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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.

  • March 21, 2016
  • Barb Nahwegahbow Windspeaker Contributor TORONTO

Artist Dianne Patychuk took up the challenge of her own reconciliation project shortly after the release of the Truth and Reconciliation report last year.

In the last six months, she’s had two art shows entitled “We Are All Treaty People” at the Ben Navaee Gallery in Toronto’s Leslieville community.

Patychuk, a non-Indigenous artist, donates all the money from the sale of her…

  • March 18, 2016
  • Compiled by Debora Steel

 
Grand Chief Ed John of the First Nations Leadership Council apologized to the Nisga’a Nation on behalf of First Nations political leaders who did not support the Nisga’a Nation in its 1973 Calder Case.

The apology was given at the BC Assembly of First Nations Special Chiefs’ Assembly held in Laxgalts'ap this week. John also acknowledged the Nisga'a Nation for their leadership in…

  • March 16, 2016
  • Sam Laskaris Windspeaker Contributor OHSWEKEN, Ont.

Despite the fact the Ohsweken Demons had a regular season record below .500, they are now just one win away from winning a league championship.

The Demons are one of five franchises that competed in the 2016 season of the Canadian Lacrosse League, which is better known simply as CLax.

The Ohsweken club is the only professional sports team in North America to be comprised entirely…

  • March 16, 2016
  • Shari Narine Windspeaker Contributor KEESEEKOOSE FIRST NATION, Sask.

As Canada debates assisted dying, Ted Quewezance says it’s a concept Indigenous peoples are all too familiar with.

“We’ve lived with that for years,” he said. “The residential schools is assisted dying. Small pox (on blankets) is assisted dying. Health Canada policies are assisted dying. Indian Affairs policies are assisted dying. And what’s going on in our three communities and right…

  • March 16, 2016
  • Written by Dianne Meili

Her loss is a tragedy for the country
 
 
Historically, Aboriginal people are told what to do by the powerful. Saskatchewan’s Jo-Ann Episkenew, however, was having none of it.
Armed with three degrees, the Métis mother of 13 “leaned in” to the boardroom tables of decision-makers, fighting for policy change to improve the health of her people.

“She…

  • March 15, 2016
  • Shari Narine Windspeaker Contributor IQALUIT

The “urgent need to take action” has led to partners implementing a one-year plan to address suicide in Nunavut instead of waiting for a long-term approach to have an impact.

Early last week, the Nunavut Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS), which consists of members from the Nunavut government, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the RCMP and Isaksimagit Inuusirmi Katujjiqatigiit Embrace Life…

  • March 15, 2016
  • Open letter from Marilyn Baptiste

An open letter from Marilyn Baptiste:
Berta Cáceres, our dear friend; a beautiful strong, courageous and amazing woman leader.

In our way as a people of the Earth, Berta will carry on in her courageous work to protect her land, people and future generations.
A year ago Berta stood side by side with her fellow prize winners, including her friend Marilyn Baptiste, to receive the…

  • March 15, 2016
  • Compiled by Debora Steel

Chief Aaron Sam of the Lower Nicola Indian Band calls biosolid waste dumping “nothing more than a method of cheap toxin dispersal for big cities.” The cities attain a cleaner environment while the people living in agricultural lands and First Nations traditional territories are “expected to take the poisonous burden on their shoulders.”

Nlaka’pamux and Secwepemc chiefs met on March 10…

  • March 15, 2016
  • Fernando Arce Windspeaker Contributor TORONTO

 The murder of an award-winning Indigenous environmentalist in Honduras has sparked outrage across the world and has emboldened Indigenous movements, which are calling for unity.

On March 11, a coalition of civil society organizations converged on the constituency office of the Minister of International Trade, Chrystia Freeland, in Toronto Centre to demand justice for Berta Cáceres, who…

  • March 14, 2016
  • Windspeaker Staff

The annual Little NHL tournament, which saw a record-breaking 195 teams registered, creates community and builds unity among Ontario First Nation communities, said Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day.

It also injects more than $18 million into the local economy, which Day says demonstrates the purchasing power of both Indigenous families and the tournament itself.  

What has…

  • March 14, 2016
  • Shari Narine Windspeaker Contributor SAINT-ALPHONSE-RODRIGUEZ, Que.

Having culturally-relevant programming to deal with trauma is “extremely important” for many Indigenous inmates, who lack a sense of identity, said Travis Gabriel, a Mohawk Elder and helper at Waseskun Healing Centre.

“Not knowing, not having a belief system … gave them that fearless, hopeless feeling, no direction. It speaks to identity all the way. You have to know who you are in…

  • March 11, 2016
  • Shari Narine Windspeaker Contributor OTTAWA

The tone has changed from one federal government to the next, but that doesn’t mean First Nations children living in care on reserves will see changes in the services they receive any time soon.

On Thursday, the Trudeau government filed its response to the Canadian Human Right Tribunal’s direction for remedies that can be implemented immediately to level the playing field between child…

  • March 11, 2016
  • Compiled by Debora Steel

Charges have been laid against a former BC government employee following a whistleblower’s allegation that he deleted emails connected to information requests about the Highway of Tears investigation into murdered and missing women.

Charged with willfully making false statements to mislead or attempting to mislead British Columbia’s privacy commissioner, George Gretes will appear in…

  • March 11, 2016
  • Compiled by Debora Steel

 
Grand Chief Konrad Sioui of the Huron-Wendat Nation has declared the disturbance of a burial ground and the remains of Huron-Wendat ancestors at Barrie’s Allandale Station construction site “unacceptable”.

He calls on authorities to take immediate steps “to address these serious breaches and find satisfactory solutions in these circumstances, in accordance with their obligations…

  • March 11, 2016
  • Shayne Morrow Windspeaker Contributor OTTAWA

Canada’s Indigenous peoples are poised to take a lead role in developing a national strategy to deal with climate change, according to chiefs of the Assembly of First Nations.

But Canada must first address the quality-of-life gap between Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal Canadians before they can become full partners in this massive enterprise, according to the AFN’s National Chief…