By Ben Ingram

In the fight for improved healthcare in the North a new advantage has emerged.

Beginning this year, students seeking a four-year nursing degree will be able to study in La Ronge and Ile-a-la Crosse, where an onsite program through Northlands College has been established to cater to the specific needs of northerners.

The four-year registered nursing degree joins an existing two-year licensed practical nursing program that will also be made available online this year.

For northerners, it’s the first local chance for students to obtain a Bachelor of Science in nursing.

Born of a partnership between the University of Saskatchewan and Northlands College, the hope is to produce more healthcare workers familiar with the needs of northerners.

While the coordinator for the RN program is currently on vacation, Paul Ballentyne, a senior program coordinator with northlands college who operates the LPN studies, said seven students are expected to start in September.

“It trains northerners to cater to northerners,” he said.

Instead of having to travel as far as Regina or Saskatoon to pursue their careers, students will benefit from the convenience of local studies with a northern flavour. For Ballentyne, the hope is more recruitment for the North.

“The majority of the students are mature, they have other responsibilities,” he said, expressing his feeling that northerners are discouraged from entering the field due to commitments at home. “They have other responsibilities, they have families and children and spouses. They can’t just pack up and leave.”

He described the new four-year program as “a work in progress,” but the first-year of studies has been prepared for the coming year.

Thomas Sierzycki, mayor of La Ronge, said the new four-year RN program is a welcomed addition in the North.

“It’s very valuable to have, anytime you can promote education in the North, you’re moving towards ending socio-economic issues,” he said. “It’s bridging that gap that we already have in healthcare.”

Sierzycki echoed the feeling of Ballentyne that an untapped resource of people with the desire to study in the North exists, one hindered by responsibilities and familial commitments.

“I think it’s just very exciting and anytime we can move the North in a positive way, we’re all benefiting together because we are a big province, but a small demographic,” he said.

“If we can get these trained people in our communities back in our communities, everybody seems to be benefiting from that.”

A funeral was held for Philip Chartier, Aug. 31 in Buffalo Narrows. For decades Chartier had been a vocal proponent of Métis rights and identity. (Photo submitted)

By Ben Ingram

A funeral was held last Wednesday for Philip Chartier, an activist and Métis rights advocate whose work has spanned several decades in the Saskatchewan north.

The Buffalo Narrows president of Métis Nation Saskatchewan lost his battle with cancer over the weekend prior to his Aug. 31 funeral. Community members said it will be difficult to replace a man who spent his life fighting for the rights of the Métis people while fostering a sense of national pride and identity.

“Buffalo Narrows will really change as a result of his passing,” said Buckley Belanger, the MLA for Athabasca who often worked alongside Chartier. “He was always there as the Métis conscience of the local community.”

While Chartier was often aggressive in his methods, described by some as a nationalist, he remained consistent throughout his life in pursuing the betterment of his people.

Well known for the controversial placement of signage designating Buffalo Narrows as a Métis community, Chartier also worked to promote hunting and fishing rights, land claims, self-governance and the protection of constitutional rights.

While he may have stepped on a few toes along the way, the community found they could always count on Chartier to be at the front of any battle affecting them.

Leaders like Robert Doucette, president of Métis Nation Saskatchewan, echoed the void left by Chartier’s passing.

“You could always count on him to express his opinion and to stand firm in his convictions and beliefs,” Doucette was quoted as saying in an MNS press release, “Thank you Philip Chartier for your leadership and your tireless efforts to advance Métis citizens.”

A lifelong friend of Chartier’s, Raymond Laliberte of Buffalo Narrows credited Chartier with helping him to find his own identity as a Métis citizen.

Laliberte said his friend’s work was focused not just on the rights of his people, but of all residents in the North. He added that as an activist, Chartier sought to create ties between the Metis and the community in order to foster the growth of positive cooperation.

“ He was my teacher, he was my mentor, he was my leader,” Laliberte said. “He always advocated for those (who) didn’t have representation, he would always be the one that we depended on to represent the Métis perspective.”

Chartier’s passing leaves behind his wife and five children.

Larry Gardiner, 46, drives an air boat while harvesting wild rice on the Canoe River. Gardiner, who’s harvested wild rice on and off for 10 years, has to drive at 9 km/h in order to not damage the plants. He said driving the boat is pretty much the same as driving a snowmobile.

CLICK HERE for an audio slideshow about the harvest!

By Mac Christie

While heavy rains in most of the province have decimated this year’s wild rice, the Northwest is experiencing a bumper crop.

“It’s an incredible crop this year,” said Brad Caisse, a rice harvester from Ile-a-la Crosse.

In some of the central areas of the province, there was no rice at all because of water levels, said Ken Auckland from Mercer River Rice, a wild rice buyer in Beauval.

He said La Loche and Buffalo Narrows are having good years, as well as Ile-a-la Crosse, after several down years because the North had less rain than other areas.

A lot of rain raises the water level too high for the rice to grow.

“Rice does really well in two and three feet of water, but it doesn’t do worth a damn in five, six and seven feet,” he noted.

Auckland added this looks to be on par with the best harvest they’ve had in their 20 years of buying rice.

But having a good harvest means the cost of rice is down, noted harvester Fred Kenny.

“The prices suck,” he said. “A processed pound of wild rice is selling for $8, but they’re paying 60 or 70 cents.”

Kenny, 47, from Ile-a-la-Crosse, is harvesting his own wild rice for the first time.

He’s working a 15 hectare area in the Canoe River that used to belong to his father.

“We planted all this rice,” he said, “but then there was no rice going, so he ended up selling the lease off. I just finally got the lease back.”

But Kenny noted that planted rice may sit for five years before it comes out.

Caisse added people became interested in wild rice in the 1980s because it was possible to make a lot of money.

“It wasn’t surprising that people would make $140,000 in three weeks,” he said.

While profit margins are gone, the rice harvesters remain.

They use air boats with large baskets on the front to collect the rice. They drive through the rice at about 9 km/h.

When the boat hits the plant, the ripe rice falls into the basket. If it’s not ripe, it stays on the plant to be harvested later.

The rice is then taken to shore, where it’s bagged to be taken to a buyer.

Kenny noted one basket usually fills about one-and-a-half bags, which weigh 50 to 60 lbs.

It takes him about 8 hours to harvest his 15 hectares. He said he got 61 bags on each of his first two harvests, which have to be done four to seven days apart.

“You can hit it up to 12 times if you do it right,” he noted. “But it depends on the weather, because frost could hit it, and that’s it.”

After it’s harvested, the rice is taken to the buyer, where they can hold it for up to eight days, before sending it to a processor.

In Auckland’s case, he sends the rice to a plant in Kenora, Ont.

While there is a plant in La Ronge, and several in Manitoba, he said they use the Kenora plant because they like the product and it gives the rice a roasted taste.

But Kenny said he thinks the Northwest could use a processing plant.

“A lot of people want to see one,” he noted.

However Auckland disagreed.

“There’s not a market for having a plant here,” he said. “You can run a plant that costs a couple of million dollars for two months and get a year’s profit out of it, it’s not feasible.”

Three candidates registered

Buckley Belanger, NDP

Edna Daigneault, Green Party

Bobby Woods, Sask Party

By Mac Christie

The election race is heating up in the Athabasca constituency, with three candidates declared for the Nov. 7 vote.

Incumbent Buckley Belanger of the NDP has represented the riding since 1995, first as Liberal and then an NDP. In 2007 he won handily over the Saskatchewan Party candidate Phil Elliott by more than 800 votes, 1,885 to 1,012.

