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Metis self-government and self-sufficiency is a step closer to reality with the second reading of legislative bills aimed at giving Alberta's eight northern Metis homelands greater autonomy and a 17-year funding package.

Once becoming law the four bills will provide a special form of Metis local government, a finance package worth $310 million and protection of Metis lands in the Canadian Constitution. It will also see a special quasi-judicial body known as the Metis appeals' tribunal established.

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Siksika Nation has passed a Band Council Resolution to withdraw from participating in the visit of Queen Elizabeth 2 to Calgary.

The band said Indians were relegated to a token position for the June 29 royal visit.

Kathleen McHugh, portfolio holder of communications for Siksika, said the Indians hadn't been invited to any functions. Their participation was limited to setting up an Indian village in Spruce Meadows Equestrian Center.

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Tears flowed and angry words erupted at the Provincial Museum of Alberta as Blackfeet Indians accused Robert Scriver of selling them out.

Scriver sold his collection of Blackfoot artifacts to the museum for $1.1 million (U.S.). The exhibit opened June 4.

Over 40 delegates from Indian bands in southern Alberta and Browning, Montana met with museum officials to demand the return of some to the sacred Indian artifacts.

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Furious Blackfeet Indians stormed out of the Provincial Museum of Alberta Wednesday vowing to return with their lawyers after a brief struggle with security guards over sacred Indian bundles brought recently from a Montana collector.

During an unplanned ceremony to "smudge" one of the medicine pipe bundles on display at the Scriver exhibit, museum director Phil Stepney got into a tug-of-war with a Blackfeet Indian who attempted to flee with the artifact.

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The first Alberta Native to test positive for the virus which often leads to AIDS is spearheading a national campaign to educate aboriginal people about the deadly disease. He's just praying he'll be around to see it through.

Ken Ward, an Enoch reserve Indian who gained national attention after revealing in March he had tested HIV-positive is helping set up the Feather of Hope Society in Edmonton. The new group will teach Native people about AIDS on a continuing basis.

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An $873-million government plan to help create business opportunities and employment for Canada's Native people was put into action with the recent appointment of three aboriginal economic development boards across the country.

Tom Hockin, minister of state for small business and tourism, said the Canadian Aboriginal Economic Development (CAED) strategy will strengthen the private sector and help guide Natives towards self-efficiency.

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Where else but the Native perspective's annual Good Times Jamboree could you get three full days of great entertainment for only $40!

A host of bands could be enjoyed at the fourth annual jamboree held in Lac la Biche May 18-20.

Entertainers included the Weekend Warriors from Valleyview, six-time western Canadian fiddling champ Reg Bouvette, Freddy Pelletier and Northwest Rebellion from Prince Albert, Herb Desjarlais, Ron "Big John McNeil" Cardinal, Joanne Myrol of Medicine Hat and Jane Holly from Edmonton.

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The oldest member of the Peigan Nation celebrated his 90th birthday surrounded by family and friends.

More than 300 people from the Blood, Peigan, Blackfoot and Stoney Tribes attended the feast and powwow held June 2 in honor of elder Jim Morning Bull.

About 11 drum groups and 75 dancers participated in the traditional powwow held at the Peigan Community Center.

His granddaughter, Lorraine Morning Bull, was visibly happy with the response. "We had just started planning the event in late March," she said.

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Much debate has raged about whether medicine bundles should be returned to Indian people or kept in museums and put on public display. The debate was highlighted during the Calgary Glenbow Museum's 1988 Spirit of the Rainboe display which featured sacred Blackfoot ceremonial masks.

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The Drumheller Native Brotherhood met May 10 with the Task Force on the Criminal Justice System and its impact on Native people of Alberta. The Fifth Estate was well represented and we got credible media coverage. Our statements about what we considered important received adequate attention and coverage. Now all that remains to be seen is the priority the government will place on what has been gathered by the task force. We are aware we echoed much of what was said across the province. The problems do not change much from place to place, only the players.