Edmonton Briefs - October 2012

Duncan discusses issues with MNA president

John Duncan, federal minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, speaks with Audrey Poitras, president of the Métis Nation of Alberta, after his address to the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce last month. The MNA will lose $46,000 in core funding and up to 1.5 staff members once funding cuts announced by the federal government come into effect over the next couple of years.

EAP offered to homeless, impoverished clients

Homeless and impoverished clients of Boyle Street Community Services and Bissell Centre will be supported with a new therapeutic program. Making Strides is an eight-month program and involves Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy, in which a mental health therapist uses horses to help clients work through life’s challenges. “Because of their highly perceptive and sensitive nature, horses seem to mirror and respond to the thoughts, feelings and body language of the client,” said Barbara Boulton, an Edmonton therapist whose practice, Equinox Therapeutic, is coordinating the program at no cost to the agencies. “Working with the horses can help identify feelings and thoughts that the individual has not been aware of or has been trying to hide or suppress.” Up to 36 clients will be supported by the program, which will be conducted at the Whitemud Equine Learning Centre. The centre is providing four horses, a mini horse and a mini donkey to help with the therapy.

Programs to help residential school survivors

Nechi Institute is offering new projects and courses to “replenish what was lost” for residential school survivors and the intergenerationally-impacted. “Healing the effects of the residential school syndrome by learning culture and language are the sacred tools we need for success. We want to help people heal from the historical trauma and abuse from residential school by replenishing what was almost lost,” said Dr. Josephine Auger, CEO. Nechi will be offering “Our Spirit Survived,” a four-day mobile residential school survivor workshop in 10 communities across Alberta. “Journey of the Spirit” is a five-day program to learn about Cree, Blackfoot, Sioux, Ojibway and Dene human development from the Broader Determinants of Health framework and Cultural perspective.

Volunteers needed for Homeless Connect

Homeward Trust Edmonton is recruiting volunteers to assist in the 2012 Homeless Connect initiative on Oct. 21. The bi-annual Homeless Connect event provides free appropriate services to people experiencing homelessness and those at risk of becoming homeless, on one day and at one location. The event will take place at the Shaw Conference Centre. Volunteer responsibilities are specific to each role and may include welcoming guests, guest registration, assisting guests in locating services they wish to access, relief to volunteers requesting a break, and miscellaneous tasks to assist event service providers. Services offered include dental, health, hair care and much more.

Indigenous symposium held at U of A

Oct. 11 and 12 marked a symposium co-hosted by Lister Centre, University of Alberta, Treaty 8, the Keepers of the Athabasca and Dr. Makere Stewart-Harawira (Energy Development and the Prosperity and Wellbeing of Aboriginal Communities in Northern Alberta SSHRC- funded research project) on critical issues of water management, distribution, monitoring, and Indigenous rights in NWT and Alberta with reference to distribution, pollution, monitoring and management and Indigenous rights. The symposium examined the effects of energy development on water governance and sustainability and Aboriginal rights in Northern Alberta. Among those who spoke were Joseph Jobin, who began working for Treaty 8 as the environment manager and acting land management and resource development manager; Larry Innes, with the Boreal Leadership Council; and Bruce Gladue, with the province’s Energy Resources Conservation Board.

Residential school survivors reached on the street

Boyle Street staff hit the pavement in a big way last month targeting clients who might have been eligible to apply for compensation under the Independent Assessment Program, which is for former residential school students who suffered severe physical or sexual abuse. The IAP deadline was Sept. 19. Many Boyle Street clients struggle with homelessness, mental health issues or drug addiction and have put off having to relive the painful memories, said Jane Slessor, a manager with Boyle Street Community Services. The number of IAP applications received is well over the estimated 12,500. The average amount of compensation is $117,000, which includes legal costs.

Compiled by Shari Narine