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Two Mistassiniy Teachers Learn New Tools
Teach Business Skills to Aboriginal Students

December 5, 2011

Teachers Learn New Tools to Keep First Nations Students in School

Eleven teachers from across the country are going back to class, not to teach but to learn the necessary skills to give Aboriginal students more business training so they can help their local economies. These gifted educators are part of a new program headed by former Prime Minister Paul Martin. The idea is to keep kids in school by expanding the boundaries of the traditional classroom.

Over the next few days, teachers from Manitoba, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick will undergo intensive training at the Asper School of Business. The curriculum they'll adapt in their classrooms is based on the Ontario Senior Business Studies program and is supplemented by material developed at the University of Manitoba. The Asper School of Business is the official North American educational institution certified to teach educators about the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative (MAEI).

MAEI's Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship Program focuses on Aboriginal content, including case studies, teaching strategies and examples of successful Canadian Aboriginal business leaders. Peggy Williams, lead educator of MAEI at the Asper School of Business stated, "Our innovative hands-on teaching materials are training educators on proven techniques to improve students' proficiency in Business Mathematics, English, Accounting, Marketing and Communication Technology, while supporting the acquisition of leadership skills."

According to the 2006 Canada census, there were more than one million Aboriginal people in Canada. When compared to non-Aboriginal Canadians, Aboriginal Canadians have a lower education level as well as lower standard of living. The high school drop-out rate is 60% for Aboriginal students' on-reserve and 43% for Aboriginal students' off-reserve who have dropped out of high school. That compares to 9.5% of non-Aboriginal Canadians.

The teachers currently undergoing MAEI training at the Asper School of Business include:

Patti Burt - Fort Nelson Secondary School - Fort Nelson, British Columbia
Randy Chernipeski - Mistassiniy School - Wabasca, Alberta
Stacy Hudson - Bonar Law Memorial School - Rexton, New Brunswick
Mike Hull - Father Patrick Mecredi High School - Fort McMurray, Alberta
Deborah Kitching - Father Patrick Mecredi High School - Fort McMurray, Alberta
Randy Koshel - Oscar Lathlin School - The Pas, Manitoba
Natasha MacArthur-Poole - Father Patrick Mecredi High School - For McMurray, Alberta
Christopher Ruge - Fort Nelson Secondary School - Fort Nelson, British Columbia
Benjamin Stevens - Mistassiniy School - Wabasca, Alberta
Melissa Yurkowski - Fort Nelson Secondary School - Fort Nelson, British Columbia

About the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative (MAEI):

The Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative (MAEI) was established in 2008 in order to initiate a variety of educational projects designed to provide Aboriginal Canadians with the opportunity they need to succeed. MAEI brings together Aboriginal organizations, the business community, post-secondary institutions, First Nation schools and provincially-funded school boards to implement programs to support Aboriginal students.

About the Asper School of Business:

At the Asper School of Business, we believe that the principles of business success are the same as the principles for successful living.

Know your objective.
Follow your passion.
Listen more. Talk less.
Be committed. Stay connected.

To this end, our mission is to provide undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to develop skills and acquire knowledge that will enable them to contribute meaningfully as leaders in organizations big and small, local and international, corporate and community based.

At our School, teaching and research share the stage. Our faculty members are committed to contributing to the creation of new knowledge while guiding students to find their learning passion and helping them map their path to individual success after graduation.

We nurture strong ties with local business leaders to ensure our programs and projects are relevant and meaningful - to our students and to the larger community. As the world becomes increasingly connected through technology and trade, our course offerings evolve to address the changing needs of business, organizations and people.

Submit your news, events & ads to ian@wabasca.com also follow me on Twitter @IanHopfe or search for the Wabasca.com Group on Facebook.

