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Open letter to Robert Nault:

Although words like First Nations or First Nations governance are being used in this act and by government spokespeople, especially to the media, they really mean Indian bands and council of the band(s).

However, given that this act will make spending of band funds and earned dollars more accountable and transparent-I whole-heartedly support this act.

-Albert Wilson

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Dear Editor:

I would question last month's writer of the letter entitled, Act has grassroots support.

Who is this character that claims to be speaking for the grassroots level of First Nations people? I'm a grassroots level First Nations person and I do not support the Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault's First Nations governance act, Bill C-7.

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David Ahenakew is a portrait of tragedy. A man who ruined a lifetime of hard work by opening his mouth and letting the world hear that he holds some monumentally stupid-and, yes, hateful-opinions.

But Mr. Ahenakew is not so foolish as to ever say anything along those lines again, especially in public and especially to a journalist. He is disgraced. Knocked out of the political game he played with such gusto for so long. Left on the sidelines, a reminder to all that hate consumes the hater.

Why charge him with a criminal offence? What's to be gained?

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For anyone who loved to see a good play, there was a rare treat for them in Toronto last month.

The play, Caribou Song, which ran for five performances at the Isabel Bader Theatre, was part of Musicools, a festival of the arts and culture put on by several northern nations. It was the third time the Musicools event was held in Toronto. The festival which began April 29 and wrapped up May 11 explored northern musical theatre themes for families from Scandinavia, Finland, Iceland and Canada.

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The Chippewas of Georgina Island celebrated Earth Day a little late this year because ice conditions delayed spring, but that didn't stop more than 100 people who showed up for the celebration.

Fun was had by all on April 30, as community members and the Georgina Island band staff split into groups to clean around their community buildings and along the ditches of the island road.

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A unique cross-cultural exchange took place in a Toronto theatre this spring. The Toronto-based Centre for Indigenous Theatre (CIT), which runs a three-year, full-time training program and a four-week summer school, collaborated with the New Zealand-based Kahurangi Maori Dance Theatre on the production of Waiora, a two-act play written by Maori writer Hone Kouka. The production was staged April 3 at Dancemakers, a performance space in the Ossington-Dupont neighbourhood of the city.

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May seems to be an eventful month for the Kanata Iroquoian Village in Brantford. It was in May 2000 when it opened its doors to their first tourists. It was May 2002 that they were declared National Winners by the Canadian Tourism Commission for their tour "White Pine Experience."

And it was in May 2003 that it was almost totally destroyed by arson.

With the tourist season about to begin, staff and supporters at Kanata Village are uniting to wrestle opportunity from crisis.

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A Native child welfare conference held on Manitoulin Island April 30 to May 2 attracted delegates from across Ontario. The event was hosted by Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services of Wikwemikong.

Their aim was to find new ways to recruit and retain First Nations' foster parents.

"Child welfare is really in a crisis," Kina Gbezhomi executive director Dianne Roach explained. "With 80 per cent of the children in care in the Little Current area coming from First Nations, we have to get involved.

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Sharilyn Johnston considers it a win-win situation.

Johnston is the commodore for the Chippewas of the Thames Canoe Club based in Muncey, located about 40 kilometres southwest of London.

Though the club has been around for five years, it was only this May that it joined the 54-club Canadian Canoe Association. The Muncey-based club was one of nine new clubs accepted by the canoe association this year. It was also one of three Aboriginal clubs to sign up.

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A grateful Native community has donated $300 to an agency that is one of its own biggest supporters. The gesture was aimed to show appreciation for financial and social support received over many years.