The Maskwacis Employment Centre, Tribal Chief Ventures Inc., Blood Tribe, and the Paul First Nation will be implementing the federal government’s newly announced enhanced service delivery in 11 First Nation communities, which have chosen to participate. These organizations will be working with Six Independent Alberta First Nations of Hobbema, Tribal Chiefs Employment and Training Services Association, Community Futures Treaty Seven, to provide on-reserve First Nations youth ages 18-24 with personalized assessments and job training plans.

Increased success with high school completion at Kainai High School on the Blood Reserve in recent years has attracted the attention of former Prime Minister Paul Martin’s Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurial Program.

At the end of January, both Enbridge and Keystone XL pipelines moved a step closer to construction. The National Energy Board is recommending the federal government approve the 182-kilometre Enbridge Inc. pipeline that would connect Edmonton to Hardisty, the starting point of U.S.-bound oil conduits such as Enbridge’s Alberta Clipper and TransCanada Corp.’s Keystone lines. The pipeline is to have an initial capacity of 570,000 barrels of oil per day. The United States State Department released an environmental assessment in favour of the Keystone XL pipeline.

A public fatality inquiry has determined that a First Nations boy in government care died accidently on an overdose of methadone on Apr. 30, 2010. While Provincial Court of Alberta Judge K.E. Tjosvold presented no recommendations to prevent a similar occurrence, he did “urge representatives of Alberta Human Services to consider carefully the sincere suggestions made by members of K’s family and Ms.

Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation Chief Vern Janvier and owner of C.P. Services (second from right) has thrown his company’s financial support behind the Jamaican bobsled team (from left): crewman Marvin Dixon, reserve crewman Wayne Blackwood, and driver Winston Watts, helping them participate in the Sochi Olympics. C.P. Services, an oilfield contracting company, signed a four-year, $140,000 sponsorship agreement with the team.

Tanya Tagaq’s throat singing enhanced the screening of the 1922 film Nanook of the North.

Tagaq in concert with Nanook of the North

Tanya Tagaq’s throat singing enhanced the screening of the 1922 film Nanook of the North.

Tagaq in concert with Nanook of the North

Tony Arcand, from the Alexander First Nation, meets with a student, as the resident Elder at NorQuest College, a position he has held since August of 2013.

There was no break for Buffalo Sabres interim head coach Ted Nolan this month.

While the National Hockey League was enjoying a hiatus during the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Nolan was still behind the bench, but leading the Latvia hockey team.

Cindy Blackstock is hopeful that one more recognition by an international body about the plight of First Nations children in Canada will make the federal government listen.

“I think if they were to contextualize it within the other signals they have been getting from the international community regarding this case, they really should have a sober second thought,” said Blackstock, who is an associate professor at the University of Alberta.