Page 1

Alphonse Bird, 41, of Montreal Lake First Nation, defeated incumbent Perry Bellegarde Oct. 16 to take over as the top man at the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN).

Bellegarde was going for his third straight term but Bird scored a first-ballot victory, collecting 442 votes to the incumbent's 323. Change was in the air on election day-the two other positions up for grabs also went to the challengers. The office holders in all three of the FSIN executive positions that were contested this year were turfed.

Page 1

The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) Cultural Celebration and Powwow took place from Oct.16 to 19, bringing together hundreds of the province's Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal residents for a gathering meant to foster unity, trust and understanding.

It was the second staging of the annual event, and coming at the end of a tumultuous week that saw the FSIN elect a new chief and two new vice-chiefs, it was a welcome chance for many attendees to relax and revel in the pageantry and camaraderie of the province's largest First Nations celebration.

Page 9

The second annual Wataybugaw Aboriginal Thanksgiving festival at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre was a huge success, with attendance double that of 2002. The two-day festival takes place on Sunday and Monday of the Thanksgiving holiday long weekend. This year, Harbourfront officials estimated that 1,500 people attended the festival on Sunday alone. Monday was even busier, with 2,500 to 3,000 attendees.

Page 8

A benefit concert held at Toronto's historic Massey Hall on Oct. 10 was supposed to raise money for the George family of Stoney Point, Ont. to fight a wrongful death lawsuit against the Ontario Provincial Police and former Ontario premier Mike Harris. Instead, it turned into a fundraiser for a new Aboriginal education fund.

Page 8

A Thanksgiving Round Dance in honour of community volunteers was inaugurated Oct. 9 on Manitoulin Island. Ten people from local First Nations were celebrated for their lifelong contributions to community well-being.

The event was organized in memory of Mary Lou Fox (Odemin Kwe), a Manitoulin Elder who made the establishment of the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation (OCF) one of her primary goals. A candle was lit in her honour while 10 Elders active in language and culture preservation received Odemin Kwe's eagle feathers.

Page 5

Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment and Training, along with representatives from Evergreen Foundation, Foodshare, and the Toronto Food Policy Council, celebrated the Miziwe Biik garden's first harvest festival on Oct. 8, an event that attracted about 75 people.

Page 4

Ken Parker, the owner-operator of Sweetgrass Gardens, believes that gardening should be "a joint venture with nature."

Parker, who gives gardening tips on the Weather Network and is also a gardening expert for the Gardening Gamble show on television, presented a slide show on native plants at the Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment and Training Centre in Toronto Oct. 29. The talk was part of Miziwe Biik's celebration of the first season of its new Aboriginal Community Garden.

Page 3

Great strides have been made in introducing Native study courses into the mainstream curriculum, but that is only part of the battle. Native students need to be empowered to learn their language, and culture and self-esteem are key factors in that process, according to educators At the Raising Our Voices conference held in London Oct. 17 to 19, They shared insights into the teaching process and ideas for pushing students in the direction of higher achievement.

Page 2

It's not easy being a police officer, and it's not easy being an archaeologist. You may not think the two groups have much in common, but a weekend workshop at Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) headquarters in Orillia showed otherwise.

From Oct. 24 to 26 members of the Ontario Archaeological Society, the OPP Museum and the OPP came together for Common Ground: Exploring Connections between Archaeology, Forensics, First Nations, Policing and Museology. Jeanne Tummon, curator of the OPP Museum, developed the theme.

Page 1

Sheguiandah First Nation - On the evening of Nov. 2, Elder Max Assiniwe of Sheguiandah First Nation passed on. He had been a special spiritual advisor to the Union of Ontario Indians, the Anishinabek Nation Elder's Council, and to former grand council chief Vernon Roote.

Grand Council Chief Earl Commanda offered his condolences and asked for a period of mourning to honour the life and contributions of Assiniwe.