Toni Tallman, president of the Calgary Native Disabled Society, was appointed to the Premier's Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities in July. The former Blood Reserve resident also serves as child advocate for the Aboriginal Disabilities Society of Alberta. Tallman, 36, became involved with the disabled after her nine-year-old daughter Melba was born severely disabled. "One thing I'm really concerned with is the collaboration between the federal and provincial governments," said Tallman. "They have to work together to provide services [for the disabled]." The 16-member council was set up in 1988 to review, recommend and influence government policies and the coordination of services for the disabled. In 1993, the council release Removing Barriers - An Action Plan for Aboriginal People with Disabilities. The council's former Aboriginal representative was Everett Soop of the Blood Tribe. (DF)
An innovative collaboration between First Nations artists and Calgary's Glenbow Museum has resulted in a new exhibition offering fresh perspectives on Native art, culture and heritage. Revisit - Recall: New meanings echo the past is on view from Aug. 31 through Oct. 14, and features works by Amber Bear Robe, Marina Crane, Faye Heavyshield and Don Robertson, four Calgary-based artists who were invited by curators Robert First Charger and Donna McAlear to work directly with the museum's archival, ethnology and art collections. Each artist produced new works incorporating their personal responses to objects and images they selected from the collections. The Glenbow is working to move away from cataloguing and displaying First Nations materials according to European frameworks of art and anthropology. Revisit - Recall is, according to museum spokesmen, "an important illustration of Glenbow's First Nations policy through innovative visual presentations." (RJH)
A uniquely funded child-welfare agreement - the first of its kind in Canada - was signed on July 27 in Stand Off by Premier Ralph Klein. Chief Roy Fox of the Blood Tribe and DIAND Minister Ron Irwin witnessed the concluding signature. The multi-year agreement will allow the Blood Tribe more flexibility in the delivery of child and family services on reserve, particularly in the area of preventative social services. It also represents a first step towards the tribe's goal of assuming jurisdiction for child-welfare services; it will be administered by the newly organized Kainai Children Services. "We have worked for many years with the federal and provincial governments to gain more control over child and family services on reserve," Fox said. "This agreement is significant for us because we will now have more control over which services are funded. Our main focus is on prevention and now we will be able to make funding decisions to support our goals." (RJH)
The Musée Héritage Museum in St. Albert is presenting an in-house exhibit celebrating the life and work of Anne Anderson, Métis Elder, scholar and important influence in the history of the bedroom community. After a kick-off reception for Friends of the Museum and invited guests on Aug. 30, the exhibit runs in conjunction with Métis Heritage Days (Aug. 30 to Sept. 2), and will continue after that until Sept. 29. For more information, call the museum at (403) 459-1528. (RJH)
Brenda Giesbrecht had despaired, until the Métis Nation of Alberta rode to her rescue. The 34-year-old muscular-dystrophy victim and mother of two had seen her welfare cut off and her free medical services canceled because she failed to tell Social Services about her earnings from a tele-marketing job. Her pleas that it was all just a mistake fell upon deaf ears with the feds, and her family was eventually evicted in June and was way behind on their bills. Enter Lyle Donald on white horse. The acting president of the MNA agreed to bring their bills up to date, local Métis vice-president Sid Karakonti talked Canada Housing Corp. into renting them a house and Champion Dispatch owner Dave Sager offered Giesbrecht a job as a taxi dispatcher. All's well that ends well, although Social Services rules may force her to face fraud charges or to pay back financial assistance already received. (RJH)
The directors and the finance committee of Edmonton's Sacred Heart Church
of the First Peoples are calling for donations to repair the 82-year-old
church, which requires substantial work. The edifice was declared a national
parish for Native-Metis people in 1993 by Archbishop of Edmonton Joseph
N. MacNeil, and was the site for the healing mass for Elijah Harper last
year. Contact Rev. James L. Holland, OMI, at Sacred Heart at (403) 422-3052
for more information; tax receipts can be provided. (RJH)
Carmen Callihoo, 31, is one of only three women participating this summer
in a training-in-partnership program to help Aboriginal people upgrade their
skills and education to qualify for national park warden jobs.
The federally sponsored program began this spring as a pilot to introduce
16 Native people from British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon and the western Northwest
Territories to the work done by national park wardens. The program was designed
and implemented by Aboriginal people in Parks Canada and is expected to
be funded through the special measures innovation fund until March of 1998.
