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After spending more than a month away from home, the last evacuees from Kashechewan First Nation were expected to be back in the community in time for Christmas.

About 1,000 of Kashechewan's 1,900 residents were flown out the community at the end of October after Ontario's minister of Aboriginal Affairs, David Ramsay, declared a medical emergency on the First Nation. Earlier in the month, routine tests done by Health Canada had detected elevated levels of E.coli in the water supply.

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Members of cultural organizations on Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve will be able to spend less time trying to raise funds and more time planning and holding events in 2006, thanks to funding from Canadian Heritage.

The money-a maximum of $500,000 according to the press release from Canadian Heritage-comes along with the community's designation as one of five Cultural Capitals of Canada for 2006 and is to be used to fund cultural and artistic activities.

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North America's only cruise ship terminal with a First Nations theme is one step closer to becoming a reality with an investment of $9 million from the Government of Canada. Stephen Owen, Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister of State (Sport) made the announcement in Campbell River Nov. 9. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada will provide $6 million and Western Economic Diversification will provide $3 million for the construction of the terminal.

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Federal Justice Minister Irwin Cotler got an earful from the chiefs-in-assembly when he showed up at an Assembly of First Nations meeting to wave the Liberal Party of Canada flag on Dec. 8, and B.C. issues were well represented.

When it was announced late on Day 2 of the special chiefs' assembly that it would be Cotler who would represent the Liberals during a candidates election forum, a lot of excitement was generated. Cotler is one of the world's leading international law scholars and has a resume that is breathtakingly diverse.

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A project organized by the National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA) is giving up-and-coming Aboriginal performing artists a chance to have their music heard.

Dig Your Roots-Aboriginal will showcase the talent of up to 100 Aboriginal artists from across the country, who will have their work featured on the Dig Your Roots Web site. Out of those 100 or so performers, 15 will be selected to appear on CD compilations and to take part in a series of regional concerts that will air live on the NCRA's member radio stations.

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Disgruntled members of the Tsimshian Nation are calling for a "timeout" to treaty negotiations, claiming that the current representatives at the table are self-appointed and operating under a shroud of secrecy.

The concerned group, comprised of community leaders from all of the Tsimshian bands, met in mid-December in Prince Rupert, just days after circulating a petition that demands a halt to the current process until a referendum of the membership is held.

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Another Aboriginal woman has gone missing on the "Highway of Tears" near Prince Rupert, again raising fears that a serial killer is on the loose in northwestern British Columbia.

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Mike Martelle has won national martial arts championships in the past, but his most recent title has added significance. That's because the Mohawk Native was able to capture a Canadian title with his very first martial arts instructor, Kwok Chang, in attendance.

Martelle participated in this year's Canadian tai chi and kung fu championships held in Markham, Ont. in October. He won the super heavyweight (over 205 pounds) category in the Tui Shou discipline. Tui Shou is a style of Chinese wrestling.

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PRO BONO

Dear Tuma:

A couple of weeks ago, our chief was sick and asked me to attend a meeting as his proxy. I went and after the meeting the secretary came up and gave me a cheque. I asked what the money was for and she told me that it was an honorarium. I'm not sure what to do with the cheque. Should I keep it? Should I give it to the band? Tell me what to do.

Holy Honorarium

Dear Holy:

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NASIVVIK

One has to take pause to appreciate the sheer amount of work and preparation that must have gone into pulling off the First Ministers' Meeting (FMM) on Aboriginal issues, held Nov. 24 and 25 in Kelowna, B.C. The dynamics of securing commitments from the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to deal tangibly with Aboriginal issues is a supreme accomplishment in itself, above and beyond the results of the gathering.