Latest news with #SaskatoonTribalCouncil
CBC
18-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Saskatoon program helping Indigenous students thrive in high school and beyond
Social Sharing As Rylan Iron gets ready to graduate from Holy Cross High School in Saskatoon, the 18-year-old is already planning for a busy future, including three years of post-secondary school at the University of Saskatchewan in Indigenous studies. After that, he hopes to go "somewhere nice" to study Indigenous-centred law. Getting here has taken a lot of hard work. Originally from Canoe Lake Cree First Nation, he says he may not have made it without the Pathways to Education Program, an after-school tutoring program that offers academic help and much more. "It really just felt like I was going home to my family," Iron said. "It's a wonderful experience." Pathways to Education is a national charitable organization that operates in 31 communities. It helps break the cycle of poverty through education, by providing after-school tutoring and other community specific supports to students. According to Statistics Canada, Indigenous students are less likely to complete high school (63 per cent) than non-Indigenous students (91 per cent). In Saskatchewan, the program works with the Saskatoon Tribal Council and the Gabriel Dumont Institute, which allows students to access wraparound resources including food, bus passes, school supplies and culturally relevant activities. The students and their families also receive sports mentorship, housing help, access to mental health services and job readiness programs. Students can sign up for the program in Grade 9, and when they graduate they receive a $2,000. In Saskatoon, 350 Métis and First Nations students from nine public and five Catholic schools across the city are currently enrolled. Darlene Lanceley, the tribal council's Pathways to Education manager, said the Saskatoon program is stands out for including First Nations and Métis culture both inside and outside of the classroom. "So in the summertime, for example, we'll take them to powwows," Lanceley said. "We take them to the round dance with the horse dance. We take them medicine picking, so they actually learn how to pick the sage and how to do things with the sage and sweetgrass." Lanceley said the program is making a significant difference, not only to graduation rates, but also to the students' confidence and potential. "I motivate them because I tell them that they're smart," Lanceley said. "I tell them that they're courageous. I tell them that they're resilient. I tell them things that a lot of people don't say to Indigenous youth." It was Lanceley who inspired Iron to join the program in Grade 9, when she offered him some pizza during a recruiting session at his school. The free pizza may have brought him through the door, but having a welcoming place to hang out, make new friends and get help with his homework kept him coming back for four years. "As much as education is really important, you also must not forget that cultural sense of being Indigenous," Iron said. "Even with the medicine wheel, they say you have to find balance, right? So in order to keep that balance, you must maintain a good mental, physical, spiritual and emotional level." Pathways operates from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The kids get fed supper and also receive a weekly voucher for lunch at their own school. In Saskatoon, the program operates out of the White Buffalo Youth Lodge, with access to a large gymnasium, a weight room, a computer lab, a craft room and a room for ceremonies, smudging and prayers. "You could definitely be feeling stressed, then all of a sudden … when you smudge or when you eat or when you when you talk with your friends there, it really kind of brings your stress down," Iron said. Winona McLean is also about to graduate from Saskatoon's Bedford Road Collegiate and from the Pathways Program. The 17-year-old is from James Smith Cree Nation and also has family on Piapot. McLean said being in Pathways has helped her gain confidence and life skills. "It's definitely made like a huge difference," McLean said. "Without them, I don't think I'd even be graduating this year because I really struggled in math and science." McLean's mother encouraged her to join Pathways in Grade 9. Now, at the upcoming ceremony for this year's 60 graduates, she will be the valedictorian. "She's very proud, I think," McLean said. "She's very happy that I'm graduating because she didn't have a really good experience in high school." From a cultural perspective, McLean also appreciates being in a place where her Indigenous roots are respected. All of these elements make a big impact, according to Lanceley, who grew up in Prince Albert. She said it's helping narrow the high school graduation gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. "These are Indigenous students and they're graduating on time, which is important," Lanceley said. "When I was in high school, nobody cared. I remember the principal saying, 'Why are you trying to graduate? Don't you know Indians don't graduate?'" Iron is grateful for the opportunities the program has given him. He said he hopes he can use his experiences to inspire others. "Especially when you have a lot of family back home on the reserve who don't have the same opportunity as you, it's like, you're really speaking for them," Iron said. "I hope I can keep giving back and hopefully one day, become like an influential person."
