As Calgary’s 10-year plan to end homelessness marks its third anniversary, officials are looking at how to specifically address the needs of Aboriginal people who are homeless.

Tim Richter, president of the Calgary Homeless Foundation, said the Aboriginal community needs special attention as approximately a quarter of Calgary’s homeless people are Aboriginal.

“Aboriginal people have a unique experience of homelessness and unique needs to end their homelessness,” he said.

Edmonton’s Downtown Business Association knows moving panhandlers along may free up the business zone but it doesn’t get street people the help they need.

“If you react by getting physical or calling the police, you’re only solving part of the problem in moving that person away,” said Jim Taylor, who is with the association. “You can turn it around and solve both problems by having someone who knows what they are doing, intervene.”

SkyBlue Morin is grateful that a number of her clients had the opportunity recently to tell their stories to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s statement gathering team.

The team was in Calgary for Homeless Connect in mid-February. The day after the event, which allows homeless people to access services free of charge, residential school survivors, who call the streets or shelters their homes, were able to share their experiences with members of the TRC statement gathering team at the downtown branch of the Calgary Public Library.

For “action beyond and above the call of duty” in April 2010, Cst. Pernell Cardinal was awarded the Bronze Medal from the Royal Canadian Humane Association. He and Cst. David Lee, from the Maskwacis RCMP Detachment responded to a house fire at the Samson town site, where they entered a house and rescued an unconscious man. Both RCMP officers were taken to hospital where they were treated for smoke inhalation. Both men were recipients of the Bronze Medal.

Pernell is joined at the Maskwacis Detachment by brother Perry, who is also a constable.

The majority of First Nations people surveyed on 15 of Alberta’s 46 First Nations are not confident their band council is doing enough to include input from women when making decisions and forming policies.

“That (belief) doesn’t surprise me,” said Rose Laboucan, one of four women chiefs in Alberta. “Knowing what I’ve gone through as a chief, building that reputation, being responsible, being consistent, being reliable, I’ve been able to build up that trust so I would be consulted as a woman at the same level as male chiefs.”

Audrey Poitras and Dean Lindsay agree on one thing: a national accreditation system for Métis citizenship could serve a purpose. But what that purpose is differs.
However, an advance contract awarded by the federal government to the Canadian Standards Association to develop a verification strategy for Métis identification systems was pulled off the MERX system in February only days after being posted.

The city of Lethbridge has adopted an action plan to battle racism and discrimination.

In a vote of 5-2, and one abstention, on Jan. 24, Lethbridge City Council gave the nod to a plan put together by the Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination.

CMARD is a UNESCO-driven initiative. Cities, such as Lethbridge, recognize racism and discrimination exist in their communities and dedicate resources to building a safe and inclusive community for everyone.

Three wells to be drilled

Between January of 2010 and January of 2011 more Aboriginal people found jobs, particularly in the mining, oil, gas, forestry and fishing sectors.

 “It shows unemployment for off-reserve is keeping pace, actually exceeding growth compared to the rest of the province,” said Terry Jordan, with communications for Alberta Employment and Immigration.

Stars of the groundbreaking television series Blackstone pose at the launch held in Edmonton on Feb.1 (from left) Gordon Tootoosis who plays Cecil Delaronde, Ashley Callingbull (Sheila Delaronde), Roseanne Supernault (Natalie Stoney), and Carmen Moore (Leona Stoney). The series, created by Ron E. Scott, is about power and politics on fictional Blackstone First Nation. Blackstone is now shown on two national networks.

Photo: Lee Casteel