Dear Editor:
I know that it will not be easy in selling the vision of a national Aboriginal agenda. Coming up with a slogan may be just as hard, but you can think about this slogan: Our prosperity is your prosperity.

Crucial days are passing without any action on initiatives of huge importance to First Nations people across Canada. Anger and worry are increasing, so is frustration on the ground. So one has to ask: Is the Stephen Harper government wreaking a little political revenge on one Phillip Fontaine?

There are now 1,126 Aboriginal apprentices working in Alberta. This is an increase of 888 apprentices in less than four years, and a cause to celebrate.

Dear Tuma:
My band records the minutes of the band council meetings and then the secretary transfers them to paper, but they are summarized. (eg. Band will consult the lawyer on this issue.) There must have been a discussion on the matter. Could I ask for the recorded minutes or do I have to settle for the summary, even if it concerns me? Could I stay in the band council meeting to hear them discuss the matter and vote on the issue? They tell me I have to leave. Is this true?
Rumors

Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney has taken up the cause of opposing the hunt of harp seals on Canada's Atlantic coast. Wearing bright orange floatation suits, he and his wife staged a photo opportunity with a harp seal pup on the ice. They didn't seem quite sure how to pose near the live pup, which was serving as their prop. But there they were, props themselves, publicizing the message that harvesting a sustainable resource is a terrible thing.

It was in China of all places that I found out something quite disturbing. Believe it or not, I found myself being in the unique position of disagreeing with the views of our beloved federal government. Shocking ... Yes I know. A Native person differing in opinion from that of the Canadian government ... I almost alerted the media. And, equally surprising, it had nothing to do with land claims, residential schools, public inquiries or money. It had to do with history in this country and publicity on the other side of the world.

Artist-Donna Kay with Little Island Cree

Album-The Journey

Song-Calling You

Label-Independent

Producer-Peter Bacsalmasi

Singer, songwriter and percussionist Donna Kay has a chance to demonstrate all three of her talents on her new CD, The Journey. Kay provides both vocals and percussion on each song on the album, and wrote 10 of the 12 tracks featured.

Shoshona Kish and Raven Kanatakta are two young Aboriginal artists who have come together to plant their 'seeds' of empowerment and celebration of life through their spiritual roots, blues, reggae, jazz and First Nations mixed music.

Their debut CD, seeds has been in stores since Jan. 31 and it has already sold out at Sam the Record Man in Toronto.

DiggingRoots first came together in 1997 and they describe their connection as natural. Even though they hadn't played together before, their very first gig won the final slot to perform at the Ottawa Folk Festival.

It's clearly unconstitutional, but there it is in Saskatchewan's Labour Standards Act regulations, an exemption that allows employers to escape paying overtime to workers in the northern third of the province.

Section 7 of the regulations, which were last updated in 1995, exempts companies located north of the 62nd township, an area that begins just north of the city of Prince Albert, from paying time-and-a-half when employees work more than an eight-hour day or a 40-hour week.

Three municipalities located in the designated area are not included in this exemption.

Ron Phillips beat the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA, formerly Revenue Canada) in court, but he says the matter is far from concluded.