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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.
A visit from the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations proved to students at Otter Nelson River School that they are being heard.
“It’s a form of encouragement, acknowledgement to the students that people are listening to them,” said Clarence Haney, principal of the lower elementary and high school on the Cross Lake First Nation.
High school students Lane Umpherville…
When Margaretta James stepped into the room that today houses the Yuquot Whalers’ Shrine–a centuries-old sacred collection of carved figures, human skulls and whale sculptures–she was overwhelmed by a sense of its striking spiritual power.
“For me, it was one of those hair-raising back-of-your-neck experiences,” recalled James, director of the Land of Maquinna Cultural Society. “You could…
For the second time in as many years a United Nations special rapporteur will be visiting Canada and connecting with First Nations.
Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, said First Nations and Aboriginal organizations across the country need to take credit for the visit to Canada by Dr. James Anaya, special rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous…
The Urbane Indian
One of the perks of my profession is getting the opportunity to travel. Lately I have really been abusing my carbon footprint all across the country, with several trips to B.C. and other equally exotic domestic lands, as always spreading the gospel of Native literature to the interested masses.
But most recently, I was basking in the warmth of the midnight sun…
Wolf Songs and Fire Chats
There’s always a devastating silence when heroes leave. It’s as if the universe recognizes a profound gap in energy and slows down to honor it. It’s the sense that something significant and special has been removed and, for a moment, we are lessened by its absence. But equally true is the fact that we move on from it, that we use its lessons and teachings to…
As we go to press, the Prime Minister of Canada has retreated to South America, far away from the storm that is whipping through the Conservative caucus over the dubious gift of $90,000 to disgraced Senator Mike Duffy from Stephen Harper’s very own chief of staff Nigel Wright.
That’s leadership for ya.
What a mess that has been kicked up by a government that has been putting the…
Quiet, accomplished and inspiring others to the end
Passed away April 30, 2013.
Even though she was a four-time Olympic-athlete and smashed many a Canadian race record, Shirley Firth-Larsson didn’t mention sports in memorial instructions she left with her family.
The cross-country ski legend from the Gwich’in First Nation of Aklavik, N.W.T., passed away on April 30 at the…
New substance abuse strategy in context
The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse has launched a national strategy on prescription drug abuse. “The Assembly of First Nations welcomed the opportunity to be part of the development of this national strategy along with other Indigenous organizations,” said AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo in a news release. The strategy,…
First papers in new series highlight the alternative futures facing Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians in defining new relationships around natural resource development
OTTAWA, 1 May, 2013 – Canada’s leading independent, non-partisan think tank, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI) announces today the launch…
The Inconvenient Indian:
A Curious Account of Native People in North America
By Thomas King
Review by Christine McFarlane
Have you ever really looked at history and the stories behind them? Do you question if these stories are fact or myth or accept them as the absolute truth? You would like to think that what you are reading in your history books is truth, but…
…
On April 19, the Odawa Friendship Centre held a thanksgiving and unveiling ceremony at Ottawa’s Elgin Street courthouse attended by about 300 people.
“We wanted to publicly acknowledge our partnership with the courts and give thanks to them, the Crown Attorney’s Office and all our other supporters,” said Mark Marsolais, a citizen of Whitefish River Ojibway First Nation in Ontario with…
Nations opposed to peat mining in Interlake region
In mid-April, the Fisher River Cree Nation, the Peguis First Nation and area cottagers planned a public demonstration near the Berger Peat Moss Ltd. mining worksite. The demonstration was to protest the provincial government’s recent decision to uphold the licenses for Berger Peat Moss and Sun Gro Horticulture Canada…
National Chief Shawn Atleo and former prime minister Paul Martin shared the stage at the University of Toronto’s Hart House Theatre on April 18 for a lecture hosted by the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE).
Dean of OISE, Julia O’Sullivan moderated the discussion and said in her opening remarks that “First Nations education is the most important and pressing educational…
There once was a public service announcement that ran on CFWE, a radio network owned by the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society, publishers of Windspeaker, that was designed to raise awareness of youth suicide in northern Alberta communities. This was in the early 1990s and musical warrior Buffy Sainte-Marie lent her voice to it.
“We need all the Indians we can get,” was the message…
Washington State University Dr. David Warner was released from a Spokane hospital and transferred to a long-term care facility in April. The Native professor had been in critical condition since being severely beaten in a mall parking lot March 30, which left him with serious head injuries. Four people have been arrested, including two WSU students. The instructor in the Critical Culture,…