St. John Community School childcare spaces to open March 4

Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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St. John Community School childcare spaces to open March 4

The new daycare spaces at St. John Community School will be ready to officially open on Monday, March 4.

The daycare spaces are a partnership between the Prince Albert Catholic School and the Prince Albert Childcare Cooperative Association. PA Catholic Education Director Lorel Trumier said they were pleased with the project.

“The facility looks great and I think it’s a lovely environment for children to be in,” Trumier said. “It just makes sense when it’s within the school if they have that natural progression (from childcare) to school, so we’re pleased about that.”
The cooperative took possession on Feb. 14 after completion of renovations to one wing of the school and the kitchen.

Trumier told trustees at Monday’s board meeting that the project had very few change orders after it was completed.

“It was a big project for sure, lots of things to attend to,” she said. “When you’re inputting a daycare, they need to have their own HVAC units and they have to have their own door entries and those kinds of things. They have to have a certain level of window, so (it was) a big project, but it’s really turned out so nicely.”

Director Jodene Demorest brought forward the original plan to create a partnership for a Ministry of Education approved childcare in St. John. The daycare is a 50-space licenced capacity.

“I know that Jodene Demorest from PA Childcare would say the same, so we’re pretty pumped about that activity and that work being started in terms of getting children into the daycare and the before and after school program,” Trumier said.

The project, along with childcare spaces at St. Michael Community School, began in 2022.

The school division signed the agreement with the cooperative on June 15, 2022.

The tender for St. John was released to SaskTenders in March, 2023. The project was the work of RNF Contractors and AODBT. Communication of the opening will be done using Edsby.

The daycare at St. Michael opened in August 2022. Before and after school age programs will also be available.

“Now there are opportunities for before and after school program and I think that’s the other benefit that the parents will see at St. John,” Trumier said. “Now there are opportunities for before and after school.”

The item was one of many on the agenda involving construction projects in the division.

“We have been very busy with our projects and there has been a lot on our plates in that regard. We are finally seeing the fruits of that work,” Trumier said.

Inquires can be made directly to the Prince Albert Childcare Cooperative Association.

St. John Community School capital project expected to start soon

A proposed infrastructure upgrade project for St. John Community School is nearing the final planning stages before construction begins.

According to a report from the Prince Albert Catholic School Division board meeting on Monday, the drawings and design by AODBT is near completion. Prince Albert Catholic School Division Executive Director Lorel Trumier said the drawings should be completed by March 8, allowing them to start construction this spring.

“We’ve got the contractor lined up, we’ve got the mechanical lined up, we’ve got all the pieces lined up,” she said. “The big planning part is done and now they will begin the actual work in terms of the construction.”

The finals steps for budgeting and instruction to RNF Contractors are expected to be completed prior to April 1. The contractor is expected to mobilize after April 1. The projected date of completion is dependent on availability of sub-trades.

“It is an interesting time to do work in Saskatchewan,” Trumier said. “There are all kinds of supply chain issues still occurring and there are still some high areas of demand in the trades. We are now lined up with all the pieces and looking forward to the work.”

Trumier said the majority of the work will be done in the summer months. The school just saws a project completed on new daycare spaces and this project will start soon after.

“They will probably start … putting up the fence around their work area at the school here shortly,” Trumier said.

“They just took it down from the daycare project and they will be putting it up here shortly to get started on the remainder of the school.”

Both projects are collaborations with AODBT and RNF Contractors.

“We are excited,” Trumier said. “When you get a whole roof redone and repaired, those dollars are big dollars. We couldn’t have done it without this capital project that was granted to us, we’re pretty pleased about that.”

Some highlights of the project included new roofing on the portable wings of the school, new HVAC and mechanical boiler system, bathrooms, flooring, boot room/racks, shelving, library modernization, windows replacement, water management including eaves and concrete, brick repair and painting the interior of the school.

Trumier thanked the Ministry of Education for selecting the project under the 2022 intake for minor capital renewal projects.

“We wouldn’t have been able to do it without these dollars, so the minor capital project that we were granted is going to be put to good work and good use,” she said. “We’re going to basically have a school that will extend its life considerably.”

The division was notified in early June, 2023 that the Ministry of Education has approved proceeding with the renovations. This is the second year for the program. The budget has been approved for $2,100,000.

2022-2023 Annual Report expected to be tabled soon

The 2022-2023 Annual Report for the Prince Albert Catholic School Division is expected to be tabled in the legislature.

The tabling had been delayed after a minor dispute over the audited financial statements wherein the Ministry and the division’s auditor did not agree on the year that $800,000 for the St. John Community School Minor Capital Project should land.

“We know that’s a process item and it’s gone through all of the approvals that are necessary,” Trumier said. “Now, the tabling will occur in the near future.”

According to a memo to the board at their regular meeting on Monday, the tabling will occur soon and. The division will be notified when it does.

