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Desmeules calls for Metis-run justice system

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"Metis should be involved in all aspects of criminal justice as an important step toward self-government," says the president of the Metis Nation of Alberta.

The existing system is administered by people who do not understand the Metis culture," said Larry Desmeules in his organization's submission Oct.22 to the task force on the criminal justice system and its impact on Indian and Metis people.

Sturgeon open to C-31s, claims chief

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The chief of the Sturgeon Lake band says Indians who have regained their status aren't being barred from joining the band.

Ronald Sunshine claimed he was misquoted in a recent newspaper story which said reinstated Indian weren't being permitted to join the Valleyview area reserve.

"They're not barred from the band. We're working together to get the situation resolved quickly."

Rocky Mountain Crees evicted, fight continues

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The Rocky Mountain Cree say they'll continue to press their claim to compensation, although they've been evicted from Jasper National Park.

They had camped just inside the east gate of the park until Oct. 13 when park wardens evicted them and charged three men with illegal camping. The group had been camping inside Jasper for over a month passing out leaflets explaining their claim. They said they were not fairly compensated for giving up their residence and use of the park for hunting, fishing and trapping.

Mismanagement alleged at Sturgeon Lake

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Sturgeon Lake Chief Ron Sunshine says six women band members demanding an investigation of the band's financial affairs are on a "witch-hunt."

The women arrived in Edmonton Oct. 14 on a 350-km protest march from the reserve to protest what they called the council's mismanagement of band funds, said the group's spokesperson, Cecilia Soto. They began their walk Sept.22.

Lesser Slave Lake regional council signs $108 M pact

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The Lesser Slave Lake Indian regional Council is celebrating after inking a $108 million agreement last week with Ottawa.

The multi-year transfer agreement, which covers a five-year-period - 1990 to 1995 - is the largest such agreement negotiated to date in Canada.

Council Grand Chief Robert Horseman in an interview said the agreement is a big step toward self-government.

"We've shown them Indians can run their own policies. We can do whatever we put our minds to. There's nothing holding us back," said Horseman.

Tension mounts as police advance

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Sept.7: Like every morning for the past eight days the sun broke over the horizon with a promise of another hot day.

The wind that is constant over the prairie land on the Peigan Nation reserve, 25 km from Fort Macleod, had not yet begun to stir the grassy meadows.

Inside the Lonefighters camp the only sound to be heard was a D-9 Caterpillar still working to divert the Oldman River back onto its original course.

In order to help farmers in the Lethbridge area, a weir had been built which changed the curse of the river in 1923.

Medicine Man prayed while Lonefighters waited

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As dusk fell over the berm where the Lonefighters stood guard over the channel they had dug and with a heavily armed RCMP tactical squad hidden in the trees only yards away, tension among the Lonefighters was at its highest.

Medicine man and elder Romeo Yellowhorn knew this. That's why he and his wife Margaret decided to bring his medicine bundle and pipes to the Lonefighers front lines.

Gathering everyone in a circle, while leaving only one Lonefighter with a spotlight to watch for sudden attack, Yellowhorn and his wife began to pray.

Peigan elder recalls legends of Lonefighters

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Elder Eddie Bad Eagle Sr. is now in his twilight years but his memory of the Lonefighters Society hasn't diminished in the least.

Through interpreter Peter Stikes With A Gun he talked about decades old memories of the Lonefighters Society as if it was only yesterday.

Sitting on the original site of the Lonefighters' clan on the Peigan reserve, Bad Eagle recalled that the clan took ownership of the area many years ago.

He said they were led at that time by Brings Down The Sun and that the clan had quite a number of members.