Alberta News Briefs

Morley students show compassion

Students at Morley Community School raised close to $4,000 in support for Haiti earthquake survivors. Their most recent fundraiser, part of the Help Haiti Heal campaign, a garage sale and carnival earned $1,500, adding to the previously raised $2,418, which was donated to the Red Cross earlier in the year. Funds from the most recent MCS event were donated to UNICEF and Partners in Health. Event planners, Jackie Brown, Gen Soler, MCS teachers along with the MCS high school Student Council and student volunteers began preparations for the fundraiser soon after the earthquake on Jan. 12. The Help Heal Haiti, a global awareness event, was initiated by the compassion of the students.

Northlands School superintendent resigns

Northlands School Division Superintendent Pier DePaola has tendered his resignation. DePaola announced his decision March 31, 10 weeks after Education Minister David Hancock replaced the Northlands corporate school board with Colin Kelly as official trustee. In a letter to school division administrators and staff, DePaola said, “I want to inform you that I have resigned effective noon May 5th as per mutual agreement with the Trustee.” However, DePaola will only be available for emergency calls between tendering his resignation and his last day. DePaola further stated, “I appreciate the work that Dr. Colin Kelly has before him. He needs his own team and needs your support to raise the bar from the projected five to seven per cent improvement projected for this June 2010. This time it should be easier since the Trustee and enhanced divisional staff will access the Minister’s Departmental team as you all carry out the annual school plan for 2010-2011 and the new superintendent and Trustee revise the June three-year plan for the division.” Along with appointing Kelly, a three-person inquiry team was selected to focus on student achievement, governance, instructional and administrative leadership of the division. The team was given six months to make recommendations. In replacing Northlands 23-member corporate board, a department spokesperson cited concerns in the area of student results, teacher and administration retention and school improvements.

Onion Lake receives critical financial backing

The Onion Lake Cree Nation has been approved for backing through the First Nations Market Housing Fund Credit Enhancement Program. With backing of the fund, Onion Lake will be able to attract private financing, with favourable terms and conditions, for housing loans for their members on reserve. “The leadership of OLCN has made a major commitment to build homes and upgrade the infrastructure in their community. A key component of this direction is offering new housing options to their members and forging partnerships with private lenders,” said Ruth Williams, vice-chair of the fund. Onion Lake Cree Nation straddles the Alberta-British Columbia border. The fund was established by the federal government and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to give members of First Nations greater access to housing loans on-reserve and on settlement lands where appropriate. Entering its third year of operations, the $300 million fund has the capability of leveraging up to $3 billion to help secure financing for new homes on-reserve. The fund is expected to help secure financing for up to 25,000 new homes over 10 years.

First Nations oil upgrader planned

Treaty 6 and Teedrum Inc. are working together to build and run their own oil upgrader and refinery northeast of Edmonton. The goal is to begin building the plant in two years, with employment priority for construction and operating jobs given to First Nations. CBC News reports that the development is expected to bring as many as 4,500 construction jobs over 36 months, with full-time jobs for up to 1,000 people. The anticipated profits of $300 million a year, earned from both local and international sales, would be split among the bands and allow other economic development such as companies to build houses on reserve and partnerships with retail companies.

Scholarship recipients announced

Three students, one each from Treaty 6, 7 and 8, are recipients of $2,000 scholarships each from AltaLink. Of the 120 applications received, Marilyn Sparklingeyes, Lowell Yellow Horn and Jamal Pariseau-Zrien were selected for the 2009 awards. “Education is a core value at AltaLink,” said Megan Wolfinger, communications advisor for AltaLink and coordinator of the scholarship program. “Being able to support students is by far one of the most valuable and rewarding parts of this job. Being able to contribute to the educational goals of Alberta’s Aboriginal students is something we take great pride in.” Started in 2007, the Aboriginal Scholarship Program is designed to recognize the Aboriginal community and offer financial assistance to Aboriginal students attending post-secondary institutions. AltaLink owns and operates approximately 11,800 km of electrical transmission lines and 270 substations, supplying electricity to 85 per cent of Alberta’s population.

ACFN joins BC First Nation voices opposed to pipeline

The Athabasca Chipewyan Cree First Nation has added its voice in support of the Coastal First Nations, an alliance of nine First Nations from Vancouver Island to the BC/Alaska border, in its opposition to the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline which will travel from Kitimaat to Alberta. Enbridge is expected to submit an application for environmental approval of the pipeline shortly. The plan is to begin construction in 2012, with project completion expected by 2015 or 2016. The pipeline will transport oil from Alberta’s tar sands to tankers waiting on the B.C. coast for transport to overseas markets. The First Nations’ efforts to prevent the pipeline were recently joined by four environmental groups including Greenpeace.

RBC Foundation supports Whyte Museum

RBC Foundation is providing $10,000 to enrich programs, exhibitions, tours, and the collection of the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, in Banff. Museum founders Peter and Catharine Whyte developed a close relationship with members of the Stoney Nakoda Nation during their lifetime and this heritage is reflected in museum programming. The donation from the RBC will help enhance the link to the local First Nations community, which is important for the museum’s mandate. The support will be used in two ways: to help develop and deliver relevant First Nations programming for all young people in the Bow Valley; and to engage in consultations with advisors from this First Nation to help better understand the museum’s collection.

Sentence given in toddler’s death

Christopher Shane Crane, 20, was sentenced to 13 years in prison in the shooting of a toddler on a reserve near Hobbema. Asia Saddleback was 23 months old when she was hit by a stray bullet during a drive-by shooting in April 2008. The bullet remains lodged in her spine. Crane pleaded guilty last year to aggravated assault, robbery, use of a firearm during an indictable offence and possession of a firearm during an indictable offence. Crane has been credited for four years for time spent in custody.

NASA organizes event to promote FNMI cultures, languages

The Native American Student Association of the University of Lethbridge organized “Celebrating FNMI Languages, Cultures and Identities,” a three-day event in early March. The event promoted awareness of the diversity of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit student body and important FNMI issues—as part of Native Awareness Week. NASA organizers believe it is important for FNMI peoples and their collaborators/supporters to join together to promote awareness of FNMI language, culture and identity issues among the student body and in the community at large. Many well known scholars participated including Prof. Louis Soop, Blackfoot Language Instructor, University of Lethbridge; Toni Cardinal, Métis language worker from Northern Alberta; and Prof. Leroy Little Bear, Chair of the Native Studies Department, University of Lethbridge.

Aboriginal sites among Alberta’s “must-sees”

Two “Must-Sees” in the newest Alberta travel book include the Aboriginal sites of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump and Writing on Stone Provincial Park, both in southern Alberta. Dina O’Meara, the author of the Alberta Book of Musts has included the two sites among the 101 sites that must be seen while touring Alberta. The book covers arts and festivals around the province as well as discussing the must-see places by area, with such interesting headings as “Late-night Eats” in Calgary and “Ride the Eddie” in Edmonton.

Compiled by Shari Narine