The province allocated $2.1 million last June for renovations at St. John Community School. The Division received the first payment of $800,000 in early December, but recorded the funds as part of their 2022-23 budget year at the request of the province. However, auditors MNP disputed the report, telling the division those funds should be reported in the 2023-24 statement.

The division tapped MNP to audit their finances as part of creating an annual report. During the audit, MNP disputed where the money was being reported.

After the audited finances were approved the division could approve and submit their 2022-2023 Annual Report to the province.

michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca

Growth in Indigenous languages and Global Sports Academy according to Sask Rivers reports

Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Growth in Indigenous languages and Global Sports Academy according to Sask Rivers reports

Indigenous language programming and the Global Sports Academy at Carlton Comprehensive both have shown significant growth in the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division, according to an update provided at the board’s Feb. 12 meeting.

Director of education Neil Finch substituted for superintendent Jennifer Hingley on the Indigenous language report and superintendent Jeff Court, former principal of Carlton, provided the Global Sports Academy report to the board.

Global Sports has grown to include 70 student athletes in three programs, High School Hockey, Grade 7 and 8 Hockey and High School Multi-Sport. Last year the same program had 49 enrolled according to the report.

Finch said that the program continues to grow at a substantial rate.

“Global Sports has been a very successful program for our students and families,” he said.

These programs offer sport specific training, sports therapy and nutrition education along with flexible learning opportunities. In his report Court attributes the growth of the program to its high quality.

The program has a mix of male and female students. The Grade 7 and 8 program brings in students from Red Wing, Ecole Vickers, Ecole Arthur Pechey and Osborne Schools.

Finch added that the education side is very important along with the athletic side of Global Sports.

“There are some sports specific things that the students are working on, but there’s also leadership pieces that they do during their classroom time and that has been a has been a benefit for students as well,” Finch said.

The Grade 9 to 12 program has a blended learning environment where students can work at their own pace and choose what they want to work on.

First Nations and Metis language classes continue to grow

Michif Language programs at Queen Mary Public School and St. Louis Public School are thriving with connections to community Elders and Land-Based Learning.

A Michif French locally developed course has also been created by Michif Early Learning Program Coordinator Angela Rancourt along with St. Louis Elders and community.

The Cree Language Program at John Diefenbaker Public School is also growing and a Grade 4-8 Cree Language Support Teacher will be added to the school in the coming school year to support students’ ongoing language development.

“We are in year four already of the language program at JD (John Diefenbaker) and it has grown to where we thought it might, but it’s been a great program as well,” Finch said. “I think word of mouth has helped with what’s going on in there and students are joining us as a result.”

Finch said the program has evolved from year to year, but the basics remain the same.

“In the end, JD will be a pre-K to Grade 8 offering Cree language and culture in some way and it’s more intensive in the early years. It will continue to be offered all the way up through to Grade 8,” he said.

“There will be an itinerant teacher that helps support Grade 4 to 8.”

michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca

Junior Trappers shine at Winter Festival

Michael Oleksyn
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Junior Trappers shine at Winter Festival

The Junior Trapper event returned to the Prince Albert Winter Festival this weekend with King and Queen champions crowned in the U18 and U14 categories.

The event was organized through a partnership with Shane Bird of the Prince Albert Indian and Metis Friendship Centre and was separate from the King and Queen Trapper, though they all took place at the Prince Albert Exhibition Centre on Saturday and Sunday.

Cumberland House’s Jandin Thomas placed first in the U18 King Trapper competition and said it was great to win.

“It’s not bad, it feels good,” Thomas said. “It’s a pretty good competition. I barely won the competition out here. I’m looking forward to coming again next year.”

This was the first time Thomas competed at a PAWF junior trapper event. However, he wasn’t surprised by any of it.

“I do this a lot, though, at home,” Thomas said.

“Honestly, I came here and I didn’t even know this was happening. I came last minute and competed. I tried my best and came out in first.”

Claudia Cook from La Ronge is 14-year-old and competed in the U18 category because it was determined by birth year and she turns 15-years-old this year. Despite the age difference, she took home top spot.

“It feels awesome because I’m younger than everybody else,” Cook said.

“It was fun competing against everyone,” she added.

The Junior Trapper features rope winding, nail pounding, trap setting, and flour bag packing.

In the U18 King Trapper Thomas was first with 150 points, Noah Green was second with 140 points, Devin Gamble was third with 125 points, George McAuley was fourth with 90 points and Jamie Henderson was fifth with 55 points.

In the U18 Queen Trapper Cook, was first 165 points, Isabella Peters was second with 115 points, Shaneika Roberts was third with 100 points, Shaelene Stewart was fourth with 80 points, Rae Whitehead was fifth with 65 points, Mya Whitecap was sixth with 60 points, Elena Deschambeault was seventh with 55 points and Kaylen Montgrand was eighth with 40 points.

In the U14 Queen Trapper Darlene Cook was the only competitor and took home the crown with 240 points. In the U14 King Trapper Parker Gamble was first with 220 points and Dale Stewart was second with 180 points.