He said he’s confident in his chances this time around, but added it won’t be easy.

“People want to make sure that the candidates are out working hard,” he noted. “They want to see you earn and work for their support.”

Belanger named his biggest issue in the campaign as improving highways, particularly in First Nation’s communities.

“We’re going to be announcing support to pave roads into Canoe Lake, into Turnor Lake, Patuanak, Pinehouse and Dillon,” he said. “It’s about 280 km of roads.”

Belanger noted these communities also face issues with cell phone reception, something he also lists as a priority.

“These are fairly populated areas that don’t have any cell phone coverage.”

He listed other major issues as a continued need for housing and health care in the North.

Meanwhile, Saskatchewan Party candidate Bobby Woods said he expects the people are going to elect someone who can represent the needs of the North.

The mayor of Buffalo Narrows for the past 14 years, Woods said he got into the race because he felt the region could be better represented by a member of the Saskatchewan Party.

“We don’t have anyone in government other than the two NDP reps from the North,” he noted. “When you’re sitting on the other side of the table arguing…against the people in power, you’re not going to get much co-operation.”

Woods also said his top priority is highways and roads throughout the region, but also listed policing and social issues, in addition to infrastructure and housing.

“People want to open up more communication with police,” he said. “They want to make sure that they have safer communities.”

While Woods said his experience as mayor would help him because he knows people in government, he said the biggest thing is that he sees himself as a common person.

“I was raised in Buffalo Narrows,” he said. “I lived the same lifestyle and I’ve seen all sides of society.”

Green Party candidate Edna Daigneault of Ile-a-la-Crosse has also been confirmed in the constituency, but was unavailable for comment.

No one from the Liberal party has yet to step forward, but candidates have until 2 p.m. on Oct. 22 to register for the election.

By Mac Christie

A provincial plan to recognize and deal with opportunities and issues in Northern Saskatchewan will be headed by several familiar faces.

The Northern Action Plan, originally conceived two years ago by the provincial government, will be led by Goodsoil’s Toby Greschner, an assistant deputy minister for the Northern Affairs branch of the Ministry of First Nations and Métis Relations.

The plan has four broad pillars, including healthy people, educated citizens, safe communities and a strong economy in the North. Over the next three years the provincial government will invest $1.5 million into the project.

Ron Crowe, deputy minister for the Ministry of First Nations and Métis Relations, said Greschner will co-ordinate the project, working as a go-between for northern leaders and the government.

“We wanted to ensure we had the representation of northern leadership,” Crowe explained. “Toby was chosen (for his role) because of his ability to work, listen and talk with northern leaders and he’ll be able to bring that back to the government.”

Those who will make up the Northern Leaders Table for the project include Bobby Woods, mayor of Buffalo Narrows, Bruce Fiddler of New North, Lennard Morin of Cumberland House, Louis Gardiner of the Métis Nation Saskatchewan, Chief Eric Sylvestre of the Meadow Lake Tribal Council and Chief Tammy Cook-Searson of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band.

Woods has been chosen to chair the group of leaders, and he said it’s crucial that the project incorporates northern municipalities as well as First Nations and Métis interests.

“I think the most important thing is to empower our communities to take the initiative so that we can deal with our own issues,” Woods said. “We also need to identify areas of support that are required from governments and other agencies.”

He added it’s important to have the northern leaders involved in a leadership capacity.

“It eliminates the perception that the government is doing it,” he said, emphasizing that it is coming from community leaders.

Woods noted the project was delayed by difficulties in getting all the different interest groups together. As well, he said the group is still looking for co-ordinators to do grassroots research in communities, in order to discover problems and possible solutions.

“We’re still in the growing stages,” Woods said. “I have every bit of faith we’ll get the cooperation and participation from the communities.”

Crowe agreed, noting the group won’t be able to move forward with a recommendation or action until consultation and discussion of ideas in northern communities is complete.

“I can’t guarantee a specific action,” he said, “but I can guarantee a desire to move on things that are important and relevant to northern leaders and citizens.”

By Rhonda Cooper

On the trading market or at the local gas pumps, diesel fuel is a hot commodity.

Province wide, owners and operators of diesel powered vehicles are not only facing a shortage of diesel but also paying a premium price of up to a $1.30 per litre.

“All gas stations are experiencing shortages,” said Len Labossiere, Meadow Lake Co-op’s general manager. “But with the refineries coming back on line, we hope that in the next little while the supply will improve.”

A number of factors played into the shortage of winter diesel fuel said Labossiere. The Regina refinery fire in October, the annual maintenance shut downs of plants and the volatility of the trading markets.

Vic Huard, vice-president of Corporate Affairs at Federated Co-operatives Limited, indicated in previous reports that the shortage worsened when the Suncor Refinery in Edmonton went down. Suncor was unable to source hydrogen, a critical element in the production of emission-ready diesel and was forced to reduce production for a two-week period. The combination of Suncor’s slow down, the 20 per cent production drop at Regina’s refinery, and an increased demand created a western-wide shortage.

Although Suncor was back up and running as of late November, resuming full production requires weeks.

“We were really fortunate harvest was done when it was,” said Labossiere. Yet while summer diesel was not an issue, had harvest lingered the shortage of winter diesel could have had a negative impact on the situation.

“Our supplier, Federated Co-op, is still sourcing product from out east and down south for us,” he said.

In response to the shortage, a 300 litre/day/card has been imposed by the Co-op until there is a more plentiful supply.

“I haven’t heard anything direct from our customers and it would affect the trucking industry more than the grain farmers,” Labossiere said.

While Labossiere heard reports that Cold Lake had run out of diesel, neither Yewr-Way Gas Bar in Ile-a-la Crosse nor Buffalo Narrows ServiceCentre in Buffalo Narrows have had an issue with supply.

“We’ve been fortunate in Meadow Lake,” said Labossiere. “But we’re touching wood right now.”

By Phil Ambroziak

The Northern Lights School Division (NLSD) wants to ensure its educational facilities receive a passing grade.

That’s why, during their regular meeting earlier this month, NLSD board members carried a series of motions, all of which approve making a request for funding from the provincial government. The money would be used to conduct feasibility studies at five schools in northern communities. Among the schools on the list are Valley View School in Beauval and Twin Lakes Community School in Buffalo Narrows. According to NLSD officials, these schools, along with the other schools included in the motions, are in need of some sort of physical upgrade or construction under the division’s ageing buildings assessment.

“The feasibility studies are needed to determine exactly what the deficiencies at the various schools may be,” explained NLSD superintendent of facilities Frank Burnouf. “We have done some initial studies of the 23 schools we handle and, about once a year, we go through them all to get an idea of what’s needed.”

Burnouf went on to note, however, funding from the Saskatchewan government would allow the NLSD to hire a consultant to thoroughly look at each school and come up with a detailed list of what improvements are needed where.

“He or she might come in and say there can only be so many students per square foot or determine a leaky roof needs repair – things like that,” he said.

Burnouf also said funding (when not requested) is quite often reserved for schools with overcrowding issues, adding “if your school is not overcrowded, they (province) often won’t look at it.”

“These schools aren’t necessarily overcrowded and we probably could have hired our own consultant, but that would be like putting Dracula in charge of a blood bank,” Burnouf added. “If we can get provincial funding to assist with this step, all the better. We’re making the request now because the province traditionally approves its budget in April. This gives us enough time to put ourselves on their radar when determining how they’re going to spend provincial dollars.”

