Alberta Sweetgrass - March 2015 WHAT'S INSIDE:
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Province slashes grants for Aboriginal students Page 3
THE ABORIGINAL NEWSPAPER OF ALBERTA
Edmonton builds foundation to be strong urban Aboriginal centre Page 5 APRIL 2015 VOLUME 22 • NUMBER 5
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PHOTO: PAULA E. KIRMAN
Crystal Lameman spoke out against Bill C-51 at a rally held in downtown Edmonton as part of a national action taken on March 14.
Protestors take to the streets over anti-terrorist bill By Shari Narine Sweetgrass Contributing Editor EDMONTON
The outcry against federal legislation that could label as terrorists those who protest government action is gathering strength. “This is a clear demonstration that the government fears the voice of reason … so much so that if you open your mouth and act in the betterment of rights of nature and basic human rights you can and will be labeled a security threat,” said Crystal Lameman, of the Beaver Lake Cree Nation. Lameman was among a group of people who addressed a crowd that took to the sidewalks at City Hall in Edmonton on March 14. It was one of about 40 demonstrations nation-wide protesting Bill C-51. Lameman is no stranger to protests. She has guided demonstrations on the steps of the provincial Legislature as well as Edmonton’s Churchill Square, fighting against omnibus bills C39 and C-45, as well as resource development in her traditional territory. However, Bill C-51, the Anti-terrorism Act, could curb similar action in the future and stifle such movements as Idle No More, which sprouted as a direct result of Indigenous discomfort over federal legislation that
steamrolled over environmental protection and Indian reserve land rights. Bill C-51 has come under fire from Indigenous groups, environmentalists and opposition government members. “Constitutional experts are raising very serious issues about this bill,” said NDP MP Linda Duncan, who attended the Edmonton rally. She said the bill was “going far beyond” terrorists. “It’s going to put anybody who stands up like this in a demonstration at risk of being designated a terrorist and at risk of being investigated.” Lameman rallied people to “get up, stand up. If not for you for the generations that come, who will be left to face the trail of destruction (Prime Minister Stephen) Harper and his followers have left.” According to Danika Littlechild, a lawyer from the Ermineskin Cree Nation and recently appointed as vicepresident of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, Bill C-51 is “a sweeping right measures” that allows suspects to be detained on less evidence and allows police to actively interfere with suspects’ travel plans and finances. The bill provides for little oversight of and accountability from
Canada’s national security agencies. “What makes this legislation a little bit different is that it first lowers the threshold for arrests and detentions,” Littlechild said, speaking at a forum at the University of Alberta in early March on how oil companies impact the rights and responsibilities of Indigenous Peoples. She added that suspects could be detained on the possibility they may carry out terrorist activities. Littlechild said that Bill C-51 is particularly repugnant to Indigenous peoples. “One of the key issues from my perspective is that there has historically been, and in contemporary times as well, been a significant issue around the criminalization of Indigenous peoples’ rights,” she said. There was a time when First Nations people could not leave the reserve without approval from the Indian agent, and language and ceremony could not be practised. Legislation created Indian residential schools. For a contemporary example, Littlechild pointed to the case of child advocate Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of
Canada. Blackstock’s organization teamed up with the Assembly of First Nations to start action against the federal government in 2007 for not providing First Nations children with the same level of services received by other Canadian children. In 2011 it came to light that Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada had been monitoring Blackstock. Through the Privacy Information Act, Blackstock accessed a file the government had on her, which contained closed to 400 pieces of documentation, including emails and notes, gathered in an 18-month period beginning in December 2009. “We are extremely concerned about the room for the voice of dissent in Canada. This is not just about Indigenous people. It is truly about all Canadians,” said Littlechild. She pointed to an RCMP report obtained by Greenpeace. The report, dated Jan. 24, 2014, concluded, “There is a growing, highly organized and wellfinanced anti-Canada petroleum movement that consists of peaceful activists, militants and violent extremists who are opposed to society’s reliance on fossil fuels.” In a presentation to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and
National Security on March 12, AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde asked for the government to withdraw the bill and consult with First Nations. “We believe in safety and security but the federal government’s rush to ram this legislation through is undemocratic and it violates our individual and collective rights. First Nations will vigorously oppose any legislation that does not respect and protect our rights,” said Bellegarde. CANADIAN PUBLICATION MAIL # 40063755
Alberta Sweetgrass - March 2015
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ALBERTA NEWS Through this agreement with the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, First Nations will receive onreserve support in four areas of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. This includes provincial presence, if required, during emergency events on-reserve.
Poor NSD school attendance focus of Auditor General Low student attendance in the Northland School Division was singled out as an area of concern in the Report of the Auditor General of Alberta—March 2015. Auditor General Merwan Saher has recommended that Alberta Education exercise oversight of NSD’s plans to improve student attendance. “In our view, oversight is the key to not failing another generation of the division’s children,” said Saher. Premier Jim Prentice, who also serves as Aboriginal relations minister, agreed that attendance was an area of concern. “We cannot properly educate our children if they are not in the school room. We have work to do, we need to bear down on the problem of student absenteeism. …The children who are most at risk are the children who are not at school receiving the educational opportunities we all want for our children,” said Prentice. PHOTO: ALBERTA INNOVATION AND ADVANCED EDUCATION
A two-year pilot program co-sponsored by the Alberta government, Bow Valley College, NorQuest College, industry and Aboriginal organizations will help more than 600 Aboriginal people train for careers in the construction industry.
Aboriginal construction program receives funding funding has been maintained for Alberta Native The Alberta Aboriginal Construction Career Centres pilot, to be hosted on the main campuses of Bow Valley College in Calgary and NorQuest College in Edmonton, will complement other existing programs that support Aboriginal training and employment in trades careers. Under the program, the two centres will deliver employment training, job coaching and counselling to more than 300 Aboriginal Albertans at each institution, with a focus on construction trades. Over its two-year duration, the program aims to provide construction-related job placements for up to 300 registrants. The province is contributing $1 million to the project, with an additional $525,000 from the two colleges and $750,000 from industry and Aboriginal stakeholders.
friendship centres; $42 million has been slotted for First Nations and Métis economic and social development; $15.8 million for the Aboriginal Consultation Office; and $128 million to go to the First Nations Development Fund, down $10 million due to lower proceeds from government-owned slot machines in First Nations casinos.
