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OTTAWA - An $85,000 contribution under the Native Economic Development Program (NEDP) to a new, Indian-owned financial institution in the Dauphin region of Manitoba was announced by the Honourable Andre Bissonnette, Minister of State (Small Businesses), and Minister responsible for the Program.

The contribution enables the newly established West Region Tribal Council Investments Inc. to carry out a nine-month special study to develop a comprehensive operational plan.

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From May 1 to August 31, this summer will see 4,285 Albertans employed in the Edmonton region under the 1986 Student Temporary Employment Program, (STEP), Alberta Manpower Minister Rick Orman announced yesterday.

"This year there is a total of 12,650 Albertans who will benefit from STEP throughout the province said the Minister.

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"Native people of Alberta will find a willing listener and possible political ally in the Alberta Legislature, with the New Democrat Official Opposition," said Leo Piquette, MLA for Athabasca-Lac La Biche and Native Affairs critic for the New Democrats. "The provincial government is not working co-operatively with Native people. Alberta is getting a bad reputation in the way it is treating its Aboriginal people," said Piquette in an interview with Windspeaker on July 14.

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JANVIER - The Chipewyan Prairie Inn is a wholly-owned Native business, located just outside of the Janvier Reserve, and is a real success story for entrepreneur Ann Marie Doucette.

The $400,000 motel-restaurant-laundromat combination was constructed over

a period of six months and was partially financed through Native Venture Capital.

The motel offers five rooms and during the winter months it is often full, with oil field crews or contractors who are in (town) and working in and around the community.

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The Department of Indian Affairs here in Ottawa is adding another 30 case workers to the 20 it already has working on entitlements under Bill C-31, but the

backlog of those asking to be included on Treaty lists continues to grow.

Since last summer's amendment to the Indian Act, an estimated 60,000 women

and the children and grandchildren of women who lost their Treaty rights have applied for treaty status under the Act.

Almost 9,000 have had their applications answered and most of those have been given Treaty status.

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WINNIPEG - A $77,000 contribution under the Native Economic Development Program (NEDP) has been awarded to a new Native-owned economic institution in northeast Manitoba.

The contribution to Northeast Manitoba Development Corporation (NMDC) will assist the corporation to develop business and operational plans and systems.

NMDC, owned by eight Indian bands and a Metis community in northeast Manitoba, is being established as the economic development vehicle for the nine communities which in total have a population of 8,000 people.

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WINNIPEG - An $85,300 contribution under the Native Economic Development Program (NEDP) to an Indian-owned big game guide-outfitting business in northeastern British Columbia was announced by the Honourable Frank Oberle, Minister of State (Science and Technology), and Member of Parliament for Prince George-Peace River, June 12.

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Indian people don't know very much about the new Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, at least not yet, but there's one thing you can say about him - he's no David Crombie. The best example of that is the first encounter Bill McKnight had with reporters minutes after being sworn in as minister.

Reporter #1: Mr. McKnight can you tell us if you've ever been north or what you know about Indian and northern affairs?

McKnight: We'll find out as we go along.

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A dispute over the general election of the president and board members of the Calgary Native Friendship Centre (CNFC) continues to fester this week as the president came forward to criticize news reports saying a former band member had resigned due to inefficiencies within the executive.

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One step toward the self-sufficiency of Alberta Aboriginal communities, was seen at the graduating ceremony of the Para-Professional Social Work course at the Chateau Louis Motor Inn, in Edmonton, on July 10.

The four month program which develops the para-professional skills of Native students who could then work along side of professional social workers, began in April, 1986.

The graduates will be doing a lot of the work done by regular social workers, such as the assessment of client needs, referral assistance and follow-up counselling.