While various additions to the schools over the years made it difficult for Burnouf to determine exactly how old each building is, he believes the majority were built in the 1970s and ‘80s.

“There obviously has been renovations here and there over the years, but I believe the school in Buffalo Narrows could use a heating plant – if we were calling the shots we’d pay for it,” he stated. “But, the government should determine how much funding is available come April and by May or June we should find out who is getting what.”

Twin Lakes Community School principal Jackie Durocher, who confirmed her school does indeed date back to the early ‘70s, said she hasn’t had too much involvement in terms of the NLSD’s efforts to secure funding. She did note, however, she would like to see her school receive a bigger gymnasium.

“Our gym is fairly small for the number of students we have,” she said.

Twin Lakes currently boasts close to 300 students and, as a community school, also allows access to the gymnasium by members of the public.

“The gym would definitely be our number one priority,” she reiterated. “This way, everyone would benefit.”

In Beauval, Valley View principal Arlene Hanson explained how some members of the school community council would like to see a cafeteria set up at the school.

“That would be nice,” she said. “We’d also like to see the development of an outdoor track.”

Hanson also noted work to remodel the school’s kitchen and shop is ongoing, projects that are already improving the facility.

Valley View School is close to 50 years old and currently serves 237 students.

The other schools slated to benefit if provincial funding is secured include facilities in Cumberland House, Pinehouse Lake and Sandy Bay.

by Phil Ambroziak

With few exceptions, there’s no shortage of municipal candidates for communities located in Saskatchewan’s northwest.

Following the Sept. 19 nomination deadline, numerous names – both familiar and new – have been added to the list of official candidates for the Oct. 24 municipal Election Day. While some communities implemented a new policy restricting nominees who possess a criminal record, municipal officials don’t believe this new criteria had a large impact on the number of candidates.

“It (number of candidates) is about the same as it’s been in past election years,” explained Diane McCallum, returning officer for the Northern Village of Ile-a-la Crosse. “I haven’t noticed much of a difference.”

Ile-a-la Crosse

Of the northern communities, Ile-a-la Crosse has one of the largest number of registered candidates with 27 people vying for six alderman positions. Candidates include incumbents Vincent Ahenakew, Dorothy Dubrule, Jim Durocher, Peter Durocher, Myra Malboeuf and Beverly McLean, as well as Andrew Bouvier, Glen Bouvier, William Caisse, David Corrigal, Edna Daigneault, Yvonne Daigneault, Vawn Desjarlais, Liz Durocher, Donny Favel, Barbara Flett, Calla Gordon, Leo Gardiner, Boone Laliberte, Noel McLean, Marlene Misponas, Barbara Morin, Harold Morin, Tavio Morin, Carmen Raymond, Brandon Roy and Gerald Roy.

Meanwhile, incumbent mayor Duane Favel will be challenged by Vye Bouvier.

Turnor Lake
In the Northern Hamlet of Turnor Lake, mayor Marius Montgrand has decided not to seek re-election. Instead, the mayoralty will be contested by John Montgrand and Jeanine Daigneault.

As for the four alderman positions, current council members Lillian Montgrand and Rolanda Morin will not be returning. Five candidates, including incumbents Barb Daigneault and Paul Montgrand, as well as Darlene Favier, Tanya Montgrand and Steven Montgrand will all appear on the ballot.

“A few more candidates tried to get a (criminal) record check done, but could not because they did not have the proper ID,” said Turnor Lake returning officer Doreen Morin.

Beauval

In the Northern Village of Beauval, candidates for mayor include incumbent Fred Roy, along with Elaine Malbeuf and Max Morin. The four alderman positions will be contested by incumbent Terry Hansen, as well as Marlene Daigneault, Nick Daigneault, Ruth Gardiner, Melvin Roy, Wayne Laliberte, Jamie Laliberte and Gail Gardiner.

Jans Bay

In the Northern Hamlet of Jans Bay, voters will choose either incumbent Tony Maurice or Patsy Laliberte for mayor while those seeking alderman roles include incumbents Richard Bouvier and Frank Yew. Other candidates include Nathan Opikokew, Tracey Corrigal, Anne Bouvier, Ashley Maurice, Joanne Chartier, Andrew Lariviere and Joseph Lariviere.

Michel Village

The Northern Hamlet of Michel Village will see mayor Cliff Coombs seek re-election, but he will be challenged by Brent Janvier.

The four alderman spots will be up for grabs between incumbents Cynthia Billette and Grayson Janvier, as well as Ernest Sylvestre, Eva Sylvestre and Leonard Sylvestre.

Cole Bay

Harold Aubichon is looking to hold on to his job as mayor of the Northern Hamlet of Cole Bay. His only opponent is Elfreda Desjarlais.

Seeking to fill the four alderman posts are incumbents Alex Bouvier, Fernand Bouvier and Shirley Couillonneur. They are joined by Anne Bouvier, Kevin Bouvier, Philip Cardinal, RoseAnn Daigneault, Fred Iron and Graydon Taylor.

Patuanak

In the Northern Hamlet of Patuanak, mayor Hazel Maurice is being challenged by Mary Aubichon and Margaret Aubichon. Meanwhile, the two alderman positions will go to either incumbent Paul Lariviere or Leona Aubichon, Dora Lariviere or Margaret Lariviere.

Buffalo Narrows

Bobby Woods wants another term as mayor of the Northern Village of Buffalo Narrows. He has some competition, however, in fellow candidates Ricky McKay and current aldermen Blair Morin and Estelle Laliberte.

Fifteen candidates have come forward to vie for the six available alderman positions. They include incumbents Brenda Chartier, Jackie Durocher, Gerald Tinker and Jimmy Woods. Other candidates include Melanie Aubichon, Alvin Chartier, Isidore Desjarlais, Rod Fisher, Eric Hartley, Gary LaPrise, Donald Morin, Dennis Shatilla, Joey Thompson, John Waite and Larry Young.

Green Lake

In the Northern Village of Green Lake, incumbent mayor Fred McCallum will be challenged by Dale Hounsell, Jeff McKay and Kelvin Roy. The four alderman positions will be contested by incumbents Jackie Kennedy, Art Laliberte, Francis Laliberte and Howard Sinclair, as well as A. Eugene Aubichon, Alice Laliberte, Jim Laliberte, Phane Ray, Ric Richardson and Catherine Sinclair.

St. George’s Hill

In the Northern Hamlet of St. George’s Hill, mayor Donna Janvier has been acclaimed while incumbent Jolene Desjarlais, along with Etienne Desjarlais, Kimberly Cummings, Holly Janvier, Keith Sylvestre and Doris Janvier will contest the four available alderman spots.

by Terry Villeneuve

It was a shakeup of sorts in the North last week when two prominent mayors were unseated from their posts.

Bobby Woods is no longer mayor of Buffalo Narrows and Green Lake’s Fred McCallum is also on the outside looking in following the Oct. 24 municipal elections.

Estelle Laliberte, who had been a councillor for four consecutive terms – 12 years, was the clear winner in Buffalo Narrows as she topped the field with 238 votes. Woods had 145, Blair Morin had 142 and Ricky McKay 21.

It was Laliberte’s first attempt at the mayor’s chair.

“Lots of people encouraged me to run,” said Laliberte. “I sensed the majority of the community wasn’t happy with the current mayor. During the campaign, people were telling me that Bobby has neglected our community – that he ignored our community. That he’s on too many committees and other boards, including government-appointed ones. I think that’s what hurt him, he was gone a lot.”

