REGISTER NOW!   (Sign up sheets at Ab.House and ASA Lounge Rm.113 Helen Glass)

ACCESS/UMASA ANNUAL FAMILY HOLIDAY PARTY is scheduled for Sunday December 12/10, at University of Manitoba-University Centre Building-Marshall McLuhan Hall.

TIME: 3pm-8pm

(Crafts: 3-4:30pm, supper: 4:30pm, Santa visit: 6pm, Magician 7pm)

MEAL: Meatballs, Mashed potatoes and gravy, two salads, pizza, dessert

Don’t miss out-you need to pre-register to attend-deadline to register is Friday December 3/10!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 

www.umsu.ca

Sincerely,Jacqueline

Due to the success of recent fundraising activities planning is underway to develop and announce the availability of student bursaries as soon as possible.  Stay tuned for details.

A Council meeting was held to review last month’s business and also plan for future events including the Christmas Holiday Family Feast-with details TBC.

UMASA’s  Halloween Social-October 29/10

Thanks to everyone who came out and help pack-in  Level 2 for a Ghoulish good time!  It was hard to pick from all the great costumes for our contest but in the end an elaborate Gargoyle was among the favourites!  We hope that everyone who attended enjoyed the performances from Winnipeg’s Most and Skelpa Squad who rocked the place and helped give away some awesome schwag to waiting fans.

October 6/10-UMASA Council Meeting

Council welcomed new members-Faculty of Law student Myra Tait and well known ASA member Vale Flett as Mature Students and First Year Students Representatives.  Planning is underway for the Halloween Social October 29/10 as well as lunches and family events to continue to bring students together in a positive way while they pursue their important academic work.

October 20/10-UMASA FREE LUNCH

-Free lunch/Open House-UMASA Lounge Rm. 113 Helen Glass 12-1p.m.  More than 50 people attended the gathering which included a draw giveaway for a Traditional Teachings book available at Aboriginal House.  C’s famous chili (meat and veggie options) was served along with salad, bannock, drinks and a sweet treat.

-Please note that Council meetings are currently held in Room 113 Helen Glass-everyone is welcome!  NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING TBC

October 29/10-Halloween Social

“Get your Freak On” at UMASA’S HALLOWEEN SOCIAL @ Level 2 Nightclub. Social starts at 9 P.M. Make sure to dress up…and be freaky!!! Costume prizes etc.  Tickets are $10 and can be found at ASC front desk(Ab’House), U of M Answers, U of W Info Booth, and from Council members.  This is a fundraiser for a UMASA Bursary to be available to students.

Family Halloween Event-Sunday October 31/10

Bring the kiddies dressed-up and come hang out 12-2 at Aboriginal House for some pizza and a movie.  Enjoy a costume parade and come and go crafts to help start your trick and treating fun.  See you there!

Council came together for their first meeting in September in Rm. 113 Helen Glass, Chaired by Co-President Shelley Halchuk to start planning and budgeting for the year’s activities and events.  Discussion ranged from new Council member position confirmations to ASA Lounge operation and maintenance for the benefit of all U of M students.  Welcome to new and returning students to the bi-weekly, Wednesday meetings starting at 6p.m. !

September 14/10-Orientation Week Aboriginal Showcase

Led by Carl Stone, with elder Garry Robson addressing students, Ian Hotomani and the Buffalo Red Thunder Singers and Dancers, former UMASA Council member and fiddler Matt Contois, Inuit Throat Singer Nikki K. and Country music performer Jerry Sereda (sponsored by the Manito Ahbee Festival www.manitoahbee.com), presented in front of hundreds of students passing through University Centre’s Fireside Lounge between 11:30-2:30 p.m.  With the bannock, macaroni soup and rice pudding still steaming, volunteers and UMASA Council quickly served lunch to elders, dancers and lined-up students in the spirit of sharing and celebration.

Thank you to all that attended!

