March 17, 2016.

For 20 years, Tracy George Heese believed her mother had been killed while sleeping on a park bench in downtown Edmonton. Heese, who resides in Regina, planned to visit the site when she came to the city this weekend to show her clothing designs at a fashion show aimed at stopping violence against women.

But on Tuesday, Heese discovered startling facts about her mother’s death: not only did she have the wrong date her mother died but the Edmonton Police Service did not investigate.

Heese says she has gone from “really upset” to “it’s confusing.”

Calgary-Greenway voting underway

March 17, 2016. Advanced polling will continue until Saturday in the provincial by-election in Calgary-Greenway. Vying for the seat left vacant after the tragic death of PC MLA Manmeet Bhullar are Thana Boonlert (Green), Prabhdeep Gill (PC), Khalil Karbani (Liberals), Roop Rai (NDP) and Devinder Toor (Wildrose). Election day is March 22. There are 28,278 electors registered. 

Royal Alberta Museum looking for Aboriginal intern

Despite the fact the Ohsweken Demons had a regular season record below .500, they are now just one win away from winning a league championship.

The Demons are one of five franchises that competed in the 2016 season of the Canadian Lacrosse League, which is better known simply as CLax.

The Ohsweken club is the only professional sports team in North America to be comprised entirely of Native athletes.

The Demons had their share of struggles during regular season action this year. The club posted a 4-6 record and placed fourth in the league standings.

As Canada debates assisted dying, Ted Quewezance says it’s a concept Indigenous peoples are all too familiar with.

“We’ve lived with that for years,” he said. “The residential schools is assisted dying. Small pox (on blankets) is assisted dying. Health Canada policies are assisted dying. Indian Affairs policies are assisted dying. And what’s going on in our three communities and right across this country is totally outright assisted dying by the government authorities right cross this country.”

Her loss is a tragedy for the country
 
 
Historically, Aboriginal people are told what to do by the powerful. Saskatchewan’s Jo-Ann Episkenew, however, was having none of it.
Armed with three degrees, the Métis mother of 13 “leaned in” to the boardroom tables of decision-makers, fighting for policy change to improve the health of her people.

The “urgent need to take action” has led to partners implementing a one-year plan to address suicide in Nunavut instead of waiting for a long-term approach to have an impact.

Early last week, the Nunavut Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS), which consists of members from the Nunavut government, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the RCMP and Isaksimagit Inuusirmi Katujjiqatigiit Embrace Life Council, released an action plan, entitled Resiliency Within.

An open letter from Marilyn Baptiste:
Berta Cáceres, our dear friend; a beautiful strong, courageous and amazing woman leader.

Chief Aaron Sam of the Lower Nicola Indian Band calls biosolid waste dumping “nothing more than a method of cheap toxin dispersal for big cities.” The cities attain a cleaner environment while the people living in agricultural lands and First Nations traditional territories are “expected to take the poisonous burden on their shoulders.”

March 14, 2016.

Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation is in the “discovery stage” of developing a solar farm. The First Nation has reached out to both provincial and federal governments and is coordinating with industry working in the area.

“So we are on that path and I can confidently say I can see all First Nations moving in that direction,” said Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation Chief Tony Alexis, who is also Grand Chief for Treaty 6.

But as First Nations forge ahead with their own developments, they are still waiting to be brought into the discussion with the Alberta government.

March 14, 2016. Team Alberta North earned 88 ulus - 29 gold, 32 silver and 27 bronze - at the 2016 Arctic Winter Games to finish third. The games took place March 5-12 in Nuuk, Greenland, bringing together athletes from Alaska, Greenland, Northern Alberta, Northwest Territories, Nunavik, Nunavut, Yukon, Yamal (Russia) and Sapmi (Northern Scandinavia).