Alberta Sweetgrass - January 2014

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$4.00 + GST where applicableVOLUME 21 • NUMBER 2JANUARY 2014

THE ABORIGINAL NEWSPAPER OF ALBERTA

Alberta Sweetgrass News Briefs Page 3

2013 – The Year in ReviewPage 4

WHAT'S INSIDE:

CANADIAN PUBLICATION MAIL# 40063755

By Shari NarineSweetgrass Contributing Editor

ATHABASCA CHIPEWYANFIRST NATION

First Nations impacted furtherdownstream by the largest coalslurry spill in Canadian history areconsidering legal action againstSherritt International, theoperators of Obed MountainMine.

The breach from a pit 30 kmeast of Hinton on Oct. 31 releasedapproximately 670 million litresof contaminated water into twotributaries leading to theAthabasca River.

“People are getting tired.They’re fed up with the nonsensethat’s been going on, everythingfrom the treaties to what’shappening with industry,” saidMikisew Cree Nation Chief SteveCourtereille. “We want to knowwhy the government isn’t doinganything.”

The provincial government mayalso be named in legal actionbeing considered by the MikisewCree and Athabasca ChipewyanFirst Nation.

“This isn’t new for ACFN andMikisew to have concerns for theriver system and Sherritt was thestraw that broke the camel’s

back,” said ACFN spokespersonEriel Deranger. “Andconsidering it was the largestspill in history and theinformation was not really beingshared openly by Sherritt or thegovernment and there are still alot of questions that the Nationhas.”

Meetings between the twoFirst Nations and Sherritt werescheduled for December, buthad to be postponed untilJanuary because of the death ofMikisew band councillor WillieCourtoreille, the brother of theChief.

Sean McCaughan, senior vicepresident for SherrittInternational’s coal operations,says face-to-face meetings withthose communities will help toaddress concerns. Similarmeetings have already occurredwith the Alexis Sioux NakotaNation, who have been out tothe site. McCaughan says he hasspoken to ACFN Chief AllanAdam.

“We’re very interested insitting down with them andwalking through ourinformation,” said McCaughan,who noted that both Sherritt andthe Alberta government havemade their data public.

But that data has raisedconcerns with Bruce MacLean,who manages the Mikisew Creeand Athasbasca Chipewyan FirstNation community-basedmonitoring program.

“We noticed a very distinctincrease in turbidity levels,” saidMacLean. “The concern is thatthe contamination that came outof that spill was heavily tied tothe sediment. It’s the increase inheavy metals in the Peace-Athabasca delta that’s going tohave the issues. The chemicalsthat we are worried about arecertainly the ones that arecarcinogenic.”

The group undertookmonitoring at two sites, one onthe Athabasca River and one offthe shore of town overtop thewater intake, both furtherdownstream than where Sherritttook its readings, says MacLean.

Baseline samples for turbidityand other water chemistryvariables were collected six daysprior to when the plume wasanticipated to reach the site, saysMacLean. A three-fold increasein turbidity was observed whenthe plume was scheduled toarrive.

“What Alberta (SustainableResource Development) was

First Nations consider legal action against Sherritt

At a rally in November, Mikisew Cree Nation Chief Steve Courtereille said his people are concerned about the Obed Mountain Mine spill and challenged thegovernment to “get it together.”

PHOTO: FILE PHOTO

finding and what the company’sown (monitorings) weresuggesting was that there was noincrease,” said MacLean, whochallenges Sherritt’s claim thatthe plume had completelydissipated by that point. “Ourdata would suggest very stronglythat wasn’t the case.”

With the majority ofcontaminant tied to the sedimentnow deposited at the bottom ofthe Athabasca River, MacLeandoesn’t anticipate the full impactof the spill to be known until highwater in the spring remobilizesthe sludge and moves it downriver.

“And it will do that oversubsequent years. What theultimate toll is on the delta isgoing to be really hard to tell,”he said, noting that fish habitathas already been impacted.

