News in Brief

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PRINCE GEORGE, B.C.-School trustees in this northern community have approved plans for an all-Aboriginal high school to open in September. They are hoping to reverse the current trend of a higher Native drop-out rate. The school will be launched under a three-way partnership between the Ministry of Education, local First Nations and the school district.

VICTORIA-In March MediaNet will present three evenings of Canadian short films and videos, featuring a juried selection of work by artists from Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Work innovative in approach, content or viewpoint is being sought. Identity, art, relationships and social issues and action are the major themes of the show. Submissions must be in by Feb. 1. Contact Darren at (250) 381-4428 for information.

REGINA-A Saskatchewan judge has ruled that it is not a constitutional right to have the Aboriginal words spoken by a witness in a trial included in a transcript of the case provided by the province of Saskatchewan. The decision stems from an appeal of a tax matter against the Ochapowace Indian Band. The band sought a transcript from the first trial, but found it was available with only the English translation of some testimony provided in Cree and Saulteaux. The band was told they could have transcripts of the Aboriginal words at a cost of $250 a page, a cost the band found outrageous. It argued that the government was violating the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but the court disagreed. It did admit there were problems with the translations, because there were numerous occasions when the Aboriginal words of the interpreter were not transcribed.