Latest news with #Blackfoot
Calgary Herald
4 days ago
- Calgary Herald
Calgary Walks: Nose Hill Park provides touch of nature within the city
Article content Calgary's Best Walks Nos. 28, 29, 30 Article content Navigating Nose Hill can be challenging. Pay attention to landmarks like the power lines that extend from the far north end of the hill, from the Berkeley Gate parking lot to the Edgemont parking lot. If you can see the airport, you are on the 14th Street side of the hill. In the southeast corner, an antenna is visible, located near the Medicine Wheel and the 14th Street and Calgary Winter Club parking lots. Article content Article content Article content At 11 square kilometres, Nose Hill Park is one of the largest municipal parks in Canada. It is also Calgary's highest point, so be prepared for spectacular views. Once on top of the plateau, look around and you will see that Broadcast Hill (the hill where Canada Olympic Park is built) is also flat and at the same elevation as Nose Hill. Hills south of the city near Priddis are the same. These plateaus are the remnants of a 60-million-year-old, swampy, forested landscape into which the Bow and Elbow rivers, and the glaciers that followed their valleys, have incised by 175 metres. Article content Article content The three walks interconnect. Walk 28 begins in the southern part of the park and climbs to the plateau where stunning downtown views from the Siksikaitsitapi Medicine Wheel are your reward. Built in 2015 by members of the Blood Nation, this modern landmark is a tribute to the historical and spiritual connection between people and the land, and it marks Nose Hill as part of traditional Blackfoot territory. This new circle was arranged beside a half-buried circle of stones that was left behind by Indigenous scouts thousands of years ago. Medicine wheels represent the interconnectivity of all life, the various cycles of nature, and the spiritual belief system of the Indigenous peoples who created them. Walk 29 travels from east to west through meadows to mountain views, while Walk 30 explores the hilly north end, dipping and climbing into shady aspen-filled coulees with panoramic plateau views. Article content Article content Article content From April through October, hundreds of flowering plants colour the hill's landscape. Amongst the prairie grasses that dominate Nose Hill, you'll also find mushrooms, mosses and many animals. Wildlife is abundant on the hill, and I often see coyotes, groups of mule deer and the occasional waddling porcupine at dusk. Dogs love the extensive off-leash areas, and birders should be excited to hear that over 170 bird species have been seen on Nose Hill – bring your binoculars. Article content All the walks offer superb views. And depending on where you are on the hill, you'll see the front range of the Rocky Mountains and the foothills, the prairies stretching out to the east, the compact downtown rising prominently in the south and flights arriving and departing from the airport. Enjoy the solitude of this wilderness wonder in the heart of the city.
Hamilton Spectator
7 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Protest over Bellevue land development reaches premier's desk
A group of Crowsnest Pass residents has appealed to Premier Danielle Smith to halt a controversial housing development in Bellevue, saying it threatens land of deep Indigenous cultural and archeological importance. In a letter sent July 9, the group urged the province to intervene following Crowsnest Pass council's April 15 approval of Bylaw 1221, 2025, a rezoning measure that clears the way for high- and medium-density housing on three municipal parcels — two in Bellevue and one in Coleman. While the land in Coleman has faced little objection, residents say the Bellevue parcels are inappropriate for development due to their historical and cultural significance. According to residents, oral histories shared by Blackfoot communities and archeological studies dating back to the 1970s say the site was used as a winter camp by Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years. 'There's a sign right on the land. It's archeologically designated. You're not even allowed to drive your vehicle across it. Now they want to basically excavate everything and put up a bunch of apartment buildings on a sacred site,' said Vern Harrison, a resident leading the campaign. Residents say the land is protected by a restrictive covenant registered in 1999 under Alberta Land Titles, requiring an archeological review before any development. Despite this, they say the municipality is pressing ahead with no consultation with Indigenous communities and limited transparency around the land sale. What's the issue? On Feb. 11, council passed first reading of the bylaw, which sought to redesignate more than eight acres of public land in Bellevue and Coleman from open space and non-urban area to high-density residential. The changes were prompted by a proposed multi-family development by Pace Industries, which planned to build apartment complexes up to three storeys high. Public opposition mounted quickly. Ahead of a March 11 public hearing, council received 38 written submissions against the proposal. Dozens of residents packed the hearing, prompting council to delay second and third readings to gather more information. On April 15, council passed the bylaw with an amendment — changing the zoning of one Bellevue parcel nearest existing homes from high-density (R3) to medium-density (R2A). While council said the change addressed community feedback, residents say their core concern — the cultural and archeological value of the land — was ignored. Development permit appeal and new bylaws Residents took their concerns to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board, which in June overturned Pace Industries' development permit, citing issues including inadequate parking. Soon after, residents say, council introduced a new measure — Bylaw 1237, 2025 — to lower parking requirements. Council's July 8 agenda explicitly states the bylaw was brought forward in response to the appeal ruling, Harrison said. According to the agenda, the development permit issued by the municipal planning commission included a 13 per cent variance in required parking — reducing the number of stalls from 126 to 110. The SDAB overturned the development permit due to reduced parking, warning of spillover into neighbourhoods. It recommended stricter rules, citing lack of public transit. But rather than tighten the rules, residents say, council introduced Bylaw 1237 to loosen them further. 