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John Joseph Harper was walking home on a cold winter's night in early March 1988 after an evening out with his brother when he crossed paths with Winnipeg police constable Robert Cross, who was scouring the neighborhood for two Native men who had just stolen a car.

While no one is sure exactly what happened next between the two men, there is no doubt as to the outcome of their meeting. One bullet from Cross' gun went straight into Harper's heart, ending his life.

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Music Biz 101

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The Urbane Indian

Now I'm a traveling kind of guy. I've been a lot of places, seen a lot of wonderful lands. I've even had my share of unique adventures. But this one was a first for me.

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Medium Rare

Have you noticed how many journalists and newspapers use the dreaded "R" word these days? Not long ago, they would have gone into a fit if confronted with the you-know-what word. They understood that it had to be used carefully because of its explosive nature and the passions it could set loose. Not anymore.

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Nasivvik

There is a fundamental flaw in the composition of Parliament, which begs to be brought to national attention: There are not enough Indigenous members of Parliament in Ottawa.

This great lack of Aboriginals in Canada's cradle of power has to be corrected if the country is to deal squarely with the root inequalities that exist as a result of this absence of direct representation.

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Pro Bono

Dear Tuma:

How do we get more Indigenous lawyers in the system?

Future Mi'kmaw Lawyer

Dear Future:

Page 16

Convicted pedophile Arthur Henry Plint will be released from Mountain Penitentiary and will be moving to a private nursing home in Kamloops after being granted parole last week.

A five-member parole board granted the 85-year-old Plint's parole citing his "age, failing memory, deteriorating health, and level of denial, and lack of motivation to preclude full participation in programs," in their four-page decision.

Plint has served almost two-thirds of his 13-year sentence on charges of idecent assault and assault causing bodily harm.

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The former press secretary to Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault as press secretary to Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Phil Fontaine?

That could be what you'll see in the coming weeks.

Nancy Pine, a Garden River (Ontario) band member, left a reporter's position at CKCO television to join the minister's staff as press secretary. In June of 2002, she returned to CKCO after two years in Ottawa.

Page 13

There is a sense in Aboriginal communities that something's wrong with the way the Aboriginal Healing Foundation was operating, but the foundation's executive director, Mike DeGagne, says it's simply the fallout that comes from doing a tough job.

Page 12

The federal government is pushing back the deadline to March 2004 for Aboriginal people to sign consent forms so they can receive their non-insured medical services.

But the joint Assembly of First Nations/Health Canada announcement on the issue left Inuit officials miffed

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) spokesman Stephen Hendrie would not confirm that his organization (formerly called the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada) had filed a formal complaint with Health Minister Anne McLellean's office, but Ottawa sources say the matter was raised.