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The return of 251 sacred objects from Calgary's Glenbow Museum to the Blackfoot Confederacy marks both an end and a beginning. It is the end of 10 years of negotiations regarding the repatriation of objects vital to Blackfoot communities in Southern Alberta and the beginning of a new relationship between the museum and First Nations people.

The hand-over, which took place Jan. 14 at the Glenbow, brought leaders of the Siksika, Peigan, and Blood together with museum officials and Premier Ralph Klein.

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As winter slowly turns into spring, and the continuous cycle of the seasons completes yet another full year, it occurs to individuals like me that yet another birthday is fast approaching. And you have mixed feelings about it. In your early years, you measure birthdays by different milestones.

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On Nov. 25, 1997, Isiah Halkett woke up to a morning much like any other until his brother John called with an emergency. Some children had fallen through the river ice.

Isiah and his brother ran down to the Montreal River at La Ronge, and saw two young bodies floating in the water. Risking their lives, they and three other men - Stanley Ross, Roy Venne and Hubert Ross - went out on the ice, pulled the children in, and helped resuscitate them.

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The 12,000 member of the James Bay Crees had reason to celebrate Dec. 20 when Justice Jean-Jacques Croteau of the Quebec Superior Court heard a motion and handed down a decision upholding Cree rights under the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA).

As a result of his decision, 27 logging and forestry products companies sent a letter to the judge asking him to recuse [disqualify] himself from hearing the main case that is still pending (Mario Lord et al. v. The Attorney General of Quebec et al). The judge refused.

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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is looking to the Native community for opinions and information regarding global climate change.

NASA began consultation with representatives from the American Native community in 1998. The consultation process is part of NASA's involvement in the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), a program tasked with looking at the impact of climate change in the United States.

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Dear Editor:

Atlantic Canada continues to reap the benefits of massive offshore oil and gas development. Projects like the Hibernia Project located on the Grand Banks off the shores of Newfoundland, has bolstered the provincial economy by providing much needed employment and business opportunities, as well as resource revenues to the provincial government. A second project, Terra Nova, is scheduled to commence 'first oil' in late 2000 on the second largest oil field offshore Newfoundland.

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Dear Editor:

On opening February's Windspeaker, I was greatly pleased by columnist Taiaiake's promise that many readers would be "spitting mad" by the end of his column, "Solving the Indian Problem." Imagine my disappointment to find myself nodding in agreement over every paragraph, and not even miffed, never mind mad, at the end. Couldn't even muster a little mild irritation.

Not only that, but congratulations on an excellent February edition of Windspeaker!

Lynne Jorgesen,

Merritt, B.C.

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Dear Editor:

In your January 2000 issue there was an article about the passing of Edwin Burnstick Sr. He was a great role model and a dedicated leader.

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Dear Editor:

I am writing in reference to Gerald Alfred's Windspeaker column of February 2000, and other quotes attributed to him in an article of the same edition, "Membership issues illustrates cultural differences".

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From the shade of the mighty pine tree I shall emerge with the gifts the Creator has given me.

The emergence of First Nations schools throughout Canada since 1973, with the acceptance of the policy entitled "Indian Control of Indian Education," created a situation where First Nations educators came face to face with some very harsh realities.