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"We are family and we want stay in our home," say the people of M'Wikwedong.

The M'Wikwedong Native Cultural Centre in Owen Sound has been based in a house rented from Westside United Church for the last two years.

The church has informed M'Wikwedong that they must vacate the property by Sept. 30.

On July 22, about 20 members of the M'Wikwedong, including a drum circle, formed a picket line outside the church to make a protest at being turned out.

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The Metis Nation of Alberta (MNA) Zone IV and Alberta Human Resources and Employment (AHRE) signed a new agreement that will improve services and help Metis people realize their employment and career goals.

The Partnership Framework on Increasing Metis Employment is the first of its kind in the area.

"This is a historical step in working together," said Cecil Bellrose, vice president of Zone IV. "This is going to be a great benefit to the Metis people in the Edmonton region."

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The Indigenous Peoples Leadership Conference will take place Sept. 17 to 20 in Edmonton. Intended to be the first in a series of international Indigenous-led forums, IPLC 2002 will bring together experts to focus on how cultural perspectives impact leadership and accountability and how, in turn, leadership and accountability impact the social and economic well being of Indigenous peoples, their communities, and their business partners around the world.

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The eighth annual Metis Settlements Youth Conference held July 15 to 19 at Kikino Silver Birch Resort, gave 93 young people from six of the eight Metis settlements a chance to interact with their peers from other communities and broaden their vision of the future.

Workshops on personal development and a career and education fair were key elements of the five-day conference, said conference co-odinator Pauline Thompson.

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The people working at Blood Tribe Health Centre are beginning to feel more like health care workers and less like sardines now that the new building expansion has been completed.

The grand opening of the expansion took place on July 18, with speeches from dignitaries and even a little entertainment.

The 1,490 square metres of new space connects two existing buildings-the health clinic and the long term care facility- and provides for office space and clinic areas for as many as 50 employees serving a community of 8,000 people.

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It may have just begun as a place where a guy could get out of the cold, warm up with a cup of coffee and a friendly chat and get some information on what was happening around the city, but it became much more than that. Much, much more.

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Eat well, gets lots of exercise and determine to make the best of your situation. That's the winning combination for Destiny Whitney, 20, a member of the Tsuu T'ina Nation and the volleyball team that took the gold at the North American Indigenous Games held in Winnipeg. It also helps if you have the love and support of a terrific family, she said.

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From the opening ceremonies at the North American Indigenous Games in Winnipeg July 28, to the closing ceremonies on Aug. 4, thousands of athletes, volunteers, and spectators shared in the excitement, exuberance and team spirit that was evident throughout the 11-day sporting event.

At any time of day, hundreds of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit youth on Winnipeg streets and at the sporting events were visible by their colorful tracksuits, representing their traditional territories, cultures and sports.

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One of the favorite stops on both the powwow trail and rodeo circuit is Kainai Days Summer Powwow, Rodeo and Fair that was held in Stand Off on July 19 to 21.

The weekend proved to be a hot and dusty one, but that didn't slow the dancers or the cowboys down.

This year's Kainai rodeo roster listed some of the top names on the Indian rodeo circuit, plus those making their way through the ranks. The cowboys and cowgirls are all collecting points towards the 2002 Indian National Finals Rodeo that will be held in California.

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Dear Editor:

Over the past two months, the Canadian Red Cross was asked to help the residents of Conklin, Fox Lake, Peerless Lake and Trout Lake, who were evacuated to Fort McMurray, High Level and Red Earth Creek, due to the extreme forest fire conditions in northern Alberta. Red Cross assisted over 1,500 people: conducting registration of evacuees, maintaining the reception centres, and providing items such as blankets, Zeddy Bears and comfort kits to those in need.