Multiple-time champions win crown at King and Queen Trapper

Michael Oleksyn
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Multiple-time champions win crown at King and Queen Trapper

This year’s Prince Albert Winter Festival King and Queen Trapper had 10 participants from across the province showcasing their traditional survival skills.

The competition, separated into men’s and women’s categories, consisting of events such as snowshoe racing, log tossing, axe throwing, sled pulling and water boiling.

The competition took place on Saturday and Sunday outside of the Prince Albert Exhibition Centre. There were six male competitors and four female competitors.

The King and Queen Trapper were each multiple time winners with Queen Trapper Clarissa Burns and King Trapper Richard Charles of Stanley Mission taking the titles.

Burns is proud to still be able to compete at such a high level after competing for decades.

“I’m very honoured and proud that I’m still able to move and run and carry,” she said. “I’m happy, I’m very honoured and blessed that I’m able to still (compete).”

Burns started competing in Queen Trapper competitions when she was 13 years old. She’s 40 now, and still enjoys it. She has competed in every Queen Trapper since it was created and won every one.

Charles has been competing in Prince Albert for over 20 years and successfully defended his crown from 2023.

“It feels so good,” he said. “The reason I keep coming here is my competitors. They’re my brothers. We go all over and those are the guys to beat all the time. It was pretty good. I was surprised by our rookie this year.”

This year there was a rookie entry in both categories: Gabrielle Irmine who entered for the first time along with her husband Edmund Ermine.

“It was pretty good. I was surprised by our rookie this year,” Burns said.

Burns, who is from Prince Albert, ranks the Winter Festival competition just behind the prestigious The Pas Trapper Festival and the La Ronge Winter Festival.

Charles ranks Prince Albert high because of the level of competition.

“This is probably one of the best places to come compete because this is where the top guys come,” he said. “If you guys want to beat the best, that’s what you have got to do here.”

Charles said the competition in Prince Albert is always fierce and comes down to the last event.

A competitor tries to get his fire going for the Water Boil, which was the final event in the King and Queen Trapper which took place on Saturday and Sunday at the Prince Albert Exhibition Grounds. — Michael Oleksyn/Daily Herald

Charles has won the event six times including in 2023. The year before, he came in second.

“It came down to the last event, so I almost won again, but it is what it is,” he said. “The best, that’s what you have got to do here.”

In each event, the participants who place first to fifth get a certain number of points. The one with the most points at the ends wins the king or queen trapper title.

Burns would like to see the youth be more involved in the Festival to keep the Trapper event going for many years.

“I am very happy to see that there’s a youth category this year which is brand new and I think we need to see more of that and just to promote it, advertise a lot more,” she said. “There’s many people that don’t hear of it until the day of or when it’s happening, and it’s kind of too late. I just encourage more youth to get involved.”

Charles thanked the organizers for putting on an excellent show.

“I would like to thank PA for putting a good show, and the crew and sponsors you guys did an awesome job,” he said. “Thank you and if it wasn’t for you guys nobody will come here.”

In the King Trapper, Charles was first with 61 points, Norman McKenzie was second with 51 points, Gerald McKenzie was third with 42 points, Clinton Merasty and Cody Souter tied for fourth with 36 points and Edmund Ermine was sixth with five points.

In the Queen Trapper Burns was first with 60 points, Gabrielle Ermine was second with 51 points, Flora Whitecap was third with 48 points and Cherilyne Stevenson was fourth with 23 points.

Prince Albert part of STF job action on Friday

Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Prince Albert part of STF job action on Friday

After gradually announcing various rotating strikes around the province over the weekend, the Prince Albert area will now be part of another job action by the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation (STF).

On Tuesday, the STF gave notice of a one-day withdrawal of noon-hour supervision that

will take place on Friday, March 1 at locations throughout the province. This includes all teachers in the Prince Albert Area Teachers Association (PAATA) and all schools in the Prince Albert Catholic School Division and the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division.

By law, 48 hours’ notice is required for job action. STF president Samantha Becotte said they want to give families extra time to make arrangements.

“I just want to reiterate that this isn’t how bargaining should be, but government is refusing to come to the table in good faith,” Becotte said during a press conference on Tuesday. “We would love to be there negotiating on the priorities that impact students and teachers instead of being out on picket lines or sending advocacy emails to governments. Teachers want to be supporting their students.”

Becotte reiterated that all options remain open as teachers try to get government back to the table.

“That is our goal,” she said. “It’s not our goal to have additional sanction action. Teachers don’t want to be taking these actions. We want to have an agreement.”

Becotte argued the STF the provincial government hasn’t addressed key concerns like classroom complexity. She said issue has been on the Federation’s radar for many years.

“We have been talking about the impacts of government underfunding for a significant amount of time,” she said. “Even before the contract negotiations started in 2019, we had negotiated or attempted to negotiate items around cost, complexity and class size during the 2017 round of negotiations as well.”

