Get ready for hip hop downtown

 The Edmonton Arts Council’s weekly CypherWild started up again at the end of April. Every Thursday evening the free, all-ages community gathering brings hip hop culture to Sir Winston Churchill Square through live DJs, mixes, open invitation breakdancing  and street art. The event is hosted by DJ Creeasian, aka Matthew Wood.

Walrus Talks fitting for Edmonton as Aboriginal city

Commitment and family, say two of this year’s 15 Esquao Awards recipients, are important values that young women, who want to make a difference in their communities, need to grasp.

For young women, who are hoping to make their mark in the world, commitment is the most important factor for success, says Louise Omeasoo.

“Show up when you’re expected to show up, no matter what it takes,” she said. “Show your loyalty to help obtain your goals.”

As Alberta Regional Chief for the Assembly of First Nations Cameron Alexis waited to give support to his family, who are searching for his first cousin Misty Potts, he received news that the skeletal remains found April 19 near Rollyview, AB, had been identified. They belonged to Delores Brower.

“It’s sad to hear… that a historical Aboriginal woman has been found,” said Cameron, who holds the AFN national portfolio for murdered and missing Indigenous women, justice and police.

Misty Potts Sanderson has an impressive pedigree. Her first cousin is Cameron Alexis, Alberta Regional Chief for the Assembly of First Nations. Her distant cousin is Treaty 8 Grand Chief and Mikisew Cree Nation Chief Steve Courtoreille. She is the highest educated in her community of Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation with a master degree in environmental studies from the University of Manitoba. She has worked for Treaty 6. She is a full participant of the culture, dancing pow wow and attending Sundance.

Bernard Valcourt says that a federal budget that does not specifically address Aboriginal concerns does not mean that the Conservative government is ignoring Indigenous needs.

College provides reading material for resource centre

Xeni Gwet'in councillor Marilyn Baptiste has won

A life-jacket campaign in two northern Ontario First Nations was initiated by an Ontario Provincial Police officer after he lost two friends to separate drowning accidents in the same week. Sgt. Marty Singleton wants to raise funds to buy 1,000 life preservers. Five years after the deaths of friends, Singleton says the high cost of living still precludes safe travel on water, as families scrimp on spending money on such things as life preservers. The life preserver fund is called “Remember Your Lifejacket Fund” at TD Bank Account No. 6499635.

In response to the MV Marathassa spilling about 2,700 litres of bunker fuel into English Bay in early April, the Musqueam Fisheries Department notified its fishers to get their gear out of the water, including the removal of crab and prawn traps. The Musqueam Nation closed all aquatic harvesting until further notice.

The Ottawa Citizen reports that a First Nation from Ontario has filed a lawsuit
against the development of the Chaudière and Albert islands. The Amikwabi
Nation and Algonquins in Ontario and Quebec filed a statement of claim that raises
the issues of sacred sites, consultation and hunting rights on lands that
Windmill Development Group Ltd. hopes to build a residential, commercial and
retail development on 40 acres on the Gatineau shoreline, including the
islands. The development is opposed by Kitigan Zibi former chief, Gilbert