First Nation, Métis and Inuit youth are eager to have their voices heard. Each year the Dominion Institute receives hundreds of short stories and poems submitted from young people (ages 14-18 and 19-29) across the country to the Our Story Canadian Aboriginal Writing Challenge.

Nigel Grenier, for example, a 15-year old resident of North Vancouver, won first prize in the 2008 Our Story Canadian Aboriginal Writing Challenge (14-18 age category). His short story "Unmasked" tells the legend of an ancient mask that reconnects a young scientist with the stories of his ancestors.

Ontario boasts its own young upcoming Aboriginal writers. Oshweken’s Alicia Elliott captured first prize in the 14-18 age category in 2006. Alicia's story "Across the Baricade" explored two characters on the two sides of the Caledonia land dispute. In the last few years, at least four Ontarians places in the top-twenty of the contest.

The Our Story Canadian Aboriginal Writing Challenge was created in 2005 in order to give young writers like Nigel and Alicia a voice and help cultivate the next generation of great Canadian Aboriginal writers.

The Challenge invites young Ontarians of Aboriginal descent (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) to submit creative writing that explores a moment in Aboriginal history. This could be an event of personal, regional or national significance.

These young people have written on a wide variety of topics, from ancient legends to contact with Europeans, residential schools, the "sixties scoop," and even the Oka Crisis. Submissions are judged by a group of esteemed Aboriginal writers, leaders and artists including Tantoo Cardinal, Tomson Highway and Joseph Boyden, winner of the 2008 Giller Prize.

The first place participants in both age categories are awarded a $2,000 cash prize, a trip to Calgary to be honored in front of a group of Aboriginal leaders, and their stories published in The Beaver: Canada's History Magazine. In addition, all those who place in the top ten in both age categories receive cash prizes.

This year's contest deadline is March 31, 2009. Interested participants can visit www.our-story.ca for the full contest details.

The Dominion Institute was founded in 1997 and has focused its efforts on conducting original research into Canadians' knowledge of the country's past and building innovative programs - such as The Aboriginal Writing Challenge - that broaden appreciation of the richness and complexity of the Canadian story. Visit www.dominion.ca for more information.

- 30 -

Eliana Busheikin is the Coordinator for the Canadian Aboriginal Writing Challenge. She can be reached at eliana@dominion.ca or 1-866-701-1867.