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There was no gala banquet flush with guest speakers. There were no spotlights pointed up at a stage.

Instead, there was a quiet dinner with a few friends, family and colleagues, and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's representative in Saskatchewan. That is how Ray McKay has received the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal.

Lieutenant-Governor Lynda Haverstock presented the medal to McKay on Sept. 6 in La Ronge in honor of his contributions towards improving the personal, cultural, social and economic well-being of the people of northern Saskatchewan.

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Saskatchewan is well represented on the list of Aboriginal students receiving scholarships from Xerox Canada this year, with three of the eight recipients hailing from our fair province.

Robert Tourand, a Metis student from Lloydminster, Dawn Anaquod, from Muscowpetung First Nation and now living in Regina, and Chico Peepeetch, from Yellowquill First Nation and now living in Saskatoon, will all receive scholarships through the 2002 Xerox Canada Aboriginal Scholarship Program.

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Dr. Ralph Nilson has been appointed as director of the Indigenous Peoples Health Research Centre, one of four research centres across the country funded through the Institute of Aboriginal Peoples Health (IAPH).

Nilson, former dean of the faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies at the University of Regina, takes over from Diana Greyeyes, who was named acting executive director when the centre was formed earlier this year.

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Some of Saskatchewan's best and brightest will be honored later this month, as the annual SaskTel Aboriginal Youth Awards of Excellence are handed out.

The awards, co-sponsored by SaskTel and the Wicihitowin Foundation, are given out each year to outstanding Aboriginal students between the ages of 13 and 19 who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of education, sports, recreation, community service, fine arts, performing arts, culture, outstanding achievement, leadership, and innovation or entrepreneurship.

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It's been a decade since 25 Saskatchewan First Nations joined the federal and provincial governments in signing the Treaty Land Entitlement (TLE) Framework Agreement.

The agreement, signed Sept. 22, 1992, was created to allow both levels of government to provide First Nations with the amount of land they were entitled to under Treaties 4, 6 and 10, but did not receive.

The agreement also sets down the principles to be used in negotiating other land claims in the province.

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On Sept. 9 the Alberta Aboriginal Apprenticeship Project was launched at the Provincial Museum of Alberta. The project hopes to increase employment opportunities for Aboriginal people in the trades.

The federal government is looking at contributing $2.5 million and the Alberta government is contributing $2.8 million in the form of tuitions and grants. Alberta industries and Aboriginal groups will contribute $12 million for wages and sponsorship.

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Getting a post-secondary education is expensive, but help is here for 53 Aboriginal students considering careers in health care.

Since 1996 more than $1.1 million has been awarded by the Aboriginal Health Careers Bursary to 260 students across the province, with a total of $271,500 to be given out this year.

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Swing therapist Darlene Auger recalls a time when many Aboriginal families would have a baby swing as a main feature in their homes. Often located in a corner, the swing would rock to the beat of a mother's lullaby putting children to sleep for their afternoon naps or in the evening.

Today, Auger is not swinging babies to sleep. She's using the swing for adults and children as part of a healing process.

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While the ideal place for a child to grow up is in his or her own home with his or her own parents, sometimes, due to child neglect or abuse, that situation becomes less than ideal. When that happens, the children affected are placed in foster care.