Page 1

An urgent all-Chiefs meeting on February 5 was called by Hobbema chiefs and the Indian Association of Alberta to discuss the effectiveness of the health care system on the heels of a whooping cough epidemic that has affected Native people in central and northern Alberta.

Hobbema has now reported 413 cases, up from 250 the past week and the crisis is expected to get worse. Other areas that have been hit are Atikameg with 57 cases, Driftpile with 40, and Sucker Creek with three.

Page 1

An urgent all-Chiefs meeting on February 5 was called by Hobbema chiefs and the Indian Association of Alberta to discuss the effectiveness of the health care system on the heels of a whooping cough epidemic that has affected Native people in central and northern Alberta.

Hobbema has now reported 413 cases, up from 250 the past week and the crisis is expected to get worse. Other areas that have been hit are Atikameg with 57 cases, Driftpile with 40, and Sucker Creek with three.

Page 1

An urgent all-Chiefs meeting on February 5 was called by Hobbema chiefs and the Indian Association of Alberta to discuss the effectiveness of the health care system on the heels of a whooping cough epidemic that has affected Native people in central and northern Alberta.

Hobbema has now reported 413 cases, up from 250 the past week and the crisis is expected to get worse. Other areas that have been hit are Atikameg with 57 cases, Driftpile with 40, and Sucker Creek with three.

Page 14

Special Constable Mike Blood has one of the toughest policing jobs in Indian Country.

While allegations of racism, cruelty and meanness by non-Native police towards members of the Blood Indian band have captured headlines for months in the province's daily and weekly newspapers, he's been patrolling the reserve.

Blood was one of the first to testify at the inquiry by Judge Carl Rolf into relations between Bloods and southern Alberta RCMP.

Page 14

Special Constable Mike Blood has one of the toughest policing jobs in Indian Country.

While allegations of racism, cruelty and meanness by non-Native police towards members of the Blood Indian band have captured headlines for months in the province's daily and weekly newspapers, he's been patrolling the reserve.

Blood was one of the first to testify at the inquiry by Judge Carl Rolf into relations between Bloods and southern Alberta RCMP.

Page 14

Native people should reach for their goals and dreams no matter how high they are and what obstacles are in their way, advises West Steinhauer, a Cree special constable in Wetaskiwin.

He should know because his objective is sky-high, literally.

"My ultimate goal is to fly for the RCMP. They don't have any Natives at all for pilots," he noted.

Steinhauer, 34, joined the RCMP in 1977 after a string of jobs in Edmonton where he grew up.

Page 14

Native people should reach for their goals and dreams no matter how high they are and what obstacles are in their way, advises West Steinhauer, a Cree special constable in Wetaskiwin.

He should know because his objective is sky-high, literally.

"My ultimate goal is to fly for the RCMP. They don't have any Natives at all for pilots," he noted.

Steinhauer, 34, joined the RCMP in 1977 after a string of jobs in Edmonton where he grew up.

Page 14

Native people should reach for their goals and dreams no matter how high they are and what obstacles are in their way, advises West Steinhauer, a Cree special constable in Wetaskiwin.

He should know because his objective is sky-high, literally.

"My ultimate goal is to fly for the RCMP. They don't have any Natives at all for pilots," he noted.

Steinhauer, 34, joined the RCMP in 1977 after a string of jobs in Edmonton where he grew up.

Page 14

Native people should reach for their goals and dreams no matter how high they are and what obstacles are in their way, advises West Steinhauer, a Cree special constable in Wetaskiwin.

He should know because his objective is sky-high, literally.

"My ultimate goal is to fly for the RCMP. They don't have any Natives at all for pilots," he noted.

Steinhauer, 34, joined the RCMP in 1977 after a string of jobs in Edmonton where he grew up.

Page 13

Special Constable Wanda Poitras, 25, has been with the Lac la Biche RCMP since July 17, 1898 and finds the greatest reward of her job is "the excitement of not knowing what you're facing (each day)."

Originally from Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement, Poitras decided to become a policewoman because curiosity piqued her interest about the exciting life of a policewoman while growing up.

So far she really enjoys her work where Poitras is assigned to two reserves and one Metis settlement in north-central Alberta.