August 2007

CBCnews reports on the problems with the mining company Frontenac Ventures Corporation. See also the letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty.

Posted at 12:56 PM | Permalink

In Canada's renewed New Government, Jim Prentice has moved to being Minister of Industry, as Ontario has lost many manufacturing jobs. As CBC says forget defence, it's the economy that's the message here.

We hope that Mr. Strahl can be as good a minister as Mr. Prentice was.

Posted at 08:19 AM | Permalink

CBCnews reports that Calla Coughlan, one of the co-ordinators of the Manitoba chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada are helping people with the complex language of the Residential School Agreement, and helping people understanding the legal aspect of the choices before them.

Posted at 02:09 PM | Permalink

From the Law Society of Saskatchewan, July 6, 2007; from the Court of Appeal.

For a backgrounder see the Commission of Inquiry into Matters Relating to the Death of Neil Stonechild

Posted at 11:44 AM | Permalink

Doug Cuthand says, in the Leader-Post, that Indian Affairs has denied the claims of nine Dakota First Nations (4 in Saskatchewan, and 5 in Manitoba). Canada argues that these First Nations are refugees who came to Canada following the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876. But the Dakota argue that Saskatchewan and Manitoba were part of their traditional territory, and archaeological evidence backs this up.

Posted at 09:33 AM | Permalink

Bill Curry of the Globe and Mail reports that they have obtained a copy of the agreement-in-principle between the Inuit, Quebec and Ottawa that Nunavik should become a self governing area. There should be a formal signing within weeks for this self government agreement, and "a final agreement would then follow and the Inuit hope the new government will be in place by 2009".

Posted at 09:10 AM | Permalink

CBC news reports that Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced that,

"the Canadian Forces will build a new army training centre in Resolute Bay and refurbish an existing deepwater port at a former mining site in Nanisivik."

Posted at 02:55 PM | Permalink

"Making concrete improvements in the lives of Aboriginal peoples has been the approach that Canada’s New Government has taken in the past 18 months. We have focused on directly improving the quality of life among Aboriginal peoples in Canada, and progress is being made in the areas of clean drinking water on-reserve, education, housing, the resolution of specific claims, economic development and human rights protection for Aboriginal women, children and families."

Posted at 03:15 PM | Permalink

"In 1994, the General Assembly decided that the International Day of the World's Indigenous People shall be observed on 9 August every year during the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (Resolution 49/214 of 23 December). The date marks the day of the first meeting, in 1982, of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

The UN General Assembly had proclaimed 1993 the International Year of the World's Indigenous People, and the same year, the Assembly proclaimed the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, starting on 10 December 1994 (Resolution 48/163). The goal of the First Decade was to strengthen international cooperation for solving problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as human rights, the environment, development, education and health.

In 2004, the UN General Assembly proclaimed a Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples through Resolution 59/174. The goal of the Second Decade is to further the "strengthening of international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as culture, education, health, human rights, the environment, and social and economic development, by means of action-oriented programs and specific projects, increase technical assistance, and relevant standard-setting activities"."

Posted at 02:48 PM | Permalink

Kenyon Wallace of The StarPhoenix reports on the death of elder Antoine Sand at the Mistawasis First Nation (Saskatchewan).

Posted at 09:55 AM | Permalink

Yvonne Jeffery of CanWest New Service reports on the $25 million dollar interpretive centre, called the Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park, an hour east of Calgary in the Siksika Nation.

"Blackfoot Crossing, the Historic Site of the signing of Treaty No.7, is of National and International historical and archaeological significance. It is a designated national Heritage Site and is recommended to be a World Heritage Site. The success of the Treaty No.7 Commemoration in 1977 intensified the Siksika (Blackfoot) Nation's vision of building a unique world-class tourist attraction designed to engage visitors in authentic cultural experiences with the Blackfoot people."

Posted at 10:54 AM | Permalink

CBC reports that the Métis National Council had voted to remove Clem Chartier as president last week, saying that his term has expired. The Leader-Post carried the same story, under Sask.-based President Ousted.

Posted at 08:36 AM | Permalink

Please see the Fall 2007 Public Worshop Schedule which includes:

• School Crisis Response Planning
  
• Crisis Response Planning for Aboriginal Communities
  
• Crisis Response Planning for Schools and Communities
  
• De-escalating Potentially Violent Situations
  
• Understanding Mental Illness
  
• Suicide Prevention, Intervention and Postvention Strategies
  

Posted at 03:03 PM | Permalink

The U of S new release has announced that history professor Bill Waiser and english professor Len Findlay have been named to the Royal Society of Canada.

Posted at 02:36 PM | Permalink

The StarPhoenix reports on compensation for the Primrose Lake Air Weapon Range. The four Saskatchewan communities receiving compensation are Beauval, Ile-a-la-Crosse, Cole Bay and Jans Bay.

Posted at 08:21 AM | Permalink