Published September 18, 2000 Dusty Dixon, 18, from Alberta, participated in the Unity Ride & Run 2000. The event started at the Penticton First Nation in British Columbia and ended at the Joseph Bighead First Nation in Saskatchewan, 1800 km and 59 days later. People joined in at dozens of communities along the way. Here, Dixon has stopped to enjoy a few days' rest at the Frog Lake Cree Gathering that was held Aug. 25 to 27. Photo Credit: Trina Gobért Husky Energy executive named honorary chief by Pamela Sexsmith Post Delgamuukw partnerships by Robin Wortman Alexis members build community unity by Joan Taillon Aboriginal bone marrow donors needed by Cheryl Petten Kikino Citizen of the Year by Yvonne Irene Gladue Terrying About - Busy time for young and old by Terry Lusty Click here for Alberta Sweetgrass subscription information. Husky Energy executive named honorary chief By Pamela Sexsmith Sweetgrass Writer FROG LAKE FIRST NATION "It was a fair trade and an honorable exchange of gifts," said the Elders during the opening ceremonies at the Frog Lake Millennium Powwow. In a ceremony held on Saturday evening, Aug. 26, Chief Thomas Abraham presented Husky Energy Company's chief executive officer John C. S. Lau with a yellow chief's bonnet and a new name. Lau was made an honorary chief of the Frog Lake First Nation and was given the Cree name, Chief Earth Child. Acknowledging the friendship and deep respect between the First Nation and Husky Energy, Lau reciprocated with two corporate gifts. He announced Husky's sponsorship of this year's powwow, $200,000, and the establishment of a five year, $3,000 per year post-secondary education scholarship for band members. He also demonstrated a cultural sensitivity that brought smiles to the faces of the Elders. There is an ancient Plains Cree custom firmly entrenched in traditional ways: If a person is given a gift, he or she must give one back, equal or better than the gift received. As a matter of tribal honor among the nomadic people of the plains, wealth and greatness of spirit were shown by what you gave away, not by what you kept. The warm expressions of thanks given by Chief Abraham and Honorary Chief Lau and the thunderous round of approval from Elders, band members, dancers and visitors, left no one present in doubt of the mutual respect and trust shared Husky and the Frog Lake band, secured and honored by a traditional exchange of gifts. "As CEO of Husky, John Lau has shown his long-term commitment to the Frog Lake people. Under his leadership, Husky and Frog Lake First Nation have built a strong relationship based on trust. "This occasion marks a step towards private industry and First Nations people working together. Today, we recognize John Lau for his vision and wisdom," said Chief Abraham. In a speech following the ceremony, Lau expressed warm thanks for his new name, headdress, hand-carved walking stick and ceremonial leather case. "I am truly grateful for this honor, very meaningful to me because it is a sign of respect and trust. Mutual respect and trust are the foundation of the relationship between Husky and the Frog Lake First Nation. As we continue to work, learn and celebrate together, this bond will become even stronger," said Lau. Husky's activities on the Frog Lake Reserve began in the early 1980s. The company currently produces 850 barrels a day of oil and 2.5 million cubic feet of gas a day on band territory. Husky and Frog Lake have recently signed a land deal for a three-well drilling program. Husky holds 14 sections of petroleum and natural gas rights on the reserve, and Frog Lake band members now hold 12 on-reserve jobs relating to those activities. Speaking from Husky's head office in Calgary, Laurel Nichol, director of communications, said "The ceremony at Frog Lake First Nation was a great occasion for John Lau. It was the first time he has ever been made an honorary chief and the first time he has received a Cree name. It is a great honor. It was also the first time that Husky Energy has ever sponsored the Frog Lake powwow." Post Delgamuukw partnerships By Robin Wortman Guest Columnist National Chief Matthew Coon Come made three statements at the Assembly of First Nations annual general assembly that set out some parameters for the future: 1. The rule of law recognizes Aboriginal rights and title - the Delgamuukw Supreme Court decision. 2. Businesses wanting to extract wealth from First Nation traditional lands will have to do business with those First Nations. 3. First Nations will not be silent about the denial of their rights - the final arbiter is the international court. Welcome to the post-Delgamuukw era. First Nations people in British Columbia and across Canada are beginning to assert their legal jurisdiction over access to land and resources. There are four categories of land in Canada today: 1. Treaty land - includes reserves and specific land claim areas as well as traditional territory. 2. Crown land - includes lands not under treaty. 