Sage News Briefs - June

Prospective buyers for FNUC campus
Now that the Saskatoon campus of the First Nations University of Canada (FNUC) is up for sale – due to debt from withheld government funds – many buyers have their sights set on the property.
The City Park Community Association, which is overseen by residents of the neighborhood, wants the City of Saskatoon to provide them with $50,000 to pay for the green space portion, as it has done for other developments in the past. As well, the association wants to line up other financial backers and tenants for the purchase.
FNUC administrators have let the association know the land will be sold through a sealed tender and are still looking at perspective buyers of the city block on 7th Avenue and Duke Street.

New legislation for safe drinking water concerns Chief
Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Vice Chief Lyle Whitefish does not agree with proposed new legislation on safe drinking water because it fails to consider lack of funding for First Nations infrastructure.
He sees it as another failure in the government’s obligation for ‘duty to consult’ and states that Bill S-11 burdens chiefs with the responsibility of meeting standards with inadequate resources.
Chief Whitefish said he would like to see First Nations receive funds to develop their own legislation and standards on safe drinking water that also considers the health standards of First Nations. Saskatchewan currently has 12 First Nations with boil water advisories in effect.

Influx of capital ready projects for Onion Lake
Developments in housing, roads, water and waste systems at the Onion Lake Cree Nation (OLCN) are underway as a $25.9 million investment has come about through various partnerships.
On May 26, OLCN Chief Wallace Fox announced that some funds have been invested and will create 150 jobs for the approximately 3,600 band members living on-reserve. The investors include the three levels of government, construction, trades, businesses, and the Royal Bank of Canada.
Projects include a housing unit, home renovations, improvements to roads, a low-pressure water distribution system, a daycare facility, a therapeutic group home facility, and a replacement roof for the school.
The OLCN has one of the highest on-reserve populations of First Nations in Saskatchewan.

Parks Canada revises plaque for Battle of Frenchman Butte
On May 28, 1885 the ‘Battle of Frenchman Butte’ occurred between a Cree group led by the son of legendary Chief Big Bear, Wandering Spirit, and Canadian Troops led by General T.B. Strange. The battle was associated with the 1885 Northwest Resistance at Batoche that same year.
Now 125 years later on May 28, the federal government held a commemoration to show the special meaning of the occasion and site. The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of the Environment and Minister Responsible for Parks Canada, was on hand at a ceremony to mark the occasion in which a new plaque for the display overlooking the battlefield site was approved and completed.
The revised text reflects First Nations understandings of the events that took place with the inscription written in three languages: English, French, and Cree.

SIAST project may help Aboriginal healthcare employees
A national project geared towards Aboriginal students at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology(SIAST) is expected to develop culturally appropriate ways of learning by focusing on Essential Skills. The Essential Skills project – estimated at $55,000 – will help Aboriginal adults more smoothly transition into the workforce of the health-care field.
SIAST leads and coordinates the project activities, and will work collaboratively with the test colleges and employer partners, then report findings to the project funder, the Association of Canadian Community Colleges.
Today, SIAST is working on the project with the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region with plans to target other health regions and authorities.
The aim of the project is developing a guide to help students and facilitators on document use in entry-level positions, materials that bring in Aboriginal teaching and learning methodology with examples from Aboriginal heritage, and testimonials from Aboriginal health workers as well as materials that are vetted and piloted at SIAST and those that have been validated by at least five healthcare employers and experts.  
SIAST operates campuses in Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina, and Saskatoon and has more than 14,000 students enrolled in its programs.

Compiled by Christine Fiddler