Welcome to AMMSA.COM, the news archive website for our family of Indigenous news publications.
Established in 1983 to serve the needs of northern Alberta, Windspeaker became a national newspaper on its 10th anniversary in 1993.
Sinclair put Métis in Canada's Constitution
The man responsible for Métis being entrenched in section 35 of the Canadian Constitution passed away Nov. 9 after working half a decade for Aboriginal rights.
“You can say a lot about a leader like Jim Sinclair. Chances are we’ll never see another one like him. He had a commitment to our community and he took…
Windspeaker: What one quality do you most value in a friend?
Iskwe: Sense of humour. To me, my best of friends are the ones I’m able to laugh with, especially when I’m feeling blue...it’s always nice to have that person that you know will always help you laugh and feel better, if even just for a bit.
W: What is it that really makes you mad?
Iskwe: Being stuck in the middle…
WOLF SONGS & FIRE CHATS
My wife and I went deep into the mountains for our winter wood this fall. It took some doing to find an active logging road and that’s good news. It means they’re running out of forest to destroy. For ourselves we prefer to find downed trees or sometimes we’ll drop a standing dead one, but mostly we get out winter wood from the leftovers. We found a logging…
THE URBANE INDIAN
To quote the musical group REM, “It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine).” And I actually do feel fine.
As I am sure you’ve heard, according to doomsday enthusiasts, the end of it all was Dec. 21 (after press deadline). This was when civilization, reality, the world, mortgage payments, Christmas specials, were all to come to an end due to some…
Just days after Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan dismissed the #idlenomore movement as just a social media event, followers of Pope Benedict XVI enjoyed the pontiffs first ever tweet. Irony can be a scoundrel. |
@Pontifex (which means bridge builder in Latin) blessed all souls from his heart and within just minutes 2,000 retweets and replies were sent out in response. Poor John…
If you are in charge Prime Minister Stephen Harper, step up. You can no longer stand behind an ineffectual minister of Aboriginal Affairs while you, the great and powerful Oz, hide behind the curtain making all the slick decisions that have got us to this place. It’s time to look out and see what you have done.
You are responsible for the embarrassing depths that Canada’s relationship…
At 6:00 pm on Tuesday, Dec. 18th a Flash Mob Round Dance broke out at West Edmonton Mall's water feature surrounding the replica of Christopher Columbus' ship the Santa Maria.
The event was part of the Idle No More movement to help draw attention to the issues facing Canada's Indigenous people in a peaceful and positive manner.
Before 6:00pm you could see many people trying to…
Chiefs from the Assembly of First Nations have voted unanimously to “put the government of Canada on notice.”
The words may have been borrowed from a resolution passed by the Chiefs of Ontario, but the sentiment is shared.
After receiving direction from chiefs gathered at the Special Chiefs Assembly, Dec. 4 to 6, talks were chaired by AFN Regional Chiefs Stan Beardy and Roger…
An Alberta lawyer and an Ontario economics professor are saying First Nations have more control over revenue resource sharing than they may be aware of.
A winning legal streak, an impressive national chief in Shawn Atleo, and resources wanted by Canada, all add up to power, said lawyer and strategist Bill Gallagher at the Special Chiefs Assembly on Dec. 4.
“What the research…
The Catholic Entities say they do not owe money to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. The Aboriginal Healing Foundation says the Catholic Entities are $1.6 million short in fulfilling their commitment under the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement. And the federal government says it “is working with the Catholic Entities to ensure their obligations towards the Aboriginal Healing…
Christi Belcourt continued to deliver her message even after her stained glass creation entitled “Giniigaaniimenaaning,” which means “Looking Ahead,” was dedicated in a special ceremony on Parliament Hill on Nov. 26.
“I wish I could speak to the hearts of MPs … and let them know that renewal and reconciliation can be found between Aboriginal peoples and the rest of Canada through the…
The call for a national inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous women and girls was underscored by the emotional cries of the parents of 16-year-old Summer Star Elizabeth Krista-Lee Fowler of Gitanmaax First Nation whose body was found in Kamloops Dec. 5. They joined Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo in a press conference in Vancouver to urge government’s commitment to…
Unions are urging the federal government to use a “collective bargaining approach” with First Nations people over treaty rights. They have also called on Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and the Queen’s representative Governor General David Johnston, to meet with Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence. The Canadian Auto Workers union and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union were…
National Centre for First Nations Governance was down but is not out, reads an end-of-year message sent to media. After losing federal funding in 2012, the organization is announcing exciting times ahead with the opening of a “brand new centre that will operate without federal funding” and in the first few months of 2013 “we will make the transition from NCFNG to something new.”
The…