon Russell, the Canadian Native Friendship Centre (CNFC) program director, has been inducted into the city's Sports Hall of Fame.
Following the induction ceremonies at Edmonton's annual civic awards banquet on March 24, the recreation director was "surprised" but felt "very honoured".
Russell has been working with youngsters at the friendship…