Beverly Jacobs knows what it would mean to end violence against Aboriginal women, but it’s too late to bring back her murdered niece.

Girl decides to tackle leukemia through traditional therapy

Cup Winners Again
For the second time in three years Dwight King and Jordan Nolan managed to capture hockey’s most prestigious trophy. King, a Metis from Meadow Lake, Sask., and Nolan, an Ojibwe from Ontario’s Garden River First Nation, are members of the Los Angeles Kings.

The Kings captured the Stanley Cup on home ice on June 13, with a 3-2 double overtime victory over the New York Rangers. With the win, Los Angeles won the National Hockey League’s best-of-seven championship final series 4-1.

Six years ago on June 11, 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered an apology on behalf of Canada to Aboriginal people for the treatment they suffered at residential schools, calling it “a sad chapter in our history.”

Bill C-10, the Contraband Tobacco Bill, was one of the many issues discussed at the 40th Annual All Ontario Chiefs Assembly that took place in Toronto from June 9 to June 11. The chiefs were unanimous in their rejection of Bill C-10 calling it a direct attack on the livelihood of First Nations people.

At the press conference held June 10, Ontario Regional Chief Stan Beardy said, “We reject Bill C-10 because it criminalizes us and it criminalizes tobacco trade. It is a direct attack on our constitutionally-protected Aboriginal and treaty rights.”

It has taken seven years, but Lucas Degerness’ father has finally acknowledged his son’s disappearance.

On Luke’s 21st birthday this January, his father posted a “happy birthday” message on Facebook and added, “Don’t you think it’s time to come home?”

This reluctance to look at Luke’s disappearance as more than a case of “boys-being-boys” or males being capable of taking care of themselves, are two reasons, says Luke’s mother Gina, why missing Aboriginal boys and men do not get the attention they deserve.

Another potential candidate to replace former Assembly of First Nations national chief Shawn Atleo has put his name forward.
Ghislain Picard, the assembly’s regional chief for Québec and Labrador, revealed to Windspeaker that he is “reflecting hard” about a run for leadership on a platform of reforming the organization and bringing it back to its advocacy roots.

That puts the 59-year-old Innu leader in the possible running against Anishinabe’s Wab Kinew, and Perry Bellegarde, chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations and AFN’s regional chief for the province.

Three days after the federal government granted approval to the $7-billion Enbridge Northern Gateway oil sands pipeline, a group of women in Gitgaat First Nation held the first — albeit symbolic — blockade of the controversial project.

It is no doubt the first of many to come, as opposition continues amongst many First Nations in the province, who say they will never back down and allow the project through regardless of government rulings.

By Judith Lavoie
Writer, DeSmog Canada
Printed with permission of www.troymedia.com

Every day British Columbians flick on light switches, power up their computers and cook dinner, confidently expecting the power supply will not fail them.

The expectation that reliable electric power will be available is emphasized by BC Hydro as it touts benefits of the proposed Site C dam on the Peace River and the resulting “clean” energy that could theoretically power 450,000 homes each year.

Let’s get ready to rumble...The iconic catchphrase of American ring announcer Michael Buffer seems an appropriate way to start a rematch between coastal nations (BC and Atlantic) versus, well, everybody else. If the Special Chiefs Assembly held in Ottawa May 27 is any indication, the Assembly of First Nations Annual General Assembly scheduled for Halifax July 15 to 17, with a preliminary battle for supremacy held July 14 at a Confederacy of Nations meeting, should be a real barn burner.