Callihoo placed second in a field of 121 applicants for the positions and,
according to Paul Cormier, Horizons program co-ordinator in Hull, Que.,
she is an exceptional applicant because of both her previous experience
and education.
Born in Edmonton, Callihoo is a member of the Michel Band, which has no
land base. The band gave up its land in the 1920s in exchange for scrip,
but continues to govern its affairs through a council in Edmonton.
Callihoo studied horse husbandry at Olds Agricultural College and received
a diploma in renewable resource management and conservation enforcement
from Lethbridge Community College. She is working on a bachelor of applied
science in enforcement at the University of Lethbridge, which she hopes
to complete by next spring.
Making a commitment to complete her education was part of her contract with
the Horizons program, which allows participants to decide how long it will
take for them to graduate.
She has also had about 15 months' experience working for Alberta Fish and
Wildlife in Red Deer, Fort McMurray, High Level and Barrhead. Her education
and field experience, as well as her personable manner and excellent verbal
skills, contributed to her high interview score.
Callihoo began the program with a concentrated 12-day introductory course
in Jasper in May, which included presentations by all participants and hands-on
field work. Once assigned to Waterton Lakes National Park, she attended
a sweat at the Peigan Nation at Brocket, along with other Waterton wardens.
"It was really good because I didn't know these people and it helped
me relax," she said.
The initial relaxation proved to be helpful not only for Callihoo but also
for her mentor and supervisor, park warden Peter Jowett. While learning
the skills involved in law enforcement, which included use of a baton and
handcuffs, Callihoo broke off the key which was meant to unlock the handcuffed
Jowett. The pair is still chuckling about the incident.
During her four months in Waterton Park, Callihoo has been exposed to all
aspects of warden duties, including front- and back-country patrols, public
safety, search and rescue, bear and cougar management, horseback riding,
first aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation refreshers, use of firearms
and routine office duties.
Although this year's assignment ended August 30, she will not finish her
warden-in-training work until next summer, when another four-month stint,
possibly in a different national park, is completed.
Because competition for wardens' jobs, both as seasonal or full-time positions,
is fierce, Callihoo said she thinks that her only chance will be at an entry
level.
"But I'm pretty happy and lucky to be in this program," she said.
"I like the work because it isn't predictable from one day to the next."
Red Crow Community College celebrates its 10th anniversary this year,
and growth continues to be a hallmark of the school. Despite severe financial
restrictions, the college will be admitting 475 students to its programs
this fall, including 295 new students.
"The Blood Reserve is one of the top users of post-secondary education
of any tribe in Canada," said Marie Smallface, president of the college.
"Our drop-out rate is less than five per cent, compared to about 40
per cent for most tribes. This year, we'll have 15 students from the reserve
university graduate programs, including one graduate from Red Crow."
Smallface says the reserve's user rate for post-secondary educational services
has been both a blessing and a problem for the last decade. While the students
themselves are to be applauded for their endeavors, coming up with the dollars
to support them has only been achieved with deficit spending.
"We've had two major financial concerns," Smallface said. "Most
of our programs were funded year-to-year only, so we simply don't have the
secure financial base we need to be able to plan our curriculum and student
intake properly. We've just negotiated a five-year financial agreement with
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and the tribe, which should put us on
a somewhat more secure footing.
"Our other problem, however, is the shortage of funds for post-secondary
students," she continued. "We've had a 35-per-cent increase in
applications from students wanting post-secondary schooling, but there's
been only a five-per-cent increase in funding from the government."
Smallface said that she's become an expert at borrowing from Peter to pay
Paul, since she took over as president and administrator of all post-secondary
schooling for the tribe.
"Management of the post-secondary student support program's yearly
budget was transferred to the tribe in 1991, but it put us on a fixed income
which didn't account for the substantial increase in the number of students
needing funding," she explained. "The Kainai Board of Education
decided to fund all interested students who were eligible, to show Indian
and Northern Affairs the level of need, but it put us into a deficit which
grew to about $900,000."
Though she's working on clearing the last of that deficit now, Smallface
said it may be at a cost of denying funding to some students.
Diversity is the key to Red Crow's current programs. About 70 students are
working on post-secondary diploma or certificate programs, which the school
brokers with Mt. Royal College in Calgary. Over the last four years, more
than 50 students have graduated with diplomas in social work in general
and business administration. Almost 50 additional students are completing
work in business administration courses this summer. The school has also
offered a one-year diploma in early childhood education, especially for
day-care positions. Many of the students graduating from these courses have
successfully transferred to university degree programs in related fields.