Besides doing a lot of door knocking, Laliberte felt a live debate on the local radio station was the difference.

“I think that’s what gained me a lot of support,” she said. “Now, what we have to do as a council is come up with a strategic plan. There’s lots of needs and issues, and we can’t do it all. We need to prioritize what we want to get done in the next four years,” she said. “We also need to rebuild the connectivity in the community, improve communications and accountability… basically get the whole community working together.”

Laliberte works as an adult probation officer in Buffalo Narrows and prior to that she was the executive director of the local Friendship Centre.

The six councillors voted in include incumbents Brenda Chartier, Gerald Tinker and Jackie Durocher, as well as newcomers Larry Young, John Waite and Isidore Desjarlais.

“Isidore and John have previous council experience and Larry Young is brand new,” added Laliberte. “We’ll have a strong council, so it should move things along pretty good.”

Buffalo Narrows
(551 voters)
Mayor
Estelle Laliberte       238
Bobby Woods        145
Blair Morin        142
Ricky McKay        21

Councillors
Brenda Chartier         223
Larry Young        213
Gerald Tinker         210
John Waite         207
Jackie Durocher       200
Isidore Desjarlais         168
Gary Laprise        166
Melanie Aubichon    164
Eric Hartley        154
Jimmy Woods        142
Dennis Shatilla        130
Donald Morin        120
Joey Thompson        117
Rod Fisher        100
Alvin Chartier         92

In Green Lake, Kelvin Roy is now at the helm as he outdistanced the other three mayoral candidates Oct. 24. Local residents selected Roy with 83 votes to Jeff McKay’s 78, McCallum’s 43 and Dale Hounsell’s 11.

On council, two incumbents – Francis Laliberte and Jackie Kennedy – were brought back in while the pair of newcomers include Jim Laliberte and Phane Ray.

Green Lake
(216 voters)
Mayor
Kelvin Roy         84
Jeff McKay         78
Fred McCallum         43
Dale Hounsell        11

Councillors
Francis Laliberte         137
Jim Laliberte         113
Jackie Kennedy         102
Phane Ray         98
Howard Sinclair        84
Art M Laliberte        69
Catherine Sinclair        63
Eugene Aubichon        63
Richard Richardson    57
Alice Laliberte        47

By Gaven Crites

The nays have it.
On April 24, the Northern Village of Buffalo Narrows voted to maintain a prohibition on video lottery terminals in the community after a motion was tabled by a local bar owner looking to reintroduce the machines following a close to 15-year ban.
A total of 244 ballots were cast, 184 against, 59 for and one with no marking.
Gerald Tinker, owner of the Pelican Tavern, brought the initiative forward because he thought he had the community’s support.
“That’s why we brought it to this stage,” Tinker said. “The youth vote never came out.”
As a member of council, Tinker had to recuse himself from all proceedings because of a conflict of interest. Now, it’s back to business as usual.
“It’s just another hurdle, that’s all,” he added.
Bobby Woods, a resident and former mayor of the northern village, has been a vocal critic of the proposal since it was brought to council.
“I’m proud of the people of Buffalo Narrows for taking the initiative to look at this from a healthy perspective,” Woods said. “They kept the community’s health in mind first and foremost. This decision will help save us from further social problems. I’m happy.”
Woods added, although the turnout was perhaps smaller than expected, the result was overwhelming.
“Right now, our community is not ready for this,” he said. “I know there will be people disappointed with me and with this result, but that’s OK. People can agree to disagree.”
The divisiveness of the issue is not lost on former resident Leonard Montgrand, organizer of the original plebiscite to have the gaming terminals banned in the first place.
“At that time, because there was no other form of entertainment or gambling, there was a lot of people gambling, like myself, spending a lot of money,” Montgrand said.
Now a La Loche resident, Montgrand still calls Buffalo Narrows his hometown.
“In hindsight, it was a good thing,” he said. “Buffalo wasn’t ready for it back then. But, nowadays, I personally think VLTs are not going to destroy a community because communities have learned. They’ve progressed and grown and there are other forms of electronic gambling.”
Montgrand was surprised by the vote, both by the relatively small turnout and the disparity with respect to the results.
“I thought they would vote them back in this year,” he said. “But, they still maintain a sense of responsibility in terms of gambling. I know the community works hard on other social issues and they have a good strong community.”
Officially, mayor and council had final say on the issue at their regular meeting held yesterday (April 29).

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall (left) chats with Meadow Lake mayor Gary Vidal (centre) and Meadow Lake MLA Jeremy Harrison outside the Bear’s Den on 1st Street East Sept. 12. Wall was in Meadow Lake as part of a summer tour to various Saskatchewan communities.

by Phil Ambroziak

Premier Brad Wall believes open communication is the key to building a stronger Saskatchewan.
Wall was in Meadow Lake Sept. 12 as part of an ongoing summer tour that’s taken him to several communities throughout the province. While here, he attended a lunch meeting with city officials at the Bear’s Den restaurant to discuss the issues that matter most at the local level.

“We’ve been taking the opportunity throughout the summer to get out of the major centres,” Wall said. “We’ve been to the North Battleford area, the Estevan area and the Prince Albert area, and today we’re also scheduled to meet with community leaders in Dorintosh and Goodsoil. It’s nice to get out, meet with community leaders and to hear what their concerns are going forward.”

During Wall’s time in Meadow Lake, he said mayor Gary Vidal and others raised such issues as infrastructure and the future development of a new long-term care facility.

Vidal confirmed there was discussion about the new Northland Pioneer Lodge, primarily with regard to the funding commitment local governments will have to come up with.

“I expressed to him the funding concerns I’ve been hearing from people on the street,” Vidal said. “We also talked about models from other communities where some of these long-term care facilities were built for less money. “

The mayor said he asked the premier if the province could go back and investigate this matter more thoroughly in an effort to save local and provincial taxpayers some money.

“It’s always great to meet with Gary because when he brings a concern forward, he also brings suggestions on how to fix it – that sort of thing doesn’t happen all the time,” Wall said.

As for infrastructure, Vidal said he shared with the premier some of the projects and ideas the city has in the pipeline for the next two to 10 years, informing Wall – even though it may not seem like a lot of money from a provincial budget standpoint – it certainly is expensive from a municipal budget perspective.

“Infrastructure funding at the municipal level is something many communities have lacked in the last 15 years or so,” Vidal said. “It’s referred to as an infrastructure deficit.”

Also in attendance during Wall’s visit was Meadow Lake MLA Jeremy Harrison. Wall praised Harrison’s work, stating his efforts to improve local policing as well as highways has been of tremendous benefit to residents in this part of the province. However, highways in the North, he said, are still in need of a lot of work.

“We have seen some infrastructure expansion in the North, but there are some highways we just haven’t been able to get to yet,” he said. “They are, however, still priorities. There’s still more work to be done, but there has been some improvement.”

Wall also shared his opinion on other issues affecting residents in the North, particularly a concern raised by former Buffalo Narrows mayor Bobby Woods in a recent letter to Northern Pride about frequent power outages during the summer months.

“I’ve been hearing these concerns and I’ve been following that issue very carefully,” Wall noted. “We’ve asked SaskPower to look into frequency issues and to see if there is anything that can be done to make things better.”

