Metis child welfare

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Metis to discuss child welfare

The first national Metis child welfare conference will be held in Calgary, Oct. 5, 6 and 7.

The conference is being organized by members of Edmonton's Metis Children's Services Society and highlights facilitators from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

The conference will look at recent legislation that affects Metis child welfare as well as share common issues and concerns of Metis child welfare groups.

Legends help find lost fort

Stories and legends of the Dene people in Northwest Territories have helped archaeologists to finally locate and unearth a unique historical site.

Sir John Franklin's winter fort in Fort Franklin was thought to be lost forever, but thanks to the oral history of the Dene it was uncovered Aug. 14.

Franklin used the fort during the second of his three expeditions to the north around 1826. He and members of his company mapped much of the northern coast from Alaska to the Coppermine River during the summer of 1826. Neither Franklin's expedition or the recent recovery of the fort could have been achieved without help of the Dene people.

The excavation team uncovered the modern building but then began to uncover evidence of five different buildings. The bottom layer contained prehistoric stone and the second layer contained remains of an historical Dene site which included bone tools and beadwork.