3. Claimed land - includes comprehensive claims over land that was not ceded or taken, mostly Crown land. 4. Fee simple land - land administered by the Crown and sold or transferred to other jurisdictions or private owners, although Crown title is now being questioned. To understand Matthew Coon Come, one has to understand that most of the land in Canada belongs, in part, if not entirely, to First Nations people. The numbered treaties intended that the land and the economic benefits derived from the land would be shared. Land under treaty or that was not ceded or taken is subject to First Nation consultation over access for development or resource extraction. People who have read the late Mel Smith's book Our Home or Native Land should read the decision by the Supreme Court regarding Delgamuukw. As much as Mr. Smith's generation would like to return to less complicated times with Ozzie and Harriet, the hoola-hoop and five cent Pepsi colas, the rule of law will prevail. In fact, Mr. Smith's book makes a strong case for bilateral negotiations between industry/business and First Nation leaders in British Columbia and elsewhere. Forget government. This is too important to be left to bureaucrats and the Department of Justice. This is business. The government of Canada alone has spent more than $60 billion on First Nations since 1970. This does not include the amount spent by the provinces. What are the results? It is time for First Nation leaders and the captains of industry to sit down and develop a protocol for development that is respectful of the legitimate legal jurisdiction of First Nations. Once this is done, governments must adjust to the fact that there is a third order of government in Canada. It's not a matter of policy. It is the rule of law. Government to government fiscal relations are long overdue. Royalty sharing on natural resource extraction is a good place to begin. Now, are First Nations governments prepared for wider jurisdictional benefits and responsibilities? This is the flip side of Mr. Coon Come's challenge. Bilateral relations with industry and business can help.

Alexis members build community unity By Joan Taillon Sweetgrass Writer ALEXIS FIRST NATION With well under $200,000 a year in federal housing money and a 1,300 member, largely young population living in overcrowded conditions on the Alexis reserve, Chief Francis Alexis was used to hearing "We need more housing." Realizing they will always be stuck with a housing shortage at the present rate of construction and being all too aware of the limitations of the government purse, the chief decided to try something new: Ask their own people to work-unpaid-to save on labor costs and put up twice as many houses for the same money as before. The reward for the ones who volunteer to work is they get priority on the housing list. The real payoff for the community, though, is not just new houses. It's restored pride in being independent of government; it's a rejuvenated work ethic; and it's feeling good about themselves because they are living up to the Elders' teachings about caring, sharing and harmony, the chief said. "I am challenging the people. I am doing something (about the housing shortage); I need help and support," said Chief Alexis. He makes the analogy of how ants and bees work: "They work together; one does not build a community. We've lost that connection," the chief said. He added everyone's help is needed to bring that connection back, and he would be spending his two weeks' holidays working alongside the other volunteers. "People don't have to get paid. Seeing their children and family properly housed is the payment," he said. Chief Alexis said that despite large amounts of money spent on job programs, they have little to show for it. The goal is to build 20 houses on the existing infrastructure; probably a dozen the first year. "If we really have unity and are working together, we can accomplish things. I have faith in my people-we have the skills," he said. Percy Potts, an advisor on the project, said that although the rate of volunteering was "moderate," they had only just started and he expected people would get excited about helping once they saw what they could do themselves. Housing manager Hal Alexis said they are putting up five bedroom houses with a capacity for 10 people. To accommodate that many, they want to make sure the structures are sound, so "we're exceeding code" in the construction, Hal Alexis said. Hal Alexis, who has been a carpenter since 1982, estimates that at $27,000 for a materials package and $25,000 for the foundations and labor for the things they can't do themselves, it will cost "just under $60,000 to build" a house using mostly volunteers. On Aug. 24, INAC's deputy minister, Gordon Shanks, and field services officer Shawn Melnychuk were out to view the work site. Melnychuk commented, "I've heard other reserves talk about doing something like this; I don't know of any chief that's taken it as