Grassroots grads in demand

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Seventeen Alberta chiefs are evaluating housing conditions and occupancy on their reserves, said team leader Lesley Steinhauer at a recent graduation ceremony for Treaty 6 housing inspectors.

With 5,000 homes to inspect in Treaty 6, they have more than enough work to keep the 15 new graduates of the C.M.H.C. Residential Rehabilitation Assistance program (RRAP) at NAIT busy.

Victor Houle, the director for Treaty 6 at Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, agreed the graduates are needed. "Nationally, Alberta is taking the lead on the housing inspection. The government numbers for the needs in our community and the numbers expressed by the First Nations are so far apart. We want to know what is our real need."

Adam Constant, an Elder from Manitoba who has lived in Alberta for the past two years, brought sacred colors for the graduates at the June 29 ceremonies.

He explained, "The white is purification of the heart and mind, that's your guidance. The blue is the Great Spirit of life. The red is the strength of our people. The yellow symbolizes things being there for you every day. The green is for new groove: yesterday was an experience with which we walk in today."

Constant suggested inspectors should blend into the communities where they go to work. "Blend yourself into each home like your home. It's a big responsibility. These colors will guide you. The spirit of life is you as an individual," he said.

His wife Helen Atkinson added, "The work you learned to do is very important because a home is a foundation of a family, the family is the foundation of a community, and the community is the foundation of a Nation."

Sam Aginas from Alexis band has been carpeting for 10 years and feels there is not enough money in band coffers to renovate and build homes. "Since I build houses, I should be able to bring them all up to a standard," he said. "There is not enough shelter allowance. While you fix up the house, it's already falling apart."

Rick Gadwa is another graduate. His 11-year-old daughter Ricci Youngchief (Gadwa) presented graduates with her award-winning essay, Grandmas are Special, which won second place in a contest on the theme: Women are persons. It is about her grandmother who is the director of an Elders' lodge, and it will be published in Canadian Living magazine.

The RRAP graduates are as follows: Sam Aginas (Alexis First Nation); Rubin Bird and Jason Rain (Paul First Nation); Harry Brighteyes, Daniel Large, Roy Makokis and Floyd Steinhauer (Saddle Lake First Nation); Raymond Cardinal and Rick Gadwa (Kehewin First Nation); George Pany Erminskin, Chris Rattlesnake and Leon Smallboy (Erminskin First Nation); Howard Grandio (Cold Lake); Paul Hunter (Whitefish Lake); and Stan Wick (Montana).

Metis on the move to full employment

Inna Dansereau, Sweetgrass Writer, Edmonton

Aboriginal job seekers will now be assisted by knowledgeable and skilled staff in community based employment assistance centres, said the president of the Metis Nation of Alberta (MNA), Audrey Poitras.

The first group of 32 MNA career development workers graduated with a Certificate in Aboriginal Employment Development (CAED) June 29 at the Ramada Hotel in Edmonton. The program is a distance program of the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technology.

Graduates are Yvette Alexis (Alexis First Nation), Gloria Anderson (Bigstone Cree Nation), Helen Arcand (Edmonton), Paulette Auger (Beaver First Nation), Tracy Cardinal (Bigstone Cree Nation), Tammy Charland (Cold Lake), Elizabeth Courtorielle (Slave Lake), Lucielle Daniels (Calgary), Evelyn Drewniak (Slave Lake), Diane Fehr (Calgary), Connie Giroux Snelling (Slave Lake), Eva John Gladue (Kehewin Cree Nation), Veronica Graff (B.C.), Debra Graham (Calgary), Edna Howard (Grande Cache), June Howse (Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement), Juanita Ironshirt (Calgary), James Jackson (Whitefish Lake First Nation), Rick Janvier (Cold Lake First Nation), Gabriel Laboucan (Whitefish Lake), Penny Laboucan(Edmonton), Sherry Ladouceur (Edmonton), Anita Makokis (Edmonton), Cheryl Moberly (Bigstone Cree Nation), Giesela Mueller (Red Deer), Rosanne Mustus (Western Cree Tribal Council, Sturgeon Lake), Nadine Peacock (Enoch Cree Nation), Clayton Stanley (Frog Lake), Daniel Stimson (Siksika Nation), Ron Sunshine (Western Cree Tribal Council), Gloria Swan (Bonnyville), David Ward (Edmonton), Audrey Weasel Traveller (Calgary), Russell Whitford (Beaver Lake First Nation), Shay Yellowhorn (Calgary).

Their program consisted of three parts - self-study, group labs and workplace application assignment, said Mabel Morin, Alberta CAED co-ordinator at the MNA.

The group labs were the favorites of graduate Edna Howard, who is a manager at Muskwa Employment Services Centre in Grande Cache. "At the labs you put yourself to use," she said.

"I did it. I can't believe it but I did it," said Howard of her own graduation. "I had a lot of challenges during this year, but it's been a great program and experience."

Howard said she would definitely recommend the program to anyone working in employment services and hopes the program will be approved.

After running for the first time, the CAED program is in evaluation for approval to become permanent.

"Jobs require skilled people. Our people need meaningful jobs. The Metis Nation needs career counsellors. They have a significant role to play as they continue linking people to jobs, and jobs to people," said Poitras.

Poitras said they work to ensure Aboriginal people have an equal opportunity in the labor force. "We are all aware of the alarming statistics that confirm that Aboriginal people face the highest level of unemployment.

"As more and more of Aboriginal career counsellors become certified, we will continue the process of helping ourselves."