Tag Archives: Saskatchewan

Entry #20: Government of Saskatchewan – First Nations, Métis, and Northern Citizens

https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/first-nations-citizens

This government website provides information organized into sections on federal benefits and rights, applying for Indian Status, the Duty to Consult of the provincial government, education, business information, help for Aboriginal victims of crime, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a directory of First Nations and Métis contacts, community initiatives, tax programs, hunting and fishing rights, and treaty land and entitlements.  This resource provides the government perspective on their governance of these tenets of First Nations and Métis life while providing relevant information for First Nations and Métis use of government systems and services.  Each page is further subdivided into relevant categories of information, including links to any government policies or forms and common questions about the topic.  In order to more fully understand the nature of Indigenous – non-Indigenous interactions and dynamics in Saskatchewan, it is important to look at the tone set by the government and the role they play in contemporary successes and challenges.

Entry #19: Saskatoon Health Region – First Nations and Métis Health Services

https://www.saskatoonhealthregion.ca/locations_services/Services/fnmh/service/Pages/Resources.aspx

This website contains information for First Nations and Métis peoples regarding medical services available in the Saskatoon Health Region.  Through online brochures, contact information, and links to other Saskatoon Health Region services, visitors to the site can access mental wellness telephone assistance, information about chronic disease management, and how to find an advocate to support oneself in the health care system.  The face-to-face services provided by the department are also communicated, as well as how to access them.  Because of the impoverished living conditions facing many First Nations and Métis people in Saskatchewan, this website is a much needed resource to help Indigenous peoples in Saskatchewan access necessary medical information, treatment, and support.  Links on the site connect to other departments of the health region and external helplines.

Entry #17: Saskatchewan First Nations Natural Resource Centre of Excellence

http://skfncentre.ca/

The Centre of Excellence was created by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations with the intention of supporting First Nations communities in Saskatchewan in “creating opportunities for the innovative, sustainable and environmentally responsible development of the natural resources within their lands and Indigenous territories.”  The work of this centre speaks to the importance of holistic learning, collaborative relationships, and sustainability in the First Nations worldview.  Their work captures some of the main issues facing First Nations people in Saskatchewan, namely, environmental protection, educational engagement, and economic livelihood.  While the site does not link directly to external resources, it does provide a listing of the centre’s partners, including Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technology, and The National Energy Business Centre of Excellence.

Entry #16: CBC News – Saskatchewan Graduation Rates

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/sask-grad-rates-1.4302374
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/sask-indigenous-graduation-rates-1.4148401

These two articles from CBC examine the trends in graduation rates in Saskatchewan. With Aboriginal student graduation rates lower than non-Aboriginal students, other issues raised for discussion include social circumstances and budgetary constraints. Engagement has been identified as a key element to providing a higher quality of education for First Nations and Métis students. These articles help to explain some of disparity in postsecondary attendance rates, and subsequently, opportunities for advancement for Aboriginal youth. The articles also link to similar articles from slightly different perspectives regarding the graduation rate research.

Entry #15: SaskSport Aboriginal Sport

(http://www.sasksport.sk.ca/aboriginalSport.php)

This SaskSport program is intended to address identified needs and fill gaps that exist for Aboriginal communities in Saskatchewan. The main page includes information about the multi-year strategic plan, the Sport Enhancement Program, community grants, the SIMTAG poster series, and the Aboriginal Sports Leadership Council. This is both a symptom of current issues in the social structure of the province’s people and an example of an initiative intended to reconcile the compounded discrepancies. Additional links are provided to Aboriginal coach training and general SaskSport information.

Entry #12: MathCentral Database

(http://mathcentral.uregina.ca/RR/database/RR.09.00/treptau1/index.html)

This University of Regina project has compiled a series of games drawn from a variety of Aboriginal cultures that could be played with students, including a section on games that support specific math skills. Each game page includes a very brief cultural-historical background to the culture of origin, original and adapted materials, and instructions. The source of the research for each game is also linked, providing potential extensions to one’s own research. This resource provides small ways that teachers can integrate Aboriginal culture naturally into classroom activities. There is also the potential for students to conduct their own research into additional activities not included on the website. Such games could be an excellent way to help bridge the perceived gap between cultures by including alternatives to Western approaches to learning.

Entry #10: In Whose Interest?

Gulig, A. G. (1997). In whose interest?: Government-Indian relations in northern Saskatchewan and Wisconsin, 1900-1940 (Unpublished master’s thesis). Thesis (Ph. D.): University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. Retrieved October 15, 2017, from https://ecommons.usask.ca/handle/10388/etd-05292012-095653

This document is a doctoral thesis published in 1997 at the University of Saskatchewan. It examines the conflicting interests of the government and Indigenous groups in the early years of Saskatchewan’s existence as a Canadian province, particularly in the area of natural resources. The historical context of interactions and dynamics between the two groups is important for understanding more current challenges, perspectives, and structures. This paper comes from a time before reconciliation was an official focus in our country. The research also explores the same issues in the state of Wisconsin. The resource list for this paper includes copious amounts of references to primary sources that would be very useful for further research into this period of time in the history of relationships between Indigenous groups and Euro-Canadians.

Entry #6: A Special Report on Race and Power (Macleans)

Macdonald, N. (2016, July 30). Saskatchewan: A special report on race and power. Retrieved October 12, 2017, from http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan-a-special-report-on-race-and-power/

This article published by Maclean’s magazine in January 2015 explores the dynamics involved in leadership positions throughout Saskatchewan. As a province with significant First Nations and Metis populations, the statistics shared in the article show that this raw composition is not proportionately realized in leadership roles. The balance of written text and graphical organizations helps to highlight the most significant pieces of the research while also providing sufficient explanation and contextualization. This resource is especially useful for exploring the realities facing Aboriginal peoples in Saskatchewan as they work to gain more representation and strengthen their communities. Beneath the article, links to related stories point to additional currently relevant issues and events involving and affecting Aboriginal Canadians.

Entry #4 – Gabriel Dumont Institute Virtual Museum of Métis History and Culture

(http://www.metismuseum.ca/)

This online museum is full of digitized collections of artifacts, videos, audio recordings, photographs, and other resources pertaining to the historical and present day culture and experiences of the Métis peoples. They also provide learning resources for educators, both print and online, linguistic tools for Michif (the Métis language), and ongoing and temporary exhibits. They list links to the Virtual Museum of Canada online resource about Batoche, as well as copious links to external websites under the categories of Aboriginal, Archive and Museum, Canadian History and Archaeology, Genealogy, Government and Youth Empowerment, Métis History/Culture/Politics, and Michif. The thousands of components of the online museum combined with the multitude of external links make this resource a valuable research tool for both primary and secondary sources.

Entry #2 – Office of the Treaty Commissioner

(http://www.otc.ca/)

The Office of the Treaty Commissioner focuses on building and maintaining bilateral relationships between the Canadian Government and the Federation of Sovereign Indian Nations, as well as between First Nations and non-First Nations peoples in Saskatchewan. Their site offers information and media releases on relevant current events and issues, resources pertaining to the history of treaties in the province, and opportunities to connect with speakers and attend workshops facilitated by the OTC. As the voice of treaty relationships in the province, the OTC provides both up-to-date and historical information about the applications and implementation of the Treaty principles in Saskatchewan.