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FIRSTEDITION
THE SASKATCHEWAN
The Past -
Present -
Future
By Sol Sanderson, F.S.I. Communication Worker
The Federation of Saskatchewan Indians is the oldest
Provincial Indian organization in Canada. It started back
in the 1930's, but due to the depression it phased out of
active participation. Then several splinter groups organized
throughout the province. All these splinter groups were
known as the Qu'Appelle Valley Chiefs. The Protective
Association, The Queen Victoria Treaty Protective Association and ot her bands later amalgamated to form the Saskatchewan Union of Chiefs.
The Saskatchewan Union of Chiefs existed from 1947
to 1957. In 1958 the name was changed from the Saskatchewan Union of Chiefs to the Federation of Saskatchewan
Indians .
As a provincial organization we are still experiencing
growing pains. However, a very solid foundation has been
laid for us by energetic and faithful Indian men and women
who toiled long hours for the cause. They realized the
strength of speaking as one voice for the protection of our
Treaty Rights and achieving those goals which we
determine for ourselves.
The Federation of Saskatchewan Indians started it
first program in 1965 which was known as the Communication Program. \\'e are presently attempting to expand this
program from a staff of six (6) to thirteen ( 13) .
1 will very briefly explain to you, the present organizauon w term8 or the e. ecut1ve, objectives, memberships and
r,., gra m ·. Ag ain just outlining the objectives of each
program.
The Executive:
organization consists of regChief David Ahenakew, 1st istered Treaty or non-Treaty
Vice-Pres. - Peter Dubois, Indians who are residents of
2nd Vice-Pres . Ernest
Saskatchewan. The members
Tootoosis, 3rd Vice-Pres . residing on reserves are repGordon Tootoosis, Secretary
resented by the Band.
Cyru Standing, TreasThe member s re sidin g off
urer - Henry Langan.
reserves are repre sented by
Objectives of the F.S .I.:
the Band Locals. which are
To protect the Indian Treapresently
known as the
ties and Treaty Rights.
Urban Indian Associations.
To promote the Welfare of Annual Conference:
the Indian of Saskatchewan.
To have representation
at
To foster progress in the the annual Conference the
economic development, edu- Band or Band Local (U.I.A.)
cation and social life of In- may elect two delegates for
dians.
the first 400 band members
To co-operate with civil and or part there of and one
religious authorities in mat- member for each additional
ter
pertaining
to Indian
200 members in the band.
interests.
Election of Executive:
Membership:
Staggered elections are held,
T h e membership
in the with three elected each year.
PROGRAMS AND THE OBJECTIVES
Indian people become comCommunication Prog ram:
a) To keep the Indian people pletely involved in the solution
of problems and self
fully informed in terms of
even though
their rights as citizens of management,
mistakes will be made. We
this province and country
can learn from our mistakes
and to instill an awareness
in the Indian people the if we are allowed to ma ke
nature and deman ds of the them .
b) Participation in self-help
Modern Society.
b) To keep in tune with the programs will, through the
Indian at the grass roots achieveme nts and successes
level in terms of his needs, of the Indian people, increase
hi s aspirations
and h i s their feelings of adequacy
development.
and responsibility, and move
c) To instill in the Indian a them out from their present
sense of hope and optimism
state of frustration, depend, c~rding
his future as a ence and hopelessness. We,
Canadian.
too, believe that full-fledged
e q u a I membership
in a
Community Development
nation must be earned. We
Program:
(Simply stated, our goal is n e e d the opportunity
to
pro v e to ourselves and
as follows):
a) We w i sh to see our others, that we can earn it.
Page 1
INDIAN, VOL. 1 NO. 1
SASKAT CHEWAN INDIAN
CULTU RAL CENTRE :
Aims and Objectives :
a) To act as an instr ument
whereby Indians can become
awa re of their history and
culture as well as that of
m o d e r n Canadian culture
and to use this knowledge
toward their self-actualization and perso nal fulfillment.
b) To improve and r ejuven ate the present and future
elite, on and off the reserves,
so as to provide the enrichment of the local cultures as
described above and to radiate Indian Cultures in the
majority society.
c) To provide the urbanbound Indian \\-ith the basic
minimum skills required to
participate adequately in the
Canadian society and developing a proud Indian
identification.
J> To Le!(iJJ (.:·v~;"'.,iu1,, a
univer ·ity accredited
program so that eventually
bachelor degrees can be conferred on the recipients of
COLLEGE AND
vario us courses related to
India n culture.
e) To pr omote the teaching
of extension courses in distant communit ies that cannot take full a dvantag e of
programs offered at the college site.
f) To act as a clea ring house
for information about and
concerning Indians in the
province of Saskatchewan.
g) To provide assistance,
consultation and direction to
all agencies serving Indians
in the province of Saskatchewan.
h) To collect, produce, and
circulate all types of audio visual materials dealing with
India ns and Indian problems.
i) To identify, promote and
support Talented Indians in
the arts, professions, and
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services to Indians of all
ages and occupations in the
citie and on reserves .
TASK FORCE O SASKATCHEWAN
L DIAN EDUCATIO
g) Examine the rights of
Objectives of the
Indian people to receive the
Task Force:
educational services as guara) Determine
the reasons
anteed in the treaties and
for drop-outs and age grade
in the policies of the Departretardation amongst Indian
ment affecting tho e rights.
students
in Public, High
There has been no attempt
Schools, Technical and Vocational schools, and the Uni- on my part to explain the
involvement of each proversity.
gram. The justice each
l,) Examine
the
present
requires in terms of explanaschool programs with a view
tion can not be given in this
to enrich them to suit needs
short article. However, if
of the Indian students.
you watch "The Saskatchec) Determine the scope and wan Indian" there will be
direction of the Indian Cul- articles on each program
tural Centre.
presently in existance, then
d) Examine the effects of over a period of time you
may determine for yourself
past and proposed transfer
of jurisdiction from the Fed- what really is involved.
eral to the Provincial govSpeaking of involvement,
ernment in th e areas of the success of the organizaIndian education with special tion and its programs lies
reference to the policy of heavily upon your shoulders,
integration.
as Indian people who will be
e) Examine and study the affected by the programs.
The direction that each propresent role and relationship
of school committees, Fed- gram takes will be determined by all of us as Indian
eration
o f Saskatchewan
people.
Indians, and the Department
of Indian Affairs and NorthIn the words of Chief
ern Development.
Louis Henry of Ochapowace
f) Examine and study the Reserve, "We . are starting
small but at least we have
present
In d i an
Affairs
Branch administrative
set- started."
up and policies to provide
education services to the Federation of Saskatch ewan
Indians Senate:
Indian children of Saskatchewan with special refer- The Senate is the advisory
body to the organization.
ence to the role of Student
They w e r e honored as
Residences.
"Ho norar y Chi efs of the
Fede ration of Saskatchewan
Ind ians" at the 1969 Annual
Conference.
In the words of the Senate :
Mr. John Gambler of Muscowpetung Reserve.
In reference to the young
p e o p I e becoming actively
involved in the organization.
"Where hope was fading,
the fruits of the work are
beginning to blossom ."
Mr. John Tootoosis of
Poundmaker Reserve.
In reference to the organization.
"Sacrifices are many but
the cause is great."
Mr. Angus Merasty of the
Lac La Ronge Band.
"We may be advisor
:11
e are a long ways
but
from
being dead."
Mr .. Toe Dreaver of the
Mistawsis Re!'erve.
"Education is not everything, experience helps too."
Mr. William Kingfisher of
the Sturgeon Lake Reserve.
Encouraging
people.
t h e young
'.'Your education
allows
you to express your desires
better, but you can learn
from our mistakes too."
Mr. Allan Ahenakew of the
Sandy Lake Reserve.
In reference to the past
and future of the organization.
"Be carefu l, we know what
has happened, ask us ."
Mr . John Skeeboss of
Poorman Reserve.
"I h av e followed the
organization because I believed in it."
In the next issue watch
for the history of each
Senate member.
Solomon Sanderson,
Assistant Chief Executive,
F.S.I.
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The Lighter Side
.... Two p r e t t y young
things who work in the
regional office of the branch
in Regina went out on the
town one night nut too long
ago . . the waiter met them
at the door of the fancy dining room and bowed low .•.
"Do you have reservations?"
he asked ...
"Oh yes; one
said excitedly, Peapeekisis
and Ochapawace !" ....
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THE SASKATCHEWAN
mer Grace Ahenakew, and
they have five children,
aged six to fifteen years.
Chief Ahenakew enjoys
sports, and is especially competent in soccer, volleyball
and fastball, but admits that
EDITORIAL
This is the first edition of what we can only hope will
be a successful modern paper representing the opinions of
the Indian people in the Province of Saskatchewan.
It is the intention of this paper to present, with candor
and honesty a month by month assessment of the work of
the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians, as well as glimpses
into the life and customs of the people who live in the
individual bands.
The next few years will be the most important ones in
the history of the Indian Nations, and it is especially necessary that, during that period, a continuous record be kept
to show the progress (or where necessary, the lack of
progress) of the delegate negotiations between the people
and the Government of Canada.
Indian People have the right to know, to be kept in the
picture, and above all to have a definite voice in the proceedings now underway; proceedings which not only affect
their own lives, but the lives as well of countless thousands
yet unborn. For this reason as well, it is necessary to have
a regular open forum for the expression of opinion, easily
accessable to the people themselves.
We welcome your letters, and all other expressions of
opinion, as well as any news that would be of interest to
the people who live in other reserves or in the cities of
our province. What would be helpful would be for each band
to appoint a reporter who could keep track of the Local Band
happenings and report each month to "The Saskatchewan
Indian", including information about the activities of the
Chief and Council, sports events, pow-wows and other functions of the people.
Other features of the paper will be a regular record of
the activities of the F.S.I. Communications Workers, and
descriptions of the problem unique to the people in their
districts, as well as a regular report from the Chief of the
Federation.
It is our intention as well to use the paper to provide
information about the happenings and problems of Indian
people in other parts of Canada, and we welcome information and news from them, especially from our neighboring
provinces of Alberta and Manitoba.
Above all, remember, this is your paper, it will become
what you want it to be, and we are sure that in a very real
way it will be a yardstick to measure the progress of the
Saskatchewan Indians as they advance into full nationhood.
If it succeeds, so will they.
News and comments may be addressed to:
Mr. S. Sanderson,
Prince Albert, Sask.
-orMr. D. Leitch,
Dept. of Indian Affairs & Northern Development,
l\fcCallum Hill Building,
Regina, Sask.
IN THISISSUE
.... Chief David Ahenakew has been very busy in his negotiations at the Regional and National Level in recent weeks
.... we include his report ....
.... F.S.I. takes over the Community Development function
formerly handled by the Department of Indian Affairs ....
.... Its Pow-Wow season again .... have a look at the
calendar of exciting events lined up for this summer ....
.... Walkum for Wampum .... a great idea to raise money
for a new rink, and it all started at Onion Lake .... Anna
Crowe (formerly Anna Chogan of Onion Lake) tells you all
about it ....
.... Who is yo ur F.S.I. Communication Worker? ....
JULY, 1970
INDIAN
he hasn't all the time he
would like to take part in
these pastimes since he assumed the demanding role
of being Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians.
JoeDesiarlais
Honoured
Profile of a Chief
Dave Ahenakew was born
on the Sandy Lake Reserve
on July 28, 1933. His father
Edwin was a member of an
Indian family that has produced such notable and historic figures as Dr. Edward
Ahenakew.
David attended the school
on the reservation but dropped out to go to work on the
farm, and then joined the
Army when he was seventeen. During his sixteen
years as a member of the
Canadian Armed Forces, he
was posted to Canada, Korea
(where he saw action during
the Korean War in the
fifteen months of his service
there), Germany, and Egypt
(where he was a member of
the Canadian contingent of
the U.N. peace force).
In spite of the fascination
of his career, and the danger
he was often in, Mr. Ahenakew recognized the need to
upgrade his education, and
successfully completed six
years of academic training
t h r o u g h correspondence
school. The success of his
career may be measured in
the fact that he retired from
the Army in 1967 after
attaining the rannk of sergeant.
His first job on civvy
street was with the IndianMetis Branch of the Provincial Government, which he
left in May, 1968, to work
for the F.S.I.
At the annual meeting of
the Federation he was elected Chief in February, 1969,
a post which he has served
with distinction especially
during the difficult days
since the proposals of the
Federal Government were
presented to parliament on
June 25, 1969.
He is married to the for-
JuneandJuly
Pow-Wows
andIndianCelebrations
Gordons' - June 26, 27 and 28
P.A. Indian and Metis Days-June
19, 20 and 21
Piapot - July 10, 11 and 12
St. Philips - June 27 and 28
Sturgeon Lake - July 10, 11 and 12
Thunderchild - July 17, 18 and 19
Battleford - July 23, 24, 25 and 26
Sweetgrass - July 31, August 1 and 2
Duck Lake - Could be second weekend in August
Hakemia, Alberta - July 7, 8 and 9
Saddle L3ke, Alberta - July 14, 15 and 16
Sandy Lake - July l O and 11
Onion Lake - Walkum for Wampum, June 20
The inscription on the
trophy stated: Presented to
Mr. Joe Desjarlais by the
Teachers and Students of
Touchwood Indian Agency
- to Mark Our Appreciation
of Long and Valued Service
in Track and Field.
Mr. Desjarlais has spent
the last 20 years working at
Muscowequan and Gordon's
Student Residences. He continues to work at Gordon's
as sports director.
On Friday, June 5th at
Muscowequan Student Residence Mr. Foulds of Gordon's
on behalf of the Touchwood
Agency Teacher's Local presented to Joe Desjarlais the
former Touchwood Agency
Track and Field Trophy. In
presenting the trophy, Mr.
Foulds noted that Mr. Desjarlais had spent 20 years
working with the sports
activities of pupils of this
area.
IN APPRECIATION - Mr. Joe Desjarlais, left, receives
the Touchwood Track and Fielii Trophy" from Mr. Foulds,
or. behalf of Touchwood Agency Teachers' League.
THE
MONTH
INTHE
NEWS
We stern Canada's
First Indian Doctor
Many years of constant struggle and determination by
twenty-five-year-old Melvyn Lavallee, culminated on May
11, when he received his M.D. degree at the 59th Annual
University of Saskatchewan convocation ceremonies held at
the centennial auditorium.
Mr. Lavallee, who became Western Canada's first
Indian doctor, was honored at a ceremonial banquet at the
Sheraton Cavalier on May 12. The banquet sponsored by
Hudson's Bay Company and the Indian Affairs Branch, was
well attended, with 115 guests honoring Mr. Lavallee. At
the banquet he was made an honorary medicine man and
given the Cree name, Kaneehanapit. He was also presented
with a ceremonial peace pipe and medicine rattle, along
with a bone necklace similar to that of the older medicine
man.
Head table guests included Father Athol Murray of
Wilcox, David Ahenakew, Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians, and Harold Cardinal, President of the
Indian Association of Alberta. Other guests included, Chief
Victor Sparvier, of the Cowessess Reserve, Mrs. Jean Goodwill of Ottawa representing Jean Chretien, Minister of
Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Dean Moore of
the College of Medicine, Joe Dreaver, Chief of the Mistawasis
Reserve; grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Anabel Laferte of
Marieval, Saskatchewan and Edward Lang, Dr. Lavallee's
first day school teacher and Mrs. Lang.
Dr. Lavallee attended dav school on Cowessess Reserve
until the end of grade 8, to~k grades 9 and 10 at Lebret,
Sask., and grades 11 and 12 at Notre Dame College, Wilcox,
Saskatchewan where he graduated with an "A" average and
was awarded a bronze shield for scholastic excellence. At
the same time he was chosen by the Indian-Eskimo Association as the first recipient of a four year University
Scholarship offered by the Hudson's Bay Company valued
at $10,000. The Bay has also provided continuing financial
support throughout the Medical course till now. At the
University he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree before
entering the College of Medicine.
He will be spending the next year at the Hurley
Hospital in Flint, Michigan. His future plans are undecided
at the present time.
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�THE SASKATCHEWAN
the prime minister.
Scenesfromthe MarchConferencesaidThere
was no way negotiations between the governof the Federation
- Saskatoon ment and Indians would
At a meeting of the Chiefs of the Indians of Saskatchewan
in March, the first clear proposals for a takeover of the
community development function of the branch were put
forward. Chief Ahenakew addresses the gathering. Seated
is the Hon. Jean Chretien, Minister of Indian Affairs and
Northern Development.
Page 3
INDIAN
Scenes from the Lavallee Graduation Banquet
have a chance to succeed
without mutual trust, he
said.
Mr. Trudeau
obviously
won friends from his Indian
audience. Several times in a
speech lasting about 15 minutes he was interruted by
applause.
But an Indian spokesman,
David Courchene of Manitoba, said later before the
Commons I n d i an affairs
committee he would wait for
government
action. That
would mean more than
words.
Indian Affairs Minister
Jean Chretient told the delegation that the government
policy paper was merely a
series of proposals. He welcomed the Alberta suggestions and looked forward to
receiving oU:ier briefs from
Indians in the other provinces.
The government
white
paper proposed, among other
things, to turn over control
of Indian lands to the Indans, and have Indians receive education and other
services from the provinces
the same as other Canadians.
The Indian Act would be
repealed and the Indian affairs branch closed in stages.
Carol Lavallee, Dr. Lavallee, Mrs. E. Locker (Regina), and
Stan Cutland share a moment of celebration.
The Alberta brief said the
policy would mean that Indian lands would pass into
the hands of others within
a generation or so and Indians would wind up living
in city slums.
Indians should be given
the resources to provide
their own schools. A multimillion - dollar development
fund should be set up to develop reserves.
Chief Ahenakew interviews Jean Levert, Regional Director
of the Saskatchewan Region of the Department of Indian
Affairs and Northern Development.
Gov'tIndianPolicy
HonestSaysTrudeau
OTTAWA (CP) - Prime
Minister Trudeau conceded
Thursday, June 4th, that the
government m i g h t have
been naive in some of the
proposals in its new Indian
policy placed before Parliament a year ago.
But the government had
made an honest attempt to
solve the problems that were
'lt least 100 years old and
wh1cn the entire Canadian
public wants solved, he said.
Mr. Trudeau was replying
to a brief from the Alberta
Indian Association that rejects the government policy
outright and sets out altern-
ative proposals.
About 200 Indians gathered in the railway committee
room of the Parliament
Buildings where Mr. Trudeau and 14 members of his
cabinet were presented with
the Alberta counter - proposals.
Mr. Trudeau took sharp
exception to parts of the
brief that accuse the government of bad faith or
attempting to mislead the
Indian people.
"You can say we are
ignorant, dumb or stpuid
but don't say we're dishonest or trying to mislead,"
Instead of doing • away
with the fodian affairs
branch, it should be changed
to be more alive to the needs
of Indians. Indians should
continue to have special
status. And a full-time minister should be created for
the people.
Family and head table guests - including Mr. and Mrs. Sam
Lavallee, Alenis Obomasawin, Alan Ahenakew, Mr. W.
Woodsworth, Dr. Howard Adams and representatives of
the Hudson Bay Co. Some visible head table guests include
Mrs. V. Sparvier, H. Cardinal, G. Ahenakew, Lloyd Saunders,
Father Murray, Mrs. Ed. Lang, Dr. Moore, Mrs. LaFerte,
Dr. Lavallee, Shelly Lavallee.
A new consultation group
should be set up from several
government
departments to negotiate with Indianss. The group within the
Indian affairs department
should be dissolved.
The Indian paper said the
new policy already was being
implemented and this should
be stopped.
"Before anything else can
be achieved, however, the
Canadian government must
recognize th e historical,
legal, moral and constitutional responsibilities in relation to aboriginal rights
and treaty
obligations,"
President Harold Cardinal of
the Alberta group said.
Mr. Cardinal called for a
"truly impartial claims commission, appointed after consultation with the Indians,
with broad terms, wide powers and whose judgments
would be binding on both
parties."
Community Development Worker Jim Dalgleish and a wellknown friend. Jim works among the people at Loom Lake.
THE SA SKATCHEWAN INDIAN
EDITOR - DONALD LEITCH
EDITORIAL BOARD
SOL SANDERSON, CHAIRMAN
DAVE AHENAKEW
PETER DUBOIS
ERNEST TOOTOOSJf;-;- ., "'
GORDON TOOTOOS:'1.or-'
CY STANDING
HENRY LANGAN
Tms PAPER IS THE OFFICIAL VOICE OF THE FEDERATION OF SASKATCHEWAN INDIANS. IT IS INTENDED
TO SERVE AS AN EFFECTIVE VEHICLE FOR INDIAN
OPINION IN Tms PROVINCE.
�Page 4
THE SASKATCHEWAN
INDIAN
suit with the Indians and to
study and recommend acceptable procedures for the
DAVID AHENAKEW
The National scene to date has been hectic and many adjudication of claims.
(B) We reject the apthings are happening - Some good and others not too good.
pointment of a sole commisThe latest national event is of course the presentation
of the "Red Paper" titled "Citizens Plus" by the Indian sioner because he has been
Chief of Alberta to Mr. Trudeau and most of his cabinet appointed without consultation and by the Government
ministers.
This is a counter proposal submitted by Alberta, which itself. He is not impartial
they began preparing since Mr. Chretien released his Indian and he has no power to do
anything but a whitewash
policy last June, 1969.
In this paper as submitted by Alberta the following job. The Government should
now, in consultation with
are the highlights.
the Indians, implement its
The White Paper:
(A)
are owned by the Crown. 1963 campaign promise to
The legislative and consti- These lands are "held" by establish an "Independent,
tutional basis of discriminathe Crown but they are In- unbiased,
unprejudiced"
dian lands. The second error Commission and it should
tion should be removed.
the Government commits is have the power to call for
The Red Paper:
(B)
making the assumption that
The legislative and consti- Indians can have control of any witnesses or documents
tutional basis for Indian their land only if they take that it, or the Indians , wish.