'They're changing the bylaws to lower the parking requirements,' Harrison told Shootin' the Breeze. 'The reason for this bylaw is to get around the appeal. And that is the most recent example of how the council and the administration is demonstrating that they can't be trusted.' Tensions rise over heritage concerns Harrison also cited remarks from a council meeting that residents say helped trigger their letter to Premier Smith. According to minutes from council's June 24 meeting, Coun. Lisa Sygutek attended a meeting in Fort Macleod, where she raised the development issue with Smith during a conversation about red tape. 'We have a council that is pro-development, but it's getting logged up by people who are using the Indigenous Heritage section within the Cultural and Status of Women [department] to hold up development in this community,' the minutes quote Sygutek as saying. 'They lock it up.' The minutes go on to say: 'Premier Danielle Smith and Coun. Sygutek spoke on that department and how it is being weaponized to hold up development in Alberta.' 'This just makes us very angry,' Harrison said. 'That was one of the triggers for us to send this letter to Premier Smith, because we saw that this councillor was trying to basically circumvent the law, and try and influence the premier, and portray us as red tape. That's not right, not fair, and also very disrespectful.' Calls for provincial intervention The resident group's letter to Smith was also copied to Indigenous Relations Minister Rajan Sawhney, NDP shadow minister for Indigenous relations Brooks Arcand-Paul, and Arts, Culture and Status of Women Minister Tanya Fir. 'We went to the province because we don't believe we can trust council anymore on this,' Harrison said. 'We really hope that the Alberta government will do the right thing. It's an opportunity for them to demonstrate that these guys are serious about respecting our Indigenous people and their culture.' So far, he added, they have received acknowledgement from the local MLA that the issue is under review. Why not build in Coleman? Harrison said their efforts are not about stopping development altogether but protecting the right place. 'They are saying that affordable housing is an urgent matter. What we don't understand is, they have the approval in Coleman, they have no opposition in Coleman … yet they're not building there,' he said. What's next While the land has been sold, no construction has begun and Pace Industries does not currently have a valid development permit. For now, more than 80 households in Bellevue remain committed to challenging the project and protecting the land they believe should be preserved for future generations. A group called Guardians of Sacred Lands in Alberta has also joined the residents to protect the land, Harrison said. 'We think this is the unique opportunity for the province to do the right thing and protect these lands,' he said. Council's response Deputy mayor Dave Filipuzzi said council's decision reflects the community's urgent need for housing and limited developable land in Crowsnest Pass. 'We can't stop our hospitals or our long-term care facilities because we don't have places for people to stay,' he said, adding that the whole town of Bellevue is designated a 4A archeological area, requiring procedures even for building garages or gardens. Filipuzzi said the designation can be removed and the developer has started the process of hiring professionals to conduct digs and submit findings to the province for review. 'This is just a bunch of people trying to make a big deal out of something because they don't want a two- or three-storey building in their neighbourhood,' he said. 'A view is not an excuse not to develop.' He added that development is essential for community growth, schools and small businesses to survive. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Global News
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
Generations unite for culture and connection at Kainai Powwow and Celebration
The beat of drums and the sound of hoofbeats echoed across the Blood Reserve as the Kainai Powwow and Celebration welcomed guests from across North America. With the theme 'Honouring the Past, Inspiring the Future,' this year's event focused on cultural pride, intergenerational connection, and youth empowerment. Organizers say the celebration is more than a gathering, it's a homecoming. Families return from across the continent to reconnect, while the community comes together to showcase Blackfoot traditions. Chief Travis Plaited Hair, who has served on the powwow committee for years, says carrying on the legacy of past organizers is vital to the event's success and meaning. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'As you know, we deal with a lot of social issues, both on and off the reserve,' Plaited Hair said. 'So anything that can help redirect our youth is always a good thing. So we really support any youth activities, and powwow is a big part of it too.' Story continues below advertisement The powwow featured dancers, singers, rodeo competitions, and community support from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous guests. For many, it's a time of reconnection and celebration and a way to pass on teachings to the next generation, while honouring those who led the way.
