Tenders for three Highway 63 projects will go out ahead of schedule to prepare for future road construction. Two new passing/climbing lanes and extensions to six existing lanes will be added between House River and the junction with Highway 881. The new or extended lanes provide more passing opportunities and will reduce the potential for head-on collisions. Work will begin later this summer and is expected to be completed by summer 2013, weather permitting. Grading for the next section of twinning will take place from north of Wandering River to south of Wandering River.

Cold Lake First Nation’s oil and gas company Tri-Rez Ebay Energy Ltd. has entered a joint venture agreement with Golconda Resources Ltd. and a private oil company based in Calgary to conduct oil and gas exploration and development on approximately 1,440 acres of First Nations lands.

The Blood tribe will seek leave to the Supreme Court after the Court of Appeal ruled that the Crown does not have a duty to advise the band on whether it would be subject to taxation due to the government’s obligations in providing services to all Canadians. The dispute stems from a decision 14 years ago when the band developed a plan to purchase the Parkland oil refinery in Bowden and convert the site into reserve land. To go ahead with the refinery project, the band sought assurance from the Crown that any production of oil would be exempt from federal excise tax under the Indian Act.

The High Prairie Regional Training and Development Centre, led by Northern Lakes College in partnership with Tolko Industries and the Northern Alberta Development Council, has received $2.8 million in funding from the Rural Alberta Development Fund. The centre focuses on providing trainees with hands-on experience in an industrial and practical working environment to develop a skilled labour pool for the growing resource-based industry in northern Alberta.

Little Chief and Mighty Gopher: The Pemmican Frenzy has won “Alberta Children’s and Young Adult Book of the Year 2011.” The bright colourful children’s book, written by Victor Lethbridge, band member of Wood Mountain Lakota First Nation, tells the story of a young Aboriginal boy who finds friendship and acceptance in unexpected places when he unites with a new found gopher friend to restore order to his prairie tipi village. “It was amazing to have been selected from 164 submissions and to find ourselves in the company of Alberta’s finest writers.

The Blood Reserve has bestowed the title of Honorary Chief of the Kainai on ATCO president and CEO Nancy Southern. In a traditional ceremony July 21, Southern was given the name Aksistoowa’paakii or Brave Woman. “For many years, ATCO and its people have worked alongside the communities of Treaty 7 and their leadership teams have taken the time to learn about our culture and traditions,” said Chief Charles Weasel Head, in a news release. Southern said she was “deeply honoured” to receive the chieftanship.

The Piikani First Nation named Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister John Duncan as honorary chief in a ceremony on July 11. “It’s an honour to be given this prestigious title from the Piikani Nation and I’m proud to carry my new Blackfoot name,” said Duncan in a news release. “This gesture acknowledges our government’s recognition of the rich culture and heritage of First Nations and their contribution to Canada, and our investments in the future of Aboriginal peoples across our country.” Duncan received the traditional Blackfoot name  White Buffalo.

George Stanley, Regional Chief for Alberta, was dropped after the first ballot as Shawn Atleo retained his title of National Chief for the Assembly of First Nations. Voting took place on July 18 in Toronto. Both Stanley, who received five votes, and Joan Jack (received 20 votes) were dropped from the first ballot. Atleo picked up 341 votes on the third ballot to achieve more than the 60 per cent needed to win. Mi’kmak lawyer Pam Palmater was runner-up garnering 141 votes on the final ballot.

The 2012 Alberta Official Statistics indicate that the gap in employment rates between non-Aboriginals and off-reserve Aboriginals has increased from a five percentage point difference in 2007 to a 9.8 percentage point difference in 2011. The Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey of 2011 also indicates that the proportion of employed non-Aboriginal Albertans with a university degree was comparatively higher at 23.3 per cent than for off-reserve Aboriginal people at 10.5 per cent.