Becotte said the GTBC either didn’t have enough information or didn’t see those issues as significant problems during the 2020 negotiations. However, she said there are positives.

“We have made some movement forward where the Minister is now saying that he recognizes that class complexity is an issue, that they need to address,” Becotte said.

She said it’s frustrating that it has taken seven years the government and the SSBA to recognize it’s an issue.

She reiterated a point from Monday’s press conference that there is a generation of students who have seen reduced funding and fewer supports.

“We need to see improvements and we need that long term meaningful commitments by government in the collective agreements so that teachers can hold them accountable to those commitments.”

Becotte said that the only item of the 10 on the table that the government has made moves on one.

“We had put forward a proposal around benefits that are provided to teachers who go on maternity leave and so they moved on that item,” Becotte said.

Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill said the government is willing to annualize $53.1 million in funding to “provide assurances between the parties” that, outside of bargaining, the government “will commit to annualized funding to address class size and composition,” through a memorandum of understanding.

Other schools involved include the association des enseignantes et enseignants fransaskois including schools in Conseil des écoles fransaskoises (including Ecole Valois in Prince Albert, Good Spirit Teachers’ Association including all schools in Good Spirit School Division, Holy Family Teachers’ Association including all schools in Holy Family Catholic School Division and the Horizon Teachers’ Association including all schools in Horizon School Division.

Both the Prince Albert Catholic School Division and Saskatchewan Rivers School Division have notified parents about the upcoming job action.
On top of job action already planned for Monday through Wednesday, teachers in the Chinook Teachers’ Association, Creighton Teachers’ Association, Lloydminster Teachers’ Association, North East Teachers’ Association and Prairie Spirit Teachers’ Association will withdraw noon-hour supervision on Thursday.

Over the weekend, the STF announced further job action including a rotating strike, and rotating withdrawal of noon-hour supervision and extracurricular activities to take place at select schools on Tuesday.

The rotating strikes impacts all schools in the Chinook School Division, Ile à la Crosse School Division, Lloydminster Public School Division, Lloydminster Catholic School Division, Northwest School Division and Prairie Valley School Division. It also involves teachers from Association des enseignantes et enseignants fransaskois — École Boréale in Ponteix and Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre’s North West and South West campuses.

The rotating withdraw of noon hour supervision affects all schools in the Holy Trinity Catholic School Division, Horizon School Division, North East School Division, Regina Catholics Schools and South East Cornerstone School Division.

Extracurricular activities will be withdrawn at all schools in the Creighton School Division, Horizon School Division, Prairie South School Division, Regina Catholic Schools and Regina Public Schools.

On Sunday, the STF also announced the withdraw of noon hour supervision and the withdraw of extracurricular activities at select schools on Wednesday.

The withdraw of noon-hour supervision will affect schools in Christ the Teacher Catholic School Division, Ile à la Crosse School Division, Prairie Valley School Division, Regina Public Schools and Sun West School Division.

Withdrawal of extracurricular activities on Wednesday will affect schools in Ile à la Crosse School Division, Prairie Valley School Division, Good Spirit School Division, all Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre campuses, and Living Sky School Division and Light of Christ Catholic School Division and Sakewew High School.

Becotte said that the STF’s Monday evening information session saw over 700 parents join the session.

“There were many good questions about the actions we have taken along the way, as well as several comments of support and engagement and even a couple of comments from parents asking us to ramp things up to get the support that their kids deserve and need,” she said.

Ministry of Education emailed at statement to the Daily Herald on Monday saying the Government Trustee Bargaining Committee (GTBC) extended invitations every day last week to the STF to come back to the bargaining table where negotiators had been waiting and were ready to engage in meaningful discussion.

“It’s unfortunate that the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) senior leadership continues to choose job action over getting a deal done on behalf of teachers, students and families,” the message reads.

The government says it has moved on a number of items that the STF asked for, including a renewed salary mandate and workplace safety enhancements. The STF has refused to move off their initial proposals, including a 23.4 per cent salary increase.

They added that since October, the STF has been at the bargaining table for a total of 30 minutes.

Teachers and students should be in the classroom, and the teachers’ union should be at the bargaining table, the Ministry concluded.

STF escalates job action with various actions throughout this week

Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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STF escalates job action with various actions throughout this week

The STF announced another wave of rotating strikes over the weekend, including one in the North East School Division adjacent to Prince Albert.

The STF has job action planned for four of five days this week. The latest slate of job action and sanctions were announced on Monday. STF president Samantha Becotte said this marks an escalation on behalf of teachers.

“As we have communicated prior to the break, if Government and school boards don’t start taking negotiations seriously our actions will continue to escalate,” Becotte said.

“Government and SSBA are remaining intransigent on their position that class complexity and violence in the classroom or any article around teacher working conditions, which are our students’ learning conditions, cannot be included within provincial Collective Agreement.”

In addition to the job action, Becotte said 62,000 pieces of correspondence have been sent to MLAs at the behest of the STF.

