“It came as an absolute surprise,” said Sandra Laronde, when asked about her nomination for an honorary degree at Trent University’s upcoming graduation ceremony June 1.

Laronde, who is Teme-Augama Anishnabe of the Temagami Nation in Ontario, said she is doubly honored to be one of five distinguished Canadians selected for this degree, and to give the keynote speech to the graduating class.

Although a graduate of the University of Toronto, Laronde said “I have developed a special affinity to Trent University because of its Aboriginal programs.”

Lance Cardinal welcomed Windspeaker into the Aboriginal Gathering Place at Emily Carr University in Vancouver to have a look at his model of the classic Muppet Theatre, complete with Muppet models, a secret door and a red, draping curtain that actually opens with the pull of a golden rope.

Cardinal, 35, is from the Bigstone Cree Nation at the Calling Lake reserve in Alberta. He built the model Muppet Theatre over many weeks, and he became a bit of an Internet sensation when he put pictures of the work online at lancecardinal.blogspot.com

The University of Manitoba opened its campus up to showcase three extraordinary Aboriginal sculptures this month that represent core Inuit, First Nation and Métis culture.

In an effort to have more Aboriginal representation on campus, the university sent out a call nationally for art proposals and selected three professional artists to accomplish the work.

“The sculptures are beautiful and help Indigenize the campus by having something visibly identifiable as Aboriginal centrally located on campus,” Kali Storm, Aboriginal Student Centre director, told Windspeaker.

Lyndon Suvanto had no idea how much a sport would dominate his life when he was introduced to team handball five years ago.

Suvanto agreed to try out the sport only because his brother’s high school squad was searching for a goalie.
It didn’t take long, however, for Suvanto to make a name for himself with his Onoway High School team.

As it turned out he had a natural knack for playing goal in the sport and he quickly progressed up the ranks to compete at provincial and national levels.

“I never expected to get where I am now,” said Suvanto, a 19-year-old Métis.

Members of Akwesasne’s minor professional hockey team can now officially be called champions.

The Akwesasne Warriors captured the inaugural Federal Hockey League (FHL) championship title on March 26 with a 5-2 victory against the visiting New York Aviators.
With that triumph, the Warriors, who play their home games on the Canadian side of the Ontario/New York border Mohawk community, defeated the Aviators 3-1 in their best-of-five championship series.

Bossy Ducharme from Duck Bay, Man. had a vision, and from that vision he made a change that few would consider an easy one.

For one year he will only eat pre-European-contact foods indigenous to North America before colonization brought non-native plants and food sources to this county.

Event helps reward

A FISHING STRATEGY FOR 27

Province accused of dragging its heels

One of the largest ever contracts awarded by BC Hydro to a First Nations has been given to Sexqeltkemc of the Secwepemc (Shuswap) Nation.

As part of the regeneration program to meet British Columbia’s growing need for electricity, BC Hydro announced that Horizon North Camps and Catering Partnership will develop a temporary “home away from home” for about 250 contractor employees involved in the Mica Units 5 & 6 project.