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Robert Laboucane has quit the federal Indian Affairs department calling the treatment by the service "deplorable, despicable, disgusting."

Last year Laboucane was fired for publicly criticizing the department. He appealed the decision and won ? he was then ordered back to work, but transferred to Edmonton.

After he was fired, he couldn't afford mortgage payments for his Kelowna home, Laboucane said. A Kelowna credit union foreclosed and sold the house for $12,000 less than the mortgage he held. The credit union is now after him for the $12,000.

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The Blackfoot band officially opened the new $3.6 million elementary school Aug. 28. The brick structure has eight classrooms, two kindergarten areas, a gym and library. The new school replaces the four portable classrooms used before.

Construction began in 1985 and was completed on time and under budget in time for this school year.

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"It doesn't matter whether your relatives came over on the Mayflower, or whether you are a Native," said Winston Wuttunee, a Native folksinger and lecturer. "We're all in the same boat."

Wuttunee was addressing a breakfast crowd of 150 people, Sept. 22 at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, during Native Awareness Week, Sept. 21 ? 25.

"When the earth was flooded, it wasn't just one color that perished," said Wuttunee. "It was all the colors, animals and trees."

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Native tradition is tolerant toward gays

Joe Guy Wood is one of the most respected Indian leaders in Manitoba. He has a reputation as a forceful and articulate fighter on behalf of Indian rights. But there is one group of Native people who he says are not entitled to equal rights. The people he won't fight for ? the people he's fighting against ? are Native gays.

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EDITORIAL

This week Windspeaker has a special feature section on hunting and trapping. We have tried to touch on most of the issues facing Native hunters and trappers, however, there continues to be many threats to this way of life.

Recently the Alberta government undertook a series of discussions with farmers over the issuing of grazing conservation leases for unoccupied Crown land. Most of this land lies in the south and in the foothill areas.

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The crisis at the Metis Association of Alberta continues this week with the accusation that now the association may be in debt to the tune of $80,000 coupled with revelations over alleged undemocratic practices during the rent general election.

Although these revelations are indeed cause for concern the major and potentially devastating concern is the rumoured split of the Metis association into two Alberta organizations.

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Trapping protested

The anti-fur street demonstrations that dominated the media last summer may have actually been beneficial to many hunters and trappers, however the Ontario Humane Society says it will continue to oppose what it calls the "inhumane and cruel" practice of trapping.

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The following applies only to Treaty Indians.

Treaty Indians who hunt on a subsistence level (killing only enough to feed their families), hunt on unoccupied Crown land or have gained permission to hunt on private land, are generally not subject to Alberta's hunting legislation.

But, Indians who hunt on private land without getting permission from the land owner, or traffic (sell for profit) the meat or hides of animals hunted, can be charged under Alberta's Wildlife Act.

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Good organization, good community participation, great music and all-round great Indian Summer weather, made the Slave Lake Cultural Days a success. Alex Courtoriell, the executive director of Slave Lake Friendship Centre, who sponsored the event said he was more than pleased with the turnout for the event.

Participants from the ages of two years old, a powwow dancer from Driftpile, to 87-year old Mooshum King Barnie Bottle and his wife Mellany took part in the cultural day held Sept. 18 ? 20 at the Slave Lake Friendship Centre.

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Olympic ski jumper and world cup winner Steven Collins didn't have to look very far to find a mountain when he was growing up in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The record-breaking Native champ could see Mount McKay from his kitchen window.

The mountain houses "one of the best ski jumping facilities in central Canada," explains Slaveomir 'Slav' Kardas, who coached Collins on the Canada National Ski Jumping Team.