By law, 48 hours’ notice is required for job action; however, Becotte said they are providing extra time to allow families to make necessary arrangements. She also said they are escalating things in an attempt to get the government back to the bargaining table.

“Teachers have taken more job action this year than we have in any round of provincial collective bargaining,” said Becotte.

“The issues that we’re talking about with class size and class complexity aren’t isolated to a single area in the province. They are in classrooms and in schools in every area across Saskatchewan.”
When asked about how the rotating strikes will impact students, Becotte said that parents continue to support the STF.

“We understand that these actions are creating an impact and creating challenges for families across the province, but I think at the core of it parents continue to support teachers and members of Saskatchewan continue to support teachers because we are fighting for not just public education. We are fighting for better supports for every single child across our province.”

Becotte reiterated that all options remain open as teachers try to get government back to the table.

“I guess a better question would be why is it taking this significant amount of action?” Becotte said.

The classroom complexity issue was also a sticking point in 2020 negotiations, which the STF and Government settled after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We shouldn’t be at this point,” Becotte said. “We have brought this up in negotiations over the last two rounds of our contract negotiations here in Saskatchewan. This has been created over a decade of budget increases that are below the rate of inflation and that don’t adequately address our growing enrolment.”

Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill and the government is willing to annualize $53.1 million in funding to “provide assurances between the parties” that, outside of bargaining, the government “will commit to annualized funding to address class size and composition,” through a memorandum of understanding.

“Without a commitment in the collective agreement, where the government can be held accountable to this renewed investment, once contract negotiations are resolved or public pressure subsides, the Saskatchewan Party will claw back any increased funding that they provide in the upcoming budget,” said Becotte.

On top of job action already planned for Monday through Wednesday, withdraw of noon-hour supervision at schools included in the Chinook Teachers’ Association, Creighton Teachers’ Association, Lloydminster Teachers’ Association, North East Teachers’ Association and Prairie Spirit Teachers’ Association will take place Thursday.

Over the weekend, the STF announced further job action including a rotating strike, and rotating withdrawal of noon-hour supervision and extracurricular activities to take place at select schools on Tuesday.

The rotating strikes impacts all schools in the Chinook School Division, Ile à la Crosse School Division, Lloydminster Public School Division, Lloydminster Catholic School Division, Northwest School Division and Prairie Valley School Division. It also involves teachers from Association des enseignantes et enseignants fransaskois — École Boréale in Ponteix and Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre’s North West and South West campuses.

The rotating withdraw of noon hour supervision affects all schools in the Holy Trinity Catholic School Division, Horizon School Division, North East School Division, Regina Catholics Schools and South East Cornerstone School Division.

Extracurricular activities will be withdrawn at all schools in the Creighton School Division, Horizon School Division, Prairie South School Division, Regina Catholic Schools and Regina Public Schools.

On Sunday, the STF also announced the withdraw of noon hour supervision and the withdraw of extracurricular activities at select schools on Wednesday.

The withdraw of noon-hour supervision will affect schools in Christ the Teacher Catholic School Division, Ile à la Crosse School Division, Prairie Valley School Division, Regina Public Schools and Sun West School Division.

Withdrawal of extracurricular activities on Wednesday will affect schools in Ile à la Crosse School Division, Prairie Valley School Division, Good Spirit School Division, all Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre campuses, and Living Sky School Division and Light of Christ Catholic School Division and Sakewew High School.

Ministry of Education emailed at statement to the Daily Herald saying the Government Trustee Bargaining Committee (GTBC) extended invitations every day last week to the STF to come back to the bargaining table where negotiators had been waiting and were ready to engage in meaningful discussion.

“It’s unfortunate that the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) senior leadership continues to choose job action over getting a deal done on behalf of teachers, students and families,” the message reads.

The government says it has moved on a number of items that the STF asked for, including a renewed salary mandate and workplace safety enhancements. The STF has refused to move off their initial proposals, including a 23.4 per cent salary increase.

They added that since October, the STF has been at the bargaining table for a total of 30 minutes.

Teachers and students should be in the classroom, and the teachers’ union should be at the bargaining table the Ministry concluded.

michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca

YWCA Coldest Night of the Year raises over $50,000

Michael Oleksyn
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YWCA Coldest Night of the Year raises over $50,000

The 2024 version of Prince Albert’s Coldest Night of the Year might have been one of the warmest to date.

Walkers ventured out for a good cause on Saturday evening: to raise money for Prince Albert’s homeless, hurting, and hungry during the YWCA’s annual Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser.

YWCA Prince Albert CEO Donna Brooks was pleased to see so many people come out to support the cause.

“I love it,” she said. “Not only does it help with the fundraising part it also helps with the awareness. The larger the group, the more presence we have when we’re walking around the street. It also shows that we have support within the city of Prince Albert, so it means a lot.”

David Hambelton Fund Development Officer with YWCA Prince Albert agreed with Brooks that the community support was excellent.