McCaughan says he has notseen the data collected byMacLean’s group.

“I think that’s one of thereasons we’d love to sit downwith them and why we suggestedhaving a technical session withthem,” he said. “We (would)Ölike to meet with them andunderstand their concerns.”

ACFN and Mikisew Cree arealso pushing for charges to be

laid under provisions of thefederal Fisheries Act andAlberta’s EnvironmentalProtection and EnhancementAct.

“We had some concernsaround the operations thatSherritt had been running andwhether or not they were inviolation of their licensing,” saidDeranger.

(See First Nations on page 3.)

Alberta Sweetgrass - January 2014

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Reading themselves to a hockey gameThe grades 3 and 4 from Grouard Northland School

took in the Edmonton Oilers game against the CarolinaHurricanes on Dec. 10. The students won tickets byparticipating in the Edmonton Oilers and EdmontonOil Kings “Reading, Give it a Shot” program. Theprogram, which Northland School Division hasparticipated in for 10 years, was developed to assistteachers inside and outside of the classroom to helpmotivate and encourage their students to read. (Photo:Northland School Division)

Alexis Nakota Sioux maintains intervener status forVista project

On Jan. 9, Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation and CoalspurMines Ltd. reached a confidential agreement for theCoalspur Vista project. Alexis Nakota Sioux was thelast of three First Nations to relinquish its status asintervener in the upcoming Alberta Energy Regulatorhearings.In early December, Ermineskin Cree Nationand the Whitefish (Goodfish) Lake First Nationwithdrew as interveners for the project having enteredinto separate agreements with Coalspur Mines. Theagreements provide mutually beneficial opportunitiesfor community development, infrastructure andbusiness opportunities, as well as ensure First Nationparticipation in ongoing environmental monitoring ofCoalspur’s operations and mitigate impacts on the FirstNations’ traditional land uses. Coalspur now hasagreements with six First Nations. However, AER stillbegin its hearing Jan. 13 in Hinton, saying both technicalstaff and the commission had questions for CoalspurMines.

Jackpine mine expansion gets federal approvalDespite a scheduled 35-day delay in rendering its

decision, the Canadian Environmental AssessmentAgency has given Shell Canada’s Jackpine oilsandsmine expansion plan the go-ahead. EnvironmentMinister Leona Aglukkaq said although the 100,000barrels-per-day expansion was “likely to causesignificant adverse environmental effects,” it was“justified by the circumstances.” The decision camewhile the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation was stillin talks with the federal government. Concerns for theexpansion, which increases Shell’s control from 7,500hectares†to 13,000 hectares have been expressed byFort McKay and Mikisew†Cree First Nations as wellas Metis locals. In an earlier interview with Sweetgrass,ACFN spokesperson Eriel Deranger said ACFN wouldpursue legal action.

Roundtable for children in careInvited experts and stakeholders will be meeting Jan.

29 at a government-led roundtable to discussinvestigations and public information involving deathsor serious injuries of children in care. Animplementation team was announced by new HumanServices Minister Manmeet S. Bhullar to move forwardon his five-point plan to improve the child interventionsystem. That plan focuses on enhancing information

sharing, addressing the root causes that bring childreninto care, and supporting collaborative research toimprove services to children and their families. “Wewill move quickly to implement our plan to increaseprotections for every child in this province and we willpush for continuous improvement of supports forvulnerable children and their families,” said Bhullar.

New Aboriginal Relations ministerAlberta has a new Aboriginal Relations minister as

Premier Alison Redford shuffled her Cabinet in mid-December. Taking on the portfolio as well as positionof Deputy House Leader is Peace River MLA FrankOberle, who was promoted from associate ministerof†Services for Persons with Disabilities. Oberle takesover from Robin Campbell, who is now the minister ofAlberta Environment and Sustainable ResourceDevelopment as well as Government House Leader. Ina news release issued by Redford, she said, “Thestrengthened ministerial team will lead the next phaseof the Building Alberta Plan, with a focus on expandingour economy, driving innovation and working every dayto create an even better quality of life for Albertans.”The Wildrose Official Opposition did its own shufflingbut leader Danielle Smith remained with the AboriginalRelations portfolio.

