Ray Rogers of Sarnia has been chosen to receive the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation, awarded to Canadians who have contributed to the care and well being of veterans and to the remembrance of their sacrifices and achievements.

Rogers, who is president of the First Nations Veterans of Canada Association, will receive the award in recognition of his work to increase awareness of the contributions made by Aboriginal veterans.

Walter Perry Deiter was born May 31, 1916 on the Peepeekisis reserve in southeastern Saskatchewan. Although both his parents could speak their traditional languages-his father Cree and his mother Saulteaux-they did not encourage their children to do the same. But what his parents did encourage in Deiter and his siblings was a belief in their abilities, and the abilities of all Aboriginal people.

First Nation high school students in British Columbia learned the art of entrepreneurship this spring with the guidance of volunteer college students and a program called Opening Doors.

Five luminaries of the Indigenous film and communication arts community were celebrated at the 11th annual Dreamspeakers Film Festival in Edmonton on June 10.

Their hands and signatures were cast in cement as the second set of inductees into the Dreamspeakers organization's Walk of Honour.

A world champion dragon boat racer and a member of the Canadian men's volleyball team have been selected as the national winners of the 2005 Tom Longboat Award.

Toronto's Marisha Roman, who helped Canada win five medals (three gold, two silver) at last year's world dragon boat championships in Germany, was chosen as the national female recipient. Dallas Soonias, who hails from Red Deer, Alta., was named as the male winner of the award for his performances with the national team as well as with the University of Alberta squad.

Hamish Tatty was four years old when his father Peter and aunt Angelina Mercer started M & T Enterprises. He joined the company in 1992 and now the 30-year-old is managing the family business.

ndian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice's remarks regarding a United Nations committee's judgment of Canada's performance under the covenant on economic, civil and political rights have caused a stir.

The remarks were made after the release of a UN report related to Canada's treatment of the Lubicon Cree people of Northern Alberta. The United Nations human rights committee has twice before cited Canada for violating the human rights of the Lubicons. On May 19, the UN committee on economic, social and cultural rights issued a third, similar ruling on the case.

It'll be Phil versus Bill when the election for national chief is held on July 12, the middle day of the three-day Assembly of First Nations' (AFN) 27th annual general assembly.

National Chief Phil Fontaine, a Seaulteux (Ojibway) from the Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba, will be seeking his third term as leader of the AFN.

Fontaine will be opposed by only one other candidate, Bill Wilson, a hereditary Kwakgewlth/Musgamagw chief from Cape Mudge on the West Coast.

Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice was on the receiving end of criticism in May and early June as he hinted at a new approach by the new Conservative government in dealing with Aboriginal issues.

After six month's of Conservative rule, specialists in Aboriginal Affairs are beginning to arrive at the position that the government has no political will to do any more than it must on Aboriginal issues, while at the same time trying to appear not to be anti-Aboriginal.

Metis National Council (MNC) leader Clem Chartier sent a letter to Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert on June 6 in an attempt to get Aboriginal groups involved in the talks about the fiscal imbalance in Canada's regions.