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Food bank refuses food to Indians

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An Edmonton area food bank is refusing to give food to treaty Indians, telling them to back to their home reserve if they are in need.

Treaty Indian Linda Mowry and her husband helped the East Parkland Food Bank in Spruce Grove deliver food to needy area residents 15 months ago.

But when she turned to the food bank for help a year later in July, they were turned down and told that because she's a treaty Indian with C-31 status, policy wouldn't allow the food

bank to give food to treaty Indians. Mowry was advised to go to a reserve.

Samson band sues feds for $575M

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A $575-million lawsuit launched by the Samson Band against the federal government is a turning point in the fight by Indian bands for self-determination, says the band lawyer.

"If they don't get control of their own money, there is no hope in this land for the Indian nations to have meaningful, real self-government," said James O'Reilley.

"If they can't even control their own money, which rightfully belongs to them, then it's all a farce what the federal government is saying. It's double talk. It's foaming at the mouth," he

Trapping sustains life of Metis pioneer

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While other Metis were moving away from Wolf Lake Metis Settlement "like flies," Isadore Cardinal was holding his ground.

Twenty-nine years after the former colony had its status as a settlement rescinded in 1960, he's still there.

And he'll probably die there, he said.

Raised in the bush in and around the northeastern Alberta community, the 69 year old Cardinal is the last of the settlement members still living within the boundaries of the former

Metis colony.

Building bridges between two worlds

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As a white woman with treaty rights, Sharon Steinhauer says she's been able to build bridges between Natives and non-Natives.

"I believe in the universality of mankind. The differences between us are minimal and the commonalties between us are great and I wonder on the folly of man to concentrate on the

differences," says the 42 year old woman.

"We all want the same kinds of successes in life," she notes.

By having links to both communities, she believes she's able to shape attitudes in the Native and non-Native world.

Treaty Indian Senate run ends

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Alberta will not have a treaty Indian running for October's upcoming Senate election.

Harvey Cardinal's bid to be the first Treaty Indian to run in a Senate election has fizzled.

The Medicine Hat resident failed to the 1,500 signatures required to run in the election, which is being held Oct. 16 at the same time as province-wide municipal elections.

He estimated he was short by 300 names.

Seven other candidates were declared eligible to run but the race narrowed to six on Sept. 27 when Ivor Dent announced he was dropping out.

Native tradition lives on through CFWE satellite

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It was called the greatest form of communication by Native people since the smoke signal.

And when the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA) took to the airwaves Sept. 22, beaming its radio show via satellite from its Edmonton headquarters, AMMSA

president Fred Didzena said it opened a new era of progress for Native people.

Didzena told a packed house of spectators and staff during the openhouse gala that AMMSA waited five years to sent its message using the high-tech communications system.

Our world is the greatest spiritual teacher

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Tansi, ahnee and hello.

There was once a man who sought healing. This young man looked back on the actions of his life with great sadness and with great shame.

He was a warrior. Despite the honors that had been heaped upon him by his people the young warrior felt great dissatisfaction.

Somehow he sensed that there was more. Something inside him told him that there were other roads for him to travel.

Feds support long-term development

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The federal government has committed itself to long-term support for aboriginal and economic development, says the administrator for the Canadian Aboriginal Economic

Development Strategy.

Tony Reynolds, administrator for the program, told 300 delegates at the 1989 Working Conference on Indian Economic Development that an allocation of $874 million for the first five

years is the first time a long-term commitment has been included in the federal government's budget.

Water management a key to Blood economy

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Blood Chief Roy Fox says his tribe has had a long, tough battle to get an on-reserve irrigation project underway, but it will pay off.

"Water and land have been a sacred trust to our people since time began. The creator has given these resources to us and we are responsible to endure we look after them and use

them to the best advantage. In modern times we may have lost sight of that sacred relationship," he said in an address at the Indian economic development conference held in

Edmonton last week.

Cadieux pledges to pursue diversifying Native economics

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Native people have been instrumental in creating a strong Native economy in Canada and the federal government will help in that effort, says Indian Affairs Minister Pierre Cadieux.

Cadieux, also minister responsible for northern affairs, made his remarks during a luncheon address Sept. 26 at this year's Working Conference on Indian Economic Development

held at the Edmonton Inn.

In his speech, Cadieux said the development of the Native economy in Canada has come a long way in recent years.