Page 4

Jim Sinclair, president of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, was ordered out of the lobby of an Ottawa hotel because he looked suspicious.

The Westin Hotel apologized for the incident, which occurred Dec. 12, but Sinclair said it was the type of thing Aboriginal people deal with on a daily basis.

Sinclair is one of the five top Aboriginal leaders in the country today, but his professional stature wasn't the issue, his race was said Sinclair.

"I've had to deal with this kind of racism for years, he said.

Page 4

The Ontario delegates came close to shutting down the Metis National Council's Annual Assembly, held Nov. 25 and 26 in Calgary. They complained that their province was not being fairly represented by the number of voting delegates they were allowed.

The Ontario complaint was supported by a threat to walk away from the conference table unless their demands were met. The issue monopolized much of the conference's first afternoon and following morning, leaving participants frustrated that they could not get beyond the voting issue to deal with the heavy agenda.

Page 4

The Ontario delegates came close to shutting down the Metis National Council's Annual Assembly, held Nov. 25 and 26 in Calgary. They complained that their province was not being fairly represented by the number of voting delegates they were allowed.

The Ontario complaint was supported by a threat to walk away from the conference table unless their demands were met. The issue monopolized much of the conference's first afternoon and following morning, leaving participants frustrated that they could not get beyond the voting issue to deal with the heavy agenda.

Page 3

When the Ontario government finally presented the much anticipated and dreaded provincial budget, statement Nov. 29, few people and organizations were saved from the axe, including First Nations.

The announced cuts prompted the Chiefs of Ontario to hold a press conference in Toronto the following day to discuss the implications of Premier Mike Harris' budgetary plans.

The conference drew some 400 people who hoped to discover how the cuts were going to effect them.

Page 3

When the Ontario government finally presented the much anticipated and dreaded provincial budget, statement Nov. 29, few people and organizations were saved from the axe, including First Nations.

The announced cuts prompted the Chiefs of Ontario to hold a press conference in Toronto the following day to discuss the implications of Premier Mike Harris' budgetary plans.

The conference drew some 400 people who hoped to discover how the cuts were going to effect them.

Page 3

The Saskatchewan government and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations announced Nov. 24 an agreement to allow the operations of Indian-operated casinos.

The agreement, signed after 10 months of negotiations, will mean a First Nations casino could open as early as the beginning of January, FSIN Grand Chief Blaine Favel said at a news conference announcing the agreement.

Page 3

The Saskatchewan government and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations announced Nov. 24 an agreement to allow the operations of Indian-operated casinos.

The agreement, signed after 10 months of negotiations, will mean a First Nations casino could open as early as the beginning of January, FSIN Grand Chief Blaine Favel said at a news conference announcing the agreement.

Page 3

Everyone said it was going to be a close race. They were wrong.

On November 22, after a final four hours of debate, nearly two-thirds of Canadian Senators voted in favor of Justice Minister Allan Rock's controversial gun control bill, without amendment.

That means starting next year, everyone who owns a gun will have seven years to get a new firearms license and register each of their weapons with the Canadian government.

Page 3

Everyone said it was going to be a close race. They were wrong.

On November 22, after a final four hours of debate, nearly two-thirds of Canadian Senators voted in favor of Justice Minister Allan Rock's controversial gun control bill, without amendment.

That means starting next year, everyone who owns a gun will have seven years to get a new firearms license and register each of their weapons with the Canadian government.

Page 2

Native youth attending Elijah Harper's Sacred Assembly in Hull, Quebec last month said No to accepting the torch from Elders in a closing ceremony.

And they blamed their parents and their grandparents for not teaching them the traditional ways.

"You want us to take this fire, but we don't know how because you never taught us," one young man said.

Edie O'Mara said she refused to pass on the scroll of reconciliation to people of other nations, another part of the ceremony, "because we can't welcome other nations until our own people accept us."