Government accepts recommendations from Aboriginal women’s councils
The province has accepted all the recommendations put forward by the First Nations and Métis women’s councils on economic security to improve the lives of Aboriginal women in Alberta. In response to the recommendations, the province will review the accountability for Aboriginal education funding to Street drug forces state of emergency on Blood promote the need for setting local targets for reserve achievement of outcomes of First Nation students and The Blood Tribe called a state of emergency in early reporting on those outcomes; develop a parent toolkit March in response to at least 10 deaths on the First to help parents take a greater role in their children’s Nation over the last six months. Deaths have been education; continue funding for training and work linked to the street drug Oxy 80, or fake Oxycodone. experience for Métis and Inuit women and support for The pill contains fentanyl — a potent opioid - entrepreneurs; assist with development of a Métis based pain killer tha t has a high risk of overdose. It’s Women’s Social Enterprise Cooperative to promote, believed organized crime groups are pushing Oxy 80 protect and sell authentic Métis arts and crafts; develop in the area. As a result, the Blood Tribe Police Service a user-friendly portal to programs and services; and added a new Crime Reduction Unit with two dedicated continue to promote campaigns that take a stand officers. The BTPS also started an Oxy 80 tip line for against violence towards Aboriginal women. The citizens wanting to provide information. As a result, a councils were established in 2013 to provide advice number of charges have been laid since Christmas to the government. In related economic assistance, time. Chief Charles Weasel Head and council passed Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada a resolution on March 6 declaring a local state of has given $200,000, as part of a larger project, to the emergency to draw attention to the situation and bring Alberta Women’s Entrepreneurs. Federal funding of more services and support to the community. $1.2 million will assist AWE in working with emerging Band†council discussed next steps with the Alberta women entrepreneurs, including Aboriginal women, Emergency Management Agency and the First Nations to build leadership skills and business capacity. Inuit and Health Branch.
Emergency management services agreement 2015 provincial budget includes Aboriginal funding extended “Families and communities are the heart of Alberta. This budget makes supporting working families and those in need a priority. It invests in communities and supports culture and recreation, and helps Aboriginal people and communities participate in Alberta’s economy,” said Premier Jim Prentice, who also serves as minister of Aboriginal relations. In the 2015 budget,
The provincial and federal governments have agreed to a 10-year extension to a deal to provide emergency management services to Alberta’s First Nations. With Ottawa putting $14.6 million toward the agreement, the number of First Nations field officers in the program will double to four, plus a manager, and they will get new responsibilities for on-site training.
Jean new Wildrose leader Brian Jean was chosen by party members March 28 as the new leader of the Wildrose party and incoming leader of the Official Opposition. The Wildrose party has begun to show some resurgence since the province brought down its budget March 26. Results of a poll taken March 31 have the Progressive Conservatives and Wildrose tied at 24 per cent support, with the NDP holding the lead in Edmonton with 35 per cent. Meanwhile, Jean announced he will seek a seat in his home riding of Fort McMurray-Conklin. Jean is former MP for Fort-McMurray-Athabasca. The Wildrose party was decimated in December when then-leader Danielle Smith crossed the floor with more than half of her party’s members to join the PCs.
Lethbridge lends voice to issue of murdered, missing Indigenous women Lethbridge city council is putting the issue of murdered and missing Indigenous women on the agenda for upcoming meetings of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. The city has also joined a growing list of municipalities pushing for a national inquiry. “We need to think of what we can do here,” said Mayor Chris Spearman. Council made its decision during a March meeting when University of Lethbridge student Lauren Crazybull made a presentation outlining the prevalence of violence Aboriginal women face.
Harrietha kicks of campaign Liberal candidate and general manager of the McMurray Métis Local kicked off his federal campaign in Cold Lake on March 21. Harrietha is campaigning for MP for Fort McMurray—Cold Lake. His by-election results in early 2014, when he ran as the Liberal candidate in the Fort McMurray-Athabasca riding, were the strongest showing for the Liberals since 1968. “We will be building on the momentum we generated last summer during our campaign for change on the doorstep as we work to ensure our government begins to treat the places we live as real communities and not just work camps,” said Harrietha. “We’ll be knocking on every door, from Cold Lake to Fort Chipewyan, to ensure everyone knows that we want to work with them to deliver positive change for our communities.” The general federal election is set for Oct. 19, 2015.
Compiled by Shari Narine
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NEWS
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Province slashes grants for Aboriginal students By Shari Narine Sweetgrass Contributing Editor EDMONTON
The province’s promise to help First Nations students to have the “same educational opportunities” as their nonAboriginal counterparts has taken a blow in Budget 2015. The budget, which was brought down on March 26, included a $1.4 million slash in grants to school boards for Aboriginal students. Not even two weeks earlier, Premier Jim Prentice, who along with Education Minister Gordon Dirks and Aboriginal Relations Associate Minister David Dorward, met with Grand Chiefs and Chiefs to talk about education as a priority for his government. “I think we very quickly reached a consensus in the room that we wish to see a province where First Nations students are getting exactly the same educational opportunities that all Alberta students are getting… that is the future we aspire to get to,” said Prentice at the midway point of the daylong March 15 meeting. Treaty 7 Grand Chief Charles Weasel Head, said the government’s ”words were well-crafted…. The discussions gave a sense that the province is willing to work and fill in … a gap in regards to how can the governments work on a government-to-government basis.… It’s just taking the same step forward, (saying), ‘Listen, we need to do more, so we can have more successful outcomes.
Let’s help each other to help our young people be successful in education to move on to be successful in post-secondary and careers beyond that.’” Weasel Head says the government did not commit to financially closing the gap in funding that lies between what First Nations students receive from the federal government and what the province pays for non-First Nations students to be educated. That gap in funding is as high as 40 per cent in some provinces. Instead, says Weasel Head, the province committed to working with First Nations to help protect language, culture and traditional knowledge, agreeing to include these aspects in the overall Alberta curriculum. “We preserve and enhance First Nations languages, which … very much are part of our culture and heritage in this province, and that we want to protect and advance through the education system,” said Prentice. Toward this end, says Weasel Head, and in response to failed federal education legislation, the Blackfoot Nations of Piikani, Siksika, and Kainai have established the Blackfoot Confederacy Education Authority, drawn together through location, economics, similar culture and language. “We haven’t quite reached the outcomes we are hoping to get in regards to, especially on reserve, K-12 outcomes, so by bridging together the knowledge base of the three
tribes, hopefully we can perhaps identify best practise models and be a little bit more particular about (how we) refer to our Blackfoot culture, language and tradition,” said Weasel Head. There have been discussions with the other Blackfoot Confederacy members, he says, but at this point, the plan is to keep the BCEA to three members, operating more as a pilot project. Weasel Head says the Blackfoot tribes, along with other First Nations across the country, are still waiting to find out how the federal government will move forward with education on the reserves. “But we can’t afford to wait and play politics with our young people, our young learners … I think it was just a natural fit to move forward with the Blackfoot education authority. It’s based on moving forward on our own authority, our own destiny, in creating our own opportunities and just not waiting for both the federal and provincial governments to provide that,” said Weasel Head. No funding has been allocated to the BCEA, although the participants are contributing toward administrative costs. Weasel Head says he is hopeful that if BCEA is able to enter into an agreement with either the province or Ottawa, that dollars will follow. Prentice says the province will look at how it can work with First Nations educational authorities in a manner that will respect First Nation jurisdictional authority over its
education. Weasel Head says the commitment from Prentice and his ministers is no different from what First Nations have heard in the past. “There’s always been that appetite to work together, to partner together, to bring
successful outcomes. But what we’ve seen is there’s been a lot of discussion and no real action forward. The latest rounds … with the premier, I’m not sure if there’s going to be any tangible or specific results out of it,” said Weasel Head.
