Hopes raised. Hopes dashed. That's the story of the Kelowna Accord as of federal budget day May 2.

As tournament chairman, Milt Tootoosis always knew how much hard work was required to run the Lawrence Weenie Cup. Now, finally, he also knows what it feels like to win the Native masters (35 and over) hockey tournament.

This year's three-day tournament, which attracted 10 Saskatchewan-based clubs, concluded on April 2 in North Battleford.

Tootoosis, a goalie, led Team Indigenous to a 5-2 victory over the Northwest Chiefs in the championship final of the sixth annual Lawrence Weenie Cup.

Saskatchewan's own Alika LaFontaine is one of a dozen outstanding youth selected by the National Aboriginal Health Organization to be a National Aboriginal Role Model for 2006.
When he was in Grade 4, LaFontaine was labelled as being developmentally delayed, but soon proved how wrong that diagnosis had been.

It's that time again-Saskatchewan's Workers' Compensation Act will get its regularly scheduled checkup.

A review of the act is conducted every four years by a committee of review to keep the act up to date, fair and responsive for both the employers and employees.

"The review process allows the legislation and the administration to be updated on a continual basis, which means it can more closely reflect changes in the workplace," said Natosha Lipinski, communications consultant for Saskatchewan Labour.

Every year in Saskatchewan, almost 8,000 young workers aged 15 to 24 are injured at work and, on average, five young workers die each year on the job. These accidental injuries and deaths are due to the lack of training by employers and the fact that youth are unaware of their rights and responsibilities in the workplace or they don't know what is hazardous to them.

Witchekan Lake First Nation and the Cartier Equine Centre have partnered to help at-risk youth maintain and build honesty, integrity, pride and dependability through a unique equine-assisted program called Healing Through Horses.

Witchekan Lake First Nation and the Cartier Equine Centre have partnered to help at-risk youth maintain and build honesty, integrity, pride and dependability through a unique equine-assisted program called Healing Through Horses.

Last fall, Melissa Wuttunee left behind her family, friends and home on Red Pheasant First Nation to spend six months on the other side of the world.

Wuttunee was one of nine young Canadians selected to take part in the Young Professionals International initiative, a program co-ordinated by the federal Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade designed to give participants exposure to foreign cultures and international employment experience.

Gabriel Yahyahkeekoot is only 27 but already he is an accomplished filmmaker, poet and artist. The work of the Regina-based artist is influenced by the Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation near Prince Albert where he grew up and which he still calls home.

Yahyahkeekoot is truly a multi-disciplinary artist, learning to excel in all three genres in just a few short years. "I started out in school making a commercial about house insurance and that's led me to a great career as a video-artist and filmmaker," he said. "And I occasionally do a bit of painting and write poetry."

A number of talented Aboriginal storytellers will get a chance to demonstrate their craft in Regina on May 4 when the Library Services for Saskatchewan Aboriginal Peoples (LSSAP) committee hosts Oral Tradition to Written Text, a pre-conference workshop being held as part of the Saskatchewan Library Association's annual conference.