Saskatchewan Briefs - July

The University of Regina is bestowing the highest honour the university offers to architect Douglas Cardinal who designed the First Nations University of Canada. He received an honourary degree at the University of Regina’s 37th annual spring convocation on June 8-10, along with two others honoured in a similar manner: Regina business leader and philanthropist Paul Hill and Alanna Mitchell, one of the world’s foremost environmental journalists. Cardinal is a forerunner of all philosophies of sustainability, green buildings and ecologically designed community planning. His architecture springs from his observation of nature and his understanding how, in the natural world, everything works seamlessly together.

Yellow Quill First Nation finalizes new reserve lands

Yellow Quill First Nation has transferred to reserve its shortfall acreage increasing the First Nation’s land base by more than 16,700 acres. Outstanding Treaty land obligations were a result of families being excluded in band population estimates when the first survey with each treaty was initially signed, which in Yellow Quill’s case was 1881. Under the 1992 Saskatchewan Treaty Land Entitlement Framework Agreement, the Yellow Quill First Nation received $29.5 million to purchase and convert to reserve a minimum of 11,801.6 acres. The First Nation is entitled to purchase available land up to its maximum entitlement of 117,274 acres or invest in other economic development opportunities. “We will be making strategic investments that will benefit all of our members. Reaching this milestone opens the door to significant opportunities that promote long-term economic development and create jobs for our members,” said Chief Larry Cachene in a federal government news release.

Former FNUC vice-president pleads guilty

Wesley Robert Stevenson, 60, a former vice-president of finance and administration at First Nations University of Canada, pleaded guilty on June 9 in the Court of Queen’s Bench in Regina, two years after being fired over allegations of impropriety. He confessed to taking $15,000 that was supposed to fund an FNUC-sponsored trip to the Orkney Islands in Scotland and spending it on himself, calling them “coordinator fees,” according to Macleans. The university almost lost its funding in 2010 because of Stevenson’s actions. He was sentenced to 75 hours of community service and a 12-month non-jail term.

U of S opens office on English River First Nation

The University of Saskatchewan has opened the Office of Aboriginal Initiatives at the English River First Nation urban reserve. The U of S was looking for further opportunities to engage with First Nation and Métis communities and to strengthen the university’s ability to deliver on its Aboriginal engagement. “When office space became available at the English River First Nation, we saw the potential for further partnerships. That it is situated on First Nation land signifies to the Aboriginal people that we are sincere in establishing long term relationships,” said Joan Greyeyes, special advisor to the president on Aboriginal issues, in the university’s Campus News. The office will seek to advance Aboriginal initiatives of the university as a centre for prospective students, researchers, employees and other members of First Nation and Métis communities to learn about the university and its programming. Increased participation of First Nation and Métis people in the University of Saskatchewan as faculty, staff and students continues to be a high priority for the Office of Aboriginal Initiatives.

Money earned through beaver bounties

First Nations and members of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities had until June 10 to register for a one-year pilot project funded with $500,000 from the Ministry of Agriculture. The program is designed to help reduce the number of problem beavers. Each organization will contract licensed trappers to trap the beavers. SARM will pay the trapper $15 for an adult beaver tail and the RM or First Nation will pay a matching sum or more. A SARM document said beavers have become a problem: “Beavers and the structures that they create can cause many issues in rural areas, as they can lead to the flooding of property and roads that can be a public safety concern. Beaver dams can also cause the flooding of croplands, which can have a negative financial impact on property owners. Beavers can also block culverts causing the obstruction of waterways; in some areas this will be of greater concern this year, with higher than normal water levels expected across the province. The beavers involved in this sort of damage are defined as problem beavers.” The beaver population is up 35 per cent from last year.

Over $1 million in lottery grant dollars awarded

The Rush Lake Métis Society, Native American Church of Canada, and Red Dog Community Drum Group were among volunteer groups and nonprofit organizations to receive charitable grants from the province totaling $1.6 million. The money comes from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority in the final quarter of 2010, October through to December. In total, the province gave out more than 800 grants.

Children living, eating healthy focus of roundtable discussion

First Nations and Métis organizations participated in a recent dialogue on healthy weights which was the focus of a two-day roundtable jointly hosted by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada in Saskatoon. The roundtable was organized as a part of Our Health Our Future: A National Dialogue on Healthy Weights and focused on children and youth. This provincial dialogue was also one step in the development of a Saskatchewan Healthy Weights Framework. Areas of discussion included encouraging supportive social and physical environments, identifying areas where early action can be taken to address obesity risks in children, increasing access to nutritious foods as well as identifying priorities, gaps and opportunities for action. Also participating in the roundtable sessions were health organizations, government ministries, industry representatives, community-based organizations, the academic community, and representatives from local governments.

UAS looking for new members

The Saskatoon Urban Aboriginal Strategy Steering Committee has been looking for new members. The steering committee is an opportunity for Aboriginal residents of Saskatoon to have input into a number of issues, policies and programs that impact the city. Members also review and recommend projects to be funded; work with Aboriginal, provincial, municipal and federal governments; and work with community-based organizations. UAS is guided by the vision statement of: through respectful collaboration and building upon Aboriginal history, language and culture we will create measurable and sustained improvement in the quality of life for the urban Aboriginal community of Saskatoon.

Sacred Water Gala promotes strength in voice, culture

Running for Sacred Water Gala was held in June in Saskatoon. The gala was hosted by the Saskatchewan Peace and Dignity Journeys. The purpose of the gala event was to strengthen the voice and cultural identity of the Indigenous Peoples through the continued effort of building opportunities for sharing cultures, ceremonies and prayers.† The message of the Running for Sacred Water Gala ensured that all peoples can celebrate their identities, can take pride in their ancestry and have a sense of belonging. The intercultural experience encourages racial and ethnic harmony and cross-cultural understanding. The 2012 Peace and Dignity Journeys will be the 6th spiritual run across the Western Hemisphere. The run begins simultaneously in the North at Chickaloon, Alaska, and in the South at Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, on May 1, 2012. Both groups will meet at the Kuna Nation near Panama City, Panama, on Nov. 17, 2012 (tentative date). The 2012 Peace and Dignity Journey is dedicated to honouring Sacred Water, previous years were dedicated to Sacred Sites, Women an Mother Earth, Elders, Children and future generations.

Compiled by Shari Narine