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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.
The federal government’s attempt to consult First Nations across the country over its proposed First Nations Education Act remain controversial, with some taking part in a series of meetings, and others pledging to boycott them.
Outside a meeting held in Saskatoon by Aboriginal Affairs Canada on Feb. 8, tensions boiled over as Idle No More (INM) members say they were shut out midway…
Resilient singer was passionate about healing
Juno award-winning singer, songwriter and actress Mishi Donovan searched for family all her life and, ironically, was laid to rest on Feb. 18, Family Day in Alberta.
Self-described as Chippewa Cree, with ties to the Turtle Mountain Reservation in North Dakota, Mishi was placed into foster care and never re-united with her biological…
Artist—Donny Parenteau
Song—Honey It's Broke
Album—Bring It On
Year—2012
Donny Parenteau delivers a modern country album, taking his music beyond the reputation built from behind his fiddling days that should win him the ears of the many. Parenteau mixes classic rock song sensibilities with clever and humorous lyrics that have made for some of the biggest and most…
Windspeaker: What one quality do you most value in a friend?
Lisa Jackson.: Being down to earth. There is humility to that. You want to feel you can be yourself and you can with these people.
W: What is it that really makes you mad?
L.J.: Smugness
W: When are you at your happiest?
L.J.: When I’m with my family
W: What one word best describes you when you are…
First Nation businesswoman Hiawatha Osawamick grew up surrounded by enterprising and entrepreneurial women who were strong in their cultural traditions.
Her grandmother, mother and aunts–the legendary Osawamicks from Wikwemikong First Nation in Ontario–travelled the powwow circuit dishing out Indian tacos and scone dogs to huge line-ups of people at their portable café.
Little…
It is a “work in progress,” said Assembly of First Nations Saskatchewan Regional Chief Perry Bellegarde of what has been accomplished since the Jan. 11 meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
While there is nothing on paper, talks have continued and Bellegarde is hopeful that those talks will lead to a presentation to the chiefs at a National Treaty Forum at Whitecap Dakota First…
Akwesasne Grand Chief Mike Mitchell was part of the plenary discussion on First Nations accountability at the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association Conference (AFOA) held in Toronto Feb. 12 to Feb. 14.
Joining him were Chief Tammy Cook Searson of the Lac La Ronge Band in Saskatchewan, Terry Goodtrack, president and CEO of AFOA, and former prime minister Paul Martin. About 800…
John Duncan has resigned his position as Canada’s Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development minister, but it is not because of a near-riot in Saskatoon at the hotel hosting Duncan at his second First Nation Education Act consultation meeting on Feb. 8.
And it is not because of a charge of lack of consultation with First Nations on Bill C-27, the First Nations Financial Transparency Act…
Knock, knock, Mr. Harper.
Long-time women’s advocate Gladys Radek wasn’t surprised when the Prime Minister didn’t answer the door of his Parliament Hill office on Valentine’s Day when missing women’s family members called hoping for a meeting. It was in the wake of a blistering Human Rights Watch report, which alleged police were themselves among the perpetrators of violence against…
As violence against women dominates discussions among Aboriginal and human rights groups in Canada, south of the border the long-sought Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was passed by the U.S. Senate on Feb. 12.
Bipartisan support for the bill led to 78 senators voting in favour of the bill, which includes controversial provisions to extend tribal jurisdiction over non-Indians on…
Canada’s national police force insists it is taking seriously allegations of widespread police misconduct and abuse against Native women, including several rapes, death threats and violence, brought forward by the U.S.-based Human Rights Watch (HRW).
In its Feb. 13 report entitled “Those Who Take Us Away,” the group documented dozens of allegations from more than 50 interviews in 10…
On Minister John Duncan's Resignation...
“Tseshaht is not sorry to see him go,” said Chief Councillor Hugh Braker of the Tseshaht First Nation on Vancouver Island, B.C. While the sudden resignation of John Duncan from Aboriginal Affairs was described by some as a shock, few lamented the sudden departure of the now former minister. “Regretfully, Mr. Duncan has not been effective in the…
It’s been a few years of increasingly disturbing news and, from all that we’ve learned during this time, we can safely conclude that many of the police services in this country have lost their moral bearings; they have lost their humanity; and lost perspective on what is right and good, which is, at its core, the most important thing of all.
When a mother calls the police station to…
Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo will make an opening statement at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal Monday, further advocating and supporting the need for equity and fairness for First Nation children, as the Tribunal begins its hearings on First Nation child welfare.
"There are more First Nation children in care today than during the height of…
Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo offered his recognition on the official kickoff of the Third Annual We Stand Together Campaign in Support of Aboriginal Education. This initiative brought forward by Free The Children along with the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative and will see students, educators and parents across the country learn about the…