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Coast Salish carver Jane Marston calls Simon Charlie "The Father of Coast Salish Art."

His carvings and totem poles are exhibited in museums and displayed in private collections all over the world. His welcome figures greet visitors to the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria and his totems are well known in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. He has received the Order of British Columbia and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal.

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While the skills of firefighters at volunteer fire departments on reserves has improved in the past 20 years, the vice-president of First Nations' Emergency Services remains concerned about how the lack of funding is hampering fire protection.

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Though it appears to be fun and games, the recent firefighters' challenge on the Kitsumkalum First Nation is deadly serious.

The reserve, located three kilometres west of Terrace, hosted the annual provincial competition for First Nations Emergency Services (FNES) on May 31 that culminated a week of training for volunteer firefighters. This gathering, which has occurred annually since the early 1980s, rotates throughout the province allowing fire chiefs and their crews a venue to learn about the latest in protection and rescue techniques.

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Uchucklesaht head chief Clifford Charles (Tootapooth) was honoured in Vancouver June 16 for 35 years of service to the Canadian Coast Guard.

Charles, whose father Martin was in the coast guard for 32 years, said he did not follow in his father's footsteps but got into the coast guard by accident, both literally and figuratively.

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Kate Harris has found the solution to fitting more hours into the day-or so it would seem. Given the number of projects and activities this 19-year-old, straight A student is involved in, you would have to assume a normal 24-hour day just wouldn't do.

Harris is a Metis from Duncan. She is one of five 2003 winners of the national Royal Bank Aboriginal Scholarship, which is a full four-year scholarship to McGill University in Montreal.

The requirements for the scholarship are quite stringent, said Moria Jenkins, a Royal Bank business banking manager.

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On June 17, four days ahead of schedule, eight Nanaimo youths who left that city on April 1 walked into the city of Ottawa and arrived at the legislative buildings. Their aim had been to arrive on June 21, National Aboriginal Awareness Day.

The purpose of the First Nation youths was to raise awareness of youth suicide and to help prevent a problem that takes 250 lives each year.

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Ten years ago, the policy at the Royal Bank, Canada's largest bank, was "Don't lend money to Indians."

Today the Royal Bank is working in partnership with Aboriginal people. It is wooing their business and actively seeking and training Native people across Canada to become bankers.

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In the early morning of June 19, bagpipes called in more than 50 people to witness a ceremonial event near Cranbrook.

The Ktunaxa Kinbasket Interpretive Centre, which is housed inside a former residential school, held its grand opening. The ceremony began with the bringing in of an eagle staff adorned with seven feathers representing the seven bands of the Ktunaxa Nation. A prayer song and an honour song were performed by the Sukni Singers, a local drum group.

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In mid-May, Edmonton hosted the third Meet the North Conference and Exposition, which carried the theme Best Practices for Business Success in the North.

It was hailed by many as the most important gathering of northern business people, economic development officers and community leaders in Canada this year.

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A joint plan by the Squamish and Lil'Wat Nations to build a $15 million cultural centre within the resort municipality of Whistler got a $7.7 million shot in the arm on National Aboriginal Day.

On June 21, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Minister Robert Nault and Premier Gordon Campbell announced that both governments will ante up a share of the cost to develop 1.6 hectares of provincial Crown land opposite the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Hotel.