Page 16

Medium Rare

Each day I read three to five newspapers, watch and listen to TV and radio news, devour every Native newspaper that crosses my path. In other words, I work hard to stay informed.

Ever since 9/11, the "war on terrorism," the invasion of Afghanistan, and now the invasion of Iraq, I've discovered I know a lot about the opinions of people in Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Britain, France, Germany and Italy, but I know almost nothing about the opinions of Aboriginal peoples in Canada or how these global events have affected their lives.

Page 16

For those counting on a Canada/U.S. final at the inaugural world box lacrosse championships, Rusty Doxtdator has some advice: Don't bet on it.

That's because Doxtdator is confident another club, the Iroquois Nationals, will advance and possibly even win the tournament. It should be noted, there's a very good reason why Doxtdator has this thinking; he's the general manager of the Native club that will compete at the global tournament.

The six-nation event will be held in various southern Ontario locations from May 14 to 24.

Page 15

Windspeaker: What one quality do you most value in a friend?

Nathaniel: The best quality of a friend should be loyalty....You know what, can I change that first one? Honesty.

W: What is it that really makes you mad?

N: What truly makes me mad is how far advanced we think we are as humans, that we still can't find a way to not fight each other and kill each other and destroy each other and ourselves.

W: When are you at your happiest?

N: When I am at my happiest is when I see my children smiling and happy.

Page 14

Yes, that's still the same Cody McCormick that's been starring for the Belleville Bulls this season.

Yes, the same McCormick who was primarily utilized as a third-line or fourth-line checker during his first three seasons with the Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League.

In his first three years in Belleville, McCormick, a Chippewa, played in 174 games and earned 57 points (20 goals, 37 assists).

As for this season, McCormick became an offensive force. He scored a team-high 36 goals, despite missing seven regular season contests.

Page 13

Saskatchewan Liberal Member of Parliament Rick Laliberte says he will propose an amendment to the First Nations governance act (FNGA) after the consultation committee wraps up its cross-country tour and the bill returns to Parliament for second and third reading.

"The amendment is the definition of First Nations," he told Windspeaker on March 10. "And the definition of First Nations that I will be presenting will be to try and represent all the actual nations that do exist in Canada-by name."

Page 11

The man leading British Columbia's residential school survivors organization says the government has refused to consider extending the mandate of the Aboriginal Healing Foundation (AHF).

Page 9

Canada has signed deals with two of the four churches that ran the country's 130 Indian residential schools. The government of Canada committed to cover 70 per cent of the costs of settling compensation claims filed by victims of physical and sexual assault. The Anglican and Presbyterian churches agreed to cover the other 30 per cent up to a set limit.

The parties pledged to drop all third party claims and cross-claims they have filed against each other in court. They also pledged to not file any further claims of that type.

Page 8

Satsan (Herb George) may be the British Columbia vice-chief of the Assembly of First Nations, but that didn't stop him from urging the member chiefs of the First Nations Summit to "withdraw public support for the national chief and executive."

Page 7

Lawyers for the Samson Cree Nation want to call the prime minister as a

witness in Victor Buffalo versus the Queen. They are betting that Jean Chretien will fight with every means at his disposal to avoid having to testify.

Paul Barnsley, Windspeaker Staff Writer, Montreal

Page 6

Voices are being raised against the various government bills in the suite of First Nations governance legislation proposed by the federal government and a groundswell of sorts can now be seen to be gaining momentum.

In early March, two of the five mainstream federal political parties have come out against it. And, James O'Reilly, one of Canada's most experienced practitioners of Aboriginal law, says it will eventually be proven to be unconstitutional.