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NEWS
Sub-regional plan to protect area larger than Moose Lake By Shari Narine Sweetgrass Contributing Editor FORT McKAY FIRST NATION
Over the next year, the Fort McKay First Nation will work with the province and industry stakeholders to develop a subregional plan that will protect traditional territory around
Moose Lake. Fort McKay First Nation Chief Jim Boucher signed a letter of intent with Premier Jim Prentice, who also serves as Aboriginal relations minister, and Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Minister Kyle Fawcett on Mar. 25 that specifies three areas of
collaboration: management access plan for the area which includes Moose Lake; enhanced environmental monitoring; and the development of environmental triggers and thresholds for land, air, water and biodiversity within that area. (See Sub-regional on page 12.)
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Edmonton builds foundation to be strong urban Aboriginal centre By Shari Narine Sweetgrass Contributing Editor EDMONTON
By the time Edmonton claims the title of the Canadian city with the highest urban Aboriginal population, Mayor Don Iveson wants to have laid a foundation that creates caring, welcoming Edmontonians. “I think it’s worth celebrating …that we’re on track to have the largest Aboriginal urban population, but ensuring by the time we get there this is a more respectful place, that we have achieved some measure of reconciliation, and that we’ve combatted racism and negative stereotypes,” said Iveson. Iveson, who inherited a municipal government already moving in the direction of positive Aboriginal relations under his predecessor Stephen Mandel, has stepped up the work. Workplace learning, which includes an understanding of Aboriginal culture, history and residential schools, has been imparted on the city’s 11,000 employees. Ceremonial spaces are in the process of being developed within Edmonton, in places culturally significant to the urban Aboriginal population. And a youth leadership conference, which included intercultural dialogue and future direction for the city, was
PHOTO: PAULA E. KIRMAN
A march from the Edmonton Convention Centre, the site of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final national event in 2014, marked the conclusion of the Year of Reconciliation declared by the City of Edmonton.
held in March. On a personal level, Iveson continues to wear the pin he received last year, when Edmonton hosted the seventh and final national event for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and he was inducted as an honourary witness. He says the pin, the flying of the Treaty 6 flag at City Hall, and his verbal
recognition of Edmonton in Treaty 6 territory when he hosts events, all open the door to discussion. “My respect has been deepened immeasurably by being asked to be an honourary witness and I’ve taken the responsibility to honour the truth of the (residential school) survivors’ accounts and to be an advocate for reconciliation
very seriously and I happen to have the platform as mayor of the city to tell that truth and to foster reconciliation activity,” said Iveson. Muriel Stanley Venne, chair of the Alberta Aboriginal Commission on Human Rights and Justice, is encouraged by Iveson’s approach. “It opens doors for us for the city to be an active participant.” But there is much work to be done, she says, and points to incidences like Cree Elder Gary Moostoos being thrown out of City Centre Mall by security guards last December and the appointment of a nonAboriginal officer to liaise between the Edmonton City Police and the Aboriginal community. Iveson agrees the work is far from over. A 2010 Urban Aboriginal Peoples study said many Aboriginals in Edmonton felt they were viewed negatively. “I don’t think much has changed in those five years. I think changing attitudes is going to take a really long time unfortunately. I find that very frustrating, I find it unjust, but a lot of that stigma runs very, very deep,” he said. “That’s why reconciliation is going to take more than a year. But it’s worth doing.” The city declared a Year of Reconciliation to follow last year’s national TRC event in Edmonton. “We’re exploring a lot of things that will demonstrate
pro-active partnership,” said Iveson, who points out that the barriers facing Aboriginal people are unique due to historical trauma and the continued underfunding of education, social programs and housing on First Nations. To that end, the city is working with individual First Nations as well as the Treaty 6 Confederacy and Treaty 8 Tribal Association on housing, post-secondary education projects and economic development in the urban setting. Iveson also believes that racism is prevalent in every community and Maclean magazine’s tagging of Winnipeg, which is currently home to the largest urban Aboriginal population, as the most racist city in the country does a disservice. “First of all, I don’t think that title’s fair to Winnipeg. I think that racism runs just as deep in every community, large or small across the country. Singling one city out makes things worse in Winnipeg rather than calling us all to account for the stigma and racism that is everywhere. This is a Canadian issue. This is not a Winnipeg or Edmonton issue,” he said. Venne is heartened by the action undertaken by the city and in particular by Iveson’s words. “They’ve got a long way to go, but painfully and with much distress, we’ve come this far,” she said.
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Alberta Sweetgrass - March 2015
EDMONTON
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Aboriginal cleric honoured for advocacy work
PHOTO: PAULA E. KIRMAN
The crowd was massive as it marched in downtown Edmonton demanding justice for Cindy Gladue. Rallies were held throughout the country on April 2.
Verdict to be appealed Alberta Crown will be appealing the not guilty verdict rendered in the case of Cindy Gladue, an Indigenous woman, mother, and sextrade worker whose body was found in a bathtub in a motel in Edmonton four years ago. On March 18, a jury of nine men and two women acquitted long-haul truck driver Bradley Barton on a firstdegree murder charge. Gladue died after she received an 11-centimetre injury to her vagina. Barton’s defence attorney claimed the wound happened during rough sex. Alberta prosecutors allege the justice made errors in instructing the jury. First Nations advocates have complained the mostly white, male jurors were not representative in dealing with a case concerning the death of an Aboriginal woman.
