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Siksika Nation members living off-reserve will be able to vote and run for office in Siksika Nation elections if a new election code is ratified in a referendum to be held this summer.

The residency stipulation of 77(1) of the Indian Act prevents off-reserve First Nation members from voting or running for office in band elections but that is eliminated in the new code.

Section 77(1) states that only those who are ordinarily resident on the reserve are qualified to vote.

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Native and non-Native youths in the Pincher Creek area in southwestern Alberta are being offered an opportunity to improve their marketability.

In a pilot project the Napi Friendship Centre, 15 young people between 15 and 30 years of age are being sought to not only learn academic, life and employment skills, but also to improve the relationship between Pincher Creek and the nearby Peigan reserve.

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A training opportunity is available for Aboriginal artists that will give them ownership of a co-operative business and will allow for cultural exploration through the arts. The program is called the Aboriginal Youth Artisan Self Employment Program.

"Here's an opportunity for Aboriginal artists to create their future through a co-operative business that combines their culture and western economic business experience," said Wayne Gorman, co-ordinator for the program.

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With the snip of a ribbon and the slicing of a cake, the Heart Lake First Nation opened its band-owned truck stop and restaurant on Feb. 17.

The Aboriginal community in northeastern Alberta hopes to pump up its economic development with the new business.

The official opening of the new enterprise, sitting alongside secondary high-way 881, 50 km north of Lac La Biche, took place with local, provincial and federal dignitaries on hand.

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Chiefs and leaders from oil and gas producing First Nations from Alberta and British Columbia met with leaders from petroleum companies on March 1 at the McDougall Centre in Calgary.

"Priority is getting industry and First Nations to work together and moving forward," said Ben Ground, Indian Resource Council Board of Directors Vice-chair.

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When Sandra Shade first went to work for the Chinook Health Region's Diabetes and Lipids Education Centre, her job was to focus on the urban Aboriginal community. Within a short time, however, she was getting so many referrals from the nearby Blood and Peigan reserves that they were included in her Aboriginal diabetes prevention and maintenance program.

"Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions among Native people," Shade said. "Lots of people have the disease and don't know it. And Aboriginals also get far more complications from the disease than non-Natives."

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Meetings continued through March 10 with published reports predicting an agreement is imminent in the more than 60-year-old Lubicon Lake Nation fight for a home territory.

In 1899, when Treaty 8 was being finalized, government officials missed the Lubicon people who live in a remote area of north central Alberta. In 1939, the federal government recognized the Lubicon as a separate band, but no treaty was made.

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strikes Metis task force

A task force has been established by Dave Hancock, minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, to look at the structure and future direction of the Metis Settlements Appeal Tribunal.

The tribunal was established to act as a quasi-judicial court of appeal for disputes over land or membership from the eight Metis settlements in Alberta. Hancock pledged last fall to establish the task force to review the role it plays in dispute resolution.

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On Feb. 12, the Ministry of Canadian Heritage announced a $100 million fund for the Urban Multipurpose Aboriginal Youth Centre Initiative.

Canadian Heritage, in conjunction with local Aboriginal organizations, is establishing a series of Aboriginal youth advisory committee meetings in key urban centres to determine a selection process for the advisory committee that will be designed to administer the funds.

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The First Nations Veterans Association of Southern Alberta will host A Warriors Day of Remembrance in conjunction with the Museum of the Regiments in Calgary. The museum will display the exhibit titled "Aboriginals in the Service of Peace."

The date of June 6, which is also remembered as D-Day, has been selected to honor all Aboriginal veterans and Aboriginal serving members of the Canadian Forces. This will be the first time D-Day will be remembered in conjunction with an all Aboriginal day of remembrance.