The 11 First Nations of File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council declared a state of emergency April 16 as water levels rose near their communities and mass flooding was anticipated. They are seeking resources to mitigate the upcoming flood season. “The current (provincial disaster assistance program) system is failing our First Nations communities,” said Edmund Bellegarde, chairperson of the FHQTC, in a news release. “The provincial program imposes barriers for our First Nations to access adequate funding and puts our citizens’ basic needs at risk.

Cree Elder Tony Cote with Lieutenant-Governor Vaughn Solomon Schofield was one of two recent recipients of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. Both Cote and Métis educator and social worker Rose Richardson of Green Lake received recognition for a lifetime of service to their communities.

Nations opposed to peat mining in Interlake region