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The Indian Claims Commission (ICC) is seeking an expanded role in the federal land claims settlement process, recommending it be given the power to conduct the initial review of claims, and to make binding decisions regarding those claims.

The ICC is an independent body, established in 1991, mandated to examine land claims that have been rejected by the federal government.

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An historic signing ceremony between Smith's Landing First Nation and the federal and Alberta governments was held May 6 in Fitzgerald, Alta. The occasion celebrated the province's newest First Nation securing its land base.

Smith's Landing Chief Jerry Paulette, the federal Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Robert Nault, and provincial Associate Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Pearl Calahasen, signed the agreement that formalized a hand-shake deal made in January. Minister of Canadian Heritage Sheila Copps was a co-signatory.

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The Nunavut Youth Abroad Program in Baker Lake is designed for youth 16 to 21. By applying to the program, Nunavut students have the opportunity to work in southern Canada or Swaziland, Africa for six to seven weeks in the summer.

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Carrier Sekani Tribal Chief Mavis Erickson has been appointed by Indian Affairs Minister Bob Nault to conduct a six-month study which will result in recommendations on the protection of rights for First Nations women.

The appointment was announced May 12. Erickson, whose term as elected tribal chief for the Prince George, B.C.-based tribal organization expires in late June, will be a special representative "with a wide-ranging mandate to make recommendations both under the Indian Act and outside of it," an Indian Affairs press release stated.

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The Burnt Church First Nation is going up against the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), exercising what it sees as its treaty right by issuing band fishing licences and drafting its own fishery act and management plan.

James Ward is a member of the Burnt Church First Nation and has worked to develop the policies under which the band plans to run and regulate its own fishery.

The first of the documents, the fishery act, challenges and contests the federal fishery act.

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After 11 years of preparation, a case brought by the Samson and Ermineskin bands against the federal government opened in Federal Court in Calgary April 28. The bands are accusing the federal government of financial mismanagement of their money, including royalties paid on oil and gas extracted from reserve lands. Dating back some 50 years, the total damages being sought by the bands amount to almost $1.4 billion.

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Dear Editor:

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In this life, we sometimes come across many different things in our experiences that annoy us all to hell. I humbly offer up these incidents and occurrences as examples of the inconsiderate nature of reality-as they pertain to yours truly, for what its worth (like anybody cares).

1. I hate it when people do not signal when they change lanes, both on the highway and in the bowling alley.

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The cover story in Time Magazine this past month focused on what it termed the "struggle over Native rights." My interest was piqued, but I didn't expect much, because I know Time caters to those simple-minded and white-of-shoe Canadians who can't understand things that are too complicated. I wasn't disappointed in my low expectations.

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As the dignitaries gathered to mark the beginning of the Nisga'a adventure in self governance on May 11, the federal Indian Affairs minister "welcomed" the Nisga'a people "to the Canadian family."

Politics, of course, kept him from saying, "Welcome to the family of self governing nations," even though that was the goal the Nisga'a people set out to achieve more than a century ago.