Oki, how's your summer coming along? My summer is coming along just great.
I apologize to everyone who didn't like my joke. I used it because I thought
I would start off my column with a bang. I mean no harm when I tell jokes;
it's not meant to be malicious or racist. I felt so bad when I received
some negative feedback.
I have another joke to share. This time I'll do better. Here it goes: There
was this man who had been biking for a long time when he came upon this
steep hill. Boy, he was so tired, he parked along side the road to take
a breather, when a Camaro came along. The driver stopped and offered to
pull him up. The biker accepted with no hesitation, so the driver tied a
rope to his bumper and gave the biker the other end to tie on his bike.
When they got to the top, they stopped because they had come to a red light.
At that moment, a Mustang came along and stopped beside the Camaro. Both
were revving their engines and, when the light turned green, they sped away
with the biker still tied on. They passed a police cruiser. The policeman
called in.
"This is Highway Patrol 27, reporting two cars, a Mustang and Camaro,
going 80 in a 50 zone," he said. "I'm not worried about the two
cars, but the cyclist who is trying to pass them." Ha Ha Ha!
I tried to hit as many powwows as I can, but time has limited me. I have
to apologize to my relatives in the south, because I haven't visited their
powwows this year. I heard about them. Brocket had the biggest hand game
tournament in Alberta.
That reminds me of my friend's daughter, who is five. We arrived at a powwow.
I heard a hand game song that I really liked. I told her I'd sing her an
Indian song. So, I sang with pride. She told me, I have an Indian song,
too. She started to sing one of the songs off Pocahontas.
Let's just sum up the powwows I have been to. The finest powwow was Onion
Lake. I met up with a good friend of mine, Glen Little Wolf. I told him
you must have great diplomats from here. There were well over 500 dancers
and around 20 drum groups from across the continent.
Friendliest crowd goes to Tsuu T'ina. Especially, that "hooper,"
Quentin Pipestem. The rainiest goes to Poundmaker's Lodge, especially Saturday.
As you know, powwowers are like mailmen - rain or shine they still come
out.
The silliest powwow for myself was Saddle Lake. It had "The Case of
the Stolen Clothes," a trip to Winnipeg and one eye that kept popping
out. That is all I have to say about that.
Alexis powwow got the award for the most mosquitoes. I think that the mosquitoes
had their own feast, ceremony and powwow each evening.
Going on the powwow trail this year, I have met some good people. One lady
I met was Helen Gladue, originally from Beaver Lake, but married in Enoch.
She was sitting there trying to catch a breather from the powwow, just as
I was. We got to talking and I found out, after I introduced myself, that
she knew my mother. What a small world!
Another man I met was Tom. I'm sorry I can't pronounce his last name. Anyway,
he was from Yakima, Washington. He came up because he had always heard of
the great Alberta powwows. He brought up a drum group from his area. He
was telling me that he's the Minnesota Fats of Washington - winning a great
many tournaments in pool. I asked whether the powwows around here were what
he expected them to be? He said yes, but people never told him about the
rain.
Tansi! Well, this past month has certainly had its ups and downs in both
good and sad news.
We are sorry to report that Native country continues to lose valuable people.
Entertainer Jim St. Germain, chuckwagon outrider Eugene Jackson and Metis
politician Richard Poitras, as well as politicians Rod Bishop from Saskatchewan
and Harry Allen from the Yukon all passed away recently. Our deepest sympathies.
July-August is always a great time, with the Lac St. Anne Pilgrimage, the
Heritage Days Festival and the Big Valley Jamboree, which this year featured
Edmonton's Laura Vinson and Free Spirit.
Heritage Days at Edmonton's Hawrelak Park featured that ever-popular singer
Buffy Ste. Marie.
The first two days of the event were subjected to damp weather, which negatively
impacted attendance and sales at pavilions, including those of the Canadian
Native Friendship Centre and the Metis Nation of Alberta. While specifics
are not yet available, Val Kaufman from the friendship centre feels that,
for the first time, they may have lost money this time around. The only
redeeming aspect was the appearance of brighter skies on the last day. Sunny
Sunday helped salvage what would otherwise have proven a disastrous year
for the event. The two pavilions offered Aboriginal entertainment and crafts,
foods and information about the organizations.