Meanwhile, Athabasca NDP MLA Buckley Belanger recently commented on what he described as ongoing job losses in the North in spite of the province boasting the lowest unemployment rates in Canada.

“Unfortunately, some NDP MLAs like to spin the numbers the other way,” Wall remarked. “Not too long ago, our aboriginal unemployment rate was around 15 per cent, but now it’s down to around 11 per cent. That’s obviously still too high when you look at the overall provincial unemployment rate of around four per cent, but we are making progress. It’s my hope NDP MLAs will work with us when it comes to efforts that are bearing fruit.”

Following the luncheon, Vidal expressed his pleasure in having the premier take time to visit Meadow Lake and other nearby communities.

“I’d say it speaks volumes to the character of the man,” Vidal said. “He’s willing to get out there, to listen to the people and to take action on legitimate concerns.”

Football in northern Saskatchewan is underway and last Wednesday the Buffalo Narrows Eagles paid a visit to Beauval to take on the Voyageurs. Here, Aaron Thompson (15) of the Buffalo Narrows Eagles attempts to get by two Beauval players.

by Derek Cornet

High school football has made its way to northern Saskatchewan.

Mark Williment, the superintendent of education for the Northern Lights School Division, said the division spent more than $100,000 to purchase equipment and uniforms for seven teams. The cost also includes upgrades to school fields such as leveling terrain and installing pads to goal posts.

“We decided to launch all the teams at the same time because we felt it would have been more difficult doing it one at a time,” Williment said.

The Northern 6-Man Football League consists of six teams in two divisions – La Loche Lakers, Buffalo Narrows Eagles and Beauval Voyageurs compete in the Western Division while the Pinehouse Lakers, Sandy Bay T-Wolves and Cumberland House Islanders play in the Eastern Division. Meanwhile, the LaRonge Chargers is the only team competing in the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association (SHSAA) this season. They’re involved with teams from Shellbrook, Spiritwood, Wakaw and Rosthern in the Fort Carlton 6-Man 2A league.

Beauval coach Sam Dawson said his club received their shipment of equipment – 20 sets – back in May of this year and had a three-day training camp for kids all across the North in the beginning of June.

“It’s mostly been really positive and it’s getting a lot of students out who haven’t played sports at the school before, and that’s really nice,” Dawson said.

Dawson also noted there’s a a spot for everyone on the team.

“We need all different sizes and abilities,” he said. “We didn’t cut anybody and I don’t know any community that did.”

Dawson said sportsmanship is front and centre with his team.

“The sport of football builds a team mentally,” Dawson continued. “It builds camaraderie and teaches them discipline as well. They’ve got to learn, when they get hit by an opposing player, they’ve got to stand up and tell that person it was a great hit. They just can’t stand up and start fighting.”

Grade 10 student Ashton McCallum said the contact in football is similar to playing hockey.

“I’m going to play until I’m done going to school here,” he said. It’s been good and a fun experience.”

Dawson said the football program is just one more thing to keep kids in school.

“We have an unbelievable teaching staff here, which I believe results in our dropout rates being low compared to other northern communities,” he remarked. “There was an early dismissal today to allow fans to come and cheer on the team. Sports are well supported in our community, especially volleyball, but football is starting to gain more and more interest.”

In last week’s game, where Buffalo Narrows were the visitors, Dawson said his team was leading in the first half, but fell 42-28 in the end.

“They just have a bigger team in terms of numbers,” he said. “They were able to put fresh legs on the field where they could. Their game plan was to run wide on us and we just couldn’t keep up with their quarterback.”

Williment said, next school year, he hopes to have all teams playing in the SHSAA, but added it would be costly. Dawson added, if the Beauval team were to make the move to a league in the SHSAA, his club would have to be more competitive.

“We just have to make sure the people playing this year continue to play the following year,” he said.

by Phil Ambroziak

Several area athletes, representing different schools in the Northwest, are on the right track for provincial cross-country competition.

But, first they had to prove themselves at the district meet held at the St. Cyr Hills east of Meadow Lake Oct. 3.

“It was a great event,” remarked Carpenter High School vice-principal and cross-country coach Jesse Shakotko. “The weather worked out in the end and many of our athletes had good fortune. A lot of them finished in the top three or four in their categories.”

Carpenter athletes to qualify for provincials were Tayla Villeneuve and Hana Johnson in the junior girls category, Chris Jouan in the senior boys category and Taiya Paylor and Caitlyn Villeneuve in the senior girls category.

“Our runners did great,” said CHS cross-country coach Erin Martin. “Two of our junior girls, Tayla and Hana, placed first and second respectively. In senior girls, Taiya and Caitlyn placed first and third. Our senior boys runner, Chris Jouan, also did very well considering it was the first time he ever ran a six-kilometre race.”

Other area runners to qualify in the junior girls category were Quin Carter and Tamara Lindstrom from Ernie Studer School in Loon Lake, and Wayanna Opekokew-Laliberte from Valley View School in Beauval. In the junior boys category, advancing are Terrance Peterson from Twin Lakes School in Buffalo Narrows, as well as Craig and Loren Lemaigre from La Loche School. Meanwhile, Sheldon Bird from Valley View School and Kurtis Herman from La Loche advanced in the senior boys category, and Anika Albers and Jennifer Kirsch from Ernie Studer School, along with Alyssa Herman from La Loche, qualified in the senior girls division.

“Anybody who ran in the junior and senior categories qualified for provincials because each race had fewer than 10 runners – the top 10 runners traditionally advance,” Martin explained.

Martin went on to note how difficult it is to encourage students to participate in cross-country when there are so many team sports offered. The district meet also featured a midget and peewee category, the latter of which attracted more than 200 runners.

“This included 124 girls, but in the senior girls category there were only eight runners,” Martin said. “But, that doesn’t take anything away from what these athletes have achieved. They earned their success and it can’t be taken away.”

Midget action

Area runners to qualify for provincials in the midget boys category were Leroy Murray and Creo Sawka from Jonas Samson Junior High School, Tanner Freyman from Ernie Studer School, and Garrett Campbell and Jonah Koebernick from Twin Lakes. In midget girls, advancing are Randie Gonie from Pierceland Central School, Cheyenne Aschenbrenner from Ernie Studer School, Cassia Anderson from Jonas Samson, Shellayne Buffin from Valley View and Amber Lemaigre from La Loche. Other midget competitors, in spite of how well they finished, did not advance because they are not yet old enough to compete at the provincial level.

“There were a lot of really young runners out there – that’s always good to see,” Shakotko said. “There was a lot of high-calibre runners, and we had a lot of good volunteers.”

The provincial cross-country meet is scheduled for this weekend at Little Loon Regional Park and will be hosted by Medstead School.

“I’m not sure how many schools will be represented, but there’s sure to be a lot of good competition,” Shakotko concluded.

by Derek Cornet

Several members of the La Loche Community School Lakers football team were transported to hospital recently after the bus they were travelling in flipped on its side during a trip home.

The incident occurred Sept. 4 at about 9:45 p.m. after the team departed from Pinehouse Lake. Principal Stephen King said the bus hit a pothole 20 kilometres north of Buffalo Narrows on Highway 155 and overturned. Eight players and two coaches were inside the vehicle. Five students were transported to hospital by ambulance and one was airlifted to Saskatoon. Dianna Janvier underwent surgery in an attempt to save her leg, but her mother, Dawn Janvier, said Dianna’s right leg was amputated Sept. 5.

