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KOOTENAYS REGION-Changes are are being promoted to child welfare services delivery in the Kootenays.

The Aboriginal Peoples Family Accord (APFA)is trying to get more involvement by Aboriginal people, whether First Nations or Metis, in the health and safety issues affecting their children.

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National Chief Phil Fontaine arrived in Vancouver for a special chiefs assembly with a goal of correcting what he called "an unfortunate report in the national media" that he was asking for almost $2 billion for the Assembly of First Nations.

The reality, he said, is that only one per cent of that proposed funding would go to the AFN.

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On Oct. 4, Robert Nault, minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and Geoff Plant, attorney general and minister responsible for treaty negotiations of British Columbia, announced joint funding of more than $1 million for the Ktunaxa Kinbasket Tribal Council's (KKTC) forestry and coal bed methane economic development projects. The announcement was made at the Delta St. Eugene Mission Resort, recently built on the site of a former residential school.

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The Lillooet River's waters have receded, but Mount Currie Indian Band located north of Pemberton has been left struggling to cope after a week-long flood destroyed land, livestock and many homes on the reserve.

Now, more than 300 evacuated residents of the First Nation urgently need repairs to their homes before winter sets in.

In addition, band members lost the hay they need to feed livestock over the winter: 303 round bales and 3,822 square bales. Replacing it will cost $25,000, but that cost is not covered by the Provincial Emergency Program.

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At the Prince George Civic Centre on Oct. 7 and 8, more than 200 health professionals and volunteers from northern British Columbia gathered to learn about palliative care. The conference sponsored by Northern Health touched on such topics as Building Teams to Support Palliative Caregivers; How to best Deal With Death and Dying in Hospitals; and Better Communication Among Teams of Care Givers.

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Members of Fort McKay First Nation have voted in favor of a land claim settlement that will see the community receive 92 sq. km of land and close to $40 million in compensation.

The vote was held on Oct. 23 and 24, with 92 per cent of votes cast in favor of accepting the compensation package.

The First Nation filed its land claim with the federal courts in 1986, and it was accepted for negotiation in 1999.

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Sakasteew Transportation Company Ltd. is a familiar business operation in Fort McKay today, but owner Marie Boucher said that it took a lot of years and a lot of help from the community, including former chief Dorothy McDonald and current Chief Jim Boucher, to make that a reality.

Born and raised in Fort McKay, she was a stay-at-home mother when McDonald knocked on her door and asked if she wanted to attend college in Fort McMurray to get her class 2 licence.

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On Thanksgiving I interviewed a number of people who attended the 12th annual Thanksgiving dinner at the Boyle Street Co-op in Edmonton. That is how I spent my day off. Along with taking pictures and gathering the interviews, I also had a chance to ask a few people what they were thankful for. Most of them said their health. Some of them said their families. And some of them said the dinner.