Gerald Auger is Pawnee Killer in
Hell on Wheels Premiering November 6th

November 6, 2011

For immediate release: Vancouver, October, 2011 - Gerald Auger of Wabasca is one of the busiest First Nations actors on the continent, with an impressive list of screen, television and theatre appearances to his credit. He's also a recognized National Native Role Model, entrepreneur, director, producer, writer and motivational speaker with thousands of followers worldwide. He is now embarking on another exciting new project: Gerald is proud to announce his role as Pawnee Killer in Endemol USA's and AMC's highly anticipated brand new historical drama "Hell On Wheels", now confirmed for a November 6th, 2011 premiere on AMC. The premiere for "Hell on Wheels" will be held at the Regal L.A. Live Theatres on Thursday, October 27th, 2011 in Los Angeles.

The Western style series directed by David Von Ancken ("Vampire Diaries", "Californication") was filmed in Calgary, Alberta. The series is set in the 1860's, and centers on former confederate soldier Cullen Bohannan (Anson Mount), whose search for the Union soldiers who killed his wife leads him to the Union Pacific Railroad's westward construction of the first Transcontinental Railroad. Themes of vengeance and subjugation abound in this original series, which has just been green-lit to a full series.

Gerald plays the character of Pawnee Killer, the Indian resistance for "Hell on Wheels". One of the 7 series regular leads, Pawnee Killer is ruthless and very unforgiving to the encroaching white man, while trying to find acceptance from his father, Many Horses (Wes Studi).

Some of Gerald's recent high-profile television appearances include portraying Soaring Eagle, a supporting lead role, in the Steven Spielberg-produced TNT miniseries "Into the West". Crow Hunter on ABC's primetime miniseries "Dreamkeeper", a pivotal cameo on the primetime series "Blackstone", and he starred as Chief Ambrose McQuinna in CTV produced "Luna: Spirit of the Whale", which featured Jason Priestley and an all-star First Nations cast that included Tantoo Cardinal, Adam Beach and Graham Greene.

After being discovered in 1995 at the Canada Winter Games Opening Ceremonies, he was cast and became a part of cinematic history when he joined the cast of the Italian-shot "My West" (later dubbed "Gunslinger's Revenge"), staring David Bowie and Harvey Keitel. It was the first spaghetti western to use First Nations actors in aboriginal roles. He also appeared in "Lewis and Clark: The Journey West", a release that also became a milestone as one of the first historical Westerns to be screened on IMAX. In 2010, Gerald was also featured in the cult classic feature film "FUBAR 2".

Up next for Gerald is a role, yet to be released, as a guide and interpreter in the "Western Confidential" (starring FUBAR's Paul Spence), as well as in "The Plateau", a coming of age outing in which Gerald plays a native cop searching for his missing best friend that premiered at the Dreamspeakers International Film Festival. He also has a principal part in the soon-to-be-filmed "Scattered Leaves: Legend of the Ghostkiller". Gerald is also writing and producing a drama entitled "The Ancients" for APTN and is up for a number of major roles in U.S. productions as well! Projects in which Gerald has appeared in have won two Emmy Awards in the U.S. and five Gemini Awards in Canada, with several nominations for Golden Globes, Emmys, Screen Actors Guild, Gemini, AMPIA and other awards internationally.

As a filmmaker, Gerald scored critical acclaim for two National Film Board of Canada documentaries: "Honour Thy Father", won Best Film Representing Cultural Diversity AMPIA Awards, which chronicled Gerald's conflict with the Anglican Church in granting a traditional funeral for his father, and "Walking Alone", nominated for Best Director, Best Film, Best Film Representing Cultural Diversity AMPIA Awards, a biopic on rapper Shawn Bernard.

Gerald is the owner and CEO of Black Eagle Entertainment, a business designed to advance First Nations status in mainstream society and debunk cultural stereotypes of his people. Through Black Eagle Entertainment, Auger plans to produce feature films, television series and documentaries.

It wasn't long ago that a kid emerged from a family of 15 in northern Alberta with little to his name except a relentless drive to become a major player in the entertainment world. Armed with a set of spiritual values and beliefs passed onto him by his native culture, Gerald Auger was determined to prove that if the sky is the limit, there's no doubt about the heights he could achieve and to this day, he still lives by this motto. As a youth, Gerald witnessed poverty, violence and tragedy while living on the streets in various cities in Canada, before deciding to turn his life around. Eventually, Gerald received a diploma in Marketing/Management and a certificate for Small Business Management from Grande Prairie Regional College and received the Charles S. Nobleship Award for Student Leadership from the Department of Advanced Education and the Province of Alberta. He took acting lessons at Edmonton's Great West Canadian Talent Company, but is mostly self-taught in terms of acting by people watching and studying other actor's methods on various movie sets and watching programs such as The Actors Studio, and participating in Casting Workshops as well.