“I’m not sure how long she’ll be in the hospital,” Janvier said when contacted Monday. “She’s awake. She came out of another surgery yesterday (Sept. 7).”

Janvier said this football season was the second year Dianna was on the team. She said Dianna wanted to play the sport, so she supported her daughter’s decision.

Another student involved in the crash was Dianna’s cousin, Ricky Janvier. His mother, Rebecca, said her son suffered a spinal cord tissue injury as well as cuts and bruises as a result of the incident. When Ricky’s mother received news of the crash, the worst case scenario raced through her mind.

“I just hoped and hoped I didn’t lose another child,” she said. “I felt really bad. I was scared.”
Dianna is also Rebecca Janvier’s niece. Rebecca Janvier said their family in La Loche were thinking of her. She also said the whole community has Dianna in their thoughts.

Meanwhile, King denied the vehicle the students were travelling in was a 15-passenger van as described by RCMP. He said the vehicle resembles a bus and is more stable and less top-heavy than a 15-passenger van.

King was also unsure how the team would proceed through the football season. The students were returning home from their first game of the school year and still have three games remaining this month. The Lakers were scheduled to play against the Green Lake squad on Sept. 8, but the contest was postponed. While some players will be off the field for weeks, if not longer, King hopes the school can continue in the Northern Saskatchewan Football League.

“We still haven’t had the discussion on how to proceed,” King said. “The coaches are in shock and need to regroup. We might have to invited other students to join the team, but we won’t be making any hasty decisions.”

“I just hoped I didn’t lose another child,” she said, referring to a child she lost a few years back.

She also said other family members in La Loche were thinking of her niece, Dianna.

Meanwhile, King denied the vehicle the students were travelling in was a 15-passenger van as described by RCMP. He said the vehicle resembles a bus and is more stable and less top-heavy than a 15-passenger van.

“It’s a very difficult time for all of us,” King said. “When we send students on a trip, it’s meant to be a positive event.”

According to RCMP, the assistant coach – who was a passenger in the van –  was a member of the La Loche detachment. The vehicle was being driven by a school teacher while a second vehicle travelling behind the bus also included a police officer and another assistant coach.

The Lakers were scheduled to play Green Lake Sept. 8, but the contest was postponed. While some players will be off the field for weeks or longer, King hopes the school can continue to field a team in the league.

“We still haven’t had the discussion on how to proceed,” King said. “The coaches are in shock and need to regroup. We might have to invite other students to join the team, but we won’t be making any hasty decisions.”

CHS basketball player Kamren Leschuk looks to make a pass while opposing members of the P.A. Carlton team close in during the final game of the CHS home tournament Jan. 17.

by Phil Ambroziak

It was an effort to be proud of.

That’s how Carpenter High School boys basketball coach Jesse Shakotko feels about his team’s performance at the home tournament held in Meadow Lake Jan. 16 and 17 that netted the team the runner-up place.

“I’m very pleased with how things turned out in the end,” Shakotko stated. “I liked how, throughout the tournament, we had a strong focus on defence. When that works, the offence will feed off that defence, and it was working for us until we had a little bit of a lapse in the final game.”

CHS fell 52-40 in the championship game to Carlton Comprehensive High School from Prince Albert.

“P.A. Carlton is classified as a 5A team while we’re in the 4A category, but we’re always very close to them in points whenever we play them,” Shakotko added. “We played them once before this season and we beat them, but they’ve improved a lot throughout the year.”

Carlton maintained a close but steady lead throughout the first half before, as Shakotko said, Meadow Lake cooled off in terms of its shooting.

“By the fourth quarter, we were shut down,” he said. “We made an attempt, but just couldn’t come back.”

Earlier on, Carlton defeated John Paul II Collegiate from North Battleford and Warman High School while CHS downed Beauval and North Battleford Comprehensive High School to earn their respective spots in the final.

“Our opening game against Beauval was great,” Shakotko said. “We played them last year and they had a lot of the same players, so I knew it was going to be a good, tight game.”

Shakotko went on to say his team worked well together with the entire bench receiving some court time. In the end, CHS was victorious 60-48.

“In the semi-final round, we played North Battleford Comprehensive, a team we hadn’t seen yet this year,” he added. “They weren’t as big as us, but they had some decent guards. We ended up winning 67-58.”

Shakotko noted Blake Prete and Damon Martin-Durocher were top scorers throughout the weekend while Travis Greyeyes was given credit for his performance on defence.

“I think Saturday’s final was Travis’ best game so far this year,” Shakotko said. “I love seeing guys work that hard on defence.”

While disappointed not to have won gold, Greyeyes also expressed his satisfaction with how the tournament played out.

“Overall I think we did pretty good,” he said. “I don’t think we did our best in the final because usually we can beat P.A. Carlton. Once they got up by 10 in the third quarter, we couldn’t really come back.”

Meanwhile, with the return of Beauval this year, as well as a first-time appearance by a team from Twin Lakes School in Buffalo Narrows, Shakotko said all teams have a chance to benefit from something new.

“In Buffalo Narrows, there’s a couple of guys up there who are doing a lot of good stuff for basketball,” he noted. “I wanted to give them a chance to take part. It’s good for those kids to come here and see some other teams and to have a chance to play at a higher level. It also allows a lot of the other visiting teams a chance to see the North has talent too.”

Girls in action
While the CHS boys were entertaining hometown fans, the girls squad was in Moose Jaw where they placed 13th in a 16-team tournament.

The team’s first game saw them lose 66-44 to Middle Lake. This was followed by a second loss, this time by a score of 49-31 to Weyburn. Meadow Lake’s first win of the weekend came at the expense of Lake Lenore 44-29 while a 40-28 win against Melfort secured the 13th-place finish.

“We have some homework to do,” noted girls coach Carla Waterman. “Hopefully we see some improvement and can start getting some more wins.”

by Phil Ambroziak

Recent salvage operations by Mistik Management Ltd. have tied the hands of at least one area trapper.

According to Leon McCallum, if he wants to continue trapping, he’ll have to find a new location thanks to Mistik’s efforts to clear cut an area near Upper Cummins Road about 35 kilometres southwest of Buffalo Narrows. According to McCallum, no notice was given with regard to Mistik’s plans for the area.

“I realize they opened the road for forestry operations, but they again failed to notify the traditional resource users in the area about what they were going to do,” McCallum said. “Now I have to trap closer to the Air Weapons Range just to get a few fur-bearing animals.”

For years, McCallum trapped near Niska Lake before Mistik activity more than a decade ago, he said, resulted in him relocating to the Deep River area. He still continued to trap near Upper Cummins Road to Vermette Road, however, but said he now has to move his operation even further from his home community of Buffalo Narrows.

“I am not happy with the way they are treating me, clear cutting around my trap line,” he continued. “When I spoke to them about it, they responded by saying they didn’t know I was trapping in the area. I really don’t know how Mistik can get their certification when they treat people this way. They have no respect for trappers.”

Roger Nesdoly, general manager at Mistik Management Ltd., admitted his company was unaware McCallum was still trapping in the area where, in recent weeks, the forest management company has been conducting its work. But, he also confirmed the reason for the activity.

“We’re in the midst of a fire salvage operation along Upper Cummins Road,” Nesdoly said. “About 2,000 hectares were burned out this past July by the Jaylene fire, so we submitted a fire salvage plan and are harvesting close to 500 of these hectares.”

Nesdoly said it’s important to harvest the wood quickly because, as more time passes, fire-damaged timber loses both quality and value. The work is expected to continue throughout the winter spring and summer before wrapping up by fall.