Its judgments
should be
status and rights should be ownership in the way that
maintained until such time ordinary property is owned. binding.
as Indian people are pre- Control of Indian lands
This is what the Saskatpared and willing to r.enego- should be maintained by the chewan Indian3 have been
tiate them.
saying for many moons
Indian people, respecting
(A) There should be a their historical and legal through briefs, submissions,
Resolutions and letters. We
positive recognition of the rights as Indians.
have now in the Federation,
unique contribution of In(A) Th 'e Government
dian culture to Canadian would be prepared to pro- a number of documents
life.
pose to Parliament that the which substantiate the voice
(B) These are nice sound- Indian Act be repealed and of the Saskatchewan leaders.
The next step is to put all
ing words which are intend- take such legislative steps
ed to mislead everybody. as may be necessary to en- these papers together, get
The only way to maintain
able Indians to control In- the leaders to scrutinize,
our culture is for us to re- dian lands and to acquire analyze and study the paper,
then present it to the fedmain as Indians.
title to them.
via the
(A) Services should come
(B) We reject the pro- eral government
through the same channels posal that the Indiann Act N.I.B.
You are very much aware
and from the same govern- be repealed. It is essential
ment agencies for all Can- to review it but not before of the position we have
taken in terms of rejection
adians.
the question of the treaties
(B) Indians have a right
is settled and there is a con- of the White Paper proposal
of access to the same ser- census with the Indian peo- and the steps taken to
gather
p u b I i c support
vices as are available to all ple respecting their historiCanadians plus those addi- cal and legal rights as In- (White) which will not permit the implementation of
tional rights and privileges
dians.
the Indian policy.
which were established by
(A) Th e
Government
the British North America would be prepared to make
We believe it is safe to
Act and by subsequent
funds available for Indian say that the Indians made a
treaties and legislation.
economic development as an good job in forcing the Federal Government to cease
(A) Those who are fur- interim measure.
thest behind should be help(B) We say it is not real- the implementation process.
ed most.
istic to suppose that short- This belief is based on the
(B) These promises are
term assistance with eco- words spoken by the P.M.
bait to catch us in the trap nomic development as an in- "We will not force any soluof the rest of the policy. The terim measure will be ade- tions on you".
Many chiefs and Indians
Federal Government is try- quate. The promise of subing to divide us Indian peo- stantial funds must be fol- are getting impatient as to
what
the Indian leaders are
ple so it can conquer us by lowed by actually making
saying that the poorer re- these monies available. For doing in s to p p i n g the
breaches being made on our
serves will be helped most. Indian social and cultural,
Indian people and the organ- as well as economic develop- Indian rights. There have
izations they support should ment, with the emphasis in been many suggestions made
which are valid and meanbe given the resources and each case to be determined
the responsibility to deter- by the by the Indians con- ingful to say the least. i.e.
"Throw out the Indian polmine their own priorities
cerned.
icy in its entirety and start
and future lines of develop(A) Th e
Government
all over again" . This is what
ment.
would be prepared to wind we believe is happening at
(A) Lawful
obligations
up that part of the Departthe national level.
should be recognized.
ment of Indian Affairs and
We have been asked by
N o r t h e r n Development
(B) If the Government
meant what it said, we which deals with Indian the P.M. to trust his government.
This may be hard to
would be happy. But it is Affairs. The residual redo because we were asked
obvious that the Govern- sponhibilities of the Federal
ment has never bothered to Government for the pro- the same thing by the
Queen 's representatives,
learn what the treaties are grams in the field of Indian
when treaties were signed
affairs would be transferred
and has a distorted picture
to other appropriate federal and our forefathers trusted
of them. The Government
them. However, since then
shows that it is wilfully departments.
we have had nothing but
ignorant of the bargains
(B) We believe the De- broken promises which has
that were made. Lawful partment of Indian Affairs,
obligations, including those in its present archaic and left some great doubts where
trust is concerned.
concerned with aboriginal
paternalistic
form, should
We must begin to trust
rights, unfulfilled promises, be wound up. There should
people
again however, one
and treaty provisions should be established
instead a must be sure that we trust
be recognized.
smaller Indian agency more only those people who are
(A) Control
of Indian closely attuned to the needs loyal, dedicated and are in
of Indian people and respon- fact knowledgeable of the
lands should b.- transferred
sible primarily for ensuring
to the Indi: Indian culture, beliefs and
(B) We ..
,,vith this that the Queen's promises our aspirations where are
intent but w u1;1d that the with respect to treaties and rights are concerned. We
cannot and must not start
Government lfr~gnorant of lands are kept.
trusting any fast talking, so
(A) The
Government
two basic points. The Government wrongly thinks that would be prepared to appoint called do gooder.
I get very angry and perthe Indian Reserve Lands a Royal Commission to con-
CHIEF'S REPORT
turbed when a person starts
telli ng me, what's good for
me. We have expressed our
desires and aspirations many
times but as the P.M. also
stated, "We have been perhaps naive, stupid and ignorant". This is not to suggest
that all our white neighbors
are in this category. This
means that we have (all of
us) a hell of a lot of work to
do in terms of making the
people understand that our
rights must perpetuate or
last forever.
This my brothers is a
challenge we all face. We
must explain and demonstrate our sincerity in being
good people, we must display
our desire for better things
for our children for they are
going t obe the recipients of
our mistakes.
Walkum
forWampum
By Anne Crowe
Onion Lake Reserve lies along the Alberta -Sask. border
about 30 miles north of Lloydminster, Sask. The landscape
is bushy and hilly with many lakes, streams, marshes, etc.
As one former Onion Laker states, "Not exactly God's
country but ... God's people come from there!"
This new ( ?) found cliche is very apt in describing the
wholehearted effort that the people of Onion Lake and
surrounding area put into any project that they undertake
as was again proven by the results of the walkathon held
on Saturday, June 20th.
"Walk 'um for Wampum" (another new cliche ?) was
one of many projects all geared to raising funds for a
$60,000.00 indoor rink to be built on the reserve. Other
projects included sports and social activities which were
very successful money-wise and more important in building
up enthusiasm and cooperativeness of the people concerned.
Any project of this big a nature: objective unlimited,
invo lves a great deal of planning and headache but under
the able direction and resourcefulness of H. G. Whitstone,
Recreation Board Director, members of the Board, the Band
Council, the Lloydminster C. of C., the news media, Mr.
Glen Woods of the Onion Lake R.C.M.P., and many others,
things got off to a rolling start.
Saturday, June 20th, dawned bright and sunny, a
perfect day for walking. The starting point was at Alcurve,
halfway between Onion Lake and Lloydminster and was to
end in Lloyd, a distance of 16 miles. A large number of
wampers were expected but everybody was very pleasantly
surprised when over 1,000 people ranging in age from 5 - 72
years showed up. They included not only people of Onion
Lake but also from other areas. Eddie Gilroy, 5, from Lloyd,
was the youngest, while Edward Fox, 73, of the Sweet Grasg
Reserve near North Battleford, was the oldest. A 72-yearold member of the Lashburn, Sask. community whose name
is unfortunately unknown to your reporter also participated.
Incidently, the three finished the walk, as did so many
others. Some, however, found that their boots just were not
made for walking and dropped out to dream of better days
and possibly of skating. Wesley Scritch of Lloydminster
decided to walk the 16 miles backwards for $25.00 per mile
and made it.
Pledges ranged from 10c to $1.00 per mile and came
from as far away as Regina. Yours truly, sisters June and
Gloria (former Onion Lakers !) pledged fi0c per mile on a
nephew. Unfortunately little Dickie had to be rushed to the
hospital with appendicitus and was operated on the night
before. All was not lost, however, his sister Darlene decided
to take over and succeeded in finishing the wa1k. Our loss
maybe, but a very worthwhile gain on their part. Speedy
recovery Dickie!
As was to be expected, there were many tired and
blistered feet on Saturday night. Most people stayed home,
sat back, soaked their feet and just generally feel proud of
their efforts because it was such a big success. Money
raised - $8,000.00.
Congratulations!
Know Your Communication Worker
The following are the names of the Communications
Workers of the F.S.I. and their addresses:
SASKATCHEWAN REGION
Phone
CHIEF DAVID AHENAKEW
Prince Albert1114 Central Ave.
Regina - Midtown Centre
SOLOMON SANDERSON
Prince Albert - 1114 Central Ave.
CY STANDING
Prince Albert1114 Central Ave.
GORDON TOOTOOSIS
North Battleford - 1391 - 104th St.
764-3441
522-9944
764-3441
764-3441
445-8945
or 445-8216
ERNEST TOOTOOSIS
Poundmaker Reserve - Box 35, Cutknife, Sask.
PETER DUBOIS
FORT QU' APPELLE - Box 722
332-4494
HENERY LANGAN
HENRY LANGAN
Kam sack
542-3375
�JULY, 1970
Report of the 1st
Head Counselor, F.5.1.
(Peter Dubois)
As your elected representative of the Executive of
the Federation, it is a privilege and a wonderful opportunity to submit this report,
through the first edition of
The Saskatchewan Indian.
As our chief, David Ahenakew has already stated that
the scene at the national
level is quite hectic, I can
only re-echo his sentiments
and possibly elaborate on
certain aspects.
~
Having being elected to
the National Committee on
Indian Rights and Treaties
as a Prairie Regional Representative, at the consultation
conference
in Ottawa on
May 2, 1969; is a heavy responsibility needless to say
that there certainly is a tremendous amount of work to
be done in this area, and the
work of the committee depends on the amount of
interest you may have in the
protection of our Rights as
Indian people.
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As part of this report we
must
admit the Prairie
Region of Alberta, Manitoba,
and Saskatchewan have been
playing a leading role in the
development
of the committees work and responsibilities, and the future holds
no less in store for us.
With this in mind, this
brings to the fore the mandate of the committee; to
investigate
the rights
of
Indian people of Canada, and
research the rights of Indian
people generally with special
reference to treaty rights
aboriginal, hunting , fishing,
medical, educational, timber,
land, mineral and petroleum
rights.
These being the terms and
reference of the committee
at its inception and again
~
GORDON RESERVE Unlike elsewhere in Saskatchewan, construction at the
Touchwood Indian Agency's
pre-fab
housing plant is
booming.
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Page 5
INDIAN
down to a crawl in about
nine months.
The five or six new families added to the agency each
year would keep the plant in
operation but at that level
of production many of the
present 74 Indian employees
would have to be laid off.
To avoid this slowdown,
J. E. Milward, Touchwood
agency's superintendent, Mr.
Boyko, and Indian representatives are attempting
to
sell their houses to other
agencies still needing upgrading in their housing.
As most agencies have
similar plants, built to provide housing for their own
areas, the Touchwood plant
personnel admit they face a
difficult selling job.
T h e y h a v e contacted
superintendents
of
other
agencies and invited them
and their reserve chiefs to
discuss the proposal.
Efficiency and bulk buying have brought production
cos'ts at the Touchwood plant
below those on most other
agencies, in some cases by
as much as $1,000, said Mr.
Boyko.
The money to be saved by
buying from the Touchwood
plant is the main selling feature in the agency's bid to
open a market on other reserves for its houses.
To offset the unemployment this would cause at
other plants, Mr. Milward
said the plant would hire
workers from the other agencies, how many depending
on the numbe:· cf hou ses
their people will order.
Another possibility is that
the Touchwoorl plant only
supply the component parts
and Indian workers from the
other agencies do the onsite assembling.
Twenty irnch houses will
be produced for the File-Hill
Qu'Appelle agency this year
and there are 15 Indians
from there working at the
Touchwood plant as a result
of the sale.
However, Mr. Boyko said
that housing needs in the
southern reserves were just
about satisfied and that the
potential
markets
are in
Northern Saskatchewan.
Until recently, these areas
were inaccessible as t h e
Saskatchewan River created
a geographical barrier where
bridges were too narrow for
the passage of trucks delivering assembled houses.
To overcome this, the
Touchwood plant developed
a split construction
technique so that the houses
could be shipped in two
parts and easily bolted together on the site.
Hilliard McNab, chief of
the Gordon Reserve, said the
band was alsio considering
competing on the open market to keep the plant going,
To avoid unfair competition with other pre - fab
manufacturers,
the band
would have to compete without any government subsidy.
At present, the plant receives $7,000 a house from
the government for its working budget. The actual cost
of production to the plant is
about $6,000 and although
the cost to agency Indians 1s
$135 a house, prices to those
o u ts i d e the Touchwood
agency might be around
$6,000 for an assembled unit
or around $3,500 for the component parts only.
If the Touchwood plant
can sell its houses and keep
operating , its workers can
look forward to continuing at
a paying job, earning between $1.80 to $3.00 an hour.
If they cannot, most of the
workers see no immediate
prospect facing them except
welfare.
Building
Boomsat IndianReserve
By GERRY SENIUK
Sta.ff Report.er
L~
THE SASKATCHEWAN
ratified at a general assembly of the National Indian
Brotherhood,
in Montreal,
May 27, 1970; makes us
realize the need of your
involvement in the future
to make this a success.
To date the Committee
has been meeitng quite regularly and is holding meetings with different Provincial and territorial organizations, to set up research
committees in their respective areas.
It must also be mentioned
that the committee has set
up office in Ottawa at 71
Banks Street.
In view of the importance
of the task of the Committee,
and the time element a proposed program of Action
has been adopted to make
the work of the committee
more effective.
In addition, the committee
has begun the compilation of
a bibliography of all books,
periodicals, documents and
treaties, and the collection
of available material and has
openerl files on all the areas
contemplated
by its mandate. It has also actually
begun some of the research
and is in the process of
establishing
an
effective
means of communication, in
conjunction with the Provincial and Territorial Research
Committees
for acquiring
data and information relating to problems which Indian
Bands of the country wish to
have investigated
and researched.
In summing up the report
may we say we are touching
on the work that has been
done and to be <lone very
briefly, and hope in the
future to present a detailed
report of proceedings.
Wishing each and everyone of you well.
Respectfully submitted,
Mr. Peter Dubois.
WORKMEN PRE-BUILD
A HOUSE SECTION
However, the end of the
boom is in sight and the
Indian workers and Indian
affairs administrators
have
begun looking for new markets to keep the agency's
main industry from slowing
to a crawl.
The plant is located on the
Gordon Reserve, seven miles
south of Punnichy, and has
been producing three - bedroom houses for the seven
reserves in the agency since
1967.
It has supplied 118 families with new housing and
will provide 41 more this
year.
That rate of production,
coupled with an extensive
renovating program on existing housing has just about
exhausted the demand for
housing in the Touchwood
agency, said Emil Boyko of
the department
of Indian
affairs and northern development.
Mr. Boyko, construction
supervisor for the 18 reserves in the Touchwood and
File-Hills Qu'Appelle agencies, said that unless new
markets for the houses are
found, production will slow
.
- Star-Phoenix
PhotOI
A PREFABRICATED HOUSE
built by Indians on the Gordon Reserve
NativeHiringSlowin South
South Saskatchewan hospitals, schools and municipal governments have shown
little interest in hiring persons of native ancestry, says
a report received by Hon.
Clarence Estey, minister in
charge of the provincial Indian and Metis department.
The report was to have
been
presented
Tuesday,
June 9, to the task force on
Indian and Metis opportunity to Gil McCormick, chairman of the public sector
committee, but time ran out.
"While spokesman for the
public sector committee have
received polite attention and
sympathy, fe.w of these organizations in the southern
portion of the province have
broadened their scope of hiring people of native ancestry," the report says.
Moral persuasion should
be applied to school boards
and municipal governments
but "stronger
representation" should be made to pro-
vincial hospitals and other
organizations which receive
direct government support,
Mr.
McCormick's
report
says .
The c o m m i t t e e has
"strongly suggested" that a
time limit be placed on obtaining voluntary co-operation of these organizations
and that the Indian and
Metis department report to
the next task force, "the
success or otherwise" of the
action.
At a recent meeting of
the Indian and Metis department, t h e Saskatchewan
Hospital Services Plan and
representatives
of some of
the major general hospitals,
a plan of voluntary co-operation was suggested but has
not been followed.
It is believed the SHSP
offered training programs
to help bring hospital staffs
in line with the government's suggested five per
cent native personnel plan.
The Saskatchewan Hospital
Association supported the
plan.
There are 26 native persons who have been trained
at Yorkton Geriatric Centre and Wascana Hospital,
but they remain unemployed, the newspaper was told.
There are also hospital
nursing aides available from
northern communities which
southern hospitals will not
hire, The Leader-Post was
told.
The report notes that
prejudice or Jack of interest by supervising personnel
bear some relationship
to
knowledge of Indian affairs
and history .
"The greater the degree
of knowledge the easier to
obtain the co-operation of
the supervisors concerned,"
says the report.
The public sector committee has recommended that
the education department
"take steps" to include the
history of native people of
the West in the standard
education provided for the
children of the West.
The committee commended the government for its
part in agreeing to the
establishment
of a vocational school for the Meadow
Lake area and suggested
while the school is still in
the p I a n n i n g stages, a
Northwest School Board be
appointed to assist in planning the facilities and curriculum .
But the report says the
committee noted little progress in the . provincial government
area to w a r d s
adopting a previous recommendation that academic requirements for skilled or
semi-skilled manual jobs be
reviewed so those requirements not really essential to
the efficient performance of
the job be eliminated .
"It is again recommended
that such a study be commended in order that skilled
people can be hired for what
they can do rather than how
far they progressed in formal schooling," the report
says.
�Page 6
THE SASKATCHEW AN INDIAN
REGIONAL
OFFICE
NEWS
Mr. Jean LaVe r t, Regio nal Director, presents Mr. H . Evoy
with his 25-Year Service Pin. Major Evoy served in the
Canadian Ar my in World War II and with the Civi l Service
since June, 1946. Currently he is ad ministrative ass ista nt
to the Superintendent of Education and Ad ministration of
Indian Student Residences.
ings and dreams ... "
In a happier vein, we smilingly identify w i th the
young lover who has
"Gotta be the best . . .
All because she smiled at .
me
And her father said
He ain't gonna give her
To who's not a man."
But the mind keeps coming back to:
"And I had been killed a
thousand times
Right at his feet
But he hadn't understood."
Born in Wyoming in Octo ber, 1945, Mr. Stump was
given the name Sock-A-JawWee (the one who pulls the
boat) by h i s Shoshone
mother. Some of his other
relatives are Cree, some Flathead (Salish). He considers
the old paintings and drawings, and the Indians who
explained them, to be his
real teachers. He now lives
in Eden Valley, Alberta, and
wants to make his home in
Canada .
Indian
Constables
Urgedon Reserves
By JIM NEAVES
·while several Indian constables have been trained by
the Alberta attorney - general's department at a school
in Edmonton, many now are
getting their training at the
privately operated Canadian
Security and Police Academy
at Airdrie, 10 miles north of
Calgary.
The academy, opened in
1968, offers a six - week
course in basic police work
taught by a staff of ex-police
officers.
Ron Minion, a former
RCMP officer who operates
the academy, said Indian
students are attentive and
intelligent as white students
although their educational
standards are not up to the
level of other policemen in
the class.
EDMONTON (CP) -The
trend to use of natives as
law enforcement officers on
Prairie reserves is another
step in the march of Indians
to more self-determination,
says Harold Cardinal.
Mr. Cardinal, president of
the Indian Association of
Alberta and author of the
book, The Unjust Society,
says Indians have been asking for such measures, including t h e establishment
of courts on reserves, for
years.
"There is a need for band
constables as much as there
is a need for officers to
maintain law and order in
municipalities," he said in
an interview.
There now are about 15
Indian constables working on
Many Indian policemen
reserves in Alberta
and
several in Saskatchewan and also benefit from periodic
field-work training provided
Manitoba.
by the RCMP.
While there have been
"In many towns adjacent
Indian policemen in the
RCMP, the armed forces and to reserves, the local detachon some municipal forces, ment will often take an
the use of natives as con- lndian constable on patrol to
stables on reserves is a give them an opportunity to
relatively
recent develop- see how police work is
ment. Reserve policing now actually done ," one RCMP
is largely handled by the spokesman said.
RCMP.
Indian constables m a y
In Alberta, the attorneyhave the power to arrest in
general's department is en- cases of drunkenness
or
couraging Indian bands to minor offences, but are rehire native constables.
quested to get in touch with
"But it's a low-key cam- the RCMP or a senior force
when major crimes or accipaign," said a department
dents occur on a reserve.
spokesman.
and death. In the title poem
a lovely Indian girl lies sleeping. On the next page, the
There Is My Peoplt> Sleeping
artist has backed away and
by Sarain Stump, published
we see lying near the same
by Gray's Publishing Ltd., sleeping form, a buffalo with
1970, Sidney, B.C. Price a knife through his tongue!
$9.50.
Bitterness, irony and a
Mr. Stump has created a surprising understanding are
book of beauty which elo- shown toward the white
quently puts into perspec- man . Stump's explanation of
tive the condition of his one dramatic drawing is that
people. Here is a book that
"the white man took our
you read with your heart. freedom ... without underThe black and white poem- standi ng completely what he
drawings contain pat hos, ro - was doing and he didn 't see
mance, irony, unde rstandi ng, at all our new mind s, f eel-
BookSection
Windigo and Other Tales of
the Ojibway by Herbert T.
Schwarz, illustrated by Norval Morrisseau, published by
McClelland a n d Stewart,
1969. Price $3.95.
The Ojibway artist,
orval
Morrisseau, wrote
clown
some of the legends that
were told to him by the wise
men of the Ojibway, and
then he painted them. He
later told the same stories
to Herbert T . Schwarz for retelling. Morrisseau's aim is
to "reassemble the pieces of
a once proud culture, and to
show the dignity and bravery of my people". The red
and black paintings depict
the outsides of his character
as he sees them, and the
insides as he imagines them.
Interdependence be t w e en
characters is shown by wavy
black lines.
In reading the eight welltold tales, we learn why the
Ojibways are afraid to eat
mushrooms, and why they
consider silver unlucky. The
story of the great flood is
told, but it is a powerful
Medicine Man and Chieftain,
Wee-Se-Kee-Jack, who rescued all living creatures by
herding them onto a large
raft made of stone. We are
told that "in the eyes of the
Great Manitou all living
creatures,
large or small,
proud or humble, are equal".
