Honorary degree bestowed upon poet

Louise Halfe is among eight distinguished recipients to be awarded honorary degrees at the Wilfrid Laurier University June 20 convocation ceremonies. Halfe, also known as Sky Dancer, is an award-winning writer and poet. Raised on the Saddle Lake reserve, she earned a BA in social work from the University of Regina and a certificate in drugs and alcohol counselling from the Nechi Training, Research and Health Promotions Institute. Her first book of poetry, Bear Bones & Feathers, won the Milton Acorn Award and was shortlisted for the Spirit of Saskatchewan Award and the General Lambert Award. Her second book, Blue Marrow, was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for Poetry. She has travelled extensively doing readings and presentations of her work, and in 2005 was named Saskatchewan’s Poet Laureate.