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Editorial

Two child welfare conferences were held in Calgary last week. One an international Aboriginal peoples' conference which saw people from all over the world attend, and the other a Metis conference.

During these conferences the issue of child care and love for our children, especially the Aboriginal child who is so often more at risk than his or her white peers, was discussed, dissected, analysed, and examined in detail.

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Blood Indian Andy Crop Eared Wolf, a second year University of Lethbridge student, was recently elected president by acclamation to the Native American Students' Association (NASA).

Crop Eared Wolf's lone opponent, Sherry Chism, withdrew from the presidency race after the death of her grandfather, former Alberta Lieutenant ?Governor, Ralph Steinhauer. Chism is a management student from the Saddle Lake reserve in northern Alberta.

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The Alberta premiere of 'Foster Child' directed by Metis producer Gil Cardinal takes place at the Edmonton Provincial Museum Theatre, Oct. 21 (8 p.m.), beginning a nation-wide tour of the hard hitting non-fictional story and its filmmaker.

The film is an unrehearsed documentary about Cardinal's frustrating search for his natural family. None of the characters in the 43 minute film are actors ? they're people he actually encounters in his search ? and all events are not staged.

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The Blue Quills Native Education Council recently held their executive elections which saw the president remain unchallenged for the third term in a row, Joe Dion.

"Nobody wants the job," laughed Dion when asked why he thought he's won the presidency by acclamation three times.

But an employee since 1982 says the real reason is because "the job is a tough one."

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Residents of the Goodfish Lake reserve have four new councillors and are one step closer to a new chief.

The election took place Oct. 6 at Goodfish Lake's Pakan school where 293 members of the band cast their votes for four council positions.

Another election will be held Oct. 20 to select one of the four newly-elected councillors as chief.

Former chief Morris Jackson had placed six out of 11 candidates, crushing his chance for re-election.

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A resolution that the chiefs of Alberta will not rejoin the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) was eventually tabled at the second phase of the All-Chiefs conference held in Calgary on Oct. 7.

At the first phase of the conference, held in Enoch Sept. 29, 30 and Oct. 1, AFN national chief Georges Erasmus made a plea for the reunification of the Alberta chiefs and the AFN.

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Despite being removed as the chief of the Saddle Lake reserve in 1985 following charges of alleged spending irregularities, Eugene Steinhauer was elected into the position Oct. 8.

Band officials say 628 out of a possible 1,400 eligible voters cast votes at the Saddle Lake band hall. But because the band follows custom election practices no further details were released to Windspeaker.

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Chief Bernard Ominayak, of the Lubicon Lake Band, has appealed to the leaders of all Alberta bands, to join him to his land claim fight which involves a boycott of the 1988 Winter Olympics.

Ominayak made the request at the All-Chiefs conference held on the Enoch Reserve, near Edmonton, Sept. 29, 30 and Oct. 1. About 35 chiefs from 42 Alberta bands attended the meeting. Chief Leo Youngman of the Blackfoot band, and Chief John Snow, of the Goodstoney Band ? two bands heavily involved in Native events to be presented during the Olympics, were absent from the meeting.

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Delegates urge political involvement

Resolutions to involve the political bodies of the Metis Association and the Metis National Council in child welfare were passed during the final day of the first national Metis child welfare conference held in Calgary Oct. 5 to 7.

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Aboriginal delegates meet to discuss child welfare issue

More than a thousand delegates from all parts of the world gathered in Calgary to compare facts and discuss strategies for the care of Aboriginal children Oct. 7 to 10.

After the opening ceremonies well-known Native singer, Winston Wuttunee dedicated his song, 'I am an Indian,' to the conference. Wuttunee recently told Windspeaker , he would not sing for the Olympic Winter Games because of the Lubicon Lake land claim, but was very happy to sing for the delegates at the conference.