Online exclusive

The Federal Court of Appeal on April 17, 2014 confirmed the 2013 Federal Court ruling for the 400,000 Métis in Canada, but distinguishes the Métis from 200,000 non-status Aboriginal people stating that non-status people who live off reserve.

The appeal court did not include non-status Indians in the decision, arguing it was a separate issue that needed to be dealt with on a case by case basis.

Sherri Rinkel Mackay (standing) teacher from Glenbow School, in Cochrane, directs students from Pakan school, in Good Fish Lake  (from left)) Alainna Favel, teacher Kim Faithful, Raelee Cardinal, and Lakeisha Halfe in the Warrior Paint project during Education Day at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s seventh and final national event in Edmonton. Last year, the First Nations and Métis Grade 1-4 students from Glenbow School sold the Warrior Paint project cards to raise money for the Iyahrhe Nakoda food bank.

The new Masson Family Endowment and Masson Family First Nations Transition Program Award at the University of Lethbridge will support both the university’s First Nations Transition Program as well as individual FNTP students. Alumnus Richard Masson, who established the fund, said, “I started with pretty meager financial resources, so I’m a big believer in helping students out financially.” Masson is CEO at the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission. The FNTP assists incoming students, students returning to university education after an absence to make a smooth transition.

Syncrude has reached a major milestone by passing the $2-billion mark in business conducted with Aboriginal-owned companies. Syncrude first began tracking the amount of goods and services procured from Aboriginal-owned companies in 1992 as part of its commitment to business development in its Aboriginal Relations Program. “Even before we began production in 1978, Syncrude’s founding president Frank Spragins insisted the wealth created from oil sands development should benefit Aboriginal communities in the region,” said Syncrude President and CEO Scott Sullivan, in a news release.

Dozens of First Nations are among the 400 interveners the National Energy Board has accepted for the upcoming Kinder Morgan proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion hearing, slated to begin in August. More than 2,118 applications were received seeking intervener status for Kinder Morgan’s $5.4 billion pipeline expansion from Alberta to the company’s Westridge terminal in Burnaby, British Columbia. Intervener status was also granted to Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Environment Canada, and the Alberta and BC provincial governments.

The Alberta Wilderness Association says the Alberta government has auctioned more new oil and gas leases/licenses allowing surface disturbance within its threatened woodland caribou ranges since October 2012 when the federal caribou recovery strategy mandated provinces to start developing plans to protect caribou habitat. Alberta has also announced that by April 30 it plans to sell even more leases/licenses in five caribou ranges.

The public has until April 11 to respond to the government’s report from the January roundtable on child intervention. The roundtable, while heavy on experts and those who work in the system, was light on Aboriginal representation and those who were part of the child welfare system.  Approximately 68 per cent of children in government care are Aboriginal. There was a strong consensus that all child deaths should be investigated; that the child death review process be structured and transparent; and that more information on the investigations be made public.