Like any 16 year old, Jeremy Beadle loves music and going for a cruise. But, his mom, Maurina worries that if he’s institutionalized, Jeremy could go into a vegetative state.

Maurina says, “Jeremy would get less care away from his family and community, and could become self abusive. He would become just like a vegetable.”

Jeremy has hydrocephalus, cerebral palsy, autism and spinal curvature. Hydrocephalus is a medical condition in which there is an abnormal amount of water on the brain. He recently had a permanent shunt replaced in the lumbar region of the spine.

THE VIOLENT DEATH OF A FIVE-YEAR-OLD

Bert Crowfoot was assigned to record the 2011 Royal visit of Prince William and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, at Slave Lake, Alberta on July 6th. While in Slave Lake the royals toured the fire-damaged regions of the town and then met with some of the residents who had been displaced. More than 40% of the town was destroyed by wildfires on May 15th. The fires caused the evacuation of all 7,000 residents of the town for more than 3 weeks.

Eighteen-year-old Evan Corrigal travelled from Ile-a-la-Crosse to attend an evening banquet on May 27 honouring Aboriginal youth from all across the province.
He received the award for Outstanding Achievement-Male.

First Nations and Métis youth from Saskatchewan were nominated in various award categories for their community contributions and talents at the Sasktel Aboriginal Youth Awards held at the TCU Place in Saskatoon.

“I didn’t expect to win but it was amazing just being here and a great experience,” Corrigal said.

The Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations is pushing for First Nations to get into the business of internet gambling.

FSIN Chief Guy Lonechild would also like to see First Nations operating all of the casinos in the province.
“We think it’s time because of market saturation that First Nations look at being the sole operator of all casinos in the province,” he said.

A booming potash industry is having little impact on Métis entrepreneurs and workers.

The Clarence Campeau Development Fund is hoping to turn that around.

“We’re challenging industry, particularly the potash industry, to really step outside of their comfort zone, to start thinking outside of the box when talking and approaching the Métis,” said Steve Danners, director of the Métis Energy and Resource Development project, which is delivered by CCDF.

A combination of fire and ice forced the evacuation of all 1,600 residents from a northern First Nation on May 31 and June 1.

But when they returned home after 10 days, they returned to a completely intact and undamaged Hatchet and Wollaston Lake First Nation.

“Just by the grace of God it burned all around us, as if someone had put a cup on the community and it burned all the way around it,” said band manager Mark D’amato.
The community suffered no structural losses and neither water nor smoke damage.

The Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations is applauding the provincial government for sitting down with First Nations people at the first ever bear-pit session.

“We’re happy to see this day finally come to fruition after many months of looking at structuring a new relationship between First Nations and the province,” said FSIN Chief Guy Lonechild.