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Sechelt start legal battle

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The Sechelt Indian Band is taking both the province of British Columbia and the federal government to court over a continuing land claim struggle.

Chief Garry Feschuk confirmed the court action June 7 after the band filed a writ of summons against both levels of government in B.C. Supreme Court at the beginning of June.

Feschuk said the band is taking the court action to prove a point.

"It proves the only way to get anything from (the governments) is through litigation," Feschuk said.

Healing lodge meets needs

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During the cool hours of a prairie dawn, land for a healing lodge for women was recently blessed by Elders, marking the first step in an historic move towards meetings the needs of Aboriginal women prisoners.

Elders of Nekaneet Band gathered for the sunrise ceremony at Cypress Hills

Elders call for reforms

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As the dissolution of the Department of Indian Affairs looms on the political horizon, heating the prospects of self-government Elders in Alberta are calling for reforms to the provincial Indian Association.

Restructure, dissolve or stay the same. Those are the three options brought forward to the Indian Association of Alberta by Elders during a recent gathering at Alexander First Nation.

The meeting was a prelude to the 51st Annual General Assembly of the association, to be held June 27-29 at Wabasca, Alberta

Tsilhqot'in file huge land claim

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It was a land set aside for the use and enjoyment of the Tsilhqot'in - 250 miles by 300 miles of land in the valley of the Chilcotin River - back when the Canadian Pacific Railway first came to B.C. back when there was trust in the federal government.

Today it is the site of logging, ranching, fishing resorts and private residences, and the area over which the chiefs of the Tsilhqot'in intend to lay claim.

Tech programs open job horizons

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There are more ways to further your education than going to university.

Since its beginnings in 1976, the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies has graduated more than 1,000 students in non-credit and preparatory courses and an additional 600 have earned diplomas and certificates in credit programs.

A 1991 expansion occurred when the institute entered into an academic partnership with the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology.

Canada's human rights record lacks clout

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Until Canada can provide a quality of life for Native people which matches that of non-Native people, Canadians should be more modest about this country's achievements in human rights, said Canadian Human Rights Commissioner Max Yalden.

Canada is regarded as a country where human rights are given tremendous protection, but Aboriginal people have been left out, Yalden said. Not because Canada is a racist society, but because most Canadians are really not aware of what is going on, he added.