April 2008

Joanne Paulson of The StarPhoenix has written a review of Drew Hayden Taylor's play The Berlin Blues which Taylor describes "as as a sheer celebration of the aboriginal sense of humour".

"The Berlin Blues is about a German conglomerate descending on an Ontario reserve and building the world's largest aboriginal theme park -- Ojibway World -- where the main draw is a production of Dances With Wolves, the musical.

Other features of Ojibway World include a 44-metre laser-beam dreamcatcher, and a live buffalo stampede."

Posted at 02:20 PM | Permalink

Indian Affairs has announced a memorandum of understanding aimed at improving educational outcomes has been signed. The agreement will increase funding for education significantly

Posted at 04:04 PM | Permalink

CBC news reports that the Minister of Health, Tony Clement, has annouced a new Inuit health office that will focus on providing health care in remote communities.

Posted at 03:29 PM | Permalink

Purich Publishing announces the book, Moving Toward Justice: Legal Traditions and Aboriginal Justice Edited by John D. Whyte.

"Based on a conference by the same name, this book aims to underscore the urgent need for Aboriginal justice reform, to suggest the outlines of the constitutional and administrative changes that will allow reform to occur, and to explore a series of specific issues that have arisen from reforms already made."

Posted at 11:35 AM | Permalink

Minister Strahl has announced the Specific Claims Tribunal Act and calls on Parliamentarians to adopt the legislation.

Posted at 11:13 AM | Permalink

Amisk & Associates presents the National Indigenous Sexual Abuse Conference on May 12-14, 2008, in Edmonton, Alberta. Keynote speakers are: Sheldon Kennedy, Morningstar Mecredi, Linda Halliday-Sumner and Chief Bryan McNabb.

Posted at 11:17 AM | Permalink

Indian and Northern Affairs has announced a $330 million, two-year investment to deliver safe drinking water. See also:

• Backgrounder
  
• Plan of Action for Drinking Water in First Nations Communities - Progress Report January 17, 2008
  
• Indian and Northern Canada's Water: Source for Life
  

Posted at 10:31 AM | Permalink

CBC news reports that Shawn Brant has been cleared of charges in the 2006 protest near Deseronto, Ont..

"...demonstrators wanted to communicate to the government and the community their claim to the property, saying they never officially surrendered the property to the federal government."

Posted at 09:34 AM | Permalink

Doug Cuthand argues in the Leader Post that the Supreme Court rejection of the Paspaschase Band land claim shows why land claims should not be decided by the courts.

Posted at 08:42 AM | Permalink

Friends and Relatives of the Disappeared released a list of 28 mass graves across Canada.

Posted at 08:17 AM | Permalink

John Arcand's investiture into the Order of Canada occured on April 11, 2008.

"John Arcand is a master of traditional Métis fiddling and a musical ambassador for his culture. He has also been a driving force behind the preservation of unrecorded Métis tunes. He has applied his skills as a performer and educator to promoting and popularizing this unique musical heritage..."

Posted at 09:25 AM | Permalink

This case involves proceeds of the sale of land in 1889 being held in trust and to be paid to Band members and their descendants: Canada (Attorney General) v. Lameman 2008 SCC [Supreme Court of Canada] 14.

Posted at 03:38 PM | Permalink

Comment by Kent McNeil in Vol. 27, No 45 (April 4, 2008) of Lawyers Weekly:

We must pay to reconcile aboriginal and private property.

Posted at 01:02 PM | Permalink

Michael Tutton of the Canadian Press reports in The Globe and Mail that the Nunatsiavut Government of Labrador will vote this week on a motion to ban uranium mining for three years.

Posted at 10:57 AM | Permalink

The Prairie Region Health Promotion Research Centre at the University of Saskatchewan is pleased to present the Human Ecology Week, April 7-11, 2008. Events will include:

• Indigenous Perspectives on Economic Development & Environment on Monday April 7, 2:30-6:00 at the White Buffalo Youth Lodge.
  
• Land, Belonging & Nomadic Identities: Women, Migration & Well-Being on Friday, April 11, 9:30 am - 3:00 pm at the Mayfair United Church.
  
• Scottish Land Reform: Recovering Indigenous Identities on Friday, April 11, 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm at the White Buffalo Youth Lodge.
  

Posted at 08:16 AM | Permalink

The National Aboriginal Health Organization issues congratulations to Alika Lafontaine on being named Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister in the CBC television competition.

Posted at 10:54 AM | Permalink

The expected release date for the third edition of Aboriginal Self-Government in Canada is April 15, 2008.

Briefly recaps the historical development and public acceptance of Aboriginal self-government, examines its theoretical underpinnings, the current situation in Canada, and the issues surrounding implementation.

Posted at 07:53 AM | Permalink

The University of Saskatchewan's Human Resources Department has produced a series of video clips designed to reflect the contributions of the Aboriginal community to Saskatchewan. The video clips in alphabetical order are:

1. agriculture
   
2. arts
   
3. economic development
   
4. education
   
5. employment development
   
6. entertainment
   
7. land
   
8. politics
   
9. treaties
   
10. veterans
    

Posted at 10:48 AM | Permalink