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Throat singing part of Folk Fest

Nunavut throat singers Celina Kalluk (left) and Tanya Tagaq keep the rhythm as they deliver the goods at the 2010 Edmonton Folk Festival on Aug. 6. The cousins performed at the five-day festival held at Gallagher Park in downtown Edmonton.

Four First Nations are getting some extra help in keeping their homes in tip-top shape. Much of it will be made possible by the federal government, which announced in June it will provide more than $1.1 million in funding as part of a two-year program to help communities create new housing and upgrade existing homes.

Through the Canadian Mortgage Housing Corporation as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the government has promised $400 million to fund a number of Aboriginal housing projects.

A special resolution calling for more accountability from the Métis Nation of Alberta’s provincial council didn’t make it on to the floor at the MNA’s annual general assembly held at Wabasca on Aug. 7.

The six-member resolution committee, with one member appointed from each region, ruled the resolution unacceptable on the advice of corporate lawyer Terry Antonello.

“What needs to be changed, what sections need to be changed isn’t clear. We don’t know what vote of non-confidence means,” said Antonello.

The Alberta Federation of Labour is claiming the provincial government is cutting up to $23 million in job training, leaving Aboriginal and young workers without avenues to find meaningful work.

In a June release, the AFL stated that Alberta is the only province that hasn’t seen any job growth in almost a year, yet are cutting training programs at a time when they are needed the most.

Membership has spoken – and the message is the same. The Métis Nation of Alberta will not be amending its bylaws to replace red and white cards with Métis citizenship. In an 11-vote spread, delegates from across the province gathered in Wabasca for the annual general assembly of the MNA on Aug. 7, defeated  special resolution one to amend the bylaws. Although the vote differential was close, the bylaw needs 75 per cent approval to be changed.

Membership has ratified the creation of the 45th First Nation in Alberta.

Until the governance issue is settled on the Lubicon Lake Cree First Nation there will be no moving ahead with the land claims issue.

“The land claim is on the back burner. It’s hard to proceed with a land claim when you don’t have a duly recognized chief and council,” said Glenn Luff, spokesman for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Alberta regional office.

Luff said offers by the department for mediation services have been rebuffed by both Bernard Ominayak and Steve Noskey. Both men claim to have won legitimate elections and to be chief of the Lubicon Lake.

Unique partnership offer enhanced learning

Until a few days before the Cree ceremony at Fort Normandeau, Florence Large didn’t know her father  Daniel Large had attended the Red Deer Industrial School from 1895-1899.

“My dad never mentioned residential school,” said Large, who attended the special ceremony on June 30 with two of her eight children.

“I wanted to see a picture of my Moosum, to pray. His spirit is here somewhere,” said Mavis Dasilva, Large’s daughter.

At the Whitecap Dakota Nation powwow on August 12, Aboriginal recruits from the Bold Eagle 21 program – including 24 from Saskatchewan – took part in the final grand entry. The six-week long summer training employment program is based in Wainwright, Alberta and combines the army’s basic military training with traditional cultural teachings.