Janvier artwork to adorn new downtown arena Acclaimed Aboriginal artist Alex Janvier has been selected to create a colourful floor mosaic for Edmonton’s new downtown arena. The $700,000 piece is the largest public art work yet commissioned in the city. The circular tile mosaic will be inset in the floor of the Rogers Place Winter Garden entrance and pedway spanning 104th Avenue. Janvier, of Cold Lake First Nation, was selected from a pre-qualified list of Canadian and international artists. Janvier said he came up with the design — inspired by the sun, sky, hills and rivers — in a day, but did about eight drafts, some of which were too complicated to be replicated in tile pieces. It will take a year to fabricate the pieces for Janvier’s work and six weeks to install it. “This new gathering place will showcase some of the best we, as First Nations, have to offer and it will show the world that while we are modern and progressive, we also remember and honour our past,” said Treaty 6 Grand Chief Bernice Martial, who is also Chief of Cold Lake First Nation.
University decries vandalism of tipi Vandalism of the University of Alberta Native Studies tipi poles has been condemned by university officials. Between March 7 and 8, toilet paper was wrapped around the poles with vinyl flag tape. The matter was referred to both University of Alberta and Protective Services and Edmonton Police Services for investigation. “This act of disrespect targeted the culture of the Indigenous peoples and has caused Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, staff and faculty hurt, fear and discomfort,” said faculty dean Brendan Hokowhitu. “This is particularly disturbing in light of the memorial display for Murdered and Missing Aboriginal Women, Girls, and Two Spirit persons that the tipi poles supported up until Friday, March 6.”
PHOTO: SUBMITTED
Rev. Travis Enright (right) accepts the Interfaith Advocate Award presented to him by Lewis Cardinal during during the Interfaith Centre’s annual multi-faith concert on Feb. 8 at the Royal Alberta Museum.
By Paula E. Kirman Sweetgrass Writer EDMONTON
Speaking out for the voiceless has earned Aboriginal cleric Rev. Travis Enright an Interfaith Advocate Award from the Edmonton Interfaith Centre for Education and Action. “It’s about the work of my ancestors,” said Enright of the award. Much of his work deals with advocating for the homeless and presenting the complexities of being in residential schools to interfaith and Christian groups. Enright’s mother, and many others in his family, went to residential schools and he says that he is “giving voice” by showing this history to Canadians “because most people don’t realize what happened in residential schools. They don’t see how one set of decisions has caused a series of catastrophic events on one segment of the population.” Enright is an Anglican priest. He was the vicar at All Saints’ Anglican Cathedral in Edmonton and is currently the rector at St. Faith’s. He credits his grandmother, mother, and a number of pastors and priests in the Christian church as major influences for showing him “what it means to be a compassionate person, that you can tell a story of resilience even
in the midst of horrific situations.” Enright was chosen for the award by the Interfaith Centre’s Board of Directors based upon suggestions from the executive or concert committee. “Generally, the discussion involves what we have seen and/ or experienced over the past year at our events and other events in the Edmonton area that would be good examples of someone who dedicates quality time and energy to interfaith work. This has taken many forms and we are open to a variety of initiatives,” said board member Pat Holt. “One of the events that highlighted Travis for our committee was the presentation done at City Hall for the Week of Christian Unity in January of 2014, when the emphasis was on the Canadian church,” said Holt. “Travis developed a fabulous program that highlighted Aboriginal Christian spirituality. Personally, I loved the display and the refreshments that day – featuring ‘bannock and berries’ as a new image of ‘bread and wine.’” Last year, Enright also cochaired the local planning committee of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final event in Edmonton. Working with marginalized
populations is another important aspect of Enright’s work. “There is a man I visited today in the hospital. In a different time and world this man would be an incredible leader because of how he enforced the codes on the street. But now people only see him as dying from AIDS and drugs and the rigour of being on the street,” he said. “Every time I go to talk to these lost souls, there is hope. We can touch each other in a profound way when our souls are open to the possibility of the Creator. Man does not have the last word.” Enright is the father to a daughter he adopted whose birth mother was in difficult circumstances. “We’re all responsible for our children,” he said. “We can’t look away to say, ‘this is not my child.’ In our culture all children are our children and we capture that moment of understanding.” Previous recipients of the Interfaith Advocate Award include housing advocate Jim Gurnett, former Member of Parliament David Kilgour, City Councillor Amarjeet Sohi, and former Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel. This year, the Interfaith Chaplain’s Association at the University of Alberta also received the award.
Ambrose Place among ROOPH winners Ambrose Place is among the five recipients of the Recognizing Outstanding Organizations and People in Housing awards recognized for excellence and dedication for creating affordable housing, ending homelessness, and bringing awareness to the issues. Ambrose Place, named after Ambrose Daniels, an Aboriginal man who died on the street of pneumonia, is a 42-unit, four-floor complex operated by Niginan Housing Ventures and serves the needs of homeless individuals and couples of Aboriginal descent. It opened its doors in February 2015. “So many individuals and groups are doing incredible work in the housing and homeless sector and this event gives us a chance to come together and celebrate achievements and milestones. Ending homelessness is truly a community-wide commitment and our award finalists and winners reflect that,” said Susan McGee, CEO, Homeward Trust Edmonton. Recipient of the Larry Shaben Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Housing Sector was Deb Cautley, with Youth Empowerment and Support Services. Other 2015 winners of the ROOPH award were Angela Rozycki, No’Ali McDaniel and Brentwood Family Housing and Terra Centre.
