[3] In 1983, at the age of 50 years, the Toronto native of English and Ojibwa heritage[4] was described as a "reformed drunk" who had been in and out of trouble with the law and with women for much of his life.
[5] It was around 1980 that Peacock, then a typesetter at the North Hill News Ltd., a web offset printer in Calgary, contemplated publishing an independent Native newspaper.
[9] The paper aimed to serve "the Native and Métis Population" of Calgary and environs,[10] and appeared three years after the founding of Tim Giago's pioneering independent American Native newspaper, Lakota Times of Pine Ridge, South Dakota.
Writing in the first issue on "Indian Solidarity," Peacock explained: "Except for a few, all of North America's Native papers are funded by tribal, state or federal governments, and this in turn has a detrimental effect on news content.
It proposed to "treat every point of view on its merits... Its sole goal will be to improve the lot of our people, and at the same time to remain loyal to our Elders, our culture, and our heritage.