Trading amongst First Nations people in Canada has always been a traditional and contemporary cultural component.

Trade is contemporary in the context that it is an Aboriginal right under section 35 of the Canadian Constitution Act of 1982. Under section 35, the Canadian government has a fiduciary obligation to First Nations communities on reserve, with Indians and lands reserved for Indians being under federal jurisdiction.

At the onset of January, the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company (SNTC) hired a new general manager. Already in this role for two months, Alan Long is an integral part of the company’s artistic team and works with the founding board members Gordon Tootoosis, Tantoo Cardinal, and Flo Frank, said an SNTC news release.

Muskoday First Nation has been working to create sustainable healthy economic benefits for their community and their consumers with organic farming.
Harvey Knight, president of the Muskoday Growers Cooperative, said the cooperative continues to become more community-based.

“We are moving towards broader based areas of action developing our different initiatives,” he said.

Awareness event for International Women’s Day

A peaceful march along Saskatoon’s Broadway Avenue on March 6 sought to bring awareness to missing Aboriginal women across Canada in honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, organized by students in a Native Studies class at the University of Saskatchewan. Afternoon events at the Oskayak gym featured entertainment by singer Becky Thomas, writer and activist Morningstar Mercredi, and poet Shelly Loeffler.

One month after his driving under the influence (DUI) charges became public and with one and half years left in his term, Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) Chief Guy Lonechild is contending with the people who want him out of office.

The latest call for his resignation comes from five former FSIN Chiefs, who stated in a letter that the honourable thing for Chief Lonechild to do is to step down.

Jose Amaujaq Kusugak: A 60 year life packed with accomplishment

Pouring Sweet and Low into his cup of tea, Jose Amaujaq Kusugak stopped to laugh at himself.

“What the hell am I doing with this stuff? How can real sugar hurt me now?”

Despite the fact he’d lost weight and his hair had turned snow white, aggressive cancer failed to eradicate the leader’s sense of humor. He died on the morning of Jan. 19 at his home in Rankin Inlet, after refusing further hospital treatment in Winnipeg.

More funding–with less strings attached–and transitional support are what First Nations students across the country said were required for them to not only complete their post-secondary education but to consider pursuing further education.

“We face great challenges in the full spectrum of education,” said Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Chief Shawn Atleo.

Atleo hosted the AFN’s first virtual summit on education on Jan. 27. The event took place at Vancouver Island University on the Nanaimo campus. Atleo is chancellor at VIU.

Though he’s been coaching hockey for 15 years, Levi Denny believes he’ll be a much better coach now thanks to a recent pilot project in which he participated.

The 38-year-old Mi’kmaq, who lives on Nova Scotia’s Eskasoni First Nation, was one of nine individuals from across the country who took part in the Aboriginal Apprentice Coach Program.

This program allowed those taking part to be part of the coaching staff for the Canada Winter Games, which were held in Halifax from Feb. 11 to Feb. 27.

Nationals move

The rate of fatal drug overdose among First Nations people, especially women, in British Columbia is two to three times higher than that of the province’s non-Aboriginal population, according to a recent report released by the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS in Vancouver.

The report, released in January and published in the journal Addiction, found that while Aboriginal people make up four per cent of B.C.’s population, they accounted for 12 per cent of the province’s illicit drug overdose deaths between 2001 and 2005.