Edmonton News Briefs - February 2014

Tony Arcand, from the Alexander First Nation, meets with a student, as the resident Elder at NorQuest College, a position he has held since August of 2013.

NorQuest’s North Learning Centre, which has received funding from the province, will include enhanced Aboriginal ceremonial facilities and resources. The four-storey centre will be built directly north of NorQuest’s primary campus. The new building is scheduled to be completed by 2018. The province is providing $170 million for the $190 million project, which includes the new building and renovations to the South Learning Centre. NorQuest is making a concerted effort to increase its Aboriginal student attendance. Last year, nine per cent of the student population was Aboriginal, down from 2009 figures of 15 per cent. NorQuest also plans to access more dollars for a two-year $2.8-million pilot project where NorQuest will work with partners to help Aboriginal students get safety training, upgrade their driver’s licences, and learn essential work skills so they can be matched with construction jobs.

The Indigenous Students Strengthening Treaty Relationships Through Indigenous Knowledge and Education hosted a teach-in at the University of Alberta on Jan. 31. The three-hour event, which included Idle No More co-founder Sylvia McAdam, Janice Makokis from Saddle Lake Cree Nation and Crystal Lameman from Beaver Lake Cree Nation on the panel, attracted a standing room-only crowd.

Suzanne Patles of the Mi’kmaq Warriors Society was in Edmonton Feb. 11 as part of a national tour to raise awareness about the struggle at Elsipogtog, in New Brunswick, against shale gas fracking and their ongoing assertion and exercise of nationhood. The Elsipogtog First Nation’s struggle came to national attention after the RCMP reacted with assault rifles, pepper spray and K-9 units at a blockade in October. Rallies in support of the cause were held throughout the country. Forty members of the blockade were arrested, and a number of members of the Mi’kmaq Warriors Society face charges. All funds raised during the tour will go towards legal support. The Edmonton stop was sponsored and hosted by a number of organizations including the Council of Canadians and Keepers of the Athabasca.

A provincial grant of $750,000 through the Community Facility Enhancement Program will assist in the purchase of a facility in downtown Edmonton that will house iHuman. The 22,000 sq. ft. space will allow iHuman’s crisis intervention and art therapy programming for vulnerable youth to continue. The project is also supported by the City of Edmonton and a construction team consisting of Kasian Architecture, KellerDenali Construction, PCL, Clarke Builders, Stuart Olson Dominion, RJC, Hemisphere Engineering and BTY Group. Each year, iHuman’s 14 staff and a corps of volunteers assist more than 500 young people by providing crisis intervention and arts therapy programming. Program clients include victims of neglect and abuse, homelessness, addiction, mental and physical illness and those involved in high-risk lifestyles including gang activity.

Ryan Cunningham, a Métis from Edmonton, has been named new artistic developer for the Native Earth Performing Arts. “We were impressed and excited about many of Ryan’s ideas for Native Earth, which included multidisciplinary connections with the arts community and the national Indigenous community,” said Jed DeCory, president of NEPA’s board of directors. “We feel that with his energy and vision we will be able to continue on a path to a positive future.” Cunningham is the co-founder and artistic manager of Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts and co-curator/producer of The Rubaboo Arts Festival. Cunningham can presently be seen Blackstone, as well as Mixed Blessings, Earth: Final Conflict and Blue Murder.

Compiled by Shari Narine