Young’s four-city concert tour to raise funds forACFN court battles

Singer-songwriter Neil Young will be ending his four-city Honour the Treaties Tour in Calgary on Jan.19. Hisconcerts will help raise money for court challenges bythe Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation revolving aroundthe preservation of treaty rights, species at risk, accessissues and public land policies. Last September, Youngvisited the Fort McMurray area and compared open-pitpractises with Hiroshima after the atomic bomb blast.ACFN spokesperson Eriel Deranger said the band hadnot asked Young for his support when he was in theregion. He will be joined on stage by special guest starjazz singer-pianist and fellow Canadian Diana Krall inCalgary, Toronto (Jan. 12), Winnipeg (Jan. 16), andRegina (Jan. 17).

Largest private-sector union supports First NationsUnifor, Canada’s largest private-sector union, has

thrown its support behind First Nations in opposing theNorthern Gateway pipeline project, vowing to hit picketlines in solidarity if the project goes ahead. Unifor,which is the recent merger of the Canadian AutoWorkers and the Communications, Energy andPaperworkers Union of Canada, with more than 300,000members across the country. represents workers innearly every sector of the economy, including those inoil and gas, mining and smelting and construction. InNovember, the union released a position paper callingfor a Canada-wide moratorium on all new oil and gasfracking, citing concerns over safety and environmentalrisks as well as a lack of informed consent by FirstNations about fracking on native land.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Councils formed to address Aboriginal women’sissues

The provincial government has established twoAboriginal women’s advisory councils, one of Métismembers and one of First Nations members. Thecouncils will report to the Aboriginal Relations ministerand will be supported by a working group made up ofsenior representatives from Aboriginal Relations;Culture; Education; Enterprise and AdvancedEducation; Health; Human Services; and Justice andSolicitor General to address the issues they identify.Outgoing Aboriginal Relations Minister RobinCampbell said the work will hopefully result in a set ofdefined government priorities and recommendations bylate spring 2014. After initial recommendations, theministry will begin working with other areas ofgovernment to examine training or education programsavailable to address the issues. Koren Lightning-Earle,a Samson Cree councillor and president of theIndigenous Bar Association, is co-chair of the 23-member First Nations Women’s Economic SecurityCouncil, while Rachelle Venne, chief executive of theInstitute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women, isco-chair of the 13-member MÈtis Women’s EconomicSecurity Council. The councils will be given a budgetin the Aboriginal Relations ministry and are expectingto meet at least twice annually.

Fort Chipewyan MÈtis chapter launches lawsuitThe Métis Nation of Alberta Association has launched

a $3-billion lawsuit against B.C. Hydro and the federalgovernment for damage to the Lake Athabasca deltacreated by two dams on British Columbia stretches ofthe Peace River. The suit, launched by the FortChipewyan chapter of the association, claims that theBennett and Peace Canyon Dams have had disastrouseffects on the Lake Athabasca delta created by themeeting of the Peace and Athabasca Rivers innortheastern Alberta. The dams have substantiallyreduced the flow of the Peace River and dried the deltaby “virtually eliminating” the spring flooding. That lackof flow has had “irreversible” debilitating effects onwildlife and plants that the Métis rely upon to continuetheir way of life, the suit states. The reduced flow alsoinfringes upon entrenched Métis water rights.

