Enbridge Northern Gateway Project community hearings will take place in Grande Prairie from March 26-28. The proposed Northern Gateway project involves the construction of two 1,170 kilometre long pipelines running from Bruderheim, Alberta, to Kitimat, British Columbia, and the construction and operation of the Kitimat Marine Terminal. Final arguments from the applicant, interveners and government participants will be heard in April 2013.

Three teenagers charged in the shooting death of five-year-old Ethan Yellowbird pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter when they made a court appearance Feb. 15. Their next appearance will be in Wetaskiwin court on June 20. All three of the teens, who are from Hobbema and were known to police, were arrested in January 2012. At the time of Ethan’s death, the boys were 13, 16 and 17. Ethan was shot dead in his bed in his home on July 11, 2011, on the Samson Cree First Nation.

Former students of St. Paul’s and St. Mary’s Indian residential schools and their descendants gathered with leaders to plan Truth and Reconciliation commemoration activities on the Blood Reserve. The planning took place Feb. 21 and 22 in Lethbridge and involved Truth and Reconciliation Commission member Marie Wilson. Project planning sessions included Blackfoot signage, history book, exhibit project, oral history, time capsule and monument. Participants also had the opportunity to share their residential school experiences.

Photo caption: Urban Indian, a 2004 photograph by Terrance Houle, is featured in Narrative Quest. Houle is of Blood ancestry.

Photo: Courtesy Rotal Alberta Museum

One is a veteran Chief while the other is just a teenager.
But Richard Kappo, who is the Chief of the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and Treaty 8 Grand Chief, has something in common with 17-year-old Ryan Crosschild: both are recipients of the Diamond Jubilee medal, an honour which will be awarded to 60,000 Canadians in 2012.

The medal was created this year to mark Queen Elizabeth’s 60th year on the throne. The award is being presented to Canadians who have made a significant contribution in any field at home or abroad.

Aboriginal women working in the business and professional sectors are recognizing the need to come together to hash out ideas, stories, and personal experiences to make for a better working community, all the while holding a “degree in one hand and a feather in the other,” said business consultant Marie Delorme.

Richard Wagamese participated in WordFest’s celebration of Freedom to Read Week.

Dakota Belcourt is still considered to be a newcomer to the boxing game.

But the 15-year-old Métis can already boast about winning a silver medal at a prestigious provincial competition.

Belcourt, who lives in Edmonton, was just one of the more than 2,500 athletes who participated at this year’s Alberta Winter Games.

A total of 20 sports were contested at the Games, which were staged Feb. 9-12. Competitions were held in three locations, Spruce Grove, Parkland County and Stony Plain.

A unique opportunity to present culturally-relevant learning materials to Aboriginal school children has resulted in an amazing collection of videos and text resources. But the materials are also proving popular with the mainstream population and others outside the classroom-setting who wish to know more about Indigenous culture, spirituality and traditions.

Sykes Powderface sits on the Elders’ Advisory Group for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit for the curriculum development branch for Alberta Education and says the intent was to develop resource materials for teachers.

Officials with an Edmonton-based organization were among those thrilled to hear the federal government has made Aboriginal education a priority.

The Aboriginal Achievement Centre for Excellence, which was launched this past year, is hoping the government’s announcement will provide the spark needed to give the company a significant boost.

AACE is a supplemental education company with an Aboriginal focus.