Edmonton Briefs - June

Free services offered
Homeless Connect had 1,300 guests, 400 volunteers, and 50 service providers at the May 9 event at the Shaw Conference Centre. In total 80 services were offered. Last year, the event was held both in the spring and fall and drew 1,500 in May and 1,100 in October. A variety of services were offered and included health, personal care (haircuts and foot care were two of the most popular), career counseling, help with taxes and info on obtaining identification. Another session will be hosted in October.

Affordable subsidized housing receives provincial funding
Les Mitton House, a proposed supportive housing complex for the homeless, recently received $5.9 million in funding from the provincial government to ensure the project goes ahead. “I’m happy and excited. Homelessness is a major problem in Edmonton,” said Boyle Street Community Services Executive Director Julian Daly. Boyle Street has 40 years experience in working with and supporting marginalized and homeless people and is partnering with Leston Holdings, which has more than 25 years of experience in property development and property management. The development supports the Capital City Downtown Plan, drafted following several years of consultations and public involvement, which calls for an increase in the number of affordable housing units in the downtown area. The project, named after the late Les Mitton, the founder of Leston Holdings, will be built on a site at 104 street and 106 avenue, in a district which has a low percentage of subsidized housing. The four-storey building will have 60 one and two-bedroom units.

Edmonton musician to have video produced
Plex is one of six Aboriginal musicians who will have new music videos produced for, and played on, APTN. These artists are the successful applicants of First Tracks, APTN’s music video initiative launched in July 2008 to support and promote Aboriginal talent by producing music videos from a song featured on a current CD or soon to be released CD. Plex is a daring emcee, artist and entrepreneur from Edmonton. Doug Bedard aka Plex has taken his experience of growing up on northside Beverly streets to the masses with a message about competing to survive adversity and ultimately rising to the top. His album Brainstorm, released in 2009 is a culturally relevant and lyrically proficient album that challenges popular opinions. Plex is the award winning host and producer of The Plex Show on Aboriginal Voices Radio, a show designed to provide a platform for global Indigenous artists whose talent is featured and heard all across Canada. “APTN is dedicated to supporting and encouraging new Aboriginal artists and providing them with new opportunities to showcase their talent,” said Sky Bridges, APTN director of marketing. “There are so many incredible performers in a wide variety of musical genres and First Tracks is one of the ways APTN is working with Aboriginal musicians so they can share their talent with all Canadians as well as music fans all around the world.”

Aboriginal comedy show hosted
The Arden Theatre hosted the Aboriginal comedy show, Welcome To Turtle Island Too – A Celebration of Aboriginal Comedy, on May 14. Hosted by Lorne Cardinal, fresh from his stint on Corner Gas, the show featured hilarious and biting satire from Don Burnstick, Howie Miller, Don Kelly and Manitoba newcomer Ryan McMahon.

 Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation recognized
The 2010 Alberta Book Awards,  a joint presentation of the Writers Guild of Alberta and the Book Publishers Association of Alberta, saw People of the Lakes by Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation and Shirleen Smith pick up a couple of awards for its publishers, The University of Alberta Press (Edmonton). The University of Alberta Press (Edmonton) won in the Scholarly & Academic Book Award for People of the Lakes by Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation and Shirleen Smith) and the Lois Hole Award for Editorial Excellence.

Compiled by Shari Narine