Compiled by Shari Narine
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CALGARY
Alberta Sweetgrass - March 2015
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3-D technology to preserve First Nations history By Darlene Chrapko Sweetgrass Writer OKOTOKS
It may not be readily apparent what the Okotoks Erratic has in common with world heritage sites such as ChichÈn Itz·, the Titantic, the Parthenon and Machu Picchu, but it is one of two Canadian sites that has been selected by the CyArk 500 Challenge, an international project that is digitally preserving vulnerable, culturally significant historic sites around the world. Located near the town of Okotoks, the seven-millionkilogram boulder is part of a train of glacial erratics that was moved along the east slopes of the Rockies by the Wisconsin Glacier 12,000-17,000 years ago, said Blair First Rider, a Blood Elder with the Historic Resources Management Branch of Alberta Culture and Tourism. First Rider espouses two views of how the glacial erratic arrived at its present location: the Western scientific view and Blackfoot Creation stories. Of cultural and spiritual significance to the Blackfoot people, ochre pictographs on the immense boulder record a story of origins of the Blackfoot people. The Stoney and Sarcee have some affinity as well, says First Rider. “The oral history and knowledge that goes with features of the landscape is a way of recording our territory. It is a sacred site to us,” he said. “The pictographs are records of vision quests and offering sites of visitors to the stone.” Over the past several years, the erratic has been repeatedly vandalized with graffiti, spray paint and felt markers. Constant removing of the graffiti has resulted in removing a layer of rock and fading of the centuries old pictographs. “There has been erosion because of the elements, not just vandalism,” said Alireza
PHOTO: SUBMITTED
Olympic athletes inspire youth Almost 150 Aboriginal students, Grades 6 through 9 from Morley, Eden Valley, Bighorn, and Kikino Métis Settlement gathered at the Canmore Nordic Centre on March 11 to experience sports activities, cultural sharing and camaraderie. Led by Olympic medallist Beckie Scott, a team of Olympic heroes spent the day with the students, encouraging them to learn cross-country skiing. Two-time Olympic bobsledder and CFL star running back Jesse Lumsden delivered a motivational keynote address at lunch. Cross Country Alberta and Cross Country Canada’s Ski Fit North Alberta program developed the initiative to give Aboriginal kids a chance to increase their physical and mental well-being through sport. During the past four years, Scott has travelled throughout northern Alberta communities inspiring students in remote areas. This year Statoil became a title sponsor of the program with Ski Fit North Alberta, targeting Aboriginal youth ages six-14 in Northern Alberta regions of Statoil’s core work. Scott, of Vermillion, is an ambassador, recruiting youth to cross-country skiing, supporting them and strengthening the junior athletic pool.
ASIRT seeks public assistance in shooting
PHOTO: ALBERTA CULTURE
The Okotoks Erratic is one of two Canadian sites to be mapped by the CyArk 500 Challenge.
Farrokhi, also with the Historic Resources Management Branch of Alberta Culture and Tourism. When considering how to approach the problem, several universities were consulted. Ultimately, the provincial government, bringing their own resources, settled on a partnership with CyArk, said Farrokhi, a civil engineer from Iran, who has been working on the project for the past three years. The erratic is one of two Canadian sites selected for digital preservation by the CyArk 500 challenge, a global
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• Kinuso J’s One Stop • Slave Lake Winks of Slave Lake • Desmarais Bigstone Food Store Ltd. • Wabasca E & M Foods Ltd.
For complete list of radio bingo sellers visit: www.radiobingo.ca
initiative launched at a summit in 2013 at the Tower of London. Passionate about the loss, erosion and destruction of heritage sites, the Kacyra family created a non-profit organization to use 3-D technology to preserve sites around the world for posterity. Sites are chosen by an advisory board and are based on a letter addressing three criteria, said Makenna Murray of the CyArk Challenge, based in Oakland, California, which aims to have 500 projects captured digitally in five years. Sites are chosen for their local, global and international significance, the particular risks that face places at threat of disappearance in 10 years, and a consideration of the particular benefits of each. Fort Conger in Quttinirpaaq National Park on Ellesmere Island is the second Canadian site. “The 3-D process of preservation begins with 3-D scanner technology, a full 360 degree scan. Then it is brought back to Oakland for data processing,” said Makenna. Surprisingly, the scanning technology has revealed additional pictographs, not visible to the naked eye, said Alireza. “It is remarkable technology,” said First Rider, “that does well to preserve, protect and present.”
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is investigating a Calgary Police Service officer-involved shooting on March 21. At about 11 a.m. a handful of people in attendance at an anti-racism rally in front of City Hall were approached by Morgan Thompson, 30. Thompson taunted the crowd with cries of “white power,” which resulted in verbal exchanges. Police on the scene monitoring the rally approached Thompson, who began walking away. The police dispatched a description of Thompson and his direction and a uniformed CPS officer in a marked police vehicle, accompanied by three CPS recruits-in-training, located Thompson. The officer intercepted, pulling his vehicle in front of Thompson and then pursued Thompson on foot, with the recruits at a distance behind. A brief confrontation ensued between the officer and Thompson, with Thompson brandishing a pipe and the officer initially using his baton. The officer fired on Thompson, critically wounding Thompson. ASIRT is investigating the incident.
Ring road completion delayed The province has delayed construction of the final leg of the ring road until 2024 or 2025. The southwest section that cuts through Tsuu T’ina First Nation will begin as soon as this year, but Alberta Transportation has delayed the west leg from the Trans-Canada Highway to Glenmore Trail until 2021. As a result, traffic on Sarcee Trail is expected to continue to worsen in the upcoming decade. Alberta’s drop in revenue resulted in $1.5 billion cut from the ring road budget affecting earlier plans. The land deal with Tsuu T’ina requires that the southwest section be built within seven years of approval following enactment by the federal government.
We Are Coming Home launched at the Glenbow Museum Athabasca University Press will hold a launch of We Are Coming Home, Repatriation and the Restoration of Blackfoot Cultural Confidence, edited by Gerald T. Conaty, at the Glenbow Museum Theatre on April 10. In 1990, Conaty, hired as senior curator of ethnology, was given the mandate of improving the Glenbow’s relations with the Aboriginal community. At the time the Glenbow had taken early steps by returning sacred object to the First Nations’ people. In 2000, the Glenbow returned 251 sacred objects to the Blackfoot. Despite criticism from members of the provincial government, Conaty oversaw the return of more than 50 medicine bundles to the Blackfoot and Cree communities from 1990-2000. Then the First Nations Sacred Ceremonial Repatriation Act, the only repatriation legislation in Canada, was passed. We Are Coming Home tells the story of this highly complex process, as described by the Piikani, Siksika and Kainai Elders, who provided insight and guidance. The Glenbow Museum’s president and CEO at the time and a Provincial Museum of Alberta archaeologist give insight into the creation of FNSCORA. Their accounts are framed by Conaty’s reflections on the impact of museums on First Nations, the history and culture of the Blackfoot and the path forward. The book is a tribute to Conaty’s relationship with the Blackfoot and is timely with his passing in August 2013.
Compiled by Daarlene Chrapko
Alberta Sweetgrass - March 2015
8
EDUCATION
First Nation, association team up to provide workplace training
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
The combined construction craft labour and scaffolding training program included four weeks of life skills and job readiness; two weeks of safety ticket training (whereby students end up with nine tickets); six weeks of pre-employment training; two weeks of pre-employment scaffolding; and, finally, job placements.