Funding received by Maskwacis for anti-gangviolence program

The Maskwacis Conflict Resolution Program, run bythe Samson Cree Nation, has received $2.9 million fromthe federal government to address gang violence inSamson Cree Nation, Ermineskin First Nation, LouisBull First Nation and Montana First Nation. Theprogram will help youth make smart choices and avoidinvolvement in criminal activity by promotingcommunity involvement, education and employmentskills, and counselling programs, said Wetaskiwin MPBlaine Calkins. Jan. 1 marked the official change ofname for Hobbema to Maskwacis.

Site C Dam JRP in AlbertaThe Joint Review Panel for Site C for BC Hydro’s

proposed dam was in Peace River Jan. 9 and 10. Thepanel began its hearings in Fort St. John, in BC, onDec. 9, 2013, and will conclude in Fort St. John on Jan.23. Peace River was the only Alberta stop. Concernshave been raised by First Nations both in BC and Albertaas the project would create hydro-electric power forthe BC, but would also flood First Nations land andhunting grounds.

Figures updated for flood recovery workFigures released by the provincial government in early

December indicate that almost $175 million inpreliminary disaster assistance has been provided tosouthern Alberta municipalities and First Nations tobegin rebuilding after the June flood. There are stillover 1,000 people living in temporary accommodations,including 326 in relief shelters on the Siksika FirstNation. Almost $70 million was distributed inimmediate support as preloaded debit cards or chequesto more than 56,000 Albertans forced from their homes.When Premier Alison Redford reworked her Cabinetin mid-December, flood recovery work remained apriority as three associate ministers for regionalrecovery and reconstruction remained: Kyle Fawcett(southwest region), Greg Weadick (southeast region)and Rick Fraser (High River).

Compiled by Shari Narine

Alberta Sweetgrass - January 2014

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McCaughan says the provinceis on site investigating theincident.

“They’re well into theirinvestigation and it will continueon for some time and we’ll awaitwhat comes out of theinvestigation,” he said.

In late December, Sherrittpublicly announced that it wasdivesting the company of its coalbusiness and that WestmorelandCoal Company would be

acquiring those assets.“They did notify us that it does

not mean they’ve sold theirresponsibilities and obligationsto ensure that all legal mattersregarding the spill are addressedand they will be addressed bySherritt themselves,” saidDeranger.

Stressed McCaughan, “Sherrittis committed to handling thisright and doing what’s right. Asa company we place a lot of valueon this.”

(Continued from page 1.)

First Nations considerlegal action

PHOTO: SHARI NARINE

Idle No More movementfinishes year in show ofstrength

With the first half of the yearspent trying to understand theIdle No More movementthrough panel discussions atuniversities and town halls,participants took to the streetsand the steps of the AlbertaLegislature in the latter part of2013. First Nations leaderscontinued to denounce bothfederal and provincialgovernments for theirpaternalistic attitudes. Leaderscalled on membership to standup for their constitutional rights,to protect their land and theirwater. At the heart of numerousprotests were federal omnibusbills C-38 and C-45, whichMikisew Cree and Frog Lake

(From left) Brenda Ashley, April Isadore, and Joe Isadore, all from Driftpile First Nation, bravedthe bitter cold to stand on the steps of the Alberta Legislature during a mass rally inNovember.

First Nations successfullypushed to judicial reviews withtheir concerns to be heardJanuary 2014, along with Bill22, the provincial government’sconsultation policy foreconomic development on FirstNations’ land. Also making therally signs were industrialaccidents such as the Obed coalslurry spill and the CNRLbreaches at the Cold Lake AirWeapons Range. One rally saw116 oil barrels placed on thesteps of the Legislature torepresent the amount of carbondioxide that will be produced byShell Canada’s Jackpine mineexpansion every second. Anumber of rallies, including theone held Oct. 7 to mark 250years of the signing of theBritish Royal Proclamation,took place nation-wide.