CTV News
10-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Sask. opening two seasonal drop-in shelters for Saskatoon's homeless community
WATCH: Saskatoon councillors got an update on the long search for a location for a permanent 60-bed homeless shelter. WATCH: Saskatoon councillors got an update on the long search for a location for a permanent 60-bed homeless shelter. Two new drop-in centres are opening in Saskatoon to give homeless people a safe place to stay. The provincial government, the City of Saskatoon and the Saskatoon Tribal Council combined to announce the opening of a daytime drop-in centre and an overnight drop-in centre by the beginning of next week. 'We know that all the shelters are maxed out currently. So, this will be a good opportunity in this area to really help people … in a safe place during the day,' STC Chief Mark Arcand said. Station 20 West will host the daytime drop-in centre from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., where access to support services will be available. The STC's Sawēyihtotān project will offer outreach services, which include connections to housing, coordinated access systems and recovery and mental health programs. Both locations will be open for the next four months. Arcand says Station 20 will be able to accommodate up to 40 people to start, and White Buffalo will be able to accommodate 20 people when it opens on either Sunday or Monday. Arcand, the city and the province feel Station 20's ability connect people with the services they need, which can be tough to navigate on their own, while having the support and transportation of Sawēyihtotān, is what gives them confidence in seeing results from these temporary spaces. 'Location is key,' Arcand said. 'People say not in my backyard. Well, this board has actually said 'yeah, put it here. It's a need.'' 'The ability to have more folks willing to come in, check it out, and be a part of at least exploring what access to services might look like will be strengthened because it's being led by the Saskatoon Tribal Council,' Mayor Cynthia Block said. These spaces are designated to give people a place to stay during the summer months after two similar winter overnight warming shelters, one at the Saskatoon Indian and Métis Friendship Centre and the other run by the Salvation Army at St. Mary's Parish, closed on March 31. For children 16 and older, Arcand says White Buffalo will be there to keep kids safe who might be fleeing home for a variety of reasons and need somewhere to be. He said there isn't an age cap, but people in their mid-20s might be referred somewhere else. Staff will call provincial social services for anyone younger than 16. Block said while a 24-hour drop-in centre would be ideal, the hub model being presented and the data STC will gather from people walking through the doors will be vital to forming the next steps. 'Each person is their own individual. They've all got their individual stories; they've all got their individual backgrounds and it's up to us to be able to work with each of those individuals to identify the barriers that they may have, and then to overcome those barriers,' Minister of Social Services Terry Jenson said. Neither Jenson, nor Block, had a concrete update on the search for a permanent shelter. Jenson said Prince Albert city council approved a location for its permanent shelter Monday evening, and Regina's permanent shelter is set to open later this summer. Block said more than 100 sites have been searched. Jenson reiterated while it's the province's responsibility to run shelters, it's the city's responsibility to find a suitable location.
