With seven more post-secondary institutions joining eCampusAlberta and receiving a grant of $140,000 from the province, now all 26 publicly funded Alberta post-secondary institutions are part of eCampusAlberta.  A special ceremony was held in Calgary on April 30 where all 26 signed a Commitment to Collaborate to work together to support a lifelong learning environment that increases access to high quality online learning opportunities across the province.

Church service focuses on “Creating Sacred Spaces”
Jim Graves leads a song with children during a service at Garneau United Church on May 18. The service was entitled “Creating Sacred Space” and touched upon issues such as the effects of pipelines and the recent Truth and Reconciliation Commission event in Edmonton. Juno-award winner Bill Bourne performed an Honour Song and bannock was served at the end. Graves is a lay person with the United Church and the executive director of the Banff Men’s Conference.

Dan Christmas (centre), senior advisor with Membertou First Nations Economic Development Corporation, receives the inaugural Economic Development Corporation of the year award from Dean Johnson (left), of Sodexo’s senior team and Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business CEO JP Gladu at the gala held in Calgary.

Mark Laycock, director with Métis Calgary Family Services, believes a new partnership forged between the Calgary Police Service and Alberta Human Services is the first step in seeking better outcomes for Aboriginal kids who are over-represented in care.

 “The system of care is taking steps in the right direction.  It’s progress and a step forward,” he said.

Renaissance Tower is about more than its leading-edge energy saving and environmentally friendly technology. The senior and handicapped complex that celebrated its grand opening April 29 is about providing safe, comfortable living at an affordable rate in a community that is being revitalized.

Sawridge Chief Roland Twinn is confident that a friendship accord struck between his First Nation and two neighbouring municipalities is the direction relations need to go for shared success.

The accord, signed in May between Sawridge First Nation, the town of Slave Lake and Municipal District of Lesser Slave River, is a continuation of work undertaken in the past three years since the devastating fire in the region in May 2011. While Sawridge First Nation suffered no structural damages or deaths, about one-third of Slave Lake was wiped out.

Wedding ceremonies on the Alberta Legislature grounds are not an unusual occurrence – except for one held on May 10.

In a mock marriage ceremony organized by Greenpeace, the government and fossil fuel industry were to be joined in wedded bliss. Complete with a red carpet, flower girls, bouquets, and presiding official, vows were exchanged, tears were shed, and an “oil and water” ceremony became rather messy.

The Siksika First Nation is one step closer to bringing Chief Crowfoot’s regalia home from England.

On May 28, representatives from the First Nation and the Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park museum met with Alberta Culture and received support for the work needed to repatriate, among the items, regalia worn by Crowfoot when he signed Treaty 7 in 1877.

“We were given the go ahead. They said, ‘We’re backing you up,’” said Herman Yellow Old Woman, cultural curator at the Blackfoot Crossing museum.

“The thing about angry mobs is sometimes they're right."

#ATLEORESIGNS: As one might expect, the Twitter comments about the Shawn Atleo resignation May 2 were as polarized as the reaction to the former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations himself. Kelly Lindsay, President & CEO of the Aboriginal Human Resource Council, called Atleo “an unwavering champion & friend of Indigenous Peoples, inclusion & education” while other tweeters were just happy to continue the refrain of Atleo as Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s collaborator.