Pope offers sympathy for residential school victims

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine said it was a "significant gesture" Wednesday that Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged the suffering of thousands of aboriginal Canadians in residential schools run by the Roman Catholic Church.
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Aboriginal Sport Circle announces 2008 Tom Longboat Athlete and National Aboriginal Coaching award recipients

The Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC) is pleased to announce the National recipients for the 2008 Tom Longboat Athlete and National Aboriginal Coaching awards.
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Métis, First Nations projects receive funding boost

Seven new projects aimed at improving the health of Métis and Aboriginal people in Saskatchewan will receive money this year from the federal government.
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Aboriginal cuisine preps for the world stage

With Aboriginal foods about to be catapulted into the spotlight during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, these students are learning lessons that will help preserve their culture and may also nourish what some see as the next big thing on the local culinary scene - Aboriginal fusion cuisine.
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First Nations delegation to meet privately with Pope

On the eve of its private audience with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on Wednesday, a small delegation from Canada's Assembly of First Nations hailed the event as "historic and momentous."
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Grandmothers the ‘backbone’ of native culture

Traditionally, First Nations grandmothers were the ones who passed the teachings down to the younger generation. While mothers worked, grandmothers had the time to teach their grandchildren about life and the ways of the people.
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Grant boosts languages program

A group that actively promotes preservation and advancement of Aboriginal languages in Canada got a $104,995 boost Thursday, thanks to a federal grant announced by Brant MP Phil McColeman.
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Canadian health officials warn against travel to Mexico

A Canadian health agency is warning against travel to Mexico, where there's an outbreak of human swine flu, unless absolutely necessary.
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Boy missing since Thursday

Police are asking for the public's help in locating a 14-year-old boy who was reported missing Friday afternoon.
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Suicide prevention group to tour Nunavut

All Nunavummiut will get a chance to talk about what they want from a proposed new suicide prevention strategy, during a round of community meetings to be held this spring.
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Mother renews plea for help to find missing girls

Laurie Odjick, mother of one of two teen girls missing from the Maniwaki area for almost 8 months, made a renewed plea for help Thursday while announcing that a second co-ordinated search for the girls will take place May 2.
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Ottawa ready to help flooded First Nations: Chuck Strahl

Federal Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl said Ottawa is ready to help First Nations communities in Manitoba hit hard by flooding.
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Native health and healing centre expands

An expanded facility on King Street offers promise to help fill major gaps in health care for the local aboriginal population.
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Grieving family wants native health gaps closed

The parents of a six-month-old boy who died last month of meningitis are pushing for a complete overhaul of health care on native reserves.
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Brain Gain: Can exercise help people learn?

It's an exciting idea, and one that's being tested in the U.S. and Canada. One pilot program took place in the spring of 2008, when Saskatoon teacher Allison Cameron put her Grade 8 students on treadmills during class.
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Task force tackles youth suicide

A city-wide Thunder Bay task force created to help prevent youth suicide, officially launched their action plan Monday at St. Patrick's High School.
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Reports highlights suicide crisis in young Inuit men

A new report on Nunavut's most tragic social problem suggests the reasons young people are killing themselves aren't that much different than anywhere else.

It's just that many of the causes are so much more prevalent in Nunavut.

"Virtually no one in this territory has not been touched by suicide," said Natan Obed, one of three authors of the report on what is a debilitating problem in the territory. "That's just what life has become here."

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National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation awards over $1-million towards Métis Health Careers

TORONTO - The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation awarded an unprecedented $1-million through a Special Métis Health Career bursary to over 170 Métis students nationwide.

The Health Canada funds were awarded to students studying health careers in the 2008/2009 academic year. There were 172 students who received funds to continue their studies in such disciplines as medicine, nursing, dentistry, health and laboratory sciences among others.

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First Nations Water Declaration for Ontario

TORONTO- The Chiefs in Ontario are pleased to announce the adoption of a First Nations Water Declaration to show their commitment to water protection. After a First Nation Water Policy Forum hosted by the Chiefs in Ontario last autumn, First Nations leadership along with Elders from various regions across Ontario voiced the need for a declaration on the importance of clean water for First Nation communities.
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Peguis Council Declares State of Emergency As Fisher River Floods

“We’ve already evacuated 20 individuals including elders as of Monday, April 13th and expect this number to grow to 60 today,” said Chief Glenn Hudson.

“We expect the peak to arrive in two to three days at which point, we’ll be evacuating more people to accommodations in Gimli and Winnipeg,” he said.

The Council is also planning the relocation of residents at the reserve senior centre. So far, 43 homes on the reserve have been affected.

“We declared a state of emergency to give our staff the authority to do what they have to preserve life of our residents and to protect property,” said Chief Hudson.

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Goodall youth program goes to aboriginal communities

The Jane Goodall Institute and the Assembly of First Nations are teaming up to introduce a global youth program to aboriginal communities across Canada.
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Suicide-prevention programs in jeopardy as Alta. reconsiders funding

The future of funding for dozens of health programs and grants in Alberta, including suicide-prevention programs for aboriginal youth, is in jeopardy.
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Aboriginal residential school survivors to meet Pope Benedict

The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations will lead a delegation of residential school survivors to the Vatican later this month for an audience with Pope Benedict.
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First Nations worried about language training

As First Nations struggle to maintain their cultural identity, there are growing concerns about cuts to language funding.
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$65,000 for Fort St. John Aboriginal Homless Outreach Program

The Fort St. John Friendship Society will be getting 65 thousand dollars in funding to run the Aboriginal Homeless Outreach Program.
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Newly appointed N.W.T. chief medical health officer resigns

After just two months on the job as the Northwest Territories' chief medical health officer, Dr. Cindy Orlaw has stepped down from the position.
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Aboriginal leaders set to evacuate 700 kids

Aboriginal leaders are preparing to evacuate about 700 children from an isolated First Nations community in Northern Ontario over fears that harmful diesel fumes are making them sick.
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First Nation girls drawn to gangs: Advocate

An increasing number of aboriginal girls are getting pulled into all-female gangs — an example of mounting violence among youths, says an aboriginal advocate.
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Leaders in aboriginal community of Attawapiskat make plea for toxic site cleanup

The federal and Ontario governments must address the "open toxic wound" in the remote northern community of Attawapiskat and stop ignoring the health implications of fumes wafting through the reserve, opposition politicians and local leaders said Tuesday.
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Will bannock become an unaffordable luxury?

Is bannock - a staple for Aboriginal Peoples across Canada - about to become too expensive for many Inuit to prepare?
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Eel Ground health centre a success

The First Nations community of Eel Ground is getting a lot of attention thanks to its community health centre.

With a community health program in place, the centre has become a focal point for other First Nations communities trying to improve the health of their residents.
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Poverty leads to drug, alcohol abuse in aboriginal kids: study

Poverty leads more aboriginal youth to drink alcohol and smoke marijuana than their Caucasian counterparts, a new Saskatoon study says.
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Aboriginal stem cell donors in short supply

A shortage of aboriginal stem cell donors has prompted Canadian Blood Services to try to boost donation rates to give patients with leukemia and other life-threatening illnesses a shot at recovery.
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Nunavut celebrates 10th anniversary

April 1 marks the 10th anniversary of the creation of Nunavut. A new series looks at how far the territory has come, while looking at the shape of progress for the future.
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Strahl announces funding to rebuild, refurbish Arctic research centres

Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl has identified about $55 million in funding to rebuild and refurbish 20 Arctic research centres from Yukon to Newfoundland and Labrador.
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