Thanks to a new program some Aboriginal youth across Saskatchewan have been learning some basketball basics this season.

Children between the ages of 12-16 have been taking advantage of the free Saskatchewan Aboriginal Basketball Skill Development Camps. The program was launched in October and will continue at least until the end of January.

There’s good news and bad news for those running this year’s National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC).                                                                                                                                               

To get the bad news out of the way first, there will in all likelihood be far fewer participants in the tournament than all previous years. The good news, however, is that the NAHC will indeed be staged in 2011, a scenario that was in doubt several weeks ago.

A Western-trained physician whose practice drastically changed after meeting with Indigenous healers from around the world is trying to bring the two approaches to health closer together.

“I resonated more with Indigenous healers’ approach to health such as gratitude, respect, humility, and support,” she said.

Dr. Daniele Behn Smith, who is an Eh Cho Dene/Métis woman from the Fort Nelson First Nation, is working as a doctor in Edmonton. She recently spoke at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Medicine.

A new venture could be viewed as a model for future Aboriginal development within the Province of Saskatchewan.

The Northern Métis communities of Beauval, Cole Bay, Ile a la Crosse and Jans Bay have combined their business efforts to create the Primrose Resources Corporation.
The name they chose is based on the federal government taking traditional hunting and fishing lands of the Aboriginal people in the area in the 1950’s for the purpose of using the land for bombing and gunnery practices known as the Primrose Lake Air Weapons Range.

University of Saskatchewan (U of S) history professor Jim Miller has been awarded the Gold Medal for Achievement in Research by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), which is the funding agency’s highest honour.

Miller has been researching the evolving relationships between Aboriginal Peoples and the varying families and cultures that continue to settle in Canada.
 
Miller discussed what created this interest in the relationships between Aboriginal people and newcomers to Canada.

Aboriginal people wanting to work in agriculture now have access to university training to help them land a job in the industry once they graduate.

A one million dollar donation by the Sprott Foundation was announced on Jan. 14 at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) that will go towards a new post-graduate diploma in ‘Aboriginal Agriculture and Land Management’. 

To the Editor:

It was with great anticipation that I read the article “Election time means taking responsibility” on page 5 of the January issue of Sage, only to be disappointed that columnist Jeff McCallum only dealt with the election of Chief and Councils.

As important as that is, it is equally important to vote in provincial and federal elections. The responsibilities associated with all elections ensures ones’ democratic rights.

No one questions that Saskatchewan’s north has its share of social concerns, ranging from high rates of substance abuse and crime to lack of housing and under-employment.

The Gender Equity in Indian Registration Act (Bill C-3) came into force as of January 31, 2011.
Unfortunately, that’s 26 years too late according to one lawyer in Regina. Lawyer Tony Merchant is filing a class action lawsuit on behalf of Aboriginal people who were discriminated against when Bill C-31 came into effect in 1985.

Merchant said when he started working on the file in July of 2009 he became aware of the unfairness and discrimination faced by those not eligible for Bill C-31 status.

The Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) will apply on-reserve starting June 19 when previously it had not, and according to Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) Vice Chief Morley Watson the change is going to impact many facets of First Nations communities.