We learn that the Bear is an
ancestor of all the Ojibways.
"The Silver Curse" is the
legend of a cruel and greedy
white fur trader, who like all
white men of the time
"wanted to make a quick
fortune in the new world
and then return to live in
comfort among his white
brothers in Europe". Morrisseau and Schwarz h a v e
created a fascinating book.
Herbert T. Schwarz was
born in England. He grad uated from the Sheffie ld
University Medical School
and the University of London. He emigrated to Canada
in I 950 at the age of twenty eight. Ile was consultant to
the Quebec Pavilion at Expo
'67.
Born at Sand Point Indian
Reserve on Lake .Nipigon,
Xorval Morrisseau or Copper
Thunderbird is a descandant
of Oj ibway Chiefs. He is a
self-taught artist. When the
artist met Dr. Schwarz, he
was executing a sixteen-foothigh mural for the Indian
Pavilion at Expo '67.
MillVeritable
Superboom
for MeadowLakeDistrict
MEADOW LAKE - Here
the northwestern corner of
the settled part of Saskatchewan, a sawmill and a
pulp still are coming. They
will create 1,400 jobs, a
veritable superboom for a
town of barely 4,000.
In 1orth Battleford, 98
miles south of here, a new
factory makes mobile homes
and employs I 00 persons.
In Weyburn, in southern
Saskatchewan,
the
blackearth country that is glutted
with unsold wheat, a distillery is being built. It will
employ 25 persons.
THE NEW YORK TIMES
News Service, 1970
In a heavily agricultural
province the size of France,
but with a population of less
than a mi llion, no enterprise
that creates or sustains jobs
is too small to be notewort hy, especially now.
In 1969, Saskatchewan's
popu lati on fell by 13,000 to
948,000, t he firs t decline
sin ce 1951. Cont inu a ti on of
such a rapid population loss,
and S a s k a t c h e wan has
known cosiderable population fluctuation since becoming a province in 1905, could
be fiscally and economically
disastrous.
Two years of slow wheat
sales in a heavily-supplied
world market and completion
of potash-mine construction
projects presumably
h ad
much to do with last year's
migrations.
The wheat slump has hurt
retail trade and tax revenues
and cast a pall over the province this vear. Even in North
Battlefor~l. a city of 12,000
in a mixed farming region
that has suffered les than
has the wheat belt, business
is off. Farm machinery and
auto d ea I e rs here and
throughout
t h e province
have been especially hard
hit.
"People a re d r i v i n g
around in sm ashed cars,"
laments a woman whose
husband works in an auto
body shop .
Th ere are more teachers
tha n tea chin g posit ions. Student s and Can ada Manpower
officials report t hat s ummer
JULY, 1970
jobs are uncommonly scarc e.
With t h e s e immediate
problems, and against the
background
of continuing
long-term shrinkage in farm
employment, the provincial
government appeared to be
working determinedly
to
avert a large-scale exodus
from the province.
In 1969, for example, the
Saskatchewan Economic Development Corporation approved 45 business loan applications totalling $13 million that was more than 50
percent above the previous
high, $8.3 million in 1967.
The province has invested
$1.5 million in the pulp mill
at Prince Albert, which was
opened in 1968 by Parsons
and Whittemore lnc. This
New York - based company
will build a pulp mill north
of Meadow Lake with a $1.8
million federal capital grant
and $330,000 of provincial
equity, or 30 pe rcent. Addi tional funds for the project
will be lent by the province.
The pulp mill and a related
sawmill, by creating oppor tun ities for hu ndreds of
men to work in the woods,
also aids the province's
effort to create job oppor tunities for Indians .
Federal
Funds
Rise
forIndian
Housing
By Na ncy Gelbey
The federal Indian affairs
department is spending more
than $2,700,000 for reserve
housing in Saskatc hewan
but is not getting much
credit for its effort, a department officia l in Saskat chewan said.
"We're spending a lot of
money in Saskatchewan hiring native laborers and buying materials
from local
suppliers. We'll be helping
the provincial economy. l f
the province announced a
similar public works project
there would be lots of publicity,'' Archie Masuk, regional engineering superviso r ,
said.
Despite rising costs and
limited budgets this year,
Saskatchewan's
proportion
of housing money has risen
from $2,000,000 last year to
$2,720,000 this year, he said .
"Our budget has risen
every year in Saskatchewan,
possibly to the detriment of
other provinces, but this is
in keeping with the govern ment's policy of giving more
to the needy," he said.
A five-year plan to provide housing for all Canadian Indians h a s b e e n
thrown off kilter by rising
costs. Reserve houses which
were planned at $7,000 now
cost $8,500, he said. Duri ng
the 1970-71 fiscal year, 290
houses will be constructed
and 131 old homes renovated
in the six Saskatc h ewan
agencies.
Major emph as is will be in
t he nor t h. Th e Batt leford
ag ency will spend $675,000
(Cont inued on Page 7)
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JULY, 1970
(Continued from Page 6)
on 80 houses and renovate
12.
The Red Pheasant Reserve
part of the agency received
national attention in April
when Chief George Nicotine
complained of being turned
down by both federal and
provincial authorities when
he asked for decent housing.
The reserve will receive
three new houses.
Saskatchewan band chiefs
and councillors meet each
spring to decide how many
houses to be built the following year will go to each
reserve. Therefore any extra
homes built on the Red
THE SASKATCHEWAN
Pheasant reserve would be
at the expense of another
reserve.
There will be 69 new
homes built in the Prince
Albert division with $589,000 ; 17 in the Yorkton
agency and 21 houses renovated with $207,000; the
Saskatoon d i v i s i o n gets
$512,000 for 58 new houses
and renovations to 16; Qu'Appelle, 25 homes valued at
$172,000 ; and Touchwood,
41 new houses and 81 renovations for $564,000.
About 900 native persons
will be employed on a daylabor basis from the 63
bands.
AlbertaIndians
andMr.Trudeau
A delegation
of 15 0
Alberta Indians went to Ottawa Thursday, June 4th,
to present the federal government with a "Red Paper,"
in reply to the government's
W h i t e Paper on Indian
policy, issued about a year
ago. Because of the strong
opposition by many Indians
to the \Vhite Paper proposals, the meeting between
the Indians and more than
half the Cabinet might have
been expected to be hostile,
or even acrimonious. Instead
the meeting, if not friendly,
indicated that attitudes are
soft enough to permit negotiations
a n d compromise
before new Indian policies
are put into effect.
The Red Paper predictably
rejected the White Paper
proposals and reiterated the
Indian contention that the
government was proceeding
to implement them, although
it had promised to consult
first with the Indians. It also
stressed the need for sweeping revisions to the Indian
Act and reorganization
of
the Indian Affairs branch but not before the question
of treaty rights had been
settled.
The proposals of the Indians have been made before,
but not in a policy brief like
the Red Paper. The government has answered Indian
positic,ns, but never in the
spirit shown by Prime Minister Trudeau in replying to
the Indians in Ottawa.
The prime minister told
the Indians that the government was prepared to wait
for several years, until the
Indians were ready, before
going ahead with any policy
changes. He also praised the
Indian proposals, instead of
countering with dry statements of government policy.
He admitted that the government's policy might have
been "naive, too ab tract,
and too theoretical" - and
somewhat hasty.
David Courchene of the
Manitoba
Indian Brotherhood expressed the probable
Indian attitude to Mr. Trudeau's replies in his comment that the government's
actions would verify what
Mr. Trudeau
meant. The
Indians are used to the words
of the government by now.
But it was not by accident
that Mr. Trudeau's statements drew applause from
the Indians.
The prime minister,
in
effect, said the government
was human, that it could be
wrong, but it did appreciate
the Indians' position. As
prime minister he could not
have spoken lightly in saying the government would
wait to hear the Indians'
policy views.
The government
clearly
wants to make sweeping and
overdue changes in its Indian
policy. The once apathetic
and isolated Indian is now
being asked to share in the
formation of policies pertaining to his affairs. The gulf
o f misunderstanding
between Indians and government is still rather wide, at
a time when consultation and
compromise are essential.
Considered by themselves,
the White and Red Papent
might preclude compromise.
But Prime Minister Trudeau
has left plenty of room for
the discussions considered
necessary by both sides.
EditorialRegina Leader-Post.
are
Mr. Thatcher
said he was
"really delighted" to learn
that the federal government
was paying part of the cost
of establishing the industry
which is "so important to
the province and our native
people.
"This is your own industry. If you succeed we'll
have to start looking at
others,"
the premier told
the employees.
The opening was held following a meeting of the task
force on Indian and Metis
opportunity.
Task
force
members were driven to the
industry site.
Most of the employees'
day is spent dismantling
railroad cars. It was the
steel ribbon which holds the
railway car to the carriage
which the premier cut with
the torch.
Roy Hynd of the Indian
and Metis department said
about 425 cars from American railroads
have been
bought for di11mantling by
the industry.
"Thev are gent to Canada
becaus~ of the American pollution laws, which are much
more 11trict than in Canada.
Here we can burn the wood
from the railway cars," he
said.
When and if they run out
of cars, there are scrap metal
piles which can be organized,
cut up and separated to feed
IPSCO furnaces.
The men and one woman,
who is a cutter, work an
eight - hour day in three
shifts. A crew comes on at
5 a.m., then the main bulk
of cutters at 7 a.m. followed
by those who load scrap, at
2:30 p.m.
J i m Parisien, manager,
said this industry has to
compete with other scrap
metal operations.
"We won't put up with
anything on the job," he
said.
Peter Dubois of the Federation
of
Saskatchewan
Indians, who is president of
the company which is entirely owned by the native
workers on a limited share
bas i s, said "His spirits
lifted" when he saw how
quickly the company had
advanced.
"There is a great deal of
interest among our people
who finally believe they have
an equal opportunity to do
something, both Metis and
Indian alike," he said.
Operations began March
23 with 14 native emuloyees.
All those working have been
technically trained out of
town, on the job.
4
Indian,MetisPlantOfficially
Opened
The Native Metals Industry, being run by Indian and
Metis, was officially opened
Tue"Scht.~ June 9th, with
Premier ,Thatcher operating
a cutting torch.
"I can see why you need
all these," said the premier
as sparks flew by his eyes.
The premier was decked out
in a hard hat, goggles and
protective jacket and pant
coverings, for the opening.
The unique al.I-native industry employing 45 men
and one woman, is run in
conjunction with the Interprovincial Steel and Pipe
Page 7
INDIAN
Corporation.
W age s
about $420 a month.
The first announcement of
the industry was made at
the December, 1969, task
force meeting. The i d e a
came from Jack Turvey,
IPSCO manager.
Mr. Turvey predicts the
metal industry will have a
payroll of $250,000 a year.
Education
Department
Urgedto "TakeAdvice"
The education department
Tuesday,
June 9th, was
advised to "take
some
advice" from the task force
on Indian and Metis opportunity.
"It is unfortunate the minister of education is not here
to hear some of our proposals. We hope he would
have listened closely," said
Arthur McBeath, chairman
of the education committee.
Dr. Howard Nixon, a Saskatoon professor and former
education committee chairman, said the task force
should encourage the education department to act.
"We must show we here
are a 11 concerned about
people of native ancestry.
The department should take
our advice and put some
money in the pot for native
education," he said.
Most of the day-long meeting was spent on education.
Task force members, white
and Indian and Metis, consider education to have top
priority and C'larence Estey,
minister in charge of the
Indian and Metis department, said last December the
next meeting would be devoted to education.
Education
Minister McIsaac was not there, although
various department officials
were.
The task force discussed
and endorsed the Indian cultural college at Saskatoon,
the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians education task
force, and a $6,000 grant
f r o m t h e Saskacthewan
Teachers' Federation, t h e
federal Indian Affairs department and the task force
itself, to begin curriculum
revision in schools attended
by Indian and Metis students.
The task force will propose the government give
practical - that is financial
- support to an Indian cultural college in Saskatoon
which begins classes this
fall.
The curriculum will be set
by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians based on
findings of their own education task force which begins
its research within a few
weeks.
The first course is for
leadership training, then cultural classes will be added.
Rodney Soonias, from the
Red Pheasant reserve and
FSI
education
committee
member, said the education
department has not been consulted about the school.
Teachers will come from
reserve schools and elders
will assist with history courses. Consultants
will be
called when necessary.
The courses will be short,
taught by different instructors and the 20 to 25 students will live at Emmanuel
College. where the FSI is
renting
pace.
Plans call for some classes
to be conducted in Cree.
The $6,000 grant is to be
divided between four schools
which will with the co-operation of their communities
propose instructional
projects.
The funds cannot finance
a new course of study but
will provide only for the
start of a part of a course,
Mr. McBeath told the task
force.
Three project ideas so far
call for teaching social skills
in areas of work, family,
community, leisure and self.
Another proposes to study
the inter - relationship
of
man, animals and their environment, and a third to be
based in a northern comm unity will study language
development of kindergarten
children in a northern community.
Canada
Discrimination
Described
as Subtle
VICTORIA (CP) As
far as Bill Wilson is concerned Canadians have no
reason to be smug about
their attitudes toward discrimination.
"The Canadian discrimination is subtle, very subtle,"
he said recently in an interview.
"I have run into plenty of
it. The same old things like
being served last in a crowded restaurant and not being
allowed to date the belles of
the local community no matter what the girls think."
Mr. Wilson, 25, is an Indian and a member of the
Kwakiutl
tribe. He is a
fourth-year student of political science at the University
of Victoria and plans to
enter law school next fall.
He has a non-Indian wife
and, recently, a daughter.
Mr. Wilson said his wife's
parents
were opposed to
their daughter marrying an
Indian.
"It was one of those cases
where they applied all the
old stereotypes.
I was an
Indian, Indians are pretty
bad types, they get drunk, I
was an Indian and so I was
all those things. In the end
they had to get down to facing the fact that we are all
human beings and we had to
treat each other at face
value."
Mr. Wilson, recently elected president
of Canada's
newly-formed Native Stud(Continued on Page 8)
�Page 8
(Continued
THE SA SKATCHEWAN
from Page 7)
ents Association, emphasized
the economic facets of prejudice at length.
"There is the reserve and
all the identification
that
goes with living on one. I
didn't grow up on a reserve.
Fortunately
or unfortunately my parents chose to live
off the reserve.
"I suppose they were relatively well off . My dad was
a fisherman and later a fish
packer. He had his own boat
and we did well.
"But the white man looks
at the reserves, say some of
those around Victoria, and
he sees that they are not well
developed and he sees that
some of the houses are run
down. Right away the Indian
is categorized because of the
appearance of those homes.
"This economic situation
makes a vast difference. Relative wealth makes an even
greater difference. Appearances make all the difference."
He said he has been turned
out of restaurants
in Vancouver after the manager got
a look at his straight hair,
high cheek bones and "permanent tan."
The Indian student leader
is concerned by the approach
he and other young Indians
are taking to the reserves
and is trying to discover how
he and his fellows can put
some of their advanced training at the disposal of the
bands who still live on the
reserves.
"Even when an Indian gets
a good education he is at
best just used as an example.
But what are we doing for
Indian people as a whole?
Perhaps we are just becoming sober peaceful copies of
the white man.
"Perhaps.
there
is too
much emphasis on educating
Indians and then getting
them off the reserve. They
may decide to opt for a highrise life or the security of
suburbia
and there is no
association
back
on the
reserve.
"Sure, there are tremendous failings in the reserve
system but it is still our last
bastion. It's a place you can
go and really call home.
There is something about an
Indian
community
that's
really worth preserving ."
The"Chrome
Horse"
An Indian is only six feet tall. If he leaves the Great
Valley at daybreak - and follows the sun - he can reach
the Sea by nightfall. With a steady stride and good luck.
The white man covers the distance in less than an hour.
He races across the earth almost as swiftly as the sun moves
across the sky. And without effort. A slight twist of his
wrist to begin, and then steady pressure applied through his
leg to the ball of his right foot. Nothing more. He sits there,
enclosed in a hunk of steel, rushing through space.
You white men,think vou are Gods. To travel from the
Great \'alley to the Sea in. less than an hour.
But not for free. The chrome horse demands its price.
You must lava hard mixture of rock and sand over the
brown earth. Y~u must crisscross this land with huge,
smooth paths. You must destroy the trees. You must
remove the wild animals. You must make a part of the
world regular, even, predictable.
What energy hurtles you through space? A series of
small explosions in the centre of that hunk of metal.
Explosions terrify my people. They are man-made thunder.
Man does not make thunder cheaply. The small explosions
fill the air with poison gas. Soon you will not be able to
breathe without choking, soon you will not be able to open
your eyes without crying, soon you will not be able to live
at all.
It is not an easy journey to walk from the Great Valley
to the Sea. My people would not make such a journey without good reason. We would finish the clay tired and hungry.
But when we travelled that distance we knew the earth we
walked across. We knew the leaves of the live oak, the
chatter of the squirrel, the tap tap tap of the woodpecker.
White man, what do you know'!
Berkeley Tribe
From the Octopus, Ottawa.
MRS. ANNA CROWE
1829 Forget St., Reg ina
"\Vho Am I" - is a poem
composed by Anna Crowe of
the Piapot Band, Saskatchewan, formerly from Onion
Lake, Sask.
Anna wrote this poem for
an Education Class at the
U. of S., Regina Campus to
express her experiences as
an individual in society.
Anna says: Non Indians,
in the main, tend to generalize in their dealing with
Indians and overlook the
whole meaning of humanity
that we are all individuals
that this holds tru'e for
Indians too.
WHO AM I
\\.'ho am I? you ask,
Let me tell you,
I am a living being, a part
of society,
A female of the species,
A wife, even a mother,
But most important,
...
I am me!
I conform, I follow your
rules,
learned to worship your
God,
spend the same money,
give and I receive love,
Sometimes I hate,
...
I am me!
Though not my wish nor my
command,
I am ........
.
And it sets me apart from
you ancl him,
I see the looks, I read the
thoughts,
But you are wrong,
. . . I am me!
JULY, 1970
INDIAN
IndianCultural
Magazine
MakesIts Debut
"Tawow", a Cree Indian
word meaning welcome, is
the name of a new quarterly
publication produced by the
Department
of Indian Affairs and Northern Development as a forum for Indian
writers and poets.
Tawow is a cultural publication and is edited by Mrs.
Jean Goodwill of the Indian
Affairs
Cultural
Development Section. Mrs. Goodwill,
a Plains Cree Indian from
Little Pine Reserve, Saskatchewan, was formerly
coeditor of The Indian News.
Announcing
the appearance of the first issue of
Tawow, Indian Affairs Minister Jean Chretien said the
Indian people must have a
chance to express
themselves and through the creation of Tawow, they are
being given this opportunity.
Very few people of Indian
ancestry are acclaimed as
authors and there is a great
need for giving these people
a medium
through
which
they can express their ideas
and share some of their cultural background with their
fellow Canadians, he said.
The publication is expected to help uncover the work
of many talented native Canadians, to promote it and,
at the same time, bring to
other Canadians glimpses of
Indian culture, both past and
present.
In t-he first issue, t h ere
are articles of interest to
Indian women, contributions
by well known artists and by
many of the younger people .
The articles
cover
such
varied subjects as the origin
of Indian place names in
Cape Breton, Tahahsheena
rugs in Sioux country, a
dance troupe in Paris and
Indian children in Ontario.
Of general interest is "Indian Urbanization"
by Andrew Bear Robe, former
Executive Director of the
Calgary Indian Friendship
Centre, and an illustrated
article on how to make
Northern Woodlands Moccasins. A story on the ancient
Pipe Ceremony is followed
by an article on Norval Morrisseau, an Ojibway artist
from Northern Ontario.
All articles will be published in the language written by the contributors. Only
in certain cases selected by
the editors will the material
appear in other languages.
Great care has gone into ensuring that the publication
has the widest possible appeal and participation.
T a w o w will be s o I d
through
Queen's
Printer
bookstores at a cost of $1
per issue.
Night
I ache for the darkness of night
Not the artificial city nights
Where the sky glow,; yellow and the red and blue flash 0n
and on and on;
But the darkness that is quiet
The darkness that is alive and full of black
The darkness that covers the forest
But lets ea~h tree breathe freely
The clear, open, eternal darkne s
Which stretches up and up into infinity.
You can smell life when the sky is dark
The musky swamp odour stings your nostrils
And you breathe in the fresh wetness of the river.
Your toes are wet from the grass but you can't see it
You know the tree is beside you in blackness as yo~ touch
the caley bark with your fingertips
All around you the sounds and smells carry your heart into
the darknes ',
And in this darkness you know the strength of your soul
and feel the majesty of life.
-Michele
Tetu.
Manitoba
IndianBrotherhood
President
DavidCourchene
Awarded
Honorary
Degree
Manitoba Indian Brotherhood President Dave Courchene was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law Degree
May 21 by the University
of Manitoba - the first Indian in Manitoba so honoured. Mr. Courchene was
one of four people who were
given honorary degrees during the spring convocation
of the University of Manitoba.
The honour represents the
latest in a long line of
achievements by Mr. Courchene - a former labourer
and Indian Chief. The award
i ; in part, recognition for
the elevation of the Manitoba Indian Brotherhood to
a viable position during his
term as president.
The MIB president
has
worked as a construction
worker, pulp mill worker,
administrator
and manager
before he took over the
presidency of the MIB in
1968.
During his convocation address, Mr. Courchene challenged graduating
students
to "come to grips with the
problems of social devastation and human wasteage of
Indian people". He said this
problem of wasteage
was
"as much a result of our
b I i n d and single-minded
determination to exploit our
resources
as are pollution
and ecological disaster".
He said: "In an effort to
maintain an element of independence we have been slowly pushed to the last frontiers - largely unexp loited
northlands ... Here we find
a majority of our people in
a worse relative
position
than they were a century
ago.
"What do we do now with
these forgotten
people these living museum pieces
of a century
ago; these
people with a quaint way of
life who can no longer make
their way through
traditional habits and with traditional skills'? There are no
longer any far flung frontiers to which they can gravitate. We have come to the
end of the road."
