Indigenous Alberta

“We knew there were a lot of children that died in these places, but we didn’t know the extent of it,” Agnes Gendron, Cold Lake First Nations elder, said during a prayer at the vigil held in Cold Lake on May 31.

Back in 2014 he started amassing rookie cards for Indigenous players that have suited up for at least one game in the National Hockey League (NHL).

The Wahkohtowin Law and Governance Lodge at the University of Alberta is one of 21 recipients in the second round of funding in the Justice Partnership and Innovation Program (JPIP) offered by Canada’s Department of Justice.

East Pine and the Beaumont housing development are only the beginning of diversification for the northern Alberta First Nation.

“You’re really starting to see the social impacts of not gathering. People are wandering around feeling lost and isolated,” said Chief Allan Adam. “Cultural activities keep people together.”

Herman is one of eight Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S), who have been reported missing or murdered in the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo area since 2004.

“I think the more people actually get to know what happened, where it went wrong, we can learn from it and hopefully become a better and stronger society.”

Sheena Bradley of McMurray Métis said some ceremonies during and after birth are culturally important for families. Traditional birthworkers can organize smudging ceremonies, for instance.

The Grand Chief of Treaty 8 is lobbying the provincial government for an Indigenous police service for First Nations covered by the treaty. Treaty 8 includes all First Nations in the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo area.

During the next few weeks, more than 60 of the multilingual stop signs will be placed in Fort McKay, Anzac, Conklin and Janvier.