At least one band member from the Wabauskang First Nation near Ear Falls, Ont. has asked the federal government for salary figures for his chief and council.
Wabauskang Chief Cameron Leslie thinks it’s an election ploy. Members go to the poll to vote on June 12 and Leslie is being challenged for his position by one of two sitting councilors.

“I think people are just being mean or sneaky to one another,” said Leslie.

WAYNE MCQUABBIE, CHIEF OF

Henvey Inlet First Nation, said his community is “pleased and relieved” that Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has revoked the charitable status of the Henvey Inlet First Nation Community Support Organization, believing that the revocation will help their lawsuit against the group. A report released to the nation about the support organization’s operations “absolutely astounded us,” said McQuabbie.

Iroquois team prepares for worlds

The Iroquois Nationals will be one of six teams participating in the highest division at the men’s world field lacrosse championships this summer. The tournament will run from July 15 to 24 in Manchester, England.

The Iroquois Nationals, who will feature players from both Canada and the United States, will compete in the Blue Division along with Canada, United States, England, Australia and Japan. A total of 30 squads will take part in the world tournament. They will be split up into seven divisions.

Iroquois team prepares for worlds

The Iroquois Nationals will be one of six teams participating in the highest division at the men’s world field lacrosse championships this summer. The tournament will run from July 15 to 24 in Manchester, England.

The Iroquois Nationals, who will feature players from both Canada and the United States, will compete in the Blue Division along with Canada, United States, England, Australia and Japan. A total of 30 squads will take part in the world tournament. They will be split up into seven divisions.

If only we could bottle the energy and enthusiasm of the young winners of the E-spirit Aboriginal Youth Business Plan competition, then we could splash it around on all of the problems in all of our communities and they would soon become memories of a distant time past.

Congratulations to these young people on their hard work and determination, and congratulations to the Business Development Bank of Canada for sticking with the competition over the last 10 years.

The University of Ottawa hosted 200 young competitors for the 10th anniversary E-Spirit Aboriginal Youth Business Plan Competition held May 11 through May 13.

Organized by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), the event is open to Aboriginal students in grades 10 through 12 and features 16 weeks of business planning before the national event.

“I was sick of poverty,” said Marshall Schuchert, an Ojibway /Odawa from Sault Ste Marie, Ont.

Schuchert was one of 100 recent college/university graduates attending Inclusion Works 10 held in Toronto at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel April 27 to 29.
Schuchert was also one of the few older graduates attending the conference, organized by the Aboriginal Resource Council.

Store association VP jumps into the smoke shack debate

The Canadian Convenience Stores Association (CCSA) wrote to the federal Minister of Health, Leona Aglukkaq, in April, challenging her to enforce Bill C-32 on Native reserves. This was in reaction to an investigation proving that it was a easy thing for a 15-year-old teenager to buy flavored cigarillos on the Kahnawake and Kanesatake reserves.

The new generation of Aboriginal youth shows bold initiative by unburdening themselves from centuries-long grievous statistics.

It has been a painfully well-known fact that the rate of youth suicide in Aboriginal communities exceeds that of the non-Aboriginal population.

According to Statistics Canada, suicide is the major killer of young Aboriginal people after accidents. As far as many youth are concerned, the time has come for positive change.

“The Cherokee Nation will be the laughingstock of all the tribes if we elect a woman.”

Wilma Mankiller distinctly recalled a male delegate standing up at a campaign meeting to warn her about the consequences of her bid to become deputy chief in 1983. Not to be discouraged, her knowledge of the strong role of Cherokee women in her people’s history helped her stand up to widespread opposition.