ANWA elects new president

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The priority for the Alberta Native Womens Association (ANWA) is to get back

to their original mandate of developing leadership among Native women, said Donna Weaselchild, elected as the new president for the association.

Weaselchild was elected at the 19th annual general conference, held at the Continental Inn, in Edmonton on June 21 and 22.

She previously served as the ANWA treasurer for '85, '86 and has been active

with Native women's issues for several years, as volunteer and representative.

Weaselchild aims to reorganize ANWA, by the revival of a working relationship with association chapters, located throughout the province.

ANWA priorities under Weaselchild's leadership will focus on encouraging the involvement of Native youth in ANWA, reviving the use of Native Elders as advisors to ANWA and creating further awareness to ANWA and Native womens concerns to the Native and general public.

Work will continue by ANWA, on alleviating domestic violence in Native communities and on updating the ANWA constitution, said Weaselchild.

The political advocacy role ANWA has taken on in the last few years will continue to be filled by ANWA, according to Weaselchild.

"I encourage Native women to contact our office for support and advice on their concerns," said Weaselchild.

Weaselchild pointed out that there are very few women directly involved in decision-making bodies on Native concerns and issues. This lack of participation by women was one of the reasons for establishing a provincial Native women organization, according to Weaselchild.

"We have come full circle, ANWA still has the role to fill in developing leadership among Native women," said Weaselchild.

Weaselchild also indicated that this activity will extend to promoting and assisting leadership potential of Native youth, during her one year term of office.

Weaselchild reported that the six regions that make up ANWA will soon be having their own annual meeting. She urged the ANWA regional bodies to incorporate in preparation for a more active role in their respective regions.

ANWA will continue to promote awareness of implications of Bill C-31 (changes to the Indian act) and to provide information related to the reinstatement process of those who had lost their Indian status, under former government policies.

This is according to an agreement reached among ANWA members, three years ago, that the association would only provide information, rather than taking a stand on the issue, said Weaselchild.

ANWA membership includes Metis, Treaty Indian and non-status Indian women, and the Bill C-31 issue was seen as being potentially divisive for the organization.

ANWA presently has two staff employed to deliver information on Bill C-31 and the reinstatement process. ANWA has a current contract with the National Native Women Association of Canada, which allotted $100,000 dollars to ANWA to do this work. The two Bill C-31 workers are Brenda Eastmen, co-ordinator and covering southern Alberta and Brenda Bylan, covering northern Alberta.

Although ANWA is not recognized by the provincial government as a program agency, Weaselchild said ANWA members want the organization to get involved in programing.

Weaselchild could not comment at this time, what impact, the division of the provincial Native Affairs into two ministerial portfolios will have on Alberta Native organizations.

ANWA will contact other active organizations to see if there is areas of common concern, that could use co-operation with ANWA.

"The door is definitely open," said Weaselchild.

As part of ANWA new initiatives in public awareness, news releases will be issued on a regular basis, according to Weaselchild.