CTV News
03-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
‘We have feelers already out': Sask. ready to lean on Alberta for help with evacuees if needed
WATCH: As the forests burn, and more people are displaced in the province, officials are reaching out to Alberta and Manitoba looking for support for evacuees. A wildfire raging near Pelican Narrows has led to nearly 2,000 people being evacuated from the area – with many of them finding refuge in Saskatoon. As of Sunday, June 1, more than 8,000 people had been evacuated due to wildfire risk. Monday evening saw that number expand by several thousand, as the communities of La Ronge, Air Ronge and Lac La Ronge Indian Band fell under mandatory evacuations. It's all hands-on deck to find places for people to go and that includes the local hospitality industry. 'When wildfires happen, that's typically the time of year when our hotels are getting full with other types of business so it can be a real challenge and can raise some real questions about how to best manage displaced persons, ' Jim Bence, CEO and president of Hospitality Saskatchewan, told CTV News. According to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), some people were taken to Cold Lake in Alberta last week. If needed, the province is prepared to lean on its western neighbour again. 'If Saskatchewan as a province is not able to support the numbers, then yes, indeed, we have feelers already out. Those are to our neighbours, obviously to the west which makes more sense because Manitoba is also constrained,' SPSA vice president of operations Steve Roberts explained. The Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) is helping to move evacuees from some reserves while the SPSA is moving others, sometimes in the same area. 'So, that's where there's some confusion on, who do I contact if I need support. So, we understand that, but the primary goal is to get people out of harm's way and then try to get them to support sending once they're out of harm's way,' Roberts said. The Canadian Red Cross continues their work to help evacuees at The Cosmo Civic Centre and various hotels in Saskatoon. They are also providing an opportunity for Canadians who want to help. Anyone interested can do so by donating to the 2025 Saskatchewan Wildfire Appeal. The donations support Saskatchewan people impacted by the wildfires. Donations will ensure the Red Cross can provide immediate and ongoing aid. The hospitality industry, meanwhile, is currently working on a system where people can go in an emergency to quickly find accommodations provincewide. 'It won't just list which rooms are available, but where they're available so that when the traffic cascades, where can we get people situated the fastest, the most efficiently,' Bence said. As of Monday evening, 36 communities across northern Saskatchewan have either been evacuated or are under an evacuation order –leading to a constantly changing evacuee support plan.
CTV News
28-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
‘It's devastating' Saskatoon homeless count finds staggering rise in unhoused children
The city of Saskatoon's most recent point in time (PIT) count shows that the unhoused population has nearly tripled in two years, with a total of 1,499. 'It's devastating. It's heartbreaking. It's unacceptable. And it's a call to action,' said Saskatoon mayor, Cynthia Block. Conducted last October, over 200 volunteers counted and surveyed individuals experiencing homelessness. Now, the findings of that count have been analyzed and broken down for public use. One of the most notable findings includes the 315 children (aged 0-12) who were counted. This is a staggering jump from the previous count two years prior, which accounted for 26 children. 'We've got we don't change this now, in the next ten years, they'll still be in the same situation and potentially their kids. The system will just continue,' Chief Mark Arcand, of the Saskatoon Tribal Council said. Lesley Anderson, director of planning & development for the City of Saskatoon shared that during the count, efforts were made to check in with transitional supportive housing. Many of these facilities served children, who reported being unhoused. 'That has a very limited time frame. That's typically a 90 day stay. So it's not secure. It's not long term. It doesn't provide for that stability. But we do know that there are both children that are on the street, that are with either their families or some alone,' In addition to the children counted, 175 youth (aged 13-24) were counted. Here are the results broken down by age: 21 percent Children (0-12) 11.71 percent youth (13-24) 50.1 percent adults (25-64) 1.7 percent seniors (65+) 15.5 percent did not specify Another concerning statistic is the fact that 80 percent of those experiencing homelessness are Indigenous. This is a staggering over representation compared to the fact that the Indigenous population makes up only 12 percent of Saskatoon's population. 'This is not an Indigenous issue. This is a community issue. This is a provincial issue. This is a national issue, but it is all of us. Unless or until people have housing, have homes, have those wraparound supports, this isn't going to change and it is unacceptable,' Block said. When it comes to the contributing factors which lead to those surveyed being unhoused, various health challenges were reported: 82.3 percent dealing with substance abuse issues 60.6 percent experienced mental health issues 57.3 percent living with illness or medical condition 48 percent have a physical limitation 39.2 have a learning or cognitive limitation Anderson added that the stories of each person surveyed were unique. But there were some common themes in terms of how individuals found themselves without shelter. 