Dene Woman Faces Risks, Gets Law Degree Have to Be Licenced - to Place the Native and Hard - to -Place Children Much by Keith Matthew A.H
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August 12, 198 ., Volume 6 No. 2 Kids win, mothers lose, with new law By Patrick Michell that Native children are Windspeaker Correspondent protected from agencies attempting to place them EDMONTON, Alta. with non -Native families, but points out that a fight Although social workers could erupt between a are opposed to 'it, Native mother and her Alberta's Native children band. may benefit from recent An adoption agency amendments allowing for approached by a pregnant private adoption in the Native woman wishing to province, said a university surrender her unborn child professor. would have to notify the The recent amendments woman's band. d game expertise offer Native children slated "And at that point, the Vermilion's 4 for adoption more protec- band would presumably be Though the competition was fierce and players had bicentennial celebrations August -7. For more the tion than non -Native chil- able to say, 'Well here is to concentrate especially hard, old timers Alphonse coverage of celebrations see pages 10 and 11. dren, says Gayle Gilchrist what we think should be Scha -sees and Patrick Scha -sees managed to nab second Photo by Terry James, associate social wel- done on behalf of the child. place. The games were a popular attraction at Fort Lusty fare professor at the "The woman would still University of Calgary. have the choice, but she could say that 'I will go still "Both INSIDE THIS WEEK in the new act go ahead,' but the band and under the new amend- could also contest it," said ments, Native children are Melsness. Paddle Prairie, The Lizotte Windspeaker more protected than any The final decision in the Metis brothers gather takes a look at other children available for such a case would have to homeland, strength to win the progress adoption, because in the be decided in the courts, he gears up for the Fort Vermilion's and array of case of Native children, added, but pointed out that settlements bicentennial processions their bands have to be noti- he was aware of cases 50th canoe race. For today's Native fied." anniversary. more where the band "has been see pages women are President for the Alberta Administrator 10.11. successful in stopping the involved in. See Association of Social Calahasen will adoption." pages 15-18. Workers, Margaret perform. See Dewhurst, also believes the Continued page 2 page 3. act may benefit Native chil- dren awaiting adoption. "It will allow for private adoption agencies - which Dene woman faces risks, gets law degree have to be licenced - to place the Native and hard - to -place children much By Keith Matthew A.H. Wachowich presided Windspeaker more quickly, and that Staff Writer over the swearing in cere- some Native women may mony of Powless at the EDMONTON, Alta. wish to go that route rather Provincial Law Courts on than wait forever." Aug. 5 and he commended For Eileen Powless, the her on her dedication and Dean Melsness, director Dene woman first to be reminded her of her duties of social services, agrees admitted to the bar and the as a lawyer. Law Society of Alberta on "You have set an excel- Aug. 5, becoming a lawyer lent example for other will allow her to pursue her women of your race and goal of helping Native peo- background." He added ple. She says, "I didn't get that the responsibilities of into law to be a lawyer, I the job were not to be taken got into it to be a better lightly, "You've made such helper ". an excellent start. Don't "When I went to law fail you friends, don't fail school I didn't think that your colleagues." social work would give me Powless says there is an the freedom to do the kind new generation of Native of work I like to do and that people coming up who I am not sure that law is know what they want, "A going to allow me to that lot of the Native people that either because of working I have become associated with people who don't have with are highly motivated money you always run the Surrounded by friends and families: Eileen Powless people." risk of going belly -up." She says that the strug- She has problems with est of eight children to pleted her undergraduate of 1983. In the fall of 1984 gle is ongoing, "I preferred earning her money off of William and Alice Powless degree in general science at she enrolled in the College to work in a firm where I Native people and must of the Fort Franklin Indian the University of Alberta of Law at the University of would work with a Native make a decision about how Band in the Northwest a major with in biology in Saskatchewan and complet- clientele just because I she will work within the Territories and she credits 1982. She enrolled in the ed her law degree in the gravitate towards my own law system, "I