Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine and his delegation has met with Pope Benedict XVI and according to the Anglican Journal the Pope has expressed sorrow for the residential school abuse.
See also the press release from the Assembly of First Nations.
Unless Parliament rewrites the definition of who an Indian is within a year, a B.C court of appeal ruling will drastically change two sections of the Indian Act. It is predicted that thousands of aboriginal people will either lose their status, or gain status. See article for more details.
Innu leaders signed a historic land claim settlement with the Newfoundland government -- it will see 13,000 km² of Labrador owned outright by the Innu. They will co-manage another 23,000 km² and draw royalties from all resource development on that land. The deal even gives Innu a share of profits from the Churchill Falls hydro project and clears the way for hydro damns on the lower Churchill River that will mean millions more in energy royalties. The deal is called "New Dawn".
There is some reservation citing social and economic challenges in the Innu nation. Many think that only a return to traditional lifestyles and traditional values can save the Innu. However, Innu Nation Deputy Grand Chief, Peter Penashue says that, "money can help so much but real change comes from strength and commitment." There is no room for failure and this deal could be the change the Innu have been looking for.
Mia Rabson reports in the Winnipeg Free Press that after a string of health care tragedies Chief David Harper flew to Ottawa Thursday to plead his case for improved health care.
Mia Rabson of the Winnipeg Free Press reports that the Minister of Indian Affairs, Chuck Strahl, has withdrawn his government's support for a Manitoba plan to standardize elections.
A special report on Métis education, prepared by the Gabriel Dumont Institute for the Métis National Council was presented at the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) Summit held February 2009 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
To view this report see here.
Indian and Northern Affairs has sent out a press release promising to improve housing conditions in Manitoba.
The Department of Educational Foundations at the University of Saskatchewan is pleased to offer funding to up to four incoming full-time graduate students beginning in the 2009-2010 academic year:
$18,000/year for 3 years for Ph.D. students (Special Case)
$15,000/year for 2 years for M.Ed students (Thesis)
Potential recipients must have an average of 80% or more in the last two
years of study and a research interest in social and ecological justice,
especially in the areas of Aboriginal/Anti-racist education and/or Adult
learning. To learn more about our faculty and graduate programs, please
visit our website:
http://www.usask.ca/education/edfdt/integrated_med/index.html
To be considered for a scholarship, complete applications must be received
on or before May 15th 2009. For further information please contact Dianne
Miller, Grad Chair, at dianne.miller@usask.ca.
Dianne Miller
Graduate Chair and Acting Head
EFDT College of Education
28 Campus Dr
Saskatoon, SK
S7N 0X1
306 966-7724 (VM)
306 966-7549 (fax)
The 2009 Manitoba flood is the third worst flooding in the last 100 years, provincial officials said. The Peguis First Nation was declaring a state of emergency late Tuesday. Twenty people have left the community and another 60 could be ordered to evacuate to nearby centers. At least 43 Peguis homes have been affected by flooding.
Peguis First Nation is the largest First Nation community in Manitoba with about 7,000 people. It is located about 190 kilometers north of Winnipeg.
A delegated group of residential school survivors have been granted a private audience with the Pope in the Vatican on April 29, 2009 in hopes of receiving an apology for abuse in schools run by Catholic missionary congregations. Phil Fontaine is leading the delegation and expressed how an apology from the Catholic Church will be an important part of healing and reconciliation.
President Robert Doucette of the Métis Nation - Saskatchewan (MNS) said that the Provincial government has failed to consult the MNS over future uranium mining in Saskatchewan. Doucette said he wants Métis interests to be addressed as decisions are made.
After expressing frustration with The Uranium Development Partnership, which issued a report recommending ways to advance the industry, MNS is now considering what position to take about the development of a nuclear power plant in Saskatchewan, also one of the recommendations in the report.
Some Labrador Innu are divided about the yet-to-be ratified deal with the Newfoundland and Labrador government over hydroelectric power. Opinions are divided about who exactly will benefit from the agreement.
A small group of Sheshatshiu residents voiced their concerns saying the Lower Churchill project would lead to yet another dam across the Churchill River. As part of the deal another $400 million is said to be set aside, by the provincial government, for Innu-owned businesses if the mega-project proceeds. Some local residents fear this money may go to benefit the leaders who negotiated the deal and who have business connections.
Editors of Keeping the Faith: Successful Strategies to Help Underrepresented Faculty Achieve Tenure and Promotion, invite faculty members to submit abstracts related to their experiences in earning tenure/and or promotion to associate full professor. Stories of challenges and barriers are welcome, however the main goal is to share lessons, resources, and suggestions for strategies that will create a successful outcome.
The Call for papers deadline is May 31, 2009
Contact Information:
Dwayne Mack, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of History and Carter G. Woodson Chair of African American History
Berea College
Department of History
CPO 2027
Berea, Kentucky 40404
Email: dwayne_mack@berea.edu
Shayne Morrow, of the Alberni Valley Times, reports that the Maa-Nulth Treaty will be signed today April 9, 2009.
"The signing ceremony is taking place at Athletic Hall, according to a spokesperson from the provincial Ministry for Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation. Minister Mike de Jong will attend, as will federal Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl."
The American Indian Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign invites applications for a full-time position as Visiting Assistant Professor for the 2009-2010 academic year. The position would begin August 16, 2009 and a Ph.D. (or terminal degree) and teaching experience are expected.
The January/February 2009 issue of the University of Manitoba's Health Sciences Libraries newsletter, Info-Rx, is devoted to Aboriginal health. It highlights the libraries collection and provides a list of resources, including patient education material. The newsletter supports the health information needs of students, faculty, researchers, clinicians, health programme administrators, community partners, and the general public.
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada has announced the appointment of Sophie Pierre as Chief Commissioner of the British Columbia Treaty Commission.
Jessica Kerr reports in The Delta Optimist that the Tsawwassen First Nation treaty goes into effect this Friday - April 3, 2009.
Canadian Blood Services organized an event in Manitoba to encourage Aboriginal youth to donate stem cell or bone marrow. Michael Hyduk, spokesman for Canadian Blood Services' in Manitoba said that 83 percent of stem cell and bone marrow donors are Caucasian and only 0.9 percent are Aboriginal.
Janet French reports in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix that a study shows that poverty leads more Aboriginal youth to drink alcohol and smoke marijuana than their Caucasian counterparts.
Krishna Pendakur, an economics professor and his brother Ravi Pendakur, a sociologist, recently completed the largest study examining Aboriginal income disparity in Canada. The researchers used an extensive database from the 2001 census tracing the earnings gap of several segments of the Aboriginal population, both on reserve and in cities. The study found that in Saskatoon, male registered Indians living off-reserve earned 63 per cent less than non-aboriginal men, while women earned 44 per cent less than non-aboriginal women; a stark disparity.
With the study taking into account age, education and even location, prejudice is the only explanation left for this gap, says Dan Wilson, senior director of strategic policy and planning with the Assembly of First Nations.
