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Kevin Pelletier gave a shy smile as more than a dozen people filed into the second floor of Red Road Fashion and Gifts on July 22. They came to the Lebret store to see Pelletier's artwork - canvas paintings as well as brightly-painted buffalo skulls - which graced the gallery.

For the 24-year-old from the Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation, who started painting when he was 18, the art show was the high point of his artistic career.

Pelletier said his artistic aptitude and inspiration has come in part from his extended family.

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Native and Inuit nursing students in British Columbia are benefiting from a mentoring program offered by the provincial Native and Inuit Nurses Association (NINA).

Nursing students are matched with NINA members, who act as role models providing guidance and support during their studies.

Indigo Sweetwater is president of NINA BC. She said that, although mentoring has been part of what NINA does since the organization was founded just over a decade ago, the formal mentoring program began in the past 12 months.

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Native and Inuit nursing students in British Columbia are benefiting from a mentoring program offered by the provincial Native and Inuit Nurses Association (NINA).

Nursing students are matched with NINA members, who act as role models providing guidance and support during their studies.

Indigo Sweetwater is president of NINA BC. She said that, although mentoring has been part of what NINA does since the organization was founded just over a decade ago, the formal mentoring program began in the past 12 months.

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With the permission of their Hesquiaht hosts, representatives of Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation met privately with federal Health Minister Allan Rock at Hesquiaht's new health clinic. Chief Bruce Frank opened the discussion by informing the minister that his nation's water problem has been in the news for quite some time and that he has been sent by his people to get answers.

"Our people are tired of talking to government representatives who only end up telling us that they need to go back and talk to their superiors," said Frank.