News Briefs

Page 16

Natives in uniform

A new exhibit will open on April 30 at the Calgary Museum of the Regiments and will chronicle the contribution of Aboriginal people in the Canadian forces from colonial times to the Korean War. Paintings, photographs and other memorabilia will be on display at the exhibit which is called Aboriginals in the Service of the Peace.

Bovar agreement

Bovar Inc., owners of the Swan Hills Waste Treatment Plant, and the Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council have signed an agreement to establish a new level of mutual trust and open dialog to address issues of concern to both parties. The waste treatment plant has been a concern to many Native people living off the land around the site due to recent chemical and toxic leaks.

Acting grand chief of the Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council Dustin Twinn, said he is satisfied with the agreement.

No butts, it's an epidemic

In a survey of 10,000 First Nation and Inuit people the percentage of smokers was high and the numbers are growing. The study found that while the percentage of smokers in Canada's over-all population is going down, Aboriginal smoking rates are on the rise.

The survey found that 62 per cent of those surveyed were smokers. Of the people surveyed who were between 20 and 24-years-old, 75 per cent smoked.

The average age for an Aboriginal person to begin smoking is 11.

Dr. Jeff Reading, a researcher with the Native steering committee, the group who compiled the information under the management of the Chiefs of Ontario, said the findings indicated Aboriginal smoking is an "epidemic" in progress.

Native court concept

At a Native justice conference held in Calgary in mid-March, representatives of the Tsuu T'ina First Nation were told their idea for a Native-operated courthouse in Alberta could serve as a model for the rest of the country.

Alberta Justice Minister John Havelock said the idea is an interesting one and could lead to more responsibility for Native justice being passed onto First Nations.

Havelock said the justice department would take the idea under consideration. A feasibility study on the proposal is the next step.

Minister presentation

Indian Affairs Minister Jane Stewart presented a framed copy of her government's Statement of Reconciliation to the Syncrude Gallery of Aboriginal Culture at the Provincial Museum of Alberta on April 2.

Museum Director Dr. Philip Stepney said he was proud to accept the latest addition to the museum and the newly opened gallery.

"It's a very beautiful statement and we're very proud to have to have it hung in this gallery," he said.

Museum officials said the copy of the federal government's apology to Aboriginal people will be put in the contemporary area of the gallery.

Nations closer to control

Five First Nations moved a step closer to full control of the oil and gas resources on their territories with the signing of an agreement at an Edmonton hotel on April 2.

Indian Affairs Minister Jane Stewart joined the chiefs of the White Bear First Nation, Horse Lake First Nation, the Blood Tribe, the Siksika Nation and the Dene Tha First Nation to sign the agreement which allowed the Aboriginal communities to move on to the second stage of a three-stage process that allows the First Nations to assume control of the oil and gas operations in their territories.

Do you know something?

The family of a Lac La Biche area Native man are looking for the public's help in tracking down his final few hours.

The Desjarlais family has placed notices in newspapers asking for help in determining what happened to Mirros Desjarlais on Jan. 19 of this year.

Desjarlais was killed near Touchwood Lake in the late afternoon or early evening.

Anyone who may have seen Desjarlais walking in that area on that day is asked to contact the family or the Lac La Biche RCMP.

Winter Games results

Alberta athletes came away with 100 medals from the 1998 Arctic Winter Games held in Yellowknife NWT, from March 15 to 21.

The games featured athletes from Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Greenland, Alaska, Yukon, Tyumen and Magadan.

There were 14 sporting categories including speed skating, indoor soccer, and dog mushing. There was also a dozen tradition Arctic sports categories including the stick pull, kneel jump, Alaskan high kick, the Russian sledge jump and the finger pull.

The medal count put Team Alberta in second place over-all. The Northwest Territories team came away with a record-setting 191 medals (called ulus), the Yukon took home 81 medals, Tyumen earned 44 medals, Greenland, 32, and Magadan athletes came away with 25 ulus.