By Paula E. Kirman Sweetgrass Writer WHITEFISH LAKE FIRST NATION
A partnership between Whitefish Lake (Goodfish) First Nation and the Christian Labour Association of Canada is helping Whitefish Lake members get into the trades. Whitefish Lake First Nation approached CLAC to ask if the organization would be interested in developing and delivering a training program for the construction industry, said Warren Kootenay, Aboriginal initiatives coordinator with CLAC. CLAC’s Aboriginal Initiatives Program worked with the First Nation to develop a combined construction craft labour and scaffolding training program. The first 14-week program was delivered in December 2012. “CLAC believes that by training and putting Aboriginal people to work, we are helping to build stronger families, better communities, and in turn, a better Canada,” said Kootenay. “CLAC also recognizes that the Aboriginal community remains one of the largest untapped and underutilized resources in Canada for the development of skilled labour. We need to continue working together to
develop partnerships that put Aboriginal people to work.” After successfully completing the program and passing an alcohol and drug test, students are placed with the training program’s partnering companies, and after a three month probationary period are often hired on full time. To date, CLAC and Whitefish have partnered to deliver three preemployment construction and pre-employment scaffold training programs in the community. The fourth began Feb. 23 and will be completed on May 22. The student selection process is handled by the Aboriginal community, which also seeks funding for the programs through such resources as Alberta Human Services and Alberta Works. At Whitefish Lake, applicants were prescreened by the community’s training and employment department. CLAC was invited to be on the selection committee, Kootenay says, as were other key partnering companies. “Our program is designed to open the employment door. Partnering companies that are involved in the training program understand fully that students are as green as grass with, for the most part, no work history in the construction field,” said
Kootenay. “The program gives students a chance at employment, and when they are finally placed in their job placements, it is now their opportunity to work hard and show the company that they are worth it and that they will make a great employee.” The retention rate in CLAC’s AIP programs has been around 55-60 per cent, a number that is dropping because the low price of oil has forced industry layoffs. “Our measure of success is not based on how many students have gone through our training program - it’s about how many have found long-term employment at the end of it. Our program will follow a student for a year to ensure they have the
support they need to become long-term employees of the company,” Kootenay said. Kootenay also emphasizes that the feedback from both students and industry partners has been positive. “Our students, who are fortunate to find a company that works for them, their lives have been changed for the better. For our companies, they are grateful for the trained workers that learn the necessary skill sets to be successful at the entry level and are committed to the learning process,” he said. “Our message to our students is you can make a pretty darn good living working in the trades and if you work hard enough it may just turn into a meaningful long-term career.”
EDUCATION
Alberta Sweetgrass - March 2015
9
Aboriginal physician sees cultural connections as medicine By Paula E. Kirman Sweetgrass Contributor MASKWACIS
As one of the province’s few Aboriginal physicians, Dr. Daniel McKennitt is both confronting and breaking down stereotypes while continuing to work towards bigger and better goals in his field. McKennitt is Ojibwe, originally from Sandy Bay First Nations outside of Winnipeg, but grew up in Edmonton where he went to university and medical school. He recently finished his residency in family medicine, and works at a clinic in Edmonton as well as in Maskwacis. McKennitt didn’t always want to be a doctor. He wanted to be a teacher, influenced by his mother’s example. This aspiration changed when he started tutoring and student teaching. “I saw that a different path was in store for me when I saw
that Aboriginal people were the poorest people in Canada and ironically to me at the time they had the highest rates of HIV/ AIDS. This was similar for many other countries with Indigenous people. This spiked my interest in the medical field,” he said. McKennitt works at a walkin clinic in Edmonton on weekends and is working towards his Masters in Public Health during the week. As the appointments are fast and impersonal, a large number of his patients do not recognize him outwardly as Aboriginal. “However, my nonAboriginal patients that do recognize I am Aboriginal are usually surprised at first. Many people are not thinking of a First Nations as a physician. Moreover, knowing where I came from and my culture allows me to explore the social determinants of health with my patients, (which is) a very important component in
PHOTO: SUBMITTED
Dr. Daniel McKennitt has office hours both in Edmonton and Maskwacis.
medicine,” said McKennitt. In Maskwacis, he can cultivate relationships with his patients, who have longer appointments, and explore their complete mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Although McKennitt hasn’t experienced direct
discrimination while working in his field, he has encountered confrontations with systemic discrimination, such as people making comments and assumptions about Aboriginal people. “It is difficult to deal with these situations head on in the hierarchical system of medicine,” McKennitt said. “The Elders have always told me it is better to attract people than provoke/confront people, so I have always done my best to demonstrate that this discrimination is not true.” McKennitt’s long term goals include changing the attitudes of Canadians towards Aboriginals and improving the health of Aboriginal people. He plans to become a medical officer of health and to continue to practise family medicine on a part-time basis. His cultural background has influenced how he views the practise of medicine. “I think being a First Nations physician has always allowed me to think of a patient in all four dimensions. This takes into consideration hopefully the full extent of the patient’s problem
hopefully resulting in better patient-centred care,” he said. “Traditional medicine is an evolving area with basis in our traditional healers and Elders. Working side-by-side with western medicine and traditional medicine is an exciting new area. Traditional medicine definitely has a place in health care and through the teaching of our traditional healers and Elders hopefully this is accepted as a reliable and valid source of knowledge.” Most of all, McKennitt emphasizes that cultural connection in health can provide protection against diseases such as diabetes and provide strength to battle suicide. “Through the horrors of residential school to the daily discrimination faced by many still to this day, Aboriginal people continue to fight to improve their lives and the lives of their children. This is achieved often by connection to their culture,” he said. “Improving connection to our culture is not only the responsibility of Elders but all of us.”
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Alberta Sweetgrass - March 2015
10
COMMUNITY
Funding from flood efforts expands outdoor school program By Sam Laskaris
adds up.” Talks about providing the grant money first surfaced during the winter of 2013. Canadian Red Cross officials told Horvath they might be in a position to provide some funds for the SAGE program. “My original plan was to ask for some canoes,” he said. “And they told me if you were to dream a little bit bigger what would it look like.”