An upcoming Edmonton event is the Aboriginal Inter-Agency Meeting at the
friendship centre on Sept. 19, likely to run 1 - 3:30 p.m. Oct. 18 is the
third Amande Dodi Firingstone Memorial Round Dance at Hobbema's Howard Buffalo
Memorial Centre. Both would be worth checking out.
On a more serious note, Native Employment Services of Alberta which will
be forced to close its doors and to abandon Native clients by the end of
this month unless some drastically needed and dollars pop up from somewhere
before then. But it doesn't look good.
Close to 25,000 visitors are estimated to have turned up at Lac St. Anne,
75 km west of Edmonton, for the 107th pilgrimage. It wasn't without a lot
of bad feelings by many over the dozens upon dozens of dealers setting up
tents and stands along the perimeter of the site, all because of the almighty
dollar. And, yes, much of the wares for sale could appropriately be described
as "cheap junk," even "garbage." Otherwise, things appeared
to run quite smoothly. The religious fulfilled their wishes and innumerable
friendships and acquaintanceships were made or renewed one more time.
It looks like sculptor and artist Rocky Barstad is going to be joining the
ranks of shop owners. Apparently, he's been out and about buying up art
and sculptures which, along with his own works, will stock his Two Feathers
Gallery in High River, just south of Calgary. These days, any shop is a
gamble, so we wish you well, Rocky.
Harold Cardinal, former president of the Indian Association of Alberta and
author of the best-selling book, The Unjust Society is headed for Harvard!
The Sucker Creek resident's going to rub shoulders with all those ivy leaguers.
He hopes to come out a full-fledged Harvard grad with a Masters in Law.
And, while he's doing that, his wife Maizie will be furthering her education
with a Ph.D.
Congrats are also in order for Saddle Lake's Kevin Cardinal who went all
the way to the top and beat out over 1,000 competitors in this year's singles
division of the Wal-Mac 8-Ball Tournament in Las Vegas. That brought him
honors and $3,600. In addition, he and his wife Jean pocketed an additional
$1,500 by winning the scotch doubles.
Probably the biggest winner of all was a former-Albertan who now makes Vancouver
home. Stan Tourangeau won both the 8-Ball and the 9-Ball masters tournaments.
That's a real feat, given that the competition features the best of the
best. It is believed he is not only the first Native and the first Canadian,
but the first person in the world to ever win both categories in the same
year.
Congrats to you, Stan! We're sure proud of your accomplishments. You, too,
Kevin and Jean!
More Aboriginal students than ever are eligible for post-secondary education
or training, but the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
has capped funding for post-secondary education. That means that there will
be students who have been accepted into post-secondary institutions, but
will be unable to attend because there is no money to support them. First-year
students are in a more difficult position because returning students are
given priority over them for funding.
"So much of the money is taken up by students returning that new students
can only come in when someone has finished their training," explained
Fred Carnew, director of Hobbema's Muskwachees Cultural College.
The Yellowhead Tribal Council in Edmonton is in the same boat, but with
a different problem. Since their funding comes directly from DIAND, they
can only run programs with limited enrollment.
"We set up an upgrading program for 16 students and received over a
100 applications," said Seaneen O'Rourke, acting-director of YTC education.
"Even though our funding hasn't been cut, it hasn't gone up either,"
she continued. "The funding isn't meeting the increased demands."
Carnew raises another concern with these funding problems. Aboriginal students
are considered a federal responsibility and have difficulty accessing student
loans and other provincial education programs.
Peter Malcolm, from the provincial government's Department of Advanced Education
and Career Development, stated that "this department does not directly
fund Aboriginal colleges."
The post-secondary education funding program offered by DIAND is not intended
to fund the ongoing operations of a college, since that is a provincial
responsibility. This creates a dilemma for Aboriginal students. They are
included in the population that determines the amount of transfer payments
the federal government gives to the province of Alberta. But they are shut
out of any provincial funding because the students and on-reserve colleges
are considered a federal responsibility.
To add to that pressure, post-secondary funding from DIAND for students
is merely a matter of policy and not considered a legal responsibility.
A debate rages between the DIAND and the First Nations regarding post-secondary
education. The First Nations see it as a treaty right, and believe that
Canada is bound by law to fund any Aboriginal student who is eligible. The
federal government disagrees and can cut off all funding at any time.
Carnew said that this situation disadvantages Aboriginal students more so
than non-Aboriginal students.
"It puts programming and career development and training in a dangerous
situation because [the students] are never sure if the funding would be
available," he said.
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