Edmonton Briefs - July 2012

Tastes so good!
Bannock Burgers was a popular eating attraction at The Works Art & Design Festival which took place around Churchill Square in downtown Edmonton.

Arthurson wins big money prize award

Edmonton author Wayne Arthurson took the annual Alberta Readers’ Choice Award  and the $10,000 prize for Fall from Grace, his debut crime novel featuring  crime reporter Leo Desroches. Fall from Grace, published by New York-based Forge Books, was among five finalists vying for the award, which honours the best book by an Alberta author as chosen in an online vote by the reading public. The other four finalists were Freddy’s War by Judy Schultz; In the Suicide’s Library by Tim Bowling; Nobody Cries at Bingo by Dawn Dumont; and The Antagonist by Lynn Coady.  Arthurson signed a two-book deal with Forge publishing a few years ago and is writing a third mystery for Desroches.

U of A bestows Honorary Doctors of Law degrees

Honorary Doctors of Law degrees were bestowed upon former prime minister Paul Martin and former Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami head Mary May Simon by the University of Alberta during its June convocations. As prime minister from 2003-2006, Martin signed agreements with the provinces and territories to establish a national early learning and child-care program and sought a historic consensus between Canada’s Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples in the Kelowna Accord. He was presented with his honorary degree at the June 11 convocation. Simon’s distinguished career has been devoted to advancing sustainable and equitable development in the circumpolar region. She was Canada’s first ambassador of Circumpolar Affairs and also president and special envoy of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference. Simon received her honorary degree June 12.

New location for Kahkiyaw

Kahkiyaw, a program aimed at ensuring urban Aboriginal children and families can access culturally appropriate services, is now located at Parkdale School, which has been empty for two years. Kahkiyaw is a partnership of Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society and Boyle Street Community Services with Alberta Human Services. Kahkiyaw is operating in the Edmonton and Area Child and Family Services Authority, taking on new cases of First Nations children who have the potential to come into care or who do come into care.

Winning big in Canadian Aboriginal Writing contest

Three of the top 10 awards in this year’s Canadian Aboriginal Writing and Arts Challenge went to Edmonton and area youth.  All recognition was in the Junior Writing Category. Taking second place was 15-year-old Summer-Harmony Twenish for her short story, “Headlights In The Distance.” Elise Bilodeau, 18, of Spruce Grove, took fifth place for her creative piece, “The Potlatch and the Smile.” Tarene Thomas, 15, from Enoch Cree, was awarded 6th place for her piece which reflects the lack of direction and the disillusionment of so many young Aboriginals in cities and on reserves. The competition is offered by Historica-Dominion Institute and presented by Enbridge Inc. More than 375 submissions were received this year. Work is juried by a panel which includes Lee Maracle, John Kim Bell, Stan Bevan and Drew Hayden Taylor.

Glenbow photographs come to St. Albert

Musée Heritage Museum in St. Albert has a new exhibit of photos. The exhibit In Focus: Photographing the Alberta and Montana Frontier 1870-1930 is on loan from the Glenbow Museum in Calgary and features photos of First Nations people, ranchers, and the North West Mounted Police who arrived to bring law and order to the territory. Many of the photos are set in the southern part of the province and are augmented with the museum’s own collection of photos. The exhibit will be in St. Albert until Aug. 19.

Boyle Street in need of re-usable cups

Boyle Street Community Services is putting out the call for cups. The inner city agency has moved away from using Styrofoam in its drop-in for both environmental and financial reasons. Now Boyle Street needs reusable cups. Garage sale purchases have been made but donations are needed. Cups of any material, once they can be washed and re-used, can be dropped off at Boyle Street’s main offices, 10116 105 avenue, Edmonton. With summer coming on, dehydration is a concern so the cup donation is an urgent matter.