Child deaths in governmentcare raise concerns

A series of investigativearticles run in November by theprovince’s two major dailynewspapers stating that 145children in Alberta had died infoster care since 1999 hasresulted in Human ServicesMinister David Hancockscheduling a roundtable forJanuary 2014 to determine, inpart, if the review system fordeaths in care is appropriate. Ofthe 94 children whose ethnicitywas recorded, 74 wereAboriginal. The articles notedthat the government has received258 non-bindingrecommendations since 1999

through a variety of offices,forums and reports on how toimprove the system. Some ofthose recommendations havecome from Youth and ChildAdvocate Del Graff. Earlier inthe year, Graff released a reportentitled “Remembering Brian,”which outlined the gaps ingovernment services as well aspolicies and guidelines thatcontributed to the suicide deathof the 16-year-old Metis boy,who was in government care.“Remembering Brian” presentedrecommendations to improve thesystem. In Graff’s latest annualreport tabled in the Legislature,he wrote, “I believe the Ministryof Human Services can andshould take more concrete actionon the recommendations made inmy reports that will improve

services and outcomes forvulnerable children.” Aboriginalyouth comprise only nine percent of Alberta’s population, butaccount for close to 60 per centof children in care. Graff said hewould participate in theroundtable. In August, JusticeBart Rosborough, who presidedover a public fatality inquiry intothe death of Baby K, a 14-month-old girl from the Samson CreeFirst Nation, who died on March28, 2009, of pneumonia while ingovernment care of a delegatedFirst Nations Authority,recommended that the provinceexamine whether there is adisparity in funding for childrenin care on reserves and if thatdisparity exists, that the provinceenter into negotiations with thefederal government.

Alberta Sweetgrass - January 2014

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E D M O N T O NE D M O N T O NE D M O N T O NE D M O N T O NE D M O N T O NEdmonton continues to pushahead in Aboriginal relations.

Figures from the latestNational Household Surveyindicate that Edmonton has thesecond largest urban Aboriginalpopulation (behind Winnpeg) at60,000. The city moved forwardby signing memorandums withboth the provincial governmentand the Métis Nation of Alberta,as well as proclaiming Aug. 23as Treaty 6 Recognition Day,holding a special ceremony atCity Hall and raising the TreatyNo. 6 flag. These urbanAboriginal agreements have setEdmonton ahead of any othercity in the country and theCanadian Federation ofMunicipalities has held theseagreements up as a benchmarkfor other municipalities.UNESCO has also noted thework undertaken by Edmontonin moving Aboriginal relationsforward. However, 2013 markedthe end of Mayor StephenMandel’s time as he resignedafter serving three terms.“We’ve tried to do lots. Wewould have liked to have donemore… but it took a little bit oftime to get going,” said Mandel.Don Iveson took over in Octoberin a decisive mayoral victory.

City, province join forces toimprove urban Aboriginalopportunities

In May, the city and theprovince signed a memorandumto improve the quality of life andopportunities for urbanAboriginals. “I think that themost important thing that (thisMemorandum of Coordinationand Collaboration) does is that

it recognizes the urban aspect ofthe Aboriginal community. Ithink for those living inEdmonton, or those living inother major urban centres, that’ssomething long overdue,” saidMayor Stephen Mandel. Thememorandum called for theestablishment of an action planin the areas of youth leadershipand development; economicdevelopment; transitions fromrural to urban communities aswell as transitions from onestage or place within the city toanother; supportingopportunities for Aboriginalwomen; and, safe and securecommunities. However, noadditional money was set asideto meet these goals. AboriginalRelations Minister RobinCampbell expected otherAlberta cities to follow suit.