Mr. Courchene said the
white man has been obsessed
with a single-minded objective of exploiting the resources of this great nation
which has largely excluded
any concern for the rights
of others .
"This single - minded obsession sees man today suddenly awakening to the fact
that· not only has he ignored
the 1,ecurity and sanctity of
the aboriginal owners of this
land, he now threatens his
own existence
t hrough
m o n u m e n t a I n e g lect,
through catastrophic
pollution and through man-made
ecological disaster," he told
the graduating class.
"From an Indian's point
of view, perhaps we could be
forgiven if we are to suggest
that this is poetic justice."
Mr. Courchene took over
the presidency of the MIB
almost three years ago when
he was chief of the Fort
Alexander Reserve near Pine
Falls, Manitoba. In April,
1970, he was elected to his
second succes ive two-year
term as chief.
During Mr. Courchene's
presidency, the MIB's budg e t h a s increased from
$30,000 to m o r e t h a n
$500,000 annually. Responsi,..
bility and services provided
increased
proportionately.
The organization has grown
from a staff of one full time
employee two years ago to
a current staff of more than
40 full time workers.
ln addition,
the MIB has
consultants on w)1 m_j!'le:r-i'el~·
in the lel{al, sociological.
ernnomical and public relations fields. Sixteen people
are or have been on part
lime assignments in the last
year .
a cadre of professional
-2
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·
�MESSAGE
Editor
Mervin Brass
CreativeDirector
BradFenty, PepperDesigns
Production
BradFenty,PepperDesigns
Since1970, the Saskatchewa
n Indian Magazine
hasbeen the official communication vehicle for
First Nationcommunities and the Federation of
Saskatc
hewan Indian Nations(FSIN).
The tradition of the Saskatchewan
Indian
Magazine is to providecoverageof people,
issuesand eventsboth entertaining and
informative throughoutFirst Nation
communities.There is such an overwhelming
number of First Nations communityeventsand
happeningsthat we are unable to cover them
all. Therefore,we invite stories, photographs,
artwork and lettersfrom our readers.
FROM
THE
EDITOR
I
had only three reasons to go to the band office when I was a kid. The first one was to go
tell my dad, the late Sterling Brass, who was Chief of the Key First Nation , that supper was
ready. The second was to buy a bottle of pop (the band office was the only place you
co uld buy soft drinks.) The other reason was to read the Saskatchewan Indian .
I loved to find out what happened on other reserves especially if I saw someone I knew.
I remember the first and on ly time I was mentioned in a story. I was at a 4H event in Fort
Qu'Appe lle. I made sure everybody got a copy and knew about that.
The Saskatchewan Indian was first published in July 1970, since
then the magazine has gone through many changes. Throughout
this specia l ed ition, we tried to capture some of the th ings the
magazine is best known for; its bang on editorials, humour, sports
coverage, and of course, chronicling First Nation history .
I hope you enjoy reading the magazine as much as I enjoyed
compiling the contents for this very special edition of the
Saskatchewan Indi an.
Thank you,
_.::;:.,
F"IR ST
S ATURDAYS
__
•
~:..
,;:
,,,_:
SASKATCHEWAN
NA TIONS
CURRENT
AT
6PM,
5:30PM
~~~Bf
' S ONLY
AF"FAIRS
IN
PROGR
PRINCE
AM
ALBER
Inside Cover - Wint er 2001
Mervin Brass
COPYRIGHTS
Saskatchewan
Indian Magazine will reserve the
sole right to acceptor rejectany articlesor
advertisementson the basisof the content that
might not be suitable for the publication.
Saskatchewan
Indian Magazine will not be
respons
ible for any liability regarding any article,
advertisement or material errors,omissions or
faults beingpublished.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Cover- First EditionOf Sask IndianJuly 1970
MessageFromThe Editor
By Mervin Brass
1
FSIN ChiefGuy LonechildMessage
2
Sask Indian MagazineJuly 2011
MemorableMoments
5
Sask Indian MagazineJuly 2011
The viewsand opinions expressedby the
contributors do not necessa
rily represent or
reflect Saskatchewa
n Indian Magazine or the
Federation of Saskatchewan
Indian Nations.
Saskatchewan
Indian Magazine is published by
the Federation of the Saskatchewan
Indian
Nations.
CoverPhoto:U of R Photography Department
of Dr. Carrie Bourassa
HobbemaOilersWin Battleford'sTournament
6
Sask Indian MagazineMay 1981 Volume 11 Number 5 - Pages4-5
All ChiefsConference
8
Sask Indian MagazineMay 1981 Volume 11 Number 5 - Pages46-47
FSIN Chief'sLegislativeAssembly
10
Sask Indian MagazineFebruary
/ March 1982 Volume 12 Number 2 - Pages 15-20
TreatyDay Made Special
15
Sask Indian MagazineMay 1979 Volume9 Number 5 - Page5
HistoricCasinoAgreementNegotiated
17
Sask Indian MagazineFall 1995 - Page5
Publication Mail Agreement No. 40009626
RETURNUNDELIVERABLE
CANADIAN
ADDRESSES
TO:
Saskatchewan
Indian Magazine
Federation of Saskatchewan
Indian Nations
Suite200-103APackham Ave
Saskatoon,
SKS7K4K4
Printed By Houghton Boston
Copyright2011. All rightsreserve
d.
ISSN0048-9204
FSIN
65THANNIVER SARY 2011
T
ExecutiveUpdates
20
Sask Indian MagazineJuly 2011
Pen Pals
28
November/December1979 Volume9 Number 11- 12 Pages29-30
Pow-wowTroupeGoesTo Sweden
31
Sask Indian MagazineFebruary
/ March 1980 Volume 10 Number 2 - 3 - Pages 12-15
Saskatchewan
Winter Games
35
Sask Indian MagazineApril 1980 Volume 10 Number 4 - Page31
Editorial
36
Sask Indian MagazineFebruary/March1982 Volume 12 Number 2 Inside Cover
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
l.
ISSUE
4. 2011
1
�Gaming FrameworkAgreement. In 1996, the Saskatchewan
IndianGamingAuthoritywas established;and in lateryears,the
SaskatchewanFirst Nations Prevention·services Model and
AccountabilityFrameworkAgreementwassignedin 2007,and the
First NationsChildand FamilyServicesInstitutewas established
the sameyear. We also establisheda Saskatchewan
First Nation
ResourceCentreof Excellence
in 2009.
Today,our province-wideorganizationremainsas oneof the only
institutionsof its kind in the country,andour Legislative
Assembly
is truly an impressioninstitutionof First Nationsgovernance.
n behalf of the Federationof SaskatchewanIndian
Nations, I am pleased to present the 65th FSIN
AnniversaryEditionof the Sasklndian,which celebrates
65 yearsof standingtogetherin unity to protectand promote
our Treatyrights and advancethe social,economicand cultural
aims of First Nationspeople.
O
This milestonemustgive us pauseto reflecton the paththat we
havetravelledthus far and wherewe planto go in the future.
Theenclosedfirst editionof the Saskatchewan
Indian,published
in July 1970, providesmuch insight into the realityfaced by
First Nationspeople,a decadeand a half after the FSINwas
established.
According to the first edition, Mr. John Tootoosis of
Poundmaker
Reservestated,"Wherehopewasfading,the fruits
of the work are beginningto blossom."
With Dr. DavidAhenakewat the helm,the FSINwas activeon a
numberof fronts. The FSINwas focusednot only on providing
servicesto First Nationsliving on reserves,but to our 'urbanbound' peopleas well. A call for increasedfundingto support
educationas a top priority was made, and Dr. Ahenakew
stressedthe needfor First Nationsto illustrateour capacityto
governourselveseffectively.
"We must explainand demonstrateour sincerityin beinggood
people,we must display our desirefor better things for our
childrenfor theyaregoingto bethe recipientsof our mistakes,"
said Dr. DavidAhenakew.
The Saskatchewan
Indian Collegeand CulturalCentrewere in
their infancy,but our leadershipshowedgreatvisionfor all that
they could accomplishfor First Nationspeople.
Nationally,our leadershipstood in unity with First Nationsfrom
Alberta and Manitobato denouncethe federal government's
proposed 'White Paper,' which would have stripped First
Nationspeopleof our constitutional,legaland politicalstatusin
Canada.
Throughthe years,the FSINhasgoneon to establisha number
of unique and successful institutions including the
SaskatchewanIndian Agriculture Program, First Nations
Universityof Canada,Saskatchewan
Indian Equity Foundation
and the Saskatchewan
IndianInstituteof Technologies.
More recently,the FSIN successfullynegotiatedthe 1992 TreatyLand EntitlementFrameworkAgreementand the 1994
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
We can all look back with pride on our strong and unified
foundationand unwaveringcommitmentto betteringthe lives of
our children,familiesand communities.
As I've statedbefore,for manyof our Elders,nowis truly our time
to realizethe vision of our Treatiesand sharethe pride in our
identityand heritage.
We havea greatresponsibilityto continueworkingtogetherin the
best interestsof First Nationspeople in our Treatyterritories,
guided by our Elders and governedby the democraticlaws,
customsand policiesof our institution.
The Federationof Saskatchewan
IndianNationshas beenactively
carryingout the mandateof the Chiefs-in-Assembly
to revitalize
our organizationand renew our commitment to promoting,
protectingand honouringthe Treaties.
This Revitalizationeffort has built on a strengthenedTreaty
agenda,with the FSIN Executivefocusing on a rights-based
approachto Education,Healthand Wellness,RestorativeJustice
and economic opportunities. Most notably, in the area of
education,throughthe BilateralTaskForceon Education,we are
taking steps to improve the lifelong learning and educational
experiences
and outcomesof FirstNationsto ensurethat we fully
share in the prosperityand future directionof the Provinceof
Saskatchewan.
Weare lookingat earlychildhoodeducationprograms,comparable
funding for our K to 12 schools,as well as skills and training
programs,which will create employmentopportunitiesfor our
students.
With the continuedinput and directionof our Chiefs-in-Assembly,
and the guiding
wisdomand knowledgeof our Eldersand youth, we are charting
a betterfuturefor First Nationspeople.
Onceagain,in the words of the late Mr. John Tootoosisof the
PoundmakerFirst Nation,"Wherehopewas fading,the fruits of
the work are beginningto blossom."
Sincerely,
ChiefGuyLonechild
Federationof Saskatchewan
IndianNations
IndianGovernments
of Saskatchewan
1. ISSUE 4. 2011
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
�When you spend the better part
of your career working for the
betterment of First Nations
people you're bound to gather a
few memories. To help celebrate
the FSIN's 65th · Anniversary
and the Saskatchewan Indian's
special edition the current
Federation of Saskatchewan
Indian Nations Executive were
asked to share their memorable
moments of the FSIN.
For Chief Guy Lonechild a memorable discussion
about gaming with the former Chief of the
Whitebear First Nation and FSIN Senator,
the late Bill Standingready, comes to mind
when he thinks about the FSIN.
Senator Bill always maintained that gaming was a
way to bring support from outside the community
and that both young and
old could benefit from the
industry. He said that it
also had its drawbacks,
that potentially problems
of parents spending more
time away from home at
the casinos instead of the
most important respon~
sibility of raising their
children. As he stated,
Fonner Chi ef Bill Standingr eady
'We must be careful that
this entertainment not take away our ability to
properlyprovidefor our kids. It is these kids that are
most important'.
Like the kids who grew up in the sixties and
seventies, children were given a bag of chips and a
5TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
coke and waited for their parents. Today, the danger
is in casinos taking our focus away from child~
rearing. Grandpa Bill, as everyone First Nations and
non~First Nations from miles around knew him as
the hockey coach, buying hamburgersfor all the kids,
made sure we were looked after. He was an avid
sportsman in his day, travelling to ball tournaments
to umpire baseball games for many leagues around
south~east Saskatchewan. He believed that the
drawbacks in casino gaming for our people could be
made up by re~investingin culture, sport and youth
programs to keep our young people occupied.
Today, we continue to enjoy the vision of our past
leaders efforts in the creation of the Saskatchewan
Indian Gaming Authority.
With over 2250
employees and 600 million in direct returns to all of
Saskatchewan's First Nations, we have together
created a prime example First Nations sharing
success for which must be emulated in other areas of
our economy.
Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations
Vice Chief Morley Watson remembers when
the frozen bodies of two young First Nation
men were found along city limits of Saskatoon
like it was only yesterday. Saskatoon City
Police were suspected of having something to
do with theses suspicious deaths. In the winter
of 2000, the bodies of Rodney Naistus and
Lawrence Wagner were discovered outside the
city of Saskatoon. A third man, Darrell Night,
came forward to tell his story that Saskatoon
police dropped him off in the same area where
the two bodies were found. These startling
allegations raised questions about the 1990
freezing death of Neil Stonechild.
These horrific incidents were the beginning of a
process that finally brought the "FirstNations Voice"
to the national and international stage. In 200 2 , the
Commission on First Nations and Metis Peoplesand
Justice Reform was borne and in 2003, the
Commission of Inquiry into Matters Relating to the
Death of Neil Stonechild was announced.
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
1.
ISSUE
4. 2011
3
�As the then~ViceChief Lawrence Joseph said, "Neil
Stonechild was a son, brother, cousin, and friend to
many who loved and cherishedhim. It should be a
constant reminder to one and all that we are not
simply talking about a racial issue. We are talking
about a human life gone and a future lost for both
Neil and his family."
Amnesty International reported that members of
Saskatoon City Police had for a number of years an
unofficial policy of abandoning intoxicated or
"troublesome"members of the indigenouscommunity
Another memory that stands out for Vice
Chief Watson happened in 2006 when the
FSIN Midget Boys Softball team captured
three major championships.
Winning the gold medal at the 2006 North
American Indigenous Games in Denver, Colorado
spurned the close knit team to accept the challengeof
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
away from the population center of Saskatoon,
thereby placing them at great risk of dying of
hypothermia during the winter months.
These tragic events paved the way for better
communication between the Police Services and
First Nations. Since that time, there have not been
any First Nations bodies found on the outskirts of
Saskatoon. The Police~FirstNation relationship
still has a ways to go, but togetherwe are willing to
work on creating better future for our city and
province.
competing in the Saskatchewan Provincials. After
winning the provincial title, they took their game to
the next level and won the nationals in Prince
Albert. That was history in the making! It was the
first time that a First Nation team claimeda national
championship from Softball Saskatchewan and
Softball Canada.
1. ISSUE 4. 2011
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
�Current Federation
of Saskatchewan
Indian
Nations third Vice Chief E. Dutch Lerat held
the Office of 2nd Vice Chief back in 1993. It
don't have to go to any other Government with 'Hat
in hand" to ask for funding to address our gambling
habits, we fund it ourselves.
was also the time when the Whitebear First
Nation
opened
the
very
first
casino
in
The
Federation
of
Saskatchewan
Indian
Saskatchewan which provides the backdrop for
Nations
has had some very dynamic leaders
Vice Chief Lerat's most memorable moment.
since the organization began some 65 years
ago. Many of them left their mark and their
As an elected representative of the FSIN, we impressions on Saskatchewan's First Nation
organizeda tour bus to attend the grand opening on youth. FSIN Fourth Vice Chief Lyle Whitefish
February 26, 1993. The originalcasino was housed was one of those impressionable young men.
in the White Bear Golf
Course logstructure.There
As a young man growing
wasa lotof anticipationand
up on the Big River First
excitement in the air,
Nation (Whitefish) in
people from all walks of
northern Saskatchewan,
life and communities were
my father Peter Whitefish
there to take part in a
was on council. He used
historical moment that
to bring home the "Sask
would witness White Bear
Indian"Editions.I remember
First Nation exercising , becoming inspired by the
their inherent right to
late Dr. David Ahenakew
establisha Casino on their
when he was a Chief for
land.
,
, . . _
r •'::zW
,..,.'H"'
. . , '""" the Federation. I followed
11,
,
,
•
,
his career in the magazine
and his role as a leader of
the Assembly of First Nations.
Dr. David Ahenakew former Chief of the FSIN and AFN
We were in a long lineup of cars and trucks waiting
to enter the White Bear Golf Course parking lot.
When we finally did get to gamble, the sounds of the
"One Armed Bandits" accepting and dispensing
quarters could be heard among the laughter and
conversation of the people in the casino. My aunty,
(whom will remain unnamed) was so excited to be at
the machines, it was like bringinga little piece of Las
Vegas to White Bear. She won $250 right off the bat
and was on a roll. After a full day of gambling I
went to see my aunt, she was sitting in a chair and
gazing downward, not looking like she was having
fun any more. I asked her what was wrong and she
told me she gambled her winning back and wasn't
feeling very good. After some good natured teasing,
I gave her $250 and her smile was back, she hurried
out to board the bus back to Saskatoon.
Today as I reflec;tback, maybe this is where the First
Nation Addictions Rehabilitation Fund began, we
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
I remember him on TV when Canada was
repatriating the Canadian Constitution. He talked
with such eloquence and forcefulness and made the
Prime Minister, Premiersand Territorialleaderslisten
to what he had to say with such profoundness. Not
only could he talk, but he was First Nation like me
and he came from a nearby reserve and it made me
think that was a First Nations person to look up to.
He was an AFN, FSIN (FSI back then) and band
leader with an education contrary to the racial
stereotype image of our people at the time. It inspired
me to get my education and do whatever I could to
help our people as a leader. I am grateful for having
had the opportunity to have met him and to have
witnessed his leadership.
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
1.
ISSUE
4. 2011
�HOBBEMA OILERS.
HOBBEMAOILERS
WIN
BATTLEFORD'S
HOCKEY
TOURNAMENT
by Archie King
NORTH BATTLEFORD- Louis
Gardiner scored four goals and
assisted on two others to lead
Hobbema Oilers past the Prince
Albert Indian and Metis Friendship
Centre by the score of 13-51
capturing the championship at
Battleford's Native Hockey
Tournament for 1981.
The visiting Albertans bolstered
with local Saskatchewan hockey
talent defeated Buffalo Narrows 8-1
in its opener. The Oilers qualified
for the semi-final game, which they
won on a penalty shot against the
Dog Lake Tearn. The penalty
assessment caused much
controversy as the Dog Lake Team
argued, leading to an eventual
altercation with the referee.
A _total of 16 native hockey teams
including teams from Northwest
Territories and Thunder Bay
Ontario battled for three d~ys of
h,ockey action for .a share of the
$6.500 in prize money (including
individual and all-star honors.) ·
In consolation action the host North
Battleford hockey squad defeated
James Smith 7-3, Thunder Bay 8-2,
and Buffalo Narrows 6-3 in the
~inal. Th_under Bay, Ont;rio opt out
m A-act19n after Kikino, Alberta
failed to ice a ·team for its opener.
In other opening games Prince
Albert Indian and Metis Friendship
Centre defeated North Battleford
6
7-'I, Muskeg Lake defeated Alexis
Alberta 5-3, Dog Lake whipped '
Beardy's 11-1, Northwest Territories
blanked Hying Dust 13-0, Goodfish ·
Lake, Alta., defeated James Smith
9-3, and Enoch, Alta ., won over
Patuanak 7-3.
For its tournament win Hobbema's
goal scorers were Gardiner with
four, Ray Houle and Eli Tacan with
two each, Dan Buffalo, Kenton
Crandall; Virgil Jacobs, Paul
Chipeway, and Keith Johnson with
singles.
Bowing out to Hobbema was no
dis_grace_
for the Prince Albert squad
going with only two lines. Sid
B~yer, tourney's top sniper, lead
Prince Albert with three goals
followed with singles from the
Ahenakew brothers, Greg and Ron.
Richard Merasty scoring two goals
lead Battlefords' win in consolation
action followed with singles from
Eugene Albert, James Rose, Lester
Favel, and Lyle Villeneuve . Oscar
Desjarlais fired all three Buffalo
Narrow's goals.
Individual award winners included
Sid Boyer, Prince Albert, top scorer·
Louis Gardiner, most valuable
'
player; Robert Perrault, top
defenceman; May Omeaso,
Hobbema, top goalie; and Buffalo
Narrows captured the most
sportsmanlike team award.
All-star selections included May
Omeaso in goal, Gardiner and Ray
Houle on wings, Sid Boyer at
centre, Perrault and Ron Ahenakew
on defence.
■
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN M AGAZ INE SU MMER V OLUME
1. ISSUE 4. 2011
MOST VALUABLE PtAYER
Dave MacMaster
pr_esents trophy to Louis Gardiner of Hobbema
Oilers.
TOURNAMENT CHAMPS Dick
pr~sents championship
trophy
Ch1paway of Hobbema Oilers .
FSIN
Kennedy
to Paul
65THA NN IVERSARY 2011
�JAMESSMITHSCOUTS
CAPTURE
PLAY-OFFS
by GloriaLedoux
DOC LAKERAIDERS
.
MUSKEGLAKEBLADES
.
DOG LAKECAPTURES
TOURNAMENT
HONORS
AT TURTLEFORD
by Archie King
TURTLEFORD- Dog Lake Raiders
defeated Onion Lake Border Chiefs
12-1 , to capture the All-Native
Hockey Tournament which was
sponsored by the Thunderchild
Indian Band, during two days of
hockey action held in this nonIndian community .
The Regina based native hockey
squad added another hockey
tournament win earlier capturing
hockey tournaments held at
Me~dow Lake and Saskatoon.
In opening action, Sandy Lake won
by default over Cole Bay,
Poundmaker defeated Muskeg Lake
6-4, Regina whipped Moosomin 9-1,
Onion Lake clobbered Melfort 9-1 ,
Saddle Lake won over Thunderchild
8-1, and James Smith hammered
Red Pheasant 12-2 .
En route to its consolation win
Muskeg Lake edged Moosomin 4-3,
won by default over Cole Bay and
won over Thunderchild 6-5, in the
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
final.
Darrel Lafond netted two goals
followed with Lad Arcand, Greg
Wolfe, Barry Ledoux, and Bruce
Arcand with singles for Mus~eg's
win while Wayne Youngchief, Alton
Okanee, Pat Kennedy, Lyle
Villenueve and Cameron Jack
scored singles for Thunderchild.