might have her parents as the driving University of Calgary as an spring of 1987. people - that is the way we to go into government even force behind her achieving unclassified student in 1983 She subsequently was are raised. When we are though it is a bit restricting, her education goals. for a spring semester. She accepted by Leonard outside of our own it is a but it guarantees your The route she took to get then transferred to the (Tony) Mandamin to article little more difficult for us to salary and you are not look- her degree in law has been University of with for a year before her feel like we are supposed to ing to your clientele to pay roundabout and shows that Saskatchewan to enroll in appointment to the Law your way." she was devoted to getting Faculty of Arts, Native Association of Alberta. Eileen is the second old- her education. She corn- Studies in the fall semester Honourable Mr. Justice Page 2, WINDSPEAKER, August 12, 1988 CLOSE TO HOME Chiefmoon seeks Claresholm Liberal nomination both and that scenerio is similar By Jackie Red Crow He criticized to the United States 1935 Windspeaker Correspondent Conservative and Liberal Native affairs critics saying Re- organization Act which LETHBRIDGE, Afta. that "they don't adequately abrogated many of the address Native issues and American Indians' reserva- A Blood Indian who they don't fully understand tions and rights. believes strongly that any all the complications of "The ingredients (Re- necessary changes and Native issues." organization Act) that the reforms affecting natives is He said for too long American government only possible if more Native policies and legisla- advocated is similar - they Natives are elected to par- tions have been implement- (Canadian government) liament is seeking the ed "arbitrarily" by past and want to terminate all obli- newly -established Liberal present governments. But gations with natives," he Claresholm riding nomina- he added that Natives must said. tion. not get complacent in Chiefmoon cited an Keith Chiefmoon, 38, asserting their rights example saying that there said in an interview that he because the government are currently three bills "decided to throw my may take advantage of that before the Senate which mocassins into the ring" situation if they do. directly affect Natives such because he feels that more He fears that if Natives as one on taxation but Natives are needed to voice don't fight for their rights, nobody is making any and safeguard aboriginal the government will contin- noise about them. rights, treaties and other ue to impose unsatisfactory He stated that federal concerns that may arise in legislations. Currently, and provincial politicians the future instead of "white Chiefmoon said Natives are and bureaucrats continue to politicians ". losing some of their rights lump Native people togeth- er without considering their diverse cultures and NEW LAW that people who have both regions. "Decided to throw my mocassins into the ring": Keith Chiefmoon might have a better chance He said in the past From page 1 to adopt those very few Natives "had a hard -line issue in southern Alberta. hope in electing a Native tor. Parliament. He He holds a management But the recent admend- children that are available approach" in pressuring the He claims also that the person to his supporters from the ments to the Child Welfare for adoption, and that government in making Tories haven't done enough said many of certificate Lethbridge Act allowing private adop- someone else who may not changes in Native policies to help farmers and other feel that "some politicians University of issues" and has served as a man- in the have much money or status, and also lobbied vigorously "bread and butter have abused Native support tion agencies agement consultant for the by but may have just as good in protecting their rights. and instead are concentrat- without really promoting province are feared Native Council of Canada social workers because or better parenting skills is But he said, although that ing on establishing Native issues ". ". Chiefmoon has a long in Toronto. In addition, he such agencies are usually deprived of the opportunity was an effective political "megaprojects which involve- is "two courses short" of a motivated by profit, said to adopt." strategy, it's time now for The new riding list of political is the chairman Bachelor of Arts degree in Gilchrist James. But Dewhurst pointed Native federal and provin- was established in July ment. He for the Liberal party's poli- Native American studies. "We get concerned that out that the amended act cial Members of Parliament includes the Sarcee, Eden does not allow private to "get the message across Valley and Peigan Reserves cy caucus on aboriginal Presently, Chiefmoon is there's a possibility that for the lawyers, social workers, agencies to profit from an on their own ".