The daily grind in the provincial petroleum industry is tough. The long hours, the weather conditions and meeting the demands necessary to keep operations running smoothly, regardless of the economic climate, are arduous tasks at best.

The food preparation profession in the work camps is no exception. Regardless of the pay, the quality of the meals served at work camps in the oil patch could turn out to be the tipping point when it comes to holding on to workers.

Linda Gadwa has been selected to receive the 2010 Canada’s Outstanding Principal award by the National Academy of Principals. At a gala award celebration in Toronto on Feb. 23, she was honoured along with 31 other principals across the country. The educators were also recognized for their considerable contributions which made a difference in the lives of their students and in their own communities.

Edmonton’s Yellowhead Tribal College has a unique technique to lure their students into participating in their annual career fair.  He is about 5’9”, carries around a case of props, and arouses uncontrollable laughter from an audience. He goes by the name of Moccasin Joe.

The Native comedian was the keynote speaker at the First Nations college on March 18.  He put on, what he referred to as his residential cap and glasses, and managed to make the crowd of around 40 students laugh hysterically about a somber topic.

If two is really better than one, then the reality-star duo of Linsay Willier, from “Canada’s Next Top Model,” and James Jones, from “So You Think You Can Dance Canada,” are ready for anything. After being friends for four years and experiencing individual success, the pair has united to form Dreams In Motion. Willier and James’ company offers interactive workshops for youth during which the stars not only share their personal experiences but also drive home the message of following your dreams.

It may only be their names that appear on their respective awards, but Tom Crane Bear and Madeleine Keteskwew Dion Stout are both adamant that they didn’t win their National Aboriginal Achievement Awards on their own.

A new Calgary-wide initiative for youth, aged 6 to 16, is providing information and access to a variety of quality, supervised and fun after school activities focusing on Aboriginal culture.

Currently, six Aboriginal programs are being offered in different locations throughout the city through the Calgary AfterSchool program which is available free of charge to Aboriginal youth between the hours of 3-6 p.m.

CPS IRS training video made available to all

Homeless Connect held next month

A new group of community leaders has stepped up to advise Homeward Trust on how to fight homelessness in Edmonton in a culturally appropriate way for Aboriginal clients.

Claims by Chief Allan Adam that the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation was deliberately given tainted bison meat is “alarming (and) unfair.”

In a news release issued by the ACFN, Adam said, “Generating contaminated meat and offering it to the First Nations people is a cruel act of total disrespect to the dignity of the people of Fort Chipewyan.”