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Old Sun College in financial crisis

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The Old Sun College is in a crisis situation and cannot pay its utilities due to drastic funding cutbacks by the Department of Indian Affairs and other government agencies says the school's president.

"The cutbacks are much worse than was reported in the Calgary Herald," said Marion Cleery, president of the college based on the Blackfoot reserve, east of Calgary. "The cuts add up to about 20 percent. This is a dramatic cut. We are under a great deal of stress."

Gov't ignoring native communities

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The government is deliberately ignoring input from Native communities for their new formula education policy charges the chairman of a national education symposium to be held next month.

"Ottawa has been closing its doors," says Adele Arcand who is also a university student.

The symposium takes place on the Alexander band near Edmonton August 17 to 19 in an effort to offset education cutbacks totalling nearly $600,000 scheduled to come into effect over a two year period.

Split in Zone 4: Housing registry causes feud

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A dispute over the transfer of a housing registry from Metis Urban Housing to the Metis Womens Council of Edmonton is causing anger and dissent within Zone 4.

A housing registry based in the Edmonton friendship centre began operation July with a grant of $29,000 from the Alberta Housing Corporation. However, Zone 4 Vice-President Ben Courtrille says the registry should have gone to an organization within the zone and even to the regional office itself.

Royalty payments cut off to band

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Royalty payments have been cut off to the Saddle Lake First Nation and the Goodfish Lake Band, over a dispute with Indian Affairs over the question of membership of re-instated status Indians.

People who were re-instated as status Indians, under Bill C-31 and were added to the membership lists of the two bands by the Indian Affairs, must receive their share of per-capita payments, insist government officials.

Morning train kills Hobbema man

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Jason Lee Buffalo, 21, of the Samson Band in Hobbema was killed instantly after being struck by a train Saturday morning around 7:30 a.m. . The accident occurred 10 km south of Wetaskiwin.

Buffalo and some friends had run out of gas along highway 2A and he was going to his cousin's place for help when the accident occurred.

Buffalo is the son of Freda Buffalo and was brought up by his Uncle and Aunt, Frank and Florence Buffalo of Hobbema. He is survived by two brothers and two sisters.

Metis Association disbands in Sask

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A rift between Metis and non-status Indians has erupted into the dissolution of the 50-year old Association of Metis and non-Status Indians of Saskatchewan just weeks after a $750,000 cut in funding by the Saskatchewan government.

The dissolution plan evolved during the July 23-24 annual assembly of AMNSIS which this year experienced a sharp decline in attendance. The reason given by the society's executive for the decrease is lack of funds, since the province did not renew the $750,000 core funding it has provided in the past.

PILGRIMAGE: Almost a century of history at Alberta's 'holy land'

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For almost 100 years people have journeyed to the Lac Ste. Anne prilgrimage site to pray and bathe in the waters of the lake.

This year it's estimated that close to 10,000 came to spiritually renew themselves and visit with old friends.

The pilgrimage site, located near Alberta Beach, 65 kms. west of Edmonton was again transformed into a sea of tents, trailers and truck campers. Throughout the five day event, the loudspeakers rang with the prayers and singing of those attending holy mass offered in Cree, Dogrib, Chipewyan and Blackfoot.

Star sings for Native rights

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EDITORIAL

Native rights and issues in Canada are not what you would call a "box office" attraction. But if one Canadian superstar of rock, Bryan Adams, has his way, these issues and more will become internationally known three his recent album "Into the Fire."

Referred to in Maclean's magazine as Canada's brightest male star, Adams is as well known internationally as Wayne Gretzky and Pierre Elliot Trudeau.

Uncle faces murder charge after 3-year old found dead

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Hugh Richard Chalifoux, 22, of the Swan River Reserve pleaded not guilty on July 15 to a charge of murder. He was charged in connection with the death of three-year-old Nathan Robert McCue of Kinuso.

The child was the son of Chalifoux's wife's sister. Chalifoux was babysitting the boy at the time the alleged assault occurred. An autopsy performed on July 9 by Dr. John Drowling indicated the child had suffered from a blow to the skull.

Self-gov't on hold

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Key changes to the Metis Settlement Act protecting land transfer to Metis settlements will have to wait another year after a proposed amendment was tabled during the final days of the Alberta Legislature's spring sitting.

The draft proposal would see an amendment to the 50-year old Metis Settlements Act and the Alberta Act that would, in effect, protect land transfer to the province's eight Metis settlements.