In championship action Dog Lake
outscored their opponents by
lopsided margins, Poundmaker 7-2,
Sandy Lake 9-2, and during the final
clobbered Onion Lake 12-1.
Basil Quewezance, tourney's top
sniper, and each scored four goals
to lead Regina's scoring blitz
followed with Clarence Norton ,
Pete Parenteau, top blueliner, with
two markers while Don Ross and
Gordon Merasty added singles
while Onion Lake's lone marker was
made by Dunlop Muskego.
Other individual winners included
Clarence Iron of Thunderchild, most
valuable player; Rick McDougal ,
Dog Lake, best goalie; and Walter
Patee Onion lake, most
·g~ntlemanly player.
■
Shortly after its formation in l~te
January of 1981, the North Central
Indian Hockey league finally got
underway. As a result of the
league's late start, the season was.
short with each team hosting five
games and five away. league
standings at the end of the season
had the James Smith Scouts on top
followed by Mistawasis, Whitefish ,
Sandy Lake, Sturgeon Lake and
Beardy's, in that order.
Two days of play-off hockey took
place at the Dave Stewart arena in
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan on
Saturday and Sunday, April 11 and
12. In a double round-robin
tournament , the James Smith Scouts
and Sandy Lake Chiefs were tied for
first place while Whitefish Flyers
and Mistawasis Warriors were tied
for third place. The teams played
each other twice to determine the
top teams in two twenty minute
stop time periods .
Day one of the play-offs saw James
Smith defeat Mistawasis 13-8, while Sandy Lake downed Whitefish 14-7.
Other scores in later games were;
Sandy 14 - Whitefish 7; James Smith
· 13 - Mistawasis 8; Sandy Lake 13
-Mistawasis 5; John Smith 8
-Whitefish 5; John Smith 13
-Mistawasis 8; Sandy Lake 7 - John
Smith 5; Whitefish 13 - Mistawasis
8.
In the semi-final· game, Larry Joseph
scored in the sudden death
overtime play to give the Whitefish
Flyers a 7-6 win over Mistawasis
Warriors.
The John Smith Scouts won the
championship by defeating Sandy
Lake Chiefs 6-2. Goals scorers for
the Scouts were Calvin Stonestand
with three while Dexter Burns had
two and a single by Michael
Marion.
Due to poor weather conditions the
players had to leave for home
immediately after the tournament,
so there was no banquet nor
awards presentations. However,
plans are underway to hold such a
banquet in the near future.
■
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
1. ISSUE 4. 2011
7
�ALLCHIEFSCONFERENCE
majesty which may involve examination of these issues
would be inappropriate."
At a recent All Chiefs Conference in Saskatoon, April
14-16, Chief Sanderson said he had mixed feelings
about the London trip.
"We have, internally, to work out a number of our
own understandings of Indian governments as you
heard yesterday. Some (bands) want nationhood, some
want to continue under the Indian Act and some want
Indian government under treaty. So we have to iron
out those details internally. There is so much
uncertainty in .the London parliament and in the
Canadian parliament that the only thing we have to do
is stake out our territory and secure our position
whichever way we can," he said.
This apprehension stemmed from a letter read during
the conference and written by Senator John Gambler
of the Muscowpetung Reserve near Fort Qu' Appelle
who disagreed with the Federation in seeking
nationhood status and claimed the support of 18 other (
bands in his district. Some of these bands denied giving
support of the letter after it was read out. The issµe
will be dealt with and resolved at the district level
according to the chiefs and tradition.
"I am writing to let you know that I do not agree with
the current policy of the Federa.tionof Saskatchewan
THE CONSTITUTIONALBATTLE
by·Deanna Wuttunee
It's back to square one for the FSI.
Chief Sol Sanderson sent a telex to Prime Minister
Trudeau, April 22, rejecting patriatron following the
government's failure ·to accept the amendments
.· pertaining to Indian treaty and aboriginal rights
. protection guarantees that the FSIhas been seeking to
entre.nch in the package. This has sprung the British
. lobby to the forefront as the main thrust of offense of
· all .the options now open to the Federation in their
·struggle for a voice in the historical engraving of treaty
rights into the mosiac of the nation's being.
The Federation is planning on a delegation of
approximately 10 people for the trip to England around
the first week in June.
However, in response to a plea from the Federation
Senate, January 21, the Queen on February 9 replied
through the governor general's office that "issues
relating to the proposed patriation of the BNA Act and
consideration of the treaties as they apply to the
. Native peoples of Canada are within the prerogative of
the Government of Canada. As these issues are under
the intensive study and debate through the normal
political channels in Canada .... an audience with her
8
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
1.
ISSUE
4. 2011
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
�lndia'ns in seeking the establishment of a nation within
our nation. To compound the existing powers of the
Parliament of Canada, the Legislatures of the provinces
and the authority of municipalities by creating yet
another tier of government is to smother the Indian
people under a blanket of laws and an unnecessarily
heavy burden of taxation. The proposals set out in the
publication "The First Nations: Indian Government' and
the Canadian Federation", Chapter 8, seem designed,
not to liberate the Indian people but to deliver them
into the hands of an organization that will control their
lives and direct their destinies more completely than
the Government of Canada has sought to do in the
past. Less, and not more government is what the
traditions of the Indian people call for," said Gambler
in his letter.
Chief Ron Rosebluff supports Gambler's stand and is
opposed to Indian government especially taxation.
Rosebluff and Gambler are working on a package to go
to the Queen. Both Sanderson and Gambler do not see
this as a splinter group of the FSI.
"I don't see a break in the Federation. It is too solid,"
said Sanderson.
Although both oppose patriation, the Federation is
working to get protection guarantees of the treaties in
the new constitution. Among the amendments the FSI
has been seeking to insert in the present package is a
consent clause that will ensure Indian participation and
majority vote before any changes can be made
affecting Indian rights within a given area of province.
As it now stands six provinces along with the federal
government can define what Indian rights are after
patriation.
The Federation is also seeking establishment of an
Office of Indian Right Protection at the federal level
regardless of the outcome of the patriation package.
This office will serve as the agency for the redress of
Indian claims and grievances as well as to implement
. and protect treaties.
"We are looking for an Order-in-Council to be passed
by the British Parliament and the Canadian-Parliament,
jointly, to put the Indian rights protection office in
place," said Sanderson at the conference.
It will also advance the recognition of Indian law as
prepared by the Indian governments at the band,
provincial and national level.
The chiefs of the Federation as representatives of the
Indian people of Saskatchewan have three options to
fight for the guarantees of protection of treaty rights.
They can continue an 11th hour battle to block
patriation, work with what's there now and exhaust all
avenues with British, and Canadian lobbying for the
guarantees or declare independance as Indian nations.
In his opening address, Chief Sanderson said, "This will
be the most historic conference we've had in a long
time because of the issues we face. The 1980 decade
will see us at the most serious crossroads of our life
since the treaties and we have to make some pretty
clear choices. We cannot deal in generalities. We have
to clearly spell out what our positions are going to be.
There will be some differences but the choice will be
as clear to us as it was 100 years ago to our people.
You are chiefs of Nations. The word, "Nations" breeds
fear among white people and false fear among
ourselves. We must deal with these fears."
■
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
SASKATCHEWA
GASTAX REBA
TE
by Deanna Wuttunee
No one rides for free?
Chief Sol Sanderson and Agricultural Minister Gordon
MacMurchy ended the spring conference by signing a
fou·r year agreement for gas tax rebates equal to the
amount consumed on reserves-following a green light
given by Saskatchewan's 69 Indian Chiefs. .
The gas tax rebate program will net the Saskatchewan
bands approximately $4 million in the next four year
period and is expected to get into effect immediately.
It will kick off with discussions at regional chiefs
meetings with the Indian liaison unit and provincial
officials during April, May and June.
The formula is based on four components; the net
provincial per capita estimated tax amount, on-reserve
and off-reserve tax consumption and band population.
Band allotments · will be based on a per capita
assessment of every man, woman or child on the band
list whether living on the reserve or not. How the grant
is used is at the discretion of the band.
In June, band lists will be released and by August or
September, Statistics Canada will have sent each band
a notice calculating eligibility and grant size available.
The band will then, apply to Supply and Services
•Canada in Regina for their portion along with an
accompanying resolution. Grant will be distributed in
late October or early November, the process
reoccurring annually, according to MacMurchy.
The program is subject to review, maintains the
pri~acy of the chiefs and councils, will not replace
federal obligations and application will not affect any
present tundmg agreements on roads that Indian
people may now enjoy. The grant will change each
year subject to the four components and l1:1dianpeople
will continue to pay tax at the point of purchase.
■
l
DIAN MAGAZI
E SUMMER VOLUME
1. ISSUE 4. 2011
9
�SASK
INDIAN
MAGAZINE
VOLUME
lndia·
n.·•
.·
..
-Teacher
.
EducatiOn·
·.,·- .
.
8
CARTOON
1970
APRIL
4 - PAGE 5
NUMBER
..
·:.''
. ..
.
CUTS!!!
BUDGET
Pr.ograrn
University _ofSaskatchewan
Saskatoon, Saskatchew ·an
.
·The Indian Teacher
Education Program
(I.T.EP;) is now accepting
applications · for -January,
. 1981. This program is a
3½ year program which
leads to a Saskatchewan
· Teachers' Certificate.
Applicants will be
con~idered who have:
1) ,Regular university
entrance requirements ~
grade 12 academic with a
65. p._ercent average
OR
All Saskatchewan Chiefs -are angry and frustrated over DIAND budget ·.
2) Been out of school one
.full year and have .grade 12
academic with a 60 per
cent average
SASK
OR
3) Adultadmission
.
· requirements · ·applicants ·who will have
·.reached their 20th-birthday by may .15th of the
orientation · semester.
INDIAN
VOLUME
MAGAZINE
1982
15-20
by Deanna Wuttunee
Director,
_
.
tndian teacher Education .
Program
· ·
•·coUege of Education,
: Room 3023 · .
: University of Saskatchewan
_.Saskatoon, Sask.
: Phone: 343-2005 ·
lQ
2 - PAGES
,FSIN Chiefs Legislative Assembly
You may apply to:
: We look forward fo
_hear_
ing frorn a1'1 interested _
persons. The deadline for
applications is Nov.ember
·. 30, 1980.
FEBRUARY/MARCH
12 NUMBER
FredStarblanket,Speakerof theHouse, Fall
LegislativeAssemblyin Saskatoonat the October Sitting.
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
1.
ISSUE
4. 2011
Despite rumors of a non-confidence
vote against FSIN Chief Sol Sanderson, business went on as usual at the
fall sitting of the Chiefs Legislative
Assembly held at the Holiday Inn,
October 14-16. The problem was
handled internally when Sanderson
received a reprimand
from the
Senate. Ironically, past presidents of
the FSIN automatically join the ranks
of the Senate.
In his opening remarks, Chief
Sanderson identified three landmark
events this year, that supported Indian nationhood. Former B. C. Justice
FSIN
65THANNIVERSARY 2011
�I
Chiefs from northern Saskatchewan listening intently.
Thomas Berger's book Villagejourney,
a summary of Berger's findings in the
Alaska native land claims settlements
recommended tribal units as the most
viable form of government for native
people. The MacDonald
Report
acknowledged that the Royal Proclamation of 1763 gives recognition to
Indian sovereignty . Finally, the
Supreme Court of Canada' ruled that
the Indian title pre-exists the Crown's
titl e in the Musqueam Case.
Several
bands
(25-30Y have
outgrown their current funding arrangements. The assembly passed a
resolution sanctioning the proposed
FSIN package which requests permanent guaranteed funding much like
the ones provided by law for nonIndians. The package has a phase
built in which will make the transition
easier. It contains 10 categories ranging from administration, and public
works to treaty enhancement. The
package will impact on the Indian Affairs office, Secretary of State, National Health and Welfare, and
DRIE. It is one of the agenda items
in the bilateral process.
Some sources of revenue could
possibly include 11 % of the provincial alcohol, tobacco and gas tax along
with a consumption formula, Indian
owned resource taxes, Crown obligations and the use of Indian taxation
powers. This would include total
membership regardless of residence .
Financial administration acts would
ensure accountability to the people .
A special assembly is planned within
the next 30 days to six weeks for bands
who want to go this route.
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
This resolution will constitute a formal response to the Federal Indian
Affairs Minister Crombie for fiscal
arrangements.
Discussions of funding led to the
membership issue. Under Bill C -31,
as many as 20,000 are expected to get
Indian status . FSIN prefers new applications be processed through existing treaties. This would add 2. 5
million acres to the land entitlement
of Saskatchewan bands and provide
funding to deliver services and programs to new bands and new mem bers .
Problems revolved around the application of the provisions of the bill.
The Chiefs were concerned about th e
funding to carry out . the work.
Presently $10,000 is provided to each
band. Constructing
membership
codes and a citizenship act under In dian Government , training people
from the reserve levels to carry on th e
work for implementation and developing liaison between tribes of nations
would take a lot more than that.
Chief Rick Redmen from the Standing Buffalo Reserve summarized the
problem when he said, ''There have
been comments flying around about
(Federal Indian Affairs Ministe r )
Crombie being the last colonial
minister. Yet Bill C-31 dictates to
bands who can and who cannot be a
member of the band. If that's not colonialism I don ' t know what is. Do we
sit back and wait for a task force? Or
Northern Cree Singers from Sturgeon Lake .
SASKATCHE.>Y
AN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME 1. ISSUE
4. 2011
11
�Sterling Brass, Third Vice-Chief
for those bands who feel it's a priority, on their own initiative, with or
without the $10,000, go ahead and
develop their own membership codes?
I realize that unless you're educated
in that area, it could lead to problems
in a court of law. Will membership
codes hold up in an Indian court of
law as well as a non-Indian court of
law? On one hand, we say we're Indian Governments and yet the federal
government has us scrambling around
to accommodate Bill C-31."
Chief Sol Sanderson said bands
have two options; to proceed under
the administrative route of the Indian
Act, or with adhesions to treaty. To
proceed with adhesions to treaty you
have to have a government system in
place to deal with the law-making process and prepare a Declaration of Intent to exercise formally over all
membership and citizenship policy.
"There's no (government) in the
world where you can have people
governing membership and citizenship through by-laws, by-products of
other federal laws,'' he added.
The Yorkton District Chiefs Council presented a resolution which was
passed requesting an additional two
years to accommodate provisions of
the bill. Under the present legislation,
bands have until April, 1987 to make
citizenship codes acceptable to the
federal government.
The Prince Albert District Chiefs
wanted more consultation in the
management of game preserves in the
province. A resolution was passed
ou dining their concern over erosion
of hunting rights. This mandated the
FSIN to pursue agreements with the
government to guarantee Indian involvement and consultation in this
area.
Other resolutions dealt with funding for various FSIN and district
projects and events. Funding for
cultural developments, senators, a
building purchase for the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College, as
well as funding for the winter and
summer games were requested. The
Isabel McNabb, President of Sask. Indian
Women's Association.
Felix Musqua didn't seek re-electionfor
First Vice-Chief.
assembly also endorsed the establishment of two new reserves at Sandy
Bay and Cumberland House. An invitation to Pope John II to the
Qu 'Appelle Indian Residential School
during his upcoming 1987 visit and
a road for Grandmother's Bay were
also sanctioned.
Several resolutions were tabled to
the district level.
A serious discussion on the first day
centred around the FSIN Conventions Act. Chief Cy Standing of the
Wahpeton Reserve questioned its application where a leader is prohibited
from holding a chieftainship and
FSIN executive position simultaneously. However, the implementation
of the Conventions Act was upheld by
the assembly.
Chief Sol Sanderson commended
outgoing First Vice-Chief Felix Musqua for his dedication during his term
in office.
Election Of FSIN Executive Officers
by Deanna Wuttunee
On October 15, Commissioner of
Oaths, Henry Langan swore in a new
slate of executive officers to the FSIN.
Two got in by acclamation - Vernon
Bellegarde of the Little Black Bear
Reserve for First Vice-Chief, and
Bobby Bird of Montreal Lake Reserve
for the Fifth Vice-Chief.
E. "Dutch"
Lerat of Cowesses
defeated Steve Pooyak and Steve
McArthur for the Third Vice-Chief
position. Lerat, a former executive
First ballot count shows a clear-cut majority for Dutch.
12
SASKATCHEWA
INDIAN MAGAZI
E SUMMER VOLUME
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FSIN
65TH A
NIVERSARY
2011
�assistant to Chief Sol Sanderson,
received 159 votes, followed by
Pooyak of Sweetgrass with 70 votes
and McArthur trailed with 54.
The executive Secretary position
went to Henry Delorme of Cowesses
Reserve in the second ballot with 135
votes over runner-up Henry Daniels
of Sturgeon Lake who received 123
votes. In the first ballot, Roland Desjarlais of Muskowekwan
Reserve
dropped out when he ended up with
3 7 votes while Daniels got 124 and
Delorme received 119.
Desjarlais said it was difficult for
him to lose but added, "I can throw
my support behind Henry Daniels.
Right now we have a lot of southern
people in the executive . It is very difficult to support the south when the
north _has basically no executive or
portfolio at this moment. The boys in
the north need support because they
are looking at private enterprise . They
need support in developing their wild
rice situation. (In looking at) Henry
Delorme from the south, we have
SIAP (Saskatchewan Indian Agricultural Program). We need that support
also. How you vote is your decision.
Personally, I have to go with Henry
Daniels
simply because
he is
motivated, he is younger and he is
mobile right now. But I support
Henry Delorme for what he's doing
at home base.''
Daniels said he was no quitter and
will keep a high profile in provincial
Indian politics.
Presently two of the executive
members, Lerat and Delorme are
from Cowesses, Bellegarde is from
Little Black Bear, Roland Crowe is
from Piapot, Sterling Brass, Keys;
Wayne Ahenakew, Sandy Lake; Sol
Sanderson, James Smith; and Clerk
of the Executive Council, Elsie
Roberts
is
originally
from
Cumberland House. This was a contributing factor when several chiefs
and councillors from the North Battleford djstrict entertained a nonconfidence vote against Chief Sol
Sanderson which never made it to the
resolution floor. Other factors were
alleged political party affiliations on
all sides and FSIN involvements in the
business sector which is viewed as encroaching on reserve opportunities.
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
FIRST VICE CHIEF
Verne Belle garde said he can take
direction as well as give it. He
apologized to districts he has not
visited and thanked the TouchwoodFile Hills-Qu 'Appelle district for their
unflinching support and direction.
He's worked with the FSIN before.
His last job was with the Saskatchewan Indian Businessman's training program and working with young
people has given his life direction.
"Unity
is FSIN, that is our
strength, not only in FSIN but in
PTNA as well. Our treaties give us
direction. We've faced adversity
before and we will face adversity
again," he said.
FIFTH VICE CHIEF
Bobby Bird has been the Assistant
Chief of the Montreal Lake Reserve
for the last two years. Before that, he
was on the council for four years. Bird
declared himself a strong believer in
the treaties and the Indian relationship with the Creator.
''Nothing short of entrenching our
rights permanently in the constitution
of this country will be acceptable to
our future and I will insist that this
will continue to be a goal of the FSIN.
It is up to leaders to see that our fundamental rights are protected and that
we receive the services and rights up
to which we are entitled ... and that
of our descendants,'' he said.
THIRD VICE CHIEF
E. "Dutch" Lerat has been the
Vice-President of the Saskatchewan
Indian Training
Institute
since
August 1983, although the title has
been changed during that time. He
expressed support for the FSIN Chief
as long as Sol continues to forward the
chiefs concerns and mandates.
"Chiefs and councils, you've not
made a bad choice, I'm hot going to
sit back and wait for things to come
to me . I'm going to go out there and
make things happen, '' he said.
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Henry Delorme was the Chief of
Cowesses and the Chairman of the
Saskatchewan Indian Justice Commission. Prior to that, he oos worked
in FSIN health-related programs for
several years.
"Regardless of who you voted for,
I will be out there promoting your in- . ·
terests. There was reference to my
mobility but I do have connections
and I will get things moving!" he
said.
SASKATCHEWA
INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
1. ISSUE 4. 2011
13
�they were going to help their Indian
kids. They worked hard on their behalf. .. It was for our future generations. We have young people fold up
every day. They don't know where
they are going. The obligations we
cede are in turmoil because they don't
know what to do with themselves ..
. This is where the Indian custom, the
Indian way will help our young people to get back on their feet. They
need this kind oflife. They need this.
I think this is what we did in getting
Indian Government. We want the
young generation to pass that on, to
work hard. What we did was important for their sake. It was just in time,
you see. I will go home from this and
work hard some more because I have
important things to do for my family. Today, now, it gives me great
pride that I could do something for
you.
"Tonight, here, I urge you young
people and you middle-aged people,
you have to work hard, to not only
work for yourself but to work for your
future generations. Look back and see
what we've accomplished and learn
from what we've accomplished. I'm
leaving tomorrow. I'm leaving but I
hope you work hard. This is what being off the reserve, in a hard world is.
I did. It's for your child, your future
children. Often, we started out late at
night talking about young kids
Wilfred (Bellegarde) and I. Hilliard
McNabb and I travelled down country roads in old model cars ... I'm not
sorry. I've been involved with my
children. I've been involved with the
Chiefs. I know what it's like to be a
Chief. You have to be sincere. You
have to be honest with yourself. With
that, · I thank you."
Wilfred Bellegarde (1964-1966)
HI want to take this occasion to
thank someome who has always been
behind me, my wife."
Past President of FSI from 1966-1968.
Walter Dieter is from Peepeekisis Band.
Walter Dieter (1966-1968)
'' I didn't come prepared to give
any speech. I don't really feel justified
in accepting all these gifts because the
fellows that really earned it for me
were Senator Hilliard McNabb,
Senator
Ernest
Mike,
Delia
Opekekew who wrote the first submission for the first bit of money that was
given to Indians without government
supervision, and the guy that laid the
foundation and put me on to set up
the National Indian Brotherhood,
John Tootoosis. These are the guys
I'd like to see get honors. ' '
honored to be part of you and always
have been and we will continue to be
with you in every way we can. It's
been difficult, but at the same time
rewarding because of the strength of
our Indian Nations of this province,
the strength of our leaders - past, present, and certainly in the future.
