Written and Photos by Danny Beaton

On February 15, 2007 Bob Lovelace was sentenced to six months in prison and fined $25,000 for declaring intention to protect Ardoch Algonquin territory from uranium mining. Bob is a teacher of Indigenous Studies at Queens University in Kingston Ontario and former chief of the Ardoch Algonquin Nation.

Professor Bob Lovelace Speaks Out

As long as colonial nations talk about climate change and what they can do to preserve their existing quality of life by way of business there is not much hope, but when the people start to talk about climate change it is whole different story. It is about how we can adjust to it, if we can. It is not about how to make money; it is about how we can prevent it, how we can compensate for all the damage that we have already done. We need to do some real work to ourselves, and we need to help our communities. Real knowledge came out of the Cochabamba Conference where 35,000 people gathered in defense of Mother Earth and her rights, real indigenous knowledge that can help Western society. There is strong reliance on indigenous knowledge in Bolivia and an affirmation that indigenous knowledge was important at the Cochabamba Conference.

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By Frank Larue

The University of Fraser Valley in Abbotsford bestowed an honorary degree on actress Tantoo Cardinal in June. She has been acting for almost forty years, and unlike many actors from Canada, she has never stopped working. Tantoo Cardinal has appeared in thirty movies and a multitude of television shows over her forty years in front of a camera. She had roles in Dances with Wolves (working with Kevin Costner and Graham Greene) and in Legends of Fall (with Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins).

This year, Cardinal will celebrate her sixtieth birthday on July 20. “I didn’t know much about acting, at least in the way of formal training, when I started out,” she recalls. “With the government mandating that Canadian stories be told, people started to say, ‘why not get Native people to play Native roles,’ and that opened the door for me and others. Once I started, I took to it like a duck to water. I really do consider it to be my path—I had a passion for it from the get-go.”

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By Frank Larue

The divorce laws in place in all provinces of Canada do not apply to women on reserves. Incidents of abuse and separation are dealt with by the band council, which often has little female representation. Bill S-4 would not allow Native women to lose their houses in a divorce case, which opens the door to internal friction within the band council. The bill has yet to be approved by the House of Commons but was approved by the Senate at the beginning of July. On the surface, it has the appearance of a law that is long overdue, yet First Nations leaders have not been receptive to its implementation—mainly because they were not consulted and as a result consider the bill inadequate.

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By Jim Ada

In July 2008, Ontario Premiere Dalton McGuinty made a handful of visionary promises. He promised to permanently protect a massive area of pristine beauty in Northern Ontario from being leveled by forestry and mining corporations. Apart from the protected land, another 225,000 acres of Boreal forest were to be tentatively opened for development but protected by strong environmental standards, including the standards of First Nations communities who have been living and hunting in the areas for thousands of years. However, as of July 2010, 35 mining companies have staked 32,000 claims. They are continuing to do research so aggressively that they are building runways for their airplanes without permission from government or from the First Nations in the area.

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By Cam Martin

Recently, an Iroquois lacrosse team had the opportunity to compete in an international tournament in Manchester, England, but they were unable to enter the country using the special passports they had been given as a unique First Nations group. An exaggerated focus on security may be a necessity in the post-9/11 world, but this incident brings to light issues about the legitimacy of certain First Nations identification documents and those peoples’ rights to govern themselves.

After initially refusing to accept the Iroquois’ passports because they lacked security features required on conventional passports, the State Department gave the team a one-time waiver. However, this waiver would only be acceptable if the members of the tribe used another form of identification. Efforts to persuade British officials fell on deaf ears, meaning the team wouldn’t be able to play its last scheduled game of the tournament. The situation has angered many human rights advocates and First Nations representatives. It has even attracted the attention of Hollywood director James Cameron (director of the blockbuster movie Avatar). Cameron donated $50,000 to help the athletes defray the costs of being stuck at the airport and missing out on planned accommodations.

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By Lloyd Dolha

Four northeastern Alberta First Nations are calling for the Harper government to flex some federal muscle to save the dwindling habitat of threatened woodland caribou. Beaver Lake Cree Nation, Enoch Cree Nation, Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation, and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation have asked the federal Tory government to issue an emergency order under the Species At Risk Act (SARA) to protect the full range of woodland caribou habitat in northeastern Alberta from industrial development by the region’s the oil and gas industry. “We are calling on government to immediately halt the destruction of our lands, lands that sustain our caribou and our people. Our traditional land is dwindling,” said Beaver Lake Cree Chief Al Lameman. “We need habitat to ensure there is a healthy surplus. These animals sustain us, and as they die, our future becomes uncertain.”