CBC
19-07-2025
- General
- CBC
I love Canada. But I'm also Blackfoot and see the harm this country has done to my people
This First Person article is the experience of Shaylene Lakey, who lives in Kelowna, B.C. This column is part of a Canada Day series exploring what Canada means to people across this country. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ. I've been simultaneously grateful and confused to call Canada my home for most of my life. I can vividly recall road trips from B.C.'s Okanagan to the Fraser Valley as a little girl, eyes wide in awe and wonder at the Rocky Mountain faces and deep green evergreens. I had this recurring thought each trip, there and back: "How lucky am I that I was born here and now, in this place, beautiful British Columbia, in this country, Canada? Why me?" It made me feel small. Knowing there were worse places to live and worse things to experience, I was comforted and grateful to live here. Trying to understand the seeming arbitrariness of why I was born in Canada and not anywhere else seemed too large a concept to question. Gratitude has naturally been a default. While I tried not to spend much time focusing on the "why me" and learned more about the complexities of colonization as I got older, I realized how little I understood about my place as a Blackfoot woman in the world. That confusion began to overtake the feeling of "lucky me." Although I knew my mother was from the Siksika Nation in southern Alberta, I lived with my dad on Vancouver Island. I didn't grow up on my reserve or even really know other First Nations people. Occasionally, a First Nations advocate would come to my elementary school and pull me out of class to talk to me about Indigenous culture or take me to community events. Unfortunately, all this did was make me even more aware I was different, and I often just wished I could melt into the common collective camouflage where no one would see me. Even those advocates felt far removed from my reality and identity as a Blackfoot girl. The fact is that my identity is complex, wrapped up in colonial history that's still very relevant and is the reason I exist in the space I do. By the time I was a teenager, I was living with foster parents in a non-Indigenous family. It skewed my perception of what was "normal." I wasn't encouraged to explore my Indigenous heritage. Worse, it was downright discouraged and went unacknowledged. I was, unbeknownst to me at the time, one of countless Indigenous children taken from their families and placed in care between 1992 and 2019 — a part of the Millennium Scoop. In high school, Indigenous history was relegated to only a chapter or two in the curriculum. It left me feeling I was robbed of the chance to experience my culture more wholly. It was often easier to pretend that part of me didn't exist because being asked questions about being Blackfoot made me uncomfortable when I didn't have answers. And yet I loved being a proud Canadian. I can still feel the chills when my younger brother and I watched the men's hockey team win the gold medal in 2002 at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City from our living room. Can two things be true? Can I be proud and confused at the same time? What if the worst thing you believe about yourself — that your Indigeneity is not something to be proud of — is reinforced by a country you love? It took me a long time to find peace and reconcile these complicated feelings of belonging and othering. It wasn't one specific moment that shifted my view. Technology is a blessing and a curse. It has shown me that while there is a dark side to the internet where people hate people like me, that also means there's light. I have access to a more complete history, which is a stark reality compared to the version I learned in school. If I have a question, I can Google it or talk to other Indigenous people. Becoming a mom made me more curious to know about my Blackfoot roots so that my daughter would also know where she came from. What may have developed out of survival has become a strong sense of self when I reflect and look forward. I also experienced genuine allyship when I participated in a missing and murdered Indigenous women march in 2016 and stood on the steps of the courthouse in Vernon, B.C., where I lived at the time. What I know, and what I choose to stand in daily, is the fierce belief that Indigenous people in Canada are incredibly resilient and that I am resilient. I feel the way I do, proud and strong, because my people and Indigenous people in Canada have set that path for me. The understanding and compassion from strangers who are seeing our history with new eyes mean more to me than the hundred who don't want to learn. That's why I am proud to be Canadian, to be Indigenous, in this plane of existence.