Rewarding because of the strength
and recognition we continue to convey to our people. That is our future
and for that reason we must always,
always continue to support these guys
in which every way we can, that
generation that's coming up. I'm also
very grateful and feel rewarded
because of the strength that continuously exists and the strength that
exists and is exemplified by our Elders
and the Senate. I'm not an elder yet,
there's a grey hair here and there, but
I don't propose to have very many
more. But I am truly grateful to all
of you for allowing me and my family to continue to work with you . I still
have some energy left, like Walter
Deiter, John Tootoosis, Dave Knight,
Wilfred Bellegarde. I've been very
grateful for being associated with you
great leaders, to the people of the province. There's been some pretty difficult experiences. But like I say, it's
all been worth it. It's us that's going
to determine what it's going to be like
for the future generations. It's going
to be on our shoulders and we can
never shirk that obligation. It's a trust
conveyed on us. It's a trust we must
carry with absolute trust and dedication. This evening, I thank you for the
honor, for the tribute. And I speak for
my family, not only my sons and
daughters but with my grandchildren,
my son-in-laws, daughter-in-laws, we
are extremely happy to be part of you.
Thank you.''
David Ahenakew from Atakakohp Band
was Past President of FSI. 1968-1978.
Wilfred Bellegardefrom Little Black Bear
Band. Past President of FSI. 1964-1966.
14
David Ahenakew (1968-1978)
"To the new executive, my condolences. I want to tell you how
grateful we are (myself and my family) for what you are doing for us this
evening, for what you have done for
us and with us in the past. We are
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
l.
ISSUE
4. 2011
FSIN
65THANNIVERSARY 2011
�Traditionally dressed band members, dignitaries put on show for youth.
Treaty
Day
Made
Special
Event
ByBand
Planners
Chiefs Dave Knight and John G. Diefenbaker share honours.
TREATY DAYS - MEADOW LAKE DISTRICT
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
June
FSIN
4
4
5
5
6
7
11
12
13
14
65TH ANNIVER SARY 2011
11:00
4:00
11:00
4:00
1:00
1 :00
1:00
1:00
1:00
11 :00
a.m.
p.m.
a .m.
p.m.
p.m.
p. m.
p.m.
p.m.
p .m.
a .m .
Makwa Sahgaiehcan
Flying Dust
Joseph Bighead
Island Lake
Canoe Lake
Waterhen Lake
Portage La Loche
Tumor Lake
Buffalo River
English River
Treaty Day at John Smith was
very exciting for the 480 members of
the band who received their payment May 8th, 1979. The special
ceremony was re-enacted in much
the same style as 100 years ago.
Chief Dave Knight, of John
Smith, Emil Korchinski, Dept. of
Indian Affairs, Regina and other
dignitaries joined the members of
the band outside the band hall for a
Pow-wow.
Chief Dave Knight, in presenting
greetings to the audience said ''This
is to show the young people what
happened one hundred years ago
when the Treaty was signed."
He was dressed in the traditional
style with a feat her head dress and
leather garb. Youngsters dressed in
beaded clothes joined their Chief.
Chief John Diefenbaker, M. P. for
Prince Albert who came for the
special occasion joined in the powwow.
The actual signing and Treaty
payment was performed inside the
band office. This historical event is
an annual payment of five dollars to
each Treaty Indian in Saskatchewan.
A noon luncheon was served by
the ladies of the community.
-FLORENCE POORMAN
SA SKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME 1. ISSUE
Page 5
4. 2011
15
�SASKATCHEWAN
■--■·The Offic10I Monthly Pubhcott0n ol fhe Federot,on of Sos~a1chf>won lnd,an~
Indian Leaders October/November
Photo by Bryan Tootoosis
1985
Kindergarten children playing at Beardy's
June 1980.
�H,sto111,cCa~,no
AS•ee111ent NeSotlated
The foundation for a First
Nations gaming industry was laid
with the negotiation and acceptance of a gaming agreement with
the province and a slot machine
agreement with the Saskatchewan
Liquor and Gaming Autho1ity
(SLGA) and the Western Canada
Lottery Corporation (y.lCLC).
These two historic agreements combined, addressed the
issues of jurisdiction, lotteries,
casinos, Video lottery terminals
and implementation and enforcement issues.
The FSIN takes the
ltle•be•s
position that the First Nations have
the right to self government which
is confirmed by the Treaties, which
includes full authority over gaming.
In relation to jurisdiction
the FSIN and the Provincial
Government agreed to work
together and present proposals to
the Federal government which will
allow First Nations full jurisdiction
over all forms of gaming on
reserves.
The profits from the
casinos will be divided up as
follows: If the casino is on the
reserve than 5 0% will go to the
of tLe Ga•,ns
Co•11dss,on
Chief Amanda Louison, Kahkewistahaw
Chief Wayne Standinghorn, Sweetgrass
Chief Richard Poorman, Kawacatoose
Chief Joe Fourhorns,. Piapot
Chief Barry Ahenakew, Ahtahkakoop
Chief Henry Neapetung, Yellowquill
Chief Cyrus Standing, Wahpeton
Chief Terry Sanderson, James Smith
Chief Ron Thunder, Lit.tie Pine
Chief Pierre Settee, Cumberland House
Chief Harry Lafond, Muskeg Lake
Chief Felix Thomas, Kiniston
Chief Brian Standingready, White Bear
Chief Guy Lariviere, Canoe Lake
Vice-Chief Alphonse Bird, Prince Albert Grand Council
Vice-Chief O'Neil Gladue, Flying Dust
Tom Be,ar, Agency Chiefs Tribal Council
Bruce Standingready, South East Tribal Council
Perry Bellegarde, Touchwood, File Hills, Qu'Appelle
Tom McKenzie, Lac La Ronge
SASKATCHEWAN
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
INDIAN
- PAGE
First Nations fund, 25% to First
Nations charities and 25% will go
to the Provincial Government.
The gaming agreement also
recognizes the authmity of the First
Nations to regulate Bingos, lotteries
and other forms of gaming onreserve. All proceeds from these
undertakings will be exclusive to
the First Nations charities or
sponsoring government body.
The agreement calls for the
establishment of four First Nations
casinos in addition to an option of
one in Saskatoon. The people of
Saskatoon had previously rejected
casino site development in a
municipal referendum.
The profits from video
lottery tenninals located on-reserve
will be divided up with 85% going
to the First Nations and 15% to the
Provincial Government.
The slot machine agreement
calls for the Western Canada
Lottery Corporation to play a lead
role in the procurment of the slot
machines and the computor
operating systems.
SIGA will then assume the
operation of the computer system
The Gaming Agreement
was approved by the Chiefs
Legislative Assembly February 9,
1995. The First Nations Gaming
Act was passed June 7, 1995. In
both cases the consent from the
Chiefs was unanimous.
Saskatchewan Indian
Gaming Authority
19
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
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4. 2011
17
���ur work continues to be
guided by the Spirit and
Intent of our Treaties, our
Commissions,
Elders,
youth,
Senate
and
the
Chiefs , in,
Assembly.
The recurrence of
flooding in our communities and
the lack of comprehensive mitigation
measures and preventative strategies, as
well as compensation for dealing with the
impacts of flooding is a key issue that has kept
many communities and the FSIN pre,occupied in
recent months.
O
In addition to the flooding, a fire in the north
caused some of our communities to declare a state
of emergency and be evacuated. The impacts of
these natural disasters on communities will be felt
for many months to come and must be addressed
through a long,term strategy.
Nationally,
there have been a number of
developments with major ramifications for First
Nations . In November 2010, Canada endorsed
the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous People (UNDRIP).
The
UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous
' Issues said "We see this as a strong
Declaration which embodies the most
rights we and our ancestors have long
fought
for; our right
of self,
determination, our right to own and
control our lands, territories and resources,
our right to free, prior and informed consent,
among others."
There are 46 clauses to the Declaration, and the
FSIN Secretariats will focus on those most
significant to the implementation of inherent and
Treaty rights.
A strategic planning session will
provide further direction on incorporating the
Declaration in FSIN operations. In the meantime,
all Secretariats, First Nations, Tribal Councils and
institutions are encouraged to use the language of
the Declaration in all their communications and
dialogues with government.
The Treaty Governance Office will coordinate a
strategic planning session for all Secretariats
focussed on the implementation of inherent and
Treaty rights using the 2007 OTC Report: Treaty
�Implementation:
Fulfilling
the
Covenant as the guide. This will
look at what has been done in
Treaty implementation, what has
to be done and how it can be done.
As well, a Treaty Implementation
Scorecard will evaluate progress on
meeting the 26 recommendations on
Treaty Implementation from the OTC
Report.
The Chiefs Advisory Committee
also
passed
resolutions
supporting
a
Saskatchewan Treaty Summit to be held in the
fall 2011, and for engaging Canada in a strategic
planning process for Treaty implementation.
Inherent Right to Self-Government
Overall, there are complex issues regarding the
Treaty obligations of the Crown and unfinished
Treaty business, the constitutional division of
powers because of Sections 91, 92 and 35 of
Canada's Constitution Act, Canada's and the
FSIN endorsement
of the United Nations
Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
and capacity building in First Nations to assert
jurisdiction and self,government.
j
In addition, a resolution mandating
an organizational
and legislative
' renewal of the FSIN is being
implemented, with a call for Task
Team members issued to all Tribal,
Agency and Grand Councils.
Assembly of First Nations
The FSIN continues to participate in the
development of the AFN National Strategy on
Treaties, which has the objective of supporting
First Nation governments in the implementation
of Treaty. There are seven strategies: ceremony
and protocol, political action, legal action,
international
action, economic action, direct
action
and
social
change/community
development.
A Post,Confederation
Treaty
Roundtable will be held in the near future,
perhaps at the same time as the Treaties 1, 11
Gathering tentatively set for August in Tsu'Tina.
The AFN is consulting directly with regions on
this strategy, and received feedback from the
FSIN Chiefs Advisory Committee.
Auditor General's Report
The dialogue with the Province and the federal
government will continue as all parties engage in
practical, collaborative efforts to close the socio,
economic gaps in education, health, ICFS and
economic development and employment.
Nationally, the final report of the outgoing
Auditor General, Sheila Fraser, brought First
Nations issues to the attention of the federal
House of Commons, with a damning analysis of
federal First Nations policy and programs.
Revitalization
"Despite the federal government's many efforts to
implement our recommendations and improve its
First Nations programs, we have seen a lack of
progress in improving the lives and well,being of
people living on reserves," Ms. Fraser reported.
She was ref erring to the last 10 years of
recommendations
her office has released
regarding federal policy towards First Nations.
The reasons given for the lack of progress rested
primarily with INAC's lack of defined roles and
responsibilities, the lack of legally mandated
programs and services, a lack of funding, and an
overall lack of local service capacity for First
Nations.
In keeping with the direction of First Nations
leadership, the FSIN commenced the process of
revitalization in the fall 2009 to assist in
strengthening
the capacity of First Nations
governments and to revitalize the FSIN. The
FSIN has completed internal executive level
consultations
and is undertaking
broader
consultations with First Nations, as per the
Chiefs,in,Assembly resolution passed in October
2010, mandating
the FSIN to facilitate
consultation on the revitalization of the FSIN.
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
l.
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4. 2011
�Education
Perhaps the most important issue
highlighted
by the
Auditor
General is the lack of action to
address the educational outcomes
for First Nations students.
The FSIN Education Secretariat, working
closely with First Nations
Education
Directors, PSE Coordinators and guided by its
Commission, is moving forward with key policy
directives to improve First Nations education.
Action Plan on Education in the
Context of Treaty (APECT)
In February 2009, the Chiefs~in ~Assembly passed
a resolution for the development of an Action
Plan on Education in the Context of Treaty
(APECT).
APECT will help develop a First
Nations Education system that follows Treaty and
satisfies both the common requirements of First
Nat ions in this region and the unique needs of
each community.
The work of APECT will
improve the education experience for First
Nations students at K~12 schools and thereby
improve graduation outcomes on and offreserve.
APECT has concluded Phase III, which included
interviews with 96 Elders and five Community
Dialogues to determine how the Elders' directions
for strong and effective First Nations education
should be implemented. A resource paper titled
"Honouring First Nat ions Culture and Languages:
Towards Bicultural and Multilingual Education,"
will be prepared.
that all people in Saskatchewan reach
their potential and benefit from our
' province's prosperity," Premier Brad
Wall said. "If we can effectively meet
these
challenges,
we have
the
opportunity
through
this unique
partnership for our First Nations and
Metis learners to lead our province's
success for generations to come."
The MOU also included recognition of the
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples, one of the first agreements to
do so, since Canada endorsed it.
"True reconciliation
will occur when the
foundations of traditional First Nations education
are restored, consistent with the Declaration," said
Chief Guy Lonechild.
The joint task force will focus on several key goals
including: Improved early childhood outcomes and
transition to school; Increased high school and
post~secondary
completion
rates; Improved
participation in the labour force and employment;
and Greater quality of life and enhanced self
sufficiency.
Federal policy on First Nations Post~secondary
education continues to be monitored,
with
constant calls for addressing the growing wait lists
of students. The AFN's national panel on
education continues to be an issue of concern,
specifically the potential development of federal
legislation impacting the Treaty Right to Education
without consultation with Saskatchewan First
Nations.
Education Task Force
On May 17, 2011, FSIN and the Province signed
an agreement establishing a Joint Task Force on
Education and Employment. The task force will
consult
widely
on and off reserve
in
Saskatchewan to help identify practical, grass~
roots solutions for eliminating the current gaps in
education and employment outcomes for First
Nat ions people in Saskatchewan.
"The status quo is unacceptable.
It is essential
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
Left to Right: Vice Chief Dutch Lerat, Minister Donna
H arpa uer, Mini ster Ken Cheveldayoff, Minister Rob Norris,
Chief Guy Lon ech ild, Premier Brad Wall.
1. ISSUE 4. 2011
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
�of First Nations influenced legislation
in areas such as matrimonial real
' property and human rights policy.
The Women's Commission has been
steadily worked in the area of
HIV/ AIDS at the request of the
Chief of the FSIN who asked that a
greater comprehensive plan be developed
including beneficial results.
Gaming
From humble
and
turbulent
beginnings on the White Bear First
Nat ion, the gaming industry has
grown to include other gaming
ent1t1es:
Indigenous
Gaming
Regulators, First Nation Addictions
Rehabilitation
Foundation,
and six
Community Development Corporations,
which flow dollars to non,profit organizations
and worthwhile initiatives in the communities.
"The creation of the FSIN Gaming Commission
will provide strategic direction and guidance on
Gaming and Jurisdiction aspects. Work continues
on reviewing our gaming legislation, structures,
and plans to enable FSIN and its institutions to
build capacity, enhance our partnerships and
continue to lead First Nat ions Gaming in this
country," said Chief Lonechild.
Preparations are underway this year for the 2012
Gaming Framework Agreement review period.
Our Gaming institutions are preparing plans and
providing technical support for this important
negotiation period.
Important work includes:
researching Gaming, efficiency reviews, reviewing
our current model, and developing strategies to
ensure the long term sustainable revenue back to
our First Nations.
SIGA continues to be one of the largest and most
successful First Nations organizations in the
country, providing employment for over 1300
First Nations
people,
and in 2010,2011
announced revenues of $259 million and a profit
of $64.l million.
Saskatchewan First Nations Women's
Commission (SFNWC)
The SFNWC is enhancing its' strategic planning
and initiative development
to include the
construction of collaborative and partner driven
outcomes. Several areas include education and
awareness on various issues, creation of a First
Nations' Women's lead Institute and development
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
To date, great strides have been made in public
education and awareness directed to young First
Nations girls in their communities, a group at
most risk of being infected by HIV and AIDS.
The SFNWC continues to work with the
Provincial Partnership Committee on the issue of
Missing Persons in Saskatchewan to promote
several recommendations, including assisting the
Police in developing a protocol to enhance the
effectiveness of Police response. The SFNWC
has been working with First Nat ions to develop a
resilient emergency preparedness plan, specifically
in the area of search and rescue and has
established an innovative provincial search and
rescue plan led by trained First Nations
technicians.
Communications
As per the first edition of the Saskatchewan
Indian magazine, the intent of the FSIN
Communications
unit remains unchanged:
To
keep First Nat ions fully informed of their rights as
citizens of this province and country; to instil an
awareness in First Nations about larger society
and developments; and to keep in tune with First
Nations at the grass roots level in terms of their
needs, aspirations and development. 'How' this is
done
has
changed
dramatically.
Modern
technology is the theme for the communications
unit. A social media strategy utilizing Facebook
and Twitter will target the First Nation
audience.
As
well
the
FSIN
youth
Legislative
Assemblies will continue to be broadcast via the
internet.
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
1.
ISSUE
4. 2011
�SIEFCELEBRATES A
QUARTER CENTURY OF
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
It looked a lot like a family reunion
taking place behind the Saskatchewan
Indian Equity Foundation building
when about 150 people helped celebrate
the Saskatoon
based institution's
25th
anniversary with a free barbeque lunch.
Many of those attending were employees from
SIEF's sister institutions,
the Saskatchewan
Indian Gaming Authority,
the Indigenous
Gaming Regulators and the mother organization
the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations,
which made the barbeque a family reunion of
sorts.
"Over the past 25 years, thanks to SIEF, First
N atiops in Saskatchewan have experienced the
pride of starting and owning their own businesses.
From small cow/calf operations to the advanced
technologies
that are empowering
farmers,
entrepreneurs and women today," says FSIN Vice
Chief E. Dutch Lerat. "SIEF has invested tens of
millions of dollars in our communities and in the
process contributed to our rising economies."
The Elders have been warning us for
many years that we have to work harder
to take care of our lands. Heeding their
warnings, our political leaders have always
prioritized the protection of our rights to the
lands and resources. We look back with
admiration at how our early leaders at the
Federation of Saskatchewan Indians fought hard to
ensure we always had a land base. These first
leaders knew that we did not give up our way of
life through the Treaties, in fact we maintained
our inherent rights to our lands and resources.
They were familiar with the Treaty knowledge
handed down to them. The language "a plow share
depth" continues to resonate throughout any land
discussions. At the same time, the Elders have
been warning us for many years now that we have
to work harder to take care of our lands. It is vital
that we continue that struggle to ensure we hold
on to our lands and resources and continue to
protect Mother Earth.
The FSIN has come a long way since those early
years in formally protecting our land bases. Issues
around Treaty Land Entitlement, Sacred Sites,
Fish Habitat, Nuclear Waste and so many other
�areas are the focus of the work we
undertake today. We now have a
law and procedure that dictates to
government and industry how to
consult and accommodate when
our rights have been impacted by
resource development. Just recently
the Secretariat developed a draft model
Wildlife Law for First Nations to adopt
and/or adapt to suit their individual needs.
These pieces of formal policy guide processes
around issues that were major agenda items for
our leaders 65 years ago. We always remember
that without the land we have nothing.
BOLD EAGLE SOARS
TO SUCCESS
The goals and objectives of the joint Federation
of Saskatchewan Indian Nations and Department
of National
Defence Bold Eagle program is to
provide Aboriginal youth with an opportunity for
meaningful
cultural
summer employment,
and
traditional
exposure
activities,
and
to
an
adequate level of training to prepare them for
careers
within
enforcement,
the
Canadian
industry
or
Forces,
other
law
meaningful
employment. The program also aims to assist the
youth in pursuing higher education.
Now in its 22nd year, the Bold Eagle program has
been an unqualified
goals and objectives.
success in meeting
Indeed,
those
the Bold Eagle
Program, as a result of increased demand and
interest, has expanded beyond the capacity of the
original enrolment target, and increased funding
is required to meet the demand of all Aboriginal
youth. Bold Eagle 22 will take place from July 10
to Aug 19, 2011 at the Canadian Forces Western
Area Training Centre in Wainwright, Alberta.
FSIN 65THANNIVERSARY 2011
�committed to making sure that we become a better
police service for every community in Saskatchewan
but particularly First Nations where we know we h ave
many, many challenges."
REGINA WILL HOST THE 2014
NORTH AMERICAN INDIGENOUS
GAMES
After eighteen
years of working on bid
proposals, Saskatchewan will once again play
host to the North American Indi genou s Games
(NAIG)
in 2014. Th e stro n g, dedicated
Saskatchewan Partnership among the FSIN,
Metis Nation of Saskatc h ewa n, Province of
Saskatchewan and the City of Regin a deserve th e
opportu nit y to bring the Ga mes to Saskatchewan.
FIRST NATIONS HAVE ACCESS TO HUMAN
RIGHTS
"We are extremely proud and honoured to be selected to host the
2014 North American Indi genous Games," said FSIN Vice Chief
Morley Watson. "The real winners will be our young Indi geno us
ath letes from across North America." Th e NAIG attracts close to
10,000 Indi genous athletes, coaches, parents and fans. Saskatchewan
last hosted the games in 1993 in the city of Prince Albert.
Saskatchewan Minister Cheve ldayoff commented on the amount of
preparation, "It was inspiring to see all the work that went int o the
bid for th e 2014 NAIG comi ng to a successful conclusion. This is a
good day for not on ly the Indi geno us youth of Saskatchewan but for
all of North America."
RCMP
CO RUSSELL MIRASTY MEETS THE
After 150 years of colonial rule by the Indian Act, First
Nations can now enjoy the hum an rights protection that
ot her Ca n adians may have taken for granted. Effective 19
June 20 11, the Canad ian Human Right s Act applied to the
Indi an Act and to First Nation Governments. Vice Ch ief Morley
Watson, in one of the five media int erviews he gave said, "Our
Peoples have been marginal ized for too long. However, we must be
cautious abo ut balancing the individual and co llec tiv e rights of our
Nations."
In January 2011, as part of the First Nation national commun icat ion
strategy, FSIN ho sted a First Nation Forum on the Repeal of Section
67, CHRA and its Imp act on First Nations. One hundr ed and fifty-five
leaders attended the Forum and severa l were reluctant to suppo rt the
legislative changes.
