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Volume 107 No. 32
North Battleford, Sask.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
This week in ... Connaught School Receives Treaty Six Documents First Nations Elders, drummers and dancers joined with administrators, students and staff at Connaught School for the presentation of a framed copy of Treaty Six and the official Government of Canada apology for residential schools Wednesday. Living Sky School Division has been holding similar events in all its schools, ensuring these documents will be displayed permanently. Director of Education for Living Sky School Division Randy Fox noted in his closing remarks how appreciative he was of the First Nation drumming and dancing, activities that wouldn’t have been welcomed in many public schools 30 years ago. Watch for more on this story in the Thursday, March 26 Regional Optimist and online at our website www.newsoptimist.ca Photo by Jayne Foster
A look back at the news stories making the pages of the News-Optimist in ...
1986
By Becky Doig Editor
• This week in 1986, a full year after it went into production, the $7 million Gainers bacon-processing plant hosted a grand opening. In a story under Len Taylor’s byline Mayor Glenn Hornick said the plant had “literally changed the attitude and fortunes of the City of North Battleford.” • Grant Devine’s Progressive Conservative government was slashing the province’s 16,000-member civil service. A total of 500 vacant positions were eliminated and early retirement was offered to 1,300 employees. The ultimate goal laid out in that year’s budget was reducing the service by 2,000 jobs. The PCs said the cutting was needed to address the province’s fiscal problems. The PCs were eventually ousted from power by the New Democrats, who were saddled with a massive debt load left over from Devine’s years as premier. • Unhappy with the Parks and Recreation Board’s suggestion for a permanent name for the city’s new art gallery in the chapel at the Don Ross Community Centre, city council decided to ask schools and the community to come up with a new name. Alderman Donna Challis informed council the board chose the name “The Gallery” because they thought the public would refer to the new facility as the gallery at Don Ross Centre and the simple name The Gallery would reinforce the informal name. But Mayor Glenn Hornick said he though the simple name would become confusing because of other art galleries in the city. “We could name the arena, The Arena, then,” he said, arguing there should be more work done on the name. • A master plan for the river valley was in the works with cost predicted to be $62,000. The plan, then three years in the making, was expected to take two more years to complete. A joint River Valley Advisory Committee was given permission to negotiate with a Winnipeg consulting firm to develop a master plan for land use in the valley. • A statement by the North Battleford Public School Board chairman instructing two trustees “not to rock the boat” in an upcoming meeting with the minister of education caused a ruckus. Dick Robin and Diane Cawood were the two trustees whose views were contrary to the majority of the board in regards to French immersion and a new Connaught School.