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The chairman of the board of directors of the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, Clayton Gordon, announced on April 6 that his board had "exercised their option to conclude the employment agreement with Chief Operating Officer, Ron Nadeau, effective immediately."

Nadeau was relieved of this position, held for two years, that same day. He was informed of the decision, reached by members of the board while they met in Winnipeg over the previous few days, at his office in the network's Winnipeg headquarters.

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Second-rate funding for reserve children in care may be at the root of problems brought to light by a highly publicized dispute that began with the death of a child in foster care.

The story first hit the news on April 26 when Alberta Minister of Children's Services Iris Evans revoked the authority of the Kasohkowew Child Wellness Society on Samson Cree Nation territory after a 10-month-old boy, who the society had placed in an off-reserve foster home, accidentally drowned in a bathtub. Seven children in the care of the agency have died in the past two years.

A 13-part series of features on AIDS in Alberta began appearing on provincial television stations and in provincial newspapers last month. The campaign is intended to provide Albertans with information and models for changing behaviors which put them at risk of HIV infection. Since AIDS was first reported in 1981, 323 Albertans have been diagnosed with the illness. Of these 176 (54 per cent) have died. Over 1,000 Albertans have tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS and it's estimated as many as 6,000 may actually be infected.

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A chilling report on AIDS in the Canadian Native community says cases of the always-fatal disease cold explode.

There are 24 reported AIDS cases in the Native community but there are serious questions about the extent of under reporting. "Even if the reported number of cases is viewed as accurate, there may be as many as 6,300 Indian people infected with HIV, unaware of the fact and capable of spreading the virus," says the recently released report on aboriginal AIDS education and prevention.

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Indian affairs minister Tom Siddon has announced approval of a property taxation and assessment bylaw for the Muskeg Lake Indian Reserve in Saskatchewan that will enable the band to exercise taxation powers over band property located within Saskatoon.

Known as the Sutherland Property, the land covers about 11 hectares and was obtained by the band as partial fulfillment of its overall treaty land entitlement claim. In Nov. 1988 a formal agreement between the band, and Ottawa, and Saskatoon completed the transfer.

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Poundmaker's reserve near North Battleford, Sask. has a history local residents are very proud of. The reserve is named after Chief Poundmaker, a great leader, mostly known for his peaceful tactics, but he never opposed war if he felt his people were threatened.

In 1885 his people were threatened when a huge force of men from Battleford set out to attack his camp near Outlook, Sask.

Poundmaker's warriors surrounded and after killing some of Col. Otter's troops, Otter retreated back to Battleford in disgrace.

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Speaking to a jam-packed hall of about 300 youths at an AIDS conference in North Battleford, 1991 Miss Canada Leslie McLaren said people, especially youths, must take preventative measures to ensure their safety against the virus that has killed thousands.

"There are a lot of scary things happening out there. In high school, if you don't deal with sex properly AIDS could happen to you. You must protect yourself," she said.

McLaren said the issue of AIDS must be addressed in schools and communities and preventative measures taken.

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A director at the community Health Centre in North Battleford says Native Communities across the country must take preventative steps to prevent the spread of AIDS.

Dennis Lambert said although there's no known cure for the HIV infection, which causes AIDS and attacks and destroys the body's immune system, there are preventative measures that can be taken.

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The Native lifestyle has changed in many ways over the last 100 years. A century ago, Metis and Indian people in Alberta were nomads and trappers. Occasionally, they lived near a central area, but much of their time was often spent on traplines and with small family groups, perhaps sleeping under the stars of a northern summer night. Today, many Natives will see the stars through the bars of a prison cell.

Native people comprised 26.5% of the people in provincial jails according to

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Canadian jails do not rehabilitate; they offer little protection to society and do not deter people from committing crimes, says a report from the John Howard Society to the Canadian Sentencing Commission. Almost 90% of people that commit crimes do not go to jail for them. As well, there are unfair differences in punishments between provinces, and too many Indians are imprisoned, continues the report.