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An agreement being hammered out between the provincial government and the Metis Nation of Alberta (MNA) that would govern Metis hunters and fishers has some people concerned that conservation issues are being ignored and that the deal is being pushed along too fast.

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The federal government has proposed expending hundreds of millions of new dollars to improve the health of Aboriginal peoples in Canada.

Prime Minister Paul Martin says another $700 million should be spent in addition to the $1.7 billion already expended with funds targeted to improving inefficiencies in the system, prevention initiatives and increasing the number of Aboriginal health care professionals working in the field.

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Will Sampson's last remaining sibling, Norma Sampson Bible, wants people to know there was much more to the Muscogee Creek man than the 22 films he made between 1975 and 1986. That's why this great-grandmother has spent 10 of the past 17 years writing his biography.

For one thing, her book Beloved Brother reveals that Sampson, who died in 1987 at age 53, was recognized for his paintings and drawings long before he achieved notoriety as the first Native actor to break the mold of demeaning Native film actor stereotypes.

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Shawonipinesiik Kinew is only 18 years old, but her list of accomplishments would be impressive for someone twice that age.

Kinew is a member of the Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation in northern Ontario but was born in Winnipeg.

In May, Kinew graduated from the University of Winnipeg Collegiate, the only high school in Canada located on a university campus.

"It's a great school," Kinew said. "It runs on a university-length year and you have the opportunity to take university courses. And it's a very independent environment."

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When Cree playwright Tompson Highway began shopping his play the Rez Sisters around to theatre companies in Toronto almost 20 years ago, the response was always the same: Who would be interested in a story about seven women on their way to play the world's biggest game of bingo? Frustrated, Highway decided to produce the play himself.

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My name is Annie Parker and I am a Shuswap Native. I come from Kamloops. I've been a drug and alcohol counsellor since 1984 ...

I've learned quite a bit about the youth. My main interest was in the youth, especially the young ones that come to me and say ... 'What is hate?' It's a big problem with some of the young... 'What is hate?'... Tell us what hate is and how we can overcome hate and we can help. Can you tell us what hate is and to learn not to hate and to change the hate into love. . . .

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Three experts on Aboriginal tattoos and body art took part in a panel discussion on Aug. 21 during the Planet IndigenUs festival at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre.

Trish Collison (Haida), Riki Manual (Maori), and Makerita Urale (Samoan) spoke about the cultural meaning of tattooing, traditional and contemporary tattooing practices, and whether culturally specific designs should be protected and their use restricted. The panel was moderated by artist and film-maker Kent Monkman (Cree).

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Roman Bittman was named acting chief executive officer of the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation in July. Bittman is a Metis film-maker and businessman with a distinguished career and more than 40 documentaries for CBC's The Nature of Things to his credit. One of Bittman's many contributions is the creation of a labor-based tax credit system that fueled growth in Canada's film and television industry.

Windspeaker: What one quality do you most value in a friend?

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Our Pick

Album-When The Sun Sets Over The World

Song-Powwow Dancer

Label-Turtle Island Music

Producer-Kelly Parker

Fans will love this new offering from Winston

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NASIVVIK

The recently announced creation and marketing of an Inuk Barbie doll has triggered some questions within me. It has also reminded me of the vivid, plain, uncomplimentary descriptions of Inuit women by a series of Qallunaat (white) explorers who first encountered Inuit in their natural "uncivilized" state.

From the raw, unadorned impressions of Inuit women as wretchedly unattractive to the glamour of mass market doll-ery is a great leap by any measure.

First, though, the questions: