January 2008

Kent Driscoll reports in the Globe and Mail on the Truth Commission and their investigation into how the Inuit were treated in the 1950s, '60s and '70s.

Posted at 10:36 AM | Permalink

Bishop Mark MacDonald reports that there has been phenomenal support and goodwill for his role as Indigenous Bishop and for the concept of a self-determining church for Indigenous Anglicans in Canada.

Posted at 09:26 AM | Permalink

Leanne Delong of novanewsnow.com reports that Acadia First Nation has purchased property from Venila Development Corporation, with plans to build a Mi'kmaq interpretive centre.

Posted at 08:29 AM | Permalink

Canwest News Service published some highlights from the 2006 census pertaining to Aboriginal Peoples in Canada.

Posted at 12:58 PM | Permalink

Ali Symons the General Synod web writer reports that:

"When Grand Chief Stan Beardy of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) visited the General Synod offices on Jan. 21, he had two main messages for the Anglican Church of Canada: help advocate for Aboriginal rights, and allow Aboriginals to take greater responsibility for their own leadership within the church."

The web article is entitled, Grand Chief Stan Beardy brings ideas, proposal to Church House and was posted on January 24, 2008.

Posted at 08:04 AM | Permalink

The Globe and Mail reports that the Ditidaht First Nation has filed a statement of claim in the British Columbia Supreme Court seeking exclusive title over some Maa-nulth treaty lands on Vancouver Island.

Posted at 11:20 AM | Permalink

Lori Coolican of the The StarPhoenix reports that City Councillor Pat Lorje will become acting CEO of Wanuskewin Heritage Park while the board of directors searches for a replacement for Sheila Gamble who was terminated last week.

Posted at 04:11 PM | Permalink

The Association of Canadian Archivists, Public Awareness Committee, 2007 have produced the Aboriginal Archives Guide.
There is a limited number of print copies available through the ACA office (aca@archivists.ca) at $2.00 a copy plus postage.

Posted at 11:53 AM | Permalink

Grant Warren of First Perspective reports that The Health Careers Access Program (HCAP) helps First Nations students who are interested in pursing careers in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, dental hygiene and nursing.

Posted at 08:10 AM | Permalink

Indian Affairs and Northern Development has released, Plan of Action for Drinking Water in First Nations Communities - Progress Report January 17, 2008

There is also a pdf version.

Posted at 04:14 PM | Permalink

Aboriginal Peoples in Canada in 2006: Inuit, Métis and First Nations, 2006 Census: Findings can now be linked to via the iPortal

Posted at 08:55 AM | Permalink

CBC news reports that cheques will now come from Ottawa, and the Church will pay $25 million to a healing and reconciliation fund along with other services.

Posted at 08:39 AM | Permalink

CBC news reports that Muskoday First Nation will receive $10.2 million for land it was promised, but never received, after it signed Treaty Six in 1876.

Indian and Northern Affaris news release of this event: Canada Celebrates Settlement Agreement with Muskoday First Nation and Provicne of Saskatchewan and Fact Sheet

Posted at 08:56 AM | Permalink

The Departments of History and Native Studies at the University of Saskatchewan have launched a new database which has been called the Native Research Database.

"This website has been created to highlight the work that graduate students and professors at the University of Saskatchewan are involved in with regard to topics that include the study of and collaboration with Aboriginal Peoples, both in Canada and abroad."

Posted at 08:41 AM | Permalink

Mike Stimpson of the The Winnipeg Sun reports that an organization called the Missing Aboriginal People Association, MAPA, was formed to help find missing people, such as Sunshine Wood, age 16.

Posted at 10:55 AM | Permalink

The Anglican Journal reports that the Churches have been urged to be on the record about their role in the residential schools by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Posted at 04:11 PM | Permalink

"Cultural and Pedagogical Inquiry is an independent, bi-yearly, refereed educational journal that publishes essays, research notes, and book reviews pertaining to the wide and increasingly important intersections of culture, education and the general categories of social and ecological well-being."

Posted at 01:34 PM | Permalink

CBC news reports that 3 conservation groups have notified the United States government that they will sue to get polar bears listed as a threatened species " due to global warming". This will have major implications for Inuit hunting guides in Canada.

Posted at 10:47 AM | Permalink

CBC news reports that on Jan 21-15, 2008, at the Queen's Bench courthouse in Saskatoon, there will be an inquest into the death of Thomas Dale Mountney.

Posted at 05:41 PM | Permalink

CBC news reports on a program that aims to stop street gangs from gaining more recruits from the jails.

Posted at 03:35 PM | Permalink

According to Rob Taylor of Canberra news (Reuters) the Australian Government has rejected demands for a one billion compensation fund for Aboriginal children taken from their families.

Posted at 09:45 AM | Permalink

The Department of Canadian Heritage, through Canadian Culture Online, launched a call for proposals under the Gateway Fund to increase access to Canadian cultural content online. This call for proposals seeks to support projects with Aboriginal and ethnocultural content. Deadline for application is January 31, 2008.

Posted at 08:06 AM | Permalink

James (Sákéj) Youngblood Henderson of the Native Law Centre of Canada has a new book out entitled: Treaty Rights in the Constitution of Canada.

"This new book structures and comprehensively discusses the treaty rights recognized and affirmed in section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. It reviews negotiations and treaty text, the principles of treaty interpretation, and case law on the treaty relationships, treaty tenure, treaty governance, and the treaty economy. Finally it reviews the principle of constitutional convergence with other parts of the constitution and comments on how to institutionally reconcile treaty rights with the rest of the constitution."

Posted at 09:33 AM | Permalink

Katherine O'Neill reports in The Globe and Mail that Canadians in the far north are finally looking at wind power, as most of the remote communities are powered solely by diesel. Copenhagen Post has long reported that 20% of Denmark's energy is generated by wind power.

Posted at 08:01 AM | Permalink

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada reports that new regulations published in the Canada Gazette on December 26, 2007 will enable 33 First Nations to participate in the property tax provisions of the First Nations Fiscal and Statistical Management Act (FSMA).

Posted at 09:04 AM | Permalink

Bill Curry of The Globe and Mail reports that Barriere Lake families in Quebec are upset with Indian Affairs and have closed down the local school.

Posted at 08:00 AM | Permalink