Ebb and Flow First Nation evacuees return home

With $8.7 million from the federal government for 29 new homes and primary road work on Ebb and Flow First Nation, which was completed in April, all remaining 2011 Manitoba evacuees from that First Nation will be returning home. As of early May, there were 51 long-term evacuees from Ebb and Flow First Nation.

Leslie Spence, 21, of Webequie First Nation, is the inaugural recipient of the Patina Prize, named for Richard Patina, long-term chairman of the DAREarts Board of Directors. DAREarts is a national charity, which reaches more than 13,000 children annually with the power of the arts to transform lives. On an annual basis, $4,000 of the prize will be divided equally to empower children directly through DAREarts programs in Nova Scotia, Rexdale, Ontario, Nishnawbe Aski First Nations in remote northern Ontario, and British Columbia.

Saulteaux actor Adam Beach and world-renowned Inuit filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk will be among those to receive honourary degrese at Wilfrid Laurier University’s spring convocation in June. Kunuk, born in Kapuivik in the eastern Arctic, joined the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation in 1982 and directed several short films based on Inuit history. In 1990, he co-founded Isuma Productions, Canada’s first Indigenous film studio. Among Kunuk’s accomplishments is the 2001 film Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, which he directed.


The province is partnering with the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative to support the Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship Program for First Nation, Métis and Inuit students.



Kashechewan First Nation’s 2,000 residents were evacuated May 12 following an initial evacuation two days earlier of 685 as the Albany River overflowed. Evacuees were flown to Thunder Bay, Greenstone, Kapuskasing and the NAV Centre in Cornwall. Trained disaster management volunteers are registering evacuees and providing for personal needs, such as baby supplies and hygiene items.

(From left) Minister of Aboriginal Affairs David Zimmer, MNO Chair France Picotte and MNO President Gary Lipinski at the MNO-Ontario Framework Agreement signing event on April 17.

A project aimed at helping First Nations people navigate the health care system in order to receive appropriate and timely treatment for cancer has received funding.

It is unlikely that anybody could have predicted the ending to the girls’ gold-medal contest at this year’s National Aboriginal Hockey Championships.

Saskatchewan and Ontario were deadlocked at 3-3 in the late stages of the match, which was held on May 3 in Kahnawake, Que.

Saskatchewan’s chances did not look good when the team was assessed a penalty with just 98 seconds left in the game.

But instead of Ontario scoring a powerplay goal to win the contest, it was the Saskatchewan squad that netted not only one but two shorthanded goals to register a 5-3 triumph.

Indigenous people in Toronto may face premature death