far." Nelson Lumber has donated some of the tools for construction and Burle Butler, the general manager of the band-owned ABC Construction Co., has loaned the project a generator. Kikino Citizen of the Year By Gary Elaschuck Sweetgrass Writer KIKINO MÉTIS SETTLEMENT William Erasmus, 76, is the Citizen of the Year for 2000 at the Kikino Métis Settlement. The honour was awarded during the August's Kikino Settlement Days and Silver Birch Resort Rodeo. Erasmus is probably the best-known Elder in the community of 1200. He is a frequent guest at the elementary school, which is built on land he donated. He also donated the land for the settlement office and community hall. Every Rememberance Day he shares his experiences as a soldier in two wars, World War II and Korea, with the Kikino students. In World War II he served two years overseas. He was wounded in Italy, and spent three weeks in hospital before being sent back into action. Erasmus was born and raised in the Goodfish Lake area. He moved to the Kikino Métis Settlement in 1942, just before joining the army. In 1947 he married Bertha Ladoucer. They raised a family of three boys and three girls, plus a boy and a girl they adopted as an infant and toddler when their mother, a relative, died at a young age, plus numerous foster children. With 25 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren, their home continues to be filled, especially during holidays. Soon after he was married, Erasmus embarked on a lifelong involvement in Native politics. He was chairman of the Kikino Settlement and a councillor for 25 years, and president of the Alberta Federation of Métis Colonies in the early 1960s. He was also the vice-president of the Alberta Native Communications Society. "It was difficult to be on council at that time because the (government-hired) supervisor had the last say," William said. There was also no funding for Métis local government. "We had to pass the hat around so leaders could travel to Edmonton." Often, the lack of funds meant their mode of travel was hitchhiking. Erasmus was also the first Native court worker in northeast Alberta, covering Lac La Biche, Boyle, Athabasca, and Smokey Lake. He walked away from the job when he could no longer stand the harsh sentences routinely handed out to Natives. Although there have been improvements, that discrimination still lingers in the justice system, he said. In a life of political activism, one of William's biggest successes came from involvement in a 1960s month long sit-in aimed at keeping a Native education program running in Lac La Biche. He was one of five delegates who travelled to Ottawa to represent the people occupying the New Start program's building. The protest resulted in the Pe Ta Pun ("New Dawn") board getting two years' funding to run the school. After two years they got provincial funding as an Alberta vocational centre. Today it operates as Portage College, and the school continues to emphasize the education needs of Native communities throughout northeastern Alberta. The Citizen of the Year award came as a complete surprise to the modest man. "I didn't know anything about it until someone came to pick me up (to go to the ceremony)," said Erasmus. Aboriginal bone marrow donors needed By Cheryl Petten Sweetgrass Writer EDMONTON In Canada, there are four Aboriginal people waiting to find a compatible bone marrow donor for a transplant. One of them is Robert L'Hirondelle. Robert is seven years old and was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia four years ago. After undergoing two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy, Robert's cancer went into remission, but it returned in June. Robert is back in chemotherapy, but the best course of treatment for him now is a bone marrow transplant. Without it, his chances of survival are about 10 per cent. A transplant would increase those odds to 45 to 60 per cent. A search of 6.5 million people on registries world-wide has failed to come up with a match. Lesly Bauer is communications manager with the Unrelated Bone Marrow Donor Registry with Canadian Blood Services (CBS). Because bone marrow matches are hereditary, Bauer explained, Robert, who is Métis, is most likely to find a compatible donor within the North American Métis or Aboriginal communities. Because of the specific antigens, or genetic markers, in Robert's bone marrow, matches would also be likely within the Asian community, or among Aboriginal people in Australia. There are about 1,700 Aboriginal people registered as bone marrow donors on the CBS registry, but more are needed. Each Aboriginal person who registers increases the chances of finding a match for Robert, and for other people within the Aboriginal community who need a transplant. A bone marrow transplant procedure is "usually their last and best chance for beating the disease they've got," Bauer said. To be eligible to join the bone marrow registry, you must be between the ages of 17 and 59 and in good