As Ms. Sharon Venne said to ou r Commission
Chiefs, "The legislat ion focuses on individual human rights, not
collective rights and they are based on the European model of Human
Right s. Th ere are ot h er models of human rights that are like the
African Ch arter which deals with the collective rights of peop les,
collective responsibilities of people before they get to the indiv iduals."
Ms. Venne went on to say, "And the problem with the legislation is
this, it is does not allow for comp laint s against the government of
Canada, saying that the Indi an Act is discriminatory. But they are
going to allow for decisions to be made against First Nations based on
discrimination. You don't have the resources to be able to fight off a
cha llen ge and you can not say in the challenge that Indian Affairs is
responsible for th e allocat ion of funds and we don't have sufficient
h ousing to cover the houses. You can't do that because the government
of Canada ha s exempted itself."
Ms. Venne encouraged First Nations to develop their own customary
law to deal with the co llective rights of their respective your Nation so
that the Canadian Human Rights Commission cannot attach their
decisions to them.
INDIAN JUSTICE COMMISSION
SECOND ANNUAL JUSTICE GATHERING
The Indi an Justice Commission held its spring meeting on May 19 &
20, 2011 in Regina. For the first time since he was appoi nted in
February 2011, Comma ndin g Officer of "F'' Division Russell Mirasty
was able to talk with the Commission Chiefs about the challenges in
First Nation Policing.
"Th e First Nation Communi ty Policing
Agreements are just pieces of paper. At the end of day, it is about
respectful treatment of people; we have a job to do but we need to do
in a respectful way," he said. When the Chiefs questioned the
Command ing Officer about the lack of respect between the RCMP
and the First Nations, he said, "It is not just about imposing th e law
witho ut any regard for the human side of the situ at ion ... I really
believe that many of these situat ions can be resolved if both come
together with an open mind and say how do we best resolve thi s.
What are the steps we need to take to make this better?"
On March 21 & 22, 201 1, the Secretar iat hosted their second annual
Justice Gathering in Saskatoon.
Th e theme of the Gathering was
"Decreasing the First Nation Rates of Incarceration and Recidivism".
Th ere were 140 First Nation personne l who part ic ipated in the
int eractive eve nt. Th e agenda was, as one participant said, "groundbreaking". It was the first forum where judges and community workers
came together to dialogue about ways to reduce our rates of
incarceration and recidivism.
Vice Chief Watson closed the policing discussion by commending the
Commanding Officer on his optim ism and goa ls to provide improved
po licing services, "You brought us tremendous hono ur and now we
want to take that to the next level ... make sure we co-ex ist with the
newcomers by working together for the betterment of all our
commu niti es". CO Mirasty responded to the Vice Chief's closing
comments by saying, "I think I do bring something new here to the
RCMP; as head of the RCMP, I can tell you abso lutely I am
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
Provincial court Judge Gerry Morin asked the question, "Are you
dealing with a true criminal or are you dealing with a person who has
made a mistake in their life? Who are you dealing with? Emachatsit
- a word that me ans one who is ev il, ev il in terms of how they relate
to their own people, how they abuse their own people, how they
undermine things that go on in different relationships for their own
purposes. Those are some of the people th at we still deal with."
Judge Morin reflected on his connectio n to our Peoples during his
opening remarks, "We are not inh erently bad, but we have certainly
learned things along the way that might be to our detriment, and one
of the things I h ave already mentioned is how we use alcoho l and drugs
to escape reality. ikahk'ipatsit -Those who make a mistake - but other
side sees it a criminal offence." The report is ava ilable from the Justice
Secretariat.
1. ISSUE 4. 2011
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
�Calls to date are demonstrating a need to
revise policies to address improved access to
The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian
benefits,
particularly
in expanding
the
1
Nations Health Secretariat met with
formulary for prescription drugs, ambulance
Social Services Minister June Draude in
services (hospital to hospital transfers),
Regina on March 23, 2011 to discuss the
orthodontic services and medical supplies
priorities and commitment outlined in
and equipment (especially oxygen tanks).
the $34 M Children and Youth Agenda
Complaints are also received from Doctors
unveiled in the 2011 Provincial Budget.
reporting that the NIHB formulary is out-dated
Both the province and First Nations
and Saskatchewan Health has a newer and better
recognize that the Child Welfare System is in
formulary system in place. A resolution has been
need of fundamental change and are committed
tabled and passed at the Chiefs Assembly in February
to working together to create that change.
requesting a moratorium on the delisting of drugs,
The Government
of Saskatchewan has struck a
medical supplies and equipment, as well as treatments.
Cabinet and Deputy Ministers Committee on children
The resolution has been sent to the Minister of Health.
and youth whereby each committee will consist of 8- 10
So far the navigator has achieved success with
members. The FSIN recommends that the Ministry take
transportation services for northern clients required to
into consideration of appointing three First Nations'
travel to urban centres for physiotherapy appointments.
leadership to participate on each of the committees.
Over the next few months the FSIN will work with the Physiotherapy is a provincial benefit which is not covered
Ministry of Social Services to develop an agreement by NIHM, with negotiation they are now paying for
outlining principles for establishing a framework for a transportation costs for physiotherapy appointments for
system change to Saskatchewan Child Welfare. The northern clients.
agreement will identify a common work plan for completing We have been able to provide oxygen supplies and
the framework and will include benchmarks, timelines, services to palliative care clients in urban centres to
improve quality of life supports and needs. NIHB would
goals and indicators of success.
The Ministry of Social Services would like to include the only supply large concentrators for clients but now will
First Nations Child Welfare Review Framework in their review needs for smaller portable concentrators.
official response to the Child Welfare Review Report.
CHILD WELFARE REVIEW
INDIAN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS
•
The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations' Indian
Residential School Secretariat has been in operation for six
years. In the past year alone, the Project Staff have
organized or attended over forty outreach sessions and had
over twelve hundred contacts one on one for Indian
Residential School Survivors.
There is a sense of urgency with frontline IRS workers in
the province because of the upcoming deadline of
September 19, 2011 for the Common Experience Payment
(CEP) application. In a year and a half, the deadline of
September 19th, 2012 for the Independent Assessment
Process (IAP) which is for serious physical, sexual, and
psychological abuse, loss of income or loss of opportunity
due to those abuses, and for other wrongful acts, is also
looming.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission will be hosting
a National Event in Saskatchewan in 2012, and the FSIN
is taking proactive steps to ensure we are part of the
planning and co-hosting of that event. With the most IRS
survivors of any province in Canada, we want to make sure,
and encourage participation by all First Nations, Tribal and
Agency Councils, and of course, Indian Residential Schools
survivors in that event.
•
•
•
•
•
•
$1.5 million to help First Nations Child and Family
Service Agencies provide better case management for
children in care who are placed on-reserve;
$1 million to develop a 24/7 intensive family support
model to prevent children from coming into care;
$2 million to establish a Task Force on First Nations
and Metis Education and Employment to provide
recommendations aimed at eliminating the education
and employment gaps;
$7 million for Adult Basic Education and Provincial
Training Allowance targeted to First Nations and Metis
students;
$2.9 million to increase high school completion rates
and improve achievement for First Nations and Metis
students;
$900,000 to enhance rehabilitation therapies and/or
frontline services for individuals with Autism; and
$300,000 to assist in the provision of family support
and mentorship services, as well as life skills
programming for individuals with FASO.
NON-INSURED HEALTH BENEFITS
The FSIN Health and Social Secretariat have a NonInsured Health Benefits (NIHB) Navigator on staff to assist
First Nations in the following areas that include Access to
non insured and insured benefits, education on the NIHB
envelope, consultation with First Nations on benefits,
health care appeals and complaints.
FSIN 65TH ANNIVERSARY
2011
SASKATCHEWAN
INDIANMAGAZINESUMMERVOLUMEl. ISSUE4. 2011
�/~ llhe Saskatchewa
fND/RN
lw111:::11M11,111
VOLUME 9, NUMBER 9
SEPTE MB ER, 1979
• Chief Thunderchild
S
■
A
S
K
A
T
••
C
•
H
I
Winter 2002
Winter, 2002, Illustration l>y Ctiacl Morin
28
SASKATCHEWAN INDIA
MAGAZI
1E
SUMMER VOLUME
1. ISSUE 4. 2011
FSIN 65THA1·, IVERSARY2011
�SASK. INDIAN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM INC.
Indian Agricultural Extension Work~r
.Fort Qu' Appelle ·
.
.
DUTIES:
To work directly with the District Agricultural Representative (Indian'
Reserves)towards developing a well balanced Agricultural Extension Pro-·
gram .with emphasis in•the following areas:
-· provide advisory services and technical information to Indian farmers
and Band projects in livestock production, cereal and forage crop pro. duction, land use, farm machinery, buildings and farm management in eluding use of credit and tarm ,accounting.
- provide information ·to Band Councils and individual farmers on Agricul. tural Development Policies and programs under the Saskatchewan
Indian Agriculture Program Inc. and other agencies.
. - ass_ist with . planning and development of agriculture projects and
people on Indian Reserves.
·
- assist in the establishment of Indian 4-H clubs.
m
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....
....
....
I
0::
I.LI
ID
I
:,
z
m
I.LI
I
:,
.J
~
QUALIFICATIONS:
- farm experience and training, preferably with education at high school
level that would allow future formal training at the university level.
- ability to work with, motivate and communicate with people on the
Reserve level.
·'
.,.ability to work with, discuss and relate problems with other people involved vvith various programs and resource· people including professional
agrologists.
- free to travel in the assigned districts and available to start immediately. ·
- native ancestry a definite asset.
STARTING SALARY: ·
- $1,328 per month (with B.S.A. Degree in Agriculture)
- $1,003 per month (with farm experience and eligible for advanced formal
training.
The deadline date is January 22, _1980. Send applications to: Kenneth-C.
Thomas, Program Manager, Saskatchewan Indian Agriculture Program
Inc., 141-0Chateau Tower, 1920 Broad Street, Regina, Sask. S4P 3V6.
m
m
....
"'
Club , held a meeting on November
7th·. ·Games such as . ''Balloon
ID
. Stomp" started .off the evening and
I
a business meeting followed. _It was
I.LI
u
suggested that the club could invite
I.LI
the Pleasantdale
4-H to · its ·
0
Christmas party in December. After
0::
the meeting Les Ferguson and Deb .
I.LI
ID
Hauer .talked about good meetings
I
and the duties of the executive ·
I.LI
members (president, vice-president, .
~
. secretary, treasurer ..and reporter).
z
Coffee and . goodies were served.
I.LI
Some films were shown to end. the
z
evening.
N
<
C)
Joseph Bighead - The 4-H Club
<
at Joseph Bighead reserve is plannI
.ing to start .again this year. The
z Reserve Reports
band council has agreed' to donate ·
< Chagoness · ~he Chagoness 4-H , calves
to the club for a 4-H Beef
0::
I.LI
'
'4-H
Report
c
Project. Good luck to general leader
Sylvia Lepine and the· 4-H members
at Joseph Bighead.
Island Lake - A meeting was held
November 1 at the Island Lake
Band Office. Deb from the Indian
4-H Office talked about 4-H and
leadership, and answered questions.
· It was decided that sewing and trapping would be the first projects for
the
4-H
clubs.
Clifford
Crookedneck is president and Roger
Crookedneck
is vice-president.
There are about 30 members in the .
Island Lake 4-H Club.
One Arrow - October 30, Deb
talked to the Health Committee
meeting at One Arrow reserve about
4-H .
Witchekan Lake · A 4-H Club
organization meeting was held at
Witchekan Lake, November ·1st.
About 16 young people and .6 adults
were present. Mrs. Margaret Fineday is leading a sewing group. Other
projects may be firearm safety and
woodworking.
Mosquito - November 14th, Deb
talked to the Grades 5, 6, 7, and 8 at
the Mosquito reserve school about
4-H. The 4-H slide and tape presentation was shown and games such as
skin-the-snake and human knots
were played.
I'm Proud To Be An Indian
Woman - Do you want to learn
about Buffy Ste. Marie? If your
answer is yes, request the "I'm Proud to be an Indian Woman"
manual. It includes the life stories of
eleven Indian women in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba.
These women work in many types of
. jobs · such· as physical education
teacher, nurse, editor and secretary.
Ideas for discussion and activities
are included for your group.
Rural Safety :Project - The new
Rural Safety Project has just been
put together! It includes safety in
electricity, farm machinery, and
buildings. A · checklist determines
the safety of your home and farm.
Open House Canada • Now is
not too soon to plan an Open House
Canada exchange with another province. Last summer Waterhen Lake
and . Onion Lake exchanged with
groups in Nova . Scotia and British
Columbia. If ·your gtoup wants to
travel next summer and needs more
.
(continued)
z
~
en
<
(/)
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
SASKATCHEWA
INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
1. ISSUE 4, 2011
29
�information~ contact the Indian 4-H
Office.
All Chief's Conference October 16, 17, and 18 - The In-
PEN PALS
dian 4-H Program set up its display
in the Bessborough Hotel during the
All Chief's Conference in Saskatoon. Someone from your Teserve
may . have stopped to talk at the
display. ·
Hi! My name is Darren Todd Desjarlais
and l am 11 years old. I would like pen pals
betw~en the ages of 11 and 13. My hobbies
are hunting, playing cards and pool and
bowling. Write: Darren Todd Desjarlais, Box
334, Lestock, Sask., S0A 200.
Indian Teachers Convention
November 8 and 9 - The display
Hi I My name is Winnifred Shingoose and I
am 13 years old. I would like to hear from
was also at the Indian Teacher's
Convention in Saskatoon. Les' and
Deb resourced a workshop about
the Indian 4-H Program, Thursday
.afternoon.
·
Communications Workshop
Echo Valley Centre, November
.
Are cloth diapers better than
Pampers?
We heard all the ·
argume;nts at the Great Debate.
The people · who attended the ·
Communications
Workshop
November 2-4 learned m~ny things
Hke: - · operating a videotape
recorder - speaking to a group of
people - jamming ·eleven people into
a closet during a game of Sardines.
This workshop, froin Friday
evening to Sunday afternoon,
covered many topics, such as public
speaking, meeting procedure and ·
how to start a 4-H club. · The par- ·
ticipants enjoyed games, films and
group discussions. Tape recorders,
the videotape recorder, film . and
slide projectors were all used during
the workshop. The people who attended learned alot and had fun!
2-4, 1979.
Kim turns on the video-screen for Pat
a.ndChristine. ·
pen pals between the ages of 13-15. My hobbies are going places and meeting new people.
Write: Winnifred Shingoose, Q.I.R.S.,
Lebret, Sask.
My name is Rhonda Lynn Rosebluff. f am
frorri the Muskowpetung reserve and am 15
years old. I would like pen pals aged 9-16. My
hobbies are: sliding down hills and driving
the combine for my dad and · wrestling with
my brother
Ronald.
Write: Rhonda
Rosebluff, . c/o Ronald . Rosebluff Sr., Box
147, Edenwold, Sask. S0G lK0.
Debra Ann Quewezarice is from ,Nut Lake
reserve and is 13 years old. She would like to
hear from pen pals aged 13-16. Her hobbies
are: · disco dancing, play·ing soccer and
meeting new people. Write: ·Debra Ann
. Quewezance, . General Delivery, Perigord,
Sask., S0A 3A0.
.
~'ff-y-
Wol·•
~
.
··
~'ff,PPy.
~olid.tY&
Terry Desjarlais woui1:flike to hear from
girls from the ages of IO to 12. His hobbies
are all kinds of sports and he would like to
become a professional boxer. Write: Terry
Desjarlais, Box 334, Lestock, Sask., S0A
200 . .
My name is Rosie M. Desjarlais and 1 am
from the Piapot reserve. I am 14 years old ·
and I would like to hear from boys and girls
aged 14-16. My hobbies are: disco dancing,
riding horses, going to pow-wows and g9ing
to school. Write: Rosie M. Dejarlais, Box 72,
Edenwold, Sask., S0G lK0.
Hi! My name is Linda Bluecloud and . I am.
14 years old. I would like to hear from pen
pals aged 13-16. Write: Linda Bluecloud, c/o
Rose Anne Bluecloud, Box 171, Perigord,
Sask. S0A 3A0.
.
My name is Donna Agecoutay and I would
like a pen pal between the ages of 15-16.
Write: Donna Agecoutay, General Delivery,
Marieval, Sask.
·
Betty Nippi is 9 years old and would like
pen pals around her age. Her hobbies are:
riding horses, going to pow wows and picking ·
berries. Write: Betty Nippi, Box 70, Punnichy, Sask., S0A 3C0.
.
(continued)
~
·
~-y-
~lida:,1
~
·
__,t,'ff•ppY1'-i~oliday&
Back row: Les Ferguson, Frank Asapace, Don Gayton, Dennis Dustyhorn, Mervin Brass, MarcelBrass~ Middle row: Melanie Worm, Mrs. Shirley McNabb, Pat
Worm, Christine Daniels, Rhonda Strongarm, Kim Gardypje, Roxanne Bitternose, Deb Hauer. Sitting: Loretta McNabb, Donna Worm, Annie Brass, Leanne
Worm, Conrad Cardypie.
Page 29
30
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
1. ISSUE 4. 2011
FSIN
65THANNIVERSARY 2011
�Saskatchewan
Indian
Dancers
Pow-Wow
Troupe
Goes
ToSwede
,
11
•
•
.
•
Last summer the Saskatchewan Indian
Dancers Pow-Wow Troupe left Canada to
take part in the Davi Surva Festival in
Sweden from June 21 to July 3, 1979.
David Monture of the National Indian
Brotherhood arranged the trip which included dancers: Hazel Ahenakew, Brenda
McNab, Carol Moosomin,
Willeen
Tootoosis, Ron McNab, Bill Brittain, Bob
Boyer, Arsene Tootoosis, and the · lone
singer, Wilmer Baptiste.
,
The following is the daily dairy account
of their travels to what must be one of the
most northernly cultural festivals in the
world.
June 20: Wednesday
Half of us didn't know if we were really
going all the way to Sweden due to some
confusion about our p~sports. However,
in Ottawa during a 20 minute stop over and
equipped with our boarding passes, we got
off the plane to see if we were all really going or not. Lo and behold, Ed Lavallee
(NIB) and a few of his friends were waiting,
armed with a folder containing the much
needed blue booklets. The end of all our
troubles? Heck, they just started! We reboarded the plane and left for Montreal gateway to "Sarni Land".
When we arrived in Montreal's Maribel
Airport we realized that in our stop-over in
Ottawa, an Air Canada cardboard box containing the guys' bustles had been left
behind. A tracer was put on it and for now
all we could do was hope that it would turn
up somewhere - safe and sound.
We were waiting anxiously to leave Montreal and be on our way when· an announcement informed us that we were going to
have an extra three hour flight delay due to
an attempted hi-jacking in Chicago.
The plane that we finally boarded was a
747 called "Huge Viking". We arrived in
Copenhagen, Denmark six hours later. Due
to the delay in Montreal we had to race
through the airport in order to catch the
Sweden flight. We got to Stockholm on
time to rush through another airport to
Leulea, which is in Northern Sweden.
It was hot and sunny when we landed in
Leulea. This was the first time that we had
time to rest at an airport, so we took turns
keeping the baggage (22 pieces in all) while
some of us went inside the airport to refresh
ourselves. I took the first shift. We were all
very tired and also hungry for bannock, by
now as the food on the plane isn't exactly
what we would normally eat everyday.
We had left Canada without cashing our
expense cheque so our leader, Billy, went to
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
find out if Leulea had a Canadian Embassy.
Unfortunately it didn't. Meanwhile, some
of us didn't know that Billy had left and we
didn't have a clue as to what time our next
flight was to be. It ended up with us missing
our flight to Kiruna and having to wait
another three hours for the next one.
On the flight to Kiruna we had two other
passengers (for the same destination) on
board, a Sarni lady who lives in Canada and
her Blackfoot - Sarni son.
From Kiruna we had six hour bus ride to
Karesuvento, Finland. Still no sleep! Half
way there we had a very impressive blow
out which felt as though the bus was breaking apart!
We were met outside of Karesuvento by
the Sarni Film Corporation, which was
making a film of the Davi Surva.
June 22: Friday
2:30 a.m. - Arrived at the "Davi Surva"
office. The words Davi Surva are difficult
•.;:>
·...'<.......::·.·: .
,. ,.,..,·,,:
...
DANCERSDELIGHTSPECTATORSCarol Moosomin and Bill Brittain preform for a responsive
audience during the Davi Surva festival.
June 21: Thursday
We arrived in Kiruna, .Sweden on June 21
where we were met by our interpreter Kerttu Violob, and her friend. Both were dressed in traditional Lapland regalia.
One of the first things we learned was
that these people, who we know as
Laplanders, prefer to be called "Samis".
''Samis''
in their language means
"people".
Most, not all, Sarni people are quite small
in stature, which made a couple of our guys
feel quite tall. This must have been a nice
switch!
to translate into English but "Davi" means
a festival and "Surva" means the sounds
you can hear only when you are alone with
nature. Here we were filmed as we were
greeted by the community.
3:00 a.m. - We left to go to a small community called Markkina, 10 kilometers
from Karesuvento. The camp we stayed at
was called ''Lalesena Majat''.
On our arrival they gave us lunch and
assigned to us two cabins. One cabin was
for the four ladies, and the other cabin was
for the five men plus another two Inuit men
from Greenland.
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
1.
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4. 2011
31
�Since leaving Canada we had yet to see
darkness because we were past the arctic
circle, at the same latitude as lnuvik ,
N .W.T.
· 9:30 a.m. - Ron McNab, Arsene
Tootoosis and Bob Boyer hitch-hiked to
Karesuvento. There, they walked around
talking to people about anything and
everything. The people had many questions
to ask the guys who in turn had many questions to ask them.
They met their first gypsies and had a
conversation through an interpreter. Their
features and mode of dress were similar to
our Indian boys', and they got the feeling
that they might have trouble getting rides
because of this. Gypsies are not liked by the
Europeans. Later that afternoon they hitchhiked back to the camp arriving just in time
for supper and to catch the bus to the
festival. While this was going on, we four
ladies were still sleeping.
