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Time is short to apply to the First Nations Forestry Program. The Canadian Forest Service has issued a call for proposals, with a deadline of May 30, 2002 set.

The program has been renewed for one year ending March 31, 2003. It is designed to help First Nations build capacity to manage forest resources.

Its specific aims are as follows:

? To enhance the capacity of First Nations to sustainably manage their forest lands

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In July, several thousand First Nations Elders will converge on Victoria for the 26th annual Aboriginal Elders' conference.

The theme for the three-day event is Spiritual Unity; it aims "to improve the mental, physical and spiritual health of all First Nations Elders and community members," while passing on their teachings, according to Aboriginal Resource Committee chairman, Frazer Smith.

The resource committee is hosting the event July 9 to 11 at the Central Saanichton Fairgrounds.

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Cree mythology and contemporary street life. Homelessness and intricate song and dance numbers. The long-lasting effects of residential schools and thunderous ovations. These pairings certainly seem odd, but they are all part of The Alley, the newest play from the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company (SNTC). The production, which ran in Saskatoon from April 17 to 27 and is now on tour across Canada, not only incorporates all these elements, but it does so in the same captivating, moving way that all SNTC works have come to be known for.

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On April 17, Aboriginal high school students from Regina and surrounding communities gathered for the second annual Stepping Stones Career Fair at Regina Exhibition Park. Over 80 employers from across the province attended and set up display booths full of information. The career fair provided students with ideas about their prospects for future employment and a feel for the educational requirements they may need to meet their career goals.

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A team from Saskatchewan travelled to Ontario to take part in a historic hockey tournament in April, and managed to bring home a medal for their efforts.

The girls' squad captured the bronze medal at the inaugural National Aboriginal Hockey Championships, held in Akwesasne from April 21 to 27.

Saskatchewan edged Ontario North 5-4 in the bronze-medal contest, while Ontario South blanked Quebec (a team which called itself Eastern Door and The North) 4-0 in the gold-medal match.

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The Saskatchewan Indian Federated College (SIFC) has a lot to celebrate these days about its Environmental Health and Science program. The bachelor of applied science degree program, which has been offered at SIFC for four years, will see its first class of students graduate this semester, and has just received accreditation from the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors.

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A new series scheduled to air on APTN later this year will take a look at how Aboriginal organizations across the country are working to prevent diabetes in their communities.

The Sweetness In Life: A Diabetes Story will air in 13 half-hour segments, with the first broadcast planned for November, to coincide with National Diabetes Month.

Award winning film producer Doug Cuthand is producing the series.

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Wood waste-chips, bark, etc.-was once considered a residue of the sawmill industry, with little value or use. Industry advances over the past decade, however, have transformed the organic scraps into valuable commodities in their own right, useful for generating steam, heat and electricity. Weyerhaeuser's Prince Albert pulp and paper mill has adapted to these changes by converting one of its existing recovery boilers into a wood waste boiler to take advantage of these potential benefits.

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On April 2, Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) Robert Nault, and Minister of Natural Resources Canada (NRC) Herb Dhaliwal jointly announced that the First Nation Forestry Program (FNFP) will be extended for another year. The government of Canada will this year put up $4.5 million to support the initiative, $360,500 of which will go to First Nations forestry projects in Saskatchewan.

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Employers and employees in Saskatchewan now have a new tool to help them in their efforts to prevent workplace injury and illness, thanks to the Worksafe Saskatchewan program.

Worksafe Saskatchewan is coordinated through a partnership between Saskatchewan Labour and the Worker's Compensation Board. The program initially got off the ground early in 2001.