health. The registration process is as simple as filling out a form and having a blood test. An information package and registration form are available from CBS on their website, or by calling their toll free number. To register, simply fill out the health assessment questionnaire and consent form included in the package, and mail them in. A blood test will then be scheduled, and the sample will be tested to determine your bone marrow type. Those results will then be posted on the registry. If your bone marrow is a match to a patient waiting for a donation, further screening will be done to ensure the match is good, and a date will be set for collection. Bone marrow collection is done as a day surgery, under general anesthetic or spinal anesthetic, and involves removing bone marrow from your hip bone using a needle. There is usually some soreness in the hip for a few days, and donors are advised to avoid strenuous activities for a few weeks until their body replaces the marrow. As Robert's mother, Patricia, explained, by donating bone marrow, you're really not losing anything, and you could save a life. She hopes people will come forward, not just for Robert's sake, but to help others. For more information about joining the donor registry, or to receive the registration package, call toll free to 1-877-366-6717 or visit the CBS website at www.bloodservices.ca. Busy time for young and old By Terry Lusty Tansi! Now that school has resumed, so too have friendship centre programs for the fall. Some centres are undergoing renovations such as the one at Lac La Biche, while others are still experiencing staff changes. For example, the Rocky Mountain House Friendship Centre has just hired Berv Martin as its new executive director. And, word has it that the Napi Centre at Pincher Creek is in the planning stages for an alternative school that could accommodate teenagers from 14 to 19 years of age. Youth centre activity Shirley Badger, program director at the Lac La Biche Native Friendship Centre, is happy to report that since opening their youth centre on June 21, there have been a lot of youth making use of the facility. "We have up to 30 kids a day," said Badger. The facility includes a pool table and karaoke machine, and the staff conducts workshops and campouts. Thanks to an infusion of $60,000 through the Urban Multi-Purpose Aboriginal Youth Centres program, the centre has successfully pulled a number of kids into its programs and even the mayor has noticed the difference. Badger boasts that now there are fewer children on the streets. One thing that helps their program, she adds, is the use of Portage College's swimming pool and gymnasium. New initiative The Grande Prairie friendship centre is partnering with Grande Prairie College and will have additional office space in the college as of Sept. 15. The centre's extension into the college will be a place where Aboriginal students can mingle, and plan and host events. This new partnership, to my knowledge, is a first for any of the centres in the province and perhaps in Canada. In addition, the centre plays host to the annual general meeting of the Alberta Friendship Centres Association from Sept. 15 to17. Fall program launch More centrally located, the Slave Lake Friendship Centre is scheduled to launch its fall programming as of Sept. 22. The day's activities will include soup and bannock, entertainment, an evening dance, program displays, and sign-ups for Cree language instruction, racquetball, youth night, low impact aerobics, and more. And they are hosting a princess pageant and talent show on Sat., Oct. 14 as well as a Seniors and Elders Old Tyme Dinner and Dance on Friday, Nov. 3. Families remember Members of the Big Plume families from Tsuu T'ina First Nation and the Buffalo families at Hobbema joined forces during the September long weekend to sponsor a memorial ball tournament in memory of the late Jordie Buffalo who was accidentally killed at age 17 in a vehicle accident last summer in Hobbema. The Buffalo family won the ball tournament and everyone was especially pleased with the good fun and family reunion that took place. School name wanted Looking to make a long-term contribution? Why not send in your suggestion for a name for the Plains Indian Cultural Survival School program in Calgary. Staff member Loretta Pete is asking for ideas. She says they would maybe like to name it after someone who has already passed on from this life but was a significant figure in the Aboriginal world. This is not a contest. Last year, PICSS had about 150 students. Nine of those were Grade 12 graduates this year. The school was fortunate enough to receive some extra funding from Canadian Heritage that will go towards enhancing its cultural programming this term. This will include off-campus outings that can contribute to the personal, social and cultural development of students. The school also has Rev. Wolfleg coming in this fall to perform a cleansing ceremony at the school.