Page 1

The Tsawwassen First Nation signed an agreement-in-principle with federal and provincial government representatives on March 15, opening the door for it to become a signatory to the first urban treaty in the Lower Mainland.

"It's one step toward a final agreement, which will be a treaty for my community, and it outlines the main elements of land, cash, governance and resources, and is still flexible to allow for negotiations to continue by final agreement.

"So, it's an important step, but it's a step still the same," said Tsawwassen Chief Kim Baird.

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Rinks in Prince Albert, Saint Louis and Birch Hills hosted some fantastic hockey from March 24 to 28, during the fourth annual Red Earth Owen Head and Orville Nawakayas Memorial Aboriginal Minor Hockey Tournament.

Forty teams from across Saskatchewan joined six teams from Manitoba in the annual contest, which saw a number of closely matched contests on the ice.

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For the first time ever, Lou Gardiner watched the final game of the Lawrence Weenie Cup Native old-timers' hockey tournament from the stands.

Gardiner, who had won the tournament in each of its first three years, had his hopes for a fourth LWC title dashed when his Ile-a-la-Crosse team was upset in the B-side quarterfinals by the Regina Urban Tribe. Regina in turn fell to the Onion Lake Border Chiefs 6-2 in the tournament final, which took place March 28 in North Battleford.

For the Chiefs, victory was sweet.

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Don Burnstick may be a funny guy, but his Redskins are no joke.

The popular entertainer's Redskins hockey team captured the Native Stanley Cup on their very first try, blanking the Beardy's Blackhawks 2-0 in the final game of the Battlefords Indian-Metis Friendship Centre All-Native Hockey Tournament.

The 40th annual tournament took place March 26 to 28 at the Civic Centre in North Battleford, with the final played before a crowd of 1,700-plus fans.

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Kids in Isle-a-la-Crosse are getting a chance to step into the world of filmmaking this month when Big Soul Productions brings its popular and successful repREZentin' workshop to the community April 9 to 19.

Participants will learn all the tricks of the trade, including writing, directing and production. Thirty-four youth between the ages of 14 and 30 will take part in the project, organized by Big Soul's Clean is Cool Community Services division.

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It's been a long wait, but this summer the patience of Breach of Trust fans will be rewarded when the band launches it's latest CD.

The four-member band got it's start in La Ronge in 1994, and although none of the members are originally from the community, lead singer Marty Ballentyne said he will always consider La Ronge to be the band's home base.

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It's not just a clash of culture, but also a clash of ideas.

That's the message Catherine Bell delivered in a speech on protection and repatriation of First Nation cultural property, given to about 100 people at Luther College's Rex Schneider Auditorium on March 18.

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A number of changes are planned at the University of Saskatchewan over the next five years, aimed at improving the school's relationships with the Aboriginal community.

Cecilia Reynolds is dean of education at the U of S. She said the university plans to expand its Aboriginal education programs in the areas of research and distance education, and to create new science programs for recent high school grads. Also included in the plans is creation of an Aboriginal research centre.

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As the cost of attending college and university continues to increase, so does the pressure students are under to try to survive financially while pursuing a post-secondary education. But students can lighten their financial load by applying for bursaries and scholarships.

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During a recent tour to promote his new book, The History of the Metis of Willow Bunch, Ron Rivard was asked the same question over and over again-how could anyone write a 230-page book about a part of Saskatchewan history that, as fascinating as it is, has been ignored by most historians?

"This history of Willow Bunch is rich," said Rivard, a Metis businessman and writer based in Saskatoon. "There are so many things that have gone on there that are noteworthy to the history of Saskatchewan and the North American West. And I wanted to provide a Metis point of view."