Tsuut’ina First Nation played host on Nov. 2 to about 50 Chiefs and their proxies from Treaties 1-11. Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde was also in attendance as the Chiefs gathered to plan strategy. “The message will be clear,” said AFN Alberta Regional Chief Craig Mackinaw. “We want the prime minister to follow up on his election promises.” The Liberal election platform made significant new commitments to First Nations around missing and murdered Aboriginal women, education funding, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

About 100 teenagers from four schools in the Calgary area gathered on the Tsuut’ina reserve in November to use theatre to talk about First Nations history. The students, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, worked with local troupe, Trickster Theatre, to create their own plays about First Nation treaties. Four schools took part in the project: Tatsikiisaapo’p middle school, Strathmore high Sshool, Sir John Franklin middle school and Tsuut’ina middle and high school.

Rilee Good Eagle was recognized on Nov. 4 in a special ceremony at the Sportsplex on Siksika First Nation. The young athlete won a gold meld in the 8 km run at the World Indigenous Games held in Brazil. Good Eagle received a “shout out” on Facebook from former Calgary Flames player Theoren Fleury. Wrote Fleury, “He will take this extraordinary experience and enhance his leadership skills to empower his community far into the future.” The first World Indigenous Games drew around 2,000 athletes from nearly 20 countries. It kicked off Oct. 23 and went nine days.

The City of Calgary is developing a cultural plan and is looking for public input. The plan will examine cultural resources as they currently stand, identify gaps, and plan for future needs and opportunities. Throughout November, citizens may participate in person at one of six community sounding sessions across the city, contribute to an online discussion forum through The City’s†engage!†portal, or answer a telephone survey conducted by Forum Research.

November 9, 2015. The Canadian Native Friendship Centre, in partnership with the Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association, Alberta Aboriginal Relations, and†Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada in Alberta region, and†the City of Edmonton, continues its community consultation

Homeward Trust has launched its Edmonton 20,000 Homes Campaign, a national movement of communities to permanently house 20,000 of Canada’s most vulnerable homeless people by July 1, 2018. The campaign will create a registry to identify needs, prioritize housing efforts, and measure progress throughout the campaign. The focus will be on housing the most vulnerable, chronically homeless in Edmonton – those who have lived on the streets for more than one year, and who face grave health and safety risks because of their homelessness. Street outreach is an essential part of the campaign.

Edmonton Arts Council executive director Paul Moulton will be retiring effective Dec. 31. Moulton has contributed extensively to the organization’s success since he began in April 2013. Under his direction, EAC saw in important internal shift towards improving equity and cultural diversity, including an emphasis on diverse representation on peer juries, the formation of a board-supported Aboriginal initiatives committee, and increased accessibility of EAC funding.

The City of Edmonton plans to take an 80-unit housing complex in the northeast neighbourhood of Londonderry, which is no longer fit for human habitation, and replace it with a high-density mixed-income building. The rents from the more expensive units would subsidize those of people with lower incomes. The model is based on Regent Park in Toronto, which contains more than 2,000 units with rent geared to income. Mayor Don Iveson said if the plan works, the city will be able to build similar projects more quickly.

As the City of Edmonton begins its budget deliberations RISE wants to ensure that reconciliation receives a long term financial commitment. In addition to verbal commitments to reconciliation made by Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson, there needs to be dedicated resources to making it happen, says the organization in an email. The three-year operating budget being considered by council includes $250,000 to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action that are directed at municipalities. However,  an additional request for $558,000 annually has been turned down.

As Sturgeon River-Parkland MP Rona Ambrose becomes new interim leader of the federal Conservative Party, the Progressive Canadian Party is pushing for the re-birth of the Progressive Conservatives. The Conservative Party was born from the merger of the PCs and Canadian Alliance (formerly the Reform Party). Ambrose was chosen following voting under a preferential ballot process, which allowed both MPs and Conservative senators to vote. Stephen Harper stepped down as party leader on election night as the Trudeau Liberals were swept into power.