“We know Mr. McCallum – we’ve had an association with Leon for the better part of 20 years,” Nesdoly added. “However, we were led to believe he was no longer trapping in that area. Upper Cummins Road is a forest resource road, however, and sooner or later you should expect some harvesting. If there had been no fire, would we be working in there today? No. Would we be in there at some point in the future, though? There’s a high probability, yes.”

Nesdoly also said, when timber is damaged, usually there’s not a lot of animals left in the area anyway.
“We spoke to the Buffalo Narrows co-management board about our fire salvage operation, but, no, we did not directly contact Mr. McCallum,” Nesdoly added. “That was an oversight on our part because, to the best of our knowledge, he was no longer trapping there.”

On Jan. 21, Mistik officials were in Buffalo Narrows for one in a series of public information meetings to seek input as it prepares its next 20-year forest management plan. McCallum was in attendance.

“I was 15 years old when my parents took me out of the Ile-a-la Crosse school and taught me how to trap and fish for a living in the traditional ways,” he said. “I have been trapping every year since. I’m still active and want to live the traditional ways. In three months I’ll be 80 years old and I just want Mistik to leave me alone.”

The post Trapper forced to move appeared first on Northern Pride.

by Phil Ambroziak

It’s been a busy spring for fire crews at both the municipal and provincial level.

While fire bans remain in place for both the city and RM of Meadow Lake, that doesn’t mean firefighters haven’t been kept on their toes as of late.

“The fire ban affecting the RM and the city of Meadow Lake will remain in place for the foreseeable future,” explained Meadow Lake fire chief Neil Marsh. “All outdoor burning is prohibited, including fire pits, fireworks and burning barrels. People are asked to be extremely careful and to be aware any source of heat, such as ATV or other vehicle exhaust, can easily cause a fire.”

Earlier this week, Meadow Lake firefighters responded to at least two grass fires along the north side of Railway Avenue, as well as a brush fire east of the city late Sunday morning. The latter, which also occurred on Flying Dust First Nation land, was also attended by members of the reserve’s fire brigade and wildfire management crews from the provincial Ministry of Environment.

“Saskatchewan Environment crews and aircraft attacked the fire along with fire crews from Flying Dust and Meadow Lake,” Marsh reiterated.

While the blaze was eventually contained, Steve Roberts, executive director of the ministry’s wildfire management branch, said there are numerous fires still burning throughout the province.

“We’ve certainly seen an early start to the fire season,” Roberts said. “So far, we’ve experienced 102 fires throughout the province whereas, at this time last year, we had 81. As of right now, 12 of those fires are still active, but all are contained.”

Roberts went on to say, at this time of year, the majority of wildfires the province responds to are human caused.

“Whether someone’s burning debris and it gets away on them, or if it’s a ditch fire caused by the exhaust from an ATV, any fire not caused by lightning is considered human caused,” he noted. “Only two wildfires so far this year were caused by lightning.”

That’s why Roberts warns the public to be careful when it comes to their everyday actions that could lead to a fire, although he did admit most fires at this time of year rarely get out of hand.

“Very few are larger than 50 hectares and they tend to be grass fires restricted to the fringe of the forest and farmland, or adjacent to communities,” he said. “The bulk of the fires we’ve seen this year have been along the line from Prince Albert to Meadow Lake. There’s been a little more moisture in the eastern part of the province, but when it’s warm and dry it doesn’t take much.”

Meanwhile, of the 102 fires reported throughout the province, Roberts said 48 of them have been in the northwest including the Meadow Lake, Big River, Buffalo Narrows and La Loche areas.

The post Wildfire season starts early appeared first on Northern Pride.

by Derek Cornet

Some northerners are asking what happens next after the Buffalo Narrows Correctional Centre was closed as a cost-savings measure by the provincial government.

“This is a big devastation for the whole North,” remarked correctional officer Ashley Daigneault, who loses her job at the end of the June. “We’re not going down without a fight – not with the little bit of programming we have. Our jobs and livelihoods depend on this.”

Daigneault, along with fellow officers Darcy Howe and Willy Desjarlais, are among 15 people losing their jobs at the centre. They were also at a community meeting at the Buffalo Narrows Friendship Centre June 4 where they spoke with family, friends and Athabasca MLA Buckley Belanger about the closure. Daigneault – who commutes to work from Ile-a-la Crosse – said there aren’t many job prospects once they’re unemployed.

“You get to put your name on a bumping list in your geographical area,” she stated. “What in this area, geographically, does the government have in this field of work? A lot of us will have to uproot our families and move south just so we can support them. We don’t want to do that. This is our life – this is our home.”

Daigneault is saddened by the closure and considers it another broken promise Premier Brad Wall has made to the North. She said, after the shootings in La Loche in January, he promised they’d pay more attention to the North and now it seems what little they do have left is being taken away.

“The premier and the prime minister said they’re going to put their focus into the North, and said they’re going to do this and they’re going to do that,” Daigneault added.

She’s also concerned about what’s going to happen to the inmates and their families. She said the prison population is 100 per cent aboriginal with inmates coming from Beauval, Dillon and Ile-a-la Crosse, and with their relocation, the rehabilitation process is lessened. Daigneault added there are families who came and visited their loved ones every week and now they’ll be forced to drive further to do so.

While some people were hoping Belanger could reverse the situation, he told those at the meeting he doubt’s the government will reconsider. He said he’d try asking them to do that, but didn’t want to raise expectations because his primary focus is finding jobs for those most in need. Belanger invited the workers to Regina, telling them they need to build a case and the community has to rally behind them.

“I want to show Brad Wall the faces of the people they fired,” he stated. “We have to fight back because there’s going to be a lot of other cuts coming. We have to show them the North isn’t going to let them do what they want.”

Belanger also said it’s a trend of forgetting the North when times are good and looking at it when times are bad.

According to executive director of corporate affairs Drew Wilby, the remaining 18 inmates will be either sent to Prince Albert, North Battleford or Besnard Lake, or could be released depending on conditions. He said the inmates are low-risk, with some working in the community during the day and returning to the prison at night. Along with officers, administrative staff and a director were also laid off.
The closure is expected to save $661,000 this year and $1 million annually.

The post Correctional staff seek answers appeared first on Northern Pride.

With a history of leadership under his belt, Elmer Campbell of Buffalo River Dene Nation wants to create a healthy economy in the Northwest. Recently, Elmer spoke with Northern Pride about his career as a chief executive office, his time as chief and the tourist hot spots near Buffalo Narrows.

Q: What’s your current role in Buffalo Narrows?
A: I’m the chief executive officer for the Buffalo Narrows Economic  Development Corporation. I’m looking for business opportunities for the board. It can either be in the community or joint ventures that will bring revenue into the community. I’ve been in the position for two-and-a-half years and it’s been OK. We’re working on some projects, but we just completed SARCAN Recycling. Now, we’re looking at a franchise establishment. I can’t talk about it much because we’re still working on it. I also make sure the rental properties we have are functioning and the tenants are happy. I also put feelers out there because Buffalo Narrows has a lot to offer in terms of tourism, so I always have my ears open for it.

Q: What places are there for people to see?
A: We have a lot of natural, virgin land that’s good for exploration for tourists – not industry. People can go on a canoe trip and camp along the lakeshore and it feels like nobody else has been there. We have endless miles of sand beaches, clear water and a lot of fish. Also, a lot of local people have outfitting businesses and they complement each other. There’s huge tourism potential in Buffalo Narrows.

