Vol. 104 No. 12
Box 40, 102 3rd Ave West, Biggar, Saskatchewan S0K 0M0
THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2013
email: tip@sasktel.net
24 pages
Phone: 306-948-3344
$1.25
www.biggarindependent.ca
Stories shared build a deeper understanding by Pastor Mark Kleiner
M
onday, March 11 PALS (Presbyterians, Anglicans and Lutherans in Service) hosted an information meeting at New Horizons Hall in Biggar, with special guests, Lyndon Linklater from the Office of the Treaty Commissioner’s Speakers’ Bureau in Saskatoon, and Elder Ray Sanderson from the James Smith First Nation. Linklater spoke first and with his engaging personality, reminded us of our oral traditions through songs and customs that immediately give us our culture. Linklater effectively put us in the place that First Nations peoples were in over a century and a half ago, when they negotiated for the future of their people with a race they had little common ground with. Linklater shared with us the three fundamental beliefs for all First Nations. The first is belief in God, sometimes referred to as the Creator or the Great Spirit. Great Spirit created everything and each creation – from a rock to a plant to a human being – is imbued with its own spirit, so we are surrounded in all directions and dimensions, within and without, by spirits. That is the second principle. The third principle is that the land is Mother Earth who gives us our life and continues to nurture us. By using simple analogies, Linklater put us in our treaty partners’ shoes in a far more effective way than showering us with history dates and names. He had more material that he could have given us, but he wanted to leave time for us to hear Elder Ray’s story. Elder Ray Sanderson took the floor and told us that he would not be as entertaining as Linklater, but his story of life before, during and after the experience of r e s i d e n t i a l s ch o o l i n g could not have been more
riveting. His simple and dignified presentation of the anguish of being taken from home at the age of 6, enduring the strap, being subjected to multiple abuses from caregivers, and the debilitating loneliness and heartbreak that followed him through his life, allowed us to share some of what he felt. He found the army after high school and started using alcohol to help him cope with the periods of depression that began to haunt him. His alcohol use became more frequent, and eventually led to his departure from the army. He eventually joined a 12-step program and became sober. He was later recruited by the RCMP, but the trauma from the residential school experience continued to dog him, and eventually led to the end of that career as well. When he moved to Saskatoon, he was fortunate to find a doctor that recognized he was a survivor of residential schools and referred him to a psychiatrist, at which point he began to make emotional progress. He now lives with his son and family and feels that his grandchildren are helping him experience the love that he missed as a child. After the two presentations, there was a question and answer session between the 25 people in attendance and the guests. Audience questions about the effects of the Indian Act that has circumvented the Treaties for 137 years, the residential school legacy, and the foster care system, prompted stories from Linklater and Sanderson that provided more glimpses of history and glimmers of hope. Linklater spoke to the case presently in front of the Supreme Court on education underfunding. Chronic underfunding of Social Services and Health has been ongoing problem, yet as a taxpayer, Linklater doesn’t want to pay more taxes either. He would rather see governments negotiate revenue sharing from natural resources like potash, uranium, mines et
cetera, with their treaty partners, the First Nations. This may be an avenue of negotiation that can begin without affecting the Indian Act. Governments have historically made laws that affect First Nations without consultation, and that continues to give
the gift of poverty and despair. More than once, Linklater stressed that he is a proud Canadian and that Canada is the greatest country in the world. In giving presentations across Canada for 13 years, Linklater said that he found
Wizard of a show . . . New Creation Community Players cast members Tanya Schultz, left, and Gillian Massie get ready for Sunday’s matinee musical, ‘The Wiz’. All the past months of hard work really paid off as
Canadians everywhere to be fair minded, kind, of good humour and law abiding. When Canadians understand they are reaping the benefits of being Treaty people at the expense of their Treaty partners, they question the fairness of that and wonder
why their governments have not done better. There is always more to learn about this complex issue and sharing personal stories helps to create the beginnings of relationship, understanding and healing.
cast and crew put on an incredible, highly entertaining performance. You missed a good one! (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
Asquith residents honoured with Jubilee medal T
he Town of Asquith held a Diamond Jubilee Awards Tea in Asquith on March 3, at which time eight worthy recipients received Diamond Jubilee Medals in honour of their contributions to their community. The eight award recipients were as follows: Les Dahlseide, Marg Down, Gail Erhart, L o r n a G u t s ch , S a n d y Hass, Neil Millard, Tom Morrison and Les Stack. The afternoon was an enjoyable one, and the community showed up to show their pride in the recipients. SaskatoonRosetown-Biggar Member of Parliament, K e l l y B l o ck a t t e n d e d the tea to present the medals along with His
Worship James Maddin. G a l e S t a ck s a n g G o d
Save the Queen and O Canada, accompanied
by Della Phillips on the piano.
Asquith honoured some pretty important members of the community, March 3, as these tireless residents received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. (Submitted Photo)