Commercial site promoting an award winning Aboriginal jazz guitarist from Edmonton. Includes links to biography, music lessons, CDs, music transcriptions and the Jeari Czapla Band.
Belonging? Diversity, Recognition and Shared Citizenship in Canada
The Art of the State Series ; no. 3
E-Books » Chapters
Author/Creator
Evelyn J. Peters
Description
Chapter from the book Belonging? Diversity, Recognition and Shared Citizenship in Canada edited by Keith Banting, Thomas J. Courchene and F. Leslie Seidle.
Examines parent and community engagement, cultural and language programming, teachers, instruction and curriculum resources, professional development, and individual students supports at Francis of Assisi Elementary School and Le Roi Daniels Elementary School.
RCAP 35 contains files from the sitting of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples at the Edmonton Inn in Edmonton, Alberta. This sitting of the Commission contains presentations from various First Nations and Metis groups, and several from the provincial government of Alberta. Each presentation can be viewed individually on this site.
RCAP 36 contains files from the sitting of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples at the Edmonton Inn, Edmonton, Alberta. This sitting of the Commission contains presentations on a variety of subjects such as post-secondary education, Aboriginal war veterans, child and family welfare, AIDS in the Aboriginal population and the justice system. Each submission can be viewed individually on this site.
File contains an individual presentation by Ken Ward, an Aboriginal man from Enoch First Nations who is living with AIDS. He asks how can Aboriginals have a strong economic base "when these employed people are hurting." He calls for an after care program for Aboriginals leaving the correctional system, which includes elders.
File contains an individual presentation by Leo Jacobs, an educator and businessman, focusing on education and economic development. Jacobs credits a large support system behind him as he completed a Master's degree in Education Administration. He envisions a strong Aboriginal tourism industry in Canada, which would showcase Aboriginal culture and not exploit it. A question-and-answer session with the Commissioners follows the presentation.
File contains an individual presentation by Nellie Carlson, founder of the Aboriginal women's group 'Indian Rights for Indian Women' in the early 1970s. She reads a letter from 30 April 1992 that was sent to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney outlining concerns with land claims and discrimination relating to Aboriginal women, and with the overall negative effects of Bill C-31 on Aboriginal women. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains opening remarks by Commissioners Allan Blakeney and Paul Chartrand at the sitting of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples held at the Edmonton Inn, in Edmonton, Alberta on June 11, 1992. The Commissioners explain the mandate and goals of the Commission for the audience in attendance.
File contains an individual presentation by Agnes Gendron describing the impact of Bill C-31 upon her personally. Relatives of the speaker were present at the signing of Treaty Six in 1876 and she questions whether Aboriginal women will ever enjoy the full rights that the treaties should have provided them. Following the presentation is a brief question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains a presentation by Alfred Beaver that focuses on financial accountability of First Nations governments. He sees young children sleeping in train cars at night on his First Nations and wonders how band councils can ignore this problem. He calls upon the Commission to make First Nations accountable for their finances.
File contains a presentation by Andy Von Busse, Alberta Fish and Game Association. Von Busse discusses conservation issues in Alberta, specifically with regards to Aboriginal utilization of wildlife. Following the presentation is a discussion between Von Busse regarding Treaty rights to hunt, and jurisdictional questions with regard to wildlife management and land usage.
File contains a presentation by Brad Enge, a 17-year veteran of the RCMP. He believes that "a Canadianized version of the Australian-made Anunga rule would not inhibit the police investigation process, permitting First Nations people access to a legally trained and educated resident prior to the interrogative process. It will add credence to the legitimacy of the Canadian criminal justice system." A question-and-answer session with the Commissioners follows the presentation.
File contains a presentation by Gilbert Anderson that describes the people of his First Nations as being "a little island by outselves." Anderson describes the events leading to the formation of the reserve and 1958, its surrender. Anderson states that descendants of the original Michel Band still select leaders and maintain social ties, and the Band's goal now is to secure a land base. A question-and-answer session with the Commissioners follows the presentation.
File contains a presentation by Clint Buehler, Executive Director, Metis Nation of Alberta. Buehler outlines the steps the MNA has taken towards self-governance both in terms of consultation within its membership and negotiations with the provincial and federal governments.
File contains a presentation by Darrell Bretton, First Nations Freedom Network. Bretton discusses his organization which he says is "a unique agency which deals with the transition from incarceration to reintegration of our people into overall society...developing a network of aboriginal groups and professionals to address the widespread societal problem of aboriginal recidivism."
