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An assessment of the legal education and information needs of Aboriginal people in Saskatchewan is currently underway, thanks to an initiative launched by the Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan (PLEA) with funding from the Law Foundation.

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The participants, attendees and organizers of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) Corporate Circle Job Fair were expressing their satisfaction long before the Feb. 7 event even ended. Little wonder, considering that even as the fair's spokespeople were presenting their appreciative speeches in the spacious lower level of Saskatoon's Centennial Auditorium, hundreds of job seekers were milling about the room interacting with prospective employers from dozens of Saskatchewan's biggest organizations.

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The British Columbia government's massive restructuring plan for the delivery of health services has predictably raised the ire of people who work for some of the agencies affected who will be out of a job April 1. In health, as in other sectors of the economy being mauled by the majority Liberal government's austerity measures, it is predictable that many are hostile to the changes.

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British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell slashed ministry staffing levels on Jan. 17, and cut the provincial Treaty negotiations office by more than a third.

A total of 51 positions were cut from the office, which takes the staffing level 86 people from 137.

The office's budget was also slashed, taking a $7 million hit, taking the overall budget to $18 million from $25, down 26 per cent.

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Two First Nations teens are looking to chop and kick their way through the competition to win gold in karate at the British Columbia Winter Games in Williams Lake on Feb. 21 to 24.

The games are held every two years and, according to the official B.C. Winter Games Web site, "These games give young, developing athletes the opportunity to improve their skills while learning to deal with the excitement, triumphs and defeats of participating in a major sporting event."

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With more than $25,000 in prize money at stake, the 18th annual Lumber Kings All-Nations hockey tournament is not only one of the richest hockey tournaments in the province, but attracts a large and loyal following from players and fans alike.

The tournament takes place April 12 to 14 at the Kin Centres Multiplex in Prince George, which is also the home of the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey league. Sixty teams compete in four divisions determined by the skill level of the teams. The tournament even has an old-timers division for ages 55 and over.

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When we think of land claims and Aboriginal rights on this side of the globe, we tend to think of the uniqueness of our complaint. We tend to think, as the Nisga'a possibly thought many times before they achieved their landmark treaty, 'this has never been done before.'

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The Environmental Awareness Program (EAP) at Mount Baker Secondary School is designed to provide students with outdoor experiences that connect certain disciplines. In the past two months, the EAP Grade 12 students have worked with the Aboriginal Education Program of School District Number 5 in conjunction with Kootenay Columbia Fisheries Renewal Partnership on a project titled Across Cultures: An Experiential Approach to Environmental Stewardship.

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Contamination of the town of Walkerton's water system by E. coli in May 2000 that resulted in seven deaths and 2,300 ill people, some of whom may experience permanent health effects, raised an outcry nationwide.

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A totem pole raising ceremony will be held in Vancouver Island's Courtenay on April 27.

The poles are replicas of two long-standing totem poles that are more than 50 years old and symbols of the Comox First Nations. The original totem poles were called the Lewis Park Poles because of the park in which they once stood. The original poles are being replaced because their appearance has declined.