The Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company (SNTC) has big plans for the future and has launched a fundraising campaign designed to turn those plans into a reality.

On May 23, the SNTC announced the start of the campaign, entitled Oski-Pimacihowin-A New Life, Setting the stage in the lives of youth, performing artists and communities. Through the campaign, the Saskatoon-based company hopes to raise $5.3 million by the end of 2007.

Fifteen independent Aboriginal acts from across the country will be featured on the latest Dig Your Roots CD compilation. Representing Saskatchewan on the disc will be Muskoday First Nation's own Eekwol, a.k.a. Lindsay Knight.

The young singer/songwriter's debut album Apprentice to the Mystery has brought her much attention, not to mention the award for best hip hop or rap album at the 2005 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards.

All across Canada, people have sat and watched or read the news coverage of the protest by the people of Six Nations in Caledonia, Ont. who since late February have been occupying a construction site they claim is on Six Nations land.

A group of concerned citizens in the Battlefords area decided they wanted to do more than just sit by and watch, so on May 21 they mobilized a blockade in solidarity with Six Nations and all First Nations who have unsettled land claims issues.

The city of Regina has 20 new entries on its master list of names to be used for streets and subdivisions. Included among them are the names of a number of prominent historic Aboriginal people.

The civic naming committee submitted its annual report for 2005 to city council on May 24, which included a list of the names aded to the master list during the year.

The Saskatchewan and Canadian governments are sinking just over half-a-million dollars into six projects designed to provide training and economic development opportunities in northern Saskatchewan.

That amount will be topped up by funding from clients and other partners, putting the total allocated to the projects at about $1.2 million.

Donald John Bird, a member of the Montreal Lake Cree Nation, has been appointed a judge of the Provincial Court in Meadow Lake.

"Judge Bird's experience in the fields of corrections, policing and community-based justice initiatives, coupled with his experience in the practice of law, will serve him well in his new role as a Provincial Court judge, provincial Justice Minister Frank Quennell said in announcing the appointment on May 10.

Donald John Bird, a member of the Montreal Lake Cree Nation, has been appointed a judge of the Provincial Court in Meadow Lake.

"Judge Bird's experience in the fields of corrections, policing and community-based justice initiatives, coupled with his experience in the practice of law, will serve him well in his new role as a Provincial Court judge, provincial Justice Minister Frank Quennell said in announcing the appointment on May 10.

The National Association of Friendship Centres will be on the receiving end of $77 million in federal funding, the federal government announced May 18.

The money, to be spread out over four years, will allow the association to continue to manage and deliver programming for friendship centres and urban multipurpose Aboriginal youth centres, and to continue The National Association of Friendship Centres will be on the receiving end of $77 million in federal funding, the federal government announced May 18.

Maurice Vellacott has resigned as chair of the Commons Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, just 10 days after he took on the role.

The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) has given $100,000 to the University of Regina Faculty Association to be used to help protect academic freedom at the First Nations University of Canada (FNUC).

Allegations that academic freedom was being compromised at FNUC arose in early 2005 after a number of senior administrators were fired and others resigned in protest, citing political interference in the running of the university.