File contains a presentation by Denis Tardif that begins with a brief history of Aboriginal and Francophone relations in Alberta. He states that "Canadian society consists of three major national communities; the native national community, the Francophone national community and the anglophone national community." These groups must work together "to succeed in the great goal of building a just Canadian society." A question-and-answer session with the Commissioners follows the presentation.
File contains a presentation by Dennis Thorne. Thorne, whose Oglala Lakota (Sioux) name is Tungan Cikala, speaks on the topic of "Protection of Traditional Spiritual Beliefs." Included in his presentation are problems with the Canadian border and the guards measures there against Aboriginal holy people (Thorne argues that the Jay Treaty enshrines freedom of movement for Aboriginal people across the Canada-U.S.
File contains a presentation by Doris Ronnenberg and Roy Littlechief focusing on two issues: the perceived lack of fairness and equity of access in dealing with the Tribal Council in Alberta, and a double standard contained in the new off-loading or downloading agreement in Social Services delivery signed in 1991 by the governments of Canada and Alberta. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains a presentation by Dr. Anne Anderson. Anderson's presentation entitled "The history of the Metis nation." The presentation gives a general overview of Metis history from Anderson's own personal perspective and what she thinks is its relevance.
File contains a presentation by Dr. John Butt, Chief Medical Examiner for the Province of Alberta. Butt's duties include the investigation of sudden death in the province, and he relates that he has statistics showing high incidence of alcohol related violent death within Aboriginal communities across Alberta. Butt states that his wish is not to sensationalize the problem but to fill in a gap in social science literature which has not adequately addressed this issue and bring it to the concern of the Commission. He then introduces the next presenter his colleague, Mary Ellen Arnup.
File contains a presentation by Edward Morin of the Enoch Cree Nation. Morin describes his life experiences as a Status Indian in Alberta, including residential schooling, relations with government officials, discrimination in the justice system, and other problems. Morin also offers up his own views on the Constitution and the need to provide people with economic opportunity in Canada, both Aboriginal and non.
File contains a presentation by Everett Lambert. Lambert, a Mohawk-Cree-Metis man, discusses economic development for Aboriginal Canadians. Lambert states that "Natives don't just need money. Natives need jobs. They need meaningful full-time jobs, jobs that keep them busy eight hours a day, 40 houyrs a week, not the part-time underpaying overworked position too many of our people presently hold." Following the presentation Commissioners Blakeney and Shirt discuss employment issues with Lambert.
File contains a presentation by Gerald Thom, Senior Vice-President of the Metis Nation of Alberta. Thom thanks the Commission and introduces several MNA officials, then makes a few general remarks on the political situation for the Metis, Alberta, and Canada. To conclude his presentation he introduces the next presenter Thelma Chalifoux, Senator Co-Chair of the Metis Nation of Alberta.
File contains a presentation by Irma White-Pattmore, founder and president of the National Urban Aboriginal League (NUAL). NUAL's goal is to "provide a co-existing solution that supports the need for an adequate and comfortable relationship between Aboriginal peoples, the Canadian government and the non-Aboriginals of Canada. She calls for an Aboriginal Embassy in Canada that would provide programs and assistance to Aboriginal women, on-reserve people, Metis people, off-reserve people and Inuit.
File contains a presentation by Jack Houle that describes the difficulty of opening a business in Edmonton while being an off-reserve resident. Roadblocks for funding come from various Aboriginal organizations and his own First Nations. He calls on the Commission to help him secure funding. A question-and-answer session with the Commissioners follows the presentation.
File contains a presentation by John Loftus on behalf of the Action North Recovery Centre. Loftus discusses the challenges his organization (which treats drug and alcohol abuse, as well as family violence cases) deals with in High Level. Foremost among his concerns are a lack of professional staff and resources. Following the presentation is a discussion between Loftus and Commissioners Dussault and Robinson on these issues.
File contains a presentation by Ken Noskiye whose organization in 1989 signed the Metis Settlements Accord with the Alberta government. The Accord established principles for a partnership for Metis self-determination, giving the Metis a land base within to govern themselves in the legislative framework for governance. Noskiye calls for the Commission to ensure the Metis are not left out of government negotiations in the future. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains a presentation by Larry Kaida that describes various programs offered by some Canadian universities relating to encouraging and advising Aboriginals upon entrance into university. Kaida is also involved in a program where Aboriginal students have on-the-job training with oil and gas companies in Alberta, with guaranteed employment upon graduation. He calls upon the Commission to ensure that funding continues for these local and national university programs.