Hamilton Spectator
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Influence of art across generations, families explored in new Banff exhibit
BANFF NATIONAL PARK – It's the smell of fresh paint that takes artist Hali Heavy Shield back to her childhood. From helping her mom, Faye Heavy Shield, install pieces in galleries to learning a craft by her side, Hali's artistic journey has always been closely tied to her mother's. 'She would have piles of grass working on a sculpture or we'd be baking, or I remember the smell of paint quite often when she'd be working on a project – things like making paper dolls,' said Hali. Now an artist and children's book author, Hali's work is part of the current exhibit 'Elliptical Lineages' at the Banff Centre's Walter Phillips Gallery. Exploring the influence of family members on artistic practices exchanged through generations and speaking into ideas of 'artistic lineage', 'Elliptical Lineages' features artists showcasing their individual work and those who have collaborated as family members. Curated by Jacqueline Bell, the exhibit provides a unique opportunity for artists to show their work alongside one another whether as relatives or friends who consider one another family. 'The initial concept of thinking about artists' practices that were in some way kind of relating to or reflecting on the creative work of a family member, someone that they consider kin is an idea that's been on my mind for years now. [It was] really through conversation with artists that the exhibition kind of developed from there,' said Bell. As one of 18 artists with work on display, Hali reimagines her children's book, Naaahsa is an Artist! through several mediums. The book tells the story of her daughter and her mom and the creative practices they share. 'It's sort of a celebration between the relationship of a grandmother and grandchild and how the grandmother's creative influences can be very powerful and can influence the grandchild,' said Hali. Alongside hard copies of the book, her pieces include three bean bags made with fabric from patterns seen throughout the story, a mural with illustrations from the book and an audio track done by her mom with excerpts read in the Blackfoot language. '[My mom] taught me that life as an artist can become a reality. You can really make art for a living and so this inspired me; inspired the idea for the book,' she said. From the Kainai Nation in southern Alberta, Blackfoot culture is central to Hali's practice, and she often incorporates Blackfoot language, colour palettes and design referencing her cultural background throughout her work – all a part of her artistic lineage. 'Blackfoot language is so important and integral to who I am and the importance, too, of women. I have a lot of influential people in my life, specifically auntie moms and cousins and sisters and my daughter, of course, that all feed into my work,' she said. From animations and interactive pieces to beadwork, quilting and found objects, the artists take diverse approaches in exploring tradition, relationship, community and ancestry through the exhibit. 'It's a really unique and special opportunity for me to be able to share work that really means very much to the artists,' said Bell. Under the name tīná gúyáńí, parent child duo seth cardinal dodginghorse and Glenna Cardinal, display a piece called 'nadisha-hi at'a (I am going home).' Using a silkscreen technique and elk parfleche, their work shows an image of Glenna's grandmother, Winnie Bull, along with two Canadian pennies. The piece reflects on the loss of their families' generational home in Tsuut'ina Nation after the construction of the southwest Calgary ring road. Îethka artist Kirsten Ryder displays regalia used for ceremonial dances in her piece 'Mîsepasin'. The traditional craft of beadwork was passed down to her by her grandmother and mother. Other artists with work on display are Norma and Sarah Houle, Frank and Rita McKeough, Hangama Amiri, Badrin x Blackburn, Letitia Fraser, John de Haan and Jason de Haan, Aaron McIntosh, Anne, Gailan and Wayne Ngan and Jamie Ross. Hali hopes viewers of the exhibit will reflect on the importance of family and relationships in the journey of being an artist, along with the power of art to bring healing. 'We tend to work sometimes individually or in isolation, but that's really not the case,' said Hali. 'It takes a lot of people and especially family is so important in many different areas and I'm hoping that comes about in the artwork.' The exhibit will be on display at the Walter Phillips Gallery until Sept. 7. Visitors are invited to join a guided tour of the show on Aug. 20. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. The position covers Îyârhe (Stoney) Nakoda First Nation and Kananaskis Country. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. 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