Two new investigate reports issued from the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate focus on two children, one of whom is a First Nations girl, who suffered serious injuries while in government care. The girl, dubbed Bonita, was in the care of her parents and her family was receiving services from Child Intervention Services. She was taken to hospital suffering from septic shock caused by severe, untreated dental abscesses. She underwent a number of surgeries and required trauma counselling. Bonita is now in kinship care and has contact with her family.

The physician who had to fight against professional misconduct charges when he spoke out about high cancer rates in Fort Chipewyan, has been let go – by the community he advocated for. John O’Connor, who signed an agreement with the Nunee Health Board Society seven years ago to deliver on-call medical assistance, received his termination letter via email May 8. No reason was given in the dismissal email.

Horse Lake First Nation has signed an expanded mutual aid agreement with the County of Grande Prairie that will allow the closest county-owned or contracted fire department (Hythe, Beaverlodge or LacGlace) to respond immediately when it becomes aware of an emergency. For the past 23 years, the county has had a mutual aid agreement with Horse Lake First Nation that offered firefighting support, equipment and the necessary resources, but could only respond after receiving a request and permission. “This (new) agreement gives us a sense of security,” said HLFN Chief Eugene Horseman.

Donalda Stanley, the Nurse in Charge at Paul First Nation, was presented with a Health Canada Award of Excellence in Nursing. Each year during National Nursing Week, Health Canada presents the award to three exceptional community nurses, one employed by a First Nations community, an Inuit community, and Health Canada. When considering nominees, the panel looks at nurses who demonstrate professionalism, leadership and sound judgement, and who support a discrimination-free environment. According to Health Canada Alberta’s Dr.

Canadian band Blue Rodeo will be joining Neil Young on July 3 at Rexall Place in Edmonton for an Honour the Treaties benefit concert. Money raised will go to the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Legal Defense Fund to fight against oilsands development. Last year, Young, who has vocally opposed oilsands development, held similar Honour the Treaties concerts in cities across Canada, including Calgary. “Our people, our climate and our planet can no longer afford to be economic hostages in the race to industrialize the earth.

Former Grand Chief of Treaty Six Craig Mackinaw will be taking on the position of Alberta Regional Chief for the Assembly of First Nations on July 1. Mackinaw defeated the only other candidate, Leila Houle, a member of the Whitefish Lake Band, in an election held May 21. Mackinaw also served as Chief of the Ermineskin Cree Nation from 2011 and 2014. He will replace Alberta Regional Chief Cameron Alexis.

Treaty 8 Grand Chief Steve Courtoreille says organ donations from children who die in government care will be one of the priority issues raised when Chiefs meet with Alberta’s new premier, Rachel Notley. Courtoreille says he was “disgusted” to learn that a policy implemented in 2006 allowed the government to harvest organs from children who died in care. In 2014, the policy was amended to include children who died while under temporary guardianship order. “We needed to know about the policy. We would have asked them to take it out,” said Courtoreille.

Rachel Notley and her 11-member Cabinet were sworn in during an open-air ceremony on the steps of the Alberta Legislature on May 24. Close to 10,000 people came out. The ceremony included an honour song by Rocky Morin, of the Enoch Cree Nation, and a blessing from veteran and Métis Elder John Macdonald. “And we know that our future is brighter when First Nations can control their destiny and can trust a true partner in government to build a new relationship of respect,” said Notley.

A park planned for the Quarters Downtown now has a name: Kinistinâw (ki-nist-in-ow) Park. The name means “us three” in Plains Cree. At 1-1/2 city blocks wide, it will connect to Louise McKinney Park and the river valley.

In the last 24 hours there have been thirty three new wildfires. Currently, Alberta has sixty three wildfires: thirteen are out of control, fourteen are being held, thirty five are under control and one has been turned over to the responsible party.