The federal Ministry of Environment is more than three years past the deadline for preparing a recovery strategy for the woodland caribou (currently listed as “threatened” under SARA). A recovery strategy is a key step for the conservation of threatened species and is required before the federal government can provide long term protection for remaining caribou habitat. The July 15th release coincided with the release of a new report by Dr. Stan Boutin, a leading caribou expert at the University of Alberta. Boutin’s report says the woodland caribou are in steep decline in the region because of the cumulative effects of industrial oil and gas developments in caribou habitat.

According to Boutin’s report, the East Side Athabasca River herd has declined by 71% since 1996, while the Cold Lake Weapons Range herd has declined 74% since 1998. Boutin says this dramatic decline is “a strong signal that drastic immediate management action is required to keep the caribou from disappearing completely” in the Alberta traditional territory of the Beaver Lake Cree Nation. The report recommends habitat restoration and full protection of remaining caribou ranges in the northeastern region of the province.

In a strongly worded letter from Aboriginal rights lawyer Jack Woodward to Minister of Environment Jim Prentice, the First Nations have given the federal Tories just 45 days to prepare an emergency order under SARA protecting the woodland caribou in the region. Woodward notes that leading biologists have repeatedly recommended this course of action to Environment Canada, and he states, “You and your ministry have also known for several years about the precipitous decline of woodland caribou in northeastern Alberta, but to date you have done nothing to protect the woodland caribou or their habitat.”

Woodward points out that the Minster had a statutory duty under SARA to prepare a recovery strategy by June of 2007. Woodward called the ministry’s procrastination and failure to comply with statutory duties under SARA “indefensible” when the woodland caribou herds in Alberta are in crisis, adding that with every passing month of government inaction these herds are driven closer to local extinction. “We feel a request for an emergency order is entirely reasonable, given the sharp decline in caribou and given the federal environment Minister’s ongoing failure to prepare a recovery plan more than three years after expiry of the mandatory deadline,” said Woodward. “The federal government has tried to justify refusing to act on this obligation with the surprising claim that time is needed to consult with First Nations. With this demand we are making it clear that First Nations are not standing in the way of action—they are demanding immediate emergency protection for the caribou until long term habitat protection is in place.”

Boutin’s report was specific to the Beaver Lake Cree, but other First Nations also want further protective measures for a half dozen additional herds in the region.

Chief Vern Janvier of the Chipewyan Prairie Cree echoed the sentiment of Lameman. “The extinction of the caribou would mean the extinction of our people. The caribou is a sacred animal; it is a measure of our way of life. When the caribou are dying, the land is dying. We see no respect from government for the caribou or for us as humans,” said Chief Janvier.

By Bernie Bates

Every summer since the days of horse and buggy we’ve packed up the family and hit the open road. We dared to see what was on the other side of that horizon with nothing more than a tent, some beans and the yearning for an adventure.

Most of us have childhood memories of going camping at some remote lake, swamp or dusty hell hole. However some of the younger generations only know of things like; water slides, resorts and theme parks. They’ve missed out on the wide open spaces, the fresh air and swimming in chlorine-free water. They have no idea what it’s like to rough it in a rustic setting – the lucky little sh*ts.

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By Frank Larue

On July 1st, a First Nation coalition held a rally on Parliament Hill to protest the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). Native people living on reserve are exempt from paying taxes, so why is the Ontario government (represented by Premier Dalton McGuinty) so insistent they pay HST? Both sides seemed miles from reaching an agreement, but negotiations were held and eventually the voice of reason prevailed.

First Nations members will be required to pay the tax for July and August but will be refunded the PST portion of the tax. Chief Angus Toulouse (representing First Nations in Ontario) stated, “It became clear that the two month gap in the exemption—while certainly not what we wanted—would be impossible to avoid. First Nations understand this logistical challenge but continue to assert that tax immunity is a treaty right, which we have never ceded, and continue to oppose all taxation of our people by other governments.”

