While Melvina Weasel Head was on the west end of the Siksika First Nation helping to sandbag other peoples’ homes as river water rose and rain poured in mid-June, her own house was flooding.

In 15 minutes, her son watched the water engulf the first floor and creep up the stairs to cover an inch on the second floor. Towels placed on the second floor helped prevent further damage.

And when the water receded from the first floor of Warren Drunken Chief’s home, not only was he left with irreparably damaged furniture, but black mould took over.

An Aboriginal woman is seeking a seat on the the City of Edmonton council.

Taz Audrey Bouchier recently announced her intention to seek the position for Ward 6.

“I chose Ward 6 because of the diversity of ethnicities, religions, and economic situations,” said Bouchier. “Also, because of my familiarity with the downtown core from the time I worked as the Institutional Elder for the old Edmonton Remand Centre.”

The suicide death of a teenage Métis boy in kinship care is a “tragedy” that spurred the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate to issue six recommendations to the Ministry of Human Services.
“A mother’s lost her son, a family’s lost a loved one and we looked at that (and) we were quite concerned about what are those systemic issues that are related to this situation? How can we learn from this tragedy so we can try and prevent it from happening again?” said Del Graff, provincial Child and Youth Advocate.

Out of destruction can come renewed hope and a brighter future, says Vivian Manasc of Manasc Isaac Architects, whose firm was “instrumental “ in helping rebuild Slave Lake after the devastating fire in 2011.

“In addition to most of the homes in the southern Alberta floods being unliveable, the community health care facilities and schools were damaged and need to be repaired and that affects everybody,” said Manasc.

Alvin Manitopyes leads the Grand Entry into Olympic Plaza.

First Nations celebrate Canada Day on Olympic Plaza

Marchers, led by Chevi Rabbit (centre, without sign), many wearing red to represent anti-hate, marched from the University area over the High Level bridge to the Alberta legislature for a rally entitled “From Hate to Hope.”

Hate to Hope rally

Cold Lake First Nation is demanding answers from Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. after it came to light that bitumen emulsion has been seeping into the ground.

In a strongly worded statement released Aug. 8, Chief Bernice Martial stated, “We are extremely alarmed with the environmental damage from the blow out… and we are now demanding answers and want factual information on the contamination….”

Prayer vigils were held July 25 in Edmonton and Calgary as part of national action to condemn the federal government for using children at six residential schools for experimentation.  Children who attended St. Paul’s and Blood schools, on the Blood reserve, were among those included in government tests.

 “Scientists chose Aboriginal children because they were already malnourished and starving,” said Jodi Stonehouse, member of the Michel First Nation and local organizer for the Edmonton event.

The federal office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer says Canada needs to double the dollars provided to B.C. for on-reserve schools, just for their upkeep. The office said funding required could reach $47 million by 2028-29, based on anticipated growth in student populations. Ottawa typically provides $26 million annually. The report was requested by NDP Aboriginal Affairs critic, MP Jean Crowder, as a follow-up to a study by the budget officer in 2009 that said the 500-plus reserve schools in the country are underfunded by nearly $200 million annually.

First Nations and Women's groups are critical of British Columbia’s government for not implementing recommendations from the missing women’s inquiry, which looked into the failures of the investigation of serial killer Robert Pickton. “We’re sick and tired of going to funeral after funeral after funeral. Enough is enough,” said Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.