Trailbreakers from CBC Radio

Fred Sasakamoose is the first status First Nations player in the NHL. He broke a trail that many Aboriginal players have since followed. We'll hear his story and the tales of some of the stars that followed. Folks like Brian Trottier and Jordin Tootoo. And these players have made some dreams come true for generations of young players, we'll hear from them.

Lisa Meeches is an award winning Aboriginal film maker. Now she's mentoring a new crop of story tellers and teaching them modern techniques of ancient traditions. But she's also breaking some of her own rules and working with peoples of all cultures, integrating anyone interested into stories of Aboriginals and First Nations culture.

Chef David Wolfman serves traditional foods in unexpected ways. It must be working because Cooking with the Wolfman wrapped its 8th television season, and he’s a culinary arts professor at George Brown College, teaching a new generation of Native chefs. All while infusing his cooking with advice on healthy eating, exploring Aboriginal foods and practicing what he preaches by taking his techniques out into the community. Along the way he’s created a new food trend: Aboriginal Fusion.

Rina Bright grew up on the Sandy Bay First Nation, a community where the doctor showed up once a week, and the dental office was a school hallway. Today she's a teacher at Children of the Earth School in Winnipeg, dedicated to a special program aimed at Aboriginal students who want to become health care workers. In this unique model, Rina stays with her students for four years, as they get the chance to work in clinics and assist in surgeries. Rina believes this program is a powerful way to increase the number of Aboriginal people working in health care in Canada. And it's a program we desperately need, especially when you consider that Aboriginal people make up more than 4% of Canada's population, but less than 0.25% of the physicians.

Corrine Hunt of Komoyue and Tlingit heritage http://www.corrinehunt.ca is an artist making waves, both positive and negative ones. She created the wavy medals for the Vancouver Olympics, earning both kudos and complaints. And she’s on the front lines of meshing traditional cultural art and icons in very non-traditional settings, such as the frames of a commercial line of eye glasses. Moving traditional Art into the mainstream can bring both celebrity and condemnation.

Lisa Meeches is an award winning Aboriginal film maker. Now she's mentoring a new crop of story tellers. But she's also breaking some of her own rules and working with peoples of all cultures.

Fred Sasakamoose is the first First Nations player in the NHL. He broke a trail that many Aboriginal players have since followed. We'll hear his story and the tales of some of the stars that followed. Folks like Bryan Trottier and Jordin Tootoo. And these players have made some dreams come true for generations of young players, we'll hear from them.

Rina Bright grew up on the Sandy Bay First Nation, a community where the doctor showed up once a week, and the dental office was a school hallway. Today she's a teacher at Children of the Earth School in Winnipeg, dedicated to a special program aimed at Aboriginal students who want to become health care workers. In this unique model, Rina stays with her students for four years, as they get the chance to work in clinics and assist in surgeries. Rina believes this program is a powerful way to increase the number of Aboriginal people working in health care in Canada. And it's a program we desperately need, especially when you consider that Aboriginal people make up more than 4% of Canada's population, but less than 0.25% of the physicians.

In Osoyoos, Chief Clarence Louis is shaking things up with a restaurant where you can eat BC Salmon on the patio, while drinking Pinot Noir from the first Aboriginal owned and operated winery in North America. Just one of the innovative new industries there. But, does it serve the needs of the actual rez residents? And, are jobs in restaurants really what Indigenous folks should be striving for?

Part 1: Corrine Hunt of Komoyue and Tlingit heritage http://www.corrinehunt.ca is an artist making waves, both positive and negative ones. She created the wavy medals for the Vancouver Olympics, earning both kudos and complaints. And she’s on the front lines of meshing traditional cultural art and icons in very non-traditional settings, such as the frames of a commercial line of eye glasses. Moving traditional Art into the mainstream can bring both celebrity and condemnation.

If Corrine is making waves, it’s nothing compared to Ron E. Scott and his television series Blackstone. The Rez Drama takes on the big issues facing many reserves: violence, substance abuse and corruption; all things that many Aboriginal folks feel shouldn’t be brought out into the open, never mind made into a TV show. But the Gemini award winning show is hugely popular and back for a 2nd season. How Art is shaking up Indian country!

Cindy Blackstock has been surveilled by Canada's own government. Her crime? Caring for First Nations children. Blackstock is the head of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada and a member of Gitksan First Nation. She filed suit against the government before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal in 2007, charging that First Nations children were discriminated against by inequitable child welfare services on reserves. It's made her unpopular with government, but a crusader amongst First Nations child advocates hoping to close the gap between money for Aboriginal children and non-Aboriginal.

Don Worme is one of the great defenders of the Aboriginal peoples of Saskatchewan. Don is the first lawyer most Native people in Saskatchewan will call if they come in conflict with the law. A modern day warrior of the courtroom; in fact his licence plate reads WARYER. He was the man behind the prosecution of the Starlight Tour cops that were leaving young native men outside the city in tshirts in the middle of winter. But Don’s involvement in the legal system comes from a place of deep pain: as a child he watched the murder of his mother and sisters. A pariah to some, a hero to many, Don takes us into the world of Aboriginal justice.