Sainte-Marie inducted into theEPS moves forward onAboriginal policing strategy

A tipi hand crafted byWolfchild Tipis and Tents andbearing the EPS crest wasdedicated on NationalAboriginal Day as part of theEdmonton Police Service’s newAboriginal policing strategy.“We’ve become more visible outin the community and as a resultwe’re making strides withingovernment, within the policeforce, within different sectors ofsociety. There’s been differentinitiatives being developed overthe years trying to encourage theparticipation of the Aboriginalcommunity and that’s a goodstep,” said Papaschase FirstNation Chief Calvin Bruneau,who spoke at the dedication

ceremony. EPS Chief RodKnecht said the new strategy,which is currently underdevelopment through the newly-created EPS Aboriginalrelations unit, will take a three-prong approach: to fosterpositive relations with thegrowing urban Aboriginalpopulation in Edmonton; torecruit both police and civilianemployees to the EPS; and, toincrease the cultural sensitivityand awareness towardsAboriginal community withinthe EPS.

MNA marks strongrelationship withmemorandum

In September, outgoingMayor Stephen Mandelculminated a strong nine-yearrelationship with the MétisNation of Alberta in the form ofa Memorandum of SharedRecognition and Cooperation.“We’ve had a lot of … positiveworking relationships that haveproduced results over those nineyears,” said MNA PresidentAudrey Poitras, “and it was veryimportant certainly to me thatsomewhere along the line wecement that relationship (andthat) we ensure that it is part ofwhat becomes history betweenthe City of Edmonton and theMétis Nation.” Poitras said itwas rewarding to be enteringinto an arrangement that did notinvolve court rooms. Thememorandum is a formalagreement to engage andempower Métis people in thecity.

Compiled by Shari Narine

Alberta Sweetgrass - January 2014

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In Calgary in 2013Calgary companies including

Shell, Suncor, Enbridge andBMO Financial showed theirongoing support of initiativesthat focused on the training andeducation of Aboriginalstudents. Young Aboriginalstudents exhibited leadershipby fundraising for local causeswhile others learned about thehistory of residential schools.Events such as the Canada Daypow wow, the celebration ofAboriginal culture at HeritagePark, and the Aboriginal YouthExplosion at Mount RoyalUniversity have become annualevents, exhibiting a growingawareness, understanding andappreciation of the richness ofAboriginal culture and customsin Calgary.

Calgary ring road gets TsuuT’ina approval

On Oct. 24, 644 Nationmembers of Tsuu T’ina votedin favour of swapping their landfor provincial Crown land alongwith a monetary settlementfrom the province to give theCalgary ring road the go-ahead.“If this had been just about theroad it never would have beenapproved,” said Tsuu T’inaChief Roy Whitney, speakingthe day after 993 ballots werecast. “(Members) voted for abetter, more secure future fortheir children andgrandchildren and greatgrandchildren.” That brighterfuture came along with aguarantee for land that wasn’tpresent in the 2009 agreementthat Tsuu T’ina membersoverwhelmingly rejected.Whitney said the “language” of

the 2013 final agreementprovided the First Nation withthe certainty that wasn’tincluded in the 2009 version.Alberta TransportationMinister Ric McIver agreedthat was the case. The newagreement has Tsuu T’inatransfer 1,058 acres of land toAlberta for the creation of atransportation and utilitycorridor, which will completethe southeast portion of theCalgary ring road. In return,Alberta will provide 338.1acres of new reserve land.Payment of $275 million is tobe made to Tsuu T’ina’s capitalaccount in Ottawa. Theagreement also calls for anadditional payment of close to$45 million to be made for thereplacement of First Nationhousing, buildings andinfrastructure on the land thatis sold to the province andanother $21 million to be usedfor improvements to TsuuT’ina’s existing roads.

Last Tsuu T’ina War Vet Diesat 97

Harold Crowchild, the lastmember of the Tsuu T’inaNation to serve in the SecondWorld War, died on Jan. 12 atage 97. He served with theheadquarters 4th CanadianArmed Division in active duty.He also served in the UnitedKingdom, France, Holland andGermany as a trooper. A heavilydecorated soldier, his medalsand decorations from the warincluded Star, France/Germany,Star and Defence medal,Canadian Volunteer ServiceMedal and Clasp, War Medal1939-1945. He will be

remembered as the warrior“Iron Shield.” Crowchild wasalso a revered Elder and truecowboy who loved the rodeoand his horses which he rodeand broke into his 80s.

