Mike, Musqua win honorary degrees

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The University of Saskatchewan will confer honorary Doctor of Laws degrees to Ernest Mike and Daniel Musqua at the university's annual spring graduation.

Ernest Mike was born in 1924 and is a member of the Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation. He stayed in school until 16, and then helped his father farm.

For more than 40 years, Mike has occupied leadership roles in the Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation, serving two terms as chief (1965-67, 1975-77), and for more than 20 years as band councillor.

Mike recommended the creation of the office of Treaty Commissioner as a means of rediscovering the actual intention of the partners who signed the original treaty. As a result of his efforts, and those of several other distinguished First Nations leaders, the federal and provincial governments signed an historic agreement in September 1992 which committed both levels of government to provide approximately $500 million to Saskatchewan bands for treaty settlement.

With Deiter and McNab, Mike was instrumental in uniting the Chiefs of Saskatchewan into the Union of Chiefs, which is now known as the Fed-eration of Saskatchewan Indian Nations.

Daniel Noel Musqua is of Saulteaux and Cree ancestry and is a mem-ber of the Bear Clan in his Saluteaux Nation. He has earned top honors as an Elder of the Saulteaux Nation and currently sits on the Elder's Council.

In his most recent work as lecturer and Elder-in-residence with the In-dian Teacher Education Program, College of Education, U of S, Musqua has made a significant difference. He has offered advice to faculty and staff that has allowed them to become more inclusive in presenting an Aboriginal world view. He has been a strong force in working with the Aboriginal stu-dents in the ITEP program as they connect the Western perspective of the College of Education with their traditions, perspective and beliefs.