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Edmonton Briefs - March

Article Origin

Author

Compiled by Shari Narine

Volume

18

Issue

4

Year

2011

Mural depicting residential school proponent strikes controversy

A mural at the Government/Grandin Centre LRT station is stirring up controversy. Mustafa Farooq wrote in the Edmonton Journal that the mural, which depicts Bishop Vital Grandin “is a celebration of residential schooling and Aboriginal displacement and a historical narrative of colonialism and conversion.” Farooq, who is a third-year political science honours student at the University of Alberta, holds that the “cold, undeniable facts” are that Grandin helped operate residential schools and shouldn’t be honoured with his own mural. In response to Farooq’s opinion piece, John Marple wrote a letter stating that although residential schools were wrong, the government of the day along with both secular and non-secular institutions did “what they felt was right at the time to improve the difficult conditions of their generation.” Marple said Grandin and other pioneers like him were “courageous.” Marple noted the service rendered by men like Grandin and said the “mural is a celebration of this history.”


Edmonton Memorial March recognized in House of Commons

Linda Duncan, NDP MP Edmonton-Strathcona, paid tribute to Edmonton’s sixth annual Memorial March for Missing and Murdered Women with a statement in the House of Commons on Feb. 16. The march was organized by Danielle Boudreau following the murder of her two friends, Rachel Quinney and Ellie May Meyer, whose bodies were found on the outskirts of Edmonton. The march was led by Aboriginal drummers and families carried pictures of the loved ones they had lost. Duncan pointed out that Project Kare, a joint task force between the RCMP and Edmonton Police Service, is investigating over 20 cases of Edmonton women killed or missing since 1983. Said Duncan, “As in other Canadian cities, a disproportionate number of the murdered and missing women come from our Aboriginal community. As National Chief Shawn Atleo has said, ‘It is time to embrace a national action plan that will address the seriousness and scope of violence and discrimination facing Indigenous women in a coordinated, effective fashion.’”


Alexander First Nation, Greater St. Albert SB discuss education

Jody Kootenay, Alexander First Nation’s director of education, said the band would like to modify its present agreement with Greater St. Albert Catholic school board. To date, 15 students from the reserve attend schools in Morinville. “For example, if we have a professional development regarding cultural sensitivity for teachers, then they would be interested in attending our PD. Or if they have something in their school division maybe regarding children with high needs, then they would invite us to attend,” Kootenay told the St. Albert Gazette. Greater St. Albert Catholic Regional Division superintendent David Keohane said band members, including parents, have been proactive when it comes to understanding the needs of kids and wanting to work directly with schools. Parent participation includes “structured visitations” by band members with school principals. To cover base tuition, the band pays approximately $6,500 per student. GSACRD made the success of Aboriginal students a priority in its 2010 to 2013 three-year education plan. The present agreement between the band and school board is two decades old.


New exhibition recognizes Métis contribution  
 
In February, the Musée Heritage Museum in St. Albert opened a new exhibition in recognition of 150th anniversary of the founding of the St. Albert Mission. The exhibition features artifacts dating back 5,000 years. It showcases pieces from the early fur trading and Métis families that settled in St. Albert, as well as tells the story of the Oblates and Grey Nuns who established the mission.


Services for women returning from incarceration examined

The Creating Hope Society is hosting a day-long Aboriginal Women’s Forum on March 19 at the Edmonton Lion’s Club. The objective of the forum is to create an awareness of issues facing Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women offenders when returning to the community. Among the needs are more coordinated supports and program delivery as well as a more comprehensive approach to culture of community safety for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women. Among those hoped to attend the forum are representatives from treatment centres, police services, justice, mental health services, correctional institutions, and education institutions.

Compiled by Shari Narine