Strathcona-Tweedsmuirstudents honour spirits ofresidential school children

Thirty-two Grades 4 to 6students from Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School visited thesite of St. Joseph IndustrialSchool, south of Calgary whichoperated from 1884 to 1924,also known as the old DunbowSchool grounds. As part of theschool’s Human OutreachProject, the experience built ontheir study of Aboriginaleducation. Almost 1,000students had been housed at theresidential school, losing theiridentities when their Nativenames were changed toChristian names and thennumbers for easy tracking.Numerous children succumbedto illness or died in the fire thatdestroyed the school house inthe 1920s and were buried inthe cemetery. When theHighwood River flooded in1996, many of the coffins thatfloated into the river wereretrieved and reburied. Withsmall suede moccasins hangingfrom their necks, the studentsalso spread ceremonial tobaccoon the graves of the 75 children.They released butterflies fromtiny boxes, each bearing thename of an Aboriginal child,symbolically freeing the spiritsof the students.

Compiled by Darlene Chrapko

C A L G A R YC A L G A R YC A L G A R YC A L G A R YC A L G A R Y

Alberta Sweetgrass - January 2014

6Student innovation and caringrewarded

First Nations and Métisstudents at Glenbow School inCochrane have beenextraordinarily successful associal entrepreneurs, raisingmoney for the Iyahrhe FoodBank on the Stoney NakodaNation. The students hadreceived recognition for aunique project that began withgroup paintings usingphotographs of their ancestorswhich they decided to marketas cards. With help andmentorship from the BMOBank of Montreal in Canmore,the Grades 1-4 studentscreated successful businessand marketing plans. Whentheir success won them aNational Award for Innovationthat included a $500 cash prize

they also donated the prizemoney to the food bank. Theirfirst run brought in $1,000,enabling them to pay back$500 to the school’s parentcouncil which lent them start-up costs for a printer. Thestudents have now had theirthird printing of cards,presenting a cheque for$2,122.86 to the food bank. Todate they have raised just over$2,900. Kids at ChiefNapeweaw ComprehensiveSchool at Frog Lake decidedto pitch in and help by sellingthe cards in their owncommunity, raising $300 forthe food bank. The WarriorPaint: Painting to FightHunger cards have been soldthrough the Glenbow Schooland at a number of businessesin Cochrane and Banff.

PHOTO: CARMEN HODGES

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Check us out all our onlineAboriginal community events listings:

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Alberta Sweetgrass - January 2014

7UN Rapporteur in Hobbema

United Nations SpecialRapporteur James Anaya signedthe UN flag which now hangsat the Ermineskin Junior/SeniorHigh School where a crowdpacked into the gymnasium onOct. 11 to hear concerns voicedby First Nations leaders. Anayawas in Canada on an eight-daytour. “The well-being gapbetween Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Canadahas not narrowed over the lastseveral years, treaty andAboriginals claims remainpersistently unresolved, andoverall there appear to be highlevels of distrust amongAboriginal peoples towardgovernment at both the federaland provincial levels,” saidAnaya. “Concerted measures,based on mutual understandingand real partnership withAboriginal peoples, throughtheir own representativeinstitutions, are vital to the long-term resolution of these issues.”Anaya’s final report andrecommendations are stillpending.

FILE PHOTO

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For a complete list of radio bingo sellersvisit: www.radiobingo.ca

COLD LAKE CFWE RADIO BINGO SELLERS• Cold Lake

Cold Lake NativeFriendship Centre

• Cold LakeNorlite I.D.A. Pharmacy

• Joussard Larsen’s General Store

• KinusoJ’s One Stop• Slave Lake

Winks of Slave Lake• Desmarais

Bigstone Food Store Ltd.• Wabasca

E & M Foods Ltd.

Alberta Sweetgrass - January 2014

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