“It’s just always amazing to see the community come out,” he said. “We get so much support, so much love from the community and we really couldn’t do it without the support from Prince Albert and all the amazing people who show up to walk, to fundraise, and all the people who donate as well.”

The sixth year of the family-friendly walk-a-thon opened up with a presentation at Plaza 88 at 5 p.m., where all the walkers gathered to see the acting Chair of the Prince Albert Grand Council Women’s Commission, Deborah McLean present a $5,000 donation on behalf of the lead sponsor.

McLean was taking the place of the late Shirley Henderson, who passed away in late December. Before the cheque presentation, there was a moment of silence for Henderson.

“Shirley Henderson was an instrumental part in us receiving funding from the PAGC Women’s Commission being a lead sponsor for this,” Brooks said.

“But Shirley Henderson took it a step further. It wasn’t just that she advocated for us. Shirley helps so many people on the ground and in her community and the people that we serve every day, so Shirley is missed, absolutely,” she added.

Brooks said that it was sad that Henderson could not be here for the event this year.

“We are going to be thinking about Shirley when we walk. and we would be thinking about what Shirley meant to us and what she meant to this community and her home community of Montreal Lake Cree Nation.”

Michael Oleksyn/Daily Herald (L to R) Donna Brooks accepts a cheque for $5,000 for continued support of the Coldest Night of the Year from Deborah McLean of the Prince Albert Grand Council Women’s Commission on Saturday evening at Plaza 88.

This year the temperatures were warmer than usual. Brooks said that the walkers and volunteers were due for nice weather.

“We’ve done this Coldest Night of the year now for several years, and I remember walking one year in the wind chills it was about -30 C,” Brooks said. “I will go with the plus temperatures this year.”

Brooks said it might be the warmest Coldest Night of the Year but the message remains the same.

“It’s still winter. Would you want to sleep outside today? So it still sends the same message,” she explained.

Through sponsorships and donations collected by the 16 teams and 152 walkers, the YWCA collected $54,690. The goal this year was $70,000 and if they met that Brooks would join YWCA staff in wearing an inflatable costume, which did not come to pass.

Before the walk began there was a total of eight people in inflatable costumes including staff and members of the top fundraising team Gen Z.

The money raised during Coldest Night of the Year goes directly to supporting the City’s most vulnerable through YWCA programming.

Brooks said the best part of the fundraiser was that there are no strings attached. That means the funds can go directly to programs, unlike regular government funding. She said it can fill gaps in the programming that is provided by the YWCA.

One example is snacks that they hand out at the Community Connection Centre and other things that people need

“That’s not something that a funder provides,” Brooks said. “We hand out food at our Central Avenue location too. If people come, they need something, we’ll give them some snacks, those types of things. (It’s) different things that make people’s lives a little better for that day.”

The event was at Plaza 88 for the first time after starting the walk at Save On Foods in Cornerstone in previous years. Hambleton said there were a few reasons for that.

“We did appreciate being able to have the venue at a community business before, but it’s just it’s grown so large that we just needed a bigger space for it,” he said. “Also, being down at Plaza 88 helps us have the walk centred downtown to put the spotlight on homelessness and food insecurity for the community.”

Gen Z, the top fundraising team was led by Lisa Krueger who is the Youth Program Coordinator with YWCA Prince Albert. She said the team included youth from the program and some of her friends and family.

She organized the team of youth to show them how important their programming is.

“The money that we raise, we use it towards well to enhance the programming that we work on, which is our peace initiative. (It) focuses a lot on mental health and just our all-around healthy bodies,” Krueger said.

They did things like a spud nut sale and a pizza sale to fundraise. Gen Z finished first in fundraising with a total of $7,485.48 and Krueger was also the top individual fundraiser with $2,005. The reason they wanted to finish first was simple according to Krueger.

“Because we’re competitive and we want to win and I think it says a lot that the youth do take an active role in their program. They take an active role in the life that we have the Y try to facilitate for them. And I think it just shows that they care, they care about their well-being,” Krueger said.

Hambleton added that the YWCA couldn’t have achieved such a great turnout if it wasn’t for the amazing support that poured in from the community. Donations can still be made to Coldest Night of the Year, according to Hambleton.

“We’re grateful for every donation and we’ll happily accept any amount,” he said.

Michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca

Elks and Royal Purple donate $50,000 in support of new Victoria Hospital

Michael Oleksyn
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Elks and Royal Purple donate $50,000 in support of new Victoria Hospital

Local Elks and Royal Purple have been supporting the Victoria Hospital since 1986 through the Elks and Royal Purple Charitable Fund.

On Friday, Feb. 23, they continued that tradition by presenting a cheque for $50,000 to the Boreal Healthcare Foundation to support the Mental Health Unit.

The fund included local Elks and Royal Purple groups from Prince Albert, Canwood, Big River, and other local communities. Charitable fund chair Art Young of Canwood has been with the committee from the beginning.

“We have raised a lot of money and we’ve had a lot of people that have put a lot of effort into raising this money,” Young said. “I want to thank everybody that has taken part and all our workers.”