Horvath then expressed a desire to expand the SAGE program to other schools, believing other schools can have similar success stories as Canmore Collegiate participants. “We’re hoping to improve high school completion rates by developing resiliency in our people,” he said. “And graduation rates have generally improved at our school. Also the grades and attendance are improving with those students who have been through the program.” Horvath is primarily the guidance counsellor for First Nations students at the school although he at times teaches drama and social studies. Melanie Soler, the Alberta flood operations director for the Canadian Red Cross, is pleased with the partnership that has been forged through the grant. “By supporting the SAGE program, we want to help First Nations students succeed in school and build their resiliency, so they can continue to pursue their dreams,” she said. It’s not just people from Alberta that have helped to make this expanded program a reality. “The funds were donated by Canadians who wanted to assist those affected by (the 2013 floods),” Soler said.
now. I want to create more initiatives for youth.” For the first night of the Knowledge Is Pow Wow program Nicotine had Cree Elder Gary Moostoos and Donavan Shirt, an 18-year-old from the Frog Lake First Nation, as guest speakers. Moostoos spoke of the religious beliefs of Aboriginals. About 50 youth, many of them non-Native, attended the event. “They liked it,” Nicotine said of the reactions of those who showed up. “They found it interesting. And even the Aboriginal kids learned stuff that they didn’t know.” As for Shirt, he’s a musician who sings and drums traditional Native music. But he did not perform that night. Instead he spoke to those in attendance. “He came to speak about how (music) has affected his life,” Nicotine said. Shirt, however, will perform at the Knowledge Is Pow Wow finale. Besides wanting to inform and assist youth, Nicotine has a personal reason for organizing the program about varying religions. Some of his family members (uncles and aunts) are now practising Christians, who
have abandoned their Aboriginal religious beliefs. But it’s not just family members that Nicotine is hoping to sway through the Knowledge Is Pow Wow programming. “There’s a need to show people about other religions,” he said. “I wanted to show them that all religions are the same.” Nicotine, who is a senior member of the iHuman Youth Society’s Mentorship Circle, has previously been involved with some of the group’s programming. For example, he’s participated in the Friday Night Challenge group. During these sessions he supports peers who are trying to stay clean and sober. Nicotine has also been involved with the Uncensored program. This curriculum aims to not only educate but also train social service providers and authority figures about some of the experiences of high-risk youth from Edmonton. Nicotine’s humanitarian efforts also included taking part in the Canada World Youth venture. He was in Tanzania in 2012 and ’13 participating in the CWY’s Youth Leader in Action program, assisting on environmental ventures.
Sweetgrass Writer CANMORE
Thanks to a generous grant from the Canadian Red Cross, First Nations youth from various communities will now be able to participate in an established outdoor education program. Officials from the Canadian Red Cross have agreed to provide more than $320,000 to the Canadian Rockies Public Schools board. The money comes from funds the agency raised following the devastating floods in southern Alberta in 2013. The grant will go towards expanding the Stoney Adventure Group Experience program, which has operated out of Canmore Collegiate High School for the past seven years. The program has allowed First Nations students to build confidence and character, skills which can be transferred later from the wilderness into the classroom and everyday life. Jeff Horvath, the Aboriginal liaison teacher at Canmore Collegiate who heads SAGE, says the grant money will allow the program to be expanded through until 2016 to include Aboriginal students from schools in other Treaty 7 communities.
PHOTO: JEFF HORVATH
The Stoney Adventure Group Experience program participants spent time at Cougar Creek near Banff National Park last year.
“We’re pretty excited about this opportunity and the chance to expand the program,” Horvath said. This March, a four-day excursion took place to Banff National Park, with the 16 students split evenly between Canmore Collegiate and Morley Community School. Horvath is also hoping to stage three other trips before the conclusion of the current
school year. He has talked with officials from other schools who are interested in having their students participate. Though the grant money being provided sounds like a hefty sum, Horvath said it won’t take long to use up the funds. “It is big,” he said of the grant. “But outdoor education is pretty pricy. With the gear, transportation and food, it all
Youth to learn about spirituality By Sam Laskaris Sweetgrass Writer EDMONTON
Cory Nicotine certainly believes in inclusiveness. That’s why the 26-year-old from the Saddle Lake Cree First Nation has put together an Edmonton-based event called Knowledge Is Pow Wow. The program, which is geared towards all youth, features presentations on various religions. The event began on Feb. 20 with a night dubbed Indigenous Spirituality. The Mar. 20 session was on Catholicism. Judaism and Islam presentations will follow on Apr. 20 and May 20, respectively. A program finale, including live musical performances, will be held on June 13. All of these sessions are taking place at the Boyle McCauley Health Centre in Edmonton. “It’s geared towards everybody,” Nicotine said. “I set it up for everyone to learn about the different religions and the value of it.” The Knowledge Is Pow Wow sessions are part of the programming for the iHuman Youth Society. This Edmonton-
PHOTO: SUBMITTED
Cory Nicotine hopes to facilitate dialogue on religion with his Knowledge Is Pow Wow monthly sessions, coordinated for iHuman Youth Society.
based group engages youth, who exhibit high-risk behaviours, in various arts activities, including music and theatre. The goal is to have those in the various programs make positive social changes. Nicotine is not keen to discuss
why he sought assistance from the iHuman Youth Society several years ago. “You can just go there to get some help,” he said of the organization. “It’s a good place to get help. They helped me a lot. And I just want to give back
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CAREERS
Alberta Sweetgrass - March 2015
11
Traditional healer says it comes down to unresolved emotional issues By Darlene Charpko Sweetgrass Writer CALGARY
While traditional healing has always been a key part of Aboriginal culture, Camille Pablo Russell believes it is becoming more widely accepted by Western medicine. “It has always been there, but not at the level it is now accepted by Western medicine, and it has given the Aboriginal population the access to use it and in the past it wasn’t there for them unless they went to reservations,” said Russell, who was born on the Blood Reserve. Russell has written The Path of the Buffalo Medicine Wheel, a transcription of the contents of his lectures and workshops. He works days as a spiritual counselor at the Elbow River Healing Lodge, a unique health care facility dedicated to Aboriginal people, that focusses on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual approach to health care. Evenings, Russell works as Native coordinator at the Calgary Remand Centre. Usually, Russell’s clients are
referred to the Elbow River Healing Lodge by a doctor for help with spiritual or emotional matters. “They explain what they are going through and how they are feeling,” said Russell. “I decide how I can assist with what they need and smudge. Through the smudge I get messages as to how to help them individually and do a prayer.” Russell gives herbs and instructions how to use them, offering spiritual support. He recommends herbs such as sage, sweetgrass, yarrow, rosehip roots that come from nature as an alternative or with medication to enhance wellbeing. “I never give herbs that will contradict medication that was given by doctors,” said Russell. There is a protocol to picking the herbs which involves ceremony and prayer. “I ask permission to pick with positive thoughts and prayers,” he said. Given permission from his teachers to practice traditional medicine, Russell studied under them for 13 years. “You have to have the proper rights and education. If you don’t, the
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Camille Pablo Russell works traditional healing with modern medicine.