In British Columbia, Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs has joined former premier Bill Vander Zalm in an effort to eliminate the HST via petition. “We will avail ourselves to other coalitions of groups,” Phillip said. “It’s one of those issues that has galvanized a broad based wave of opposition. Aboriginal people suffer incredibly debilitating levels of poverty, whether on a reserve or in urban centres. The HST is going to greatly exacerbate that.”

George Abbott, British Columbia’s Minister for Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, does not foresee any special agreement for Native people in the province. “The situation is fundamentally different in Ontario where First Nations are aggrieved. In British Columbia, the impact on First Nations will be no greater and no lesser than other British Columbians.” Abbott’s attitude doesn’t leave much room for negotiation. Perhaps the fact that BC Native Chiefs have sided with Bill Vander Zalm has angered the Liberal Party. The fact that Ontario has compromised with Native leaders should have been a reason for Campbell and his cronies to follow their example.

British Columbia Native leaders met with Finance Minister Colin Hansen in June. Chief Phillip said the session was “very intense” and the leaders made it clear they weren’t going to stop protesting. “We believe we can take advantage of this opportunity and revisit the taxation in a manner that would serve to alleviate that poverty,” he said. Chief Phillip also suggested that part of HST revenues could be used to invest in First Nations economic, business, culture, and education initiatives. Hansen has not replied to this suggestion, nor has he responded to media requests for comment.

By Frank Larue

Graham Greene, the hardest working Native actor in Canada has played many roles during his stellar career. For his excellent work in Dancing with Wolves, he was nominated for an Oscar. He is one of the few Native actors who has portrayed not only Native people in historical pieces, but has also been cast many times in contemporary Native settings such as Thunderheart with Val Kilmer, Die Hard: With a Vengeance alongside Bruce Willis, and The Green Mile with Tom Hanks. His most recent role is in The Twilight Saga: New Moon; he plays Harry Clearwater, a Quileute tribal leader.

The Quileute are actually a real tribe from La Push, Washington, but in the Twilight series, they are tribal werewolves who transform from humans into giant wolves. Graham Greene does not appear in Eclipse, but the actors who play the tribe members remain and will be appearing in the next two sequels. All these actors are Native: Chaske Spencer is from Oklahoma, Tyson Houseman was born in Edmonton, Bronson Pelletier is from Vancouver Island, Kiowa Gordon and Alex Meraz grew up in Arizona. The female werewolves are Tinsley Korey from Vancouver and Julia Jones, who hails from Boston.

They are fortunate to be cast in The Twilight Saga, which has grossed over a billion dollars to date and has made all of the actors stars. What is equally rewarding is the fact they are not portrayed as stereotypical Indians, which is too often the case for Native actors. “I’ve been around for a while,” says Chaske Spencer. “I’ve been working for, like, 10 years, and what I like about [The Twilight Saga] is it finally brought me to a place where I’m not playing with the leather and feather. It’s kind of up to the media as well to accept me as other than being just the mystical figure and put on the leather and feather, and speaking in a Rez accent all the time, because I’ve done that so many times, and the kids are more accepting of me than anything else. That’s what’s really cool.”

Julia Jones plays Leah Clearwater. She is a graduate of Columbia University in New York and was a model before becoming an actress, and she supports what Spencer said. “That’s also what excites me, is that we’re being put in front of primarily children and people who are in the process of defining their ideas of what Native people are.”

The recent documentary Reel Indians produced and directed by Neil Diamond made the same point, that not only have Native actors been given roles which perpetrate a negative and one dimensional identity, but they usually have no choice but to accept the roles if they want to work in film industry.

Another positive aspect to The Twilight Saga is the interest in Native culture the movies have created. “But now a lot of people are going to Washington state,” said Alex Meraz, the bad tempered member of the wolf pack. “They’re going to La Push where the Quileute tribe actually do reside, and they’re learning more. They’re forced to ask questions, learn more about the culture, and I think that’s great. The Quileute are getting a spotlight to introduce and tell the story, the real creation story. That’s important, that fans are so into it they want to learn where this germinated from, the root of where the wolf pack comes from.”

By Clint Buehler

EDMONTON – Metis activist Muriel Stanley Venne has received many awards over her long and influential career, but the latest may have the most personal connection of them all.

She made that connection in being recognized as a “Distinguished Citizen,” and accepting the Honourary Bachelor of Arts Degree from Grant MacEwan University.

