The Batoche National Historical Site was bustling with activity on July 18, as hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the Northwest Resistance that happened exactly 125 years ago. 

“I can see that people really felt strongly about coming together in a peaceful environment,” said Métis Nation-Saskatchewan President Robert Doucette in an interview with Sage.

“Tragic things happened in 1885 and from all of that tragedy I think Batoche is now coming to symbolize a place of peace… where families can reconnect.”

Kinistin Saulteaux Nation may have had a large role in the creation of a new Aboriginal health plan for Saskatchewan residents; however, Chief Peter Nippi warns that actions speak louder than words.

“I am tired of engaging in discussions. Action needs to take form,” said Chief Nippi of Kinistin, two weeks following the release of the Aboriginal Health Strategy-a combined effort between the Saskatoon Health Region (SHR), Central Urban Métis Federation Inc. (CUMFI) and Kinistin Salteaux Nation.

Newly proposed legislation that will regulate clean and safe drinking water in First Nations communities is good news, as long as affected communities receive the resources they need to keep up with the new bill, says Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Vice-Chief Lyle Whitefish.

“If it is going to come with infrastructure, with improvements, than I don’t see a problem with moving ahead with it,” said Whitefish, referring to the Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act, which was introduced into Parliament on May 25.

Chris Martell remembers his 22-month-old son as a “good little boy”. He plans to honor him by continuing to demand answers to questions surrounding his death while he was in the care of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services.

“Everybody wanted to be with him… He listened, he ate everything you put in front of him,” said Martell of his son Evander Lee Daniels who died June 8, while in foster care on a farm near Aberdeen.

Fire damages Moosomin RCMP office
The RCMP office on the Moosomin First Nation, located 35 kilometres north of Battelford, was badly damaged from a fire set in a suspected arson on June 22.
An on-duty officer realized the building was on fire at approximately 3:30am, after a suspect set fire to the exterior of the office next to the building, which is leased to the RCMP.

Police have not made any arrests but are asking anyone with information to call the Battlefords detachment at (306)446-1720.  

Using hands that were once tied, Sonia Wuttunee of the Red Pheasant First Nation told her story through an interpreter of the abuse she suffered at R.J.D. Williams School for the Deaf in Saskatoon.

Wuttunee, with twin sister Donna there to support her, was among 15 people to take part in an invitation-only sharing circle hosted by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) on June 16, the first day of the TRC’s inaugural national event, at the Forks, in Winnipeg.

After three years of planning and stops and starts, a medicine wheel garden on the edge of the coulees in Lethbridge has reached the stage its creator is proud of.

 “I can’t believe the response and excitement from everybody in promoting, advertising and providing awareness about the garden. Especially the volunteers and donors have really assisted in the maintenance of the medicine wheel garden,” said Doreen Williams Freeman.

Band chief and council for Blood Tribe First Nation will be making application to Indian and Northern Affairs Canada for disaster relief funding after three separate incidences of flooding on the southern Alberta First Nation in less than two months.

“The chief will be presenting the numbers when we have them, but that will take a little while. But they’ve already started on (preliminary) work,” said Rick Tailfeathers, director of communication with Blood Tribe band.

Officials with the Métis Nation of Alberta are refusing to comment on the defeat of a special resolution that, if accepted, would have seen more than half their members losing voting privileges in the organization.

Repeated attempts by Sweetgrass, both written and verbal, for an interview with MNA President Audrey Poitras have met with no response. Charity Sokolan, with MNA’s corporate communications, stated in an e-mail that “I have forwarded your request to President Poitras and our CAO.”

Leanne (Crowchief) Sleigh offered her moccasins “for all those people who walked the path before us” after she shared her experience of attending Indian day school.
“Today I stand healed from the many hurts,” she said. But it’s been a long spiritual journey of accepting and trying to forgive both her parents and others in her community. It’s a journey that many survivors still haven’t embarked on and some talked about looking for their abusers on the street, wanting to exact justice.