herbs will react to some medications.” Whether healers are from
Africa, South America, or Australia, they always seem to have the same way of healing,
using different herbs, said Russell, who for several years now, has won the representation of Canada at an International Healers Congress in Munich. “The system is the same,” he said. “Traditional healing is holistic. The spiritual, mental, emotional and physical are all connected. If they are not working properly, they will affect each other and result in a physical problem. If the problem is not traced back to its roots, which are usually emotional, it will come back.” Often origins are traced to stress, death and unresolved family issues. Following his own vision quests, Russell spent 18 years in Europe before he came back home to help his people in a variety of roles including support worker for the Indian Residential School, an IRS Elder, and an IRS support worker with Treaty 7 Management Corporation. “All healing, all thanks goes to the Creator. He doctors,” said Russell. Russell has received much recognition for his work, including a commendation from the government for helping 32,000 people in one year. He is also a recipient of the City of Calgary’s Chief David Crowchild Memorial Award.
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Alberta Sweetgrass - March 2015
12
C O MM M U N I T Y
Cultural room bridges health care for Aboriginals, mainstream
PHOTO: KRISTEN WILDCAT- MANY BEARS
Representatives from Ermineskin, Samson, Louis Bull and Montana Cree Nations were joined by personnel from Westaskiwin hospital, Maskwacis Health Services, and Alberta Health Services to celebrate the opening of an Aboriginal cultural room at the Wetaskiwin Hospital and Care Centre on Feb. 5.
By Andrea Smith Sweetgrass Writer WETASKIWIN
Members of the Aboriginal community will now feel more comfortable when receiving medical treatment at the Wetaskiwin Hospital and Care Centre. A room recently opened in the hospital is dedicated to honouring and respecting traditional Aboriginal beliefs about health. “It’s a huge step forward because in allowing them to pray and to do ceremony, we are acknowledging that part of our spiritual well-being,” said Tracy Lee, the Aboriginal health lead for the Alberta Health Services central zone. “For us, health is holistic... emotional, mental, spiritual and
physical. Now we have space where we can honour that.” The room, opened in early February, is the result of a collaborative effort between Alberta Health Services, the Aboriginal health program, the Wetaskiwin hospital and the Maskwacis Health Services. Families can use it 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is a small space with a couch and chairs, decorated with paintings donated by the Maskwacis Health Services by First Nations artists. The room is specially ventilated and sweetgrass will be available by request. Daily smudges, to be announced over the intercom, will be open for everyone. The room acts as a bridge between the First Nations community and mainstream
health care, says Lee. In the Maskwacis community, for example, there are no primary healthcare services, such as hospitals or emergency walkin clinics, and doctors onreserve are few. People are forced to seek medical treatment off-reserve, but they don’t always feel welcomed. “Providing a culturally appropriate base will contribute to better relationships between the healthcare providers and the Aboriginal population. It’s only going to increase cultural competency, and increased cultural competency contributes to providing a culturally safe environment,” said Lee. Irvin Bull, chairperson for the Maskwacis Health
Services, played a key role in initiating the request for the room. Bull says many members from Maskwacis mentioned how difficult it was to maintain their traditions while accessing health care in other communities. “They’d have to request to have a smudge or light sweetgrass, and they’d have to go through a process where they had to close the vent or shut off the fire alarms,” he said. But while the most recent request for the room was submitted last October, there was talk of a room as early as 1982. “Way back then” the county of Wetaskiwin used the Maskwacis population as part of their own population statistics to access healthcare
funding from the federal government, so it’s been a long time in the making, says Bull. “It took 34-years, but we got one, and that’s the main thing,” he said. Randy Littechild, health director for the Maskwacis Health Services, wrote the October proposal for the room. He submitted one to the Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre at the same time, and that hospital is still trying to find the space, he says. “We’re making a lot of progress with the hospitals in general,” said Littlechild. “All I can say is, there’s a better collaboration between the whole AHS in the central zone than there was 10 years ago. We sit down regularly and meet and discuss things.”
Sub-regional plan to protect area larger than Moose Lake (Continued from page 4.)
The protection of Moose Lake was a contentious issue as hearings were held for Brion Energy’s Dover Commercial Project, a planned in situ site designed to produce 250,000 barrels of oil per day. The Alberta Energy Regulator approved the project in August 2013 and turned down the band’s request for a 20 km buffer zone around Moose Lake, stating that a nodevelopment zone would reduce economic benefits for the province. The band began court action and in November 2013 the Alberta Court of Appeal ruled that Fort McKay First Nation could argue
Constitutional and treaty rights in its appeal of the Dover project. However, prior to going to court, Fort Mckay First Nation and Brion signed an agreement for the development of the Dover oil sands project. However, Brion Energy maintained that the issue of the Moose Lake buffer zone remained in the hands of the government. In a news release issued at the signing of the letter of intent, Prentice said he “didn’t hesitate to say yes” when approached by Boucher to protect the area. Moose Lake is a sacred part of Fort McKay traditional territory and was selected by Fort McKay leadership as an area that membership could go to
practise their traditional pursuits. Moose Lake has a long history of community residing there. “The Fort McKay First Nation has done a wonderful job of preserving their traditional way of life, while allowing for responsible oil sands development near their community. This has enabled their people to thrive economically within the oil sands region. But it has also meant that some land that is meaningful to them near their reserve has been used for development,” said Prentice. This letter of intent is a valuable tool in protecting more than Moose Lake, says Karla Buffalo, senior manager,
government relations for Fort McKay First Nation. Negotiations will result in a sub-regional plan within the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan. “One of the biggest wins we think has come about as part of the discussions with Alberta is that we’re not only focusing on an area that was mentioned in the Dover negotiations but on a larger area which will provide a greater protection for, not just for the Moose Lake area, but an area in Fort McKay’s traditional territory,” said Buffalo. The size and parameters of the area to be protected still needs to be negotiated, she says. Meetings will be held between senior leadership in Fort
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McKay and the government to work on the specifics. Recommendations for the subregional plan must be made by March 31, 2016, and then legislative approval will be required. But until that time, says Buffalo, no moratorium has been put in place to stop development in the region. “We don’t want to presuppose which development, which company is going to be permitted or held back. That’s not our role in this process. Our role is overall to be a player and a party to establishing what we feel is responsible development within this traditional territory,” she said.