Centennial Summerfest, June 16, 2012
Alburquerque, New Mexico

Leslie-Ann Smith of Battleford was one of three nurses recognized with the 2012 First Nations and Inuit Health Branch National Award of Excellence in Nursing. Smith is currently employed by Health Canada’s First Nations and Inuit Health Branch as Nurse in Charge at the Spiritwood Health Centre. She has worked with First Nations communities for the majority of her nursing career since graduating in 1991 from the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies’ Indian Diploma Nursing Program and then completing a Bachelor of Nursing Science from the University of Saskatchewan in 2007.

On May 7, Chief Wallace Fox was acclaimed chief of Onion Lake First Nation after nomination day passed and he was the only candidate for the position. “First of all, I want to thank our membership for having given me the opportunity to represent them as Chief all these years. I’m so humbled and very honoured to continue to represent Onion Lake Cree Nation. I want to work harder for them, especially in the continued fight for Treaty recognition and implementation. Last but not least, my wife and family for supporting me all these years.

Louise Halfe is among eight distinguished recipients to be awarded honorary degrees at the Wilfrid Laurier University June 20 convocation ceremonies. Halfe, also known as Sky Dancer, is an award-winning writer and poet. Raised on the Saddle Lake reserve, she earned a BA in social work from the University of Regina and a certificate in drugs and alcohol counselling from the Nechi Training, Research and Health Promotions Institute.

George Lafond has been named the new Commissioner of the Office of the Treaty Commissioner for Saskatchewan. “I am delighted that Mr. Lafond has agreed to lead the Commission’s important work to increase public awareness of historic treaties,” said Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister John Duncan. Lafond recently served on the National Panel for First Nations Primary and Secondary Education, a joint effort by the federal government and Assembly of First Nations. Lafond is from Muskeg Cree Nation. He succeeds Bill Knight in the position, which has a two-year term.

Truth – telling the truth and learning the truth – is what the upcoming national event for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is about.

“Reconciliation component is the participation from the rest of the community, the non-Aboriginal community, churches, educational institutions, police service, to recognize and acknowledge what occurred and make efforts of reconciliation,” said Gilles Dorval, Aboriginal relations advisor with the City of Saskatoon.

Architect Douglas Cardinal’s design plans for the long-anticipated Gordon Oakes-Red Bear Student Centre were recently unveiled by the University of Saskatchewan. Cardinal, who is of Métis and Blackfoot heritage, is a forerunner of philosophies of sustainability, green buildings and ecological design in community planning. His architecture springs from his observations of nature and his understanding that everything works seamlessly together.  
U of S president Peter MacKinnon describes Cardinal’s plans as “a stunning piece of Aboriginal architecture.”

The Aboriginal Affairs Coalition of Saskatchewan is collecting anecdotal information on racial profiling by both city police forces and the RCMP.

Kim Beaudin, president of AACS, said the decision to collect the data was spurred on by friends and acquaintances constantly telling stories of getting pulled over while driving, including his daughter who was driving his van with some of her friends, or being harassed because they resembled a vague description of an “Aboriginal male involved” in a crime.

A new strategic engagement agreement with the Kaska Dena First Nations in northwestern B.C. will bring greater certainty to resource development in more than 10 per cent of the province. The agreement sets out government-to-government decision-making structures and processes that establish a co-operative approach to reviewing proposed development activities in the Kaska Dena traditional territory. This agreement sets out levels of engagement regarding resource permits, including the timely turn-around for reviewing those permits.

Joyce Murray, member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra, came out against the shuttering of the Kitsilano Search and Rescue Station saying the Conservative government cost-saving measure will have “a significantly detrimental effect on the marine community in the busiest port in Canada.” Murray said Search and Rescue service to the Port of Metro Vancouver will now be provided by a station that is 17 nautical miles away from the Kitsilano station.