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Saskatchewan has some of the toughest laws in the country when it comes to drinking and driving, and they're about to get tougher yet, thanks to some proposed amendments to the province's Traffic Safety Act.

Under the amendments, any driver who fails a standard field sobriety test, or SFST, due to alcohol or drug impairment will receive an immediate 24-hour licence suspension, as will drivers who refuse to take the test. Under current legislation drivers can refuse to take an SFST without consequence.

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The 13th annual Saskatchewan Book Awards gala was held in Regina on Nov. 25, recognizing some of the best that the province's literary community has to offer.

Among those taking home awards were Sandra Birdsell, who won the Fiction Award for her historical novel Children of the Day, and the Allen Sapp Gallery, which earned the First Peoples Publishing Award for Through the Eyes of the Cree and Beyond-The Art of Allen Sapp: The Story of a People.

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From dozens of boxes filled with hundreds of thoughts and revelations recorded on scraps of paper, napkins and envelopes, John McDonald, a young Mistawasis Cree writer, has formed his first book of poetry, The Glass Lodge.

"I've always been a person who goes around with a pen and paper and I write down whatever my thoughts were throughout the day so if I was mad I would be swearing all over this piece of paper," said McDonald.

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Metis people across Saskatchewan came together on Nov. 16 to mark the 120th anniversary of the hanging of Louis Riel. In Saskatoon, the Western Region Metis Women's Association and the Central Urban Metis Federation Inc., in partnership with the Gabriel Dumont Institute, Saskatchewan Centennial 2005, the City of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Lotteries and the Metis community, held Louis Riel Day celebrations at the Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans Hall.

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The provincial government has announced plans to build an improved road system in the north.

Roads to Prosperity-Saskatchewan's Northern Economic Infrastructure Strategy will see $65.5 million invested in improvements to the transportation infrastructure of northern Saskatchewan.

Part of the strategy is a promise to develop all-weather roads in the Athabasca basin.

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The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) Office of Urban Development and the File Hills Qu'Appelle Tribal Council are joining forces to host a conference dealing with issues affecting urban First Nation members and communities.

Choices and Opportunities for Change-A Conference on Urban First Nation Issues and Development will take place Jan. 30 and 31, 2006 at the Queensbury Centre in Regina Exhibition Park.

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The task force struck to look into problems at the First Nations University of Canada has released its final report, calling for a streamlined board of governors, greater accountability, improved communications, more involvement from Elders and more supports for students. The report was released on Nov. 29 during a special session of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) legislative assembly held in Saskatoon.

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A compensation package for the survivors of residential schools announced in Ottawa Nov. 23 is receiving mixed early reviews in the Native community, with many former students, upon hearing details of the agreement, expressing a wide range of emotions, including frustration, anger and sadness.

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The Saskatchewan government has announced funding for a task force to help solve missing persons cases in the province.

The funding-just under $2 million over the next three years-was announced by provincial Justice Minister Frank Quennell on Nov. 21.

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A local Metis entrepreneur was honored by NorQuest College on Nov. 9. The college changed the name of its auditorium to the Dr. Herb Belcourt Auditorium.

"When the college first called me, I was ecstatic," Belcourt said. "It was beyond my wildest dreams that I would have an auditorium named after me."

Belcourt is one of the college's biggest supporters. He has personally donated more than $100,000 to the institution to help fund programs and provide student endowments.