Boreal Healthcare Foundation CEO Cody Barnett saidit was quite remarkable to get a donation of this size so early in their fundraising for the new Victoria Hospital.

“The Elks and Royal Purple have been long-time supporters—over two decades worth of support that they’ve been providing into different parts of the hospital,” he said. “It’s really remarkable that they’re one of the first. They know the importance and it’s really incredible to see.”

The Elks and Royal Purple initially supported the hospital’s dialysis unit. When that stopped, the former Victoria Hospital Foundation approached them and asked if they were interested in continuing their fundraising, this time for the Mental Health Unit.

Fund representatives agreed after visiting the unit. The Committee then worked Bingo at Carnival Bingo to raise approximately $155,000 until 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic then put a stop to fundraising, but things are getting back on track. Young said they do 13 Bingos per year to raise funds including one per month.

“This year we made just short of $18,000,” Young said. “We have a few of them and our regular members work every month.

“I’m very proud of the people that will work and our ability to give back to the community,” he added.

Barnett said the committee has been putting in countless hours of volunteer work to raise this $50,000 to put into the Mental Health Unit.

“I’m grateful as a member of the community that they’re here doing that kind of work for us,” he said. “It shows that the hospital is important to more than just PA. Just the different communities that are involved with Elks Lodge, be it Canwood or Lac La Ronge, it is incredible to see how they value this hospital in particular.”

The money has already been earmarked for the purchase of furniture, fixtures and equipment.

“(It’s) everything from medical beds to specialized equipment that’s needed in the Mental Health unit,” Barnett said.

“One of the biggest ticket items I’ve seen is like new all new electric beds throughout the entire unit, like that’s a significant cost, so this this goes a long way.”

Barnett added that the Fund was an early adopter of supporting mental health in Prince Albert.

This is the fifth donation the Elks and Royal Purple have made. They have given a total of $180,000 (including Friday’s donation) to mental health as a club and organization.

The Fund was started in 1986 when a member of the Weldon Elks Lodge required dialysis and had to travel to Saskatoon for treatment.

They formed a committee at the next Elks District meeting to see what could be done.

That committee decided the Elks and Royal Purple could fund the capital cost of a treatment centre if the government funded staffing. The Committee was known as the Elks and Royal Purple Dialysis Fund Committee and scheduled one bingo per month and a large payout bingo on Boxing Day.

Young said that there are currently two Lodges in Canwood including Elks and Royal Purple.

“We were started in 1928,” Young said. “(In) another four years we’ll have 100 years, and PA has got been here for 102 years, so we’ve been around for a long time and we’ve been a prime mover of donations in our community as well as here.”

The member lodges for the Committee used to include Shellbrook and Paddockwood but both of those lodges have closed

The committee raised approximately $500,000 for the Renal Dialysis Unit at Victoria Hospital. The arrangement continued until 2015 when the province assumed all the costs of running the unit.

“I would just like to thank all the people that have worked for so many years,” Young said.

Barnett said that the estimated time of completion is Spring 2028 for the new tower. Construction began on Monday, Feb. 26.

“We’re still in early planning for our campaign,” Barnett said. “We know it’s going to be a significant fundraising campaign for the community, the largest public fundraising campaign in Northern Saskatchewan’s history.”

michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca

TeleMiracle Pancake Breakfast raises nearly $3,000

Michael Oleksyn
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TeleMiracle Pancake Breakfast raises nearly $3,000

The Prince Albert Kinsmen Club raised nearly $3,000 for TeleMiracle at their annual Pancake Breakfast at Smitty’s on Friday morning.

The annual event is a staple of local TeleMiracle fundraising efforts. Brad Amy of the Prince Albert Kinsmen Club said it has been running as long as he has been a member.

“This has been a great success,” Amy said. “Partnering with Smitty’s, they always do a fantastic job. We just come down and set up and people bring their donations. This is a fun time to raise money for Telemiracle.”

This year the Pancake Breakfast wound up the day before the telethon begins. The event starts Saturday evening and runs until Sunday morning.

Smitty’s sold sausage and pancake breakfasts for $10 between 7 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., with all the proceeds going to TeleMiracle. Smitty’s donated coffee, juice, pancake mix and provides staff to help with the breakfast. They did both take out and sit down orders for the fundraiser.

The $3,000 raised is just part of the total donation they’ll send to Regina.

Michael Oleksyn/Daily Herald Members of the Prince Albert Kinsmen collected money and donations at their annual TeleMiracle Pancake Breakfast at Smitty’s on Friday.

TeleMiracle will host in-person performances this year for the first time since COVID-19 hit. Amy said it’s exciting to see the show return to normal.

“I hope people tune in to Telemiracle and ring those phones,” he said. “We all know there’s a lot of donations that come right back to Prince Albert from the Mont St. Joe’s, through the Vic Hospital. It’s just it just keeps on going and we just keep serving the community’s greatest needs.”