“This extraordinary honour is more meaningful because I actually knew Grant MacEwan (the late politician, author and former Alberta lieutenant-governor after whom the university is named). Many years ago I invited him as one keynote speaker to join Adrian Hope (the late legendary Alberta Metis Elder) at the Metis Settlements General Council. He refused my offer to pay for a plane ticket from Calgary and insisted on taking the Greyhound bus.

”I mention Adrian Hope because they could have been twins: same age, same tall lanky frame, same sense of humour and a match in conversation and wit . . . Adrian Hope in writing poetry about the Metis, and Grant MacEwan in his book written about the life story of Victoria Calihoo, a pioneer entrepreneurial Native woman who lived at Lac Ste. Anne not far from here.”

Métis, born at Lamont, Alberta, mother of four grown children and grandmother of three, Muriel achieved her University entrance by correspondence in order to attain her B.ED; attended at the University of Alberta for three years then left her studies to work for the Métis Association of Alberta as Department Head for Job Opportunities and Placement.

Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed appointed her as one of the first seven Commissioners of the Alberta Human Rights Commission in 1973 where she served for four years; she was Executive Director of Native Outreach for 10 years, working in employment for Aboriginal people in the province; as Bechtel Canada’s Community Relations for the Alsands Project; Coordinator of the Métis Settlement Carpentry Training Program and General Manager, Settlement Sooniyaw Corporation; then Marketing Officer for the National Film Board in Edmonton. As Project Manager for Western Aboriginal Development Alliance “Stronger Together” an Aboriginal Strategic Initiatives project, it became one the most successful Human Resource projects in Canada.

Currently she chairs the Aboriginal Commission on Human Rights & Justice and was instrumental in producing “The Rights Path – Alberta” a holistic booklet produced to inform Aboriginal people of their human rights now in its third edition. In November 1998 she presented the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson with “The Rights Path – Alberta” in Hobbema, Alberta, referring to the racism involved in the Connie and Ty Jacobs killingby an RCMP officer at the T’suu Tina First Nation. She continues to bring Aboriginal human rights issues to the forefront!

Muriel received The 1998 Alberta Human Rights Award December 10th, 1998 on the 25th Anniversary of the formation of the Alberta Human Rights Commission and the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations International Declaration of Human Rights.

As President and Founder of the Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women she works tirelessly and lends her expertise on the issues confronting Aboriginal Women. Under her leadership, IAAW created the Esquao Awards, a province wide recognition for Aboriginal Women. This annual event has grown to attract more than 1,000 people each year, bringing government, corporation and community representatives together to honour the significant accomplishments of Aboriginal Women.

“Over the last 15 years we have honoured more than 300 First Nations and Metis women from 74 communities in this province. ‘Esquao’ is the stylized version of the Cree word for women. This beautiful word was reclaimed so that the word ‘squaw’ would never ever be used because being called a squaw is dehumanizing and always derogatory,” Stanley Venne said in accepting the award.

“Our Esquao Awards are community driven. The Community nominates and the Institute honours them for their strength and beauty. We are unique in the entire world in honouring the Indigenous women of this province. I was very pleased that our Prime Minister vowed to pay attention to the wellbeing of women and children in developing countries, to me it only made sense that the dire conditions experienced by First Nations and Métis people become a priority and bring about the equality of services and investment in the elimination of generations of discrimination, prejudice and racism. It sounds expensive to bring about equality but I put it to you that not taking this action will be far more expensive.”

She has served on the Board of Directors of the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation and is a lifetime member of the Canadian Native Friendship Centre. She received the Queen’s Medal in 2002 and the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in 2004 for her work in bringing Justice to the Aboriginal community. Muriel has delivered speeches across Canada on human rights, achieving social justice and on violence against Aboriginal Women. She has inspired many to follow their dreams and stand up for what they believe in. In 2005 she received the Order of Canada and the Governor General’s Commemorative Medal in honour of the Person’s Case and the Alberta Government Centennial Medal.

In 2006 she received the Integrity Award from the Rotary Clubs in Edmonton, Alberta and the YWCA Lois Hole Lifetime Achievement Award. Alberta Venture Magazine named her as one of the 2006 50 most influential people in Alberta. In February 2007 she was honoured as Global Woman of Vision. In November 2007 Canadian Ambassador McNee recognized her work at the United Nations citing her as a “Human Rights Defender” pertaining to Aboriginal women, children and families.

In September 2008 she was elected Provincial Vice-President of the Métis Nation of Alberta.