File contains a presentation by Maggie Hodgeson discussing the Nechi Institute's purpose and goals. In the last 18 years this Aboriginal training institute has trained 2500 counsellors to work in the 15 Aboriginal treatment programs and 30 prevention programs in Alberta. Hodgeson calls for the Commission to ensure funding for the Nechi Institute continues because its graduates are contributing to the decline of substance abuse among Aboriginals in Alberta.
File contains a presentation by Marge Friedel. Friedel presents on behalf of the Women of the Metis Nation of Alberta. Friedel addresses the exclusion of women from the Canadian Constitutional process, and the struggle for inclusion within Metis political organizations. Friedel also discusses self-government and critiques the Metis National Council for not, in her view, representing the concerns of Metis women. Following the presentation is a discussion between Friedel and the Commissioners Chartrand and Blakeney on the issues contained therein.
File contains an individual presentation by Marlene Poitras expressing her frustration with poor housing and living conditions for Aboriginals. She states those conditions are directly related to the rate of illness and disease among Aboriginals. She says that off-reserve Aboriginals particularly suffer with poor housing conditions. Poitras calls on the Commission to ensure that adequate funding is given to lifestyle and health programs for all Aboriginals. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains a presentation by Mary Ellen Arnup, Research Officer, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Province of Alberta. Arnup presents statistical information on the prevalence of unnatural deaths in the Aboriginal communities of Alberta due to alcohol or drug abuse with relation to the rate in the non-Aboriginal community. Arnup presents her findings. Following the presentation Arnup and preceding presenter John Butt discuss their findings with Commissioners Blakeney and Chartrand.
File contains a presentation by Norman Quinney and Joe Houle, war veterans whose organization, founded in 1982, had to disband because of no funding. The speakers call for the Commission to ensure continuing funding for the association so it can fight for the rights that Aboriginal veterans were denied upon return of service.
File contains a presentation by Pearl Calahasen, MLA for the Lesser Slave Lake constituency in Alberta. She begins her presentation by acknowledging she is speaking as an Aboriginal person, not as MLA. She describes her personal experiences with racism when entering high school in a large city, with post-secondary educational institutions, and with her campaign to run for MLA. Calahasen discusses education, economic development, and fishing, hunting and trapping issues. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains a presentation by Regena Crowchild, President of the Indian Association of Alberta. Crowchild discusses Aboriginal lands in Canada, and argues that the Canadian government uses a racist approach to land claims questions based on the outdated notion of terra nulius. To ameliorate this, Crowchild suggests the Canadian government must recognize "Indigenous ownership to lands and resources." Crowchild then discusses Treaties and the need to discuss the benefits that non-Aboriginal people enjoy from the Treaty relationship.
File contains a presentation by Richard Long that examines concerns of the off-reserve Aboriginal person. Long states that off-reserve Aboriginal persons feel they have no political or financial power and he questions who will govern urban Aboriginals in the larger centres. He introduces Nora Houle, representative of the Native Council of Canada Board of Directors.
File contains a presentation by Ron Bell that calls for increased funding for Aboriginal post-secondary education. He also suggests that an Aboriginal university be established in northern Manitoba. Bell introduces Larry Kaida, also of the University of Alberta.
File contains a presentation by Roy Littlechief focusing on the misuse of power by the chief and band council relating to his unidentified First Nations. Accountability is needed with money and policies and he says reserve residents are denied better housing because of the greed.
File contains a presentation by Thelma Chalifoux, Senator Co-Chair, Metis Nation of Alberta. Chalifoux discusses the institution of the Metis Senate in Alberta. Chalifoux gives an overview of its composition and goals, and relates how it draws its inspiration from the Senate of the Metis provisional government of Red River in 1870.
File contains a presentation by Tom Erasmus who is a community development worker for the Alberta Mental Health Association located in the northeast region of Alberta. He is also a co-ordinator of native services for the northeast region of Alberta.
File contains a presentation by Tony Mandamin. Mandamin (a lawyer) discusses the legal system in Canada and Aboriginal societies' interactions with it. Mandamin highlights associated issues such as Aboriginal over-representation in the penal system, and a lack of cultural appropriateness in legal proceedings. Following the presentation is a discussion between Mandamin and Commissioners Blakeney and Chartrand on some of these issues.