Topic: Today’s News

July 18, 2018 – (Moncton, NB) Northern Premiers today extend their congratulations to new members of the Government of Canada’s Cabinet and look forward to working with all Ministers and the Prime Minister to continue to advance northern priorities.

Yukon Premier Sandy Silver, Northwest Territories Premier Bob McLeod and Nunavut Premier Joe Savikataaq are eager to work with the Ministers to advance the needs of northerners in recognition of the unique circumstances in their jurisdictions. In particular, northern Premiers will continue to stress the need for a more flexible approach to federal-territorial infrastructure funding.

At a meeting of northern Premiers this morning in Moncton, New Brunswick, the Premiers reiterated that when it comes to the future development of the North and its peoples, decisions should be made with northerners, in recognition and respect of their cultures and diversity.

The Premiers acknowledge and welcome the appointments of the Honourable Dominique LeBlanc as Minister of Intergovernmental and Northern Affairs and Internal Trade, and the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne as Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.

The need for more infrastructure in all three territories is urgent, and greater flexibility in federal infrastructure policy and funding will help ensure that northerners have every opportunity for economic success and a high quality of life.

The Premiers wish to thank former Minister of Infrastructure, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, as well as the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, former Minister of Northern Affairs, for their work and dedication in these critical areas.

(New York, NY) – On behalf of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), Treaty 6 Grand Chief Wilton Littlechild is participating this week at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development at the United Nations headquarters in New York, NY.  Grand Chief Littlechild spoke to the work Canada must undertake with First Nations to meet international sustainable development goals, including respecting Canada’s international human rights commitments and obligations to Indigenous peoples.

“First Nations must be full partners in achieving truly sustainable development, to meet the 2030 goals, and to close the gap in the quality of life between First Nations and Canada,” said Grand Chief Wilton Littlechild following the release of Canada’s voluntary national review on its progress on achieving goals set out in Agenda 2030.  “This requires a robust national strategy co-developed with First Nations. The strategy must include mutually agreed-to mechanisms to share Crown revenue.  The violation of our Treaty rights and our right to self-determination respecting our lands and resources has entrenched and maintained a longstanding gap in socio-economic outcomes.  First Nations must be fully involved and drive approaches to addressing and closing the socio-economic gap and rights must be respected and upheld.”

The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development at the United Nations Economic and Social Council is taking place July 9-18. This is the main forum to ensure States are accountable for commitments in the 2030 Agenda, which includes 17 sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations in September 2015.  Canada presented a Voluntary National Review on its progress toward its goals yesterday. Grand Chief Littlechild’s comments are in response to this review.

“First Nations priorities and perspectives were not included in the development of either the Millennium Development Goals or the successor Sustainable Development Goals,” said Grand Chief Littlechild.  “We need a better approach. The Assembly of First Nations is offering to work with Canada to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, and this effort must include working together on better ways to collect and analyze data and to evaluate progress.  The UN Declaration should be the framework for measurement, in collaboration with First Nations on a nation-to-nation basis to ensure sustainable development goals contribute to First Nations’ own priorities for sustainable development and do not negatively affect our rights and priorities respecting development.”

The AFN is the national organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada.  Follow AFN on Twitter @AFN_Updates.

CALGARY – Bow Valley College’s Iniikokaan Centre and The City of Calgary have teamed up again to host the Canada Day Indigenous Showcase & Powwow at Prince’s Island Park on
Sunday, July 1.

More than 80,000 people are expected to take in this year’s event, which promises to offer dynamic and captivating demonstrations of traditional First Nations, Métis and Inuit culture and entertainment, with activities in the Children’s Tent and Airbrush Tattoos situated close together for family participation. Many unique creations, such as beadwork can be viewed and purchased at the Artisan Market with local vendors. A selection of food trucks will also be on site.

Visitors are invited to sit in the Metis Trapper’s Tent and Tipis and take part in cultural teachings and sharing starting at 11 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. Children will have the opportunity to learn Métis dance steps with live fiddle music.

“This event with Bow Valley College and the City of Calgary shows our commitment to community, diversity and the relationships we have with Indigenous people in our area andNorthern Canada, including this year’s guest Dene drummers. One of the drummers is from Hay River, Northwest Territories, and the other is from the Treaty 8 area” says Noella Wells, Director of the Iniikokaan Centre.

The College’s Iniikokaan Centre also relies on staff member Carla Big Tobacco for her expertise and knowledge on Powwows, the various Dances performed by men and women and where the Drums groups are located in Treaty 7.

“We have nurtured relationships with all our presenters because they include our Iniikokaan Centre Cultural Resources Elders, Indigenous educators, leaders and knowledge keepers,” adds Wells. “All of the volunteers are Bow Valley College students and some of them will be participating as dancers in the Powwow.”

Activities begin on the Main Stage at 11 a.m. with a Blessing from Cultural Resource Elder Keith Chiefmoon. The Grand Entry of the Powwow will begin at 1 p.m. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome.

Laura Jo Gunter, President and CEO of Bow Valley College, David Collyer, Chair of our Board of Governors and other members of the College executive team will be in attendance.

Working in partnership with Treaty 7 First Nations, Bow Valley College is proudly committed to integrate Indigenous practices, develop focused educational programs, boost community involvement and build respectful relationships at all our campus locations across Alberta

JUNE 30 and JULY 1 at 6:30 pm.

Red Sky Performance’s newest project, Great Lakes, is a one-of-kind site-specific dance and live music production that will be performed knee-deep in water on the shore of Lake Ontario. It brings together contemporary Indigenous dance, original music, and our connection to five freshwater lakes.

This new work explores our interconnectedness to the Great Lakes, water as life-sustaining, and as a creative force. We as Anishinaabe believe that water is alive. Water is our earth’s lifeblood, and that all bodies of water are her veins. Without water, we simply would cease to exist. Water is life.