On Oct. 4, the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) held vigils for missing and murdered Aboriginal women across the country, including one in Saskatoon. The purpose—to honor these Aboriginal women, show support for their families, put on a united front, and pressure all levels of government to act.

“We call for a national action plan for Aboriginal women and girls,” said Amnesty International representative Helen Smith-McIntyre as she read out a joint statement that was delivered nationwide as part of the movement of Sisters in Spirit(SIS) vigils.

Family members of Kerry Canepotatoe and Melissa Rabbitskin met at police headquarters in Regina on Sept. 16 to hear an apology for the way an operator handled a 9-1-1 call after the women and two children found themselves stranded on a side road by Big River last April.

The Cold Lake Native Friendship Centre continues to focus on youth, getting them back into the classroom and on to further education or into job placements.

“Even though these students didn’t enjoy or function well in a standardized school system and dropped out, there is still plenty of opportunity for them to be successful,” said Gerry Zelinski, principal at the Youth Learning Resource Centre.

Life in remote Fort Vermilion, a mostly Métis community about nine hours north of Edmonton, helped a former resident become a successful software designer.

 “When building software you constantly need to communicate what’s in your head to others. If you’re not an effective communicator, you’re not an effective entrepreneur, manager, or software developer. I can trace my ability to communicate back to what I first learned in high school,” said Dwayne Mercredi, partner in Invisible Software, which operates under the name Attassa.

Resolution health support workers are taking their services to the streets in the province’s capital.

With Edmonton having the second largest urban Aboriginal population in the country, it only makes sense that an organization like the Boyle Street Co-Operative is host site for Jane Slessor and Maggie Mercredi.

The newly hired chair of Aboriginal Health at the University of Alberta has some big plans and big challenges ahead of her.

Sangita Sharma has a wealth of experience in working with Indigenous people’s health and nutrition around the world.

An agreement in principle has formalized the delivery of health services between the North Peace Tribal Council and the federal and provincial governments.

The new agreement, signed Sept. 15 between NPTC four-member First Nations, Dene Tha, Tallcree, Little Red River and Beaver First Nations and Health Canada will be repeated in October with Alberta Health.

Fear and mistrust of the system are two reasons why less Aboriginal families step up to the plate to open their homes to foster children.

“It’s scary to become a part of the system. I mean, Child Welfare doesn’t have a great reputation with Aboriginal communities. There’s a lot of fear in becoming that closely connected to the child protection system or to the legal system,” said Emelyn Desjarlais, supervisor and Aboriginal resource person with Crossroads, which has branches in Edmonton and Wetaskiwin.

In the 22 years Peter Strikes With A Gun and Jeannie Provost have been opening their door on the Piikani First Nation to foster children from the community, they have given a home to over 60 children.

“We very much need more Aboriginal foster homes. That is my concern,” said Strikes With A Gun, former chief of the Piikani First Nation. “I’ve never seen the interest from Treaty 6 and Treaty 8. I feel that in our twilight time now, what’s going to happen? Is there anybody who really cares about the current situation relating to our children?”

Shaun Emes credits his Kohkom for instilling in him the importance of getting an education.

The Métis from Lac St. Anne saw his hard work, dedication and grandfather’s advice all come to fruition when he was called to the bar in August.

“I thought to myself, ‘Is this really happening?’” said Emes.