Q: What’s holding people back from visiting the area?
A: We have a lot of visitors – it’s just a lot of little things. For example, nobody ever thought not having premium gas pumps would be a deterrent for some people. A lot of the newer machines need premium gas, and now, we have a pump. The people who know that come and bring their equipment. But, a lot of times people haul a lot of premium fuel and just drive through. They’re going to northern areas past La Loche. We want to make Buffalo Narrows a destination. The RV parks are already full all summer. The hotels also have a high occupancy rate and the outfitters are doing well. They’re filling up their cabins. The way the waterways are set up around Buffalo Narrows, you can boat anywhere and, even if the wind comes up, there’s shelter in the coves behind small islands. Other places, all there is is a big lake and, if the wind comes up, then you’re docked on shore waiting for the wind to go down.

Q: Are there special spots near Buffalo Narrows?
A: The beaches are pristine like at Big Buffalo Beach. There’s other places like that. At Big Buffalo, you can go out there in a boat and just give’er because there are no rocks on that side. There are some lakes where you need to be careful though, but some people know them like the back of their hand. Those are the ones who have small charter outfits. If people are unsure of the lake, they’ll show them or hire local people to guide them. Once they get the lay of the lake, the islands and the coves, people come back year-after-year. People get to know the area and get comfortable out there.

Q: Is there a particular lake you prefer going to?
A: I’m from Dillon, so my preference is Dillon Lake. The original community I’m from is across the lake at Clear Lake reserve. It draws a lot of people and it’s nice. There are spots in the Pre-Cambrian Shield, so people need to be careful.

Q: Are there tourism information centres?
A: No. We don’t have any, but the idea has been discussed. Attempts have been made to try to have summer students be the ones to take care of a centre. It just hasn’t come to be yet. There’s been some discussion with tourism consultants and that’s one of the things they mention right away. If tourists want to get a map or information about what’s going on or what’s available, the local people have it. The ones who own the camps have those things. But, some have been here year-after-year, so a lot already know where to go and where the good fishing holes are. Word-of-mouth helps out a lot too.

Q: As a former chief of Buffalo River Dene Nation, how long were you involved with band politics?
A: I was involved for 22 years. I was a councillor for 10 years, then chief for 12. My last year as chief was 2006, but my time in office was good – there were many advancements in our community. I had a good team and staff. There were successful programs in the schools and our health program was doing a lot of workshops to help with social issues. Economically, forestry was well and the price of lumber was good at the time. We also had our store. There were a lot of good things that happened. I was happy to be part of it all.

Q: Did you grow up on the reserve?
A: I lived on the reserve, but I didn’t go to school there. I spent five years, including my high school years, in Buffalo Narrows. I also spent seven years at a residential school. My grandparents also lived in Buffalo Narrows, so we lived here most of the time. We moved back to the reserve in Dillon in 1972.

Q: What was Dillon like in the 1970s?
A: It was OK, but there was no road. There was a lot to do, though. At that time, people were still using horses and dog teams, so there were things to be done. There were horses, cows and a lot of dogs. There were chores like hauling water with the horses and then there was school.

Q: Do people still have horses in Dillon?
A: Certain families have them and still use them. There’s a family upriver at Forty-four it’s called and they still use horses and wagons. They have a cabin at Little Dillon Lake and they’ll also use them to go hunting or to gather wood. Also, there’s some other people who bring their horses to the various communities and hold sleigh rides when there are festivals.

Q: What do you do in your spare time?
A: I like going to my cabin. I like being in the nature and I enjoy the quietness. Also, depending on the season, I’ll go hunting. Next month, I’ll be hunting moose, then in October it will be ducks. In the winter, there’s still hunting and trapping until it’s time for muskrat trapping in the spring. There’s always something seasonal to do that’s comforting and relaxing. When I go moose hunting, I fly into a lake west of Dillon. There’s been years I’ve been skunked, but I’ve had more years we’re I’ve been successful than not.

Q: How do you like to prepare moose meat?
A: When I get home from hunting, my mother and wife, Marie and Leona, will start preparing it to be fried or boiled. We try to use the majority of it for making dry meat, though, so it lasts into the winter. That’s a delicacy everyone loves.

Q: Tell me about your family.
A: My wife and I have three kids, but they’re all adults now. Jocelyn Chaplain lives in Rosthern now, but our sons, Robert and Kelly, live in Dillon. It’s good having them so close. Kelly works as an underground miner, so he works two weeks in and two weeks out. Robert works in the oil patch and right now he’s working out of Saskatoon. He works odd shifts, but when they have time off, our sons come home.

Q: What’s it like driving in the North?
A: It would be better if the roads were nicer, especially the roads off Highway 155 going into the communities. They’re all gravel and the one I drive from Dillon to Buffalo Narrows gets bad. When it rains, it becomes muddy and full of ruts and that’s hard on vehicles. In the winter it’s OK because the roads are frozen. If they’re graded nice in the fall before freeze up, they’re good. There really isn’t problems going in and out. If you have a car there might be.

The post The Conversation appeared first on Northern Pride.

by Phil Ambroziak

It’s been a busy spring for fire crews at both the municipal and provincial level.

While fire bans remain in place for both the city and RM of Meadow Lake, that doesn’t mean firefighters haven’t been kept on their toes as of late.

“The fire ban affecting the RM and the city of Meadow Lake will remain in place for the foreseeable future,” explained Meadow Lake fire chief Neil Marsh. “All outdoor burning is prohibited, including fire pits, fireworks and burning barrels. People are asked to be extremely careful and to be aware any source of heat, such as ATV or other vehicle exhaust, can easily cause a fire.”

Earlier this week, Meadow Lake firefighters responded to at least two grass fires along the north side of Railway Avenue, as well as a brush fire east of the city late Sunday morning. The latter, which also occurred on Flying Dust First Nation land, was also attended by members of the reserve’s fire brigade and wildfire management crews from the provincial Ministry of Environment.

“Saskatchewan Environment crews and aircraft attacked the fire along with fire crews from Flying Dust and Meadow Lake,” Marsh reiterated.

While the blaze was eventually contained, Steve Roberts, executive director of the ministry’s wildfire management branch, said there are numerous fires still burning throughout the province.

“We’ve certainly seen an early start to the fire season,” Roberts said. “So far, we’ve experienced 102 fires throughout the province whereas, at this time last year, we had 81. As of right now, 12 of those fires are still active, but all are contained.”

Roberts went on to say, at this time of year, the majority of wildfires the province responds to are human caused.

“Whether someone’s burning debris and it gets away on them, or if it’s a ditch fire caused by the exhaust from an ATV, any fire not caused by lightning is considered human caused,” he noted. “Only two wildfires so far this year were caused by lightning.”

That’s why Roberts warns the public to be careful when it comes to their everyday actions that could lead to a fire, although he did admit most fires at this time of year rarely get out of hand.

“Very few are larger than 50 hectares and they tend to be grass fires restricted to the fringe of the forest and farmland, or adjacent to communities,” he said. “The bulk of the fires we’ve seen this year have been along the line from Prince Albert to Meadow Lake. There’s been a little more moisture in the eastern part of the province, but when it’s warm and dry it doesn’t take much.”

Meanwhile, of the 102 fires reported throughout the province, Roberts said 48 of them have been in the northwest including the Meadow Lake, Big River, Buffalo Narrows and La Loche areas.

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