'Evictions were noted as the main factor contributing to homelessness. While insufficient income is also a contributor for many,' Anderson said While the results are alarming, Block expressed that the report itself is crucial when it comes to implementing change. 'When we have truth, we can do better because we understand the problem like this one are actually helpful because it does help us understand what the real problem is. It does help us understand that we may need to pivot in order to achieve what is necessary,' Block said. Officials in attendance all agreed that the results of the PIT count display a clear need for systemic change. 'We have to change a system. We have to have partners and people that are willing to roll up their sleeves and have the tough discussions,' Arcand said. Premier Scott Moe spoke to the topic during a press conference on Tuesday morning, where he expressed concern over the fact that over 80 percent of those counted reported dealing with addiction issues. 'We need to take a very holistic approach in providing recovery opportunities for those individuals. Enforcing the law when it comes to individuals that are bringing those poisons into our communities. And providing assisted, supportive, transitional housing for those that are making every effort in their recovery journey,' Moe said. Mayor Block expressed that the necessary solutions to the problem will require action from all levels of government. 'Municipalities are on the front lines of homelessness, but we do not have all the tools to solve it. We don't do health care, we don't do social services. These are the primary responsibilities of the provincial government, and we are working earnestly with them to help to frame a different way forward,' Block said. Arcand added that these numbers are showing a need for change, and there will need to be collaboration from various organizations in order to see that happen. 'It's like a cry for help. In my opinion, when we almost triple in two years I look at it failures about how we can change systems. But it takes an investment to help people,' Arcand said.
CBC
20-02-2025
- CBC
Former traditional Cree healer Cecil Wolfe pleads guilty to sexually assaulting 12 women in his care
Warning: this story contains details of sexual assault. A former Cree medicine man and respected elder has admitted he sexually assaulted a dozen female patients with maladies ranging from cancer to depression under the guise of performing traditional healing practices. Cecil Wolfe, 63, pleaded guilty to the 12-count indictment Wednesday before Justice John Morrall at Court of King's Bench in Saskatoon. Prosecutors Lana Morelli and Maria Shupenia, and defence Harvey Neufeld, presented a 23-page agreed statement of facts. The court imposed a 24-hour interim publication ban on the guilty pleas so the victims could be told of the development. Wolfe's judge-alone trial had been scheduled to begin next week. The pleas ended a convoluted court process that began in 2022. Wolfe had pleaded guilty to the allegations in 2022, but at his sentencing hearing in 2023 he successfully applied to have the pleas expunged. Wolfe said at that hearing that he would not have pleaded guilty if he knew the jointly proposed sentence would be nine and a half years. Judge Sanjeev Anand ruled that Wolfe's lawyer did not properly explain the consequences of pleading guilty to the charges. Wolfe had "ineffective assistance of counsel" at his sentencing hearing, Anand said. This week, Wolfe pleaded guilty to effectively the same allegations. Morelli and Neufeld said there would be no joint sentencing submission. Justice Morrall told Wolfe that he would be facing a federal penitentiary sentence. The offences The agreed statement of facts detailed how Wolfe presented himself as an elder with knowledge of traditional healing practices. He had been employed as such by the Saskatoon Tribal Council and the White Buffalo Youth Lodge, in addition to working in various First Nations communities. He would instruct the women to come wearing a skirt and, in some cases, to remove their bras in advance. He would stroke their arms, legs and torsos, quizzing them on drug use and their sexual histories. He would also digitally penetrate them for between one and four minutes, the statement said. "There's something down there and I need to take it out," one victim quoted him as saying before penetrating her. After the assaults, Wolfe would produce trinkets, snakeskins, cat claws and ribbons, all "bad medicine" that he claimed to have extracted from their genitals. The victims described their fears of speaking out against a respected healer and powerful member of the community. Many spoke of how they had sought out Wolfe because they wished to engage in cultural practices. On Wednesday, Justice Morrall went through an hour-long "plea comprehension" hearing, quizzing Wolfe through a Cree interpreter to make sure he completely understood the elements of the offences to which he was pleading guilty and the consequences of entering the guilty pleas. Morrall then accepted the pleas. Wolfe, who remains free on bail, is scheduled to return to court in March for sentencing submissions and to hear the victim impact statements from the women he assaulted.