September 20-24 Membership Drive in ASA Lounge and University Centre

Over a hundred membership forms were distributed and filled out in the ASA Lounge-Rm. 113 Helen Glass as well as at the ASA Membership Drive table in University Centre.  Thank you to Clayton, Sheena and David for taking time out of a busy week of settling into University classes to help spread the word about ASA activities.  A revised one-page Membership Form printed on red paper for easy recognition will be available throughout the year as students continue to visit the ‘come and go’ Lounge maintained by a dedicated volunteer student Council.

September 22/10-Post-Secondary Funding Rally at the MB Legislature/UMASA Council Meeting

Council held their second meeting-Chaired by Co-President Clayton Thomas who also lead the organization of UMASA’s awareness rally earlier in the afternoon in protest of potential cuts to Post-Secondary Funding for Aboriginal students.

September 30/10-UMASA Membership Drive and BBQ

A beautiful sunny fall day on the University Centre’s outdoor patio provided the perfect backdrop to promote UMASA membership and activities to all U of M students.  Virtually no food was left after cooking and serving for approximately 125 people between 12-1p.m.  Thank you to Aboriginal House staff for offering the use of their BBQ’s, friends and volunteers for helping clean-up.

I would like to welcome you all back to an exciting new school year.

We finally found our password to the website, so expect to see regular updates. Also, we are developing a new website, umasa.ca. More on this later.

Take care, and have a safe and great Thanksgiving weekend.

David Krouse
Male Co-Vice-President-Website Guru extraordinaire
University of Manitoba Aboriginal Students Association 2010 – 2011

Former Ontario premier Mike Harris has a “black market history” and is not worthy of an honorary degree from Nipissing University, the Union of Ontario Indians says.

Mr. Harris, along with six others, is to receive an honorary doctorate on June 11 from Nipissing University in North Bay. National Chief Shawn Atleo, an honoree scheduled to give a convocation speech in support of postsecondary education for native students, said on Friday that he would decline his honorary degree if Mr. Harris was honoured as well. Yesterday, Mr. Atleo agreed to deliver his speech at least one day before Mr. Harris and as long as he is not in the company of the former Conservative premier.

The Union of Ontario Indians denounced Mr. Harris’s treatment of natives in Ontario, pointing to the death of protester Dudley George, the removal of land-tax provisions and cutbacks to social programs.

“I can think of some appropriate letters Mike Harris should have in front of his name, not after it,” Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee said in a statement released on Friday. “You don’t reward a person who was directly responsible for so much economic hardship and divisiveness in this province.” The native community criticized Mr. Harris’s involvement in the 1995 death of Mr. George, a native land claims protester, shot by Ontario Provincial Police during the occupation of Ipperwash Provincial Park.

“He’ll go down in history, as far as we’re concerned, as someone who, under the circumstances, led to the death of Dudley George,” Chief Madahbee said yesterday. “The national chief doesn’t want to be viewed as being in the company of that type of individual.”

Aninquiryintothedeathof Mr. George concluded in 2007 that the OPP, the Harris government and the federal government all bore responsibility for the events that led to his death. In addition to the honorary degree, Chief Madahbee said Mr. Harris is not worthy of another honour: naming the university’s new $25-million library after the former premier, who grew up in North Bay.

Nipissing First Nation Chief Marianne Couchie threatened to pull financial support from the new library if it is named after Mr. Harris.

“The leaders and I are quite disappointed,” Chief Madahbee continued. “We think it’s more appropriate to name a shooting range after him rather than a library. He hasn’t contributed anything to this province.” A Facebook group called “Nipissing Students (and Friends) Against the Mike Harris Library” has garnered support from more than 3,000 people, nearly half the population of Nipissing University.

Nipissing University president Lesley Lovett-Doust said the university sticks by its selected honorees.

Mr. Harris could not be reached for comment.

Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=3067349#ixzz0oyNeIsXE

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