A BC Hydro Media Relations press release July 7 says a new poll finds growing support for the Site C hydro-electric dam project on the Peace River that will flood a large area of the Peace River Valley in the province’s northeast. It says 59 per cent support and 22 per cent can accept Site C. Those opposed total 17 per cent. B.C. has approved the $8.8 billion dam, despite lawsuits proceeding through the courts against the project. Province-wide awareness of Site C has increased to 75 per cent of British Columbians, reads the survey.

The 39th annual BC Elders Gathering, hosted by the Tsawout First Nation and the WSÁNEC Elders of North Saanich, attracted about 4,000 participants to the Panorama Centre on the Saanich Peninsula July 7 to July 9.

Grand Entry of the Elders who attended was held in the centre’s massive indoor tennis courts building, and it was still too small to hold everyone who wanted to attend opening day. Televisions were set up in the dining hall (a converted arena) when the main hall reached capacity so people could watch the opening ceremonies from there.

Larry Loyie and Lynn Thompson feel differently about the words spoken in the apology by their home provinces’ premiers. But what they do agree on is that the words are only as strong as the actions that follow them.

On June 18, Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger apologized to families impacted by the Sixties Scoop and became the first province to issue such an acknowledgement.

The appeal to the Daniels case, set to be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada in October, is not enough to keep Betty Ann Lavallee from stepping down as the national chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples.

“It’ll be up to the next national chief to take the ball and run with it,” said Lavallee, who feels confident she has done the necessary preparation work to make the next steps easier.

The National Football League’s Washington Redskins lost their latest legal fight, but the team’s lengthy battle over the use of its name, deemed offensive by many, especially Native Americans, appears to be far from over.

The latest in the saga occurred on July 8, when a federal judge in the U.S. ruled to cancel the team’s trademark name and logo.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled the Washington team name and logo may disparage Native Americans.

Don’t wait for “the big home run” or the “big solution” that will resolve Canada’s troubled relationship with Aboriginal people. There are many things on the journey of reconciliation that are “doable” and everyone can exercise acts of reconciliation, said Hereditary Chief Robert Joseph.

Chief Joseph is the Ambassador for Reconciliation Canada and a member of the National Assembly of First Nations Elders Council. He was formerly the executive director of the Indian Residential School Survivors Society and is an honourary witness to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The cousin of former Alberta Regional Chief Cameron Alexis is one more statistic for 2015. Misty Potts Sanderson of the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation was last seen March 14 near the northern Alberta First Nation.

Boy struck by falling tree near Banff

A 12-year-old boy is recovering in hospital after being struck by a falling tree in Banff National Park.

It happened in Johnston Canyon on Thursday afternoon.
The boy was air lifted by Alpine Helicopters to hospital in Banff, where he was picked up by STARS Air Ambulance around 3:30 p.m. and transferred to the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary.
The boy was in serious, life-threatening condition when they transported him.

It’s unknown what caused the tree to collapse.

Premier Rachel Notley implements United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Premier Rachel Notley has sent a letter to her 11 cabinet ministers, asking them to review their ministries and come up with a plan on how they will implement the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Saskatchewan Wildfire Evacuees update

More than 7000 people from northern Saskatchewan have been displaced due to the wildfire situation.

They are currently staying in shelters, hotels, and with friends and family.

The shelters are located in Prince Albert, Regina, Saskatoon, and Cold Lake
• Basic needs are provided
• 3 meals are provided per day plus snacks. Meals are also staggered throughout the day
• Activities are planned throughout the day in order to help pass the time.