In 1996 and 1997, Gerald was awarded the National Native Role Model recognition by the Governor General of Canada, which, for two subsequent years, resulted in sharing his experiences with citizens of more than 30 Canadian communities. As a public speaker and self-realization motivator, Gerald has a following that numbers into the thousands worldwide who faithfully read his daily words of wisdom on an expansive web presence he has created.

When the actor isn't in front of the camera or studying and practicing Native spirituality through ancient ceremonies and prayer or volunteering as a speaker to troubled youth oriented charities and Young Offender programs, you can find Gerald outdoors. The multi-talent loves outdoor activities from canoeing to rollerblading to horse-back riding and is in the process of building his own rustic log home manually from scratch!

With all these accomplishments, Gerald has managed to stay grounded and true to his roots. Keeping in mind the corruptible temptations inherent in the entertainment industry, Gerald remains conscious of the importance of adhering to his culture and spirituality. To that end, he opts for opportunities that maintain a positive image of First Nations people and relaying those principles to younger people and those who have followed his career. Gerald lives in Northern Alberta with residences in various Canada and American cities for professional purposes.

Gerald remains inspirational to others and true to himself no matter what heights he achieves. One can often hear Gerald say the words, "Live life to the fullest when you can, because there is no guarantee there will be a tomorrow. Say each day, "I lived today."'

Already an internationally recognized talent, abundant with spirituality, you are sure to see a lot more of Gerald Auger to come. "Gerald Auger is living proof that if the spirit is willing, the sky is the limit".

Gerald Auger Official site: GeraldAuger.com
Hell on Wheels site

Submit your news, events & ads to ian@wabasca.com also follow me on Twitter @IanHopfe or search for the Wabasca.com Group on Facebook.

NOTICE OF ACTION

TO: GERARD CHRISTIE OF WABASCA, ALBERTA

 
      TAKE NOTICE THAT VIOLETTA TURSKA & OLIVIA TURSKA issued a
Statement of Claim (numbered 1103-02704) in the Court of Queen's
Bench of Alberta in the Law Courts of Edmonton, Alberta, on
February 16, 2011 in which you, GERARD CHRISTIE, are a named
Defendant.  The Plaintiffs allege that you were the operator of
a motor vehicle which was at fault for a motor vehicle accident
which occurred on or about February 25, 2009.  This motor vehicle
accident occurred on or around northbound 149th Street NW in
Edmonton, Alberta.  As a result of this motor vehicle accident,
the Plaintiffs are claiming judgment against you. 
 
      The Plaintiff's solicitor is Lee Bertram Roe of Martin G.
Schulz & Associates in Edmonton, Alberta.  A copy of the Statement
of Claim against you can be obtained from Mr. Roe by contacting
Martin G. Schulz & Associates at:
 
      SCOTIA PLACE TOWER III
      SUITE 221 - 10072 JASPER AVENUE
      EDMONTON, AB T5J 1V8
      TELEPHONE: (780) 490-1100
      FAX: (780) 490-1121
 
      You have 30 DAYS from the date of the publication of this ad
in which to file a Statement of Defence or Demand for Notice with
the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta.  If you
fail to do so, the Plaintiffs may proceed to note you in default,
and you will not be entitled to notice of any further proceedings.
The Plaintiffs may then seek relief in your absence.
 
      The Plaintiffs have obtained an Order from the Court of
Queen's Bench in Edmonton, Alberta, allowing them to serve you by
way of posting this Notice of Action online.

This has been a paid ad and does not express the views of the owner of this website. Get your private notice listed on Wabasca.com for $100 for more info e-mail ian@wabasca.com.