The Kinette Club will make the presentation on behalf of the Prince Albert Kinsmen Club during the show. Amy said they’re not sure exactly when that will be.

Amy said they didn’t do all the donation and fundraising events they normally would, but support from local residents was still strong.

Michael Oleksyn/Daily Herald Members of the Prince Albert Kinsmen delivered meals at their annual TeleMiracle Pancake Breakfast at Smitty’s on Friday. F

“This year we didn’t do the Raider hockey game. We’ve done some in the past, but this year, we’ve kind of focused on the pancake breakfast,” Amy said

“We always make a good donation, and we always contribute throughout the year, so our donation will be right there with a lot of other clubs in the province, for sure.”

TeleMiracle 48, in support of “Saskatchewan’s Charity” the Kinsmen Foundation, will be broadcast live from REAL District in Regina. The entire 20-hour telethon can be seen on the CTV Saskatchewan network, starting at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, and concluding at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 25.

The entire show will also be live-streamed at www.telemiracle.com, beginning with “Countdown to TeleMiracle” on February 24 at 6:15 pm.

The Prince Albert Kinsmen Club thanked everyone who helped make the TeleMiracle 48 Pancake Breakfast a success.

michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca

STF announces withdrawal of all extracurricular activities for Monday

Michael Oleksyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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STF announces withdrawal of all extracurricular activities for Monday

Elementary and high school sports, drama, and band will all be on hold for one day after the STF announced a withdrawal of all extracurricular activities on Monday.

The Saskatchewan Teachers Federation (STF) announced the one-day job action on Friday.

All extracurricular activities that take place before school, during lunch hour, after school and in the evening will be impacted. The list includes science clubs, intramurals, rehearsals, student leadership activities, planning for graduation celebrations, and bookfairs.”

“As I’ve said before teachers do not want to be taking any action that impacts student learning or any other school activity but we need to know that students will start to receive the supports that they deserve and need,” STF President Samantha Becotte told reporters during a zoom news conference on Friday morning.

Monday, Feb. 26 will also see the continuation of rotating noon-hour supervision withdrawals. Prince Albert is not one of the areas impacted.

Withdrawal of noon-hour supervision means teachers will not be available to supervise students who are eating lunch at school or taking part in noon-hour activities. Teachers will not be available to supervise students who are eating lunch at school or taking part in noon-hour activities. Schools impacted by that sanction include those within the Northern Area Teachers’ Association, Northwest Teachers’ Association, Prairie South Teachers’ Association, Saskatoon Teachers’ Association, and Tri-West Teachers’ Association.

Becotte repeated calls for the government-trustee bargaining committee (GTBC) to start to “get serious. and return to the bargaining table ready to negotiate the “real issues” impacting students.

Asked if she felt the job action — one-day strikes, and withdrawal of service — would work in the long-term given the recent renewed mandate presented by the GTBC, Becotte said “Otherwise we wouldn’t be taking the actions.”

“This government has the ability to pay, (and) they have the ability to ensure that students are getting the supports that they need in classrooms all across the province,” Becotte said.

“They just need the political will, and a lot of that political will often comes from public pressure.”

Becotte also reiterated arguments that including classroom complexity in bargaining agreements was common.

“As we’ve heard from other provincial leaders in other areas of the country they can be negotiated in a provincial agreement,” Becotte said referring to her Monday press availability.

“I would then ask government and SSBA, if we’re not making those commitments in a provincial agreement where are those commitments going to be made where government accountable for the funding and school boards can be accountable to ensuring that the funds are directed to supporting students and classrooms and where it guarantees that those funds are going to continue in the long term to provide predictable and sustainable funding. That’s exactly what SSBA has regularly communicated about in their advocacy the need for predictable and sustainable funding,”

This week, the province said it has extended multiple invitations to get back to the bargaining table, including one Wednesday morning, but the union hasn’t responded.

“We did communicate that to the GBTC that until they have the authority to engage in

negotiations around classroom complexity, we would be declining their invitation that they had sent last week,” Becotte said.

The union has been clear it will only return to negotiations if the GTBC comes back with a new mandate that includes the ability to address classroom complexity and composition, which includes violence.

Becotte reiterated that all options remain on the table, as they have done various job actions since the beginning of February.

“It doesn’t mean that we’re not going to have a return of some of those previous actions and it doesn’t prevent any future announcements as well,” she said.

“As I’ve said, our goal is to get back to the table. Our goal is to ensure that students start getting the supports that they need in classrooms so that both students and teachers can be successful in in schools in all areas of the province.

“We are committed to going to the table and negotiating in good faith. That has been our stance throughout the entire process. We really have no other way other than to apply sanction action to move this process forward,”

Parents and caregivers are invited to attend a Parent and Caregiver Information Night being offered virtually through Zoom at 7 p.m. on Monday, February 26. Becotte will provide information about the status of contract negotiations and teacher job action as part of this virtual event. Space is limited to 5,000 registrants, and registration is available on the STF website.

michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca

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