8:00 p.m. - The concert was on a high
hill, but the people there called it a mountain . There were hundreds of cars parked
all the way up and around the hill. The bus
finally parked part way up and we walked
the rest of the way.
On the way up we were informed that
30,000 people were expected for the
festival. Upon reaching the hill top we
found the Samis d9ing their concert of
YOIKING. "YOIKING" must only be
heard to be appreciated, becau se there is no
way to explain the sounds.
We were feeling the cold so we decided to
leave and go back to our camp. We were
back at 10:30 p.m. At 11:30 p.m. - we still
couldn't sleep, thanks to the mosquitoes
and the daylight.
·
June 23: Saturday
12:01 a,m. - Wilmer and Arsene took the
drum out and started to sing. They had just
sprayed their cabin with lots of Raid and
were waiting for it to take effect! We were
doing the same. This was midnight.
12:30 a,m. - A "party" of about 65 people is in full swing outside the cabins. We
couldn't sleep so we decided to go out and
join them.
Samis were yoiking, Arsene and Wilmer ·
were singing pow-wow.
After that a jug band from Finland performed and Leo from Sweden, was singing
"pop" type songs.
It was our turn again so · we taught
everyone the round dance. Then we all join- ·
ed in on the polka and bunny-hop. While
this was going on some Sam.is were passing
around Reindeer meat for everyone to chew
on.
Doolo, one of the local Samis, called this
evening, "Summer Madness". To , think
that this all started out with a can of Raid!
6:00 a.m. - There were only about 15 people left besides us. We still couldn't sleep.
We lazed around in . the cabins most of
the day as it was drizzling. We were tired,
but still couldn't get any real sleep.
5:00 p.m. - We went into Karesaundo,
INDIAN DANCERS DREW GOOD CROWDSThanks to the drumming and songs of Wilmer BapSweden to have supper at the information
tiste (foreground) dancers such as (left to right) Brenda McNab, Bob Boyer, Arsene Tootoosis
center. We headed back to the camp and Ron McNab attracted and kept their spectators spell-bound .
without going to the evening's concert. Our
intentions were to get a goodnight's sleep to
be fresh for our concert tomorrow. More
}.
32
S ASKATCHEWAN IN DIAN M AGAZINE S UMMER V OLUME
1.
ISSUE
4. 2011
FSIN
65TH A NN IVERSARY 2011
�people came about midnight to party, but
we slept through it all.
I must explain that the town has two
names. Half of the town ("Karesuvento")
is in Finland and the other half(' 'Karesaundo") is in Sweden. The border crossing between the two countries is a river. A ferry
makes the connections regularly. This explains why we slept in Finland and performed in Sweden.
June 24: Sunday
Our bus picked us up at about 9:30 a.m.
It was a half hour late because our guide
Kerttu slept in. She had ordered us to be
ready at 9:00 a.m. sharp, because the bus
would not wait for us. Instead we waited
for her!
· 10:00 a.m. • We were interviewed at a
· press conference and had a mini warm up
performance on a hill by the Hotel Ratkin.
We also recieved word that the box of
bustles had been found and was on the way!
Hurray!
1:30 p.m. - Performed at the town
auditorium for the children from town. We
paGked the house with a standing room audience.
3:00 p.m. - We went on to perform on the
outdoor stage of "Karevarra Mountain"
(our big hill) to the largest audience ever in
the festi val. The weather could not have
been better. It was excellent!
We gave a tremendous performance to an
audience of over 1,500 people, and they
responded very, very w~mly. The parents
just loved it when we picked up their
children as partners in some of the dances.
We also became the subject of many international T.V., movie and press cameras.
If we had one dollar for every picture taken
we would be very well off financially.
The South American Indians performed
after we did and they asked us to join them
in a ceremonial burning of the bible. As a
group we unanimously said no to the idea
because we felt that it would not prove
anything for the unity of indigenous people.
· 5:00 p.m. - Bussed back to Markkina, we
had a supper of sandwiches and softdrinks . The salami given to us was always
salty and the bread bitter and hard.
8:00 p.m. - Went back to the mountain
where we performed indoors due to the
rain. The "Big Top" was ·crowded with a
large · audience. We performed after the
South Americans this time and appeared to
have stolen the show for our allotted time.
We were each presented with a specially
minted silver button of the Davi Surva
Committee.
Meanwhile back at the camp, Dave Monture of the N.I.B. had arrived.
June 25: Monday
12:15 a.m. - With the sun ever present in
the sky, we arrived back at camp still basking in glory over our performance. We took
our first pictures of the midnight sun. At
about 1:00 a.m. about a hundred or so people showed up to visit and talk some more.
We never had to invite people over because
they always wanted to come and talk with
"the Indians".
Tonight is the first night we got past the
social barriers with the Sarni people, and
were able to gain some . insight to their
culture. We began to see the strong
similarities between the Sarni people and Indian people.
For instance, when the men herd
Reindeer - (which is like our caribou) they
"no-mad" the land living in tee-pee like
NOMADIC TRADITIONSSTILLFOLLOWED
The Sarni people of Lapland still live in·tent skins, follow the caribou and live a life style similar
to that of the Indian oeoole on the western plains before the arrival of the Whiteman .
FSIN
65TH ANNIVERSARY 2011
structures. They dry the meat just like we
do. They also have their own type of sweet
grass which they use in ceremonies.
The Sarni people are also put down just
like Indian people; they also have problem
with housing in the cities, and difficulty getting jobs. After that night we felt a lot
closer to the Sarni people. More dried
Reindeer meat! I
During our stay there a little Sarni girl
took a strong liking to me and at one performance she dashed into our bus and
presented me with her purse. It is made out
of Sarni tanned leather. By now I was very
. lonesome for my own family and it just
about broke my heart to see her standing
there with a big smile and a purse clutched
in her hand. She reminded me of my own
little girl.
I accepted the bag and gave her my turquoise ring which I wore on my baby finger.
Minka fit it just right. Though we had a
language barrier it didn't hinder our
understanding of each other.
12:00 noon - We rose and shone again,
then caught the bus to Karesaundo to buy
souvenirs and mail post cards. The post office closed at 2:00 p.m., so we did not get to
mail our cards after all.
6:30 p.m. - After supper, we went to the
mountain to see the Russian Komiks perform. They are a people culturally related
to the Samis.
The Komik performance was very professional with an orchestra, singers, dancers
and many costumes. It would not be unfair
to say few people liked their show, and
most people left before the program was
over. The problem .was that their show
belonged in a concer t hall; not on an open
air stage at the grass roots level.
It was so choreographed and planned
that it was dead. The other thing about this
group is that they always travelled together.
They did not socialize on an individual
basis, and were always accompanied by at
least four uniformed security guards.
Midnight - About 100 people were at the
camp again. The South Americans were the
entertainers this time.
June 26: Tuesday
So far, every night we've averaged about
four hours sleep. We just couldn't get used
to it being daylight all the time. Today we
took it easy.
8:00 p.m. - We performed again to a very
appreciative
audience
and
the
photographers had another hay day.
After our performance, which was to be
our last, we presented our interpreter Kert. tu with 100 marks, a birch bark basket and
a turquoise ring. We also gave our bus
driver a beaded necklace.
11:50 p.m. - Just as we were getting off
the bus, we were informed that the committee wanted us to stay for one more performance on Wednesday evening. They would
arrange transportation to Helsinki by but
on Thursday to make connections for
Frankfurt, Germany. We were all set to go
to Germany and this news caused quite a
disturbance. After a lengthy discussion we
decided to stay the extra day and finish the
festival with a round dance.
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME 1. ISSUE
4. 2011
33
�June 27: Wednesday
9:00 a.m. - We packed our stuff and
moved to the Ratkin Hotel in Karesuvento.
We were now only two to a room, with our
own hot water showers and comfortable
beds . At the other place we had bunk beds,
paper sheets, and curtainless windows. At
Ratkin we had our first good sleep in one
week. For supper we had a traditional Sarni
Reindeer stew, with plenty of tea.
Back at the mountain we were the last
group to perform and we did our complete
show ending with a round dance. All the
performers and audience joined us to make
the circle. It went completely around the
mountain top. It was one of the most
beautiful things I have ever seen or partidpated in. People from around the world
holding hands, laughing and dancing .
Nobody was left out.
June 28: Thursday
We left by bus to Kemi, Finland from
Karesuvento. All the officials came out to
say their last good-bye and to tell us "You
people have made the f esti val the success
that it was.'' To us tired Indians, this was as
good as a million dollars.
There were nine of us on a chartered
4().passenger bus . We left with Germany on
our minds. Arrangements were to be made
to catch the plane Friday morning to
Helsinki and Frankfurt from Kemi. We
spent the six hours on the bus viewing a lot
of muskeg, rivers, lakes and spruce trees .
We also got to see reindeer along side the
road.
In Kemi we found our hotel, had lunch
and the guys walked around a bit. No
sunset in Kemi either.
A SAMICHILD IN traditional dress.
34
A BLENDOF TWO VERY DIFFERENTCULTURESProduced very pl~asing music together . A
Peruvian Indian trys a Sarni musical horn while the Laplander tests a South American .reed pipe.
June 29: Friday
4:00 a.m. - We got up and checked out of
the hotel, then went on to the airport. At
flight time Bill discovered he did not have
enough cash to pay for the tickets to
Helsinki. Bob tried to use his traveller's
cheques, but unlike the T. V. commerical,
they wouldn't accept them. We all dug deep
into our pockets and scraped up enough
loose money (similar to nickle and <liming
it) together to cover our tickets. In the mean
time they delayed the flight five minutes for
us. We left at 6:35 and landed in Helsinki at
7:30 a .m. This was to be the fastest route to
Frankfurt, Germany. Bill Brittain tried to
get flights to Germany but because we
stayed over an extra day in Karesuvento we
could not make connections from Helsinki
to Germany until Saturday. We had
another quick meeting and decided to
cancel out on our German tour.
8:00 p.m. - Bill .called Sylvia Walsh in
Regina to say we were coming home. We
were very upset when she told us about the
German reception we had missed. Our German hosts had planned a regal reception for
us complete with T.V. people, film people,
newspaper people, the mayor of Frankfurt,
plus the Canadian Armed Forces. They had
also prepared a banquet, and had re-opened
an 014 castle for us to stay in. The pay for ·
our performance there would have been
enough to get us to England with the chi~fs.
We felt badly about missing all of this and
heartily apologized to our German friends
for not showing after all the hard work they
had put in arranging our trip.
We went to bed early this evening and enjoyed our first two hours of darkness since
leaving Canada.
June 30: Saturday
We slept in after deciding to stay in
Helsinki our flight homeward was for Monday morning July 2.
We (ladies) went shopping and even
found a second hand clothing store! Bob
went on a guided bus tour of Hel~in.ki and
came back with news of an amusement
park . One of the many things we noticed
about the city was the many bingo halls
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
1. ISSUE 4. 2011
where you can walk in off the street and
play electronic bingo anytime. The·younger
generation seemed to be disco .and
American Graffitti crazy - the boys in their
near brush cuts or greasy haircuts while the
girls wear pony tails and spike heels with
rolled down Bobbie socks. The name "Bee
Gee's,, was also written everywhere. Bill
caught a plane north to visit one of his old
friends. Everyone else went to the amusement park. I stayed back and waited to hear
from Billy.
At the park they had their first hamburgers and french fries since leaving
Canada. The cost of each ride averaged out
about 85 cents in Canadian currency.
July 1: Sunday
We rose at 7:00 a.m. and went to the airport in three taxis. I took care of the hotel
bills with the money that Bill had left. I'll
admit that it scared me to be in charge of
things in a foreign country. But believing in
the Almighty Creator, plus knowing the
fact that I had the troupe behind me all the
way, ·I squared my shoulders and we made
it. At the airport, everyone was pushing and
shoving. However, we did manage to secure
passage and we took off jubilantly from
Helsinki to Copenhagen, Denmark. Upon
arrival I booked hotel rooms and our seats
on the Trans-Atlantic flight to Montreal.
Bill re-joined our group at 9:00 p.m. this
evening.
July 2: Monday
After another flight delay in Copenhagen
we arrived in Canada on a DC-8. The time
was 4:00 p.m. - too late for connections to
Saskatoon and Regina. After clearing ·
customs, Scandinavian Airlines gave us free
reservations at the Airport Hilton Hotel in
Montreal. We were also given free supper
and breakfast passes. The hotel had a disco
called "Jupiter'' where we passed the:_time
away from 9:00 p.m . to 3:30 a.m.
July 3: Tuesday
Left Montreal - homeward bound.
To the people who ·worked hard in getting things organized and who worked
doubly hard for our passports and funding:
WE SALUTE YOU. -HAZEL AHENAKEW
FSIN
65THANNIVERSARY 2011
�SASKATCHEWAN
INDIAN
WINTER
GAMES
NOELSTARBLANKET,
president of the National Indian Brotherhood was one of the official dignitaries present during the opening of the firsteve~
Saskatchewan Indian Winter Games.
·
'
In the first event the Art Desnomie rink
prize of $50.00 was the rink skipped by
Over 1,500 athletes from across' the province came to the first Saskatchewan Indian from the Files Hills Reserve took home the
Lindsey Starr of the File Hills Indian
Winter Games hosted · by the ·Cote Band golq medal _~nd a prize of $250. Second
Reserve. Taking fourth and taking a prize
of $50 was the John T. ·Cote rink, sort of a ·
situated near Kamsack, Saskatchewan; place finishers,' Roy Alexson Rink from the
Day Star Reserve won the silver medals and
disappointed crew as they were heavily
April 3 to 13th.
favoured to sweep right to the Gold.
·
The games, first to be held· ih the pro- a prize of $125. Bonze medals and a prize of
In the Ladies open ...:._the Shelly Cote
vince, involved athletes in hockey, curling; $75 'wertt to the rink skipped by Noel
rink showed them the how ·and why as-she
basketball and boxing. These games includ- Starblanket, who by the way played the
and her rink made a clean sweep in their
eµ all age groups from Wee Wees to the Norni Stevenson rink for the bronze and
chalienged one another on a winner take all
quest for the Gold. For their winning efSenior Level.
forts the Shelly Cote rink took home the
It's the hope of the ,hosts that these games for the third and fourth, the fourth ·place
trophy and gold medals plus a prize of $75.
will be an annual event, a means of celebra- finish was worth $50. Noel Starblanket rink
Second place went to the Evelyn Desnomie · .
tion by the Indian people of Saskatchewan. took a total of 125.00 for their efforts.
In the second event Keith Bellegarde and
rink of File Hills Reserve. Her rink received ·
The offjcial opening of the games, which
the silver medals and a prize of $50.
took place in the Badgerville rink Saturday, his crew took the gold medals and a prize of
involved Indian leaders and representatives $150.
Theresa Desonmie, a real sport took the
Denzil (Folk) Kitchemonia and his merry
bronze medal and a prize of $25.
of the federal and provincial governments.
After a traditional Indian pipe ceremony men took the silver medals and a prize of
In the mixed event played on Saturday ~ .
conducted by elders and words of welcome $75. This rink has got to be one of the most
the Keith Bellegarde rink took top honors .
and captured 'the trophy, gold' medals and a
by Chief Norman Stevenson, the Tootoosis sportsmanlike rink in any bonspiel. Denzil a
brothers sang the "Honor Song'' a "raising . great sport just couldn't get the winner in
prize of $100.
of the flag", ceremony was conducted by there and had to settle for second place
Plating second and getting the silver ·
. medals was the Art Desnoinie rink . They .
war veterans and by members . Kamsack finish.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachTaking third and bronze medals and a
also picked up .cLprize of $70.
ment. This was followed by a grand march
with athletes displaying their district flags:
Among the dignitaries officiating at the
ceremony were ....:....
Noel Starblanket, president of the National Indian Brotherhood;
Sol Sanderson, Chief of the Federation of • ·
Saskatchewan Indians; Senator . Norrie of
Nova
Scotia;
Lorne
Nystrome,
Yorkton/Melville M.P.; Norm Lusney,
Pelly M.L.A.; Emil Korchinski, Department of Operations for Saskatchewan; Art
Obey, District
Represeniadve
of
Touchwood; Fort Qu' Appelle chiefs; Sterling .Brass, Yorkton District, representative
of chiefs and Colin Grant District
Superintendent of Community Affairs.
The gall!eS officially opened when Noel
Starblanket dropped the puck to begin ·the
Old Timers Hockey game.
VeteransHQldCurling Bonspiel
The war \feterans ran a bonspiel to coincide with the winter games. The veterans attracted forty-two rinks · in ail for their
MIXED
CURLINGACTION during the Veterans Curling Bonspiel.
bonspiel.
·
APRIL 1980 31
FSIN
65TH ANNIVER SARY 2011
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MAGAZINE SUMMER VOLUME
1. ISSUE 4. 2011
35
�DITORIA
Who are the Indian Nations and why are they opposing patriation of the Constitution?
That's the question a lot of people are asking these
days in Canada and Britain.
In Ottawa last week a member of Parliament told me,
"If you Indians are independent nations as you claim you
are, why are you fighting patriation of Canada's Constitution? And why for God sake are you making waves in Britain?" he added with a decided note of exasperation.
Indian leaders and technicians lobbying in Britain tell
me the average British citizen on the street and many MPs
have expressed surprise that Indian nations in Canada are
dissatisfied with the proposed constitution.
The British assumed that Treaties made between Indian Nations and the British Crown were long ago forgotten by both parties. "We thought you were all assimilated
happily into Canadian society," one MP said with considerable surprise.
The fact is that Indian nations are very much alive.
Instead of becoming assimilated we have survived as
distinct peoples . We possess our own languages, cultures,
world view, governing systems, economic and social institutions separate from but complementary to the rest of
Canadian society.
What we are seeking is recognition of our status as internally sovereign nations within the Canadian confederation.
Just where we fit in Canada has never been addressed formally by the government of Canada and the Indian
nations.
When Canada achieved internal sovereignty at the
time of confederation in 1867, jurisdiction for Indians and
lands reserved for Indians was assigned to the Federal
Government.
That was the extent to which the Indian presence in
Canada was addressed. The Federal government was
given administrative authority over Indian nations. The Indian Act was legislated in North America, and was designed as a short term solution.
The founding fathers of Canada firmly believed that
Indians were a dying race and that the survivors should be
civilized and enfranchized into Canadian society. That remained the policy of the Federal Government for the next
50 years .
It was the misguided belief of early Canadian leaders
that Indians would jump at the chance to become citizens.
Enfranchisement was conditional in 1867 upon an Indian
male making application and proving that he was civilized,
literate, and of upright moral character. If he proved he
possessed these qualities after a three year trial period, he
could become a citizen just like anybody else. Lucky Indian.
36
SASKATCHEWAN INDIAN MA GAZ INE SUMMER VOL UME
Needless to say few (not more than 10 between 1876
and 1886) availed themselves of the priuilage.
When it became obvious these enfranchisement provisions were not producing thousands of civilized, literate
and fine moral citizens, the Federal government amended
the Indian Act. Over a 30 year period Indian ceremonies
were outlawed. Indian mobility was checked; the right to
congregate in groups of more than 3 or 4 persons was
outlawed. The right to kill and eat the animals we raised
was suspended. The right to govern ourselves according
to the times honored traditions of our nations wa;~
suspended by amendments to the Indian Act. The Indian
Act and all subsequent amendments were made by nonIndians without the participation and consent of Indian
nations.
British lawyers acting on our behalf in London say
that we will have to prove in court that we did not give in
or acquiece to the government of Canada's interpretation
of our status.
The fact that we have survived and are the fastest
growing group in Canada shows that we did not give in.
The fact that Indian leaders first started journeying to Lon ~
don to appeal to the Queen in the 1880's and have continued to do so for the past 100 years shows that we did
not forget our ties to the British Crown. The numerous
petitions made to the Crown in Britain show that we
recognized our solemn obligations and promises through
Treaty.
We are standing at the pinnacle of history. It is as if
we are linked up on a narrow ridge with the possibility of
falling into deep valleys on either side.
On one side is a dark and rocky valley. It is the fact
that will befall us if the Constitution is patriated as it stands
- total assimilation. The rights remaining to us as the first
citizens of Canada will be eroded to nothing when future
amendments fall to the virtual control of the provinces and
when mobility rights are guaranteed to all Canadians
under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
On the other side of the steep ridge lies another fate .
Down there lies a green valley: the salvation of our
children not yet born and the hope of those who have
gone before .
It is a safe and peaceful valley where we will live by a
government of our own people, where we will have control over our own lives and over the resources of the
earth, water, sun and sky.
For the past 100 years we have merely survived. It is
time now to negotiate a just and lasting place in the Cana dian confederation.
Let the next 100 years give us cause not merely to
survive but to thrive as distinct nations in our own land.
1. ISSUE
4. 2011
FSIN
65TH A NNIVERSARY 2011
�SASKATCHEWAN
I N [) I A\ N
FALL
1995
�CONGRATULATIONS
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Saskatchewan Indian Magazine
Subject
The topic of the resource
First Nations--Saskatchewan--Periodicals
Creator
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Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1970/2011
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In Copyright
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PDF
Language
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English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Saskatchewan
1970/2011
Description
An account of the resource
The <em>Saskatchewan Indian</em> was the official publication of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations and served as an effective communication vehicle for the First Nations in the province of Saskatchewan between 1970-2011. It provided coverage of people, issues and events both entertaining and informative throughout First Nation communities. The magazine was distributed to all First Nation communities in Saskatchewan and to all First Nation groups, organizations and institutions throughout the duration of its publication.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre<br />#305 - 2555 Grasswood Road East<br />Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7T-0K1<br /><br />Phone: (306) 244-1146<br />Email: library.services@sicc.sk.ca<br />Website: <a href="https://www.sicc.sk.ca/" target="_blank" title="Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.sicc.sk.ca/</a>
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Magazine
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Saskatchewan Indian, FSIN 65th Anniversary Issue (July 2011)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Indigenous peoples--Saskatchewan--Periodicals
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2011-07
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
In Copyright
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
PDF
Language
A language of the resource
English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Saskatchewan
2011-07