The University of Regina is launching a new program that will help students develop an understanding of Indigenous health needs.

The bachelor of health studies (BHS) is the only undergraduate health studies degree program offered in western Canada. But what makes it even more unique is its focus on Aboriginal health.
Every student enrolled in the four-year degree program will take five Indigenous health classes and may choose an additional four-course concentration in Indigenous health.

It's been more than five months since the announcement that an agreement-in-principle had been reached paving the way for residential school survivors to receive financial compensation for their experiences within the residential school system. In that time, the initial optimism that the agreement meant money would soon be in the hands of former students has been tempered by the realization that it will likely be many months before any payments are handed out.

Plans to build a new casino in Swift Current have cleared another hurdle, thanks to two agreements signed by the City of Swift Current and Nekaneet First Nation.

The two parties signed a municipal services agreement and a casino lease approval on April 18.
The proposed casino will be the sixth in the province managed by the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Commission (SIGA). The provincial government gave its approval to the proposed casino in October 2004.

The Regina Police Service (RPS) is scaling back its investigation into the disappearance of Tamra Keepness.

Keepness was five-years-old when she disappeared from her family home on July 2004, prompting one of the most intensive searches in Saskatchewan history, with people from across the country travelling to the Regina area to try to locate the little girl.

CORRECTION: The article Young people need to know their rights on the job that appeared in the April 2006 issue of Saskatchewan Sage contained inaccurate information. The article indicated that in 2004 there were 139,000 young people between the ages of 15 and 24 in the Sasktchewan labour force and that 90 per cent of them were Aboriginal youth. The article should have indicated that there were 139,000 young people in this age category living in Saskatchewan. Nineteen per cent of this total were Aboriginal and 61per cent of the total were in the labour force.

Clean water is once again running through the taps on Canoe Lake Cree Nation.
The community's water supply was shut down on April 3 when the system operator noticed sewage from the sewage lift station was backing up into the water treatment plant.

The residents of Red Earth First Nation who were forced to flee the rising waters of the Carrot River last month are back home, working to clean up the damage done to their community.

Close to 1,000 people were evacuated from Red Earth in mid-April after efforts to keep the river from flooding the community failed.

Residents began returning at the end of the month as flood waters subsided.

The residents of Red Earth First Nation who were forced to flee the rising waters of the Carrot River last month are back home, working to clean up the damage done to their community.

Close to 1,000 people were evacuated from Red Earth in mid-April after efforts to keep the river from flooding the community failed.

Residents began returning at the end of the month as flood waters subsided.

It must be deja vu all over again for the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN).
On April 29, FSIN First Vice-chief Morley Watson issued a media release stating that Ralph Morin, president of the Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Centre (SICC), has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an administrative and policy review of the organization's operations. Watson chairs the SICC board of governors.

Saskatoon-Wanuskewin Member of Parliament Maurice Vellacott has been chosen to chair the Commons Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, despite the concerns of many in the Aboriginal community who believe he is the wrong man for the job.
Vellacott was elected chair during the committee's meeting on May 1, but the news came as no surprise, thanks to an April 18 announcement by Vellacott that Prime Minister Stephen Harper planned to nominate him to head up the standing committee.